Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

Thinking back, however, he felt a certain regret. If only he had been able to look a few more times, even if his eyes were burned, it wouldn't have mattered. The two little girls walked out of the city like that, without any guards or anyone to protect them. Margaret hadn't informed her family at the time, so the Linguang family naturally wouldn't have known of Margaret's reckless behavior. Nuoya hadn't brought anyone with him either. After all, it was an appointment, and bringing guards wouldn't have been proper etiquette.

At that time, they just thought it was a casual agreement——

She thought so until Margaret asked her that question.

"Why did you suddenly invite me out of town to see the flowers?"

"...?"

Noya suddenly lost herself in her reminiscence. The water had already turned cold... She was stunned. She didn't know if it was a psychological effect, but those old wounds that had long since healed began to ache again. What would have happened to her if there hadn't been that accident, or rather, if there hadn't been that letter?

Chapter 5 Commitment

There was no point in thinking so much. Noya was carried out of the bathtub with Kuro's help. She naturally wrapped her arms around Kuro's neck and said with a wry smile while thinking about her own things, "It's hard for a useless young lady like me, Kuro."

"I don't think so." Kuro's answers were always so concise. In fact, although the young lady in front of him was physically disabled, in Kuro's eyes, this young lady who promoted the commercialization of the Kirilet family with her own efforts had perseverance and ability that ordinary people could not grasp. It was really unimaginable that two flowers like Margaret Linguang and Noah Kirilet could bloom in a saline-alkali land like Casimir.

"Thank you, Kuro." Noah smiled with her eyebrows curved. Her pair of deep black eyes were very beautiful and attractive, but without a trace of brilliance. What Noah probably didn't expect was that in fact, Noah's appearance when she was a child might be slightly inferior to Margaret's, but after she really grew up, she was a completely different story. At least in Kuro's eyes, she had never seen a girl more beautiful than Noah Kirilet. Her maturity always made people ignore her age. She had just become an adult, but she had already supported the entire Kirilet family, and by the way, she also took care of the Linguang family, with whom she had always had a good relationship.

I have to say, if Noah could be born in a better country and not have to bear such pressure, she might be more dazzling.

"Once things are over here, I'll take you on a trip to Kjerag. How about that? I hear the scenery there is quite nice, and they even have a steam train. My friend told me the air quality there is very good, and the water is clean, too. When I retire, I'll go to Kjerag to retire."

"How old are you and you're already thinking about retirement?"

"You always have to think of a way out—" Noah said with a smile, "When everything is over and Margaret comes back, I plan to find a place to live my life."

"Whatever, I'll stay with you. Without me, you can't take care of yourself." Kuro twitched his lips, revealing a subtle smile. After putting Noya on the bed and helping her get dressed, Noya wanted to listen to some music, but she obviously didn't have that much free time. Soon, a contact signal came through her headphones, and her expression instantly fell.

"Hello, hello, I'm Noah Kyrielight. Oh... Mr. McGee? Okay, I've already arranged the meeting for tomorrow. As for the position of spokesperson for the Chamber of Commerce, I feel I'm still a little inexperienced. Would you consider it? Okay, I know the board's decision can't be disobeyed. Okay, let's discuss it tomorrow when I go. I think there are a few other good candidates, and I'll propose them to the board."

On the other end of the phone, McGee, one of the spokespersons, rubbed his brows with a headache. Noah Kyrielight was undoubtedly a rising star of Casimir Capital, and as a young man, becoming a spokesperson for the Chamber of Commerce was a ticket to a higher realm. However, Noah himself strongly refused the job. At a time when knight competition was all the rage, just being a spokesperson was enough to make a fortune. Noah had the guts to refuse such a lucrative job. I guess he knew that a spokesperson's job wasn't just about being a good-looking facade, right?

Unfortunately, it was useless for Noah to refuse the offer. The board had already decided that, as a member of the Business Federation, Noah had no right to refuse the offer. Even if McKee wanted to help, he couldn't waive his obligations; after all, McKee had his own priorities. However, McKee himself was looking forward to working with Noah. They had collaborated several times before, and Noah's company's work style was far less prone to the procrastination typical of larger corporations, with every employee maintaining a high level of work ethic.

It was said that this was simply because Noah was a very strict boss who paid overtime and didn't require his employees to work overtime. While these two rules should be taken for granted, few companies in Casimir adhered to them, which is why Noah's companies have always had a good reputation. McGee had to admit that entrepreneurs like Noah were truly a minority within Casimir. For example, Noah had never even organized a charity donation.

Well…no charitable donations have been organized.

Don't get me wrong, it's not that she doesn't have the idea of ​​donating, but she has her own independent process for distributing supplies. Because Noah started out with food delivery and logistics services, she has a fairly complete logistics system. She basically doesn't donate money, but directly distributes the needed supplies to those in need according to the arrangements. Compared to those big guys who directly give large sums of money to avoid taxes, Noah's behavior obviously cannot avoid taxes - then, there is only one possibility.

She really cares about the living conditions of the lower classes... It is said that she has opened several orphanages and even plans to open a primary school.

Such a person is really incompatible with the style of Casimir, making people suspect that her birth in Casimir was a wrong choice. If someone like her were in Da Yan, or even in Columbia, she might have achieved much higher achievements than she has now. It's a pity that she lives in Casimir——

But there was no point in dwelling on this. If nothing unexpected happened, Miss Noa Kyrielight would be forced to become the Chamber of Commerce's white glove tomorrow. The spokesperson position might seem lucrative, but in reality, it was just a puppet of the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber of Commerce's decision to appoint Noa meant they were impressed by her commercial value and talent, but they didn't want this unstable factor to continue to spiral out of control, so they decided to personally train her.

McGee's position does not allow her to express sympathy for Miss Noah, but he is a human being after all, so in his personal opinion, he still hopes that Miss Noah can remain true to herself.

"...I understand. See you tomorrow. Good night, Mr. McGee."

Noah hung up the phone and lay back on the bed with a helpless look on her face. Perhaps it was because she knew it would be difficult for her to escape the control of the Chamber of Commerce, but she could only heave a sigh of relief and then complain to Kuro.

"I think my retirement will have to be delayed, Qrow."

"Do you need me to do anything?"

"No need." Noah shook his head. "I'll see what they can come up with. After all... I still have a promise to keep."

Chapter 6: Training

Maria Linguang is warming up!

These hands haven't held a sword for a long time. They usually come into contact with hammers and motor oil. It will take some time to get familiar with the feeling of the sword again.

If it were in the past, this kind of thing would definitely not have happened. After all, I used to admire my omnipotent sister so much. She was the common idol of the younger generation of Casimir, the knight who won the knight competition championship right after her debut, Margaret Linguang.

No one could fail to be captivated by Margaret at the time; she was so dazzling. Maria, Margaret's biological sister, naturally wanted to become the next Radiant Knight, even surpassing her sister and becoming an even better knight. She was so serious about her swordsmanship back then, and no one could have imagined that Maria would eventually develop a love for mechanical engineering, becoming a craftsman who enjoyed tinkering with machinery and equipment.

It would be a lie to say that Margaret's expulsion from Casimir hadn't affected her at all, but she did feel a passion for machinery and equipment, and there was nothing wrong with being a mechanic. If it weren't for her family situation, she would still enjoy tinkering with new inventions in the workshop that her sister Noya had prepared for her.

Holding the long sword, Maria's hands were very steady. Even though she hadn't exercised for a long time, she could swing the sword according to her muscle memory.

But before she could feel complacent, her arm was hit hard by a branch, which caused the sword in Maria's hand to fall to the ground with a clang.

"You need to hold the sword more firmly. Your moves are too vulnerable. Are you doing calisthenics?"

"...Well, but..." Maria wanted to say that Kuro's attack just now was a surprise, but she thought that even if she said it out loud, Kuro would lecture her: Is your opponent going to wait for you to be ready before attacking you?

So she could only pick up the sword from the ground again. She had voluntarily accepted Sister Kuro's training, so naturally she had nothing to complain about. Kuro was the most powerful bodyguard beside Sister Noah and the person Sister Noah trusted the most. She could take time out to train herself because of Sister Noah's request. Although Noah could not see the training scene at this time, she had heard the general idea. Kuro was really ruthless.

The force used in that lash was quite strong, and Maria's arm must have a welt by now. But that was training. Sweating in training was to avoid bleeding in the arena, and bleeding in training was to avoid losing one's life in the arena. Although she doted on Maria, she also knew that the current training was necessary. The knight competition was not a true classical knight duel.

After years of entertainment and commercialization, knight competitions have become the arena of the new era. Participants who are awarded the title of knight are actually just gladiators who take part in the fights. In order to produce better pictures and boost popularity, knight competitions require players to sign a life and death agreement, which means that it is entirely possible that bloodshed will occur on the field, and there is even the possibility that a knight will die on the field.

Even if you are a member of the Linguang family, this cannot be avoided. In this case, letting Kuro train Maria before that becomes the only condition for her to let Maria sign up.

As long as he could complete his training under Kuro, then at least he should be able to survive when he goes on the field. Noah has great faith in Kuro's ability. After all, the fact that he is still alive is the best proof.

The training lasted until noon, when Noah called a halt to this one-sided "bullying." Maria now felt pain all over her body. Kuro's training was actually infinitely close to actual combat, except that Kuro was holding a branch, while Maria was holding a real sword. Even so, Maria had never touched Kuro even once, and Kuro just stood there without moving an inch.

This was simply a disparity in strength. No matter how many times Kuro attacked, he always managed to easily knock Maria's sword away with the branch in his hand. Originally, she could have said she was unprepared, but after this morning, she was completely convinced. It was as if she saw through all her attacks. In front of Kuro, she felt like the little brat wielding the broken branch.

"Alright, alright, let's get here first." Noah turned his wheelchair and walked over to Maria, following the sound. He then extended his hand, and Maria very consciously offered her face to Noah, letting him touch her cheek. After a careful inspection, Noah breathed a sigh of relief. "Fortunately, my face is fine. Kuro was a bit too rough."

"It's my duty." Kuro didn't say anything, and there was no need to explain. After all, if Maria had a sword in her hand, she would probably have been torn to pieces - that is, her limbs.

"Hey, it's okay. I can heal it myself. It won't leave any scars." Maria smiled a bit foolishly. Although she was beaten unilaterally for a while, if she could exchange it for the comfort and solace of Sister Noya, it wouldn't be a bad deal. "It's just... am I too weak?"

"That depends on who you're competing with." Noah said with a smile, "If you're competing with me, you're really amazing, but if you're competing with Ma... Kurobi—"

Noah didn't continue, but the meaning was clear. She originally wanted to say that she was competing with Margaret, but she was worried about disappointing Maria, so she changed her words.

"I think... I'll see him at least once in the future." Maria said awkwardly, "It's just that I haven't held a sword in a long time... that's why."

"Well, I believe you. But let's stop here today. I have to go have dinner with my partners later, and I have to take Kuro with me." Noah said with a smile, "Sorry, I can't refuse this."

"It's okay, it's okay. This morning alone is enough for me to digest!" Maria quickly shook her head. "Besides, I'm already very grateful that you can take the time to train. I can handle the rest on my own."

"I see." Noah nodded thoughtfully, then turned to Kuro and said, "How about I go alone this time? There shouldn't be anyone in the Business Union who would harm me, right?"

"..." Kuro didn't say anything, but silence also represented an attitude. After a long time, Noah sighed. "Kuro, are you a little overprotective?"

"I don't think so."

"...Okay, maybe that's the case." Noah shook her head and had to give up the idea of ​​letting Kuro stay to train Maria.

Chapter 7: Repaying Evil with Virtue

McGee is a very punctual person, and Noah is also a person who likes to be on time. The two of them almost didn't waste any time and got down to business.

"The authorization letter in my hand bears the signatures of all the directors, granting Miss Noah Kyrielight the position of spokesperson for the Business Association. I'm sorry, but I've done my best." McGee handed the letter to Noah as soon as he sat down. He explained that only her signature remained. Noah had already understood that her attitude didn't matter. Even if she refused to sign, someone else would take over, perhaps Markowitz or Mob the Loudmouth. Who knew?

The spokesperson position doesn't require exceptional talent; rather, it serves as a megaphone, a tool for conveying the Federation's will. In reality, there's no difference between a position and a megaphone; it's only when you attempt to act above that position that it becomes dangerous. The reason Noya was chosen was largely because she was a rising star in business, making her a very attractive target.

A target is used for archery.

Spokesperson is indeed a good position for most people to get promoted overnight, but for Noah, it is a huge hot potato.

Noah had no right to refuse, or rather, her refusal was irrelevant.

Noya didn't show any anger, nor did she even resist. Instead, she remained silent, as if resigned to her fate. She reached out and pressed her thumb on the ink pad beside her, then signed her name on the authorization form and pressed her fingerprint. Although it looked easy, just signing her name without being able to see had taken a lot of effort from Noya. Although she could roughly sense the direction through hearing, and with the help of Kuro, she even completed it more gracefully than a sighted person.

But in McGee's eyes, this action seemed to make it more difficult for him to say the next words.

"...In contrast, although it wasn't my original intention... the Business Union has a gift." McGee's voice hesitated. Noya, extremely sensitive to sound, seemed to realize something. She crossed her hands and smiled in a restrained manner. She waited for McGee to hand the gift to Kuro—she heard Kuro cracking his joints. She knew that this gift must be quite terrible. Perhaps it was more of a mockery than a gift.

"Do I have the right to refuse this gift?"

"I think you should know the answer."

"Okay, I'm hungry, let's start eating." Noah gently brushed off the matter, letting Kuro accept the gift. She clapped her hands, called the waiter over, and instructed him to serve according to her menu. However, Noah's calmness surprised McGee. He probably thought it was strange that Noah could accept such a malicious gift without batting an eyelid. If it were him, he would have been more irritable—or was it that he simply didn't understand the extent of the maliciousness of the gift?

No, if that were the case, the other party would not even ask whether they had the right to refuse the gift.

If that sentence was not nonsense but was asking McGee what he thought, McGee could only say sorry.

Standpoints are more important than one's own opinions. McKee knows this better than anyone else, and his personal opinions are just personal opinions.

"I like this gift very much, and Mr. McGee has no need to worry about it." Noah said with a smile, as if he saw through McGee's doubts. "What can they give me? A pair of glasses? Or a pair of crystal slippers? For someone who can't stand up and can't see the outside world, I have received such useless gifts many times. I will keep them carefully. After all, I rarely receive such gifts."

"...I see." McGee sighed. The gift he had just given to Noah, or rather the gift the Chamber of Commerce had just given to Noah, was a pair of plain glasses. Judging from the value of the gift alone, these glasses were indeed very expensive. Even if the person who received this gift was not nearsighted, they could use them as decorations. But Noah was a blind man - the original intention of these glasses was to mock Noah.

Use your own hands to make this kind of despicable temptation.

It's not like McGee doesn't have opinions—it's just that his opinions don't matter much.

"Let's talk about something interesting—did you know that Candle Knight's poetry collection is going to be published?"

“…I really don’t know about that.”

"You probably don't know, because she told me this privately. She planned to publish a few copies at her own expense for her collection," Noya replied. "I thought it was great, so I secretly made a few extra copies and bound them. They're of excellent quality, and there's even a Braille version. Of course, this one is mine, and I don't plan to sell it."

McGee looked at the obviously genuine smile on Noah's face, and his slightly depressed mood due to giving the gift was somewhat relieved. He had heard that Noah and Candle Knight Viviana had a good relationship, but he didn't expect that they had such a relationship that they could share poetry with each other. Viviana even prepared a Braille version of the poetry collection specifically for Noah. McGee found the close friendship between the two beautiful ladies quite interesting.

Although he really wanted to buy this rare collection of Candle Knight's poems from Noya, he also knew that this might not be the right way to ask. So he could only say with envy, "It seems that beautiful ladies are attracted to each other."

"Don't be impatient, Mr. McGee." Noah shook his head. "Although I won't give away my copy, I have also obtained permission from Viviana. If I think there is someone else who can appreciate her poetry, I can give the collection to that person. All they need is a comment after reading it. I will explain it to her clearly at the next tea party - so, Mr. McGee..."

Noah placed the fully packaged poetry collection on the table and gently pushed it over.

"I think you are the one I was talking about who can appreciate Miss Viviana's poetry. So I would like to give you this... a collection of Viviana's poems, it's called "Shadows in the Attic."

He didn't know if it was McGee's illusion, but at that moment, he felt as if the girl in front of him had seen through everything in his heart - but he didn't feel any malice from her. After receiving that insulting gift, the gift she gave him was so... precious.

"I look forward to your comments after reading this—" Noah just smiled, "I hope you won't let me down."

"...Okay, I'll read this...gift carefully." McGee took a deep breath and accepted the gift. "Ms. Noah, has anyone ever said you're...too perceptive?"

"People often say that, but the first person to say that to me... should be Margaret, right?"

Chapter 8 I Like Your Eyes

"Did you know he would give you something like this?"

After having a very delicious lunch, Kuro pushed Noah's wheelchair and suddenly asked.

"That poetry collection probably wasn't something you came up with on a whim."

"Well, I've been planning to give him this gift for a long time. Just like what I said, I didn't tell a single lie."

Noah replied, surprisingly calm.

"I do believe that McGee is the one who can correctly understand the meaning of Viviana's poetry collection, and he is indeed qualified to receive this [gift]. I will not use a friend's gift as a bargaining chip, Kuro."

"I just feel very surprised..."

Kuro shook her head. When she received the glasses from McGee, she really wanted to return the gift, but Noah acted as if nothing had happened and was very calm - even accepting the gift in a somewhat strange way.

"What should I do? Get hysterical? Throw the gift into the hot pot in front of me? And ruin the party, leaving us on bad terms?" Noah shook his head. "That's pointless and will only make more people laugh at me. Besides... I don't dislike glasses."

"I just think you could care less—" Kuro replied, "It's not a good thing to hold it in."

"Don't just talk—help me put it on." Noah said with a smile, "Those people from the Business Federation are probably still watching. Help me put it on and see if it looks good."

"……All right."

Kuro has never been able to say anything to Noah. This girl always surprises her in various ways, just like when they first met, he was covered in blood, but she just wrinkled her nose and said something.

"You are hurt?"

"I can contact a doctor I know. Do you want me to help?"

It was impossible for her not to know what kind of trouble she would get into at that time, but what surprised Kuro was that she didn't seem to care about it. She was like a ball of water, with an almost indifferent attitude towards everything in the outside world, but she was not a complete bystander. It was as if Kuro felt that it was a mistake for this city to give birth to her. She was indeed incompatible with this world, but she showed from beginning to end that she seemed to like this world very much -

Like this world that makes her incomplete——

Kuro took out his glasses and helped Noya put them on. Noya's eyes were pure black, devoid of light, like a deep obsidian set in her eye sockets, or like a black hole that absorbed all light. It felt as if staring into them would pull one's soul out of one's body, even devour them. Those obsidian pupils quietly hid behind the crystal of the glasses. It had to be said—she really suited glasses, even though she didn't need such a useless thing.

However, when she wears glasses, her eyes through the lenses no longer make people feel uncomfortable, but instead have a bit more tranquility like a literary girl.

She blinked and smiled.

"Does it look good?"

"Ah."

"Kuro, you're so boring—if it were Maria, she would definitely use many, many words to describe it." Noya pouted. "What a pity! I also want to look in the mirror."

"very nice."