Chapter 43, the final lesson: "And so, the lesson ends here..."
"That concludes the lesson."
In the alchemy classroom, Nakatsu wrote down the last line of formula; the only sound in the quiet room was the swishing of the pen tip moving across the paper.
The teacher, who had been busy for several days, closed the book and glanced at the two students sitting upright below.
This informal alchemy course officially ended today.
You usually don't want to go to school, but as the time for separation approaches, you feel complicated.
To be honest, Na Ke Xia is a very good teacher. He is knowledgeable and has a wide range of interests. Even though he often makes sarcastic remarks, this skill is effective in a group—he is quite fair in this respect and will not miss anyone.
Feng Jin moved closer to you, handed you a stone slab, and said with a smile that this was the intelligent teaching evaluation system from the previous Shuting, which could evaluate teachers' teaching and in turn continuously improve the classroom.
Although it's no longer in use, she still found some previous data in the backend. She can access permissions to record your information, allowing you to experience what it's like to be a real student at Shuting.
"Even though Teacher Xia didn't say it, he already considered you his student," Feng Jin said with a smile. "How about trying to leave a comment, even if it's just to make up for the time you missed?"
Oh, Feng Jin, oh, how can you be so thoughtful?
You open that small stone slab, and there it is, a close-up photo of that summer.
The comments below are quite interesting.
[The teacher taught very well; I'll never choose that option again.]
[I showed the Earth Beast, which I've been feeding, the video of the teacher's class. It shook its head and said it was faked using Tree Garden's new AI technology. At that moment, Teacher Xia wasn't that crazy at all.]
[Thanks for the invitation. The teacher gets so engrossed in the lecture that I feel like I'm dancing in his class every time. Those who like horror movies might want to give it a try.]
[Putting everything else aside, the teacher's pursuit of truth is pure. It's been a long time since I've seen such a typical scholar.]
Bai E also joined in, teasingly saying, "At that moment, Teacher Xia's classes were actually quite interesting, and the teaching style was also very... unconventional."
He thought for a moment, "Many students also come because of Ms. Kaze Sumire."
You stare at the stone slab without saying a word.
Bai E thought you were thinking about something important, so he tilted his head and looked at you with a puzzled expression.
You said, "If I go to school with Xiaobai and Xiaodie, will you let me copy your homework?"
Kaze Sumire: ...
Bai E was very serious: Hmm... whether it's me or Xia Die, there's a high probability that it will happen, right?
Xia's forehead twitched at that moment, "...I'm still standing here."
I can't expect you to say anything serious.
Why are both of his students so fond of this abstract little gray-haired creature?
...
Aglaia is here to pick you up; you and Xia Die will soon be setting off for the Underworld.
The underworld is dangerous, and Bai E, who was forced to stay behind, experienced for the first time what it means to have your heart in your throat.
There was no time to regret the impending separation that came so soon after the relationship was established. He busied himself preparing many things for you, insisting that you take them with you, saying that it would put his mind at ease that way.
You said he looked like a wife packing military supplies for her soldier husband, intending to tease him about his excessive nervousness, but instead he licked his lips and smiled shyly.
"It's too intimate to talk about this now. Although I really want to, don't you think we're moving a bit too fast, partner?"
you:……?
What's going on? Are they already fast-forwarding to the wedding?
Bai E earnestly advised you to protect yourself, and you listened attentively at first, but later felt that he was just reciting scriptures, so you covered his mouth and manually muted the microphone.
"I understand, I understand!"
You nodded haphazardly.
Bai E stammered a few times, trying to pry your hand off, but he was afraid that he would hurt you if he didn't control his strength. So he could only stand there aggrievedly, letting you cover his mouth.
I don't know what he eats to grow so tall. After standing on tiptoe for a while, your feet started to ache, so you had to threaten him, "You can't say anymore, or I'll ignore you," and put your hands down.
He stood there motionless, and as you got closer, the sun mark on his neck became even more noticeable.
Speaking of which... what exactly is his connection with that man in black? Should we just ask him directly? Maybe Bai E himself knows?
You frowned in thought, completely unaware of the strange silence that had suddenly fallen from the person in front of you.
In your memory, the cold, stone-like body and that inexplicably familiar deep voice lingered in your mind for a moment, then slipped away like a fish that you couldn't catch.
Lost in thought, you unconsciously reached out to touch the golden mark.
He ran his fingers over the bare skin of his neck a few times.
—Skin that normally shows no abnormalities from frequent friction from the neck ring turns red rapidly under your finger pressure.
you:?
You belatedly look up and realize that Bai E has completely turned into Hong E. Not only is the skin on her neck red, but even the corners of her eyes are tinged with a faint red, as if she is about to be bullied to tears.
But even in this state, he still didn't speak.
You moved your hand away slightly in surprise. "Xiaobai, what's wrong? Say something! Why aren't you saying anything?"
Bai Er simply stared at you with those blue eyes, her eyelashes fluttering a few times.
You said earnestly, "Is there anything I can't say? Don't worry, no matter what happens, I won't blame you. We'll solve any difficulties together—"
Hearing your promise, Bai E finally spoke:
Her voice sounded very aggrieved.
"Partner...didn't you say that if I say anything more, you'll never talk to me again?"
You were speechless for a moment.
He leaned closer, looking very worried, "Are you really, really ignoring me?"
You take a deep breath, "...I was just kidding."
"...So you won't ignore me, right!?"
Bai E's eyes lit up, and he was happy again. The two tufts of hair on his head stood up excitedly.
You push away his head that's trying to kiss you, and say expressionlessly, "Idiot."
Wasn't he very smart before...? Does dating really make men stupid?
"Partner, just a little kiss, just to comfort me, okay? Okay?"
"...No, um...don't kiss me...! Okay, just a little bit..."
"Bai'er! Didn't we agree it would only be once...? Are you a dog? Don't bite me...!"
Only then did you realize that this guy had been trying to gain your sympathy from the very beginning.
What a cunning Samoyed!
...
As expected, Aglaia and Naksha started bickering as soon as they met:
"Hehe, it's quite an honor for Ms. Aglaia to grace my class with her presence." At that moment, Xia smiled insincerely, his tone sarcastic.
"Stop acting, great performer. There are no audience members here, and no one wants to watch your performance," Aglaia said calmly.
She turned to look at you, her tone softening, "...Are you ready to go to Stikosia? I've already contacted Cypher. If you have any concerns, please let me know."
After saying that, she walked over to Feng Jin, greeted her, and whispered something in her ear.
You blinked a few times, then turned to look at Xia's lowered eyes, which seemed to be deep in thought. You recalled his performance at the citizens' assembly a while ago and felt a pang of nostalgia.
You really aren't used to parting.
Even after traveling to so many planets and meeting so many people, you still haven't been able to shake your soft-heartedness.
You think of Pinocchio's pioneering predecessors... and a loyal old dog. If they knew, they'd probably laugh and tease you about crying at your age, but they'd gently wipe away your tears, pat you on the shoulder, and say:
Go forth, go forth. No matter how far you go, we old folks will always be here waiting for you.
Don't forget the original aspiration of [pioneering].
However, this warm atmosphere didn't last long before Xia opened her mouth:
"Trailblazer, even though you're lazy, pleasure-seeking, and sometimes your brain is full of mush..."
...?
What—what?!
What do you mean by being lazy… I guess I am a little. What do you mean by being pleasure-seeking… isn’t that human nature? What do you mean by having a brain full of mush… he even thoughtfully added “sometimes,” haha, should we say scholars are always meticulous?
...Okay, he was quite accurate, damn it.
Seeing your wide-eyed expression, the wicked mint cat seemed to find it hilarious and curled the corners of its mouth into a smile.
Teaching assistant Feng Jin smiled helplessly. Bai E quickly pulled you aside and said that she was often told that too, and that you would get used to it.
At that moment, Xia suddenly changed the subject.
"but……"
He paused, then let out a short, soft hum from his nose.
"...You also often come up with novel ideas, courage and perseverance are always with you, and a sense of mission and responsibility will be a precious gift on your future path. During the time I have been teaching you, I have seen the potential hidden in you."
His tone softened unusually, “If we had the chance to escape our fate of destruction… you are welcome to be my student once again.”
You were stunned for a moment.
However, at that moment, Xia seemed to have said nothing shocking at all. She shut her mouth, tidied her books, explained something to Feng Jin, who was also looking surprised, and waved her hand.
“I should get going,” he said. “The same goes for you. Stikosia is fraught with danger, so be careful on your journey. Don’t just rush in and start fighting like an idiot; use your brains.”
—Your "departure" is simply leaving Ohma and heading to Stikosia, while his "departure" has a more complex meaning...but it is a necessary means to pursue the truth. Even if it weren't the inevitable outcome, if given the choice, he would have chosen this path without hesitation.
He first lost his eyes, then his body, and then his heart.
Even if someone with a heart were to pluck out his tongue, his soul would still linger at the top of the sacred tree, singing praises to reason day after day, year after year.
Xia's figure appeared relatively thin at that moment. You saw his departing figure, his clothes fluttering in the wind. No one spoke, not even Aglaia, who simply stood with her arms crossed next to Feng Jin. The classroom fell silent once again in a few seconds.
This was not a simple farewell.
This is... the highest tribute to scholars who have devoted their lives to the pursuit of truth.
You glanced down at the stone slab; a new comment had appeared on the forum.
[Eight minutes ago, ID: Galaxy Batman]
"The best Ms. Xia in the world!"
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