Endless Silver Machine

"Yueguan Bath" officially enters the preparation time for closing the store. With the kindness of their friends, Luo Luo and Wei Xi were "forced" to leave the restaurant after helping a little.

Ling had already left first, and Luoluo explained to Wei Xi the meeting between Senior Tiluya and Ling.

Luo Luo and Wei Xi, who had changed back to their school uniforms, looked back at "Moonlight Bath". This place will not be open for business for the next two months, and it is inevitable that there will be an inexplicable sadness in my heart.

Aika stood with the two of them outside the store, and the two people who emerged from the shadows of the store could not escape his eyes.

"I caught Lolo!"

"Lolo belongs to me!"

"Wait, Abby? Xixi? What are you two going to do..."

“Exchange feelings, exchange feelings.”

"Aika, we borrowed your sister. Don't worry, she will be returned intact in the evening."

Abby and Xixi pulled Luoluo away from Aika and Wei Xi without even looking at Wei Xi. Luo Luo looked at the two of them with a confused expression. Aika didn't know what Abby and Xixi were planning, but they said they would be back at night and there shouldn't be any danger. So he nodded to Luo Luo who was drifting away.

Luoluo originally hoped that Aika could lend a helping hand, but unexpectedly he agreed. Helpless, she had no choice but to follow Abby and Xixi's wishes to "exchange feelings."

"In the end, there were only two of us left."

When the backs of the three people became smaller and smaller, Wei Xi's shoulders shook in fright when she suddenly heard Aika say this.

In a sense, Wei Xi is also an accomplice of Abby and Xixi. The time message Xixi gave was to urge her. If she wanted to solve the problem, she could only use this time.

"Is there anywhere you want to go?" Aika turned to Wei Xi and asked, "If you want to go back and rest, you can."

"There's nothing I want to do..."

"Then go back."

"Um……"

Wei Xi's mind went blank. It must be said now, but how? How to say it without making him feel disgusted? What should the first sentence be?

Wei Xi fell into severe confusion.

Aika walked slowly along the main road of the school casually, completely unaware of Wei Xi's troubles.

"By the way, let's go and take a look at that place." Aika pointed to the large library where the spire could be seen not far away, "The courtyard in that place seems to have been repaired a long time ago. I want to take a look, what do you think? "

"Okay, okay..."

Wei Xi had no time to think about such leisurely things. Her brain, which could weave countless magic spells at will, was now unable to organize a few words.

After getting Wei Xi's consent, Aika changed the destination to the Great Library. In the entire Frost Moon Academy, Aika only had an indissoluble bond with this large library.

I met Lilith-senpai here and used the power of the magic weapon "Fire Eyes" for the first time... Speaking of which, what is Lilith-senpai doing now? The last time I met Senior Lilith was a week ago. After that, the two occasionally communicated using PDA, but as the theoretical test approached, the frequency became less and less.

The big library will also be closed during holidays, but only a few seniors in the senior class were involved in the preparations for the closure, so Aika did not receive notification of their participation. Senior Lilith should still be in the big library now.

It would be nice if she could say goodbye in person before returning to the imperial capital. But for now, let's go to the courtyard with Wei Xi to take a look.

Aika had noticed that along the way, Wei Xi basically didn't say anything except occasionally responding to her own questions. He remembered that Luo Luo had discussed Wei Xi's abnormality with him during the "moonlight bath".

"Wei Xi."

"..."

She didn't react at all, just moved her legs mechanically.

"Xiao Xi."

"Eh!"

Aika tried calling Luoluo, and Wei Xi suddenly turned her head.

"Why, why..."

Her face turned red and her words became stammered.

"Sorry, you didn't respond when I called you just now, so I'll try another way to see if it will have any effect..."

"No, no, I should say sorry..."

"Cheer up," Aika knelt down in front of her. "Although I don't know what you are worried about, you can always come to me and tell me what you want to say. If you can't tell me something, talk to Luo Luo Heling said it was okay. For some things, it may be difficult for a person to rack his brains to get the result. It would be much easier if he complained to others. There is no need to worry about causing trouble to us. It is better to say that you look downcast. It's a big trouble for us. Luoluo is very worried about you."

"sorry……"

"This habit needs to be changed. I think this isn't the first time I've said this to you, right? Ling also said that I have this habit of apologizing casually. Then I thought about why this happened. I didn't think clearly before explaining This is indeed a convenient saying. However, if you rely too much on it...what should I say? It just doesn't feel good anyway."

"Did Sister Ling say that?"

"Yeah, if she hadn't brought it up, I definitely wouldn't have noticed it until now."

"……I see."

Seeing Wei Xi regaining her energy, Aika smiled and stood up.

The courtyard not far from the front of the Great Library has been restored to its original appearance. The river flowed slowly from the side, and the fallen leaves around the small pavilion by the river were swept together and piled into a cone shape at the base of a big tree.

Now is the season when the garden is at its most desolate, and there is nothing worth admiring. But precisely because of this, it is quiet and one of the best places to relax.

Although Aika worked as a librarian in the Grand Library, he knew that the garden would not be visible from that direction unless he walked that way. The garden, surrounded by shrubs and trees, is a secluded place.

"I rarely come here usually."

Aika sat down on one of the seats in the booth. The tables and benches surrounding the four directions are all made of wood. Sitting here has a particularly comfortable feeling. This place is generally used for activities such as small tea parties or book clubs, but these are not related to Aika. Wei Xi and the other two girls may often be invited to participate in such activities.

"Brother Aika..."

"What's wrong?"

Are you finally willing to express your feelings? Aika looked at Wei Xi, who was sitting neatly on the bench next to her. Instead of looking in Aika's direction, she put her hands on the table and poked her fingers at each other.

"I'm timid and don't dare to look into other people's eyes and speak. I'm always worried that others will think bad of me before I do anything... so I always hope that I can do what I need to do without attracting others' attention. Just finish the work... Even now, if you don't realize it, you will still make the same mistake..."

"Um."

"When I was in the orphanage and the Holy See, Xiaoyin never left my side. The day Xiaoyin was not by my side for the first time, I did something irreversible..."

Wei Xi's voice was choked with sobs. The "that day" she mentioned must be the Holy See's siege against the Heinz family.

That day, Wei Xi walked out of the birdcage for the first time, leaving behind a very cruel memory. Taking this as an opportunity, she stubbornly hid back in the birdcage.

Aika, Ling and Luoluo gave her a home and at the same time "imprisoned" her in this home. This is not the result Aika hoped to see. But as far as the current situation is concerned, after releasing her, it will be like an animal raised by humans being released into the wild. She will not have the strength to survive on her own.

With her own encouragement, Wei Xi began to become friends with her classmates. However, this is just a bigger birdcage. Wei Xi will not take the initiative to step out of the circle she has drawn, because only there can she feel at ease and not have to think too much. She only needs to make good use of her ability to observe words and emotions, so that she can live a normal and stable life.

Wei Xi only had this humble wish in her heart.

"Don't rush to deny it. To be honest, if you completely subvert your image, I think it might be difficult for everyone to adapt."

"But!" Wei Xi's momentum weakened again, "But...if this continues, I will only become a burden to you..."

"I don't like your idea." Aika forcefully interrupted Wei Xi's self-pity, "Ling and Luoluo both like to take care of people, you know, right? And, thanks to my sister, I also... "

——Very good at coaxing children.

Of course you can't say this to Wei Xi...

"So, if you are dissatisfied with yourself, just change yourself. Just do whatever you want and don't think about complicated things. If you really can't do it, come to me or them. Although it’s just my own understanding, we...should be called a family-like relationship, right?”

"family……"

"So, that's it..." Aika looked away unnaturally, "If you need help from me, there's no need to hesitate."

"Then please come with me to the Kingdom of Tebiri, okay?"

Supporting the table, Wei Xi suddenly stood up and took advantage of the momentum to speak out her invitation to Aika.

"Um, of course...what?"

Aika suspected that she had missed something.

"Then...come with me...to the Kingdom of Tebiri..."

The momentum just now has passed. Wei Xi, who repeated the invitation intermittently, weakly sat back to her original position, burying her head deeper than before.

Is there some misunderstanding? Going abroad? Just the two of us? Why?

"Wait! Let me reorganize it..." Aika pressed her eyebrows and reviewed the conversation just now, "You discovered your timid shortcomings, so I said you should work hard to change. If you can't do it alone If so, come to me to discuss it. Are you going to go abroad next?"

"If we sum up what we just said, it is indeed like this..."

"The jump is too fast, a bit incomprehensible... By the way, why do you have to go abroad?"

"Shimotsuki Academy is going to conduct exchanges and studies with Wangli Academy in the Kingdom of Tebiri this time. We will study with them for a period of time..."

The most important words have been said, and there is nothing to be afraid of.

"Are you going too?"

"Principal Phyllis asked me to participate..."

"What you mean...is it better to wait until Luoluo and Ling come back?"

"There can only be one person..."

"..."

After connecting Wei Xi's words together, Aika knew what she wanted to express.

"at what time?"

"The exchange study with Tebiri Wangli Academy started in early February..."

"Time is not a problem..."

"I, I want to!" Wei Xi raised her voice uncharacteristically, inserting herself into Aika's thoughts, "I want to go when the winter vacation starts!"

"Isn't that a month early? Shouldn't we do this kind of thing with the tutors in our academy?"

"As long as we can meet them at the airport of Tebiri Kingdom... I want to go there first and have a look..."

Aika didn't answer right away.

He understood what Wei Xi meant, and what he was thinking about now was how to explain it to Ling and Luoluo.

No one has made plans for this long vacation yet, so making this decision will not cause any inconvenience. But if he and Wei Xi went to the Tebiri Kingdom, they would have to stay and they would not be able to see each other again until two months later.

"That's why it's so troublesome..."

"Brother Aika..."

It would be great if both Sister Ling and Luoluo could agree. At this time, Abby and Xixi must also be working hard. In order not to let their efforts go to waste, they must succeed.

"I will try my best to explain it clearly to them when I go home at night..."

"Is it up to you?"

Wei Xi would take the initiative to take on such a troublesome task, which surprised Aika slightly.

"Yes, I will try my best! The two of them must understand..."

"Then..." It is definitely more appropriate for the person involved to explain this kind of thing than Aika, "I will leave it to you first, and I will come forward with you. If they really have no objection, I will accompany you. Go to the Kingdom of Tebiri.”

"Is it really possible?"

Hearing Aika's last words, Wei Xi's wide, moist eyes reflected the light of joy.

"Well, it's a deal."

"Very good……"

Wei Xi stroked her chest and breathed a sigh of relief. Once she felt relieved, her tense body lost its strength.

"Would you like to say hello to Senior Lilith? We won't be able to meet you soon."

"OK……"

Wei Xi tried to stand up, but her legs were still shaking uncontrollably. There were more and more tears in her eyes, threatening to overflow at any time.

"Haha, it's okay, just take a rest..."

Aika smiled bitterly and comforted Wei Xi, who was filled with shame, and then sat slightly closer to her.

The sparse sunlight spreads down through the complicated dead branches, and the tops of the piles of fallen leaves shine with brilliant gold.

This winter is warmer than ever.

…………