Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

"Ok?"

"Aside from me, the second outsider," Noah said with a smile. "It should be Miss Enxia who brought her. If you find her, please tell me: we need to cooperate with the outside forces."

"Well, okay. I'm interested in that child, too." Ya'er didn't refuse, but she didn't act immediately. Instead, she squatted down, reached out, touched Noya's cheek, and said with a smile, "Honestly, if you were born in Kjerag—perhaps Enya wouldn't have to be the saint she didn't want to be. After all, children with your qualifications are really rare."

"……Um?"

"I'll give you this bell. Although it's not as good as Enya's, if you really encounter any trouble, just shake the bell and I'll be there right away." Yaer said with a smile, and stuffed a small bell into Noya's hand. Noya could feel by touch that although the bell was made of metal, it did not feel cold, but warm, as if it was contaminated with her temperature.

"This... How can this kind of gift be..."

Noah immediately realized the importance of this bell. After all, the other party compared it to the holy bell of the saint. This kind of thing is at least a spare part of the artifact in Kjerag. It is inappropriate to give it to herself like this, right?

This is, to put it bluntly, a blasphemy against Yelagund—

But before she could finish her words, Ya'er smiled and said, "Yeragond won't be angry about something like this. Take it. When the time comes, Yeragund will definitely bless you."

Chapter 18: Taste

Will Yelagund bless me?

Honestly, this was the strangest thing Noah had heard since arriving in Kjerag. Whether or not Yelagund existed, it was Kjerag's spiritual totem. Compared to someone like Noah, who believed in it for free, Kjerag was filled with people more devout than himself. His faith wasn't weak; it was pure pragmatism. He had no intention of relying on last-minute cramming to solve his problems.

Everything is in our hands, and planning is up to us. If Noah was a person who believed in the gods, how could he try to tie all the chains of hatred on himself in Casimir?

She was used to being hated by others, so she naturally couldn't get used to being blessed by God.

How could God care about someone like me? Someone who is hated by an entire country, and yet I receive God's blessing? This sounds incredibly magical...

Well, being blessed by God is pretty magical.

After delivering the bell, Miss Yaer vanished from Noya's sight once again, still without a sound, leaving Kuro, who had been watching the entire process, feeling ashamed. As expected, there are always people who are better than you, and even better than you.

Originally, Kuro thought that his level had reached a high point and it would be extremely difficult to make further progress, but he didn't expect that there were still people who reached the pinnacle.

"...To think someone like Miss Yaer would stay in Kjerag... Perhaps there's something about this land that makes people want to stay?" Noya said with a smile. "Kuro, what do you think?"

"I don't know." Kuro shrugged. "But no matter how good this place is, I will still follow you. After all, I made my decision long ago."

"Hmph, only at times like this can you say something so embarrassing," Noya complained unhappily. "But, Kuro, honestly—why haven't you taken off your mask yet? We've already left Casimir, so it doesn't matter if you take it off now. The Helmetless Alliance can't infiltrate here, can they?"

"I don't take off my mask because of the Helmetless Alliance." Kuro shook his head. "I simply enjoy being Kuro. Although the mace and the name of the Black Knight accompanied me for the first half of my life, now, I hope that the name of Kuro will accompany me for the rest of my life. That's all."

"I see..." Although Noya couldn't quite understand why she hid her face behind this mask, she understood part of Kuro's thoughts. But she was also wondering, was it really okay for Kuro to always be with her? After all, she couldn't leave Kuro, but Kuro could leave her at any time, right? Keeping Kuro by her side...wasn't that just her own willfulness?

This thought only flashed through her mind. Before, she thought she didn't have much time left, so she didn't think about it. But now, she thought that with the medicine the doctor had given her, her life might be extended for a while longer than she thought.

And during this time, is she going to keep Kuro tied to her side?

"Kuro, you can actually take off this mask." Noah said, "Kuro is just a code name I gave you casually. It doesn't represent the rest of your life. You still have a long way to go."

"—At least while I'm with you, I'll always be Kuro." Noya's words didn't surprise Kuro. She knew Noya's character best. She never wanted to force anyone, nor did she want to impose her will on others. She wanted everyone to have their own ideas and a better future. But she never thought about herself. Even now... after her life was extended, she seemed to still think like a dying person.

She always subconsciously arranges her future affairs so that she won't cause trouble to others after she leaves. She doesn't mind her reputation or the disappearance of her wealth, and sometimes she even doesn't care about her own life.

But she cares about the thoughts of everyone around her, whether negative or positive, she will accept them all and then give her own opinions.

The most significant example is when she gave Margaret her heirloom sword, the Sword of the Martyr. While it was a loan, it was essentially a gift. This sword carries the honor and history of the Kirilet family. For a knight, it's a weapon that should never be lent out, a source of dignity. Yet, Noya naturally gave this weapon to Margaret, who still had many challenges to overcome.

The reason was simple. She couldn't continue to accompany Margaret, so she let the sword accompany her.

At least this sword can protect Margaret, and that's enough.

She accepted everything about Margaret, understood her ambitions, and gave away everything she had in Casimir - including her wealth and glory - for the person she identified with.

This is a distribution of inheritance - even if she doesn't admit it, it's the same.

As Kuro had always been with her, she was unwilling to neglect him, but she didn't have much left, so she thought... if there was really nothing she could give, then she would give Kuro his freedom.

The favor of saving her has long been repaid, and she herself doesn't know where to go next. If Kuro can choose to take off the mask and turn back into his original mace, it may be a good thing.

A person's life is a lonely journey. You may travel the same path with others, but you will always be separated.

Noah hoped that she could be the one who stopped, patted Kuro's shoulder hard, and asked her to keep going.

This was the best gift she could give Kuro.

"But I refuse." However, Kuro shook his head. "Unless you take off my mask yourself, I will still be Kuro, your guard, your friend, and your partner."

"...That's a bit unreasonable." Noya smiled bitterly. If Kuro hadn't squatted down in front of her, she would never have been able to take off Kuro's mask. "Isn't this just asking for trouble?"

"Isn't your request unreasonable?" Kuro asked, reaching out and gently hugging Noya. "She can't be with you, but I can, and I will be with you until the end."

Noah's face turned slightly red. Could Kuro really say such words?

Seriously, this is almost a confession, right?

What do you mean by "accompany me for the rest of my life"? ... it's simply...

But Noah could feel from the other person's emotions that it was sincere, and that feeling, although a little bitter, was sweet as if it were stained with honey.

Noah turned his head subconsciously...

It turns out that friendship can also be sweet?

written request for leave

Calvin——————————————

There will probably be no update today, but there will probably be two updates tomorrow.

I'm thinking about whether to slow down the update speed. After all, four updates a day is really a bit too much.

It depends on your opinions. I have been updating four times a day for two months. If you still want me to update four times a day, I will try my best.

Chapter 19: Orders (4k)

Fifteen years ago, the Edwis family was accused of arranging a train accident, killing the head of the Shivaash family and his wife, who were determined to reform.

Therefore, when this generation of Nothis once again betrayed Shivaash, he naturally received more criticism.

No one likes a two-faced family, especially when that family has a criminal record.

Nosis Edelweiss, Enthiotis's childhood friend, returned to the Shivaash family after Enthiotis returned from studying abroad and took a share of the profits. He became the manager of the valley and the mines, but his assault on the inspection team plunged the Shivaash into a new round of turmoil.

No matter how you look at it, Nothis's betrayal seemed perfectly justified, but Noya felt something was amiss. On the one hand, how could a family not represent its descendants? Just like Noya, even though he came from a knight family, he hadn't succumbed to the corrupt practices of the nobility. Even after becoming a merchant, he hadn't strictly adhered to business principles. Ultimately, people and families are not the same thing.

Valis returned to Noah the next day. She didn't say much, but Noah knew that she should have gone to the Shivaash family's territory in person to observe for a while.

After all, she didn't refute any of her previous remarks. Perhaps she also knew the difference in living conditions between the Kjerag people in the Shivaash family's territory and the Kjerag people in other family territories.

Some things are right in front of our eyes, but some people always try to be ostriches and not want to see them. Many times, prejudices will disappear as long as you see them with your own eyes.

The transfer procedure naturally required an on-site inspection. Not only Valais, but also the people of the Bronto family went to the local area for assessment. With the help of Chester, the butler of the Shivaash family, they finally witnessed the changes that Shivaash had brought to the lives of the Shelag people in their territory. The Bronto family was fine, but Valais, representing the Perlochi family, was greatly shocked, especially when she saw the convenience of transportation and travel after the opening of the train in the territory, she had to consider a problem.

If there were a railway in the Perlochi family's territory... or rather, if there were a railway in the entire Kjerag.

Compared with the traditional wobbly mode of travel on pack animals, railways are obviously more advanced, faster, and more suitable for the current pace.

Valis is no fool, she naturally knows which side is better.

After Noah finished the work at hand, he noticed that Valis was absent-minded. Now, from Noah's perception, she seemed to be trapped in a maze of thoughts, her mind full of confusion.

"Valice, do you have anything to say to me?" Noah asked. Facing Noah's question, Valice's expression finally showed some struggle, and then, as if she had admitted defeat, she talked about her experience.

-

"This is too sudden..."

"That's right. Although I heard that the previous three-tribe council had some bad news...but suddenly they want to close the factory and wait for the handover? Will we be able to continue our work after it is handed over to Manzhuyuan?"

"My son was injured in the factory before, and I'm still waiting for the factory to issue medical subsidies."

"...Well... you're still lucky. You know there's another family whose only son can work, and he's sick and now lying in bed... He relies entirely on the factory subsidy to survive. If he lost the subsidy... it could be fatal."

"Master Enthyodis... he won't abandon us, will he?"

"Master Enchiodis has brought us a good life, so why did he close the factory? What should we infected people do? We finally have a job, but other places won't accept us."

When Valais passed these elderly people, the factories had already ceased operations, smoke no longer rising from the chimneys. Young people, suddenly out of work, gathered in the streets, their eyes vacant. Some complained, others discussed their future. The most common suggestion Valais heard was to leave Kjerag and find work elsewhere, or to join Kalan Trade's factories outside and send money back home. It seemed these people had never considered the possibility of continuing to work under Manzhuyuan's management.

But it is true... Manzhuyuan has no idea about factory management. If this place is really given to Manzhuyuan, then...

The compensation regulations decided by Noah have not yet been fully implemented, and most people still don’t know how much compensation they will receive. But even if this compensation is received, it will not solve the most fundamental problem.

What will happen to these workers if the factory closes?

"We won't completely shut down the factory. It's just for a while." The representative of the Bronto family was Hulus, the younger sister of the head of the Latatos family. She listened to the discussion between the two sides with a grim expression. "But... why do I feel like we're the bad guys?"

"This is their territory after all." Hulusi, who was next to her trusted confidant, Moshi, offered solace. "The head of the family is also doing this for Kjerag..."

"...Oh, my dear Mo Xi, you are right. It's just... I feel a little uncomfortable. We are all from the same village, but now I dare not talk to them." Xu Lu held her breath and sighed continuously.

“…” He had heard a lot about the second-in-command of the Brown Tao family, but he didn’t expect that the other party’s position didn’t seem so firm.

However, seeing this scene, anyone who cares about the people of Kjerag would definitely feel distressed.

However, anyone who achieves great things must... make sacrifices.

To consolidate Kjerag's faith, and for Kjerag's long-term benefit... at least not now, no concessions can be made.

Valais sighed, but before she could get far, a disheveled woman stumbled into her arms. She quickly supported the old woman to prevent her from falling. For someone her age, a fall was no laughing matter.

"Auntie, are you okay?" Valais asked with concern. The pale-faced old woman waved her hands repeatedly, "It's okay, it's okay. I... I just want to go and see Master Enchiodis."

"...What can I do for you?" Chester asked from the side. "The master shouldn't be seeing outsiders today."

"I... I just wondered, if the factory has to close... could I go abroad, to some Victoria... even if it's just to be a cleaner?" A hint of panic was evident on the old woman's face. "If the factory closes, my son's illness won't stop, and he needs life-saving medicine... He used to get subsidies, but if Manzhuyuan takes over, those subsidies will be even more distant. I was wondering if I could still earn some money while I can still move..."

"...Auntie, how old are you?" Vales' heart tightened, and she quickly tried to persuade him, "And it's only closed temporarily. Maybe... it will reopen later."

"Then how long will it take?" the old woman asked. "A few days, a few months, or even years? I can't wait... We have no savings. My son has oripathy, and the medicine costs a lot of money. We're broke, and we finally have the subsidy... Tell me, what does Master Ensiodis want from us? Why is he closing the factory? Without the subsidy, my son will die. And if he dies... what's the point of living?"

"...This." Valais bit her lip. "There's nothing we can do about it. Enthyotis's behavior was indeed excessive..."

"...Girl, I don't understand what the upper class is like, nor do I know how heinous the master you're talking about is, but what he brings us is real... These subsidies, these employee benefits, these things, are things we didn't have before... We just want to survive, okay?"

The corners of the old woman's eyes had begun to turn glistening, but she didn't cry. Her voice was trembling. She didn't know who these people in front of her were, but Valais couldn't help but think about them.

She began to understand why Noah cared so much about those laid-off workers... because some things really can't be judged by appearances alone.

Perhaps, the Perlochi and Brantau families are indeed upholding justice, but what is the price behind this justice?

"...Later, Hugh Ruth, the second-in-command of the Bronto family, paid the old woman some money out of her own pocket so she could buy some medicine and go back." Valis sighed, "I know why you did this. Indeed, I didn't see it clearly enough."

"The elderly, the weak, the sick, and the disabled exist in every country. I felt this way when I saw the factory in Enthiotis accepting people with mineral sickness and the disabled to work. There's no need to mention these things unless it's necessary," Noah explained. "Rather than me trying to persuade you, go and see for yourself. You'll come up with an answer that better suits your heart. Am I right?"

Noah didn't expect that Valis would encounter such a thing, but it was okay. It was better to leave a deep impression on her than to explain it on her behalf.

As the saying goes, what you learn from books is always shallow. You must practice it yourself to truly understand it.

The conclusions you draw yourself are more convincing than those made by others.

"Our job now is to minimize the damage suffered by these unfortunate people. Since we can't save everything, let's try to save as many as possible. I'll do my best," Noah said with a smile. "Of course, Valais, you have to help too. I definitely can't do it alone."

"...I understand." Valis's attitude had clearly changed significantly, and she was even more convinced by Noah's words. Just hearing these words alone could make her guess that Noah was indeed very capable, and beyond that, she also had a caring and highly empathetic heart.

A fugitive from the Kingdom of Knights...

Now, Valais prefers to doubt the Knight Kingdom itself.

If even such a person is called a disgrace to knighthood, then there is not much honor left for knighthood.

If at the beginning, Valis only had a surveillance mentality, now she really wants to do more for those people.

She couldn't question Actor's decision, so naturally she could only do more to make up for it.

Yelagund, I hope this will have a happy ending.

Work, food, clothing, security, welfare, these things are necessary and essential for the people.

Faith is very important.

But it is not as important as life.

Life is above everything else.

-

"As Lady Hulus predicted, all the necessary conditions have been met. Weiss's presence here is likely related to Ensioudis's security measures." Moshi, with a team, reappeared in Ensioudis's territory. "But this isn't enough... After confirming Weiss's departure, proceed according to Lady Hulus's original plan."

"Yes!" The warriors of Kjerag immediately began to act according to Moshi's instructions. They were the elite of the Bruntao family and seemed particularly reliable at this time.