Endless Silver Machine

Aika vaguely heard slight voices outside the door.

As if they were discussing whether or not to come in, the girls living in the administrator's cabin were hesitant.

Aika didn't continue to pay attention to the intermittent sounds coming from outside the door. He rubbed his head, which was still a little groggy after just waking up, and moved from the table to the window. He slowly stretched out his hand to open the curtains and pushed open the window to let the fresh air from outside flow into the small room.

The wind blew several sheets of paper with dense formulas on the desk to the ground.

Aika took a deep breath, and the morning wind mixed with the smell of green grass made her chaotic brain a little clearer.

He bent down to pick up the materials on the floor that he had spent a whole night organizing, and put them away in the desk drawer.

The rustling voices outside the door have disappeared, replaced by the subtle sound of metal friction.

"Are these guys just going to unlock the door when they find it is locked..."

Aika was muttering to herself as she put on the uniform hanging in the closet, walked to the door, and knocked lightly on the inside.

That way they should know they're awake and what they're going to do.

If you open the door rashly without saying hello, no one will know whether what greets you on the other side of the door is a long red-gold knife sharpened like iron, or a hug from a younger sister, or whether you are scared and hesitant for such a small move. white-haired girl. These are things that Aika avoids, so the compromise approach that reminds them is the safest.

The sound of subtle metal friction disappeared the moment Aika knocked on the door, and then he immediately turned the handle casually.

"Ah, brother, it turns out you have woken up."

"Ugh...Brother Aika, I'm sorry, I didn't want to go in without permission..."

Aika chuckled lightly, pretending not to notice Wei Xi's evasive eyes, and gently put her hand on her head.

"There's no need to apologize. If anything happens, you can come over anytime."

"Is this so...that's great..."

Wei Xi enjoyed the caress of Aika's big hand and closed her eyes with peace of mind. The tips of her pure white hair beat slightly according to her mood.

"Ling, you must be the first one to open the lock, right? The method of unlocking is the same as what I told you a few days ago."

"...Who told you to suddenly lock the door today? You usually never lock the door. We were just worried that you would oversleep and be late, so we had no choice but to come in and take a look."

Ling, who was about to sneak away, confidently strode towards Aika, making it seem like the really guilty person should be Aika.

"I probably didn't lock the door... Anyway, I can't remember clearly. I went to bed too late last night, and I feel like I've forgotten most of the things I remembered in my head. It seems that this kind of attack is not very effective."

"...You should also pay more attention to your body." Seeing Aika's face like this, Ling couldn't bear to continue making irresponsible remarks to him, "Come down quickly. Today's breakfast will be served while you are sleeping soundly. It’s ready.”

"Sister Ling, wait for me..."

Wei Xi followed Ling back to the first floor. The two of them had to prepare tableware for four people.

Luoluo still stayed beside Aika, standing there without moving.

"Luoluo, why don't you come with us?"

"I have something I want to tell you, brother."

"Yeah, I'm listening."

"Even if brother didn't tell me, we still know that you must have stayed up late last night. Brother should have promised me that he would pay attention to his health, right?"

"that is……"

"The eyes are so red, we have noticed it a long time ago..."

Luoluo hugged Aika's waist from the front. It was so natural, physical contact between family members.

Aika could only stand there, quietly listening to Luoluo's "teachings".

"I don't want to see you like this, brother..."

"Lolo... I just want to get your memory back earlier. Tutor Tara is already fully assisting us. We only need to combine Tutor Tara's spiritual magic with Professor Cocona's magical machinery. , you should be able to find a way to help you recover.”

"There is no need," Luoluo very calmly interrupted Aika's helpless words, "seeing you like this, brother, will only make me feel more uncomfortable. If the nerves are too tight, no matter how strong you are, People can also collapse..."

Aika did not respond to this sentence because he did not know how to respond to Luoluo's mood.

He firmly believed in this approach in his heart, but Luoluo's "teaching" made Aika unable to refute it at all.

"Well..." Aika took a deep breath and cheered up, "I understand, I will just listen to you."

Then he took the initiative to leave Luoluo's warm embrace.

——'If it doesn't end, it won't move forward. That's why people will survive by forgetting many things.' I very much agree with this sentence. But memories are also proof that they once existed. So no matter what it costs me...

During the time of being gently "taught" by Luoluo, Aika thought a lot at this moment. It is his responsibility to respond to Luo Luo's mood, and it is his determination to retrieve Luo Luo's memory.

That day, they were attacked by an unknown giant magical machine in the underground space, and Lolo lost his memory afterwards.

In the time that followed, Aika found an opportunity to tell Lolo the truth about his amnesia. Although the relationship between the two has become clear, for Luoluo, the memories between her and her family only stay in Aika's statement, just listening to Aika tell a story without any real sense.

…………

When they entered the teaching building, there were no other students lingering outside the classroom in the entire corridor. This just proves the fact that several of them are late again.

Aika gently pushed open the back door of the twin classroom. It is an unwritten rule that students who are late must enter the classroom through the back door, so as not to interrupt the instructor's teaching.

"Those four problem children in the back, just stand there and don't move."

But unexpectedly, the always tolerant and generous teacher Letika stopped Aika and the others who had "sneaked in" today, and the eyes of the whole class were also focused on the four problem children who were nearly half an hour late.

"Because I already knew this would happen, I was neither surprised nor angry. But Aika-san, can you tell me why the other members of your family are also late with you?"

Instructor Letika's eyes were firmly locked on the leading boy.

"Please, please wait a moment, Teacher Letika..." Luoluo suddenly explained for Aika, "It was because my brother... did something to me this morning that it took so much time..."

The classroom fell silent for an instant.

Aika felt countless glares as sharp as blades, and it seemed that it would be better for him to explain the question asked by Teacher Letika.

Ling and Wei Xi quickly helped Luo Luo smooth things over. They both knew that what Luo Luo said was not the kind of thing that his classmates would associate with it, but to Aika's ears, it just became darker and darker.

"Classmate Aika, the purpose of arranging for you to live together is not to give you more time for 'intimate communication'. You can't do this without punishment!" Perhaps Instructor Letika didn't understand what they really wanted to express, "Since If you are all responsible, I will arrange for you to clean the practice area after the practical classes this week. Please remember, it is a whole week."

Teacher Letika’s smile held a heavy pressure that could not be defended.

…………

The setting sun shines through the transparent roof into the practice area after the practical classes.

"Aika, why are you in such a bad state today? This place has become a mess, but at this time, the four of us have to clean it."

In today's practical class, Aika didn't show his original strength at all. The magical machine constructed by mechanical alchemy went berserk with magic power, destroying nearly half of the practice field protected by the barrier.

"Hahaha, I'm so sorry. Maybe today is the worst day I've ever had the worst luck. All the unfortunate things happened together."

Aika holds a water hose in both hands and sprays water on the floor of the practice area. Although the practice ground has been damaged to the point of needing to be rebuilt, they need to get it into a condition that can be used before the rebuilding work can begin.

"I also feel that my brother was a little absent-minded at that time. Should I ask Teacher Letika for leave to rest at home these two days?"

"No, absent-mindedness is simply not paying attention. Just pay more attention in the future."

Aika declined Luoluo's kindness. He knew that Luoluo was just taking the opportunity to find an excuse to urge himself to rest, but Aika felt that there was really no such leisure time now.

As long as Luoluo's memory is not restored, the four of them seem to be missing the most important piece of the puzzle.

Everyone just kept silent about this matter and maintained their lives as if they had not changed. But in fact, Luo Luo cannot get along with everyone in the name of family now.

Because a protective barrier was deployed across the entire training ground during the practical lessons, it was not completely devastated by Aika. It's just that the practice area is very large, and it really takes a whole week to clean it up.

Now that it has become like this, Teacher Letika, who originally just wanted to punish Aika and the others, should lend a helping hand.

"That's it for today. You guys go home first. I have to go to Tutor Tara's place and won't be back until later."

"You're not going to stay there all night again, are you?"

Ling put down the tools in his hands, and walked towards the maintenance room of the practice ground with Luoluo, their backs turned to Aika. The tools they use must eventually be put back into their original places.

"I don't know if there is any new progress from Tutor Tara. If there is, I should be staying in her research room tonight."

"Luoluo told you in the morning, right? What I want to say is the same thing. You should pay more attention to yourself..."

Ling had already stopped when Aika answered her. She didn't look back, but there was a hint of helplessness and blame in her tone.

"Thank you, Ling," Aika responded to Ling's simple consolation with the same optimistic tone as before, "It will definitely be better to do something than to do nothing. At least if you do something, you can still be self-satisfied. For a moment, if you don’t do anything, you won’t even be able to satisfy yourself.”

"Although I don't quite understand... how should I put it? Since it's your decision, I won't say anything to extinguish your enthusiasm. But before that, I remind you to pay more attention to the mood of the people around you. Don't end up doing it for The pursuit of a perfect ending puts the cart before the horse.”

Speaking of this, Lingdan has already made his words clear. If you ignore their feelings now for your own purposes, even if Luoluo's memory is restored, it will leave the worst mark in their memory.

Adding new scars in order to restore past memories is not something to be proud of.

Aika didn't make a sound, just walked out of the practice ground with her back to them as if running away.

…………

Aika knew that her current stubbornness was the product of stubbornness.

The regret in my heart surged like a rolling tide.

Crying is not because you are weak, nor is smiling because you are strong.

It's just because this is the only road left in front of him that Aika doesn't dare to leave this road.

"Eh? Brother Aika?"

"Wei Xi..." Aika stopped her anxious steps and quickly adjusted her emotions, "Is the matter with Professor Cocona over?"

"Well... Cocona said that what Brother Aika wants will be made right away. She asked me to tell you this..."

Wei Xi showed a rare look of anticipation. Aika's wish can come true, which also affects her mood.

In other words, Aika's wish is the common wish of the four people.

"Is brother Aika going there again now..."

"Well, Tutor Tara is still waiting for me."

"I'm sorry, brother Aika... I don't know much about spiritual magic, so I can't help you much..."

"It goes without saying, Wei Xi. You are already an indispensable help by my side."

This was Aika's true words, and he believed that the gratitude in this sentence had been conveyed to Wei Xi.

Wei Xi's expression indeed became cheerful because of these words.

"Brother Aika, I...I have something to say to brother Aika..."

"Um?"

"So...so...can you squat down a little bit..."

Although she didn't know what kind of secret Wei Xi was planning to tell, Aika still listened to her words and knelt down.

After doing so, his eyes happened to intersect with Wei Xi's.

Then, I felt a gentle moist touch on the side of my cheek.

"Wei Xi..."

Aika hurriedly distanced herself, but because it was inconvenient to move while squatting, their eyes still intersected, and Aika could only look at the white-haired girl in front of her in a panic.

"Hehe..." Wei Xi stepped back a little, her cheeks flushed, "This is my first time doing this kind of thing outside..."

Her little head was buried lower, and her muttering voice could not hide her inner nervousness.

"I'm sorry, I can only do this kind of thing... If I do this, brother Aika will be more energetic..."

Fortunately, it's been a long time since after school. No third party passes here.

Therefore, this space shrouded in the afterglow of the setting sun was completely left to Aika and Wei Xi.

…………

"You're late for the evening classes too."

When Aika arrived at Tutor Tara's research room, the sky had completely turned dark.

Although Aika quickly rushed here after saying goodbye to Wei Xi, the time they spent together seemed to be too much.

Although this is nominally Tutor Tara's mansion, there is no room inside that is used for daily life. The name "Research Laboratory" is indeed more suitable for the style here.

Multiple screens were installed on the walls, and several long tables were assembled into a larger tabletop in the center of the room, which was filled with paper materials. There are also various bottles and jars on the wooden table next to the wall that are used for unknown purposes.

Instructor Tara's research direction is spiritual magic, which has not yet formed a system. Looking at the mainland, there are still only a handful of researchers of this type of magic.

Instructor Tara comes from the "Kalu" family, a family with a surname in the Bis Empire. She possesses a magic outfit that can jump the timeline - the "Founder of Omniscient", and is the authority on spiritual magic in Frost Moon Academy. Such multiple identities make her a core figure in helping Luoluo regain his memory.

"Forget it, I can more or less guess the reasons. They are still waiting for you to come home in the administrator's cabin, right?"

"Sorry, I may not be able to stay here tonight."

"It's really unexpected that you took the initiative to make a completely opposite request from before. Have you suddenly become homesick?"

"After all, we can't keep our family waiting forever."

"It's rare to hear you say something a little more mature," Teacher Tara smiled as if she understood something, "In this case, we won't waste any more time. Let's start now!"

…………

On the night after the incident, Aika had such a dream.

That's one of countless possibilities.

If Ling was not injured and unconscious before setting off, fate would lead them to another ending.

Aika sat up from the bed, obviously feeling that this dream was very long, but now the time was still in the morning.

He recalled the dream that gradually faded from his mind. Ling was not injured, but Luoluo's memory was not restored.

Which ending is the best? Aika couldn't get an answer.

There is no option to have the best of both worlds in the world. It is precisely because there are countless possibilities, and different people will be harmed in each possibility, that people will always live in contradictions.

Aika looked at the time on the PDA and saw that she had only slept for three short hours.

Ling's sword of light, Luoluo's absolute royal power, the voice warning him on the PDA... this is probably the reason why Aika can't sleep in the true sense.

He raised his head, and as if in a dream, there was a slight voice outside the door.

No need to distinguish carefully, Aika also knew that they would come here, and he had a vague premonition of this.

Questions that needed to be clarified piled up in Aika's mind, forcing him to stop being restless.

Don't keep thinking about painful things, because you can't forget them even if you want to.

Time can dilute the pain, but Aika doesn't want to use time to heal everything.

No matter what happens don't stop. Keep moving forward no matter what.

Keep going until the moment your life ends.

With such determination, Aika opened the door for them.