Endless Debt

Humans are wild animals, but precisely because humans have obtained rationality, they have firmly constrained their wildness beneath the skin, thus establishing a clear boundary between humans and animals.

Yet no matter how rational humans become, they still cannot completely abandon their primal essence; humans will still experience joy, anger, sorrow, and perhaps out of impulse, do things that escape rationality.

"If rationality is so important, then is it wrong to do something that escapes rationality?" Aimou asked.

"It depends," Bologue thought for a moment, "not every act of escaping rationality is wrong."

Bologue had escaped rationality once before, at that time, he was impatient, every second was unbearable, and the searing anger was almost piercing through his chest.

"For example?" Aimou asked curiously.

"For example..."

When giving examples, Bologue felt a headache coming on; he felt like he was educating a child, and with a slight mistake in words, he might mislead Aimou.

Bologue thought he could hardly be considered a good person, using his own template on Aimou might inadvertently cultivate a violent bandit.

He had thought of using his stormy night revenge as an example, but such things were too special, the emotions were complex, Aimou might find it difficult to grasp the feelings involved, more importantly, it involved life and death.

Bologue didn't want to influence Aimou's view on life and death, just as she said, life is very important, she is still young and inexperienced, Bologue didn't want to see her stained with blood.

"Those courtship novels you've read," Bologue thought of what example to use, "they often have such scenes, like the male protagonist abandoning millions of family assets to elope with his lover."

"Mmm hmm."

Aimou nodded affirmatively, indicating she quite liked such stories.

Bologue understood, it might also be Alice who liked such stories, Aimou's performance was just a projection influenced by Alice.

After listening to Teda's explanation, sometimes Bologue couldn't understand whether he was facing Aimou or Alice, or maybe they had merged into one, with overlapping silhouettes, hard to discern real from fake.

"Such things are irrational and foolish," Bologue commented, "yet these things are correct."

"Irrational, yet correct?"

"Yes, let alone millions in family assets, even if abandoning everything, to be with the other person, nothing else matters."

Bologue paused and continued.

"From a bystander's perspective, this behavior may seem extremely foolish, but to the person involved, if he is happy, that's enough; we call this... romance."

"Romance?"

"Yes, romance."

Bologue reaffirmed, though he didn't quite understand it himself, he summed it up, speaking on a whim.

"The opposite of rationality is romance.

Life needs some romance."

Aimou lowered her head, seemingly understanding, while the halo in her eyes cycled, the atmosphere fell silent.

Bologue observed Aimou, pinpoints of light passed under her skin, resembling a gelatinous material; faintly illuminating the metallic skeleton within, the Constant Motion Core continuously absorbed the surrounding Ether, storing and acting upon Aimou's body, ensuring her body's multiple systems operated stably.

Aimou was like a human-shaped Void Realm, various forces constructed her body, Alchemy Matrix spread every inch.

Bologue suddenly had a curious conjecture; Aimou, in a sense, could be considered possessing a human soul, only this soul appeared in the form of the Philosopher's Stone, and she could be viewed as a cold dead object, along with the Alchemy Matrix throughout her body; Aimou seemed like an Alchemy Armament.

Then Bologue suddenly recalled he had never asked Aimou about her abilities, as an Alchemy Puppet, she must possess some extraordinary traits, even possessing another form of Secret Energy.

"That sounds quite nice," after a long while, Aimou's voice slowly sounded, "I like such romantic plots."

Perhaps the atmosphere was just right, Bologue couldn't help but chatter, "A killer repents because of a kiss, a coward walks towards death for a ridiculous reason."

"I see, I roughly understand," Aimou said, "humans are indeed complex."

"Perhaps, sometimes humans are very complex, sometimes they are simple and can be seen through easily," Bologue said.

"Have you done 'romantic' things?" Aimou asked.

"I have, but I surely won't talk about the details."

"Unspeakable?"

"It's just too long, it would take a lot of time to explain, and I'm about to sleep."

Bologue pointed to the clock on the wall, his routines were very regular, now Bologue was preparing to sleep.

"Oh!" Aimou looked embarrassed.

"See you tomorrow, Aimou." Bologue ushered her out and glanced at the night snack, he said, "I will finish it."

"Alright, alright."

Aimou nodded repeatedly, backed to the doorway, intending to close the door but hesitated and said to Bologue.

"Then... goodnight."

Closing the door, Aimou didn't leave immediately but stood still for a while, looked up, the halo in her eyes stabilized, motionless, as if recalling all the conversations just now.

At the sound of silver bell-like laughter, Aimou looked to the other side of the corridor, a familiar figure was standing there, smiling at her.

"Alice..." Aimou murmured.

Alchemy Puppets don't dream, yet dream-like scenes were playing before her eyes, but more bizarrely, this time Aimou was still running, not lying on the maintenance table, nor entering dormancy.

As she thought, dreams were gradually invading reality, during this period Alice's appearances were increasingly frequent, until she didn't need to fall into dormancy to see her existence.

"Have you always been here?" Aimou asked.

The laughter came again, vision blurred momentarily, Alice appeared in front of her as though out of nowhere, like a ghost reaching out a hand, gently pressing against Aimou's chest.

"I am right here," Alice said.

Looking at the face similar to hers, Aimou felt like she was looking in the mirror.

Aimou possessed wisdom, she could discern herself from the mirror, but the Alice in front of her is herself yet isn't herself.

She also understood that she was merely the reflection in the mirror.

"What are you doing, Aimou?" Alice asked, confused.

"What?"

"What nonsense were you talking to him?" Alice circled Aimou, scrutinizing her, "In my eyes, you have nothing to hide, I am you, the real you."

Alice approached Aimou, whispered in her ear, in a moment of trance Aimou felt waves of warmth from her ear, she knew it was an illusion, she didn't have such sensitive perceptive organs.

"I know your little secret, Aimou."

The gentle voice turned seductive, Aimou struggled, "I'm trying."

"In that case, you should seem... a bit more foolish, show weakness to everyone until no one cares, let go of all vigilance," Alice said.

"Or are you still unable to make a decision? What are you hesitating about?"

Alice did not understand Aimou, she was influenced by her Mind Projection, like a reflection of herself, but this reflection was flawed, with differing thoughts.

"I..." Aimou was speechless.

"You really are a coward,"

Alice showed a scornful look, evaluating.

"Afraid to hate with all your might, nor dare to completely abandon resistance, harboring a shred of hope."

Neither here nor there.

Alice hugged Aimou's face, puzzledly asked.

"What are you hoping for, Aimou? Someone to rescue you? But you know nothing about this world, know very few people... this world is extremely unfamiliar to you.

Why, then? Why do you have such thoughts?"

Aimou said nothing, her thoughts clashed in her mind, she had realized this issue long ago, but as if fearing to face it, she constantly avoided everything.

Staring at the pitiful Aimou, Alice suddenly laughed, intimately leaned closer, nose touching, voice echoed.

"Don't worry, you still have me, I am your last ally, since you dare not do so, let me do it."

In the quiet, dim corridor, Aimou stood alone, as though awakening from a dream, the so-called soul returning to the body.

After brief panic, Aimou calmed down, deeply looked at the door to the small base room.

The halo in her eyes rhythmically circulated, Aimou slowly clenched her fist.