Endless Silver Machine

In the spiritual world where only Hitomi and Wei Xi brought light, Aika didn't know how much time had passed.

It is said that the speed of falling cherry blossoms is five centimeters per second. He was originally going to count the falling cherry blossoms around Hitomi to estimate the time, but he gave up decisively after trying this boring behavior.

Aika didn't know how long Hitomi had been standing behind her. As long as Aika doesn't take the initiative to speak, she won't take the initiative to talk to Aika.

"Hitomi, before you signed the contract with me, were you always following my father?"

"Yes."

If Hitomi remained silent, her presence would completely disappear, so Aika would find some topics to chat with her from time to time.

Aika and Hitomi only knew each other for a few minutes, and it can be regarded as their first acquaintance before confronting the Three Knights.

But at this time, Aika didn't have many questions to ask her. For Aika, Hitomi has always been by her side and is not a strange girl she met for the first time.

"To be honest, the first time I talked to you face to face, I was really shocked. Looking back now, there seems to be nothing surprising, but I never thought that we would really have a relationship. This is the day we meet.”

"Master, are you tired of my body?"

"What are you talking about! That's not what I meant!"

"From the time the master woke up until now, the time I spent watching her was ten times longer than mine."

"That's just because I'm sitting in this position!"

Aika was so frightened by her calm accusation that she turned her head hurriedly, only to notice that she was already only a few steps away from him.

Now that he had turned around, Aika was not prepared to deliberately return to the original position, so he sat down facing Hitomi.

As a result, Hitomi, who was so close, seemed to be looking down at him, and his half-open eyes seemed to be filled with a hint of unhappy emotion.

"Is this okay?"

Aika, who sat cross-legged facing Hitomi, didn't know whether he should respond to her gaze or look at her feet.

Although Hitomi's existence is not unfamiliar to him, her posture is still that of a girl full of novelty.

"I have no such request, Master, please don't over-interpret my words."

"Then just think that I want to do this. Hitomi, do you know how long it has been in the real world now?"

"...Twenty-five hours."

"Really, I feel like it hasn't been that long yet..."

From the time he sat down until now, Aika thought that only ten minutes had passed.

"..."

"...Have you always lived in this space?"

"Yes, this is true for all magic costumes that give birth to personalities."

Although the space in front of her was as beautiful as a dream, in Aika's eyes it was actually no fun at all.

"Before you signed a contract with me, did you leave here and go to the real world?"

"Human gestures consume the resources of space."

Is the answer no? Referring to Hitomi's attitude in front of her, Aika believed that she was indeed not the kind of girl who was curious about the real world.

Hitomi stood under the blooming cherry blossom tree holding a red paper umbrella, day after day, year after year... Aika couldn't imagine this scene.

"When Ling's Light Flame Sword took over her body, I always wondered if I would have a chance to chat with you. This opportunity came so quickly."

"I know the master often talks to himself about my body."

"Wait a minute, you mean the body of the magic suit, right? Were you looking at me during those times?"

"Yes."

Hitomi's revelation really scared Aika.

"Wait a minute, do you mean you always look at me from here?"

"Yes."

The light tone made Aika's heart rise to her throat.

"..."

"The 'physical contact' between her and her master is an act that crosses the line. The master please be sure to behave yourself in the future."

There is no need to over-interpret this sentence, Aika also knows that she is implying that she and Wei Xi have done the same thing at different times and places.

"The master may have misunderstood. Although the medium that humans call 'outer clothing' can be regarded as my body, I do not need to use the medium to understand the outside world. The spiritual worlds of me and the master have been integrated and can be regarded as one mind. A relationship of the same body.”

Looking down at Aika, whose heart was filled with guilty memories, Hitomi calmly made additional explanations.

Aika suddenly remembered that when the Light Flame Sword went berserk, the Light Flame Sword also emphasized that she knew everything about Ling.

As for how much Hitomi knows about herself, it seems that it will become very scary if we continue to investigate...

"Now that you know me so well, you should know that Wei Xi is just an important family member to me. Put her problems aside for now..."

"Whatever my master does to my sister whom I regard as 'family' and the holder of the Light Flame Sword are beyond my control. She is the only one who is different from the above two."

Aika originally wanted to end this topic as soon as possible, but Hitomi, who seemed calm and unfazed, clung to the issue about Wei Xi and refused to compromise.

It was probably the first time that Wei Xi and Tong met. There was no particular difference in stance between her, Luoluo and Ling, but Aika felt that Tong was unexpectedly persistent towards Wei Xi.

Could it be the sense of competition that comes from being a magic suit? If this is the case, there will be an answer to the incomprehensible confusion.

"If you want me to treat Wei Xi differently from the two of them, I'm sorry, but I can't do it. I believe you should know the reason why I say that, right?"

"Do you not care even if the master's spiritual world is completely swallowed by her?"

"Swallow..."

Even without understanding the meaning of the word, Aika knew that this was not an issue to be laughed off.

Hitomi's eyes no longer fell on Aika, and she raised her eyes to look at Wei Xi who didn't know how far away she was.

Wei Xi, who was still asleep, would definitely not want to know what Hitomi would say next.

"The contract of the magic suit is the fusion of the spiritual world. She is too attached to the master, so that the spiritual world also expands. Her spiritual space now lacks resources in order to maintain the human form. If the resources still exist, the master can see A world far bigger than my place."

Aika also turned to look at the snow-white light that seemed to be floating within reach, but could never be approached.

What separates the two people is the boundary line of the spiritual world, not just a simple wall.

This side of the boundary line is Aika's spiritual world, and that side is Wei Xi's spiritual world.

At this time, the world she was in seemed to be no different from her own world, so Aika misunderstood the scale of the world on the other side of the wall.

If Wei Xi had not remained a young girl for hundreds of years, her spiritual world would have blossomed, and the light would have been enough to drive away the darkness that eroded this place.

"Master, can you understand now? After the spiritual world is completely swallowed up, the eyes of the master's body can no longer be opened."

Hitomi's words seemed to echo far away, as if they were talking about something completely unrelated to her.

If Wei Xi heard these words, what kind of reaction she would make seems to be emerging before her eyes.

She made a contract with herself without knowing anything about it. When Hitomi reminded Wei Xi before that her destruction would also cause harm to the holder's body, it had already given her a big blow.

"Hitomi, the best way...is to terminate the contract with her?"

When Aika said this in a hollow voice, a warning also sounded in his mind.

In her own opinion, it is just a simple termination of the contract. Does it mean the same thing to Wei Xi?

"Not recommended……"

"I know I wouldn't do that."

Aika confirmed her decision before Hitomi finished speaking.

The contract kiss exchanged that night was definitely not a simple contract mark.

From the corners of her eyes, tears filled with pure emotions fell in the wind...

Thinking back to this point, Aika felt harsh in her heart for having underestimated her mood in an instant.

"Hitomi, you just said you didn't recommend me to do this, right?"

"Yes."

Aika stood up from her cross-legged position.

At this moment, there was no tension as before the war, and he was able to look at the girl who had been with him for a year deep in his consciousness.

When Aika stood up, Hitomi quietly took a step back, even so she had to look up at him slightly.

Hitomi's height should be only a little taller than Wei Xi...

The light red kimono wrapped her tight body, and her slightly raised eyes highlighted her youth.

But she is an existence that has spent hundreds of years watching the world like Wei Xi, and Aika will not treat her like a child.

"I will not deliberately neglect Wei Xi just to make her hate me, nor will I terminate the contract with her because of this."

Hitomi's expression did not change, she just nodded her head slightly, as if to say "I already know it, there is no need to repeat it so many times."

"So that problem you just said, is there any other way to slow it down?"

"There is currently no way but to remind her to learn moderation."

"Tong, please, don't tell Wei Xi what you just said."

"Even if the master already knows that the current situation is urgent, should he still pamper her?"

"If Wei Xi knows these words, she might in turn continue to ask me to terminate the contract. In that case, the trouble will probably become even more."

Hitomi seemed to tilt her head in confusion.

"Isn't this pampering?"

"...The nature is different. This mental space probably changes with her mood. I will pay more attention to this aspect."

Hitomi stared at Aika with half-open eyes, wondering if she supported her approach.

"It would be great if Hitomi could also come to help. I only know the macro concept of things like mental space, and you must understand it more thoroughly than me."

"I can observe changes in the volume of her mental space."

In fact, this is not Aika's biggest concern. He just wants to use the excuse of helping to try to get Hitomi and Wei Xi to get along well.

Before he could tell this idea to the serious Hitomi, new light flowed into the dark mental space.

…………