Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

Chapter 57: The Willful Saint

Logically speaking, since I have said this as a representative of a country, the other party will not pester me because of the friendly relationship between the two sides.

But Enya obviously underestimated what Margaret could do for Noah. Margaret looked at the Saint in front of her, who was determined to take Noah away. Her face darkened. "Saint, I don't want to offend you, and it won't take up too much of my time. Can you be flexible?"

"That's unfortunate. I'm so busy with work, and the newly formed Kjerag Council won't give me any time to be flexible. We've already wasted a lot of time. Miss Brilliant Knight, are you really going to be so persistent?"

The scene of the Saint and the Radiant Knight facing off in the street was so magical it even drew a crowd. However, this was Kjerag, and the Radiant Knight's charm had little effect. Instead, the Saint's side, with its larger crowd, seemed increasingly powerful. Margaret's expression shifted several times before she finally gave up on a direct confrontation. She glanced at Noah from a distance, a look of sadness on her face. Although she couldn't stay with Noah for much longer, she said, "I'll wait for your reply, Noah."

"...I..." Noah opened her mouth but shook her head. "Margaret, I'm sorry."

"Noah..." Margaret wanted to say something, but Enya had already stopped Noah again. "Knight Yao, I think you have offended my secretary. If you continue like this, I will protest against Casimir's diplomatic attitude."

Her words were already very serious, and Margaret could only take a step back, "Sorry, I'm sorry to disturb the Saint..."

"Wouldn't it have been better if this had happened earlier..." Enya didn't really want to say this to Knight Yao, but Noya was clearly feeling awkward. Just based on what Noya had done for her today, she had every reason to protect her. "Okay, we'll be leaving now. If anything comes up... just tell me when the time comes. I'll pass it on to Miss Noya."

Enya took Noya away, and seeing there was nothing exciting to watch, the people dispersed. But Margaret stayed for a long time, just staring at the departing shadow for a long, long time.

She quickly shook her head and smiled bitterly. She should know why she rejected herself.

She was clearly doing this for me, but I pushed her many times. She was such a gentle person, so naturally she would feel embarrassed.

The Radiant Knight is Casimir's light and Casimir's representative. Her actions are equivalent to Casimir's abroad.

She should have been proud of this, but now she desperately wished she wasn't Casimir's representative. That way, she could keep Noah and tell him her apology and feelings. Even if it bothered her, Margaret wanted to say it.

Just like she said before, she didn't know how many times she would meet Noah by chance. Maybe she was really lucky, or maybe one time, even she herself didn't know that it would be their farewell forever.

Whenever she thought of this, her heart would begin to ache...

She had wished countless times that the person who would accompany her was not the blond guard, but herself. If only she could be her personal knight... If only...

Margaret clenched her hands, but she couldn't...

Casimir needed her, so she couldn't be Noah's knight alone.

So she couldn't stay by Noya's side, couldn't accompany her on her journey, even if she was unwilling... she had to continue to move forward with Casimir.

When his long-cherished wish conflicted with his inner heart, Knight Yao once again reaffirmed his idea.

"However, if you need me, no matter where I am... I will come at full speed." Margaret muttered to herself, "I swear in the name of the knight..."

When she made the oath, the martyr's sword at her waist seemed to sense something and emitted a faint light, as if something was flowing.

Noya, already far away, silently pressed her hand against her chest. The jade, now nestled in her chest pocket, was burning hotter than ever before, almost as if it would burn her. But when she placed her hand inside the pocket, she didn't feel the scorching heat; it was just warm, the same as before. It was as if the previous heat hadn't even existed. She felt the jade, a little puzzled, but quickly put it aside.

"Huh... Glory Knight is truly formidable. The pressure he put on her was truly immense..." Enya patted her chest, oblivious to Noya's movements. She was simply complaining about the pressure she'd felt from her recent confrontation with Glory Knight. "Noya, are you okay?"

"Am I... okay?" Noah wasn't sure. She was somewhat moved by the emotion Margaret had just emanated from her. "But thank you, Enya."

"It's okay. You're my secretary. How could I possibly let you stay—" Enya waved her hand quickly. "It's just that Glory Knight seems to have something really important to tell you. Am I being a little nosy?"

"I know what she's going to say." Noah shook his head, "But I can't go back with her now, at least not now."

"Is that so... Never mind. Your situation must be very complicated. It's probably related to your status as a wanted criminal, so I won't elaborate further." Enya was, of course, aware of Noya's identity. The complex relationship between a wanted criminal from Casimir and a glorious Knight from Casimir sounded quite fantastical in itself. However, this also solidified Enya's suspicion that there must be something fishy about Noya's identity. Otherwise, someone as vindictive as the Knight of Glory couldn't possibly have such a complex relationship with Noya.

"Well, it's indeed complicated, but in the final analysis, it was all my own decision..." Noah shook her head. "She did nothing wrong. I was the one who acted on my own, moved by my own desires, and even acted in despair."

"...Do you regret it?"

"No." Noah shook his head. "No matter what, I won't regret what I did. There is no regret medicine in the world."

"That's good." Enya turned her head. "No matter what you did, at least I believe it was for the good of the world. Moreover, no matter where you are, even if Victoria, Yan Country, or Ursus want to harm you, you can always seek refuge in Kjerag. I swear in the name of Yelagund that Kjerag will always be your friend, and you will always be Kjerag's Honorary Saint."

"..." Noya was stunned for a moment, then finally smiled. "You really are... a willful saint."

"Thanks for the compliment."

Chapter 58: Qin

After finally getting rid of Margaret, Noah and Enya finally returned to Manzhuyuan. Of course, they had Ya'er help carry them up the mountain. Although Ya'er complained about being reduced to a transport person, she clearly didn't care about helping Noah, who had difficulty walking. Back at Manzhuyuan, Enya excused Noah from the journey, saying he was tired. Noah knew she was just trying to calm down after what she had experienced that day.

After thanking Enya with gratitude, Noya did not force herself and returned to the room. Kuro helped Noya close the door before asking.

"You actually look pretty happy?"

"Is it obvious?"

"No, it's just my intuition." Kuro replied, "Actually, you do like the feeling of being protected, right?"

"...Really?" Noah touched his nose guiltily, "Did I show it?"

"Although that girl has no ill intentions towards you, I also think it's better for you to stay as far away from her as possible." Kuro did not answer directly, but reminded, "You have done your best. From now on, you should live your own life."

"Ahaha... I didn't go around Margaret before, did I?" Noah scratched his head a little embarrassedly and retorted softly, "I just kept my promise, that's all."

"And the result is that you can't even go home?" Kuro asked bluntly, and this question made Noya silent. In fact, she had been avoiding this question, but Kuro was obviously a straightforward person, and he left her speechless.

Honestly, Kuro thought it was perfectly fine for Noya to live in Kjerag. The people here were willing to accept her, some admired her, and her status as an honorary saint would protect her. She felt safe here, and there was no shortage of opportunities to show her abilities.

But Kuro knew better that Noya was not someone who could stay in one place forever. Sherag was good, but she would never stop here. This was not her destination.

Margaret's arrival was unexpected, but Kuro felt that this was just the right opportunity for Noah to make up his mind -

Leave early, otherwise you won’t be able to leave later.

On the other hand, after watching Noah leave, Enya finally put down the big stone in her heart.

When she encountered the Radiant Knight, she had stopped him without a second thought, protecting Noah. But in retrospect, her actions were actually quite... subtle. On the one hand, Casimir had come to conduct diplomacy with a friendly attitude, yet she had been so rude to their envoy. What if international relations deteriorated?

Yaer noticed Enya's worries. She made a pot of tea for Enya and said with a smile, "Don't think too much. There will always be a way out when you reach the mountain. Besides, the child from Casimir is not a narrow-minded person."

"Ya'er, didn't you go with them? How did you know?"

"Well, I have my own channels." Ya'er raised a finger mysteriously. "Also, you were right to protect Noya. She was indeed struggling at the time. But it seems to me that she has more secrets to solve. To be honest... I don't think you can keep her."

"...Eh." Enya was stunned. "What secret? Is there something about Noah that I don't know?"

"Well, explaining it all is quite a hassle. All you need to know is that Noya holds many secrets." Ya'er didn't intend to spell it out. It wasn't that she was a riddler, but there were many things that would be meaningless even if told to Enya. Ultimately, Noya's journey wouldn't stop in Kjerag. All she could offer was her blessing. Kuranta had a distant ritual called the Celestial Path, a test for the young Kuranta. For Noya, hers was just beginning.

"...So, Noah will eventually leave, right?" Enya finally realized this. "Ah... I really can't bear to let her go."

"You two have only known each other for a short time..." Ya'er covered her mouth and laughed, "Are you already possessive of me so soon? Has my little saint finally fallen in love?"

"That's not what I meant..." Enya puffed up her cheeks angrily. "It's just my concern as a friend. After all, the so-called Heavenly Path must be very dangerous. She's already become like this, but she still has to bear some secrets or mission. I always feel it's a bit unfair."

"There's no such thing as fairness or injustice in this world. Noya's bloodline and the curse passed down by her ancestors will eventually lead her there—" Ya'er sighed. Even she felt it was too much for Noya to bear, but it was inevitable. Noya couldn't break the pact made by her ancestors. Her bloodline would always go where it led, without hesitation.

Never stop——

That night.

As the setting sun of Kjerag fell across the mountains, smoke rose from the chimneys, and every household shut out the darkness, letting the light illuminate their small houses, Noya also fell asleep early.

Pushing open the old metal door, in the black and gold palace, Herhunzollen still looked immersed in his research, and didn't even look at Noah who came in. However, in a corner of the palace, there was a grand piano that had never been seen before, and on it was the song "Yeragund" composed by Noah. Obviously, this piano was prepared by Herhunzollen for Noah. Noah came to the piano and tentatively pressed the keys - then, a sharp tremolo rang out throughout the palace.

Noah subconsciously covered her ears. She had only pressed a piano key, so why was there such a horrible noise?

"This piano isn't something a mortal can play," Herhunzollen finally turned around. "The sound produced by this piano is enough to distort reality and alter consciousness. If you can master it, you'll be able to rewrite reality at will, even altering the memories and wills of others."

"...This..." Noah retracted her hand in an instant. She had learned piano before, but she hadn't touched it for a long time. However, she also knew that what Herhunzolen said might be true.

After all, in the outside world, the Witch King had been dead for many years, but Herhunzollon still lived in this palace. This palace obviously had some secrets, and these secrets maintained Herhunzollon's existence.

The piano that appears in such a place may indeed be part of some mystery.

"There's no need to be afraid. After all, it's just an instrument," Herhunzollon said with a smile. "As long as you are qualified to play it, it will eventually be of use to you. One shouldn't be afraid of the tools in their hands, right?"

Chapter 59: Little Star

"...something that can rewrite reality and change human nature...it really can't be described as an ordinary tool, right?" Noah muttered softly, "Why is it here?"

"This space is special. It has its own consciousness and will manifest itself according to your needs," Herhunzollen explained. "It's like I treat this place as my laboratory. It all depends on whether you can gain its recognition and help. This piano is its embodiment of its response to the 'Yeragond' you composed."

"Materialization..." Noah stared at the piano before him, feeling a sense of surreality. While the existence of this space was surreal, it was surprisingly alive, and would reveal even more secrets. It seemed even the Witch King didn't fully grasp what would unfold within this space. The secrets of this palace itself might even be older than the Witch King... or even Herhunzoren...

Noah looked at Herhunzolen and suddenly thought of a possibility.

Could it be that Herhunzollon is also a collection of this palace?

No...don't think too much about it for now.

Herhunzollon was right when he said that people should not be afraid of the tools in their hands, whether they are weapons, musical instruments, or stones and branches. These are essentially tools that humans have learned to use. These things may of course hurt themselves, but if you don't use them just because of their danger, then you are putting the cart before the horse.

Since this piano was revealed by this space and displayed in this palace, it means that this space is recognizing itself - just like Herhunzollon's laboratory, if this space recognizes itself, it should be able to reveal more secrets.

Noah subconsciously thought of a possibility...

If I really control this space, am I qualified to know the whereabouts of my parents?

Herhunzollon's previous answer did not say that his parents were dead, but was ambiguous, yes and no.

Could it be that what he meant by "yes" and "no" was simply that he was trapped somewhere and unable to return to reality, just like Herhunzollon, who was imprisoned in a palace similar to this one?

Then if I really control everything in this palace, I should at least be able to... know the truth, right?

In the outside world, Herhunzollon was already dead, but in the palace, Herhunzollon was still alive. How similar was this to the state he described his parents in?

After thinking about this, Noah immediately sat down in front of the piano. If he refused to use this piano, this space probably wouldn't show him anything more. So he might as well go all out and try to use it. Herhunzolen was right, tools are meant to be used!

Noah pressed the keys again. This time she did not press them randomly, but played them completely according to the piece she had learned before. In order to avoid making mistakes, she chose the simplest piece.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Who originally composed this song is an unsolved mystery in history, but since the beginning of music in human history, this song has been passed down in people's oral memory.

This time, the keys no longer emitted a thrilling trill, but began to produce syllables smoothly, and Noah finally regained some of his touch in playing the piano.

It's strange to say, she was not so keen on playing in the past, and she hadn't touched the piano for a long time, but after sitting down, her body moved on its own and began to play music according to her own ideas.

The notes were dancing, a simple beginner's piece, the first piece Noah could play - Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

As the music began to play, Herhunzollen's gaze finally focused on the girl playing the piece. Although his words were indeed intended to persuade her to start learning the secrets of this dimension as soon as possible, he did not expect Noya to be so determined to start using the piano so quickly.

Noah's fingers are long and flexible, and he is a good material for playing the piano. He quickly got the hang of it when he was learning piano in the past. However, because his family is mainly a knight family, they only dabbled in such musical instruments. Therefore, Noah spent most of his time practicing swordsmanship and learning archery, and rarely touched musical instruments. After the accident, he never touched the piano at home again.

But the feeling of playing music is similar to that of childhood——

It was as if she was merging with the music, as if she was dancing with it, becoming the very notes. Noah's performance wasn't technically outstanding, and the music was elementary, but it was incredibly appealing.

This kind of infectiousness, or the ability to incorporate emotions into performance, is difficult for others to imitate. Some people can make people fascinated by their simple performance, while some people find it difficult to infect others even if they show off superb skills.

And Noah is that kind of person with talent.

The melody of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star resounded throughout the palace. Even Herhunzollon closed his eyes, enjoying this simple yet lively song.

It was as if an entire starry sky were hanging upside down, with meteors tumbling down into the deep blue night—transformed into musical notes, pulsing through our hearts. The infectious power of music is one of the few things that transcends language and culture. The simple act of playing it can make anyone pause for beauty. Music—like a key that penetrates human nature, easily shattering the defenses of others and soothing their wounds—is a language that requires no study to understand.

In front of this song Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, even Herhunzollen recalled the scenes of his childhood -

It was just one song, but Noah still felt unsatisfied, so she put her hands on the strings again - she wanted to try playing "Don Quixote".

This piece of music she composed for Casimir was a piece she composed based on everything she had experienced in Casimir, and it was also the piece she had put the most effort into. She wanted to try what would happen if she played "Don Quixote".

But before she tried to play, she felt dizzy and Herhunzolen immediately appeared behind her and supported her as she suddenly fainted.

He looked at the piano and sighed silently.

Noah's spirit is not enough to play the piano continuously. The little star just now has exhausted her spirit. Continuing to play the music will only make her spirit exhausted. In this space, mental exhaustion means that the spirit body is out of control and will be kicked out of the palace directly.

The moment her consciousness disappeared, her spirit body began to dissipate. Watching Noah disappear in the palace, Herhunzollon looked at the ceiling of the palace - the originally chaotic ceiling was now sparkling with stars.

She...actually changed this space through music?

Chapter 60: Collapse

Twinkle, twinkle, little star——

(Twinkle, twinkle little star——)

How I wonder what you are

(What exactly is causing this miraculous sight?)

Up above the world so high

(Floating far away in the clouds of worldly affairs)

Like a diamond in the sky…