Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

Seeing that Maria wanted to maintain her status as an independent knight, Noah had no choice but to think of other ways.

Compared to the troubles surrounding him, the Plastic Knight's situation was even worse. Maria had indeed dominated the previous battle, but the Plastic Knight she defeated had become a stepping stone. While it wasn't uncommon for a knight to become a stepping stone for another knight, as Maria's fame grew, the Plastic Knight's reputation declined considerably. After all, it was the Plastic Knight who was defeated with a single sword strike. That same day, many manufacturers announced they would cut their sponsorships.

In a split second, the Plastic Knight went from a star to a target of public disdain. He'd been prepared for this; knightly competitions were like that; your rise to fame and your fall often happened in a split second. At least he was still alive, wasn't he?

He still remembered that when he faced that sword, if he had tried to withstand it head-on… he would have been either dead or half-dead. This might be the Linguang family's Originium technique.

As a loser, he should be like a street rat. Find a dark corner to hide in, but once the storm subsides, he'll eventually rise to prominence. Lately, he's not a weakling; he's a leader among competitive knights. It's just that Maria Linguang has grown too fast. When he first watched her fight, he thought she was just a girl with immature skills. But after just a few battles, she's already reached a level he couldn't even imagine.

Some talents are really undeniable. Even in a limited number of games, a genius can gain enough motivation to improve and then overcome his own obstacles in one step.

Compared with those gifted people, I am just asking for trouble. The best way to maintain my position is to know my position clearly and hone my skills.

But the wind does not stop even when the trees want to be still. When the Plastic Knight Serkiak returned to his house, he saw a man in a suit at the door. The man shook his hand enthusiastically, complimenting the Plastic Knight while disparaging the Flawed Light Knight who had just defeated him.

"Mr. Sekiak, no, Mr. Plastic Knight, I'm your loyal fan. I've watched every one of your matches. I'm truly sorry for your loss to that little girl from the Linguang family. Those people didn't see your worth at all. But, it doesn't matter. I've arrived, Mr. Plastic Knight. I trust veterans who have been on the battlefield for a long time more than those newcomers who suddenly appear. You certainly don't want to see that guy, who has no competitive chivalry at all, showing off in the arena you've cultivated for so long."

The other party's rhetoric is too sophisticated. Generally speaking, people who use such rhetoric are not trustworthy.

"It has nothing to do with me. I'm going home."

He was planning to drive this strange man away. He didn't care what kind of deal he had made with him. He also had no intention of targeting this so-called rookie knight. After all, he had a bottom line.

"Wait a minute, Mr. Serkiak, to prove my sincerity. I have already picked up your child from school for you. He is in my car now."

Before he could finish his words, the dagger in Serkiak's hand appeared directly on the man's neck, but the man showed no fear at all. Instead, he sneered, "Has your peaceful life made you lose your guard? There are some deals you can't refuse."

"You bastard!" Serkiak watched as two other bald men wearing sunglasses emerged from the car behind him. Between them was a boy about ten years old. He was certain it was his son.

"You can now make your choice. Will you accept our proposal, restore your former status, and defeat that pesky Lin Guang who brought you down from your peril?" The man simply smiled. "Or will you choose to keep your family in constant fear and anxiety, and become a rat hiding in the sewers?"

“…” Serkiak is not a despicable person, but he does have weaknesses, and his family is his biggest weakness.

Perhaps sensing the Plastic Knight's hesitation, the man gave a signal, and the two bald men holding Serchiak's son seemed to use a little more force in their hands, causing the child to subconsciously cry out in pain.

"I agree! I agree to everything! Let my son go!" Serkiak quickly raised his hands in surrender. With his son in his clutches, he truly couldn't think of a solution that would satisfy both sides. He couldn't understand why this group was so determined to use him as a weapon against Maria Linguang, when he was merely a defeated opponent of the new Linguang. Or were these people starting to get scared? Were they afraid of another Linguang ascending to the championship stage?

...He didn't dare to think too much about it. Those things were not something he should be involved in.

I was just forced to become a knife for them... Just think of it this way.

Chapter 48: Letter to Margaret

"Competitive points transfer?"

"Well, if I'm not mistaken, the points that originally belonged to the Plastic Knight were transferred to an unknown knight."

"What does this mean?"

"The Plastic Knight has quite a few points. With these points, this knight who came out of nowhere will quickly qualify for the melee round. And if he qualifies during this period, he'll easily run into Maria."

Noah explained it in detail, but Mainna didn't understand the so-called point system for competitive knights, so Noah could only explain it bit by bit, and try to make it as easy to understand as possible.

"Melee combat involves multiple knights. Because of its chaotic nature and difficulty controlling it, it's the most likely type of combat for knights to be injured or even disabled. However, due to its popularity, the Knights' Tournament has repeatedly attempted to eliminate the melee round, but all attempts have failed. Ultimately, people enjoy watching chaotic, unregulated brawls—" Noah explained the reason for melee combat, its specific rules, and its dangers. "Maria will be participating in this kind of...combat in the next round."

"...What do you mean? You want me to persuade Maria not to continue participating in the competition?"

"If I had intended this, you wouldn't have seen me discussing it with you... but rather, the withdrawal certificate would have been sent to you immediately." Noah shook her head. "Maria is already famous. I don't think I need to emphasize what this means. I wasn't there the last time Margaret was stabbed before she made it to the finals, but I can imagine the extent of the backstabbing. As the spokesperson, my every move is monitored, so it's difficult for me to intervene in the arrangements for this melee."

"Maria will be in danger—"

"Also, public opinion isn't quite right right now. Although Maria has indeed demonstrated rapid progress, many people seem to be questioning whether her matches are merely a show. There are even rumors circulating that the Plastic Knights were bribed and that explosives were pre-installed at the venue. In short, some are trying to smear Maria as a knight hyped up by capital."

Noah continued to add that she also felt it was a bit absurd.

"...Maria's sword move was indeed powerful, but honestly, Maria's true strength isn't as high as they think." Noah said bluntly, "She just can't control her Originium skills, right?"

"Yes." Maina nodded. "I only taught her this release method. She has an exceptional talent for Originium techniques, so she tends to overexert herself when using it. In fact, after that strike, she couldn't continue the fight. It was a desperate move. If the Plastic Knight hadn't conceded and tried to attack Maria, she would have lost the match immediately."

"As I expected... her strength won't reach that level anytime soon..." Noya sighed. She'd known Maria was more gifted in Originium than Mainna, even suggesting she'd be more suited to being a Warlock or Medic rather than a Knight. However, she hadn't anticipated Maria's reckless, desperate gamble would unleash such power.

Unfortunately, this thing only has one shot... After that, it's gone. In future battles, she shouldn't use this move unless absolutely necessary...

"I'll leave Maria's training to you for now... Uncle Mainna, I'll grant you a week's paid leave," Noya signed the note immediately. "During this time, do your best to help Maria master the Originium technique. I think this should be a higher priority for you than for Kuro."

"...I understand." Mainna suddenly regretted teaching Maria the lightsaber so early. Of course, he hadn't expected that the lightsaber technique, which was originally supposed to be a simple method of attaching Originium skills to the blade, would become a light cannon when used by Maria...

After Mainna left, Noya breathed a sigh of relief and asked Kuro, who was standing beside her. "Do you think Maria will be okay in a melee? Otherwise, I should..."

"She'll be devastated," Kuro replied. "I know you care about her and want her to withdraw from the competition. But she's not fighting for anyone else now... She's fighting for herself, to protect the Linguang family. And now she's known as the Reincarnation of the Radiant Knight... She's certainly not going to tarnish her sister's reputation."

"...I know, I know everything, that's why I'm worried that the kid will push himself." Noah is really walking on thin ice now. On the one hand, he is worried about the situation on Maria's side, and on the other hand, he has to deal with those old guys. His identity as the spokesperson of the Chamber of Commerce is also a huge constraint. If he tries to protect Maria, he will be impeached immediately. Although his position may not be in danger, the other party will definitely take advantage of the situation and make more serious smears on the Linguang family.

In fact... this has happened several times in the past.

After the death of Old Tianma, Margaret's grandfather, the Linguang family became a thorn in the eyes of these people. They wanted to kick this rotten house down with one kick. Expelling Margaret was just a small test. What they really wanted was to completely tarnish the glory of the Linguang family.

Why on earth do these people hate the Linguang family so much... Noah really doesn't understand.

But she had gotten used to it. In Casimir, the capitalist class and the knight class both hated each other's death, yet had no choice but to rely on each other. Only in Casimir could one see this kind of situation.

There is such a deep contradiction between the soldiers who protect the country and the domestic financial groups... It is no exaggeration to say that if it were not for the domestic capital that at least paid the military expenses for the knights, the knights would have trampled over the knights' leaders long ago.

"I think I should tell Margaret first..." Noah thought about it and finally decided to tell Margaret about this matter. As for how to deal with it next, it depends on Margaret's attitude. "Margaret needs to know about this matter!"

Thinking of her childhood sweetheart, Noah felt inexplicably more at ease. As long as Margaret was there... perhaps all the problems in front of her could be solved.

Sometimes she felt that she had overestimated Margaret, but she couldn't stop herself from thinking that way.

If Margaret were here, there would always be a way.

Thus, a letter was delivered through Noah's secret channel, and with the help of a familiar messenger, it was sent to Rhodes Island as quickly as possible.

That is where Margaret is.

Chapter 49: Calm

"Operator Lin Guang, there's a letter for you."

Lin Guang had just finished his mission and returned to Rhodes Island. Before he could even take off his equipment, Amiya hurried over. She seemed to have been waiting for a long time. The moment the shield emblem on the letter caught her eye, Margaret's pupils shrank immediately. Today was not their regular contact time. She knew Noah, and she would not break the agreement if it was not a serious matter. Her face suddenly became serious, and she took the letter from Amiya and opened the envelope directly.

She read the contents of the letter at a glance and subconsciously clenched her fists. She had not expected that Maria would actually participate in the knight competition after she left. Moreover, according to Noah's investigation, someone was planning to harm Maria in the melee round. However, this letter was still too late. When the letter arrived in Rhodes Island, she was on a mission outside. It seemed that nearly a week had passed, which meant that the melee round would start today.

This unfortunate incident was primarily due to Terra's inconvenient communications. Communication between the various mobile city-states essentially relied on messengers. The couriers, whose journey across Terra was as arduous as the Death Stranding, were incredibly diligent, but information transmission still suffered significant delays. Furthermore, Noa was incredibly busy, so he had sent the letter a week in advance. Even then, by the time he received it, it was already too late.

"What's wrong? Is something wrong with Miss Noah?" Noah was basically the only one who would deliver letters through this route, and Amiya knew it. When Noah was receiving treatment in Rhodes Island, it was also gradual. At the beginning, Noah's body had not deteriorated to that extent, and she could still receive conservative treatment in a normal ward. She could even run out at any time to chat and visit with others. During that time, Noah left a very good impression on Rhodes Island.

Humble, gentle, and sincere, despite being a young lady, she possessed no airs and could strike up a conversation with almost anyone. More importantly, one glance into her eyes revealed her seemingly unwavering kindness. Those eyes were gentle, yet somewhat melancholic. When Amiya and Noah met, they immediately discovered each other's abilities. Amiya's telepathy and Noah's emotional sensitivity allowed them to understand each other's feelings almost instantly. In other words, they shared a sympathy almost on par with the Sakotas.

It is for this reason that Amiya and Noah have become inseparable friends.

But the good times did not last long. Noah's condition suddenly worsened, and the reason is still unclear. All we know is that Noah was pushed directly into the operating room that night. He was on the verge of death several times, but struggled back through his own willpower. According to the description of several assistants who participated in the operation at the time, the Originium crystal cluster seemed to have been stimulated by something and exploded in growth, puncturing the blood vessels and penetrating the flesh. Noah also had a high fever and his blood was extremely hot. If it were not for the presence of warfarin at the time, which forcibly suppressed the heavy bleeding, Noah would probably have died from excessive blood loss that night.

However, even though he saved his life, Noah was admitted to the ICU and could no longer move freely.

Later, he was even told that the Originium crystal clusters had compressed his spine, and although he could still feel his lower body, he could not move. The Originium crystal clusters had also spread to more serious areas, the most serious of which were the spine and skull. The growth of these two Originium crystal clusters compressed the optic nerve and spine, directly leading to Noah's blindness and disability. Only after an almost full-scale expert consultation in Rhodes Island did Noah's life get saved.

However, due to the side effects of the medicine, Noah's body became very weak, and it was impossible for her to become the knight she had always dreamed of.

Afterward, the medical team members couldn't bring themselves to share Noah's specific condition. Ultimately, Kal'tsit took the blame, bluntly declaring that Noah would never again be a Guard Operator, absolutely no Knight, and even forbidden from engaging in heavy physical labor or sports. Noah's current condition was truly just barely surviving, and that was under an optimistic scenario. No one knew if the Originium would remain stable, or if it would erupt violently like that night...

Anyway, Noah's body can no longer bear it again...

Surprisingly, Noya accepted this fact so quickly that no one even saw her cry... No one knew how that girl got through the most difficult time. But anyway, the day after being informed that her physical condition was very likely to cause permanent blindness and loss of mobility, she smiled and greeted the nurse who came to check on her.

Originally, everyone had prepared sedatives, painkillers, even sleeping pills, antidepressants and the like to help Noah get through this most difficult time, but the result was... Noah got through it all by himself.

She expressed her gratitude to all the doctors involved in treating her condition and actively cooperated with the treatment. She did not cry or get hysterical, but was calm and expressed her sincere gratitude for the doctors' efforts. She accepted the condolence requests of all those who planned to visit her, except for one person, Amiya.

Of course she didn't hate Amiya, but she didn't see Amiya again before she left.

She left a letter for Amiya, which probably explained why she didn't want to see Amiya at that time...

This letter is still carefully kept on the desk in Amiya's room.

The content...Amiya still remembers it vividly.

——I was scared, so scared that I was shaking. I never knew what it felt like to be in darkness forever, but now I understand. I can no longer see the faces of the people I love, nor can I witness the future with my own eyes.

Amiya, I'm sorry for denying your visitation request.

But if you meet me, you will find that I am not as calm as I appear.

I don't want you to find out, and I feel like I won't be able to bear it if you comfort me at this time.

I'm sorry. I hope that the next time I meet you, I can face my future head-on. After all, this is the future you have given me.

I sincerely thank everyone in Rhodes Island for giving me a second life.

-

The words were brief, barely complete, a bit fragmented, but Amiya understood their meaning perfectly. She looked at the letter and saw that the handwriting wasn't as elegant as she'd seen it before. Perhaps she hadn't noticed because she'd lost her sight. While still legible, the handwriting was messy. She clearly wasn't used to... the feeling of losing her sight, the feeling of losing her legs.

She might never get used to it in her life...

Chapter 50: Eager to Return

After that, Amiya didn't see Noah for a long time.

Later, under the introduction of Noah, Operator Lin Guang joined Rhodes Island with the Apostle Squad and became the backbone of Rhodes Island. It is said that Operator Lin Guang and Noah have a good relationship, and Amiya often comes to ask about Noah.

When talking about Noah, Lin Guang's expression would always suddenly become gentle. In Lin Guang's words, the relationship between Noah and himself was not good in the beginning. Noah's favorite aunt Yolanta was his mother, and in Noah's eyes, he was like someone who had snatched her aunt away, although her mother did not mean to neglect Noah, and even treated Noah almost as her third child.

But Noah himself was still a very awkward person at that time. He didn't like to play with himself and would even throw stones at himself... although he was never accurate and would only throw stones at his feet.

Later, Margaret learned that Noya was an archer, and her stone throwing couldn't have been inaccurate. She was just protesting, subtly, that she had taken her mother away. Even in her protest, she wasn't willing to hurt herself, perhaps worried about hurting Aunt Yolanta. At the time, Linguang only thought of Noya as a lonely child who didn't like talking to others.

Yolanta later told Margaret that Noya's parents left Casimir when she was very young and have never been seen since. She was almost raised by her grandfather and Yolanta, so she was very attached to Yolanta, and her hostility towards Margaret probably came from this.

Margaret, however, didn't dislike her cousin. Margaret was only a few months older than Noah, so they were practically the same age. With Margaret's proactive approach, Noah gradually began to be willing to talk to her. The real turning point in their relationship... probably stemmed from the kidnapping that nearly changed her life.

At the time, they were both children, and Margaret was far from the strength she has today. She was immediately knocked unconscious by the kidnappers. However, Noya was not knocked unconscious immediately. Perhaps because she had learned some sound location and self-defense techniques from Yolanta, she actually knocked down one of the bandits as a child.

Margaret didn't see that scene, but she could imagine Noah desperately trying to snatch Margaret from the criminals and then running away alone...

It seemed to be raining heavily at the time. Little Noah, wounded by the bandits' weapons, ran for an unknown amount of time, carrying Margaret on his back. According to Yolanta's later account, Noah had been stabbed in the back and was covered in wounds. A normal child would have collapsed long ago. However, Noah broke free, carrying the now-intoxicated Margaret on his back for several miles. The heavy rain made it difficult for the bandits to track him, and he was able to escape.

Later, when the Lingguang family and the Kirilet family discovered that the two were missing, they found Noah and Margaret hugging each other. Noah was covered in wounds and had a high fever. The two children were hiding in a small cave. They were soaked and their clothes were stained with bright red blood.

After inspection... all the bandits' weapons were contaminated with Originium powder...

Noah, who didn't immediately block the injury, unsurprisingly became a mineral patient...

Margaret, who was immediately charmed, escaped. Margaret later asked Noah why she risked her life like that.

Margaret still cannot forget what she said at that time.

"I don't have any parents. Aunt Yolanta is my mother. Although I don't like you taking Aunt Yolanta away, I don't want Aunt Yolanta to lose her real daughter even more... Whether it's a mother losing a child or a child losing a mother, it must be equally sad and lonely."

From that day on, Margaret's feelings towards Noah completely changed...

It was not until Noah went to Rhodes Island for treatment that they separated. Due to a series of coincidences, they have not seen each other again until now.

Although they still kept in touch, Margaret still hoped to see Noya's face again. In her memory, the girl who had carried her for miles on her back now needed her, and she would protect her without hesitation. Her feelings for Noya were a mixture of family affection, guilt, and a certain survivor's guilt. She wished she had stood up for herself. As a knight, as a member of the Linguang family, she couldn't even protect those around her.

The family motto of the Kirillite family: purity, perseverance, dedication, and sacrifice.

At such a young age, Noah had already accomplished all of this, and at a great cost. In Margaret's mind, although Noah had not yet been called a knight, she was the true knight. She was her role model, and someone she admired.

Compared to herself, she even felt that if Noah hadn't been sick, perhaps her championship would be questionable...

After all, the fact that Noah, as a child, had knocked down a gangster and even managed to escape with himself was truly astonishing. It was hard to imagine how Noah had managed to do it, but at least he was much stronger than Margaret at the time.

So, Amiya could understand Margaret's reaction. In fact, as a friend, Amiya also wanted to rush to her side, but that was impossible. She couldn't abandon Rhodes Island to help Noah in Casimir, but at least she could ask the doctor to allow Margaret, and even the entire apostle team, to go to Casimir. Before Margaret could say anything, Amiya nodded in agreement.

"Operator Lin Guang, please pack your equipment first. I'll talk to the doctor. You can leave first. The doctor and I should be here soon."

Amiya gave a thumbs up, she understood Margaret's feelings very well.

"Not just you. I'll also submit the Apostle Squad's dispatch application to the doctor. You can all go first and use Rhodes Island's vehicles directly. I'll handle all the formalities."

"Thank you, Amiya." Margaret nodded and clicked on her headphones to contact Shining and Nightingale. After they arrived, she didn't even pause, but jumped into the driver's seat and drove straight out of Rhodes Island's hangar with the two members of the Apostle Squad. Although they hadn't requested the use of the island's equipment, with Rhodes Island's leader Amiya's nod, the hangar staff immediately opened the door and allowed the off-road vehicle carrying the Apostle Squad to drive out of Rhodes Island unimpeded, heading straight for Casimir.

Although she definitely couldn't catch up with the melee - but now Margaret just wanted to get to Noah and Maria as soon as possible, the sooner the better.

Chapter 51: Watch the game! Watch the game!

Although Margaret was eager to go home, it was too late after all, and the melee began.

Noah hadn't received a reply from Margaret, and he almost realized that Margaret might not be able to save the situation this time, so he had to activate Plan B. To prevent any problems, Noah had already thought of many ways. In any case, Maria must not be in trouble, otherwise how could Noah face Margaret...