Survive in Azure Files

Shengya gently stroked the feathers of the bird resting on her hand: "Teacher, you suddenly asked me to meet with you. In addition to telling me the good news that the bird Yu Xingye was rescued, is there anything else you want to do?"

I answered in a deep voice, "It's like this. In this rescue operation, in addition to Hifumi, the Tea Party sent an unexpected force without my initiative to contact them... Mika, who personally participated in the operation."

Shengya said in a surprised tone: "...Weihua? Did she go too?"

"Yeah. And she saved me from a giant mechanical python that suddenly appeared on the battlefield."

Later, when I was reviewing the game, I found that if Weihua had not come to the rescue, the power of the Shiting Box would have been severely weakened before other students came to rescue, and even Qinxiang and Shirako might have been tied up in the northern battlefield.

Although the ending is most likely that I was forced by Antonis into the laboratory where Hoshino was imprisoned, it can be said that the unexpected joining of Mika played a role in turning the tide of the battle to a large extent.

Therefore, in addition to the favor that should be repaid, I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to Weihua.

But the problem is that, as of now, Mika is a child who is quite difficult to communicate with.

During these two days, I have tried to send messages to Weihua, but the replies I got were quite cold. I could feel her resistance through the screen, and the subsequent conversation was even more impossible.

"…So, I would like to seek your advice, Shengya. About how to thank Nagisa and Mika."

"Ah, so you want to thank Nagisa too," Shengya couldn't help but smile, "You didn't mention Nagisa's name just now, I thought you forgot about her."

"After all, I at least know the least wrong direction for Nagisa - just send tea leaves as a gift."

"You have a stereotype about Nagisa, don't you?"

"Ah..." I touched my nose awkwardly and asked carefully, "Will Nagisa hate it if I send her tea?"

However, Shengya shook her head: "No, your stereotype is very correct. If you want to express your gratitude to Nagisa, tea is indeed the safest choice."

That's what the Red Tea Girl is like.

Shengya added: "However, compared to the daily consumable black tea, the ornaments with a retro feel, exquisite workmanship, and cuteness should be more eye-catching to Nagisa."

As expected of Saint Ya, who is also a member of the tea party and is very smart, she immediately gave valuable advice.

Indeed, with her elegant temperament and calm personality, even her status message on MomoTalk is "Always at ease and face everything elegantly". Apart from being irritated occasionally, Nagisa, who perfectly interprets the term "aristocratic lady", seems like the type of person who would like this kind of gift.

I quickly noted it down and prepared to go back and choose it myself.

As for when... on the day when I agree with Hanaya to go out for fun, I can go to the relevant stores for a stroll. Anyway, with Hanaya's personality, high-end places will be just what she likes.

"About Mika..."

Sheng Ya hesitated for a moment and kept the topic a secret: "Teacher, I have a proposal, but I don't know whether I should talk about it or not."

"Oh? Please speak freely!"

A fox-like smile appeared on Shengya's calm little face. The fox-eared girl, who had the ability to predict the future, whispered to me:

"Then please invite Weihua to go on a date."

For a moment, I thought there was something wrong with my ears.

"You heard it right."

Sheng Ya spoke slowly and clearly, word by word: "Please invite Sheng Yuan Weihua to go on a date!"

I hesitated: "I should have said that Weihua's attitude towards me was very cold, right?"

"Of course I know, sir. This is advice from a prophet, huh?"

Could it be that Mika actually treats me like that—

My eyes fixed, and I recalled Mika's lovely face. I tried to be calm but couldn't hide my excitement: "I see. Should I ask her out first? Or should I just send her an invitation on MomoTalk?"

"It's on momotalk, yeah, and you can post it now."

With Shengya's words in mind, I took out my cell phone on the spot and sent the message with full confidence.

Me: Not yet. Do you have time in a few days?

Weihua:?

Although it was just a question mark, it was replied immediately! Sure enough, there is a chance!

Mika: What’s the matter?

Me: I just wanted to ask you out.

Weihua: Just you and me?

Me: Yeah, just the two of us.

Mika: Hahaha~

She smiled! The momentum is good! It looks like it can work!

Mika: Teacher, you mean, you want to date me? Me? With an old man like you? Hahahaha~

Mika: I didn’t expect you to have such a sense of humor~

Mika: But I’m not really interested in jokes that were popular ten years ago.

Mika: So please don’t make jokes like this anymore.

……ah?

I looked up at Shengya, who was sipping tea with a happy look on her face, and Shengya returned my look with a smile.

"Were you rejected so quickly?"

Shengya asked in a tone that showed she was not surprised at all, and took out her phone: "Then please forward Weihua's rejection to me~ I want to keep it well, and it will surely be an interesting topic of conversation someday in the future~"

Shengya! I really misjudged you! I didn't expect you to be a scumbag fox who likes to watch adults behave in an ugly way!

Although I was complaining in my heart, I still forwarded the chat history to Shengya.

"Of course, I didn't deceive you."

Shengya operated on her phone for a while, seemingly uploading the records to the cloud disk, and then explained to me calmly:

"You don't need to worry about it. One day in the future, she will take the initiative to ask you for the thank-you gift she needs. Before that, appropriately lowering her evaluation of you will make this development more stable. And..."

Shengya's pale golden eyes seemed to contain a thousand thoughts: "This will be the last time we meet for a long time in the future. Teacher, I am very happy that you can come to see me when the destined story is about to happen."

"... Shengya?"

"Please don't ask any more questions."

Shengya lowered her eyes and said, "One day, you will know, realize, and understand, but that will not be now."

The fox-eared girl picked up the teacup and said, "So please stay here with me, leisurely, peacefully, and happily, and enjoy our afternoon tea time together."

Facing her sad smile, I raised my glass in silence and nodded slightly.

Chapter 9: Praying to Ma till dusk

As the host of the tea party, Shengya has busy official duties. After drinking a cup of black tea, she has to return to the work of the tea party.

With mixed feelings, I said goodbye to Shengya.

I don't know what she foresaw, so she told me in advance that we wouldn't be able to meet again for a long time in the future. But since Shengya didn't want to tell me, I could only respect her choice.

It would be inappropriate to feel depressed about this.

In order to relieve this negative emotion, I thought of a good way -

After contacting the other party and receiving a positive response, I came to the Holy Trinity Cathedral.

Following the route mentioned, I went around to the back of the cathedral.

"...Ah. Over here, Sensei."

A clear and ethereal girl's voice sounded, and I looked in the direction of the voice. A young nun wearing a black nun's uniform, with a pair of obvious animal ears under the headscarf, and long orange hair braided and draped over her right shoulder, with a well-behaved and gentle face, was watching me not far away.

Eliot Marie is a child I met in the cathedral when I first came to Trinity and visited the ancient buildings.

After I joined momotalk, Mary sent me a group message welcoming me to consult her about my troubles. Because I was busy rescuing Hoshino at the time, I just politely asked the teacher if I could participate and put it aside for the time being.

I had just finished my work today and happened to be at Trinity, so I tentatively asked Mary if she had any free time.

So, this is the current situation.

I walked forward quickly and said apologetically, "Sorry to bother you so suddenly."

Mary shook her head with a gentle smile: "It's okay, teacher, I'm free at this time. And I'll be happy if I can help you."

Angel! This is an angel!

Look at the other foxes I've met so far -

Ruozao! Your emotions are too heavy, when can you learn to control them? And it's really dangerous to explode wherever you go! Although it's very cute!

Yukino! She pointed a gun at me right away! I quickly pointed it back and took away my precious things, but it was too arrogant! She's cute though!

Shengya! She likes to tell incomprehensible riddles! She keeps her thoughts to herself and refuses to discuss her troubles with adults! She is very cute!

It's great that everyone has their own cuteness.

"Mary, actually, I have some troubles that I want to talk to you about."

"Hmm~ What kind of troubles did the teacher bring? If possible, please let me hear it?"

Staring into Mary's bright blue eyes, the words I had been preparing to say came to my lips, but somehow I changed my words:

"Mary... I have always been upset about my own powerlessness..."

As soon as I said this, I regretted my gaffe. However, from Mary's calm and quiet temperament and extremely tolerant eyes, I gained the courage to continue speaking:

"Although I am an adult and the only teacher of Kivotos, I am the weaker party compared to my students. Without the protection of the halo, I can't fight like a student unless I pay a great enough price."

My life.

With the low conversion efficiency of primitive alchemy, I would need to sacrifice more than a year of my life to be able to unleash two attacks equivalent to heavy firepower.

"I want to change everything that is not to my liking. But I can't do it. The fact is, even if I try my best, I can only change a very small part, and for the more, I don't even know how to do it, and I am not qualified to do it."

I am not in a position to ask what exactly is going to happen to Shengya, and because it is something that will happen in the future, if Shengya is unwilling to tell me, it will be almost impossible for me to get information from other people.

"Sister, I want to confess to you my stupidity, my cowardice, my powerlessness... I failed to fulfill my responsibilities in my position. This is my sin, my sin as a teacher."

I must ascend the highest ladder that leads to eternal peace; to do this, I must recruit as many students as possible from Kivotos; to do this, I must give everything I have.

But what if even everything I have isn't enough?

"Sister, please forgive me."

I closed my eyes and lowered my head.

Then, I felt a warm touch coming from the top of my head.

Mary caressed me tenderly, her voice becoming more ethereal and holy:

"Teacher, if this is what bothers you.

“Even God would be proud of you.

"Isn't this the best you can do, teacher?"

...maybe.

Even though it seemed like nothing was solved, at least my mood had improved.

I feel that even as a listener, Mary is much better than Alona.

Alas, artificial intelligence is really a moron, unable to do anything. It would be great if she could use the enthusiasm she showed in being annoying when I touched her most sensitive spot - the daily dessert supply - to learn how to assist me in my work.

"Thank you, Mary, for helping me a lot." I sincerely thanked the girl in front of me, and then jokingly said, "But, Mary, I thought you could give me some advice as a consultant."

"...Advisor, huh? For me, something as important as an advisor is impossible... All I can do is really just listen."

Mary's smile was demure and lovely. "Although I can only do this much... but it would be great if I could help the other person move forward by listening, even just a little bit."

I nodded gently: "Well, I will move forward. So, thank you again for your help."

"Please don't be so serious, Master. I just did something insignificant. Besides, by listening to other people's troubles, I can also take a step towards becoming a good nun."

I noticed the key words and asked in confusion, "Become a nun? Aren't you a nun yet?"

"Hmm...how should I put it..."

Mary pondered and gave an example, "For example, if you just put on a nun's uniform, not everyone can become a nun right away...Is that probably the feeling?

“There is still so much to learn and understand…