Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

"..." Kal'tsit looked at the strange Miss Noah with some confusion. After all, she usually called herself Dr. Kal'tsit, but this time she actually called her by her name directly. To be honest, it was a bit strange.

"I do resent you, but I also know that you are not that kind of person. You must have had your reasons. So, my feelings towards you are very complicated, and... I can't forgive you on behalf of Theresa." Only with Noah's encouragement did Kal'tsit speak. Although her tone was still cold, it was a big improvement to be able to say it directly. At least she didn't beat around the bush.

Theresa, who knew Kal'tsit well, understood that this was the result of her hard work. She smiled gently. "It's true that no one has the right to forgive someone else, but I don't think the Doctor is a bad person. Perhaps, I mean, perhaps, Theresa never resented her from the beginning."

"...How do you know?" Kel'tsit's suspicious eyes had already fallen on Theresa. Theresa, knowing she had almost been exposed again, immediately tried to make amends. "After all, Theresa is just that kind of person. Kel'tsit should know her well."

"...Hmph." Kal'tsit looked Noah up and down without saying anything.

"The Doctor finally recovered his memory, so let's not talk about what happened back then... Besides, the Doctor will definitely give us an explanation. I trust the Doctor," Amiya began to smooth things over. He didn't want everyone to finally get together and end up arguing. "Um, Doctor, you just recovered your memory, you must be tired, right? Do you want to rest for a while?"

"That's right, Kal'tsit. You and Amiya should go and rest too. I'll be here with the Doctor. You must not have gotten enough rest during this period." At this moment, Theresa immediately realized that this was an opportunity to be alone with the Doctor, and immediately followed Amiya's words and said, "The Doctor and I have something else to discuss, right?"

"Huh?" Amiya's original intention was to accompany the Doctor first, and let Dr. Kal'tsit and Noah leave first, but Noah turned out to be the host.

"...Okay, I do have something to discuss with you privately." The doctor frowned. For some reason, she sensed something was amiss with Noah. But she still agreed. "Regarding Project Zero... and the matter of the administrator, there are indeed some things that only the two of us can discuss privately."

Chapter 95: Ascension Plan

Although Kal'tsit and Amiya were still worried about the Doctor's condition, they temporarily left the tent at the request of the two. So the only ones left in the tent were Theresa, who appeared in the appearance of Noa, and the Doctor, who had a complete memory and was worried.

After confirming that the two of them had indeed left, the doctor spoke.

"I don't know what happened, but when did you become part of Noa's body, Theresa?" The Doctor asked, looking at Noa before him. Theresa hadn't expected the Doctor to see through her disguise so easily. She'd even been seen through by the mace before. Was the gap between her and Noa really that big? Theresa grumbled inwardly, but now that she'd been seen through, there was no point in pretending anymore.

"How did you figure that out?" Theresa smiled and asked, "I thought I had done a pretty good job of pretending."

"The first is of course intuition. Second, Noah never calls Kal'tsit by her real name. Instead, she calls her Dr. Kal'tsit like Amiya. Third, I know Noah very well, and I also know you very well. By comparing them, I can almost guess your true identity. Fourth, Noah has been leaned over by Prisseth before. It would be strange if I couldn't guess it if it happened a second time." The doctor counted on his fingers and listed the reasons one by one. Every time Theresa heard a reason, her body hunched over a little - she didn't expect that her acting skills were so bad.

"I was trying not to cause trouble for Noya...it seems this might be much more difficult than I thought." Theresa was helpless. In front of such a smart person like the doctor, she really couldn't pretend at all. "But it's worth it to see you again, Doctor."

"...Although I already know from my later memories that you don't resent me at all..." The doctor hesitated, "I still have to apologize to you. I don't deny what I did back then. My actions were too extreme. Even if you affected the Originium Project, I shouldn't have made such a decisive decision."

"The responsibility you shouldered at the time did not allow you to think too much, and it was also my fault. It was me who showed you the method of transforming the Originium into a sea of ​​flowers, which aroused your hostility." Theresa shook her head. The tragedy of the Tower of Babel was not just the Doctor's problem. No matter what choice the Doctor made, the civil war would still happen, and Theresa would still choose to let the assassin assassinate him. The Doctor was only acting for his own position.

Theresa understood this, and she had already taken her revenge—so the two of them were even.

"Well, Doctor, I still want to ask you a question. After recovering your memory, do you still want to carry out the Originium Project as before?" Theresa looked at the Doctor, whose eyes were a little different after recovering his memory, and asked. She did not use her ability because this was a conversation between two friends, not enemies. Theresa had never regarded the Doctor as an enemy. The issues between them could only be resolved by them.

"...If it were in the past, I would have said yes, because the Terran civilization truly lacked the ability to fight the loggers. But now, I see another path. It was the path that the administrator showed me, or perhaps it's the path that only the Terran civilization can take," the doctor said. "So, there's no longer a trolley problem between us that we must make a decision. Theresa, I will help the Terran civilization overcome this difficult time."

"So... can I ask what the specific plan is?" Theresa asked curiously, still very interested in the new plan itself. "Also, why is it only possible for Terra civilization?"

"That's the uniqueness of Terran civilization itself. What do you think is the greatest characteristic of Terran civilization?"

"...Originium Industry?" Theresa speculated. "That's all I can think of."

"Yes, the Originium industry, or rather, Originium itself," the doctor said. "At first, when the administrators asked us to develop Originium, I thought it was just to preserve civilization, as a way out. But then I realized I was wrong."

"Wrong?" Theresa blinked. "What's wrong with that?"

"Originium is only part of this path. The path we should truly explore isn't to preserve everything within it," the doctor explained. "If we simply preserve everything within it, it's like putting an entire civilization in a suitcase, avoiding inevitable death by dying beforehand. This behavior is essentially a form of death. Only after seeing Noya's true identity did I understand what the so-called Originium really is."

"If the behemoths were created by the Administrators, then isn't Terra's civilization also our creation? Originium has penetrated every aspect of Terra. You could even say that the current Terran civilization is a race that grew up on Originium. Their relationship with Originium is even closer than ours. This is also the cause of Originopathy, which we have been unable to solve. But what if Originopathy isn't a disease at all?"

The doctor's words plunged Theresa into deep thought. Indeed, they had always considered Originopathy a disease, but what if, or rather, was it possible, Originopathy wasn't a disease at all, but rather a reflection of the Terrans' deep affinity for Originium? It was like humans and salt. Humans couldn't live without salt, but excessive salt intake could lead to disease. With the exception of races like the Agors, who had virtually no contact with Originium, almost all other Terran races were highly adaptable to it. The Sarkaz, in particular, were particularly susceptible to Originopathy due to their ancestors' exposure to the original Originium. They also practiced various sorceries inspired by Originium.

Although humans are the creators of Originium, their understanding of Originium may have been wrong from the beginning.

This situation has occurred before, for example, with gasoline. Initially, it was a byproduct of kerosene refining. Everyone agreed that it was too prone to deflagration and explosion, unsuitable for lighting or heating, and its unpleasant smell was truly detestable. Yet, it couldn't be simply discarded—the explosion after evaporation was even more terrifying, and a dedicated fund was required to dispose of this waste product. However, in the 20th century, the development of the internal combustion engine, which could exploit gasoline's rapid detonation, made gasoline a scarce commodity. However, kerosene, thanks to electric lighting, became in excess, necessitating the development of specialized research to convert kerosene into gasoline.

Do humans really understand Originium?

When humans created Originium, did they truly understand it?

This thing, which can be called the Philosopher's Stone of the post-era, why is it that only humans cannot resonate with it, and why does it have a connection with the Terrans and even affect their growth.

——What exactly is Originium?

With this doubt in mind, the doctor conducted many experiments, but they always proved fruitless. She even tried to infect herself with oripathy, but failed. Even when pierced by Originium, she could not get sick. Only then did she understand that although Originium was created by humans, due to their hasty creation, humans did not even truly understand their own creation. The methods of utilizing Originium developed by the Terrans were even very primitive.

However, the Terrans can do things that no human can do.

——The Terrans can use [Originium Techniques] directly through Originium.

This is precisely the proof that the Terrans can use Originium more efficiently, which is something humans cannot do. Even someone with authority like Priseth can only use things similar to Originium skills after he becomes one with Originium after death. The gap is self-evident.

If Originium has become the foundation of civilization, why must it be dismissed as [heresy]?

After figuring this out, the doctor's mind suddenly became clear. Perhaps they had been wrong all along, and Originium suppression was not the correct way to deal with Originium.

"We must try to fully master the Originium itself."

The doctor had given a lot of details about how to conduct the experiment, how to arrange it, and how to avoid risks. Most of it was incomprehensible to Theresa. After all, she wasn't a scientist. But she knew very well that the doctor's conjecture was likely correct. The Terrans' susceptibility to Originium infection might not be a weakness, but rather a gift, a gift that humans couldn't even grasp. If the humans had been unable to defeat the lumberjacks, perhaps the Terrans, possessing this trait, could have used it to their advantage to fight back.

Think about it, the Khan and Shah were actually able to fight against the demons. In the past of the Sarkaz, there have also been terrifying beings like Quillon and Barsa, whose strength clearly surpassed that of most Terrans. But is the terrifying power of these super-powerful beings and the gods' people really just due to the so-called "Demon King" position or bloodline? Could it be that they have truly comprehended some method that transcends the constraints of their own race?

The possibility that the doctor thought of does exist...

"I think it's going to be difficult to convince Kal'tsit and the others about this. After all, reversing the research direction directly isn't something they can accept overnight. Furthermore... Miss Noa should make her own decision after learning about your thoughts. This isn't something we can decide. Our ultimate enemy is the lumberjacks, but they aren't our only enemy right now. Even if you're right and you can somehow create a powerful being that surpasses the limits of the Terran race, or even transcends life itself, that's not something we can handle right now. The resources we need might require the entire Terran population. For example, the bloodline of the gods, or the three original source stones..."

"Indeed." The doctor was not in a hurry. "We must first integrate Terra into a whole, so that my ascension plan can be carried out."

"Ascension?" Theresa blinked. "You call it the plan?"

"Because it transcends one's own biological limits and becomes another kind of existence, I think it can be called [Ascension], right?" The doctor explained. "Also, if we really want to carry out this plan, I have a very good candidate."

"……who?"

“…Noa.”

Noa's soul, rooted in the Star Child of the Administrator, possesses a strong divine bloodline, a perfect blend of Nightmare, Golden Pegasus, and Unicorn—even possessing resistance to Originium itself, granted by the bloodline of a previous civilization. If anyone could truly complete this project, the Doctor's top choice would be this unique being, Noa.

"What a coincidence! Perhaps it would be better if Miss Noah made the decision herself," Theresa complained. "Besides, this plan itself is too bold. You're simply going to..."

"Creating a god, huh?" The doctor guessed what Theresa was thinking. "Indeed, if it were truly accomplished, it would be no different from a god."

The Doctor was actually wondering if such a plan was too crazy. However, perhaps because nothing in human civilization could withstand the lumberjacks' liquidation, she had to think of other methods. The strongest weapon, the Heaven's Fulcrum, could not defeat the lumberjacks. Originium was only a way of escape, and Hai Si could only win in another way. If the Terra civilization really wanted to survive, apart from the [Star Child Plan] that the Administrator had not yet completed, the only way was probably the [Ascension Plan] that the Doctor had come up with by continuing to think about it from the Star Child Plan.

After everything was explained, Theresa, out of trust in the doctor, immediately became a supporter of the plan. However, the plan was still a castle in the air. Noah wasn't ready yet, and the plan couldn't be finalized until Noah woke up. The biggest problem now was how they could gain the trust of the various nations and rebuild a laboratory specifically for the apocalyptic crisis.

——The Administrator left behind a large enough legacy to allow the Doctor and others to have the possibility to continue.

"Theresa, I want this to be a secret between us for now. When Noah wakes up, I'll ask her opinion. She's the only one who can make the decision on this matter," the doctor instructed. "The entire plan must be kept strictly confidential. Even Kal'tsit and Amiya can't be told. The plan itself is still too crude, and I need a lot of time to refine it. Moreover... we have to complete the integration of Terra in a very short time..."

"...Thanks to Noya's efforts, we've actually seen some progress. I can try to persuade Kazdel... At the very least, the Sarkaz shouldn't give up on the possibility of saving themselves. I have some confidence in that."

The Terra Council, an organization originally created for the peace of Terra, now has to shoulder the burden of saving the world - perhaps even Lateran, the founder of the council, would not have thought of this?

"Theresa, I'm glad you're back. I promise that this time, I will stand with the Terran civilization. No, we will stand with all life."

The Doctor promised earnestly.

“Let the children sleep peacefully, and let the sun of Terra always rise from the east.”

Chapter 96: If a Second Confession Comes

"Dr. Kelsey, don't you think Miss Noya is a little strange?"

"It's possible that he's been stimulated and has developed some language dysfunction. This is pathologically possible. And considering the pressure Noah is under right now, to be honest, it's even a little late for this level of problem to appear now."

"That's what I said..." Amiya was still worried. Little Rabbit was just like that. She always cared about other people's affairs but tended to neglect her own. Kal'tsit also noticed Amiya's worry and reached out to touch her head.

"Don't worry, Noah will handle her own affairs."

After setting up the Rhodes Island office locally, Noah and the others immediately returned to the Rhodes Island main ship. This operation did yield a lot of intelligence, especially the fact that the doctor had regained his memory. The happiest people might not be Amiya and the others, but the operators on the island.

——Well, especially a certain white-haired Carters Operator who wishes to remain anonymous.

"That's perfect. Let's take this opportunity—why don't we go to Casimir?" Meanwhile, Margaret, finding an opportunity, approached Noah, who was still being driven by Theresa, and asked, "You finally made it back. Let's go back and see Ms. Russell. She missed you, too."

"...Ah?" Theresa was in a dilemma. Although according to Noah's memories, Casimir didn't leave Noah with many good memories, but...it was still her hometown after all, and it didn't seem right to just refuse. "Well..."

What would Miss Noya think? Would she agree? Or refuse?

In this situation, it was indeed difficult for her to make a decision, so she came up with a good idea.

"...I can't decide whether to go back for the time being. After all, I am still a wanted criminal. How about this, you can come and ask me again in a few days, and maybe I will be able to give you an answer." Okay, this way, let Miss Noah deal with this problem herself. Miss Noah should have woken up in a few days - she can't have really slept that long.

Although it was a bit strange that Noah was not used to such delays, Margaret did not ask any further questions because the reason given by Theresa was reasonable. However, Princess had been in a daze all day since returning from the laboratory. Except for the few words that the doctor could say to her, she had been staying in the laboratory.

The good news is that after the doctor's persuasion, she has been deeply involved in the Knight Titan project and also intends to contribute to the reproduction of the Grey Knight armor. Although she is unwilling to work with others, as long as Maria takes the drawings over, she will receive a scolding, revised drawings and notes.

From this perspective, the administrator's death had indeed dealt a heavy blow to Precious, but she hadn't completely sunk into despair. Instead, her current attitude seemed more like... a tantrum. But that made sense. After all, she wasn't a fragile person.

She just needed time to sort out her feelings, just like Noah who was sleeping now, but she didn't have a substitute like Theresa, so she could only heal her inner trauma by herself.

With the help of Priseth and the full support of the engineering department, the Grey Knight prototype sent to Rhodes Island began a drastic transformation. Many technical difficulties were solved bit by bit with the help of the doctor who recovered his memory and Priseth. Soon, the second-generation updated version of the Grey Knight prototype armor was released.

In the past few days, Miss Noah, who was controlled by Theresa, consciously avoided contact with those who owed Miss Noah love debts, but often appeared next to Amiya and Kal'tsit, which could be regarded as satisfying her little thoughts.

But such peaceful days always come to an end. After sleeping for a week, Noah finally woke up suddenly one morning.

"-Good morning, Miss Noah." Theresa greeted Noah who had just woken up. She was actually doing two things at once. She had not been completely idle these days. Instead, she was manipulating Noah's body to do her old job - tailoring.

These days, she has been making a piece of clothing, and she can be said to have used all her life's knowledge to make this piece of clothing.

Today is the date when this dress is about to be completed. From design to tailoring, it actually doesn't take a lot of time, and the fabric is not very high-end, but it was tailored by the former Demon King himself, so this name alone can probably sell it for a very good price.

"Thank you for your hard work, Miss Theresa. Has anything happened these days?" Noah asked. After all, this was the first time she entrusted the task to Miss Theresa. Rather than worrying about whether Theresa might cause any trouble, she was more worried about whether she would cause trouble for Miss Theresa.

"No, I didn't show up anywhere else most of the time. I basically just went between the Rhodes Island control room and my room, leaving very little room for anything to go wrong." Theresa explained with a smile, "I did take advantage of this time to take a good look at Amiya. She's really grown up. Even without me, she can handle things on her own. She's really amazing... Then there's the Doctor. Did you know she's lost a lot of weight? I don't know if she's been eating well. Kal'tsit... Kal'tsit is actually the same as before, but she seems to smile less than when I was there... I really want to see her smile more..."

Speaking of Amiya and the others, Theresa became noticeably more talkative. It seemed that after having a body to use, she spent most of her time on the people she cared about. Obviously, the three people she cared about most in the entire Rhodes Island were Amiya, Kal'tsit, and the Doctor. As for Vishdel and Ascalon, they had not been in Rhodes Island for some time, so she couldn't see them even if she wanted to. Although it was a pity, she was already satisfied.

What she needed now was to return her body to Miss Noah. Although she was still somewhat reluctant, she could still clearly tell the difference.

"Next, it's up to you, Miss Noah." Theresa stretched out her hand, intending to transfer control of the body by shaking hands, but Noah did not stretch out her hand. Instead, she smiled bitterly.

"Um...about this matter, could you help me for a few more days?" Noah smiled awkwardly. "Ms. Theresa, I know this might be a bit troublesome for you...but I have to say, I've been sorting out the specifics of the situation a bit during this time, and I realized I might still have some things unresolved, so...I'd like to extend the deadline."

“…Huh?” Theresa was stunned. “But… why?”

"Of course, don't get me wrong, I'm fine with the mental trauma, and I'm not planning on giving up or anything... How should I put it..." Noah hesitated for a long time before explaining. "I'm... maybe... still digesting some of the things the administrator provided me."

Noah didn't want to call it a legacy, but when the mark of the administrator completely disappeared, most of the power belonging to the Son of the Star was naturally transferred to Noah. After all, she had a soul most similar to the administrator. However, although this power was strong, it was not something Noah could master in a short time. Noah was now like an ordinary person who suddenly gained terrifying power. He had almost no control over his abilities - it was even possible that a thought would cause the reality to become unstable.

You know, the Star Child is above Terra, infinitely close to the status of the Creator or the Supreme God, and is the real daughter of Terra. She has even unlocked the ability to [Create Behemoths]. The administrator directly gave her a maximum level account, but she is only level 50 at most. How can she perfectly master this power? Part of the reason why Noah fell asleep was because she was not used to this power falling on her head.

Now, Noah could be considered the most genuine child of the stars, even possessing the ability to command all the behemoths. This ability alone was probably enough to make many people gasp.

"So you're trying to control this power now, and that's why you asked me to help?" Theresa finally understood Noah's thinking. It was just like when she first donned the Civilization Preservation, feeling overwhelmed by the overwhelming power. It took her a long time to gain some control over the Demon King's power. "To think it would be like this... Miss Administrator was rarely seen in pre-civilized society back then, so I'm afraid she might have made some mistakes controlling her power."

"That's probably it..." Noah nodded. "Anyway, I'm tied up now. For safety reasons... Thank you for your help during this period, but I'll also be watching from the side."

This situation obviously cannot continue like this, but who should I ask for advice on matters of control?

Noah thought for a while and suddenly had a good idea.

"Speaking of which... Kjerag... isn't it about time for the invitation to arrive?"

"Hmm? Come to think of it...it seems like it was indeed sent. How did you know?"

"Because last time, I promised them that I would return before the Holy Hunt began."

Noah smiled. "It just so happens that I have something important to do in Kjerag. I'm sorry to bother you during this time, Miss Theresa."

"Of course you can, but you have to consider this. Knight Yao from Casimir has been wanting you to visit the Great Knight Territory. I've already delayed it several times. Are you really not going?"

"...Margaret..." Noah hesitated, but after struggling for a few times, she shook her head, "...I...don't plan to go back. Please apologize to Margaret and me, please."

"...at least when you apologize, you should do it yourself, right?"

"You're right, I will."

In response to Theresa's reminder, Noah just sighed and nodded.

"Anyway, after apologizing to Margaret, we'll set off for Kjerag. Whether I can control this power from the Star Child will depend on the help of my friends there."

"Friends? What kind of friends could have such an experience?" Theresa asked curiously. "And in Kjerag?"

"Don't you know?" Noah thought Theresa had finished reading her memories. "In Kjerag, there exists a true God."

"...I won't read your memories unless it's absolutely necessary." Theresa was very obedient. "After all, this is considered private."

"Pfft, actually I don't mind. I've encrypted everything I really don't want you to see," Noya said with a smile. The memories she'd specially encrypted were mostly related to the mace. "Anyway, let's go see Margaret first. I'm really sorry to bother you this time."

"It's okay. You've already helped me repair my soul, so this little favor won't matter." Theresa waved her hand. "Besides, we should be considered friends, right?"

"Of course." Noah was very happy to be friends with Theresa, because the two of them were actually very similar in many ways, and the current cooperation actually felt a lot like the time when Noah and Precious worked together.

It's just that now she is the one in Priss's position.

Having made up his mind, Noah went straight to Margaret's dormitory under Theresa's operation. Margaret had been staying in Rhodes Island for a while. It was said that she had this time to rest because her uncle Mainna was helping to hold the situation in Casimir.