Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

"...Zofia, I want to drink with you." At this time, Noah, who had remained silent, suddenly said, "Kuro, please pour me some wine."

"I reject."

"Just this once."

"..." Kuro stared at Noah, who looked serious, for a long time before sighing, "You can't drink, and you know it yourself."

"Just this once." Noah shook his head. "I'll just drink with Zofia once, okay?"

"..." Kuro didn't answer, but she stood up and filled Noah's glass with beer. "Don't force yourself."

"I know."

Noya took a deep breath, picked up the wine glass, and gulped down the liquid in the glass. She had never drunk alcohol since she was a child, and the feeling of drinking for the first time was a bit strange. The alcohol stimulated her nerves, and the beer with wheat aroma itself tasted quite strange to Noya. To be honest, she was very curious why some people liked to drink such a unique-tasting beverage. Her face turned red all of a sudden. Some people could drink without getting drunk, and no matter how much they drank, they would feel the same as before. Mainna was like that.

Some people get hot and red-faced when drinking alcohol, and they also get drunk easily. Noah is one of them.

"...Noah...Noah, what are you doing?" Zofia was sobered up a little by the shock. She knew Noah's body well. She never touched alcohol before. "Don't drink anymore. What if you get sick from drinking?"

Zofia's concern didn't seem to register with Noah. She gestured to Kuro to fill up his glass again, and Kuro did as she was told. However, Zofia stepped forward to stop Kuro. "Don't drink! Why are you drinking this?"

Of course Kuro could break free from Zofia's hand, but she stopped as if she had no other choice, looking at Noah, waiting for the other's reaction.

"I just... want to know how you feel, Zofia..." Noya lowered her head. It was her first time drinking, and her body was quite sensitive to alcohol. Even with just one glass of wine, she felt a little dizzy, but she persisted. "Zofia, how many times have you gotten drunk lately? You complain of a headache in the morning, then go back to drinking at night... Day after day, I've been curious. Is alcohol... really that good?"

"...I'm just...happy..."

"Can you fool me?" Noah laughed. "It's so unpalatable, so unpalatable, so unpalatable that I want to vomit... But you kept drinking, Zofia, until you were completely drunk and passed out."

"...Then what are you drinking?"

"But if I don't drink... how can I say this to you?" Noah shook her head. "I was absent at the time, didn't see Margaret being expelled, and didn't help you, but... at least I can still drink with you. From now on, when you drink, call me. I'll accompany you and drink as much as you drink."

"...I..." Sofia's lips trembled, "I...can't I just not drink it?"

Zofia's face flushed red, and she didn't know whether she was angry or shy. She was obviously the elder, but she was threatened by Noah like this.

——But for some reason, she was quite happy.

"... Kuro, um...give me some juice. I won't drink anymore."

Chapter 69: Those who believe in miracles are as remarkable as the miracles themselves

"Ugh—cough cough cough... cough cough..."

Kuro patted Noah's back, helping him to calm down, and complained, "If you can't drink and can't drink, then don't try to be so stubborn..."

"I...vomit..."

Noya was about to say something when she was suppressed by the nausea. She felt like she was going to throw up. God knows why these people are so addicted to alcohol. Is it possible that she is the only one who can't taste the goodness of alcohol?

But what Kuro said was right, she was just being stubborn. Her body couldn't handle drinking too much alcohol. The medical advice given by Rhodes Island forbade drinking alcohol and eating irritating foods. Her body now relied on various drugs to maintain the balance between mineral disease and her body. This balance was actually very fragile. Maybe drinking a little more alcohol could cause very serious consequences.

If I tell Dr. Kal'tsit about this, I'm afraid she will rush over from Rhodes Island the next day and take me away and put me in the ICU.

Noya finally vomited up everything in her stomach, only vomiting out some acidic water. Kuro then took out a towel to help her wipe the filth from the corner of her mouth. This was the first time she had seen someone react so strongly after drinking alcohol, and it was only one glass of wine...

Anyway, Kuro was determined not to let Noya drink. She also needed to reflect on herself and change her habit of being soft-hearted whenever Noya asked her for help. Knowing that Noya didn't care about her at all and only cared about other people's characteristics, yet she still felt soft-hearted...wasn't that a sickness?

"...Thank you, Kuro."

"...What do you want to thank me for? Thank you for not stopping you from drinking?"

"Yes... but if it weren't for you, Kuro, I might not be in this world long ago." Noya leaned weakly against the back of the wheelchair, tilting her head and said weakly, "Also, I have to apologize for my occasional willful behavior..."

"That's not a little bit." Kuro's tone finally softened. "Rhodes Island said that as long as you take good care of your body, you have a chance to gradually break free from the control of drugs."

"There's a chance..." Noya smiled wryly and shook her head. Her eyes remained dull, but Kuro could feel her looking at him. "What exactly does 'chance' mean... one percent? Five percent? When Rhodes Island sent me to recuperate on the island, they also said there was a good chance my eyes and legs would be saved. And the result... was the same. Doctors are good people, but their words always contain white lies."

"……you."

"I can feel that they themselves have no hope." Noah closed her eyes, although this did not mean anything to her. There was darkness in front of her eyes, like a black curtain. Although she used her willpower to get through the gates of hell, she still felt that half of herself had died on the operating table. Her hope had died, and she didn't know when the remaining flames would go out. So, what else could she do?

Is it to maintain that little bit of flame and live without dignity?

Or should he use this little flame to illuminate others? Which... would Noah be more receptive to?

Noah chose the latter, left Rhodes Island, and received conservative treatment with medication. Now her life has many meanings, but herself is definitely not one of them.

From then on, she lived only for the people she cared about.

Kuro could feel the despair hidden in the girl's heart. It was a despair that had become very calm, not hysterical at all, rational to the point of being cold. It could even be called a numbness that penetrated deep into the soul.

It's completely different from when I first met her.

"Maybe we can believe in miracles?"

"Miracle?"

"Whether it's one percent or five percent, I don't think Noah Kyrielight would resign himself to this fate. You're not that kind of person."

Kuro held Noya's hand and took it into his palm. Her hand was small, with slender fingers, which bore traces of childhood exercise. She also looked thin due to her physical condition, and the blue blood vessels inside could be clearly seen through her skin. Her hand was very cold... but Kuro's hand was warming it up.

"Those who believe in miracles are as remarkable as the miracles themselves," Kuro said. "Wait for the miracle to happen... I will always be with you."

"...Kuro, when did you become so talkative?" Noya was a little surprised. Kuro, who couldn't even say a word after being beaten with a stick, would actually speak to her like this one day. The contrast made her feel better. "Even Kuro said that... It feels like it's really going to happen."

“It’s bound to happen.”

Kuro stared into Noah's eyes. There seemed to be nothing in those dull eyes, but Kuro had always liked them. Even though they were dull, even though they weren't looking at him.

But Kuro knew, Noah knew his feelings...

Although even she herself didn't know what her mood was at this moment.

Noah's face suddenly turned slightly red, and he subconsciously pulled his hand back. Then, thinking that it might be a bit abrupt, he opened his mouth to explain. "Um... don't you think my hands are cold?"

"No."

"...Ahahaha, I'm feeling a bit tired. I'm going to bed now... Kuro, you should get some rest too." Noya didn't know why, but she felt a little apprehensive about Kuro's unfamiliar, intense emotions. She didn't understand them, and she'd hardly ever felt anything like them from anyone else... No, it seemed like she had... but she had felt it vaguely with Yolanta. She didn't quite understand, and this unfamiliar feeling left her feeling a bit disoriented.

——Kuro... doesn't she really think of me as a child?

I've felt similar emotions from Yolanta before. Could that be maternal love? Or perhaps the affection of an elder for a younger generation?

Noah looked rather shambolic as she fled in her wheelchair. Kuro was startled for a moment, then smiled delicately. She reached out and removed her mask, revealing a face worthy of being called a work of art. After fixing her hair, she stood in front of the French window and placed her hand on the glass. The glass was cold, as cold as Noah's hand, perhaps because of her frail body, or perhaps for some other reason.

She looked at her face reflected in the glass wall. Ever since that day, she had been wearing a mask - and was called Kuro in front of others.

But her real name is rarely mentioned again.

In order to hide her identity, Noah even took out this mask from her family's treasure trove that could blur other people's impression of her.

She looked at herself in front of her, the woman who was once a household name in Casimir.

"Perhaps it won't be long..." she muttered to herself, "and I won't need to use this mask anymore."

Chapter 70: Want to Overkill? Impossible (with Noah's character design)

"...Ah, I can do it myself."

After yesterday, Noah didn't know why, but she wanted to avoid Kuro. However, Kuro was always by her side, so she was a little flustered. Plus, she was too used to Kuro's help, so if she suddenly wanted to do things by herself... Maybe it was because she was confused that her hands and feet were not very obedient?

After Noah accidentally dropped something and asked Kuro to pick it up and hand it to him for the Nth time, and then he had to endure the shame and take it, he gave in.

"I give up! I can't do this alone! Kuro, help me!"

"As you wish."

Well, Noah's girlish turmoil lasted only one morning before she gave up due to her inefficiency. Meanwhile, the phantom, which had previously been so capable, stood by and watched, showing no intention of helping. Occasionally, their eyes met, and although he couldn't clearly see the phantom's face, Kuro had an inexplicable feeling that it was scrutinizing him, a kind of testing.

Since this phantom appeared, it hasn't caused any major trouble. Kuro has almost gotten used to its existence - and this thing can even hide on its own, so it seems that it has its own consciousness.

But as long as the other party doesn't say anything, there is no way to prove it.

Noah herself didn't mind the phantom following her. After all, she could feel that the phantom was not hostile. Since it was not hostile and would occasionally help, she would just pretend that it didn't exist most of the time. Anyway, the phantom would not appear when she was taking a shower or something, and Kuro had even confirmed it specifically.

More importantly, Noah felt quite safe when this phantom was around.

After last night's events, Mainna had even thanked him. It was clear that for this old man, this thank you was quite significant, and it was filled with so much meaning... However, Noya wasn't so particular. After all, to her, everyone in the Linguang family was family. Naturally, there was no need for such a clear distinction. Besides, Uncle Mainna had actually helped her out with quite a few problems.

Although he did not arrive at the stadium that day, when Noah watched the entire game without any problems, she almost understood that Uncle Mainna might have found a way to curb the remnants of the Witch King earlier than she thought, but the other party had not taken the initiative to tell her, maybe the time has not come yet?

However, the next match is the highlight. According to the schedule, Maria's next match will be against the Left-Handed Knight, who once entered the official competition and won the title.

This Left-Handed Knight was no pushover. His Originium skills were incredibly formidable, and this was Maria's first time facing a competitor of the official tournament caliber. The Left-Handed Knight held the title of Knight, a title not easily challenged by the qualifying knights. A victory over the Left-Handed Knight would grant Maria direct entry into the official tournament, guaranteeing her a spot in the top 16. Naturally, she would become the Linguang Family's Long Knight, fulfilling her original goal.

But things are different now. Maria now has her ultimate move, the Sword of Regret. As long as the opponent has not figured out the weakness of this move, the pressure is on the opponent!

But... although Maria was very confident, Noah still saw the place that best reflected the audience's approval, that is, the amount of money that the Left-Handed Knight had left behind in the betting on who would win.

And with the odds at 3.6 to 1, a threefold difference... It was clear everyone thought Maria was pretty much done. After all, it was her first time competing, so reaching this position was already quite impressive. And facing Left-Handed Knight, a favorite in the official tournament, her loss was understandable.

Those odds were incredibly realistic, so realistic that Noah didn't want to show them to Maria, lest it undermine her confidence. However, Noah still had faith in Maria. Her unpredictable nature was enough to convince her otherwise. The Linguang family could be bad, but they couldn't be dead. With Maria's current abilities, she could stall, deliver a powerful strike, and even had a limited three-shot Sword of Repentance per day. No matter what the outcome, Noah seemed to be able to accept it.

Especially these three swords of repentance, as long as they hit the target, there is a high probability that victory can be declared.

Here lies the problem... How can I make the Sword of Repentance hit the target stably without missing?

This problem has not been solved, or rather it cannot be solved at all. The charging time of this move is not long, and the method of use is flexible, but the problem lies in the maintenance time after the charging is completed. Although it has not been subjected to a more rigorous time calculation, if the Sword of Repentance cannot be chopped out within three seconds after the charging is completed, the effect will be greatly reduced. When dealing with Kuro, he did not even touch Kuro at all during the whole process.

The hit rate is low... This trick seems to be useless even if it is buggy...

That is to say, when attacking the Rusted Bronze Knight, the opponent had no intention of dodging at all, so he was hit directly - otherwise, with the movement of charging power and such a tight range, it would be a miracle to hit him.

Especially the charging movement. When practicing, Kuro had to wear sunglasses to avoid affecting the viewing experience. Although it looks handsome, when the Sword of Repentance is charging, Maria's whole body will emit strong light, and she has to throw away the shield and hold the sword with both hands. In the terminology of the game... this move has a long pre-swing against single targets, average attack speed, and low hit rate.

While this charged attack can be used three times, if you miss, you probably won't get a second chance. Knight competitions aren't exactly a place where you can just focus your energy and engage in a wave of attacks. So, overall... while the Sword of Repentance is powerful, it can't be used as a normal countermeasure.

When Maina and Kuro told Maria this conclusion, she was shocked. "Then... my match with the Left-Handed Knight?"

"...Try not to use this move." Noah said with a face covering, feeling somewhat reluctant. "This move is still immature...in every sense of the word."

After all, in high-level games, few people will let you just focus and use your ultimate skill... This isn't the world's number one martial arts tournament, and no one will consider the wave of confrontation. Not every situation can be solved by a super kill, so even if you can't bear it, you have to complain.

"Just think of it as hiding your weakness for the next game."

Chapter 71: Why can’t I be the elder sister?

Maybe it was because she was hit too hard by not being able to use her special move, but Maria seemed to have no energy the whole day. Although she completed the training seriously, Noah was still keenly aware that Maria was in a bad mood during the training, and could even be called depressed.

So after the training, Noah took the initiative to approach and asked, "Does not being able to use the Sword of Repentance make you so sad?"

"...After all, I practiced this trick with the intention of protecting Sister Noya in the future... It's going to be hard to accept it being rejected all of a sudden." Maria complained, not intending to hide it from Noya. "But I also know this trick is still immature... maybe...it will be useful in the future."

"Hehe, to protect my special move." Noah smiled and held out his hand. Maria immediately cooperated and stretched out her little head for Noah to touch. This had become a customary practice between them. On the one hand, Noah couldn't find the position of his head, and on the other hand, Maria especially liked Noah's intimate behavior with her, so this was basically the tacit understanding formed between them. "So if Kuro retires in the future, I'll hire you as my bodyguard, right?"

"Hey, it's not impossible~" Noah's words made Maria's heart blossom. Her ears twitched with joy. Under Noah's superb technique, they turned into electric currents that passed through Maria's nerve cells, sending waves of pleasure into Maria's brain. However, as he touched her, Noah inexplicably said, "Speaking of which, Zofia said that you and Margaret look a lot like each other, right?"

"Well... sort of?" Maria wasn't actually sure. In her opinion, she and her sister Margaret were very different. However, everyone who had met the two sisters said that they looked like two peas in a pod. Although this made her very happy, she wasn't sure whether it was just a compliment. After all, the name Margaret was basically a compliment. Saying that you looked like Margaret might not mean that you really looked alike, but rather that you were being praised.

"Come to think of it... I've only seen Margaret as a child..." Noah subconsciously lowered her hand from her head to Maria's cheek. Her hand was light and cold, and it felt itchy as it brushed against her face. Maria knew she was trying to feel her own appearance. For Noah, this was the most intimate act. She had touched her own face before, using her fingers and touch to confirm her appearance, and then complimented herself on her beauty.

Noa wouldn't do this to anyone casually; it was considered rude. She would only do it if she wholeheartedly approved and the other person agreed. Currently, only Kuro, Margaret as a child, Yolanta, Maria, Zofia, and Viviana had this privilege. She touched Maria slowly and carefully, fearing she might hurt her or even touch her eyes. After mentally confirming Maria's appearance, she smiled knowingly.

"It does look a lot like that—" Noah said with a smile, "If Margaret grows up, she might look like this..."

"Sister Noah, could it be that you're... thinking about Sister Margaret?" Maria looked at the excited blush on Noah's face, her mind racing, and immediately asked, "Really?"

"Ah... well... no." Noah withdrew his hand awkwardly. "I just... checked. After all, people have been saying that you two look alike, but I didn't pay much attention to it when I touched your face before. Now I just want to compare."

"I think Sister Margaret must miss you too--" Noah's shyness was beyond words. Maria immediately became excited. As a fan of the iron-blooded CP, she was full of support for them, and she was also an iron-blooded single-handed supporter.

"Really? Even if she's out there, she's probably very busy. And what if she's made other friends out there?" Noah smiled sheepishly. "It's been ages since we last saw each other. We only exchange letters, and I've changed a lot... I feel like she might not even recognize me if she comes back."

"How is that possible? My sister will definitely come to you first," Maria said confidently. "And my sister definitely won't have anyone else close to her. You two are childhood sweethearts! Childhood sweethearts are the best in the world!"

"What are you talking about?" Noah blushed and shook her head. "Don't talk nonsense. What does it have to do with me if Margaret has other friends outside? Can I really control her from making friends? What would I become then?"

"...Could it be that Sister Margaret has someone else close to her? Sister Noah, wouldn't you be jealous?" Maria asked seriously, "Really?"

Although she felt panicky, Noya really thought about it and didn't find it strange. It wasn't strange for someone as outstanding as Margaret to attract people outside. And why should she be jealous? She wasn't the possessive type. Even if Margaret had other close friends outside, Noya would just accept it with a smile, and might even be happy.

After all, this means that Margaret is not alone outside, which is obviously a good thing.

Even after possible accidents in the future, Margaret can continue to move forward with the company of others...that is enough.

"...Ah, forget it. Sister Noah always has such a lonely smile on her face." Maria felt a little uncomfortable looking at Noah's smile. This smile, which was both happy for you and a little lonely, made Maria feel heartbroken every time it appeared. "I won't say anymore, Sister Noah, don't think about it. I don't want you to be sad."

"Why would I be sad when you're here?" Noah shook her head. "Besides, you're right. After all, Margaret is such an outstanding person. I'm just one of the people who is attracted to her."