Arknights' Lock of Heaven

"Old Ferdinand, what nonsense are you spouting now!" Koval's heart was hanging on the heavy jukebox; he still hadn't figured out what was going on.

"Weren't you my retainer back then? Tell me, weren't you?!"

Before he could answer, Old Ferdinand raised his glass and took a big gulp of beer. Then, he turned and staggered toward the only other table of customers in the bar besides them, asking, "Hey, you guys be the judge, how can a knight be no match for a squire!"

“Hey, don’t disturb my guests,” Old Martin said with a smile, following behind him and standing between the man and Maria, seemingly to dissuade them but actually to guard against them.

"Huh? Old Fu, we're just talking to each other, why are you dragging others into this? Can't you argue with me?"

Koval had his back to them the whole time and didn't see their actions. He assumed his old friend was trying to drag outsiders into the conversation because he couldn't win the argument.

"You think I can't argue with you?" Old F slammed his wine glass down on the table with a loud bang.

Then he grabbed the person who had been looking at Maria from behind.

"Hey buddy, I know our Maria is beautiful, but do you have to keep staring at her like that?"

As he spoke, he approached the man.

"There's a saying that goes, 'With fame comes trouble.' The news of Maria's participation in the competition had only just broken when people came knocking on her door."

Bald Martin's smiling expression gradually disappeared, and he fiddled with a gleaming dinner knife in his hand.

"Girl," Koval realized something was wrong and whispered to Maria, "Forget about that damn battery, come out quickly!"

"Oh, okay," Maria said, though she was a little confused, she obediently moved out from under the jukebox.

"Which company sent you?" Old Fu plopped down next to the man.

“The company,” the man thought for a moment, then said with a smile, “Rhode Island Pharmaceuticals.”

Upon hearing this, Maria, who had been peeking over from the side, froze in surprise.

“Wow, a pharmaceutical company,” Old Ferguson said with a smile. “Hmm, that sounds familiar, but I can’t quite place it.”

"But none of that matters. The important thing is that you came to our door so quickly. Do you have some ulterior motives towards her...?"

Old F's voice faltered.

Why? Because he finally saw the man's face.

For a moment, he froze on the spot.

Just then, Maria seemed to have thought of something and was about to rush forward, but was stopped by Old Martin.

"Don't go over there, girl."

“But…” Maria hesitated.

"listen to me!"

Old Martin abruptly interrupted her.

If a company is truly here for sponsorship, there's no need for them to send such a skilled person.

Especially that Mantico, the top assassin.

Considering Margaret's ordeal, this made them think a lot.

"Maria!"

Just then, a roar came from outside the door, breaking the tense atmosphere in the bar.

162 The Radiant Knight's Letter

"Maria!!!"

With a powerful roar, the bar door was kicked open.

"What have you been doing behind my back?!"

Clearly, those who came to demand an explanation have arrived.

"Alas!"

Upon hearing this, Maria shuddered, her whole body trembled, and she instinctively tried to hide behind the jukebox.

"Zofia, be gentle, the door has been replaced several times this month."

Bald Martin turned around, winking at Zofia as he said, "That's why I don't want to replace the doors with automatic ones."

But in her rage, Zofia's mind was entirely on her niece, and she didn't look in his direction at all.

"Is this the place?" she said, trying to control her expression as she walked toward the jukebox with a forced smile.

Behind that bulky jukebox, a trembling tail was revealed.

“Maria!” she spat out each word, “You, still, dare, to, hide?”

"Alas--!"

Maria trembled behind the jukebox.

"Hey, girl, she's coming over. It seems you couldn't hide anymore."

The old craftsman Koval glanced guiltily at the expressionless Zofia, then whispered to Maria behind the jukebox.

"Ugh... why is this jukebox so small..." Maria complained softly, then asked anxiously, "What's her expression right now?"

"This is bad. I haven't seen her this angry since she threw that drunk little devil out last time."

Koval couldn't withstand Zofia's gaze either. "Ah, she's coming over with a smile."

Hearing this, Maria muttered to herself, her eyes vacant, "It's over..."

"Kovar?" Just as they were whispering, Zofia approached the old craftsman with a smile.

"Ahem," Koval instinctively tried to change the subject, "Old Freak! Come on, have a drink! Were you just now...?"

Then he looked in the direction of the old knight and realized that his good friend was still frozen in place.

Only then did he remember what had happened before Zofia came in.

Sigh, it's all Zofia's fault for being so terrifying when she gets angry; I completely forgot about this.

"Um, Zofia, now's not the time to talk about this..."

"What?" Zofia's beautiful eyes widened upon hearing this, and her gaze towards Koval turned menacing. "Are you going to speak up for her?"

“No, no,” Koval waved his hands repeatedly upon hearing this, “How could that be? It’s just not the right time.”

"Look over there..."

He pointed in the direction of the three guests.

"Master Koval!" Maria, hiding behind the jukebox, burst into tears. In times of crisis, her master was the only one she could rely on. She had wronged him before!

Zofia also looked in the direction he was pointing.

Old Martin stood between the group and Maria, a gleaming kitchen knife in his hand, a helpless, bitter smile on his face.

Old Fu, on the other hand, had his arm around someone's shoulder and was looking into his eyes.

It seems... the atmosphere isn't very harmonious...

Zofia's eyes narrowed slightly upon seeing this.

She had been so focused on Maria that she had neglected them.

She knew that neither the old knight nor old Martin would speak without reason.

There must be a reason why they are taking this so seriously.

She glanced at the group of people they were wary of.

The woman wearing a strange large hat, leaning against a greatsword, had an indifferent expression. Even when her companion was embraced by the old knight, she showed no reaction and continued drinking by herself, her indifferent eyes seemingly filled with endless worries.

This person is definitely not easy to deal with.

Sometimes you can tell a person's strength or weakness just by looking at their temperament.

Even as the woman sat lazily in place, her aura remained as stagnant as the ocean.

The person opposite her, whose back was to her and whose face she couldn't see, was probably not much different from her face, even if she couldn't see their face clearly.

If it's one of these two, then indeed...

Ding.

As the crisp sound of a wine glass clinking against the table rang out, Zofia suddenly realized that there was a third person sitting at the table.

That was a Mantico.

She put down the cup of milk in her hand with a satisfied look on her face, her big tail swaying slightly behind her, showing that she was in a very happy mood.

Zofia's palms were already covered in sweat.

When she wasn't making a sound, he had completely ignored her presence...

Why would someone like that appear in Old Martin's tavern? And why are they being treated with suspicion by them?

Could it be that trouble has come knocking on our door so quickly?

Zofia clearly shared the same idea as the old knights.

And... Old Ferdinand...