Endless Silver Machine

After returning from Senior Lilith's mansion, Aika's mood changed a little, and her hesitation increased.

Aika naturally feels that it is best for Senior Lilith to continue on the path she has decided. Because he believes that since he is alive, he should live his own way.

Yes, this is just wishful thinking.

If you support Lilith-senpai with this idea, then the problem will be different.

Therefore, before drawing a firm conclusion, Aika could not do anything for Senior Lilith.

During this time, Aika chose to avoid Senior Lilith. The two had to meet when they were working together in the big library. In that case, Aika didn't say much.

Senior Lilith must have noticed that Aika was different from usual. She did not point it out, but just cooperated with Aika silently.

In fact, what has been oppressing Aika is what Mr. Claus said that night.

——Miss Lilith has reached out to you, and is this just your attitude?

If it is true as Mr. Claus said, then in this state, I have failed to live up to the expectations of senior Lilith.

The guilt in her heart became heavier, and Aika fell into self-loathing.

The one who reached out to Aika, who was sinking deeper and deeper into the quagmire, was Lilith-senpai who finally couldn't bear it anymore.

One day, after the work in the big library was over, Lilith-senpai stopped Aika who was about to leave as usual.

"Aika-san, please wait!"

"Senior Lilith?"

"Can...please come over here?"

At this time, there are still some students in the big library, and making noise in the library is prohibited by regulations. Sister Lilith, who has always strictly abided by the rules and regulations of the big library, will naturally not take the lead in violating the regulations.

Aika followed Sister Lilith to the preparation room deep in the hall in confusion. This is the place where I visited when I met Senior Lilith for the second time. Recalling the scene at that time, Aika unconsciously shrank her shoulders.

After Aika walked in, Senior Sister Lilith closed the door of the preparation room, and then stood with her back against the door without taking another step inside.

"I would like to ask..." Senior Sister Lilith hesitated obviously, "Classmate Aika, did you hear anything from Mother?"

Unexpectedly, Senior Lilith threw a straight ball, and Aika groaned in embarrassment.

Seeing him like this, Senior Lilith understood everything.

"I'm sorry, classmate Aika. Because of my willfulness, I have brought you a lot of trouble. I'm really sorry! In fact, I..."

Senior Lilith couldn't continue. She didn't know what to say next.

Don’t you want Aika to lend a helping hand? This is a lie, he is indeed asking Aika for help.

Don’t want to cause Aika any more trouble? It's really easy to say this, but you can't take back the water you throw out. Because I know this very well, I simply cannot say this out loud.

Now is the time to decide whether to draw a clear line with Aika. Because of her own fault, the two people who could have been friends were put into a situation where they had to make a decision. Senior Lilith began to regret her rashness.

"actually, I……"

Senior Sister Lilith repeated it again, her voice was choked, and the sentence was still not fully expressed.

"Senior Lilith."

Feeling the strength coming from her shoulders, Senior Lilith raised her lowered head.

Aika stood very close to her, staring into her eyes seriously regardless of her own embarrassment.

"If possible, I hope you can continue the story you interrupted last time in the ward, okay?"

"Eh?"

"At that time, you really wanted to tell me something. That was the reason and motivation that supported you until now, right? Now, I want to know."

With the support of Aika's powerful words, Senior Lilith finally made up her mind.

The two sat across the table, and Senior Sister Lilith recounted her encounter with a certain boy a few years ago.

"Because I met him, I firmly believe that the power of magic can save others. Maybe this is just a one-sided view of a student who is not deeply involved in the world. Maybe there are many invisible and complicated backgrounds behind it. I admit that I have no idea about those things. I don’t quite understand. My goal is just to use this power, just like the boy who saved me, to help more people who need this power. Now that I have passed the entrance examination of Frost Moon Academy, I have obtained If I am qualified to enter, then it is even more necessary for me to cherish this opportunity.”

Senior Lilith's determination was indeed conveyed into Aika's heart through her firm words.

Like herself, she has uncompromising principles in order to protect what she cherishes. This resonated with Aika.

"That boy, how is he doing now?"

"Um……"

Every time Senior Lilith thinks like this, it's not that she can't recall it, but that she's hesitating about how to express it. After spending such a long time with her, Aika has learned about Senior Lilith's little habits.

"I think he is also working hard towards his goal."

In the end, Senior Lilith gave this ambiguous answer.

Then, Aika relayed the hidden secrets he learned from Mrs. Elise to Senior Sister Lilith.

Senior Lilith's father did not truly sacrifice his life for the country, but touched a certain dark level in the political field of the Bes Empire. His actions once put Senior Lilith's family in danger, but it was Mrs. Elise who preserved the family's current status through political means.

Before senior Lilith's father disappeared, he once warned Mrs. Elise. Regardless of whether Senior Lilith inherits the family business or finds something else she wants to do in the future, he will support her. The only thing she cannot do is to step into the same field as him.

The opposition of her parents and their good intentions as parents are realities that must be weighed on the scales for Senior Lilith.

"Senior Lilith, I can make a decision now."

Aika stood up and walked to the window.

The setting sun has completely sunk into the ground, and from here you can see the scattered lights on the other side of the dormitory.

"After knowing Madam Elise's sincerity, it might be difficult for you to persist."

"Um……"

As the current spokesperson of the family, Mrs. Elise's opinions are equivalent to the opinions of the entire family. Senior Lilith herself should know this very well.

His persistence may put the family's position in a precarious position.

"And then, for me personally..."

The moment of decision was right in front of her. Senior Lilith looked away and no longer looked at Aika.

Both parties knew in their hearts that when they left this room, everything would be irreversibly changed from when they arrived.

"I will support you until the end."

——Even if this will disappoint Lady Elise, I will decide this way.

Aika added one last sentence.

Senior Lilith opened her eyes wide, her face was filled with astonishment.

Aika did not avoid her gaze. Avoiding it was tantamount to showing the cowardice and hesitation in her heart, and Aika did not admit those feelings.

So at this moment, a change did occur between the two.

After that, the two discussed how to make Mrs. Elise change her mind, and finally came to the only conclusion.

That is Senior Lilith using her own power to gain Mrs. Elise's trust. Senior Lilith can achieve this through her own efforts, so what Aika can do for her is just to serve as her inner support.

——Will you really support me all the time? Will you support me throughout your life?

In the next month, Senior Lilith continued to confirm this fact to Aika. Originally, Aika thought it was just because she was still uneasy, but after seeing the smile on Senior Lilith's face after hearing the affirmative answer, Aika realized that she just wanted to hear her answer like this.

——Senior Lilith, don’t keep asking this question... I will be shy too...

Even though I have said this to Senior Lilith many times, Senior Lilith still has not let Aika go.

…………

"...Aika-san, are you listening?"

Senior Lilith's gentle call pulled Aika out of her thoughts.

"Sorry, what were you talking about just now..."

"Well..." Senior Sister Lilith puffed up her cheeks slightly, "You must listen carefully when others are talking."

After Aika nodded seriously, she repeated what she had just said.

"I remember you once told me that the weapons you can use are all larger in size, and the magic power is limited and cannot be deployed continuously. Is that true?"

"That's right."

Aika didn't tell senior Lilith the details of the magic outfit, but she didn't hide her abilities too much either.

"If you encounter danger in the forest, there is no way to deploy weapons of that size. You have already seen my magic. The first and second level monsters may be able to cope with it. If they reach the third level, they have no choice but to escape. There’s room for that.”

Senior Lilith is right to worry. Frost Moon Academy divides the monsters that pose a threat to humans into five classes. The "Broken Fin Fish" that attacked Lilith-senpai that night belongs to the third class. At least all members of an armed organization such as the Discipline Team are required to be present. Possibly managed without casualties.

The fifth class, as well as the higher classes whose existence has not yet been determined, are hidden behind a veil of mystery and have not yet been fully explored.

Lilith-senpai's magic is an extremely rare summoning magic that only she can use in Frost Moon Academy. Summoning magic can summon two kinds of monsters, one is a monster with intelligence that has signed a special contract with the magician himself, and the other is a natural elf.

In the theoretical classes, the instructors have mentioned that there are natural spirits that cannot be seen with the naked eye in nature, of which the elemental system constitutes the main body, followed by special individuals. The existence of natural elves constitutes the magic flow in the environment that is as important as the air. It can be said that natural elves are everywhere.

Summoning natural spirits does not require a special contract. As long as there is sufficient affinity between the magician as the summoner and the natural spirits, they can be summoned. This condition seems simple, but looking at Shimozuki Academy where there are many talents, only Lilith can achieve it, which proves how harsh this vague condition is.

Senior Lilith was once famous in Frost Moon Academy as the "Ghost Lady of the Garden" because she practiced the magic of summoning natural spirits in the dead of night. However, the natural elves that can be summoned do not have strong combat effectiveness, and they can be surprisingly effective as an assistant.

"There is no need to worry about that problem anymore," Aika dismissed Senior Lilith's worries. "During this period, I have designed the weapon I am holding with the help of my instructor, but I have not actually used it yet. Moreover, we are going to In the area we went to, only second-level monsters were active there, right?”

"The barrier has been repaired. If there are no accidents, it should be considered a safe zone. But don't forget, the premise is 'no accidents'."

"Found it! It turns out the two of you are whispering here!"

Aika and Senior Lilith turned their heads together and looked towards the side where the energetic voice came from. Qiu Ke, who opened the store door and walked in, put away his umbrella and walked quickly into the store.

"Let's talk later!"

Qiu Ke showed an embarrassed smile and said this as he passed by Aika and Lilith's table, and then hurriedly ran towards the counter.

"Senior Sera, please borrow the preparation room."

After greeting the waiter at the counter, she disappeared backstage.

When Aika and Lilith-senpai looked at Zuko passing by like a typhoon and the water stains extending from the table to the counter, they immediately understood the reason.

The rain hit the windows of the store with a crisp sound.

The autumn rain still shows no signs of decreasing.

…………