Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

"Amiya is allowed to have her own emotions, and there's nothing wrong with that," the doctor said with concern. "But knowing the answer now won't do us any good. Rather, would you be happy if you really got the answer you wanted?"

"...No, Doctor...Thank you, I'm feeling better now." Amiya shook her head. "Before coming to Londinium, you should have learned some of the past events from Dr. Kel'tsit...but there are some things I haven't had the chance to say yet. In fact, after that incident, I dreamed of you for a long time."

"In my dreams, you never opened your mouth. You just watched over me quietly. Just like those nights in the wasteland in the past, you held my hand silently, because only in this way could I fall asleep peacefully. I could feel you... At that time, I knew you were just asleep, Doctor. You may not be by my side for the time being, but you are still with me."

"...Amiya." The doctor did not have these memories, but she understood that only Amiya...or perhaps, the person who truly made her feel a sense of belonging to this land was Amiya.

She was like an anchor, anchoring the doctor's small boat.

"But she... is different." Amiya lowered her head. "She told me a lot in my dream, from the fate of every Sarkaz on Rhodes Island to whether I slept well that day and whether I caught a cold... She reminded me of many things, as if she were still by my side. The more she did this... the more she did this, the more clearly I felt that she had left us."

"You are the one who knows best." The doctor spoke, comfortingly.

"She's reluctant to leave... so, so reluctant to leave. She cares about so many people and things. Us, Dr. Kal'tsit, Rhodes Island, the Sarkaz..." Amiya felt so lost for the first time. "If... she's really still here, how could she not come back?"

Why doesn't she come back?

Why would she stand against them?

She couldn't get an answer, so she could only refuse to believe that it was her, and refused to believe that the white figure Lolo saw was her.

"The person you're talking about wouldn't do such a thing. It must be just a misunderstanding. Perhaps... perhaps Tracys did something and used someone else to disguise herself as her."

The doctor guessed that disguise was not a difficult thing after all, and it might just be Tracy's plan.

"Yes, she would never abandon us," Amiya said firmly. "And she wouldn't condone the Tracys' invasion of Victoria... She couldn't stand the Sarkaz starting such an unjust war."

"This... must be a misunderstanding." The doctor nodded. "It's easy to disguise yourself as someone else, and it's not difficult to make the fake look real."

"Doctor, are you saying that Miss Lolo saw another Sarkaz who looked like her?" Amiya nodded. "That's a possibility."

"Tracy needs the Demon King. She needs the Demon King to attract those stray Sarkaz. She needs her presence, so..." the doctor guessed reasonably.

"This method... is very cruel. The Sarkaz value death more than any other race. The spirits of the dead Sarkaz will return to the entire race, which is the best comfort for the suffering of the Sarkaz throughout their lives. Doctor, you have also witnessed the passing of Mr. Patriot. It is about dignity, honor, and a person's last questioning of his own destiny in his life. The tranquility of death will give an answer, and this answer will encompass everything about him. No Sarkaz should be deprived of this last tranquility... especially her, she has already dedicated everything to the Sarkaz." At the end, there was even anger in Amiya's words, which was a rare moment of Amiya losing control of her emotions.

"Doctor, do you remember what I said at the gateway? I know the emotion lingering at the heart of Londinium. It's rage, the rage of the Sarkaz. Not only can I hear it, but every Sarkaz can hear it. Even the wendigo's altar can't resonate with such force. It's as if someone has condensed the resentment the Sarkaz have burned for thousands of years into a tangible flame... If no one stops it, it will sooner or later burn through the sky of Londinium, spreading out and incinerating countless lives. Therefore, we need to approach it as soon as possible and determine the core of the flame that ignites everything."

Amiya's voice was resounding, and she seemed to have one more reason to stop it all.

"I'm worried about you, Amiya. Will you get hurt if you get close to it?" Thinking of Amiya's ability, the doctor became more worried.

"Doctor, you see. Yes, my mindset... is different from before." Amiya raised her head. "The person rushing towards the flames wasn't the head of Rhodes Island, and perhaps not the heir they were talking about... but Amiya. This is my desire, the answer I, as an individual, want. And... I am indeed a little scared."

Amiya rarely showed such emotions. She was scared. No... she should be scared. She was just a child.

"Doctor, I'm afraid of the answer. I don't want to see Dr. Kal'tsit and everyone else heartbroken..." She ignored herself, but the doctor still saw it.

"And yourself, Amiya."

"Well, yes, and myself. If that really is her... I don't want to imagine... but I have to face it. I have no other choice."

There is no road to choose but to keep moving forward... and keep moving forward.

The doctor held Amiya's hand tightly, which was a statement.

"I'll face it with you."

"Thank you, Doctor..." Amiya finally smiled. "Just feeling you by my side gives me the courage to go on... I'm going to find Commander Clovisia and propose a cooperation plan. They need more manpower to rescue their comrades imprisoned by the Sarkaz, and we need their help too. According to the original plan, we should have met our contact, the messenger lady. We must confirm her safety. She is a friend of the Self-Defense Forces. Perhaps the commander can help us find her."

"...Also, the journey into the central city will definitely be smoother if we can have their guidance. Rhodes Island will prove to the Londinium Citizens' Self-Defense Army that we are not here for the Sarkaz Crown." When Amiya turned to leave, her back made the doctor feel dazed for a moment.

"After you said this... you are now qualified to wear the crown." The doctor murmured to himself, "Amiya. No one is more suitable for this crown than you."

Chapter 36: The answer to the Human Orange Juice Project is Slime

"That maid I met earlier... seemed a little strange."

Noah whispered after leaving Viscount Wales's official residence. Just now, Noah hadn't sensed any emotion from him. It felt empty, but unlike the void where nothing existed at all, it was truly empty, as if waiting to be filled at any moment.

container?

Noah could only describe it this way. The maid was a complete [container]. Noah could absorb emotions and turn them into his own strength, but the maid was exactly the same. If Noah absorbed other people's emotions while maintaining his own nature, then the maid was like she could devour other people's emotions anytime and anywhere.

This was the first time Noah had encountered such a situation. It seemed that his ability to perceive emotions had lost its effect on the other person.

So she just managed to get away with it calmly, but she also had to start doubting the true identity of her partner, Viscount Wales.

Viscount Wales had originally told him about the latest noble to rise to prominence in Londinium. However, upon closer inspection, Viscount Wales' rise to prominence came after the Sarkaz settled in Londinium. If he claimed his rise to prominence had no connection to the Sarkaz, no one would believe it. Add to that the strange maid, and Noa began to suspect a possible connection between him and the royal court.

If this is true, then the metals and supplies that Viscount Wales had ordered before... I'm afraid they have already become weapons and equipment for these Sarkaz.

Without realizing it, I seem to have become an accomplice of the Sarkaz.

Alas... things are unpredictable...

But now think about it, there were very few people willing to invest in her logistics network. If it weren't for the funds from Viscount Wales, she wouldn't even be able to enter the sight of the Chamber of Commerce.

So I didn't have a choice at all...

It is meaningless to blame yourself for not being able to judge people well. What you should do now is to minimize the losses caused by your relationship as much as possible.

"Have you thought of something? You look very bad." Kuro asked with concern. She reached out and stroked Noya's head. "You have white hair at such a young age because you think too much."

"Doctor Kal'tsit said it was caused by the awakening of her bloodline. Maybe it can be dyed black in the future." Noya shook her head. She felt that even if she told Kuro that these Sarkaz weapons and equipment might have come from her own supplies, she would only ask, "So?"

After all, Kuro is different from herself. She doesn't care about Victoria, she cares about herself——

A faint smile played at the corner of Noah's mouth. This was different from that foolish knight. If it had been Margaret who had accompanied him from leaving Casimir... well, that was just his own wishful thinking. Margaret would not have given up on Casimir. In her mind, between herself and Casimir, Casimir was definitely more important. She was a person who was good in every way, but she was too great and selfless, making a selfish person like him feel uncomfortable staying by her side.

Everything he did was not motivated by noble morals, nor by a sense of responsibility towards Casimir... maybe, but definitely not much.

The reason why he was willing to give up everything he had fought for and leave Casimir was actually largely to fulfill his promise to Margaret and not to become her weakness or stumbling block.

Noah doesn't care what others think, that's just how she thinks.

It’s not that she has no selfish motives, but her selfish motive is Margaret.

Margaret Linguang, her existence allows Noah to find light in the darkness, but she also understands that people in darkness cannot embrace the light.

Just watch from a distance, if you get close... you will definitely get burned.

If we only talk about this aspect... Kuro is indeed a better choice than Margaret.

...No, Noah never had the right to choose.

Being loved is a blessing in itself.

Perhaps because of his trip to the banks of the River Styx, Noah became much more proactive than before.

Before you burn out, let yourself have some fun.

Thinking of this, she raised her head and said, "Although Dr. Kal'tsit might think I'm a bit reckless, I want to try to contact those Sarkaz."

"Can I ask the reason?" Kuro asked, and Noah's answer was very simple.

"I'd like to meet my secretive business partner. Is that surprising, Qrow?"

“…Indeed, I think it’s fine.”

Kuro nodded. This reason was very logical and she liked it.

"What are you going to do?"

"Starting with the maid of Viscount Wales, I will try to contact the top leaders of the Sarkaz through her - it would be best if I could directly contact Tracys. As long as I meet him face to face, I will know what kind of person he is." Noah has already thought of a way. Tracys's control over the entire Victoria is definitely not just relying on force. That maid may be one of the links in Tracys' intelligence network, and through this link, it directly radiates the entire intelligence network.

Noah's goal was to turn the tables and cut off Tracy's spies in the city. In this way, he could reduce Tracy's control over the city and even pass on false intelligence.

Blind Tracy's eyes, puncture Tracy's eardrums, and weaken her control over Victoria.

As long as these can be achieved, Amiya's actions will be much smoother, and - intelligence, intelligence is the basis of everything.

After figuring this out, Noah and Kuro returned and came to Viscount Wales's mansion and knocked on the door again.

This time, the other party was a little slower. It might be because she returned suddenly, or because she was doing other things. When the maid reopened the door, she was much slower than before. However, Noah was very patient. After the other party opened the door of the mansion, Noah's Originium skill was suddenly activated. The other party seemed to be caught off guard. The pair of eyes that originally lacked emotions seemed to be filled with negative emotions stuffed by Noah in an instant and crashed.

She had done this before, forcing a lot of negative emotions into the person's brain, causing the CPU to crash. This trick really worked every time.

At this moment, Kuro kicked open the door and pushed the maid who had already stopped working to the ground. The process was very smooth. Noah also took the opportunity to walk into the mansion and looked around. This mansion was probably originally owned by the nobles of Londinium. The furnishings and layout were very exquisite, but it was already covered with a layer of dust. It seemed that the maid had temporarily set up an intelligence station here.

Indeed, Tracy's control over Victoria was limited, and the few traitorous nobles he supported were unlikely to serve him wholeheartedly. This seemingly dominant Sarkaz general actually only controlled the Sarkaz army. But what if even his command failed?

It's impossible that the core command of the Sarkaz really relies solely on messengers, right?

The Sarkaz must have a complete command system...

Then... the method of invading this command system... should be in the mind of this maid.

Noah took a deep breath, reached out his hand, and placed it on the head of the maid who was still in a down state.

"I'm sorry, I was trying to help my friend," Noah apologized. "The pain will only last for a moment."

As the Originium technique activated, Noya completely controlled the complex flow of emotions. Memories of the maid, or rather, the Shapeshifter Court, flooded into her mind like a tide. She hadn't anticipated catching such a large fish. The Shapeshifter Court... one of the ten courts of the Sarkaz, and also the oldest. When Kal'tsit mentioned the Scavenger King as one of the oldest courts, she must have considered the Shapeshifter Court.

But the Shapeshifter Court is indeed special. After Noah invaded her heart, he did not even encounter any obstacles. In fact, Noah could feel that if he wanted, he could invade this body and control it at any time.

This is indeed a container, a container that produces self-awareness -

It may sound strange, but Noah really seemed to have found another body... The other party didn't even stop him from controlling this body.

——Shapeshifter... Can I call you that?

After finding the core of the Shapeshifter Court's consciousness, Noa attempted to communicate.

——Noah Kyrielight, I didn’t expect you to discover my existence so quickly.

The other party's response was calm, completely free of controlled panic. This wasn't surprising, as the other party's resistance to mental attacks was truly pitifully low. In a sense, Noah's ability was its nemesis.

——It's a pleasant surprise, shapeshifter. At first, I was just attracted by you because you were a Sarkaz disguised as an ordinary person.

The identity of Viscount Wales was probably forged through the ability of transformation. The Sarkaz really would do anything to gain support. But it's also true that ordinary people would never cooperate with the Sarkaz.

——I knew about your clan’s abilities a long time ago.

The shapeshifter was not surprised nor did she resist, instead she became curious about Noa.

——You are indeed the natural enemy of shapeshifters.

——Can I take it as you praising me?

——No, I feel sorry for you.

The shapeshifter scoffed, her tone sounding as if she was mocking Noa.

You've absorbed too much negativity. Even the self-purification power of your bloodline can't completely erase its influence. Too many marks remain within your soul. If you continue like this, you'll eventually become like us. No longer possessing self-awareness, you'll only subconsciously imitate others, devouring their will.

——What are you talking about?

—Originally, the Shapeshifter Court was the most skilled in psychic sorcery among the Sarkaz. We merged our consciousnesses, becoming one, achieving an immortal body. No longer did any barriers separate us; our consciousnesses and thoughts were known to each other. We were psychic sorcery itself—and now, we would be the highest achievers of telepathic Originium techniques. Our spirits are immortal, our bodies are indestructible. You cannot destroy me.

The shapeshifter wasn't telling lies.

—Without the walls of the mind, we merge into one another, no longer distinguishable from one another. Therefore, one is all, and all is one. And what you do is no different from what we do. Therefore, sooner or later, you too will lose your form and eventually become a being like us.

There are no more barriers in the heart, and immortality is born after complete integration.

This is the true secret of the Shapeshifter Court, and the reason why they have survived to this day. Because of the unity of the spirit, the body is no longer important, and even if they die, they will be reborn in the next moment.

In the eyes of the shapeshifters, Noa is following the same path as their people, and sooner or later he will become the same as them.

It is said that the end of all roads is the same. The ultimate achievement of the telepathic Originium technique is to remove the barriers in one's heart and make one's consciousness immortal.

This is infinitely close to self-destruction, infinitely close to suicide. This is what the current Shapeshifter Court is like. The immortality between life and death, the immortality that can never be accepted by the Sarkaz souls, makes them never at peace.

Their long lives force them to imitate others, maintain their own consciousness, absorb others, imitate others, and live by this.

She did not reject Noah's invasion, not because she couldn't do it, but because they did not have a wall of heart at all. Noah's consciousness was able to penetrate directly, and they were able to communicate with Noah, their junior.

That's right, in the eyes of the shapeshifters, Noa is even closer to being their [fellow race] than the Sarkaz.

The group of shapeshifters who live by observing, devouring, and imitating the emotions of others do not mind sharing their own sorrow with Noah.

They don't even have a self, they are just a group of eternal poor creatures.

——Thank you for your advice. I won’t become the same as you. I’m sorry.

In this space, no one can lie, so Noya can fully believe that the advice of the Shapeshifter Cluster is true.

But she didn't think she would become the same...existence as the shapeshifter cluster.

As long as Craw and Margaret, as long as the people he cared about existed, he would never seek the so-called "immortality" and would never transform himself into such an immortal being.

Does that count as being alive?

Noah didn't know, but what she knew was that she refused to live like this.

Under the compassionate gaze of the shapeshifter's consciousness, Noah completely took control of this body and even mastered the method of transformation. Under Kuro's eyes, the maid completely turned into a pool of sticky jelly, then twisted and deformed again, and then turned into Noah in a maid outfit. Then she opened her eyes and looked at Kuro.