Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

"Hello, Knight Yao, nice to meet you. My name is Viviana Droste, and I'm your opponent in your next match." Viviana found the opportunity to speak to Margaret. Noah sat between them. She hadn't spoken before due to time constraints. Now, hesitantly, she said, "I'm also a fan."

"Hello, Miss Droste." Margaret glanced at Noah and spoke after she nodded slightly, "Thank you for your support."

The Candle Knight, Viviana Droste, was indeed another legendary knight after Margaret's departure. He was also the youngest contestant in the entire official knight competition and a knight from Leithania. Margaret had certainly heard of this knight who was second only to herself in popularity, and who was also the holder of the single-word knight title who almost reached the pinnacle of competitive knights in his first competition.

"I'm sorry, I haven't been back to Casimir long, so I don't know that much about you."

"Do you think I will be angry because you don't know me?" Viviana blinked her eyes. Obviously, she was not angry. Instead, she found Margaret's words very interesting.

"I can see that you're different." Margaret smiled gracefully. "And Noah has also told me about you, but we've never met. I'm very happy to match the Candle Knight with a face."

"Thank you for the compliment." Viviana's lips curled up. "I'm also very happy to meet such a Brilliant Knight."

"I'm honored." Margaret nodded. Noah, who was sandwiched between the two of them, had a subtle feeling as if she was watching the meeting of the hero and heroine in a classical knight novel. These overly polite words were completely different from the style of the two people when they usually spoke to her.

"Margaret, Viviana is your fan, so she really wants to be friends with you—" So, she could only take the initiative to speak, "Viviana, Margaret is actually very easy to get along with. There's no need to be so cautious."

Chapter 135: Little Thoughts

Noah spoke for a simple reason. If these two continued to procrastinate like this, by the time the car arrived, they would probably only be acquaintances.

As a close friend of both, Noah was very happy to help them get together. After all, both Viviana and Margaret were people she considered to be the best. Wouldn't it be better if two good people had a good relationship?

And Noah also has her own little thoughts. Others may not know, but doesn’t she know that Margaret is not actually infected with oripathy?

Although Kuro told himself to believe in miracles, believing in miracles and preparing for the afterlife are two different things. People always have to find a place to sleep peacefully. Some people just have a small pit, some people have expensive coffins, some people have sliding lids, some people have flip-top lids, some people are willing to be burned to ashes and carried to various places by the wind, and some people want to return to the sea.

Everyone has their own perspective on death, and talking about it isn't sad at all. Just like Noah wanted to be with his loved ones, so he wanted to be buried in the public cemetery in Casimir.

But there is probably no way around it. After all, the infected cannot choose how they die - the only outcome for the infected is to be processed and then incinerated.

Although it's a pity, she doesn't hate cremation.

Noah is destined not to be able to accompany Margaret for too long, so of course she has to be prepared, at least so that these people won't be too sad when they think of her, right?

So she took the initiative to close the gap between them, even acting as a kind of mediator. Seeing that they were gradually becoming more engaged in conversation, she quietly withdrew from the topic. Although she remained between them, her attention gradually shifted to the sounds of the city. Although there was the murmur of traffic, she didn't mind it. Her reaction last night was indeed a bit excessive. Her anxiety seemed to be lurking beneath her calm exterior. Aside from the topic of her parents, few things could make her lose control so much.

Fortunately, Margaret was by my side at the time, otherwise I don’t know what I would have done.

I even wanted to sell my soul to the Witch King... Now that I think about it, it's really ridiculous. I was still overwhelmed and not very clear-headed.

She subconsciously touched the Originium crystal cluster on her wrist, but her expression was calm. She needed to learn to live in peace with it.

After all, she has gotten used to it. This is her attitude towards fate. She has to fight it or live in peace with it.

-

The car stopped in front of Noah's villa. Viviana, Noah's close friend, often stayed there. After the Linguang family moved in, Noah felt that his little house had gained a bit of popularity. As Margaret hugged Maria, who was coming towards them, she fell behind the crowd and whispered to Noah, "Is Knight Yao living with you?"

"Well, her family's property is almost sold out—and they refuse my help, so I have no choice but to bring them over to live here." Noah nodded as a matter of course. "But I also lived with Lin Guang when I was a child, so I don't really mind."

"When you were a child?" This was the first time Viviana heard about Noya's childhood. "Why did you live in Lin Guang's house?"

"My grandfather was seriously ill, and my aunt married the head of the Lin Guang family. So I followed him here—" Noah explained, "To be precise, after my parents left, there was no one at home who could take care of me, so I went to the Lin Guang family."

"...Is that so," Viviana was a little uneasy, thinking that she had stepped on a landmine, but Noah noticed it first and shook his head.

"I don't mind. These are all facts." Noah said with a smile, "It's just that you didn't ask before, and I didn't think of mentioning it. Don't feel like you said something wrong because of this kind of thing."

"Um...I thought you didn't want to mention your parents."

"Hmm... not really." Noah shook his head. "The reason I don't often mention it is because I basically don't have any impression of being with my parents anymore. I don't mean to be shy about it."

"...I'd better not say anything." Viviana found herself suddenly turned into an expert in mine sweeping. What she said triggered minefields continuously. Even if Noah said she didn't care, she felt that she probably wouldn't be able to sleep at night.

This situation is to the point where I want to slap myself when I think about it at night.

"Okay, okay, be good~" Noah found it funny and reached out to touch Viviana's head, who lowered her head. "If I say I don't mind, then I really don't mind. I rarely lie."

"Even if you really don't mind, I still think I can't tell you..." Viviana sighed, "Forget it, I'll just have to be more careful next time."

"Hey, Viviana, how about you tell me some of the things you're not allowed to say next time? We can keep an eye on each other from now on?" Noah said with a smile, "It's a matter of reciprocity. As long as I step on a landmine myself, you won't feel bad about stepping on my landmine."

"There's no such thing as reciprocity." Viviana rolled her eyes, but she also felt that the interruption had eased the heaviness in her heart a little. "Then... what about the Radiant Knight?"

"She's in the same boat as me..." Noah smiled easily, "But she doesn't mind it, so don't worry."

"That's right..." Viviana tilted her head. She couldn't imagine Margaret being angry. She always seemed so proper, like the embodiment of a truly perfect knight. Sometimes Viviana wondered if such a perfect knight really existed. But in reality, the Radiant Knight was still a human being, one who could feel sad and lost. But she preferred this Radiant Knight to the shimmering statue.

"Alright, alright. I'll let you chat with Margaret later. I have something to discuss with the Doctor, so let's talk separately." Noah clapped his hands, as if he had come up with a good idea. "Also, Margaret dotes on her sister. You can use her sister as a topic. Just talk to her about Maria and she'll be happy."

"...Oh." Viviana looked at Noah and thought to herself that if she chatted with the Knight of Glory, the topic would definitely not be able to avoid Noah herself.

Of course, Noah herself definitely doesn't know, but Viviana will definitely not say it out loud.

But when she saw Noah's thoughtful look, she couldn't help but smile. Although I was happy to meet Knight Yao, I was even happier to be with you.

This matter...she absolutely couldn't bring herself to say it.

Chapter 136: Plot Zero

Rhodes Island was a third-party force introduced to Casimir by the Supervisory Commission at the recommendation of Noah.

Rhodes Island is a medical enterprise specially prepared to accommodate and treat Casimir infected people. In other words, Rhodes Island is here to save people.

When Noya learned of Casimir's plan to establish a quarantine zone to centralize and manage the infected, she protested. But her protests were ignored. The fact that these people had presented such a plan directly to her made it clear they didn't believe Noya could resist it, and the plan itself might even have been approved by the CSRC.

The area where the infected are centrally managed is called Plot Zero, and within the Chamber of Commerce, it is also called Zone Zero.

This name actually reveals the nature of the so-called Parcel Zero containment facility. It appears to be a facility designed to isolate infected individuals from the rest of the population, but in reality, it deprives the infected of all social status, confining them and domesticating them. While it may appear that infected individuals entering Parcel Zero receive treatment and placement, this area also completely isolates them.

Is isolation a good thing? In a sense, it is. However, unlike other infectious diseases, isolation alone cannot prevent the emergence of new cases. The root cause of oripathy is Terra's industry, which is built on the foundation of the Originium industry. It's like pneumoconiosis or lumbar muscle strain caused by prolonged sitting at a desk. It's not the virus that keeps it coming back, but Terra's industry.

You should know that it is almost impossible for patients with oripathy to be infected as long as they are treated in a normal way.

Because the mineralogy transmitted by mineralogy patients is less than one percent of the mineralogy caused by industrial pollution!

If the root cause cannot be resolved, this behavior is meaningless and is an act that ignores human nature.

For the sake of Casimir's stability, this group intends to sacrifice some of their own people. This is the purpose of Plot Zero, a quarantine zone.

(A word of warning: Oripathy is incurable and extremely difficult to spread from infected individuals, so it's completely different from real-world infectious diseases. Real-world quarantines can prevent widespread viral spread, but Site Zero can't. To make the connection is both foolish and evil. To draw a parallel, Site Zero is like Gaza in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, or the alien colony in the movie District 9.)

Not to mention that the oripathy has not yet been completely cured, but as long as this quarantine zone is established, there will be a physical wall between ordinary people and the infected. As an infected person, as a former apprentice knight, and as the head of Kirielight, Noah could not sit idly by, so she allowed Rhodes Island to join in after her protests were ineffective. Now, she is explaining the issue of Plot Zero to the Doctor.

In fact, every city and every country has its own way of dealing with the infected, such as the slums of Lungmen or the mines of Ursus. These are essentially a form of persecution. Originally, the lower city of Casimir was the area that took on this responsibility, but after the Blood Knights modified the system to allow infected knights to enter the knight competition, more and more infected knights appeared in the public eye.

The infected have a strong tendency to stick together, so there are only two possible scenarios. One is that the infected directly form a group and the Business Federation collapses, causing huge economic losses and further deteriorating the reputation of the infected. The other is that Plot Zero operates normally, completely depriving the infected of their legitimate presence in normal society.

No matter what the situation is, Noah cannot remain indifferent.

That's why she took the initiative to talk to the doctor in private. Apart from Amiya, she was only accompanied by Kuro, which made it convenient for her to add to her story and also showed her sincerity.

And this time it is rare that the doctor does not have that war knight by his side - his name should be Li, right?

If Li was there, Noah would have to find another opportunity. After all, Li represented the attitude of the Supervisory Commission, and in the current situation, Noah couldn't guarantee whether the Supervisory Commission was an enemy or a friend.

"The infected have been a thorn in the side of the Chamber of Commerce and the various nobles. I understand Rhodes Island might be hesitant, but I have no choice but to ask for your help," Noa said frankly. "Of course, if Rhodes Island doesn't want to participate, I will never do anything to Rhodes Island. You saved my life, and I will always remember it. But I hope you can keep it a secret for me, Doctor."

"...Plot Zero, the infected concentration camp..." Amiya's reaction was much more intense than the doctor's. "Why did it come to this? Didn't Casimir already acknowledge the infected knight? I thought..."

"Casimir's attitude towards the infected is indeed gentler than Ursus's... but it's definitely not kind," Noa said. "I'm also an infected person, so I have the position and motivation to prevent this outcome. I just want to know what Rhodes Island's opinions are."

"Can I understand that you are forcing me to express my opinion?"

"PhD!"

"You can understand it that way." Although Amiya wanted to stop the doctor from saying such hurtful words, Noah didn't want to deceive Amiya and the doctor, so he nodded. "I must know whether Rhodes Island will choose to stand on my side in this situation."

"Considering the fact that, Miss Noya, as the spokesperson for the Chamber of Commerce, you're actually a vested interest, I find it hard to believe you... or rather, it's hard to agree with your stance as a sympathizer of the infected. After all, even if Plot Zero was established, it actually has nothing to do with the wealthy and powerful spokesperson Noya. No one would ask you to go to Plot Zero. You've already been accepted by the Chamber of Commerce. As long as you act according to their wishes, you won't have any problems."

"You're right." Noah nodded in agreement. "That's true. I won't be troubled at all."

"Then Miss Noah, why should I believe you're not fishing?" the doctor asked with a smile. "If you're just planning to create a sympathetic persona for the infected in order to catch Rhodes Island's fish, then this is a very bad situation for us."

"Doctor! Miss Noah!" Amiya was anxious. Why were these two people so tense? "Why are you so suspicious of each other?"

"Amiya, it's okay. I was just about to say this." Noah took a deep breath and then spoke, "...My plan is..."

Chapter 137: Enlightenment

Even though he had been mentally prepared, the doctor fell silent after hearing what Noah said.

And this was not just verbal talk. Noah took out a recorder and placed all the information and agreements in front of Rhodes Island. The doctor knew clearly what the consequences would be once these contents were released.

Indeed, Noah gave all the sincerity he could to Rhodes Island. After Noah explained the content and information of these things in detail, not to mention Amiya, even the doctor himself was shocked by Noah's boldness and decisiveness.

"Well... honestly, I never thought you'd bet so big." The doctor frowned. More importantly, just now, Noya's heart had been completely open to her. This meant that the girl before him was telling the truth, truly intending to do this. Although the consequences of doing so would likely lead to her ruin and even expulsion, she still gave her all to Rhodes Island.

All we want is a promise from Rhodes Island.

As a doctor from Rhodes Island, she had only one answer.

"Rhodes Island will be your friend, Noah Kyrielight."

-

After Noah excused herself and left, the deeply shocked Amiya looked at the doctor with a complicated expression. However, the doctor also knew that he had gone a little too far.

But she had to do this. Even though she knew the other party wasn't lying, she still had to understand the price they would pay for these things. It was just that the other party's determination had caught her off guard. However, this attitude also had an advantage: the more she did so, the stronger Noah's trust in them became. Only then did the Doctor understand the meaning of Kal'tsit's words to her before they set out.

Noah's physical problems are secondary. The most important thing is her mental state - she has a strong tendency to self-destruct.

The doctor subconsciously looked at the box he brought. Originally, the contents of the box were the new special medicine he intended for Noah to take, but he missed the opportunity to send it out.

Alas... at this moment, she suddenly regretted putting on that look.

But who would have thought... that she was just a girl who had barely reached adulthood, yet she had already made such preparations.

In her hand was a confidentiality agreement, originally signed between the old patriarch of Kirilet and Rhodes Island. The agreement specifically stipulated that details regarding Noah's treatment at Rhodes Island and her condition be withheld. Now, the agreement was in Rhodes Island's hands. In other words, Rhodes Island could tear up the agreement at any time, and could also spread the news of Noah's condition at any time.

If these were just appetizers, Rhodes Island also received a...test report from Noah. That test report was once used by the Chamber of Commerce to slander Margaret Linguang. Now, this test report and the original test report are in Rhodes Island's hands, and the data in the two test reports are exactly the same.

The test report originally used to expel Margaret Linguang was modified from Noah's test report.

If this fact is exposed, not only will the Business Union not let Noah go, but even the fans of the Radiant Knight will never let Noah go.

Those people didn't care whether Noah knew about it or not, nor did they care why this report ended up in Rhodes Island's hands. However, the spokesperson of the Chamber of Commerce falsified the report and transferred the fact that he was infected to Glory Knight.

Oh my God... Just by imagining it, the doctor already knew what kind of explosion would result.

No matter what, Noah's reputation will definitely be ruined.

After handing these over to Rhodes Island, Noah specifically stated that Margaret Linguang must not be informed of this matter. This was also a clause in the agreement. Since these things had been handed over to her, any further hesitation or hesitation from the Doctor would be an insult to her consciousness. So, the Doctor simply nodded and agreed to the contract.

The doctor smiled bitterly and shook his head. "Is she really just a child who has just come of age?"

"...Doctor..." Amiya's ears drooped. "I don't like this plan..."

"This is the final resort, Amiya. We have to find a way to turn the table." The doctor didn't want to carry out this plan, but she understood that since the other party had given these to her, then how to use them... was her decision.

If this is really done, it will undoubtedly be a powerful stab in the back to the Chamber of Commerce.

Not to mention Plot Zero, if the forgery of the Glory Knight's medical records were exposed, the families of the War Knights who had been cared for by the old Pegasus would not have died out yet. No one knew what the angry Pegasus would do.

This plan was based on the immense popularity of the Glory Knights and the most untouchable foundation of Casimir. The return of the Glory Knight Lin Guang to Casimir would represent the attitude of the War Knights. If the War Knights who already supported Margaret Lin Guang knew the details of the incident...

The Chamber of Commerce is really going to be in trouble...

Therefore, this agreement seems so heavy, even the knowledgeable doctors feel it is extremely heavy.

-

"I don't like this plan."

At this time, Kuro, who was pushing Noah's wheelchair, also spoke, and her words were exactly the same as Amiya's.

"I know."

"If you knew that, why did you do it?"

"...Because I want Margaret to succeed," Noah said. "I'm blind and lame. I'll never become a knight, nor can I restore the spirit of chivalry in Casimir like Margaret did. No one wants to shout honor behind a blind and lame man."

"how about you?"

"I'm not important."

"I think you're important."

"Thank you." Noah smiled and nodded, "But I don't think I'm important."