Endless Debt

Boluogo looked at his wet palms, and complex emotions rose in his heart, including joy and sadness. The emotions were so heavy that Boluogo couldn't breathe... This was not Boluogo's emotion, but Ai's. Miao's.

In the long silence, there was no sound at all. Boluogo and Aimu remained silent. No one spoke first to break the silence.

Boluogo moved mechanically and kept bringing the cakes on the plate into his mouth. He ate very slowly, but the cakes were not endless, so he still finished them.

In the center of the dining table, there was still half a piece of birthday cake left. Only then did Boluogo remember something. He dragged the birthday cake over, inserted three candles into the remaining half, lit the candles, and the warm light illuminated Boluogo. Logo's face.

Sitting on the chair, with the candle almost half burned, Bologo spoke.

"Do you want to make a wish?"

"I'm thinking."

"Huh? I thought you would always remember wishes." Boluogo didn't expect Aimu to think of a wish.

"I know, but some wishes are just delusions. You know from the beginning that they won't come true, so you can only hide them in your heart and treat them as expectations."

Aimu paused, with a slight smile in his voice, "There are not many opportunities for someone to celebrate my birthday with me, so I want to make a wish that I hope will come true."

Boluogo didn't ask what Aimu's delusion was, but just remained silent.

"Alright."

Bologger nodded and blew out the candle.

The room fell into darkness, and the only bright light was the green-gold color in Boluogo's eyes.

Boluogo was in a calm and thoughtful mood, while Aimu began to feel a little reserved and embarrassed.

She saw the tears that Bologna wiped away, and knew that they came from her. She tasted the taste of the birthday cake through Bologna's taste. This was a feeling she had never had before. Correspondingly, she It's an increasingly complex emotion.

Thoughts are like a storm, and in the eye of the quiet storm, Aimu's dark thoughts are nurtured.

"Then...I'm leaving."

After eating the birthday cake, Aimu was very satisfied at the moment. She didn't dare to ask for anything more and was ready to release the secret power.

"Can you continue to distort the snake scale fluid?"

Borogo asked suddenly, the silver snake crawling onto his finger.

"What's wrong?" Aimu didn't understand why Boluogo suddenly asked this.

"You know this aberration product best, and only your secret power can make it more complex and weird... As I advance, sooner or later it will not be able to keep up with my strength. I need you to help me with a new process. The qualitative change of the wheel.”

"Oh... no problem." This is Aimu's work, and she is very familiar with the snake scale liquid.

The conversation fell into silence again. Sometimes the two chatted very smoothly, and sometimes like now, both parties hesitated, not knowing what to say next.

"Then TEDA won't come back until tomorrow?" Boluogo asked again.

"Well, what's wrong?"

Aimu didn't understand what Boluogo was going to do.

"That is to say...even if we leave, no one will know, right?" Boluogo said cautiously.

"But the Virtual Realm will record it."

Aimu mentioned the virtual realm that enveloped the alchemy workshop, which protected the place and warned every visitor.

"As TEDA's assistant student, you should know how to clear records, right?" Boluogo's voice lowered.

It was only then that Aimu realized something belatedly. Even though the ether was silenced, the golden halo in Boluogo's eyes continued to brighten.

"You mean..."

Aimu's voice also dropped, as if he was plotting something with Boluogo.

"Want to give it a try? This is your only chance." Boluogo continued to seduce.

After a brief silence, a powerful voice sounded in Boluogo's mind.

"good!"

Boluogo became excited. He didn't know whether he was excited or Aimu was excited. In short, both of their eyes were shining.

Reaching out to pick up the suitcase containing Aimu's clothes, Boluogo put on his coat, pushed open the door of the alchemy workshop, and walked directly into the thick fog without the slightest pause.

…

The gloomy streets were painted colorfully with brilliant neon lights, and the streets were filled with citizens dressed in weird costumes. Everyone was laughing and moving towards their next destination.

Songs lingered among the buildings, airships also flew by at low altitude, huge banners of celebration hung down, people cheered and restless, and even the cold winter snow warmed up a bit.

Every year during the Pledge Festival, citizens gather here in the Agreement Area. Everyone marches along the streets, accompanied by huge floats, to start this grand parade.

In order to avoid riots, at this time, the police officers of Opos will come out in full force. Their presence is everywhere in the agreement area to maintain law and order and control the hot atmosphere.

Everyone gathered in the agreement area. Compared with other urban areas in Opos, they seemed a lot more lonely. Although there were some prepared activities, they were still far inferior to the mass carnival in the agreement area.

TEDA walked on the streets of the agreement area, struggling through the crowds.

He had stayed in the Great Rift for too long, accompanying himself with alchemy all day long. TEDA could not remember the last time he saw so many people. Now that he saw so many people, he only felt uneasy and uncomfortable. .

Everyone wore a mask, and under the distortion of the light, they looked like wild beasts with teeth and claws. TEDA tried not to look at these people, lest he become one of them.

The residential building TEDA went to was hidden in the dense canopy of trees. Looking from a distance on the street, one could only see lush greenery. But if you try to walk, you will find that the residential building is blocked by other buildings and the route is winding. Winding and twisting.

It is easy to get lost here, but this is not the first time for TEDA. Following the traces in his memory, he returned to the familiar residential building. Nothing seemed to have changed. He opened the door silently, went up the stairs, and finally stopped. In front of a door.

The owner of this house seemed to have not been back for a long time. The carpet in front of the door was covered with dust. Teda took out the key and opened the door, and the stale air rushed into his nose.

Teda walked into the house cautiously and closed the door gently, for fear of waking up the sleeping soul inside.

The interior decoration is very life-like, with various personal belongings placed in every corner, full of vitality. If you ignore the dust on it, you will even feel that the family has just left to participate in the carnival parade of the Oath Festival.

TEDA's stoic expression became a little looser, like a hard rock softening and collapsing into disrepair.

Opening the window, the icy cold wind poured into the room, making the air much clearer. Teda was sitting on the sofa in the living room, imagining in his mind what it would be like if nothing had changed.

Reaching out, he picked up the group photo placed aside and wiped off the dust on it. He could see that it was a group photo of a family of three. Teda in the photo was much younger than he is now. Standing next to him was a beautiful lady. In her arms she held a sleeping child.

Teda looked at the group photo and thought about everything he had with his wife and Alice.

Singing and cheering came from outside the window, but these had nothing to do with TEDA. He kept thinking about his original determination, which made his softened heart harden again and showed no mercy.

While struggling with his thoughts, there were knocks on the door.

TEDA looked at the door warily. Since leaving the Bureau of Order, TEDA has settled in the alchemy workshop. He would only come to his old residence on the day of the Oath Festival. Logically speaking, there is no one here except himself. No one should be coming.

Seeing no response when knocking on the door, the visitor took out the key and turned the lock cylinder.

Thief?

Teda's expression became angry, and he stood up slowly. Just as he was about to unleash his rage, the door opened, and two unexpected visitors stood behind the door.

"Hey, teacher, happy Pledge Day."

It was still Bailey's energetic greeting in the morning, but when she saw the teacher here, even she couldn't show much of a smile.

Behind Bailey was Badr. Surprisingly, this guy had to wear protective clothing even when he went out, with his face hidden under his helmet.

TEDA looked at his two students. They walked in directly without TEDA's permission. Baili held the key in his hand and picked up a group photo when passing by the cabinet.

One on the left and one on the right, the two sat on either side of Teda. Bailie wiped the dust from the photo and leaned on Teda's shoulder and said.

"I really miss you, teacher."

There are also three people in the group photo, namely Bailey, Teda, and Badr. However, Bailey and Badr in the photo are both children. Teda is also much younger, and his beard is black instead of gray.

"What are you doing here?" Teda asked.

"Don't be so cold, teacher. Isn't it boring to watch you spend the Vow Festival alone? We are here to accompany you."

Bailey was smiling. She had always been like this since she was a child, looking like she needed a beating. Badr, as usual, sat aside in silence.

It's just that this time Baili couldn't help but laugh. The room was filled with dead silence, and the carnival outside the window was loud.

After a long silence, Bailey spoke.

"Teacher, stop, it's impossible for the dead to be resurrected."

…

The dead cannot be resurrected.

This is the default rule of all alchemists, just like the third law restricting the devil. The devil cannot change what has happened, and the same is true for humans.

When a life dies, everything is settled.

After saying this, Bailey couldn't help but become vigilant. Teda was her teacher, but in the past seven years, the teacher she was familiar with had changed too much.

For TEDA, this is a terrible but real secret, but no one has the courage. To reveal such a truth to such a fanatical seeker of knowledge will undoubtedly negate everything TEDA has done in the past seven years.

But Bailey couldn't wait any longer. She didn't want her teacher to go crazy. It was time to end it all.

Badr on the side also turned his head slightly and stared at the teacher beside him. Bailey basically had no fighting ability. Even if she could smash an adult man's head with a crowbar, it would still be too much for someone with power. A little weaker.

Since Baili became the minister, Bader has also been regarded as her personal attendant, protecting Baili's safety. This risky move is likely to turn into a battle between master and disciple.

The expected rage did not appear, and everything seemed quiet. Teda let out a long sigh, lowered his head, and his face was hidden in the darkness.

"But since she left, Alice has been everything to me."

Teda murmured as his rough fingers rubbed the group photo.

Bailey was silent. She didn't expect the conversation to go so smoothly. As if he guessed what she was thinking, Teda's voice had a bitter smile.

"Do you think I will take action against you? You are my students after all."

Putting away the group photo, Teda turned his head and looked at Bailey, "Don't worry, I'm very sensible and I know how to control."

"What about Aimu?"

Bailey was not deceived by Teda's words. She knew her teacher very well.

"You can't tell the difference anymore, right? Teacher, the boundaries between Aimu and Alice are beginning to blur... Are you really ready to sacrifice Aimu?"

Hearing Baili's words, Teda's figure froze, and there was a bit of surprise and anger in his cloudy eyes.

"Are you curious how I know this? Please, I am your best student, and I am now the minister of the Ascension Furnace Core."

As she spoke, Baili's feeling of bullying her master and destroying her ancestors came back. She smiled and said, "I'm making rapid progress, and I might be able to surpass you in a few years. It's not difficult to think of this."

Bader on the side might feel a little bad. He finally managed to control the teacher's emotions, but Bailie started to get angry again.

Teda is an alchemist, but he is a three-stage power bearer. Compared with the ordinary combat-type Sublime Ones, he is much inferior, but it is more than enough to defeat the two of them, not to mention that he is still a pure fantasy creation. .

Bailee and Badr had witnessed with their own eyes the scene where Teda's crazy fantasy turned into reality.

"People cannot create souls. You used Alice's Philosopher's Stone to trick Aimu into moving. But there is only one Philosopher's Stone and only one soul. Do you want Alice to be resurrected, or do you want Aimu to die? ?”

Bailee looked directly into Teda's eyes, not allowing him to dodge, and her words were like swords.

"You...are you going to lose another daughter?"

Teda clenched his fists, and the blue blood vessels on the back of his hands swelled, accumulating full strength.

If it were someone else's words that angered him, TEDA would have taken action a long time ago, but this was Bailey, and just like Bailey understood him, TEDA also understood Bailey.

Surprisingly, Teda smiled helplessly, let go of his hand, leaned back, and leaned comfortably on the sofa.

"I don't care, just like I taught you, Aimu is just a tool, and I am an alchemist. I can make many tools. If I fail, I will try again. My goal has never wavered."

Teda spoke extremely rational and cruel words. Even before Amu was born, the dark warehouse was filled with the corpses of alchemy dolls.

After hearing this, Bailey shook her head and couldn't help but say, "Then she is really pitiful. She was born to die for the resurrection of another person."

"This is the fate of tools. We are scholars. You should understand this truth, Bailey." TEDA in turn educated Bailey.

Bailey just smiled and said nothing.

The silence lasted for a long time, and Bailey spoke again, "Teacher, how are you going to resurrect Alice?"

"Fantasy come true."

"Is this another fantasy coming true?" Bailey shook her head, "You've tried it many times, this way won't work."

Teda didn't respond. He didn't want to explain too much to Bailey.

"Stop talking about these things, Bailey. This is Pledge Day, a day worth celebrating, instead of like now, where it seems like we are going to turn against each other in the next second." Teda said with a smile.

"How could we turn against each other? Don't I care about you?" Bailey said, putting a hand on Teda's shoulder, as if he was a brother-in-law.

"It's just that you, teacher, are really similar to Balder."

Bailey said and looked at Badr who was silent.

"Just like a turtle, it always hides in its shell. With all your messy thoughts, I still can't pry open your shell and take a closer look at what's underneath."

The topic turned to Badr. He, who had been silent all this time, never imagined that it would turn out like this. At this time, TEDA's eyes also fell over, staring at the dark figure.

"Have you been like this since around seven years?" Teda asked.

Balder nodded and said, "It's been so long, teacher."

"Take off your helmet. There are no outsiders here anyway. I have almost forgotten your appearance." TEDA said.

Badr hesitated. After thinking for a moment, he still obeyed TEDA's words. He raised his hands and took off his helmet. The cold air came close to his skin, causing an unspeakable tingling sensation.

The room was dark, and an ugly face appeared under the helmet. Burns were all over Baldur's face, making him hideous.

Seeing this face, Teda's heart froze and he said with a bit of sadness.

"sorry."

"It's nothing, teacher. If it weren't for you at that time, I might have died."

Baldr shook his head. He would only take off his helmet when he was alone. It had been too long since he had shown his true colors. Baldr had an indescribable feeling in his heart.

Seven years ago, the overlord Xilin invaded the "Kenshi". The brutal recruitment destroyed all the alchemy weapons, as did Badr's protective suit. TEDA dragged him out of the sea of ​​fire, but he was still attacked by the blazing fireworks. It became what it is today.

Unknowingly, the shadow of seven years ago covered the three of them. Everything had changed, but it seemed like nothing had changed.

"I really miss you, teacher."

Bailey couldn't help but speak. This time, there was no cheerful smile on her face, and she was uncharacteristically serious.

"The past is a foregone conclusion. You have been trapped by Alice's death for too long."

Teda shook his head and said self-deprecatingly, "That's how it is."

"Just like when we study the 'secret source', sometimes we will be stuck on a problem for several years, and sometimes we will know the solution to the problem at a certain moment."

TEDA tried to be more honest and spoke sincerely to his students.

"I also want to come out, but as soon as I close my eyes, it's what she told me before she died."

With cloudy eyes, he looked at the group photo, that was Teda's wife.

"If it hadn't happened seven years ago, Alice would have been as beautiful as she is...

But this kind of thing is like this, I understand everything, and I also know that I am trapped, but... it is like it is difficult to save myself, I know the cause and effect of everything, but I just can't get out. "

Teda was distressed and had depressed thoughts.

This is the case with many things. Everyone knows what the right choice is, but they are bound by heavy emotions and find it difficult to take rational steps. This is how human beings are, trapped in a cocoon.

Bailey was speechless. She also understood that other people's persuasion was meaningless to TEDA.

Either all hope for TEDA will be wiped out, or one day TEDA will decide to get out of the predicament.

"But just like those difficult problems, maybe I will realize it at some moment, and nothing will hold me back from then on."

Teda tried to sound cheerful and said with a bit of expectation.

Bailey looked at her teacher and said seriously, "I just hope you don't regret it then, teacher."

There was persuasion in his words, but there was also a hint of threat. Teda was stunned and affirmed.

"I won't regret it."

"Then let's leave first without disturbing you."

Bailey stood up and motioned for Bader to join him, and Bader also put his helmet back on. Negotiations were fruitless. The two simply said goodbye to TEDA, and then left, disappearing into the stairwell.

Teda was the only one left in the room again. In solitude, he stroked and posed for a group photo, and kept mumbling.

"I was right and I won't regret it."

Teda tried hard to make his soft heart become cold and hard again. This was all just a research. In order to resurrect Alice, in order to do this, Teda could do anything.

Throwing away all the messy thoughts, TEDA's eyes were as cold as iron and he kept murmuring strangely.

"Fantasy come true...Fantasy come true..."

Two in one.