Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

When he left Rhodes Island and returned to Casimir to work hard, the Doctor had not yet awakened from Chernobog's sarcophagus. Margaret, on the other hand, participated in the entire process of the battle to recapture Doctor Chernobog. After that, the communication between the Doctor and himself was mainly in the business correspondence about the Originium inhibitor in Casimir. Later, Noah also learned from various channels about many things that happened in Rhodes Island during the Lungmen Fall incident, in which the Doctor also had quite a few outstanding performances.

But what Noah didn't expect was that after Margaret came back, the Doctor was also invited.

And there seemed to be the considerations of the Supervisory Commission behind this, so Noah had to think more about it. However, as the host, it was obviously impossible for him to refuse to receive the Doctor when he came to Casimir.

Moreover, he was the spokesperson for the Chamber of Commerce, so the work he would have with the other party would only increase, not decrease. In addition, the other party was the backbone of Rhodes Island. If he wanted to maintain in-depth cooperation with Rhodes Island, a meeting was indeed inevitable.

From all aspects, there are no disadvantages in maintaining a very friendly relationship with the Doctor - but Noah also has his own considerations.

Rhodes Island is aware of its ability to read other people's emotions, and as one of its leaders, the Doctor couldn't be unaware of this. However, even after knowing this, he still chose to meet with me, which is a bit puzzling. Logically speaking, shouldn't you be cautious when dealing with someone who can sense other people's emotions?

Or does this doctor have his own ideas?

Noah thought about it for a long time but couldn't figure it out, so he nodded and agreed to the other party's meeting invitation.

Since it was the Doctor's invitation, he naturally decided the meeting place. The two met at the temporary Rhodes Island base in Casimir. Noa was accompanied by Kuro and Margaret, while the Doctor was accompanied by Amiya... and an unknown knight. Judging by the other's aura, he must be a Knight of Casimir—does that mean the Doctor has also been planted with a knight's spies?

Noah was quite sensitive to the presence of knights. After all, his family had once been one of the knight nobles, and many knights had visited his home. However, after his grandfather passed away and he turned to business operations, these knights no longer came to visit.

It is said that his reputation is not very good in the eyes of this group of people, but Noah doesn't care so much.

"I've heard a lot about you, Doctor." Noya began the meeting with a calm and composed opening statement. Strangely enough, the moment she sat down, she couldn't sense the Doctor's... emotions. Even though she was sitting there and could hear his heartbeat clearly, she couldn't sense his emotions. He was like a black hole, absorbing all her perceptions, leaving Noya feeling a bit uncomfortable. "Thank you for arranging this meeting."

"I'm the one who's heard your name a lot," the doctor replied politely. "And I've also heard from Amiya that Miss Noah is a very capable business genius. Rhodes Island has benefited greatly from working with you, and we'll be collaborating closely with Miss Noah in the future. With that in mind... I came here to meet with Miss Noah first. What are your thoughts?"

"Well, of course, I'm happy to." Noya, of course, had no reason to refuse, and nodded. "Rhodes Island has done me a great favor. Under reasonable circumstances, I will prioritize Rhodes Island's orders. After all, besides Originium inhibitors, Rhodes Island has quite a few raw materials for drug production that are quite demanding, right? I happen to have a batch of goods here. If Rhodes Island has no objection, I can transfer this batch over first - what do you think?"

"Thank you very much." The Doctor and Noah seemed to be communicating harmoniously, but Margaret and Amiya on the side both showed helpless expressions. It was obvious that both Noah and the Doctor were looking forward to deeper cooperation, and originally did not want such a formal exchange of views. But this time - there was a supervisor around. This knight was from the Supervisory Commission and was also the "bodyguard" arranged for the Doctor by Ms. Russell. If Noah showed extraordinary enthusiasm here, or an overly frank transaction attitude.

Apparently... the knight would report everything to Ms. Russell.

Ms. Russell is certainly not an enemy, but Noah's position does not allow her to fully express her thoughts to the CSRC.

So we can only test each other in this awkward way.

Both Amiya and Margaret could see what was happening, especially Amiya - the knight kissed the doctor right from the start, and she watched this scene unfold with her own eyes.

Although she called it a courtesy kiss, Amiya felt it was more than that. The Supervisory Commission's move to send a bodyguard to the Doctor had good intentions, but they were also definitely planning to establish wards in the jungle. Because of Gravel's presence, her hopes of a long-awaited reunion with Noah were probably over. It's not surprising that Noah would be wary of the Supervisory Commission, especially since they were a War Knight... Honestly, most War Knights would probably be hungry for their flesh.

After all, in the eyes of traditional knights, the Kirilet family is undoubtedly a surrenderist faction...

The so-called admiration and respect are emotions that can easily degenerate, especially when they discover that the person they admire has committed an act of betrayal. Their admiration and respect can easily turn into hatred and contempt.

Noah is now a person despised by the Knights. After all, when he turned to business, he also became the spokesperson of the Chamber of Commerce.

However, the warrior knight in front of him didn't have any ill intentions towards him, but this was definitely not a reason for Noah to relax. This was a matter of stance...

After the meaningless rhetoric ended, Noah and the doctor each signed a cooperation agreement. As the first company to extend an olive branch to Rhodes Island, Noah had already done everything it could. As for how to deal with other companies, that was Rhodes Island's concern.

And if he can't even do this, there's no point in the Doctor coming to Casimir.

After all, Casimir is no longer the so-called country of knights. The current Casimir is a country controlled by the group of former knights' followers.

Chapter 117: Colander?

"I'm looking forward to in-depth cooperation with Ms. Noah."

"Me too."

The two finally finished their tedious business-advertising phase. Noah subconsciously turned toward Amiya. She did have something she wanted to say to her... but now was clearly not the best time. She opened her mouth, then smiled politely. "Ms. Amiya, thank you for your hard work. I hope you enjoy Casimir."

"Ms. Noah..." Amiya wanted to say something, but the doctor grabbed her hand first, then applied a little force to stop her from saying anything. Fortunately, Amiya knew that the situation did not allow it, so she could only shut her mouth.

Her first official meeting with Rhodes Island had been a solemn affair. The Supervisory Commission, the Chamber of Commerce, even the Knights of War... With so many people watching, Noah didn't dare broach any personal topics. Compared to her, Margaret was much more relaxed. While Noah was taking a break for tea, Margaret had left the table to go find Amiya, and Li hadn't stopped her. Sure enough, in the eyes of the Knights of War, Margaret was still one of their own.

If Noah invited Amiya, Li would probably follow her...

Noah sighed inexplicably in his heart. Whether it was the Knights, the Helmetless Alliance, or the Chamber of Commerce... did they all hate him so much?

Obviously, my purpose is just...

Noya paused. Her original intention was to abide by the agreement with Margaret, protect the Linguang family, develop her own power, and make Casimir feel better as much as possible. Or rather, make herself feel better.

But now, she no longer had such an excuse. Margaret had returned, and she was still doing this simply because she was used to it. She was used to fighting for profit in business partnerships, playing both sides, considering a lot, and abiding by unspoken rules. These were things she had learned gradually; they weren't innate. They had become a habit, deeply ingrained in her behavior.

Noah thought to himself...being hated by others is also a talent.

When I think about it this way, I feel that I am quite talented.

Rather than being hated himself, Noah is more worried about others getting hurt because of him.

The Fighting Knights, or the Knights, would definitely support Margaret Linguang, who has a good family background and is directly fighting against the Chamber of Commerce. Whether in terms of fame or status, Margaret is too suitable to be the representative of the Knights.

And the representative of the Chamber of Commerce...or the person taking the blame, is himself.

Strictly speaking, although Margaret and I have a very good personal relationship, in the eyes of most people, we should be enemies, and the kind of enemies that are irreconcilable.

A lackey of a business association and the heir to an ancient knight family that best represents chivalry.

Damn it... I'm the villain.

Noah's thoughts were merely passing through her mind. She had, in fact, become accustomed to this awkward position. What was this? Was this Noah Kyrielight's life of being disliked?

It sounds like the title of a Eastern movie or novel. Maybe my memoirs can be sold in the future?

"puff……"

"?"

While Noah was daydreaming, the doctor opposite her suddenly laughed. It was a kind of Bengbu-style laugh, as if he had seen something very funny. Noah's face was full of question marks. She could not sense the doctor's emotions, so she didn't know why the doctor suddenly laughed out loud, and he looked like he was having a hard time holding back his laughter.

"Doctor...what are you doing?"

"I thought of happy things."

"What happy news?" Noah was really confused, with question marks popping up on his head.

"Ahem... nothing, just... remembered a joke I saw recently, huh." The doctor coughed and said perfunctorily. "Ms. Noah, actually... I think you're quite good. You're beautiful and talented. I'm sure many people will like you."

"...Oh, thank you for the compliment." Noah was completely confused. Why was he suddenly praising himself? Did he look disappointed? Or had he just let his true feelings slip while he was daydreaming?

Then Kuro should also remind himself, right?

Although Noah was puzzled, it was very interesting from the doctor's perspective -

From the moment the doctor met Noah, she could hear what was on his mind. She was surprised at first, but when Noah was negotiating with a business smile on his face, but was complaining and spitting at her behind her back, she almost laughed out loud several times.

Although she didn't know why the other party's true feelings were exposed to her, the doctor knew that she shouldn't say these things in public, especially when Li was around, so she could only keep enduring it. Finally, when it was time to drink tea, the doctor thought it had finally calmed down, but when Noah started to complain about her experience and could write a memoir of the Eastern novel, the doctor really couldn't hold it back.

The Hated Life of Noah Kyrielight

Oh my god...someone come and save my fragile sense of humour.

Miss Noah looked so capable, but was she actually so full of thoughts? If the doctor hadn't heard her inner thoughts, she would never have imagined that there was such an interesting soul beneath Noah's face.

It's like... I thought you were a cool goddess, but it turns out you're just a faceless complainer.

But despite being funny, the doctor is actually quite sympathetic to Noya's current situation. Noya obviously supports Margaret, but the Knights have their sights set on Margaret, even though Margaret herself rejected their request to join the Knights. This label is almost fixed on her and cannot be changed.

Noah, whose background is particularly similar to Margaret's, had completely broken with the War Knights when she became the puppet spokesperson of the Chamber of Commerce.

This has nothing to do with personal wishes, it is purely a matter of stance.

Being caught between two factions was already a very painful thing. It was not easy for Noya to achieve what she has now. Even the doctor admired this seemingly weak girl.

That's why she spoke to comfort Noah. Although it made him even more surprised, the doctor still didn't mean to point it out. Instead, he closed his mouth again, appreciating the difference between Noah's inner complaints and the surface, and secretly improved his evaluation of Noah slightly.

As expected, she was the girl that SilverAsh praised so highly—she was indeed very interesting.

It's so interesting that it makes people want to tease it.

Chapter 118: Encirclement

"Noah, are you not very good at dealing with the Doctor?"

After the business meeting, Margaret asked curiously, "This is the first time I've seen you so passive."

"I guess so..." Noah sighed. His abilities were useless against the doctor, and judging by their previous conversation, he seemed to know him very well. This time, Noah felt the way businessmen usually treated him. It felt like he knew everything about him. It wasn't a good feeling...

"I'm not good at dealing with people like that."

"Ahaha..." Margaret, having fought under the Doctor, naturally knew his worth. Not only was she a commander, she also possessed business acumen, able to secure large orders, reversing Rhodes Island's losses, balancing income and expenses, and even occasionally generating a profit. Furthermore, she was also a formidable scholar of Originium. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the Doctor was Rhodes Island's ultimate weapon.

Even Noah would find it difficult to deal with such an omnipotent person... but it's not unacceptable.

"Let's be clear... Rhodes Island's presence in Casimir is beneficial to us, not harmful. Margaret, you should also be mindful. Although we are on the same side as Rhodes Island, you must not be too intimate with them in public. Your behavior could easily affect the attitude of the traditional Knights. My contact with Rhodes Island is a work requirement, but you must not have too much contact with them casually—understand?" Noya reminded Margaret, feeling a little worried. "Rhodes Island is a commercial presence after all. I'll handle it. You just need to prepare for the competition—what are you going to deal with next?"

"Left Hand, I've seen her match with Maria before. She was injured, but it doesn't look serious. She'll be able to play after some initial treatment." Margaret said. "Speaking of which, I'm also quite interested in Maria's transformable sword and shield. Remember to ask Maria to show it to me when you have time?"

"Come on... Do you know how much it cost to prepare that sword and spear for you?" Noah shook his head helplessly. "Knight competitions are even more expensive than I thought..."

"I'm sorry to bother you with the equipment. I will compensate you well." Margaret said with a smile. Although this compensation meant nothing to Noah, she hoped that Margaret would be safe, so the money spent on equipment was essentially the same as insurance.

"Don't talk about this with me..." Noah sighed, "Also, what about Maria?"

"I asked her about it, and she does want to continue on as a craftsman. It seems she's also realized that her personality isn't suitable for being a knight..."

"It's a good thing she has her own ideas, and it's also good not to be a knight. She wants to do what she likes more than being a knight. Compared to her, we seem a little narrow-minded. I really envy her way of thinking. It seems like she never gets frustrated."

"you're right."

----

Separately, while Margaret and Noa, and Kuro and Rhodes Island, were conferring, Wildmane entered the arena with an infected knight. Before the official tournament began, several capture-the-flag matches would conclude the qualifying rounds. Knights who hadn't yet secured a spot in the official tournament needed to seize this opportunity and score as many points as possible to qualify. Capture-the-flag matches were a free-for-all format, and the closer a player was to the scoring circle, the higher their chances of achieving the final spot.

It is precisely because of this that the closer you are to the scoring circle, the more intense the competition becomes.

As a member of the Red Pine Knights, Wildmane led most of them to escape the attack of the Unheeled Alliance, sparing them heavy losses. After that night, it must be said that Sona seemed to have made her own decision, and the newly joined Knights, Farfang, quickly joined forces with the Red Pine Knights. As a knight who emerged from the sewers, Wildmane truly felt a sense of hope.

Feeling relaxed, she patted the knight's shoulder and said, "Remember this too. Protecting yourself is the most important thing. Don't force yourself."

"I know. When I win the competition, I'll buy you a drink with the prize money."

"Okay, you're the only one in the Red Pine Knights who's willing to drink with me. Sona doesn't even want to drink with me, she's really being distant..." Wild Mane also said with a smile, "Go ahead, believe in yourself. Although Sona's qualification has been revoked, you still have a chance! Come on!"

"I will join the captain in making efforts." The infected knight nodded. The game started soon. There was indeed an opponent worthy of attention in this game.

That is Olmer Ingra, the [Rusty Bronze Knight] who had fought against Maria once. Although he lost, his strength should not be underestimated.

This guy is also what Wildmane is most worried about. He is notoriously brutal towards infected knights. If he targets them, it will not be a good thing for the knight who just got off the field.

However, when the match began, Wildmane noticed that Ingra didn't immediately search for the Infected Knights on the field, but instead moved directly towards the scoring circle. She breathed a sigh of relief, and this was also an opportunity for the Infected Knights on the periphery. While Ingra aroused the vigilance of most of the Knights, he only wanted to rely on his Originium skills to quietly approach the scoring circle, steal points, and avoid fighting.

At first, this tactic was very effective, and he even almost got close to the core circle, but when the battle was nearing its end, his actions were naturally discovered by other knights on the side.

"Infected bastard!" At this moment, before a knight was about to be knocked out of the scoring circle, he actually grabbed his armor tightly, "At least drag you out too!"

"...Tsk." As an infected, the Knights' hostility didn't surprise him, but this time, being distracted meant his plan to sneak into the scoring circle failed. He also had to face the Knights, who had already reacted. He parried their weapons, flexibly adjusting his position using his wind-controlling Originium skills. He tried to approach the core circle again, but this time—it wasn't a Knight who stopped him.

"That's it! Smash this guy's hand!" The audience in the stands were shouting. Although the infected knight himself was unknown, by the end of the battle, he had gradually become the target of venting the anger of those spectators who lost their gamble.

——Oh no.

He had to stop and face the encirclement of these knights with sword in hand.

Chapter 119: The Transformation of the Rusted Bronze Knight

Now there are only five Cavaliers on the court. As long as he can continue to stand on the court, he can score...

But obviously, some people don't want to see this result...

"Give up! You won't be able to enter the inner circle." At this time, a more serious knight said, "You can't take another step forward now."

"Hmph... Why?" He was just one step away from entering the inner circle, but was completely surrounded by three other knights. This actually aroused his resentment. "Why are you ganging up on me? Is it because I'm infected?"

"The fact that the infected can qualify as knights is a mistake in itself! Bastards! Weapons like yours clearly don't have any spellcasting units installed, yet you can use Originium techniques at will—" At this time, another knight spoke up, "Humph, disgusting! The advantage given to you by the Originium in your body will not allow you to win the competition!"

“…Advantage?”

"Sir Ingra, now we have reached the time for the final battle, but I have been injured and probably cannot continue fighting. But compared to me, there is another person here who is more suitable to leave first." There are a total of five knights present now. Except for the Infected Knight and the Rusty Bronze Knight, the strength of the other three is not very different. Strictly speaking, any of these people, even Rusty Bronze himself, as an infected person, may be able to cope with it with his Originium skills.

But if this group of people unite... there will be no room for me to perform.

Especially Rusty Copper, this guy is notoriously cruel to the infected, there is no way he wouldn't participate in the hunt for me... Do you want to give up?

He was still thinking about this... but when the other party said that his use of Originium skills was a so-called [advantage], he tightened his grip on the sword.

"Do you want this advantage?"

He spoke mockingly, "Those who can participate in this competition are merely scum who don't have enough points to enter the official competition! The true knights have already earned enough points. Everyone here is, to put it bluntly, a bunch of losers eager to climb into the official competition. What qualifications do you have to say these words to me? You are so noble, why are you still competing with me for this damn spot?"

"Boy, being sharp-tongued won't improve your chances of winning!" The injured knight didn't want to reason with him anymore. "Get off the stage!"