Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

"It only looks that way. In fact, the person inside has been replaced by Noah Kyrielight." Noah shook his head. "We have swapped bodies, so I am very worried about Maria's condition now-"

"...Huh?" Zofia blinked. "That joke isn't funny."

"I'm not kidding." Noah responded bluntly, "Maria must be in great pain right now... After all, she has to go through the same thing as me... It's all my fault."

"..." Zofia swung her hand without warning, striking Noah on the head. "Don't take everything on yourself. How is it your fault? Did you want to swap bodies? Even though I think that's a bit ridiculous now... if we really did swap bodies, it wasn't your fault. It was just an accident."

"Anyway, let's go check on Maria first..." Noah was stunned for a moment, then shifted his gaze helplessly, "This is not something to joke about."

With the support of Zofia, Noah finally came to her room. After seeing Kuro standing beside her, she felt inexplicably relieved. Then she came to her bed and looked at herself who was still sleeping. She suddenly had a wonderful feeling. From this perspective, she was like the sleeping beauty. It turned out that she had grown into this.

It's not like I haven't seen myself in the mirror before, but I wasn't fully grown then. Now I do look a lot better than before...

Ah, this is not the time to comment on yourself.

Noah reached out and touched his forehead. It wasn't hot, no fever, and his body didn't seem to be damaged at all. It looked like the Voice of the World hadn't caused any physical damage. That's right, he wasn't experiencing any strange symptoms while using Maria's body. Could this be a simple soul swap? Could they switch back?

If possible, Noah didn't want Maria to suffer the same pain as himself.

Besides, I am already satisfied just to be able to see the world, even if it changes back...

Change back...

Noah subconsciously clenched her fists. Was she going back to that dark world? It was a darkness like eternal night. It had taken her a long time to accept the loss of her sight, but now she was hesitant because she saw the world through Maria's eyes again.

Noah's struggle only lasted a moment. Soon, she forced herself to unclench her fists and stroked Noah's cheek. "Don't worry, I will take care of everything."

How could he let Maria, whom he regarded as his younger sister, bear the consequences of something that he himself could not accept?

If that's the case, can I still be called... her sister?

"Kuro, where's the music box?" She had regained her usual composure and turned to ask, "You should have taken it back, right?"

"...Hmm?" Kuro looked at Maria in confusion. Her expression was different from usual. He frowned and said, "Ms. Maria, how did you know about the existence of the music box..."

"I'm Noah, Noah Kyrielight." Staring at Maria's face, Noah gently stroked his chest. "Although I know it may be hard for you to believe, I am Noah. I'm just temporarily occupying Maria's body. I need the earthly sounds in the music box to bring us back."

"Noah." Kuro looked at Maria in front of him with a completely different temperament. Indeed, the temperament Maria exuded now was exactly the same as Noah's. As a bodyguard who had been watching Noah for a long time, Kuro observed carefully and found that Maria now had almost every little habit of Noah's, such as pinching the edge of her skirt when she was nervous. However, Kuro thought for a while, then spoke.

"...I'm sorry, the worldly sounds in the music box have disappeared." Kuro took out the music box and placed it in front of Noah. Indeed, it was empty.

But that was the sound of the mortal world, it couldn't possibly disappear without a sound. Since only Maria and I were within the range of the vibration at that time, then...

Noah turned her head and looked at the sleeping [Noah]. If she guessed correctly... the Voice of the World should be in the head of her body.

Noah stretched out her hand, trying to sense the existence of the sound of the world, but after all, this body was not her own, and she was not used to using it yet. After closing her eyes and sensing for a long time, she could only sigh and retract her hand.

"...I can't feel anything..." Noah was a little unwilling. Why was it like this...She and Maria actually switched places or something.

Maria... If she knew she had entered the body of a disabled person, she would definitely feel terrible...

Noah felt cold all over when she thought of this possibility... If possible, she really didn't want Maria to suffer the same fate as her.

Chapter 96: Noah's Knight Training

As a result, the problem arose, as it was not long before the next game.

Since Maria is still in Noah's body and in a coma, she obviously cannot make it to the competition. So the only one who can replace Maria is Noah himself.

"...But the problem is, I haven't participated in knight training in a long time." Noah held his forehead. Watching Maria's body move like this was truly hilarious, considering the huge difference between her and her real personality. Mainna, knowing the whole story, watched Noah occupy Maria's body. He wasn't actually worried about the competition.

You have to remember that Noah was competing with Margaret for the top spot among the younger generation of knights. If Noah hadn't been in trouble, Margaret wouldn't have been able to hold onto that position so easily. So, Noah, now occupying Maria's body, might not be that weak after all.

But participating in a formal competition right from the start is really... a bit of a jump.

"But Maria's legs and feet are fine, aren't they? Why are you still sitting in a wheelchair?" Zofia asked in confusion. Yes, while everyone was sitting on chairs and talking, Noah was still sitting in an ordinary wheelchair.

"...Oh no, I'm used to it." Noah waved his hand awkwardly, "Besides, I'm not very good at walking right now..."

"It's so hard to walk again, but it's not good to be in a wheelchair. Just think of it as a day off and walk more," Zofia advised. Honestly, if someone else had taken over Maria's body, she would have been worried, but Noa—even if Mainna had betrayed Maria, Noa would never betray her. And there really was no way to restore the situation to its original state for the time being...

The so-called solution to no problem is this -

"In order to prevent the Chamber of Commerce from taking advantage of the situation, you have to pretend to be Maria during this period of time. And if you haven't found a way to change back before the competition, then you must compete in place of Maria. After all, this is probably what Maria wants." Mainna is the oldest person here. With Noah being the person involved and Zofia unable to make a decision, she naturally dominated the entire meeting and made the final decision.

"Until then, let's announce that Noah has been injured accidentally and needs to rest." Kuro nodded. "I will take good care of Miss Maria. Then... Miss Noah..."

"Leave it to me," Mainna nodded, and the two of them handed over their responsibilities. However, Noah himself was a little worried. On the one hand, there was no way to change it back, and on the other hand, he was worried about Maria who was still sleeping.

And if I go on the court myself...what kind of court can I play?

Noah was really worried. She couldn't even walk properly. She was really at a loss as to what to do.

If there was one skill she hadn't given up after all these years, it would be the bow and arrow. However, this fighting style was so different from Maria's that it inevitably aroused suspicion. Despite this worry, Noya arrived at the training grounds early the next day. At least her walking became smoother the next day, but holding Maria's sword and shield still felt strange. It wasn't that she didn't know how to use them, it was just that she hadn't practiced in a long time.

The only weapon that can be used in a wheelchair is basically a bow and arrow - and they have to be specially made. Using a sword and shield on a wheelchair is too abstract.

Mainna, dressed in a white shirt and holding a practice sword, towered over Noya with his ponytail. Compared to the suits he'd worn as a regular office worker, Mainna now resembled the ranger he once was. Seeing Noya's uneasiness, Mainna spoke first. "I know you're still worried about Maria, but her spirit is no weaker than yours—if you can handle anything, she can handle it too. Now, you need to fulfill your role well."

"I know..." Noah took a deep breath, got into a stance, recalled the memories of practicing as a child, and then reapplied them on this somewhat unfamiliar body.

"This look..." Mainna looked at Noah's eyes. He had seen a similar look before.

——It really looks like...

——Margaret’s eyes were exactly the same as yours at that time.

Mainna held the sword in one hand and attacked towards Noya. The little golden ears on Noya's head moved, and he directly met the attack with his shield. With a clang, Noya immediately turned his body and swung the sword towards Mainna.

This is different from Maria's approach. Maria will observe the opponent's movements more and try to counterattack after taking the first few attacks. Noah is a pure opportunity-grabbing player. The moment he is attacked, he turns this power into his own power and uses it to attack the opponent.

Mainna easily blocked the blow, then shifted her stance to a slash, aiming for Noya's wrist. The practice sword was unbladed, so even if it hit, it wouldn't cause a wound. But Noya reacted quickly, retreating out of Mainna's range and readying herself for the next attack.

Considering her long absence from practice, Noya's combat talent was truly remarkable. This fearless fighting style made it hard to imagine that Noya was previously a blind person confined to a wheelchair. Just one encounter revealed so much. However, Mainna confirmed that Noya's sword and shield skills were no longer very strong—or rather, they had become rusty. The few moves she used seemed okay, but there was a constant sense of hesitation.

If Mainna's sword had been a little faster, Noa wouldn't have been able to hold on.

"Don't rely on your ears all the time. You can see the sword's edge now," Maenna said. "You were just... relying on your hearing to dodge and counterattack, right?"

"..." Noya was silent for a moment. Indeed, her long life as a blind person had made her subconsciously oblivious to using her eyes for confirmation, which had both advantages and disadvantages. The advantage was that Noya had virtually no blind spots. No matter what angle an attack came from, she would detect it and counterattack. However, her counterattacks were much less accurate. Just like the spinning back attack just now, if the angle was more challenging, it wouldn't have been so easily blocked.

However, Noah did not adjust the sword edge immediately. Instead, he changed his moves after hearing the sound of the sword edge changing after Mainna changed his moves.

Seeing is always faster than hearing. After all, the speed of light is always much faster than the speed of sound. Although it is impossible to encounter this normally, what if the speed of the opponent's sword or the speed of the bullet exceeds the speed of sound?

Noah was helpless——

Chapter 97: The Palace

"Excuse me, you're not even as good at fighting as Maria right now."

Noya felt a pang of distress at Mainna's words, but it was also true. She had been away from battle for far too long. Asking her to suddenly hold a sword was like asking her to walk—she could only stumble forward. The years she had lost had become a barrier to her. She could no longer wield a sword the same way she once did, because her soul had forgotten the feeling of holding a sword. Cultivating that feeling would take more than just a few days.

"So, my suggestion is this: I'll teach you the Linguang family's Originium techniques first. Since you're a sorcerer, you should be able to master them quickly."

Mainna spoke again, but when the other party spoke, Noah was completely confused.

"...The Linguang family's inherited Originium technique?"

"Ah."

"Teach me?"

"Ah."

"...Are you awake?" Noya fell into deep thought. Theoretically, this inherited Originium technique could only be passed down within the family, never to be passed on to outsiders. But why was Mainna planning to pass it on directly to him? Noya was already beginning to wonder who he was, where he was, and what Uncle Mainna was doing.

"I don't think this is appropriate?"

"Why?" Mainna asked doubtfully. "You are Maria now, and everyone sees you that way. So I just taught my amnesiac niece the family Originium skills. Is there a problem?"

"...You can't say that, I'm Noah." Noah held his head. This was obviously a bit of a loophole. It was indeed against the rules, but there was indeed no precedent for soul swapping.

"Don't worry about it. On the one hand, it would be strange if you played as Maria and didn't use the Linguang family's Originium skills. On the other hand, I believe you won't use this power for harm." Mainna said, "I trust you, just like I trust my family. Or rather, the Linguang family has long accepted you as a member of the family. As for rules, such corrupt things have no need to exist in the Linguang family. Even if my father were here, I think he would agree."

"...Really?" Noya didn't know why, but she felt a sense of joy at being recognized. She nodded. "If you say so, well... I swear I won't use this power for harm."

After Noya swore a solemn oath, Maenna immediately taught him the Linguang family's inherited Originium technique, or the way to wield Light. Noya was indeed a gifted sorcerer. That very day, a ball of light condensed in Noya's palm. The light wasn't dazzling, but it was enough to indicate that Noya had mastered this power. Now it was time to practice. To master this power, Noya spent most of the rest of his time practicing the Linguang family's inherited Originium technique.

Feel the light, touch the light, and then——

Be the light.

While Noah was coming into contact with this ancient Originium skill, he was also sensing the essence of this power through his own abilities. This is a power that comes from the heart. It looks like [light] but in essence it is more like a spiritual power. The more determined your heart is and the more fervent your faith is, the more this power will respond to you. Indeed, this is an Originium skill that is especially suitable for noble people. Villains and hypocrites cannot even exert one tenth of this power.

It’s no wonder that the Linguang family has been so respected from ancient times to the present day - after all, with this inheritance of spiritual light, there can’t be any bad people.

But there are many kinds of light. If Margaret is the blazing sun at noon, Maria is the rising sun, and Mainna is the setting sun, then Noa is not the sun. Her heart is not as great as Margaret's, and she cannot achieve the same level of achievement as Margaret...

Her light is just the faint glow of a campfire, which may go out at any time, but it can warm the hearts of travelers.

So her light is very special. It is warm and has a pulsating glow like a beating heart. Looking at the light in the palm of her hand, Noah's eyes seem to be stained with flames.

Immediately, she tentatively shaped the light in her palm, and soon there was an arrow in her hand, an arrow condensed from light.

Looking at the successfully shaped arrow in her hand, Noya suddenly smiled with relief. Her light was so weak, but that made sense—she wasn't some high-wattage bulb, after all. At least, her faith was recognized by this Originium technique. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to condense her light into an arrow. Margaret's condensation of her sword and spear, and Maria's condensation of her lightsaber, were only accomplished much later.

It was already pretty good that I was able to condense a light arrow on my first contact, at least that's what Noah thought.

The only thing that reassured Noah was that Maria's current points were enough to advance, so even if she lost the next few games, it wouldn't affect Maria's path to advancement. So she decided to do her best.

Practice more before Maria wakes up!

-

On the other hand, while Noya was trying his best to practice the Linguang family's unique skills, Maria was experiencing a strange adventure.

Well, an adventure. This was probably the most fitting description of Maria's current situation, as she was lost in a vast palace. This palace had a very elegant style, and it was obvious that its owner had his own systematic aesthetic. Maria had been lost in this palace for who knows how long. If it weren't for the fact that hunger seemed to be impossible in this palace, she would have probably starved to death on the spot.

The space here is very strange. Some places are directly upside down, and some places can be walked on the walls. Behind the door is not necessarily the exit. It may be a wall, a cliff, or even another door.

The rules here also seemed chaotic. Maria had seen cold fire, hot ice, soft iron and hard cotton.

Walking in this ancient and mysterious palace, some irregular music kept ringing in her ears. Maria walked and walked, and finally found a big door at the end of the road.

Maria tentatively pushed open the door. Inside was a library with a huge throne. The books had become the floor, and every step had to be taken between the books. An old man sat among the piles of books, supporting his chin with one hand, as if he was deep in thought.

This was the first living person Maria had seen here, and she hurried forward to ask.

"Old man! Where is this place? And who are you?"

Chapter 98: Prison

When the old man heard Maria's voice, he just raised his eyes slightly and glanced at Maria who was asking the question, then shifted his gaze.

"It's not you I'm looking for."

The other person spoke, and there seemed to be a hint of helplessness in his voice, as if he was a otaku during the Chinese New Year who suddenly encountered a relative's child who couldn't do anything and sneaked into his bedroom full of action figures. He could kill a fly with just a frown.

"...I...I don't know how I got in?" Maria felt aggrieved. She was chatting happily with Sister Noah, but suddenly her head buzzed and she was dragged to this place. She met an old man who looked at her with disgust.

The old man had no intention of paying attention to Maria. He seemed to be still studying something, and would fall into deep thought from time to time, and occasionally would write furiously. Maria was bored staying there, so she simply wandered around the library. It must be said that she could not understand most of the books here. Not only books, but also various musical instruments. The decoration style was also quite classical. Maria sighed as she walked - this place looked like a noble house compared to her own home.

My own home has never had so many books and decorations...

After walking around twice, Maria began to feel bored again. She didn't seem to feel hungry or thirsty in this palace, but she was mentally bored throughout. She returned to the old man again, looking at the old man who was obsessed with research, and suddenly she had an idea - could it be that this old man has spent a lot of time here?

As soon as this thought came out, it seemed to be confirmed by many people. The old man only said one sentence to me from beginning to end, and he said that he was not waiting for me. Does that mean that he has been waiting for someone else?

Maria suddenly became a little worried about the old man's mental state. If she was locked up in a place like this for a few days, she would go crazy. So she took the initiative to step forward and said, "Old man, do you have any knight novels here?"

"..." The old man slowly turned his head, his eyes filled with mixed emotions: anger at being interrupted in his studies, and a hint of confusion. "Novel? How could there be something like that in my library?"

"...So how long have you been here?"

"...How long?" The old man frowned, thought for a moment, and then shook his head. "I haven't calculated it carefully."

"Stay here all the time? And there's no novel to read?"

"……Um."

"Then you are too pitiful, aren't you?"

"...What are you talking about?" The old man's eyes were filled with confusion. After so many years, someone actually called him pitiful? "Do you know who I am?"

"No matter who it is, it's pitiful to have spent so many years here without any entertainment!" Maria said confidently, "Can we get out of here? I'll take you out, how about that, old man?"

"...I can't leave here." The old man was stunned for a moment, then shook his head, "This is my palace. Where else can I go if I'm not here?"

"Wow, you must be very rich. I feel like even Sister Noya can't afford such a big palace." Maria nodded and sighed, "But you really can't get out?"

The old man was already confused. It wasn't that he hadn't considered someone coming in, but those people would either seek power or knowledge from him. He'd never seen someone like Maria come to chat like this. This palace was located in the center of the wilderness, and ordinary people couldn't enter. Only those who truly understood the key he left behind could enter through dreams.