Endless Silver Machine

"We'll be at the stream soon."

Teacher Letika looked at the simulated map on the PDA to remind everyone.

Along the way, there were no emergencies like before, and the exploration seemed to have become a simple sightseeing trip.

Along the way, we also saw a group of monsters that we usually only see on classroom screens. Vegetarian monsters are basically docile and like to live in groups.

When everyone passed by their "territory", they were only looked at with emotionless eyes for a few seconds, and then immediately looked away as if they lost interest.

"Teacher Letika, this kind of monster shouldn't be aggressive, right?"

Tylua-senpai asked Teacher Letika dubiously, as she seemed to have something she wanted to do.

"Generally speaking, they won't attack people, but don't approach them just because of this."

"OK……"

Teacher Letika noticed what she was thinking. Tylua-senpai returned to the route she had gradually deviated from. If she continued walking, she would reach the side of those monsters.

"Telua-senpai, do you want to touch it?"

"Does Aika have this idea too!"

"When I saw the picture, I wanted to see the real thing with my own eyes. After I saw the real thing, I wanted to touch it with my own hands. I also have the same idea."

"Well, that's probably what I'm thinking now..."

Although Senior Tiruya has not given up yet, for the sake of everyone's safety, she tried her best to be patient.

"You can see the stream."

Sure enough, as Teacher Letika said, you can already hear the soft sound of running water, which resonates with the sound of wind.

The cross-flowing stream changes direction here and flows forward.

When they reached the stream, Instructor Letika placed her luggage in the grass on the bank, and everyone also put down their luggage.

"Everyone, let's take a rest here."

The sky has been dyed with orange-red and golden dusk fog. Within the barrier, time still passes at the same speed as the outside world.

The rainy season had just passed for half a month, and Aika had not seen such beautiful dusk fog for a long time, so his attention was attracted by the scenery on the horizon.

"Teacher Letika...the water here..."

"OK."

Teacher Letika smiled and acquiesced to Wei Xi's request, and then Wei Xi dipped her hands into the cool water with peace of mind.

When she just touched the water, the cool feeling made her whole body shiver.

Aika moved behind her and she looked like she was enjoying the feeling.

Senior Tiruya also acted in the same childish way next to Wei Xi, with the same comfortable expression on her face.

Nearly two hours have passed since we set off, and we will have to prepare for the return journey after walking a short distance in the next time.

"Aika-san, why don't you go play with them?"

"I don't quite fit that look..."

Probably only girls have this kind of interest. Aika has never thought of soaking herself in the stream.

Walking on the beautiful grassland, he had more things to worry about.

This is the periphery of the ruins, and what really responds to the magic equipment is the core of the ruins. The core may appear anywhere, and it does not necessarily have to go deep into the center of the ruins.

Although there is some excessive self-awareness in this way, Aika can never let go of this matter in her heart.

"Ahaha, it seems like this..."

Teacher Letika smiled bitterly and looked back at the two girls by the stream. They had all taken off their shoes and socks and stepped into the stream that was only as high as Wei Xi's knees.

Aika turned around and looked at Wei Xi and Tiruya who were playing in the water with Teacher Letika. Senior Tiluya seemed to accompany Wei Xi into the water to take care of her.

"Let's not talk about me first. It's rare to come here once. Teacher Letika, don't you want to experience it?"

"After all, I am the mentor."

From Aika's point of view, even if Teacher Letika joins that circle, there would be no sense of disobedience, but she seems to have her own persistence.

"Then should I say, 'After all, I am a boy'?"

"Does it mean that Aika-kun... you are a chauvinist?"

"Machismo?"

Aika had an impression of the word, but never thought of finding out what it meant.

After listening to Teacher Letika's explanation, Aika showed a regretful and wry smile.

"I'm probably different from that one..."

Aika just wants to bring them a sense of security and happiness, but I don't know if this is achieved now.

"Yeah?"

Teacher Letika lightly covered her mouth and laughed, but did not continue to pursue Aika's excuse.

It was the first time that Aika and Instructor Letika were side by side like this, putting aside the teacher-student relationship and chatting about topics other than academic studies.

She still remembers that when she first met Teacher Letika, she didn't have the sense of majesty she imagined from her teacher at all, and she still feels that closeness now.

I don't know if it's a little too arrogant to evaluate the mentor with such eyes, so Aika only kept these thoughts in her heart.

Under the afterglow of the setting sun, her side face looked very happy as she quietly watched the students.

Teacher Letika must like this profession very much, Aika felt her mood.

"Classmate Aika, let the two of them get ready. We have to continue walking some distance ahead."

"...Ah, okay."

Teacher Letika's voice suddenly brought Aika back to his senses, and he quickly agreed.

"Aika, what's wrong? I was in a daze just now."

Aika's hasty cover-up failed to hide from Teacher Letika's eyes.

"There's nothing wrong...I'll go over first."

Aika finished speaking hurriedly and left Teacher Letika's side.

How could he tell Tutor Letika that he was in a daze because he was thinking about her.

Obviously there are already them... Aika still doesn't know who exactly the "them" in the definition includes.

"There is no such thing as a man," Aika once happened to hear a group of girls from other classes say in the corridor.

At that time, I still felt that this kind of thing could not be generalized. At least I was quite confident in my own character.

Now that I reflect on myself, maybe that statement refers to people like myself.

Tylua-senpai was the first to notice Aika walking towards this side.

"Senior Tiruya, Wei Xi, and teacher Letika said we are ready to move on."

"Okay, okay."

Senior Tiruya agreed in a panic. She seemed a little embarrassed to let Aika see her current appearance.

Wei Xi was held by senior Tiluya by the hand, and she returned to the shore carefully not to trip over the stones at the bottom of the stream.

Because they all knew that they had plans ahead, and they didn't bring any changes of clothes, only their bare legs and arms were stained with water drops.

Wei Xi's long hair should have been tied up by senior Tiluya, otherwise the hem would have been soaked in the stream.

If it weren't for the fact that a boy like themselves was here, they would probably be more relaxed.

Aika put aside these unnecessary thoughts and prepared to turn around and return to Teacher Letika.

They probably didn't like having their eyes fixed on their bare skin. Aika didn't know where to look, so she simply left here.

"Brother Aika..."

Wei Xi's voice suddenly sounded behind her. She didn't even look at Aika when she just landed, so Aika didn't expect that she would stop her.

"Um?"

Turning around, Wei Xi was indeed looking at herself now.

Translucent droplets of water shone on the bare feet that were not wrapped in white knee-high socks.

Wei Xi turned her back to the sunset and stood in front of Aika in a different manner.

When they stood face to face like this, Aika really felt that there was something different about Wei Xi than usual, not just the pure white hair tied behind her head, but also something deeper.

"Telua-senpai tied up my hair for me..."

"Ah... um."

Aika noticed it at a glance without Wei Xi's reminder.

But Wei Xi still had expectations, and she still stared at Aika with a blushing face.

Senior Tylua was sitting on a big rock not far away. She had dried the water stains with the towel she brought with her luggage and arranged her clothes.

Even though she felt Aika looking past Wei Xi for help, she just smiled slightly and had no intention of lending a helping hand.

This is not an incomprehensible question. Aika said the answer she wanted in her heart when she saw Wei Xi for the first time, but whether she could say it in front of her is another matter.

"I think...this hairstyle is pretty good..."

"Really?"

Wei Xi's reaction was just as Aika imagined. Although this was indeed the first feeling in Aika's heart, using this convenient way of saying it could make her happy, which always made her feel cunning.

Moreover, now that the family relationship is gradually deviating from its original direction, it is difficult for Aika to say such ambiguous words.

Wei Xi hasn't clearly stated her opinion of herself like Luoluo and Ling, so this is just Aika's self-feeling, but Aika feels that this feeling should be correct.

"Um."

No matter what feelings she held in her heart, her thoughts would not change. Aika nodded seriously.

Wei Xi probably couldn't understand that kind of emotion. If she was too sincere, she would be at a loss. So Aika put aside those unnecessary worries and told Wei Xi frankly how she felt.

"Thank you, thank you..."

Wei Xi's face, which was already very shy, turned even redder. She bowed to Aika in a panic, and then trotted away towards Senior Tilua.

The moment Aika looked behind Wei Xi, senior Tiruya nodded to him.

Just leave it to her next. Aika, who also felt very ashamed, did not return to Teacher Letika for the time being. Instead, she watched Wei Xi put on her shoes and socks and let the cool breeze take away the hot temperature on her cheeks.

When Aika returned to Instructor Letika with them, Instructor Letika looked at the three of them from a distance and smiled without saying a word. This meaningful smile actually made Aika and Wei Xi look away. .

After all preparations were completed, everyone took their luggage and started walking along the slowly flowing stream again towards the boundary of the exploration range.

…………