Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

He should have ignored her gratitude and simply nodded in acceptance. However, at that moment, deep down in his heart, he was unwilling to treat Skadi like this, or rather, this child he had watched grow up. Ulpian had no family, and Skadi was the closest person to the word family.

If he could talk it out loud, maybe he would feel better...

But he couldn't tell Skadi the truth, much less tell her that this decision hinged not only on her fate but also on Agor's safety. Skadi herself probably didn't even realize she had become a dangerous existence. This journey was essentially an exile. Agor no longer welcomed Skadi—that was the truth, no matter how beautifully he tried to disguise it, it was an exile.

Ulpian sighed and whispered, "...Get ready. Follow Noah. There will always be a way."

Ulpian's voice was calm as usual, but perhaps only he understood how difficult it was to say these words—or perhaps, as he hadn't realized, he had already come to regard Noya as Skadi's last hope. Perhaps subconsciously, he believed that Noya could always bring about miracles. Miracles, hope, such heartwarming words, were not supposed to appear on his lips.

But... now he can only believe it.

Skadi didn't understand any of this. She nodded and turned to leave. Her back was long and lonely in the light. Ulpian stared at her back for a long time without moving.

——Perhaps, this is really the last time they see each other.

He thought about… this girl, his own team members, the threat of Agor, the deep-sea hunter.

Deep-sea hunters, connected by blood.

To prevent any accidents, Ulpian didn't even tell Gloria and Laurentina. Although this deprived them of the right to see Skadi off, Ulpian believed that this was perhaps the best decision. Ulpian understood this and watched Skadi leave until she was out of sight.

For the first time, he wanted to pray to someone, or rather, he hoped that Noah could perform a miracle again.

Perhaps he really just hoped that one day, he could see this girl return to Agor as usual, appear in front of him, and then he could say a word again.

—You've regressed, Skadi.

Chapter 89: Noah's Troubles

The next day, Noya left Agor with Skadi and Mace. She needed to first verify the current situation at Rhine Life. After all, she still held the position of Acting General Manager of Rhine Life. Although this acting general manager position was semi-forced, she couldn't just ignore it, could she? Even if she wanted to, she was afraid that Saria would not agree.

She already knew who would be the unlucky one to take her place after she left. It could only be Saria. She just hoped that when they met again, Saria wouldn't give her a back throw followed by a rising dragon punch.

A shipping route has been opened between Agor and the ground. Due to the shrinking range of the sea heirs' activities - oh, now they should be called the Pearl Tears Elegy Tribe. They are now gathered in the sea trench, and Maritus is responsible for educating the newborn children. They have begun to try to break away from the original social form that is infinitely close to the beehive structure, and move towards the identity of humans. This is obviously a good sign. Before leaving, Amaya also specially found Noah. Her meaning was simple, she wanted to stay.

After all, no matter what, her dream is to eliminate all conspiracies and class disparities among humans. Naturally, she cannot be absent during this critical period when the Pearly Tear Lament tribe appears. The entire Terra now knows of Agor's existence, and formal contact with the Pearly Tear Lament tribe will not be far away. Before that, they have twenty years to adjust. This reminds Noah of Kjerag's situation. Although one side has power, it has just escaped from the wilderness, and the other side has a decisive leader but lacks power.

No matter which side you are on, if you want to join the big stage of Terra, you still need to work a little harder.

Noya reached the surface even faster than she'd imagined, using the air route. It was much faster than before, when she'd needed to dive underwater. The air route was essentially a high-speed transmission line, a kind of underwater high-speed rail, capable of reaching the Iberian port at breakneck speeds, far faster than before. As soon as she got off the train, Noya saw Elini and Jodi, who had come to meet her. Elini was now wearing the uniform of the Grand Inquisitor, and Jodi had changed clothes—perhaps because of a promotion. However, Noya wasn't familiar with the Iberian bureaucracy and didn't recognize the official's rank.

But there is no doubt that she missed a lot.

"Ms. Noah, welcome back." Elini wasn't as calm as she appeared. When she saw Noah return, she almost wanted to greet him, but reserve made her restrain herself. This young Inquisitor had already shed his childish appearance and transformed into a true Grand Inquisitor. She saluted politely and continued, "During your absence, Terra has undergone some changes. I think you should be very interested."

"Eline, Jodi, I'm glad to see you again." Noah also politely responded. Now they were friends who had risked their lives for each other. After Noah took the initiative to transform into a tower and sank into the sea trench, Hai Si immediately retreated. He not only saved Miriam, but also saved Eline and others who were originally forced into a desperate situation. Just like what Helatia said at the beginning, the people of the entire city owed her a favor.

Elini briefly explained the current situation on land to Noya, some of which she already knew, such as the successful holding of the Terra Expo, with Agor's participation, unexpectedly stealing the spotlight from the original host, Columbia. With technological achievements beyond the Terrans' imagination, independent of Originium's basic industry, and a particularly advanced concept and design style, Agor's first official appearance had already attracted considerable attention.

Because of this World Expo, Iberia received great attention. As the gateway country of Agor on land, a large number of orders and diplomatic applications have enabled Iberia to achieve economic take-off. Agor naturally knows the principle of making concessions. Iberia has obtained a lot of wealth in the transactions between Agor and the countries on land alone, and this wealth has been used by Jordi, who has seen Agor's social planning.

He is now the Finance Minister of Iberia. Relying on the prestige of Saint Carmen's disciple, he has promoted a large amount of infrastructure construction, building roads, bridges, ports, dredging trade routes, and foreign negotiations. Thanks to his efforts, Iberia has rapidly leaped from a weak country. At the same time, in order to take a step further, Saint Carmen announced in advance that he would enter the secret room to compile the classics and revise the holy scriptures. In fact, he completely delegated power and let the worldly-wise Jordi take full power.

The military aspect was in the hands of Elini. In order to establish a new punitive army, Elini sought help from Agor and obtained the equipment information of the Coast Guard provided by Ulpian. She quickly armed a force composed of the elites of the punitive army, called the [Imperial Guard]. The Imperial Guard was responsible for guarding the capital of Iberia and would not be mobilized easily. Most of their equipment was provided by Agor, and their equipment level had caught up with or even surpassed that of most Terra countries.

Jody also worked tirelessly on Noya's most pressing concern, focusing on livelihoods. The Rhine Life science team had developed a salt- and alkali-tolerant rice variety and had even applied for a patent. According to Ms. Shu, who led the research, this was vital to the livelihoods of Terra and should not be monopolized by any one party. Thus, Iberia's food shortage had been temporarily resolved. While it couldn't be said to have been completely revived, it was at least... a far better situation than before.

The cooperation between Agor and Iberia has made Iberia once again a country of gold.

Agor's changes to Terra did not stop there. If the entire Terra was regarded as a civilization, Columbia, which had been firmly occupying the top spot in the technology list, suddenly had an enemy from the sky. Agor landed at the top of the Terra technology list, making Columbia feel the pressure for the first time.

The Terra Expo stealing the show was just the beginning, but Columbia was clearly getting anxious, and the result of their anxiety was that they had to hold on to Rhine's life.

As a result, Rhine Lifeforms experienced a surge in growth, with numerous fields experiencing rapid success. Agor's divine intervention completely unlocked its accumulated technical expertise and unique technologies. The materials and technologies Agor brought with him were largely missing from Rhine Lifeforms. In particular, the technology and resources Agor provided, drawn from the ocean and prehistoric civilizations, allowed Rhine Lifeforms to experience the thrill of achieving a patent a day and a breakthrough every two days.

Just like riding on a rocket, Rhine Life is challenging its own speed of technological breakthroughs, which can even be called a technological explosion.

Rhine Life naturally understood the origins of this, and soon, formal cooperation between Rhine Life and Agor was put on the agenda. Agor was intrigued by Rhine Life's singularity technologies, which also originated from prehistoric civilizations, and readily agreed to form a joint research team, aiming to establish a new outpost for Terran scientific research. As Agor had promised, Agor must now shoulder the responsibility and carry the banner of the eldest son.

Noah had not expected these changes. It seemed as if he had missed many key things while sleeping. Of course, the most important thing was that Rhine Life had already sent people to welcome Noah.

Although they did not go to the port for the reception, this was because the port is now a military restricted area of ​​Iberia. Sure enough, the moment the reception room opened, a figure rushed up and threw himself directly into Noah's arms.

“Xiaoya——!!”

"Mewmie!" Noah caught the elf and spun around in place to offset the force of her attack. "Long time no see, Miu Miu."

"It's more than just a long time since we last met!" Muirseth had already started crying. Since elves are made of water, his tears were almost comic-book-esque, forming lines. "I thought you really wouldn't be coming back! You said you'd be back soon, but you always make me worry so much!"

"I'm sorry, Miu Miu," Noya smiled wryly. Her experiences in the sea world were truly legendary, but it wasn't something she could control. At least Noya hadn't done anything she'd regret during this incident. She'd do the same thing again, without a second thought. But to those who cared about her, she seemed like a self-destructive person, seemingly sacrificing herself in every situation.

"What's the use of saying sorry? I will never let you abandon the elf and run away by yourself again!" Muirses was really scared. She never thought that she was so close to losing her best friend. This was even more painful than when Muirses and Noah parted ways. At least she knew that Noah was just going to receive treatment in Rhodes Island, and she could hear some news occasionally, but this time Noah was really dead and there was no sound. Although Agor said that he was missing, but missing on the battlefield for so long... that was actually not much different from death.

It is easy to imagine how sad those who worry about Noah will feel as time goes by.

Fortunately, Noah is back.

Muirseth's heart finally settled, but this also made the elf wary. "You're not going to disappear without a word again, are you?!"

"...Well." Noah avoided looking away awkwardly, but that trick was no longer effective on the elf. She pressed on, "There won't be another one, will there?! Sign a document!"

"Ahem, actually, I have to work with Agor to explore the ruins of a prehistoric civilization, so... I might not be able to return to Rhine Life for a few months. But isn't Saria the head of Rhine Life now? She should be fine, right?" Noah couldn't bear the torture any more and could only reveal her plans. "I came back just to report my safety and to let everyone know. By the way... I just want to see everyone I haven't seen in a while."

"Eh!!!!" How could Muirses agree? "Is it dangerous?! Can I go? You guys always disappear without a trace every time you go out. Who can be at ease?"

"This is confidential from Agor's side. I've already said as much as I can." Noah shook his head. "Don't worry, I'll have someone else to protect me this time. Mace can go too."

Mace nodded beside Noah, "I will protect Noah."

"...Gu..." The elf was still unwilling to give up. Noah had finally returned, but he was about to leave. This had clearly touched her bottom line, and she was angry, the kind that couldn't be appeased. "Busy, busy, busy, everyone's busy, it's better to be busy. Only the elf has to stay alone in the lab, looking at experimental data every day, and worrying about you! The commander-in-chief is like this, and so are you. Is it because you became the commander-in-chief that you don't like playing with your friends anymore?!"

"...Well..." Noah sighed, "You have to do your job. Now that I'm in this position, many things are beyond my control. The responsibilities I shoulder don't allow me to be as carefree as before. There's nothing I can do about it."

"...I know you're very busy, but can't you give yourself a few days' rest? Working non-stop is definitely not good, right? And you just got back!" Muirses almost begged, "Don't go to such a dangerous place, I'll be really worried."

"...Sorry, Muirseth, this is the last time." Noah was certainly not a heartless person, and he immediately promised, "After I come back this time, I will retire. From now on, I will explain everything to you. How about that?"

"You say you're retiring... but Noah, even writing your resignation applications for each position you hold would take a long time," Mace grumbled. "Let me count. Honorary Saint of Kjerag, Grand Duke of Victoria, Acting Governor of Rhine Life—just to name a few. Are you going to resign from each one?"

"...I'll try my best." Noah also felt a little scalp tingling. His position had really become so scary without him realizing it. At first, he thought that his name would be in the textbooks because of a special case, but now, he was afraid that his name would definitely appear in the history department textbooks.

"Don't forget, Agor also invited you to become consul. This is the first time that Agor wants to let a foreigner become consul?" Mace added another blow.

Noah herself was a bit overwhelmed. She had left Casimir because she was exhausted and wanted to retire and travel, but as she traveled, she had more and more things to do. Was that reasonable? It wasn't. But she was a responsible person after all. No matter how much she complained, she would still do her job well. Perhaps this was the biggest reason why she worked so hard until now.

——I... really want to retire.

Chapter 90: Terra University and the Sorcerer King's Summoning Technique

Despite her growing desire to "retire," Noya remained aware of her responsibilities. With Iberia's prompt arrangements, she, Skadi, Mace, and Muirseth boarded a transport plane to Colombia. Upon landing, they were immediately taken to Rhine Life's headquarters.

When the group arrived at Rhine Life, Noya cast her gaze towards the expanded area. The sight before her far exceeded her expectations. This institution, once renowned for its cutting-edge research, had now become a fortress of science and knowledge. Towering laboratory buildings surrounded the meticulously arranged teaching structures, stretching as far as the eye could see. Noya exhaled softly, feeling a mixture of emotion and excitement. She thought of the dreams she had once envisioned, now realized here.

"How about it? Are you a little surprised?" Muirseth came to Noah's side with a smile, with a smug light in his eyes, as if waiting for her approval.

Noah smiled and nodded slightly. "It's truly astonishing... Rhine Life can actually expand to this scale. It's beyond imagination."

Muirseth raised her head and said proudly, "This is not the most amazing part! Do you see those buildings over there? That's the Rhine University we just established. It's the highest institution of higher learning in Terra and is open to all the young people of Terra!" She pointed to several buildings in the center of the campus. The buildings made of glass and steel sparkled in the sun, becoming the core of the area.

Noah's eyes followed Muirses's finger, and her heart was slightly shocked: "Rhine University... is the highest institution of learning in all of Terra?" She murmured again with a bit of disbelief.

Muirseth smiled proudly and continued, "Yes, not only can students from Columbia come here, but students from any Terran country can apply for admission! Moreover, not only the admission policy, but also the faculty is beyond your imagination. We have also collaborated with Rhodes Island on many projects. Rhodes Island has sent their experts here to serve as mentors, and even scientists from Algeria. They bring not only funding, but also advanced scientific research resources and technology."

Noah nodded slightly. She had a similar vision in the past, but it was deemed unrealistic, and resource and political complexities nearly caused it to fail. But now, with Agor's support, it had become a reality.

Her eyes were deep as she whispered, "Miu Miu, you know... I've envisioned establishing a school for all of Terra before, but I always thought it was too naive. I never thought it would actually come true today."

Muirseth gave Noah an understanding smile and gently patted his shoulder. "Although dreams may sometimes be buried in the dust, once nourished, they will eventually blossom and bear fruit. Furthermore, this expansion isn't just for scientific research, but for the future and progress of all of Terra. Look at these young students, they come here with passion and ideals, ready to learn and create. They are the hope of the future."

Noya watched the young people walking through the campus, a touch of tenderness in her eyes, as if she saw a microcosm of Terra's future. "The hope they carry is not just for scientific advancement, but also for Terra's path to coexistence... Rhine University belongs not only to Colombia, but also to Terra. Here, a new generation of scientists, engineers, and scholars will be nurtured, who will shoulder the responsibility of building peace and coexistence."

Muirseth nodded with pride. "Yes, this is also a major achievement of the cooperation between Agor and Colombia. Colombia was originally somewhat reserved, after all, every country has its own interests. But after Agor's entry, Colombia was forced to change its strategy and fully support the construction of Rhine University. They now understand that they cannot maintain their technological advantage on their own. Only by working together can they keep up with this trend."

Noya smiled slightly: "It seems that Agor's entry has a more profound impact on Terra than I thought. The establishment of Rhine University may just be the beginning, but it is an excellent start." Her eyes swept across the buildings, and she began to outline a blueprint for the future in her mind.

Muirseth nodded excitedly. "More importantly, this place isn't just a gathering place for knowledge, it's also a platform for international exchange and cooperation. Rhine University regularly holds seminars, inviting scholars from around the world to participate, and even launches some cross-border research projects. It can be said that Rhine University will become the center of knowledge sharing for the entire Terra!"

Noah showed a relieved smile on his face and patted Muirseth's head gently: "...It's better than I thought, Miu Miu, you guys really worked hard."

Muirseth smiled shyly and whispered, "This is just our responsibility. After all, our generation must pave the way for the next generation."

Noya took a deep breath and gazed toward the distant teaching building, his eyes determined. "Terra's future lies here. Rhine University will be the bridge that connects us to that future."

Noya followed Muirseth's instructions to the Rhine Life teaching building. Seeing Saria standing at the podium through the window, she couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. Saria was much thinner than she had remembered, her features more defined. Her white coat no longer merely symbolized authority, but rather a calm and gentle air. Thinking of the woman once known as "harder than diamond," now standing here, imparting knowledge to a group of young students, Noya felt a mixture of emotions.

"She looks quite changed, isn't she?" Muirseth asked in a low voice, with a subtle hint of pride and heartache in his eyes.

Noah nodded slightly, then smiled. "Yes, she never disappoints. Even after becoming the commander-in-chief, she hasn't slowed down at all."

Led by Muirseth, the two quietly entered the classroom through the back door and took a seat in an unobtrusive spot. Noah didn't immediately interrupt Saria. Instead, he listened intently to her lecture, like a student. The classroom was quiet and orderly. Saria stood at the podium, her expression serious and focused, occasionally pausing to allow students to think and patiently answering questions. Her lecture style was rigorous and logical, and the students listened attentively under her guidance, the rustling of their notes echoing throughout the room.

However, despite Noah and Muirseth's cautious approach, Sariah still noticed their arrival. Noah saw Sariah startle slightly the moment she saw her, a flicker of barely concealed surprise in her eyes. The two stared at each other for a moment, and Sariah paused in her lecture, but she quickly regained her composure and returned her attention to her teaching.

Noah smiled at her on the podium. Just like before, Saria was still Saria. Although it was obvious that Saria wanted to say something to them, at this moment, it was class time, and she would finish her duties first.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class, and the students began packing up their books and preparing to leave. Saria stood at the podium, her gaze fixed on Noah and Muirseth in the back row. She said gravely, "You two, stay a moment. I have something to say."

The students all looked at them in surprise, thinking that Noah and Muirseth were late and would be scolded by Director Saria. For a moment, eyes of pity fell on them. Noah and Muirseth smiled at each other, trying their best to hide their embarrassment, and lowered their heads in silence.

When there were only three of them left in the classroom, Saria slowly walked down the podium, crossed her arms, and looked at the two people in front of her with a serious expression.

Without further ado, she gave Noah and Muirseth a slight slap on the head, her tone filled with suppressed emotion: "What are you planning to do in my class? Do you want me to assign you some homework?"

Noah was caught off guard by this sudden punishment. He covered his forehead and said with a smile, "Sareya, I just wanted to come see you and listen to your class. I didn't expect to be punished."

Muirseth also rubbed his head and said in a wronged tone, "Sir, you are so strict. I'm afraid all the students have been scared away by you, right?"

Saria glanced at them, a hint of helplessness in her eyes, then she put away her rare gentleness and returned to her usual strictness: "You two are really lawless. Noah, you've been missing for such a long time, and you came back to mess up the class. You are really something."

Noya's smile was a touch apologetic. "I'm sorry, Saria. I know my sudden disappearance has worried you, but I did bring back some gifts to make up for my long absence." She pulled out her portable terminal and shook it gently. "It contains some technical data on Agor. Helatia gave me special permission to bring it back. I hope it can be of help."

Saria stared at the terminal in Noya's hand. Though her expression remained unchanged, a hint of warm relief shone in her eyes. She took the terminal and nodded gently. "Well, you're thoughtful. Rhine Life is developing at an astonishing rate, but it also requires sufficient technological support. Your gift comes at the perfect time."

Noah smiled slightly, then said seriously: "Sareya, I see you have lost a lot of weight, are you okay?"

Saria frowned slightly and glanced down at her arms, as if realizing she had indeed lost a lot of weight. "I'm in good health, Noya, don't worry. Vaifan's physique is naturally stronger than humans, and while you're gone, I have to do my best to keep Rhine's life functioning. No matter what, I can't let everything you've worked so hard to build collapse like this."

Noah's heart warmed, and he whispered, "Thank you, Saria. I know that Rhine's life is developing rapidly, thanks to your support."

Saria simply shook her head, a calm smile on her face. "Why bother saying these things between you and me? Rhine Life is not just your ideal now, it's also my responsibility. Now that I've taken over this position, I will do my best to protect it."

Noya nodded silently, a mixture of guilt and gratitude forming an indescribable emotion. She knew that Saria's tenacity and determination were the pillars that kept Rhine going, and she herself had never truly been alone on this long and dangerous journey.

"Anyway, now that you're back," Saria sighed softly, her tone carrying a rare gentleness, "please don't make us worry anymore, okay?"

Noah was slightly taken aback, then smiled and said, "I still have some unfinished business. Once I'm done, I'll come back. Maybe I can even get a position at the Rhine University by then. Look, I'm a history major. If you give me a doctorate degree, how about I teach students?"

"Sure, I don't think you can't pass the exam anyway. As long as you can pass the exam, I won't have any problem giving you a doctorate." Saria smiled, "But there's still something unfinished... Is it dangerous?"

"It would be a lie to say it's not dangerous, but I'm a completely different person now." Noya now has the gray matter to rely on. After completely mastering it, her combat effectiveness has greatly improved. She's also not been idle in the tower. It can be said that she has emerged from her seclusion and is now invincible. Okay, invincible might be a bit of an exaggeration, but at least she can protect herself compared to her previous self.

If it really doesn't work, I will turn into part of the gray matter and run away!

The gray matter was now much more powerful than before. During its long analysis of the beacon, it had also gained a significant amount of experience points, and was now at ProMax level. Given time, it could even advance further, and by then, Noah would be no less than a god. More importantly, within the beacon, she had received the prayers of the Pearl Tear Singers. Through the beacon and the gray matter, these prayers had successfully become Noah's own nourishment. According to Herhunzollon, Noah could now even play the Nameless Harp at will, thanks to this power.

However, the Nameless Harp is also a part of Noya's abilities. Her powers have been analyzed by Herhunzoren recently, and the conclusion is that the Witch King, the Nameless Harp, and the phantom behind her are all manifestations of Noya's abilities. Not only can she materialize historical fragments, but she can also absorb the emotions and souls of others. This combination of projection and recording abilities is like copying and pasting. Combined with the shaping power of gray matter, if Noya exerts her full strength, she can even directly materialize Herhunzoren in reality.

This is already her biggest trump card. He is the most powerful warlock in the history of Terra and a truly ceiling-level figure.

It was precisely because she had mastered the summoning technique of the Witch King that she had the confidence to explore the Deep Blue Tree Laboratory. After all, with her teacher there, could she not escape if she couldn't defeat him?

But these are Noah's trump cards. If possible, she is still unwilling to trouble the teacher to take action.

"Trust me, I will come back safely." Noah promised softly, "I promise."

Chapter 91: The Preserver and Christen

After Noah's promise, Saria and Muirseth exchanged a glance. While they knew Noah was serious, given her personality, it was hard to say what she would do if faced with a real problem. But now wasn't the time to discuss that. Class had just ended, so Saria took Noah on a stroll through the expanded Rhine Life. After leaving the teaching building, Saria waved her hand, and a drone flew in front of her. It folded mid-air, transforming into a palm-sized terminal that landed in Saria's hand.

"This is?"

"It's an extension of transmitter technology. Now, with Agor's help, transmitter technology has fully matured. Now everyone has a transmitter implanted to access the Rhine Network, and most machines can be remotely controlled through the Rhine Network. Not only the terminals, but also the mechanical engineers over there are driven by transmitters." Saria pointed to a passing mechanical engineer whose design was obvious at a glance and introduced, "Today, the Rhine Network has become a new academic trend. Not only in Columbia, but also in Yan Country, it is said that they have also implemented their own Great Yan Network."

"Transmitter technology..." Noah thought of the gray matter still hiding in her body. Unlike the transmitter, the gray matter already had complete self-awareness, but its current personality level was probably that of a five or six-year-old child, the age when it was clinging to its mother. It also had some social anxiety and was not willing to come out to see people. If it were not for her order, it would even just want to sleep in its body. Several times she wanted the gray matter to come out to learn some common sense that humans should have, but was rejected every time.

All I can say is that although the gray matter is obedient, the personality it has formed is too socially anxious and bad-tempered. It is basically unwilling to show up, and even the conversation is only through mental communication with itself.

Should I say it or not...I actually thought she was a threat at the beginning, or I was too naive.

If she didn't have me, she would rather be in a rotten state forever... This is the personality that is formed after the gray matter has contaminated me...

As the saying goes, a daughter takes after her mother. Could it be that my inherent personality is also that of a person who likes to play badly? But for some reason, I have been forced to move forward until now?