Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

The white-haired Sakota slowly set down his teacup, his movements possessing an almost ritualistic grace. Andorn's voice was low and gentle, like the bass of a church organ: "Andorn, Captain of the Executioner Squad." He nodded slightly, his aura shimmering softly in the sunlight, blending seamlessly with his silver hair.

"Hello," Noya replied politely, noticing a long, thin scar on Andon's fingertip, as if it had been scratched by a sharp weapon. This detail reminded her of an equally taciturn operator in her own world.

Remnant suddenly clapped her hands. "Ah! Now that we all know each other, why don't we all join us for this afternoon's [Atonement Procession]?" Her aura glowed slightly with excitement. "This is one of the most important events on Yom Kippur."

Mostima stirred the drink in her cup gracefully. "After the parade, there will be the [Confession Fireworks]. It is said that wishes made to the fireworks are particularly effective." She looked at Noah meaningfully, with a faint smile on the corner of her mouth.

Fiammetta sighed heavily. "Here we go again... You Sakota are always like this, using empathy to communicate mid-speech." She scratched her fiery red hair irritably. "During that conversation just now, you used your auras to flash at least three times to transmit information, right?"

"Only twice." Andorn corrected calmly, his eyes lingering on the clasped hands of Noah and Amiya. Noah then realized that Amiya had been gently holding her fingers since just now, and the touch was both warm and unsettling.

The Rutland team had just returned to Rutland and was on vacation. They had just completed their field mission and it was the holiday, so they decided to come out together for team building - which was also a way to keep in touch.

"Speaking of which, did your field mission go smoothly?" Noya asked softly, accepting the snacks Andorn had pushed over. She could see that although the team appeared relaxed on the surface, there was a hint of fatigue in everyone's eyes.

Lemiaoan tucked a strand of pink hair behind her ear, her smile gentle yet cunning: "Thanks to a certain irritable Miss Liberi, we completed the mission three days ahead of schedule."

"Hey!" Fiammetta slammed the table, making the cups and plates clink. "That's obviously because of my tactical arrangement! What does it have to do with temper!" Her red hair exploded like flames, but Noah noticed that when she said this, her eyes unconsciously glanced at Andorn, as if seeking the captain's approval.

Mastema sipped her tea gracefully, her eyes twinkling with mischief beneath her blue hair. "Indeed! If Fiammetta hadn't scolded the entire smuggling gang to their knees and beg for mercy, we wouldn't have gotten the information so quickly."

"Are you praising me? I'm already reflecting on it." Fiammetta was so angry that her teeth were itching, but Noah keenly noticed that although she complained, her body unconsciously leaned towards the team members.

Andorn gently put down his teacup, his long silver hair shimmering softly in the sunlight. "The mission report has been submitted. The Pope is very satisfied with the results." His voice was low and steady, "especially Lemiao's negotiation skills."

"If you consider negotiations involving guns and bullets to be negotiations—" Lemule said with a smile, "then I'm pretty good at blowing my opponent's head off before they even open their mouth."

"Compared to us, Captain, you're the one the Pope values ​​most, right? I heard you'll be promoted to Cardinal next month?" Mostima then spoke up. "How's it going? Are you planning on getting promoted?"

Andorn shook his head, his fingertips stroking the edge of the teacup: "I'm more accustomed to my current job." As he said this, his eyes swept over every team member present, and Noah could feel the tacit understanding that needed no words.

Lemiaoan suddenly leaned close to Noya and lowered her voice, "In fact, Andon has refused the promotion three times. He said..." Her voice suddenly turned into an exaggerated low imitation, "'I can help more people in this position.'"

"Lemuian." Andon called out helplessly, but he had no intention of really stopping her.

Fiammetta snorted. "You two are weird. Even though Remyon was nominated as a cardinal, you're saying things like 'my current teammates are more interesting.'"

"Because it's really interesting~" Lemiaoan poked Fiammetta's puffy cheek with a smile, "For example, every time someone gets angry, they scare their enemies to death."

Mostima suddenly turned to Noah and Amiya: "Speaking of which, do you know? The last mission -"

"Don't say that!" Fiammetta stood up suddenly, the chair making a sharp scraping sound. Her face flushed. "That was a special case!"

Andorn gently pressed Fiammetta's shoulders and asked her to sit down again: "Okay, it's time to get ready for the parade." His movements were so skillful as if he had repeated them countless times. Noah suddenly realized that the relationship between this team was much deeper than what appeared on the surface.

Lemiaoan stretched, her aura gleaming slightly as she moved. "Speaking of which, after the parade, should we go back to our old place? Mostima still hasn't fulfilled the bet he lost to me last time."

"Oh, why did I remember that someone owed me a special drink?" Mostima blinked.

"You two..." Fiammetta sighed, holding her forehead, but Noah saw a smile flash in her eyes.

Andorn stood up, his white uniform spotless in the Rutland sunlight. "It's time to go." He looked at Noah and Amiya. "Want to come together?"

Noya's eyes lit up at Andorn's invitation. Just as she was about to accept, she felt Amiya's fingers tighten. Turning, she saw Amiya gently shake her head, a complex emotion Noya had never seen before flashing in her red eyes.

"Sorry, we may have to..." Before Noah could finish his words, Amiya spoke first: "We have other plans."

Noya looked at Amiya in surprise. In her impression, Amiya would never refuse such an invitation, especially on such an important holiday. She was about to ask, but she noticed that Mostima was looking at Amiya thoughtfully.

"Ah~" Mostima suddenly chuckled, her eyes flashing with a penetrating light under her blue hair, "It seems we have disturbed you two." She stood up gracefully and pulled up the still confused Fiammetta.

"Wait, what's going on?" Fiammetta frowned in confusion, her red hair shaking slightly due to her impatient movements. "Didn't we agree to go together..."

Remian interjected at the right moment, her pink halo flickering as she stood up. "I suddenly remembered that there's still some preparation to do before the parade." She gently patted Fiammetta's shoulder. "Little Fiammetta, can you help me get the flag for the parade?"

"Again? What are you Sakotas talking about?" Fiameta complained, but Mostima still half-pushed, half-pulled her away from her seat. Before leaving, Mostima turned back and winked at Amiya, a wink that carried a tacit understanding only they could understand.

Andorn was the last to stand, his white uniform spotless in the sunlight. His deep gaze lingered for a moment between Noah and Amiya, and finally, he nodded slightly. "I wish you a happy Yom Kippur." His voice was like the tolling of a church bell, deep and solemn.

After watching the Rutland team leave, Noah turned to Amiya. "Are you okay?" she asked softly, her eyes fixed on Amiya's hand, which was still tightly clasped. "You wouldn't normally refuse an invitation like this."

Amiya took a deep breath and released Noya's hand. Parade music could be heard faintly in the distance, its cheerful melody a stark contrast to the sudden silence between them. "I just... need some time," Amiya finally said, her voice so soft it was almost drowned out by the clamor of the celebration.

The path flanked the distinctive whitewashed buildings of Lateran, their walls covered in blooming vines. Far from the hustle and bustle of the celebration, only a few hurried citizens passed by. Amiya's pace gradually slowed, finally stopping in front of a small fountain.

The gentle sound of the fountain filled the silence between them. Amiya's fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of her windbreaker, causing the dark blue fabric to wrinkle at her fingertips. Noah could sense the girl's breathing becoming irregular, a stark contrast to the usually calm Amiya.

"Are you okay?" Noya asked softly, her voice almost drowned out by the cheerful music of the distant parade. She carefully observed Amiya's profile. Her black eyes were lowered, and her long eyelashes cast a fine shadow on her cheek.

Amiya took a deep breath, and the cool touch of the fountain's water splashed on the back of her hand, calming her down a little. She knew her behavior was abnormal, but the urge to monopolize Noya was so strong that she rejected Andorn's invitation without thinking.

"I just..." Amiya's voice was as light as a feather, "I want to be alone with you for a while."

Noya blinked, surprised by the simplicity of the answer. She looked at the tips of Amiya's ears, which had turned slightly red, and suddenly realized something. In all the adventures they'd shared, there had rarely been moments of pure leisure like this—no quests, no crises, just the warm sunshine of Rutland and the joyful festive atmosphere.

"Because today is Yom Kippur?" Noah asked tentatively.

Amiya shook her head, her purple hair swaying gently with her movements. "Because... it's safe here." She finally raised her head, her red eyes gleaming with a fragility Noah had never seen before. "We can... just the two of us."

In the distance, cheers echoed from the parade, streamers and balloons dancing in the blue sky. But in this quiet corner by the fountain, time seemed to stand still. Noya suddenly understood what Amiya meant—in their world, peace was such a luxury. And now, in this unfamiliar Rutland, they could finally put everything aside for a moment and just be two ordinary girls.

Noah reached out and gently took Amiya's hand, feeling the slight tremor in her fingertips. "You know," she said with a smile, "I was just thinking about buying you that sugar-free ice cream."

Amiya was stunned for a moment, then she chuckled, and her tense shoulders finally relaxed.

The water droplets from the fountain shone in the sunlight, creating a rainbow of colors. Amiya quietly leaned closer to Noya, their shoulders gently touching. She remembered Mastema's meaningful wink as he left, and her face flushed. The all-seeing Sakota had probably seen through her thoughts from the beginning.

"Actually..." Amiya hesitated for a moment, but decided to confess, "I just want to go on a date with you like an ordinary couple." After saying this, her face was as red as the candy apples sold on the street in Rutland.

Noah's heart skipped a beat... She realized this wasn't her own consciousness, or rather, she still didn't consider the girl before her her lover. After all, hidden within this body was just a traveler experiencing these memories, but the feeling belonged to this body. In other words... Noah Kyrielight in this world was deeply moved. They had no time to consider these private thoughts. Amiya's confession was so straightforward and endearing that Noah couldn't help but want to tease her.

"So this is why you refused to attend the parade?" Noah asked seriously. "Because you wanted to date me?"

Amiya's face turned even redder, and she nodded awkwardly, like a child who had done something wrong. "Isn't that... too selfish?"

Noah suddenly reached out and cupped Amiya's face. As she stared at him in surprise, he knelt down and gently kissed her forehead. "No," she said softly, "this is the best Yom Kippur gift I've ever received."

In the distance, a parade passed through the central square, joyful music and laughter drifting on the wind. But in the small space beside the fountain, the two girls shared a quiet moment more precious than any celebration. Amiya finally relaxed, leaning against Noya's shoulder, closing her eyes and listening to the sound of the fountain and their respective heartbeats.

"So... where are we going now?" Noah asked softly, combing Amiya's hair with his fingers.

Amiya opened her eyes and a satisfied smile appeared on her lips. "Anywhere..."

Chapter 65: Kiss

Colorful lanterns swayed along the streets, painting the white buildings of Rutland a dreamy hue. Noah held Amiya's hand as they walked through the crowd, the girl's fingertips warming her palm. Amiya's ponytail swayed gently with her steps, occasionally brushing Noah's arm like two restless butterflies.

"Want some candy apples?" Noya pointed at the roadside stall. The glistening candy coating shimmered alluringly under the light. She could feel Amiya's fingers suddenly tighten, and the tips of the girl's ears flushed a familiar pink.

Amiya stared at the tip of her boots: "Okay..."

Noah smiled and took out a coin: "Boss, please give me one." When the vendor handed over the candy made of apple wrapped in red rock sugar, Noah gently pressed it on Amiya's slightly open lips.

"Try it?" Noah rubbed his thumb across Amiya's lower lip, feeling the girl's rapid breathing. Amiya took a small bite quickly, like a frightened little animal. The crisp sound of the candy breaking was drowned out by the laughter around her.

Far away, on the terrace of the Bishop's Palace, the Pope was stabbing a piece of cactus tart with a silver fork. "I told you to keep the fiber," he said, shaking his long white beard. "This pureeing completely ruins the taste."

The Gunnery Commander put down his teacup with a blank expression—in fact, his expression couldn't be seen through his armor. "You said last time that fruit puree is easier to digest."

"That's because—" The Pope's words were interrupted by the shrill roar of the first firework. The moment the rainbow of light burst into the night sky, Noah felt his shoulders sink. Amiya had already leaned in, and the faint scent of shampoo wafted from the top of her hair.

A golden firework exploded, transforming into countless points of light that fell. In the flickering light, Noah saw that the girl's eyes reflected not only the firework, but also his own blurry reflection.

Amiya quietly wrapped her arms around Noah's waist, feeling the tense muscles beneath the fabric of her uniform gradually relax. As a cluster of heart-shaped fireworks exploded overhead, Noah didn't push Amiya away. It was as if his body had grown accustomed to Amiya's touch. The two of them stayed together quietly, embracing each other in the crowd.

"I... I have something to say..." Amiya's voice was drowned out by the roar of a new round of fireworks. She stamped her feet anxiously, suddenly tugging on Noya's tie and forcing her to bend over, her warm breath pounding against her ear. "I like it..."

Meanwhile, the Pope was stuffing the last piece of cactus tart into his mouth. "Young people," he said, gazing at the figures hugging in the crowd in the distance, powdered sugar glistening on his beard, "are like fireworks. Burn as much as you can when it's time to burn."

The cavalry commander followed his gaze and said, "We need to send someone..."

"No need," the Pope smiled and waved his hand, "Let them enjoy their youth." He picked up another piece of dessert, "Then again, this tart crust is indeed baked well..."

Colorful fireworks exploded in the night sky, painting the white buildings of Rutland like flowing neon. Lemiaoan leaned against a pillar at the edge of the square, a pink halo flickering faintly as Noah and Amiya embraced in the distance. She pressed the communicator to her ear and lowered her voice to a whisper, "I say, do we really need to monitor them like this? They look like a normal couple."

At a stall thirty meters away, Mostima pretended to select candy, but his gaze penetrated the crowd and locked onto Amiya. "Andorn, everything is normal. I didn't see anything...suspicious."

"Roger that," Andorn's voice came over the communicator, as calm as if he were reporting the weather. He stood in front of the French window on the second floor of the Bishop's Hall, his fingertips unconsciously caressing the rim of his teacup. From this angle, he could overlook the entire square, and Noah and Amiya stood out among the crowd.

Fiammetta kicked the stone at her feet, her red hair flaring like a fiery flame under the neon lights. "This is so boring!" she complained to her sleeve. "We just got back from a field mission... and now we have to watch two little girls go on a date?" She saw Amiya suddenly tug at Noah's tie and frowned unconsciously. "Wait, are they going to—"

"Watch your wording, Fiammetta." Andorn's voice was somewhat helpless. "This is an observation mission ordered by the Cardinal himself."

"They're moving towards the clock tower!" Lemiaoan continued to report, his fingers unconsciously twirling the ends of his hair. "Oh my god, Noah just kissed Amiya on the forehead. How cute... Should we record this?"

Fiammetta scratched her hair irritably. "So what are we worried about? That they'll contaminate the holy air by kissing on Yom Kippur?"

"It's a risk assessment." Andorn's voice remained steady. "Noa Kyrielight's performance when Chernobog and Longmen collided was 'dangerous', and the one next to her..."

His words abruptly stopped. Cheers erupted from the clock tower, and a giant heart-shaped firework exploded in the night sky, shrouding the two embracing people in a pink halo. Amiya's silhouette, standing on tiptoe, was clearly projected onto the clock tower's outer wall. Noah's silhouette, bowing her head in response, made Lemiao unconsciously cover her mouth.

"Record: 21:47, first clear lip contact between the targets." Mastema's voice was rarely filled with laughter. "Duration... Oh, it seems our little Fifi needs emergency treatment?"

Fiammetta blushed and ripped open his collar. "I've had enough! This kind of mission is simply—"

Andorn put down his teacup, his slightly furrowed brow reflected in the glass window. "Fiammetta, we just need to carry out the mission. Don't bring personal emotions into the mission."

Lemiaoan looked at the two girls whispering under the fireworks, and her tone softened unconsciously. "But Captain," she said softly, "they just look... happy."

The bell tolled nine times, and the repentance fireworks reached their climax. Angel wings, composed of countless points of light, spread across the night sky, and Noah and Amiya were gradually lost in the crowd.

Andon did not continue to order the team to follow, but just asked Lemion to stand on a high point and observe the situation with a telescope. This was the Day of Redemption, which should be the happiest festival in Lateran. Although they were carrying firearms, no one was willing to shoot at this time.

They just need to perform their duties.

The marble corridor echoed with the sound of Andorn's steady footsteps. His white uniform looked particularly solemn in the evening light. He stopped in front of the oak door with an angel relief and gently adjusted his collar.

"Come in." A low female voice came from inside the door.

The cardinal's office was simpler than expected, the only eye-catching feature being the massive Lateran crest on the wall. A purple-haired woman stood before the French window, her back to Andorn. She didn't turn around, simply tapping the window frame with her fingertips.

"Report the situation."

Andorn stood straight, his voice expressionless. "The two targets behaved normally, showing no signs of threat. They had close contact at 9:47 PM, lasting approximately five seconds. They then headed towards the clock tower and displayed no further suspicious behavior."

Valerie finally turned around, a smile in her purple eyes. "Do you think our surveillance is unnecessary?"

"With all due respect, Cardinal." Andorn's fingertips unconsciously rubbed the buttons on his cuffs, "They look like an ordinary couple."

"Ordinary?" Valerie shook her head. "An ordinary girl can't kill three inner guards single-handedly—"

Andorn frowned slightly. Three inner guards? The strength of the Ursus inner guards was well known, but how could Noa Kyrielight, a seemingly gentle girl, possess such power?

"If it were just that, we certainly wouldn't target these two little girls like this, but Andorn, what do you think is the reason why Lateran can stand tall on Terra and become a paradise on earth?" Velvet asked. Andorn frowned and spoke.

"Because we abide by the precepts, respect the rules, and understand each other..."

"These are what's in the textbooks, but the real reason is..." Willif pointed to her head, "because of this."

"...Aura? No...you mean? Empathy?"

"That's right." Vallif nodded. "Empathy connects us, making it rare for us to have disagreements. We can understand each other, which is something the Terran nations will never be able to do in their lifetimes. Therefore, we are able to unite. But, Noa Kyrielight, what do you think is her purpose in coming to Lateran?"

"So far... it's still not very clear." Andorn shook his head.

"If she had just come to Rutland, we might have extended an olive branch and tried to recruit her—but this time she came to Rutland with someone, Kel'tsit."

Valerie said the name with a smile, but the meaning behind the name was not something that would make people laugh out loud.

"Kel'tsit, the guardian of civilization, the immortal, the initiator of the war that destroyed Kazdel and the subsequent series of turmoil. Her appearance with Noah Kyrielight has a completely different meaning."

"...I don't understand. Even if this Watcher and Noah appear together in Lateran...what kind of threat will that pose to Lateran? Will it even undermine Lateran's status as a paradise on earth?"

"Because she knows our true nature," Vallif responded, her expression serious for the first time. "Andorn, you haven't agreed to the promotion to Cardinal yet, right? Then I can't say much. Only when you reach that position can I tell you everything. You'll understand why we need to be wary of Kal'tsit."

-

Meanwhile, in the side hall of the Lateran Cathedral, Kel'tsit stood before an ancient mural depicting a battle between the Sakotar and the Sarkaz, its colors already mottled.

"You're still the same, gazing at these antiques." A husky female voice came from behind. Outcast leaned against the doorframe, her short silver hair gleaming in the candlelight. Although she was over sixty, her upright posture and piercing eyes made her look much younger than her actual age.

"I thought you would show up earlier." Kal'tsit said without turning back.

Outcast chuckled and walked over to Kal'tsit. "The Pope sent me to warn you, old friend. What you're looking for is too dangerous."

Kel'tsit finally turned around, a sharp glint in her green eyes. "Danger? I'm only here to seek a new solution."

"The solution?" Outcast shook his head. "You know what Lateran is built on. If that secret is revealed, the entire city will collapse."

The two of them fell silent, only the candlelight casting flickering shadows on the murals. In the distance came the final bell toll of Yom Kippur, deep and long.

"You've changed, Kal'tsit." Outcast said suddenly, "You wouldn't have taken risks like this before."

Kel'tsit's fingers gently stroked the angel's wings on the mural. "People always change. This time, I brought two children with me. I believe they may be Terra's future hope."

The candlelight cast mottled shadows on the ancient murals, and Outcast's short, silvery hair shone softly in the dim light. She sighed softly, her fingers unconsciously stroking the grip of the gun at her waist.