Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

Chapter 2: Noah's Faith

"Oh - is this the residence that Boss Yin arranged for me?" Weiss, or the messenger, brought Noah to a house. There was a stove in the house, which was already burning. The room was warm, and there should be floor heating, which even made Noah feel a little hot.

"Yes, according to the master's instructions, all your expenses in Kjerag, including accommodation, will be covered by Kalan Trade. You are our honored guest, and we cannot expect you to be disappointed," Weiss said with a smile. "Speaking of which, the second young lady will be back soon, so if you stay a few days longer, you should be able to see her again."

"Ya Xin is coming back too? That's perfect. I haven't seen her in a long time." Noah said with a smile, "But is it okay for me to stay here as long as I want? Isn't it a bit too expensive?"

"Don't worry, we're guests. How can we possibly let them spend money?" Weiss quickly persuaded. "If the master knew I didn't treat you well, I'd definitely get a scolding when I get back."

"Alright then, thank Boss Silver for me." Noah's way of addressing SilverAsh was actually quite tricky. It was mainly because SilverAsh's real name was too long, just like Dekaeopolis, and it was too troublesome to say normally. But constantly calling him by that name also felt a bit strange. In the end, Noah came to the conclusion that calling him Boss Silver was a perfect match for his personality. The character design, reminiscent of the domineering CEO in the female novels he read, was a perfect fit for the name. "I'll put my luggage down first, and then I'll go out for a walk. Weiss... are you staying here too?"

"If you mind, I can live next door." Weiss said, "The areas around here are all owned by the master, so you can live wherever you want."

"Oh~" Noah didn't have any requirements for where to live, but since Weiss said so, it was true that if Weiss lived here, he would always feel a little restrained, and it would be best to have some private space.

Then she asked a question somewhat awkwardly.

"Also...how is the soundproofing in this room?"

"...?"

"Don't get me wrong, I'm just asking." Noah waved his hand quickly, "It's not what you think..."

"...Not bad." Weiss subconsciously glanced at Kuro, who was standing silently behind Noya, then looked at Noya's slightly red cheeks, as if she had thought of something, "Don't worry."

"...You're definitely overthinking things, but never mind." Noya sighed. No one would believe her if she said it was a massage, and if someone overheard her, she wouldn't be able to explain herself. But there was really no way around this kind of thing. She could only ask about the soundproofing. It was a misunderstanding, so what? Those who are innocent are innocent. A person with integrity fears no criticism. She coughed twice, "Tora, you..."

Before Noya could give any instructions, Tora stood up and walked out of the room.

"...Brother Weiss, please do me a favor and don't let him sleep under a bridge...at least find him a place with a roof."

Noya sighed helplessly. She knew this would happen. Tora was a man who didn't listen to anyone. If she hadn't warned Weiss, he might have just found a place to stay on the street. Casimir was out of the question, but this was Kjerag... Noya was worried he'd be buried in the snow.

I guess you can’t be killed by freezing... probably.

But no matter what, I can't ignore him. After all, if I really count him as a family member... he should be considered a distant cousin.

"I understand. I'll make the arrangements." Weiss nodded, agreeing. "Well, you can rest for a while. I'll bring the food over shortly."

"Well, you've worked hard, Weiss." Noya finally felt relieved. With Weiss around, Tora should at least be able to live a more humane life. When she and Kuro were the only ones left in the room, she suddenly turned into a puddle of Noya. Don't ask why. Just try sitting in a car for that long. She was really shaken off. Terra was in the wilderness, so naturally, there were no roads built, only dirt roads, not to mention how bumpy they were.

For Noah, who was traveling for the first time, this experience was like being in prison.

No, maybe going to jail would be better than this.

So Noah at least kept up her face in front of others, but now there is no need for that, she just acted like a loser.

After leaving Casimir, Noya's repressed nature could finally be released, and he no longer had to act so politely. Kuro, knowing Noya's true nature, didn't say much. He simply walked over, picked Noya up, and laid him on the soft sofa. "Lie down if you're tired. I'll call you if anything happens."

"Hey, I need to write a letter first... It's a pity Kjerag doesn't have internet access, otherwise I could just print it out on a portable printer." Noya shrugged. "I also need to buy some souvenirs. I heard the Yelagund here is very effective. I'll ask Maria for a few amulets. Maybe they'll work."

"Do you really believe there are gods here?" Kuro asked curiously, "This doesn't seem like you."

"There are gods above us, and they don't cost any money, so why not believe in them at least? I've always felt that when people believe in gods, they're not believing in the gods themselves, but in what they represent. Just like Margaret believed in knights, but she didn't blindly follow the so-called Knights' Association. She wanted to be the knight she wanted in her own mind. I think this is the most correct belief. You should use this to discipline yourself, rather than letting the gods discipline you."

Noah squirmed on the sofa as he spoke. "It's like buying amulets and souvenirs. Essentially, it's a token of your heart. It's not the power of the gods that helps you ward off disasters, it's the kindness of others. Isn't it valuable to think that way?"

"Well...if gods really exist, you will definitely be blacklisted, Noah."

"Hehe, if there really is one—" Noah finally found a comfortable position. Just as he was about to lie down for a while, he heard a knock on the door. Noah immediately supported himself with both hands, adjusted his sitting position as much as possible, and tidied his hair before coughing, "Come in."

No matter how many times he saw this scene of Noya, Kuro found it funny.

"Excuse me," and the person knocking on the door walked into the room. The person had a very gentle voice, and for some reason, an aura that made Noah feel subconsciously uneasy.

"you are?"

"Nice to meet you. My name is Ya'er, and I'm the Saint's attendant. I'm here because the Saint wishes to meet Miss Noya." The visitor's gaze fell on Noya. She was surprised to find that her emotional perception ability was ineffective on the woman in front of her. She had only experienced this with the Doctor. Seeing that Noya didn't respond immediately, she quickly added, "Of course, Miss Noya can decide the meeting time herself. After all, this isn't a formal meeting; it's just a spur-of-the-moment decision from the Saint."

"...Saint?" Noah tilted her head. Why would the Saint want to see her?

"Yes, the Saint is the Saint of Shelagh and also—the sister of Master Enthiodis, in other words, the eldest daughter of the Shivaash family." Yaer said with a smile. "I heard that you have a good relationship with Miss Enthia. Perhaps she is curious about who you are?"

"...Oh, so you're Yaxin's sister..." Noya finally understood the reason. "It's an honor to meet the Saint of Kjerag—I'll go meet you after a little preparation."

This is the saint of a religious country... In a sense, she can also be said to be one of the leaders, so Noah naturally dared not neglect her.

"It's okay to take your time~" Ya'er looked at Noya with a smile on her face. Although she had only overheard Noya's words by chance, she had already developed a slight interest in this girl.

Chapter 3: When in Rome, do as the Romans do

To be honest, this was the first time Yaer had heard such an argument. People were only willing to believe in themselves and the gods they imagined—

In a sense, this was indeed the case. Whether it was the Saint's maiden or... everyone felt the same way. Some monks seemed devout, but in reality, they weren't worshipping the gods so much as their own desires. Could you say they weren't devout? No, it's impossible for people to be without desires. Since they have desires, they naturally add their own desires to their worship. No one is immune to this.

In a sense, Noah was right. As expected of a child my little Enya cherishes, he does have his own opinions.

In this snowy mountain, children like this are indeed rare.

"I'm ready. Please... Miss Ya'er, lead the way." Noah felt strangely wary of Ya'er. This was the second person he couldn't sense through his emotional perception. Even stranger, she hadn't even heard her footsteps before she knocked on the door. It was incredibly strange, as if she had suddenly appeared in front of the door, and it was inevitable that she suspected she was a super expert.

But there shouldn't be anyone in this country who wants to harm me, right?

I'm here for vacation, not to fight...

Even Kjerag has his share of hidden talents, so it's hard to imagine what the situation is like in other countries. I'm afraid even a drunk uncle on the street can be both civil and military...

Seeing Noya dressed so warmly, Ya'er immediately realized she might have misunderstood and quickly explained, "Don't worry, we're not going hiking. While the Saint's selection temple is indeed up there, the Saint is currently staying at the foot of the mountain."

"...Is that so?" Noya finally breathed a sigh of relief. She had just been wondering how to overcome gravity, or if she could just let Kuro carry her up. "Then please lead the way."

"The train just opened in Kjerag. We can just take it," Yaer said with a smile. "Mr. Weiss will help buy the tickets. You don't need to prepare anything."

"Thank Weiss-kun for me—" Noya was indeed a little unaccustomed to this. In Casimir, she'd been the one taking care of a large group of people, but now in Kjerag, she was the one being taken care of. Being unaccustomed was a minor issue, but it felt awkward to owe Boss Silver a favor. For a domineering CEO like Ensiodis Shivaash, making Noya owe him a favor was even more painful than killing her. Besides, it wasn't like Noya didn't have Victorian currency on her. Victorian currency was in circulation in Kjerag—rumored to be related to the Kalan trade, and there were some obscure transactions between the Shivaash family and the Victorian nobles. But that wasn't something Noya should be concerned about.

Weiss certainly wouldn't give Noah time to buy the tickets himself, and soon he appeared in front of Noah with the tickets in his hand with brisk steps, and led everyone onto the bus.

Noah had never ridden on this old-fashioned train before. The shock absorption was average, so it was a bit bumpy. Noya's wheelchair could be fixed, so she didn't need to be carried to the seat. However, the shaking made her drowsy again.

"Speaking of meeting the eldest daughter of the Shivaash family, why didn't Boss Silver join us?" Noah suddenly thought of this question. Although SilverAsh said that he had something to deal with when he left, but later he thought about it, there was no reason for him to leave suddenly when receiving guests, as if he had received some news - it couldn't be that he was avoiding seeing his sister, right?

"It's a meeting of the three clans, convened suddenly. As the head of one of Kjerag's three great clans, Master Enchiodis must attend," Weiss explained hastily. "Regarding the three great clans..."

"Shivaash, Perloche, and Bronto—collectively, the three great families of Kjerag. I did my research before coming here, Brother Weiss," Noa said. "So... is Enthiotis in trouble?"

"...Well, as a guest, Miss Noah, there's no need for you to ask too many questions. The Master will handle it himself." Weiss smiled wryly. In Noah's presence, he somehow always felt like he was being completely understood, even his own uneasiness about the Master's attendance at the Tri-Clan Meeting seemed to be exposed. Was there something wrong with his tone? He couldn't help but feel a little suspicious, but he didn't know that Noah hadn't really failed to deal with anyone except the Doctor, Ya'er, and Amiya. "You just need to get some rest."

"If hosting me caused dissatisfaction among the other two families... no, perhaps even without me, these two families would be dissatisfied with Enchiodis. I discovered this guy when we were doing business together. He's a serious gambler. Although it's not appropriate for me, as someone who started out in venture capital, to say anything about him, I imagine that building such a railway system in such a closed snowy mountain—even making the foot of the sacred mountain a railway station—would inevitably cause some trouble."

As Noah analyzed the situation, Weiss broke out in a cold sweat. He suddenly understood why his master had described Noah as a formidable person. With just a little information, his guess was pretty close. However, Noah didn't know that the two families' targeting of the Shivaash family was partly due to the railway, but more importantly—during this period, the Kalan trade had grown to a point that was impossible to ignore.

Seeing the Shivaash family's rapid rise, the two feudal and closed families naturally couldn't sit idly by. So even if these things hadn't happened... a tri-family meeting would have taken place sooner or later.

"But business is business, and people's hearts are people's hearts. If Enchiodis needs help, I won't sit idly by." Noah sighed. Although her original intention was to take a vacation, if she considered the difficulties faced by the Shivaash family, there was no reason for her to stay out of it, either as a friend or as a partner.

I want to stay a little longer... If Shiva Ash really sends it, I will have to leave.

"Thank you for your understanding, Miss Noya... However, I believe the master must have his own plans." Weiss said with a wry smile, "This matter has nothing to do with Miss Noya."

"Is it insignificant, or is it just not the right time?" Noah asked. "If this is Enchiodis's idea, then I respect it. But let's not talk about work for now. I'm tired."

Noah sighed. He clearly wanted to help, but the other party acted so wary...

If I really just wanted money, I wouldn't be wanted by Casimir. After all, I was just helping out for Yaxin's sake.

However, since you are new here, you should do as the locals do.

Chapter 4: Saint

Manzhuyuan, the religious representative of Kjerag.

Manju Monastery is the highest religious institution in Kjerag, profoundly influencing the spiritual world of the Kjerag people and using its ideological advantages to mediate conflicts among the three ethnic groups.

And now the saint of Manzhuyuan is Enya Shivaash.

Or rather, she is the younger sister of Enthyodis Shivaash and the eldest daughter of the Shivaash family.

From this perspective, Shivaash should not be threatened. After all, when his blood relative is the religious leader of the country, he should be given some face.

But Noya sensed a hint of hesitation in Weiss's emotions, as if she was doubting whether this meeting would bring any trouble. This made Noya wonder if there was some family conflict in Shiva and Ash's family as well.

Even his own sister was against him? Was Enchiodis just another tsundere who wasn't good at getting along with family? Thinking back to the disastrous situation at the Linguang family, honestly, much of the blame for the awful atmosphere there lay on that tsundere Uncle Maenna. He was unwilling to communicate, busy, and not very talkative, with a constant stern expression. Well, that really sounded like Boss Yin's style.

You can’t have the same face at home and at work... Noah couldn’t help but sigh, wondering if the people around him couldn’t speak properly.

"Ah..." Ya'er led a few people to the foot of the hill where the reception was held. Only then did she realize there were many steps and no gentle slope for people with disabilities like Noya, so Noya's wheelchair couldn't go up. "Hmm... I didn't think it through. How about this, I'll arrange for a pack animal to help Miss Noya—"

"No need," Kuro, who had been silent for a long time, said, and then naturally picked Noya up from the wheelchair. Noya also naturally held her neck to help her hold more steadily. Although Kuro had carried her like a dead pig in the past, after countless trainings by Noya, she finally accepted the less awkward princess carry. After all, she was a little bit of a lady, and she couldn't always be carried like a dead pig.

After a few times, Noah became very skilled, but their daily life was a different story in the eyes of Yaer and Weiss.

Especially Yaer, who had never been abroad, her pupils were dizzy at this moment, and there was a look in her eyes when she looked at Weiss - is this normal in a foreign country?

Weiss's mouth trembled for a moment, and then he quickly shook his head, saying that he hadn't seen many scenes like this abroad.

But they didn't have time to think too much, because Kuro was about to run away in a few jumps. Weiss took the initiative to carry Noya's wheelchair and followed him. Ya'er had no choice but to follow Weiss up the stairs.

When the four of them arrived at the reception desk, Noya finally returned to her wheelchair and asked curiously, "To Kjerag, Shivaash's actions are considered a radical party, right? What about Manjuyuan's attitude? Do they also think Shivaash is radical?"

Generally speaking, religious forces are always the most conservative representatives of a region - so there is actually nothing wrong with Noah's question, it's just that Weiss couldn't answer it, and Yaer smiled without saying anything.

The one who finally answered this question was a cold voice.

"Manjuin has his own ideas, Shivaash has his own ideas, and Enthiotis has his own ideas—there's no contradiction."

The voice came from a girl standing at the door. She had long, fluffy hair and was wearing traditional Kjerag clothing. She had a serious expression and a cold tone. Noah could sense a disdain for Enthiodis from her words.

——Yes, there really are family problems.

There's no need for emotional perception. When this girl mentioned Enthiotis, her tone was almost the same as when she mentioned a cockroach.

"Who is this?"

"Hello, Miss Noah Kyrielight, I am Enya Shivaash who invited you. You can just call me Enya." Enya's attitude towards Noya was not bad. When she heard about Noya from Enshia, she was a little curious about this girl who was an inspirational role model. After coming to Kjerag this time, she naturally wanted to meet her. After all, Enshia praised Noya as rare and unique. She wanted to see which little vixen had made her sister so obsessed.

As a result, when they met, Enya was a little surprised that the other party's appearance was indeed very superior. If Enya was a person who cared about appearance, she would probably have maxed out her favorability rating by now.

At least Noah is someone who is hard to dislike when you first meet him.

"Nice to meet you, Saint Lady."

"Just call me Enya."

"...Well..." Noah hesitated, "In private?"

"Row."

Enya didn't insist. Indeed, if she called herself Enya in front of others, she might be criticized. It seemed that this girl understood the situation very well.

"Well, Miss Enya, you wanted to see me... I'm already here, but we shouldn't have to talk at the door, right?" Enya then realized that she had been looking at Noya for a little too long. She couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed, so she made way for Noya to go inside with her. There was an Originium stove inside, which was the crystallization of external technology brought to Kjerag by the Shivaash family. It could be said that this thing helped many people in Kjerag survive one cold winter after another. As the temperature inside the room rose, even the atmosphere finally thawed.

Weiss and Ya'er tactfully left the scene, leaving only Noah, Kuro, and Enya to get along.

After explaining why she had to have Kuro by her side, Enya didn't mind Kuro's presence. After all, as long as Kuro held his breath and concentrated, his presence was indeed very low.

"Enxia mentioned you to me, saying you were amazing and her best friend abroad." Enya spoke first, "So as an older sister, I also wanted to meet the person my sister praised so highly, so I invited Miss Noya to come. I'm sorry to trouble you."

As a saint, the other party did not act very distant. On the contrary, Noah sensed that there was a certain warmth in the other party's emotions.

In other words, the other party not only has no ill intentions, but even has a very good first impression of you.

Noah also relaxed. "Since it's not business, I won't be so tense. Enxia also mentioned you to me, Enxia... Enxia, ​​she said you are her best sister."

"She's just talking nonsense. How can I be considered a good sister?" Enya smiled, but she still said modestly, "Can you tell me about Enxia's life outside? She always doesn't tell me too much, saying she's embarrassed."

"Well..." Noah and Enshia had last seen each other a few years ago. She didn't know much about Enshia's recent situation, so she could only smile awkwardly. "I haven't seen Enshia in a few years either. If you don't mind, let me tell you about the time when we were together."

Chapter 5: The Holy Mountain

Noah told Enya most of the things that might interest her, including the first time Enya met her. At that time, Noah had not completely lost her ability to move, so she and Enya sneaked out of the ward every day to wander around. She also planned to buy her glasses, saying that maybe they would be fine after some correction, and she secretly brought her some of her favorite foods, such as cookies, and occasionally complained to her about how troublesome her brother was.

All these things brought a smile to Enya's face. It was clear that she was truly happy during her time in Rhodes Island. That was good. As her elder sister, she was somewhat worried about her younger sister being abroad. Terran communication wasn't well developed, and even the best messengers couldn't send messages overnight. So, while they had always been in touch, there was a time difference.

So Enya was looking forward to Enshia's letter. She liked the bustling Rhodes Island in it, and also liked the people of Rhodes Island who could tolerate Enshia's mischief.

"Noah, are you also an operator from Rhodes Island?" Enya asked curiously. "From what you said, you're going there to get treatment?"

"I was tricked into joining the company, sort of. But I'm on vacation now. When it's over, I'll go to Rhodes Island." Noah didn't mind the other party's curiosity and answered simply, "Rhodes Island is indeed a very good place. I like it there very much."

“Enxia said the same thing as you in the letter—” Enya nodded, “If I have the chance, I would like to go and see it too.”

“Well… maybe after Kjerag is truly open to the outside world, there should be a chance.” Noah, considering Kjerag’s situation, was not sure. After all, Enshia was an exception, and Enthiotis was even more of an exception. Kjerag was still in a semi-closed state, and even its technological development was quite backward.