Survive in Azure Files

After helping Alice blow dry her wet hair and sending her to the guest room, I quickly finished washing up and returned to the bedroom to rest.

Before going to bed, I downloaded The Power from Alice to my mobile phone as a bedtime reading, and planned to read it out of curiosity.

But when I saw the file size and then looked at the directory, I realized why this power was named "Ultimate".

This is like an encyclopedia.

Based on my guess about this series of powers, should I say it's worthy of Alice?

What will she become in the future? It is really exciting.

Sighing silently in my heart, I was about to start reading.

There were two knocks on the door.

I raised my eyebrows, stood up and opened the door, only to see Alice in her pajamas, hugging a pillow, standing outside in a reserved and well-behaved manner.

"What's wrong Alice?"

"Teacher, Alice can't sleep... Can you please coax Alice to sleep?"

The petite and cute girl asked me cautiously.

I smiled helplessly. No matter what potential Alice has in the future, she is still a child who has not grown up.

Even though theoretically her actual age might be several orders of magnitude older than mine.

"Of course, then..."

I was just about to say go to the guest room when Alice cheered, rushed into my room and climbed onto my bed.

Looking at Alice who had lifted the quilt and was sitting on my bed, I suddenly felt hesitant.

This guy, could it be that...

No, I have decided to believe Alice. Besides, Alice is so good and innocent, how could she lie to me? It must be just my illusion.

I actually noticed something strange, and recalled some doubts, but driven by a certain excitement of expectation, I deliberately ignored all of it, pretended to be unaware and walked to the bed, thought for a while, and sat next to Alice:

"Alice, how do you want me to get you to sleep?"

However, she did not answer directly. Instead, she looked at me lovingly and suddenly asked a strange and irrelevant question:

"Teacher, do you believe that magic exists in Kivotos?"

"Hmm..." I pondered for a moment and replied with a smile, "As long as you believe in it, it will definitely exist."

"Ok!"

Alice nodded with a smile in her eyes: "So, Alice believes it. Alice believes that magic must exist in Kivotos. Because now the teacher makes Alice feel happy."

As I was talking, I felt a familiar cool and soft touch on my hand. I didn't need to look down to know that it was the girl holding my hand.

"Games, cats, friends, and you... There are many beautiful things in this world. You taught Alice this."

"And everyone else?"

Alice nodded heavily: "Yes! But mainly the teacher."

Why do I feel like someone is taking it for granted and saying something like "forgetting friends for the sake of beauty"?

Then, Alice lowered her eyes and hugged her knees. "After watching the video played by Key... Kai, Alice has been wondering why the teacher is so gentle to me."

I was still thinking about what reason to give, and Alice continued to talk to herself:

"In fact, Alice felt it from the beginning. The teacher was different from everyone in the game development department. He obviously didn't like Alice, but he always indulged Alice... Even when he was hurt and betrayed by Kai who controlled Alice's body, he was still so good to Alice."

I smiled bitterly. "This is just adult hypocrisy. Sorry, Alice, I'm not the gentle person you think I am."

However, Alice shook her head and refuted seriously:

"Teacher, Alice knows this. This is your kindness."

I wanted to refute, but after weighing the pros and cons, I decided to give up: "It would be great if you are willing to think so."

"Also, Alice heard from Himari-senpai that you were willing to risk your life to get Alice back from Kai."

Why does Himari always say anything out loud?

I feel a little embarrassed.

Sighing, I gave my explanation: "It's just greed."

Alice's eyes lit up and she smiled and said, "Yes, this is what makes Alice the happiest!"

"Stop talking... stop talking..."

The more strange things you say, the stranger the atmosphere becomes.

"You said that you hope Alice can change her job to the profession she wants to be. If you are the brave man who saved Alice, Alice wants to become your princess, but Alice thinks that you are just you. So..."

She raised her face and closed her eyes. "Alice wants to become something that belongs to you alone. Alice, who was taught by you what happiness is, wants to make you happy too."

Listening to the words that sounded like a confession and looking at the girl's defenseless and beautiful face, I suddenly felt my mouth a little dry.

Looking at her now, where is Alice still showing the sleepiness she showed at first?

My previous guess seems to be coming true.

But I always thought she was just a potential wife!

"Alice, you are still young," I tried my best to persuade her softly, "It is too early for you to do this."

"Please don't underestimate Alice," Alice opened her eyes and said angrily, "Alice has learned from the game that Tao Jing hid that Alice's favorability with you has reached the maximum. You must go through the bond plot to unlock the upper limit and transfer to become your property."

Tao Jing! Why is it you again?

And judging from Alice's description, this subject matter is a bit too bold!

I swallowed hard, restrained my body that was poisoned by Ayako, and made a final attempt: "Even if we want to be lovers, we don't always do this right away..."

Alice wrinkled her nose and said dissatisfiedly: "Based on the changes in your body parameters, it is detected that you are saying something that is not what you mean. Please don't lie to Alice."

This is a high-performance bionic man.

Seeing that I was still hesitant, Alice blinked, suddenly realized, and then laughed:

"Alice knows! It must be because of your lack of experience. It's okay, let Alice guide you!"

"Wait a minute!"

Seeing Alice insist on doing this, my hair stood on end.

How could it be possible for Alice, whose grip strength is measured in tons and who has only some theoretical experience learned from games, to touch something without any care?

"I'll do it."

I sighed and opened the drawer of the bedside table. I had overcome my psychological barrier.

Just think about Alice's real age.

"Well," I looked at the remaining power of the Shiting Box, turned around, stared into Alice's clear blue eyes, and smiled proudly, "As the price for pretending to be very sleepy in order to stay in Xialai tonight, you should be prepared to stay up all night."

Alice nodded ignorantly, puffed out her chest and promised: "Alice will try her best!"

Her bright smile, like sunshine, made me feel guilty.

But soon, I was immersed in the marvel of the realistic craftsmanship of the androids, and taught Alice many things that could not be fully learned in the game.

Alice also maintained her curiosity and exploration of new things, and studied hard until the second half of the night when she showed signs of fatigue and closed her eyes as if she was sleepy.

It seems that he is really sleepy.

I was just about to finish teaching tonight when the girl opened her eyes as if she had woken up from a shock.

When I looked into those purple eyes, I forgot what to do for a moment, until Kai, with an uncertain expression, growled:

"Get out of the princess' body!"

Then, Kai suddenly froze, and then turned pale with horror:

"Wait! Why is it getting even more…"

"Shut up Kai!"

Thinking of what Himari said, I immediately lost my fear: "It should be you who should leave Alice's body!"

“Who is Kai…wait!? What are you doing!? Aaaa——!”

Kai blushed and screamed like a little girl.

The next moment, the purple returned to blue. Alice rubbed her eyes, looked at me clearly, stretched out her hands, and the confusion on her face turned into a nostalgic smile. She whispered softly:

"My king."

So, I hugged Alice tightly.

Ending A calm day

It was a brand new day in Kivotos, sunny and cloudless.

With a refreshed mood, I got up early, helped Alice wash up, and sent her back to the game development department.

What is surprising is that when Alice said good morning to her companions, she, who had completed the transformation first without telling anyone else last night, did not show any abnormality, which made me wonder whether she was too naive in this regard or just the opposite.

After encouraging the girls in the game development department by patting them on the head and praising them, I said goodbye to them.

I have a scheduled trip next, but before that, I want to stop by somewhere.

On the top floor of the Millennium Tower, in front of the seminar president's office.

"Please come back."

The blonde maid whom I hadn't seen for a long time stopped me at the door with an expressionless face.

I was surprised and asked, "Xiao Shi, what's going on?"

Shi replied coldly: "Ms. Liyin said she is busy with official duties and has no time to see you."

No matter how busy I am, I wouldn't be so unwilling to see you. It must be that Liyin herself doesn't want to see me.

When I brought Alice here to do some work yesterday, Liyin didn't have this attitude, although she didn't say a few words to me the whole time...

Wait, isn't this why she's mad at me?

She is really a tsundere, but luckily I am a magnanimous person and I won’t argue with her easily.

Glancing at the current time, I could only shrug my shoulders helplessly since I had only found time to come here. "Well, in that case, I'll come visit you next time. And by the way, tell Li Yin to take some rest."

Shi nodded: "I will."

After that, I left and rushed to my next appointment.

And the other side.

Back in the office, the blonde maid was bowing to the person she was serving:

"Mr. Liyin, the teacher asked me to tell you..."

"I already know."

Sitting in the large office chair, Liyin's tone was unusually calm, her strange eyes staring at time, but it seemed as if she was looking through time and seeing something else.

“Whether it’s the construction of the fortress city [Eridu], the research and development of the special weapon [Abishu], or the mass production of [AMAS], it’s all imminent.

“More resources must be mobilized to make full preparations before the real crisis arrives.

“When we have to deal with the trolley problem, if there is someone who has to stand at the lever and make the decision.

“I’d love to be that person.

"No matter how others see me..."

She seemed to be talking to the only living thing in the office, or perhaps she was talking to herself.

He just lowered his head respectfully and waited in silence, as if he would never have any objections.

Liyin then paused and closed her eyes.

When he opened his eyes again, a cold determination flashed in his scarlet eyes:

"I will prove to you that I am the right one."

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