Endless Debt

Belli remained silent, she did not expect the conversation to progress so smoothly, as if Teda had guessed what she was thinking, his voice carried a hint of bitter laughter.

"Do you think I would harm you? After all, you are my students."

Putting away the group photo, Teda turned his head to look at Belli, "Don't worry, I'm very rational, I know the limits of control."

"And what about Aimou?"

Belli wasn't deceived by Teda's words; she knew her teacher very well.

"You've already lost your distinction, haven't you? Teacher, the boundary between Aimou and Alice is starting to blur... Are you really prepared to sacrifice Aimou?"

Hearing Belli's words, Teda's figure stiffened, and his eyes showed a mix of surprise and anger.

"Curious how I knew? Please, I am your most outstanding student and currently the head of the Sublimation Furnace Core."

As she spoke, Belli felt that rebellious sentiment rising again, she said with a grin, "I'm progressing quickly, in a few more years I might surpass you, thinking of these things isn't difficult."

Baldur felt a bit uneasy at the side, managing to control the teacher's emotions, only to see Belli stirring things up again.

Teda is an Alchemist, but he is a Third Stage Negative Power User, compared to ordinary combat-type Condensers, he is much less potent, but to fight the two of them is more than easy, not to mention he is a pure Illusion Creation.

Belli and Balder had witnessed with their own eyes the moment when Teda's insane fantasies became reality.

"Humans cannot create souls, you took advantage of Alice's Philosopher's Stone to find a shortcut, making Aimou move, but there's only one Philosopher's Stone, only one soul, do you want to resurrect Alice, or want Aimou to die?"

Belli stared straight into Teda's eyes, not allowing him to evade, her words as sharp as swords.

"Do you... want to lose another daughter?"

Teda clenched his fist, the veins on the back of his hand bulging with amassed strength.

If it were someone else provoking him like this, Teda would have acted long ago, but this is Belli, just like Belli understands him, Teda understands Belli.

Surprisingly, Teda smiled helplessly and released his grip, leaning back comfortably on the sofa.

"I don't care, just like I taught you all, Aimou is just a tool, and I am an Alchemist, I can create many tools, if it fails, I'll just try again, my goal has never wavered."

Teda spoke with extreme rationality and cruelty, long before Aimou was created, the dark warehouse was already filled with the corpses of Alchemy Puppets.

Hearing this, Belli shook her head, couldn't help but say, "Then she is really pitiful, born only to die for the resurrection of another."

"That is the fate of a tool, we are Scholars, you should understand such reasoning, Belli." Teda turned the education back on Belli.

Belli just smiled and said nothing.

Silence continued for a long time, Belli opened her mouth once more, "Then, teacher, how do you plan to resurrect Alice?"

"Fantasy Becoming Reality."

"Fantasy Becoming Reality again?" Belli shook her head, "You've tried many times already, this path is unworkable."

Teda did not respond, he didn't want to explain too much to Belli.

"Let's not talk about this anymore, Belli, it's the Vow Festival, a day worth celebrating, not like now, making it seem as if we're about to turn against each other the next second." Teda said, trying to force a smile.

"How could we turn against each other? I'm just concerned about you, see?" Belli said, placing a hand on Teda's shoulder, acting like a buddy.

"It's just that, teacher, you really are a lot like Balder."

Belli looked at the silent Balder.

"Like a turtle, always shrunk back into your shells along with those chaotic thoughts of yours, I haven't figured a way to pry open your shells to see what lies beneath."

The topic shifted to Balder, who had been silent, never imagining it would come to this, and now Teda's gaze was on him, staring at that dark silhouette.

The atmosphere between them changed, marked by an undercurrent of unresolved tensions.

"You've been like this ever since seven years ago, haven't you?" Teda asked.

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

"Take off your helmet, there are no outsiders here, and I almost forgot what you look like." Teda said.

Balder hesitated for a moment, after contemplating, he followed Teda's words, raising his hands to remove the helmet, cold air contacted his skin, bringing a sensation difficult to describe.

In the dim room, under the helmet appeared a disfigured face, burns covering Balder's features, making him grotesque.

Seeing this face, Teda's heart trembled, speaking with some sorrow.

"I'm sorry."

"It's nothing, teacher, if it wasn't for you back then, I might have died." Balder shook his head, he only ever took off his helmet in solitude, not showing his true face for so long, Balder felt a complex emotion.

Seven years ago, during the invasion of the "Cultivation Room" by Overlord Xilin, the brutal assault destroyed all of the Alchemy Armament, including Balder's Protective Clothing, Teda dragged him from the flames, but he was still seared by the blistering fire, becoming what he is now.

Unintentionally, the shadow of seven years ago covered the three of them, everything has changed, yet it seems nothing has.

"Truly nostalgic, teacher."

Belli couldn't help but say, her face now serious without the usual grin.

"The past is settled, you've been trapped by Alice's death for too long."

With a rueful smile, Teda shook his head, speaking self-mockingly, "That's how these things are."

"Just like when we study the 'Secret Source', sometimes we are trapped by a problem for many years; other times we find the solution in a moment of clarity."

Teda tried to be more honest, sincerely telling his students.

"I want to move on too, but every time I close my eyes, it's her final words to me before she died."

His muddied eyes looked at the group photo, where Teda's wife stood.

"If not for what happened seven years ago, Alice would have grown to be just as beautiful as her... but such things, that's how they are, I understand everything, I know I'm trapped, but... it's like being unable to save myself, I know all the causes and effects, yet I can't get out."

Teda mused, burdened with oppressive thoughts.

Many things are like that; everyone knows the right choice, but they are bound by heavy emotions, unable to take steps in the path of reason, like a cocoon woven by humanity itself.

Belli had nothing to say, she also understood this truth, others' persuasion is meaningless to Teda.

Either remove all of Teda's hope, or one day Teda himself decides to walk out of despair.

"But just like those problems, perhaps one day I will suddenly understand, and nothing will trap me anymore."

Teda tried to make his tone happier, carrying a bit of anticipation.

Belli looked at her teacher earnestly, "Just hope by then, you don't regret it, teacher."

Her words carried advice, yet also had a trace of threat, Teda paused, affirming.

"I won't regret it."

"Then we'll leave for now, won't bother you anymore."

Belli stood up, gesturing for Balder to follow, Balder put his helmet back on, and after a fruitless negotiation, they briefly bid farewell to Teda and left, their figures disappearing into the stairwell.

The room was left with only Teda again, alone as he caressed the group photo, muttering to himself.

"I am right, I won't regret it."

Teda tried hard to harden his soft heart once more, colder and tougher, all this was just a study, a study to bring Alice back to life, to achieve that, Teda could do anything.

Clearing away all chaotic thoughts, Teda's eyes were steely cold, the eerie murmurs continued.

"Fantasy Becoming Reality... Fantasy Becoming Reality..."