Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

The gap in absolute strength cannot be made up by a mere formation.

The moment after breaking the sword formation, Noah stretched out his hand again and chanted -

"Ur!"

boom!

Those Queen Warlocks who did not have time to return to their positions were directly blown away by the repulsive force. Noah immediately found an opportunity to escape. She picked up two long swords containing forbidden magic and threw them directly in the direction of the mace.

The two of them worked together so seamlessly that Jian immediately understood Noah's intentions and swapped weapons mid-air, sheathing his twin maces for two longswords. Simultaneously, the two swords clashed, their blades colliding. The piercing sound instantly obliterated any magic from Helinmart's blades. Finally, with Noah's help, Jian, in his demonic form, gained the upper hand in the clash. However, this advantage lasted only a fraction of a second, as the next moment, Helinmart's blade erupted in strange black flames. Noah saw this clearly, and his expression changed drastically. "Jian, retreat!"

That thing is none other than the Witch King's black flame!

Noya had truly witnessed the power of that thing. If you really touched it, you would die, and if you just touched it, you would be injured. She never thought that this black flame would appear on Helinmart.

"Good vision." Helinmat did not hide her praise. After the mace retreated according to Noah's order, she did not rush to chase the two people. Instead, she shook off the black flames on the sword and looked at the shocked Noah.

"The Twin Queens are using the legacy of the Witch King. Is this something beyond your imagination?"

"No... I'm just curious how you mastered this power." Noya took a deep breath. Helinmart's performance had always exceeded her expectations, especially his ability to control black flames. "Besides, wouldn't it have been better if you had used this thing from the beginning?"

"That's meaningless. The reason a trump card is called a trump card is because it can't be exposed at will." Helinmart explained, "Besides, I don't intend to kill you."

“…How on earth…”

"Noah Kyrielight, or... should I call you, the heir of the Witch King?" Helinmart's next words made Noah's heart tremble. "I know why you don't want to go with me, but what if I tell you that I don't intend to kill you, and even... I can support you?"

"...What exactly is your purpose?" Noah was truly confused by the woman before him. "Are you planning to... overthrow Leitania?"

"No, I love Leitania deeply, but Leitania is far from safe right now." Helinmart stood with his sword in his hand. "What I want is for Leitania to last for thousands of years, forever. To achieve this, I can use everything, including you, Noa Kyrielight, including you, the heir of the Witch King."

Chapter 46: Conversation

"...a strange ceiling..."

After Franz woke up, he found himself in this dark and damp underground secret room. He checked his body and found that he had no missing limbs and was not bound by any restraints. Although it looked like a dark dungeon, as expected... he had fallen into the hands of the remnants of the Witch King?

The only thing he remembered before he lost consciousness was the scene of him unleashing the strongest Originium technique he could on Noah, who had transformed into the Witch King, and then being easily dispelled.

If he attacked Noah, whom they regarded as the successor to the Witch King, it would obviously be unlikely that he would be treated well. He had already prepared himself to never wake up again, but since he had already woken up, he naturally could not sit still and wait for death. He had to spread the news that the Witch King had a successor. Leitania probably didn't realize that Noah Kyrielight was their real threat.

That being said...but how am I supposed to leave here...the gate...must be locked, so what about other places?

Uh... the Originium unit on my body should also be... eh, it's still there?

Franz touched his body and found that his staff was still in his arms. He was stunned at first, and then fell into confusion. Logically speaking, if you want to imprison a warlock, you will definitely not put the spell-casting unit on the warlock casually. However, since he is a patient with mineral disease, he is the best spell-casting unit... Maybe it is for this reason that his staff was not searched away?

Damn it...this is too much of a disdain for myself.

Franz surveyed his cell. It was dark and damp. Although there was a light, it was clearly rarely used. The conditions were harsh—except for the cleanly made bed and a set of new bedding...

Anyway... since I still have the staff... let's try to escape.

Franz came to the gate. The gate was made of metal. It looked very thick at first glance. He guessed that it should have a special coating of anti-Originium technology... otherwise it would not be used to imprison himself. He stretched out his hand, intending to first determine the thickness of the door. He stretched out his hand and knocked on the door. The echo was about the same as he expected. This was a very thick door. The probability of breaking it through with Originium technology was not high. Franz couldn't help but feel puzzled, and then he set his sights on the wall. If the door couldn't be passed... then destroy the wall?

After knocking on the wall, Franz once again gave up the idea. The wall was much thicker than the gate - it would be more reliable to destroy the gate.

Damn...so thoughtful.

The damn remnants of the Witch King obviously had no intention of letting him leave.

Franz reached out his hand, placed it on the door handle, and twisted it.

—Click…

Ok?

Franz exerted force and the door that seemed impregnable to him was pushed open. He slowly walked out of his room and then walked back. After going back and forth several times, he was sure that there were no traps or alarm spells outside the door... Could it be that he forgot to lock the door?

Impossible! Even the remnants of the Witch King, no matter how rudimentary they were, couldn't possibly have forgotten to lock the door? That would be too stupid! Something's wrong, something's wrong!

Franz immediately pulled his wand out of his pocket and looked around vigilantly.

"Come out! I know you are nearby! Let's have a fair duel!" His voice echoed back and forth in the underground space, but it seemed that no one responded to him, or no one intended to respond to him.

After waiting for a long time, Franz gritted his teeth and decided to escape now, even if it was a trap, even if it meant death!

Franz has always felt that his life is worthless. As long as he can make Leitania pay attention to the threat of the treacherous witch, he doesn't mind risking his life!

Holding the staff, he walked cautiously into the darkness before him.

The corridor was pitch black and chilly, and Franz was still intensely focused. Even the slightest movement would likely result in two Originium attacks. But after walking for several minutes, he couldn't sense any enemy presence, which made him wonder if he had misunderstood. Was this just a lucid dream he'd had while unconscious, and was he still dreaming?

To prove this, he twisted his thigh until it was blue, but it did nothing except make himself grimace in pain.

Franz was suspicious for a long time, and finally, he heard footsteps in the corridor in front of him. He immediately became alert and pointed the staff in his hand at the darkness in front of him.

Da da da--

The person approached, seemingly carrying a lantern. Franz watched the radiance from the other end of the corridor and swallowed unconsciously. His concentration reached its peak, and the radiance of the Originium Skill on his staff reached a critical point, as if it would burst forth at any moment. He gritted his teeth, and when the opponent entered his attack range, he swung his staff fiercely. Several metal dice instantly transformed into silver trails, striking the opponent.

However, the moment these metal dice approached each other, they seemed to be blocked by something, and their speed instantly went from extremely fast to extremely slow, as if they were stuck in a quagmire. Not to mention continuing to move forward, the light of the Originium skills on them also gradually dimmed, and finally turned directly into a few ordinary dice, falling to the ground.

"Are you awake?" It was naturally Noya, and she didn't have a light with her. She had discovered a useful use for her aura: it could be used as a light bulb in such a dark place. She reached out and picked up the dice one by one, then walked over to Franz, opening her palm and trying to get him to take them back. Franz stared at the woman before him the whole time. This enigmatic witch had deceived everyone, but her power was undeniable.

The attack he had been accumulating for so long was easily deflected by the opponent like a toy. He immediately realized that he had no way to resist her.

The other party spared his life, obviously because he had a reason to keep him. If that was the case... maybe...

Franz raised his staff, but not at Noah, but at his own neck. He shouted, "Don't come over here!"

"...Mr. Black Key, or should I call you Mr. Franz?" Noah said helplessly, "I don't mean to hurt you, please believe me."

"You want me to believe in the Witch King's successor?! Do I look that foolish? You witch! You've deceived everyone! I won't believe you!" Franz's vigilance didn't surprise Noya. Rather, she had already prepared herself for this after deciding to let the teacher intervene. But at the time, this was the only solution she could come up with. If she wanted to save Franz, this was the only way.

"Mr. Black Key, put down your staff first. I admire your determination, but suicide is never a good option." Noah shook his head. "If you are willing to choose death, then you lose. Is this how you intend to lose to the Witch King?"

"...You!" Franz's staff trembled slightly, but Noah was right. Suicide was the worst possible outcome, and...his life wasn't his own. After a moment of inner struggle, he finally lowered his staff. "You win. What are you planning to do...I absolutely won't help you. I certainly shouldn't have committed suicide, but I also won't go along with you!"

"...I'm going to give you something to eat first. You've been lying down all day and all night. Aren't you hungry?" Noya breathed a sigh of relief. While it wouldn't have been difficult for her to stop him, she couldn't always be on guard against him committing suicide. So, it was better to let him give up on his own. Then, she placed the basket she was carrying in front of Franz. "It's not high-quality ingredients, but I tried my best to make it delicious."

"...You...didn't give me truth serum?" Franz looked warily at the lunch boxes Noya took out of the basket. "I won't be fooled."

"...Well, let's do this." Noya reluctantly opened the tableware, took a chopstick from each portion of food, stuffed it into her mouth one by one, and swallowed it directly in front of Franz. "Now you can eat with peace of mind, right?"

"..." Hei Jian pulled the corner of his mouth, but it was true that he was so hungry that he almost rolled his eyes. After making sure that there was nothing wrong with the food, he finally took the lunch box from Noah's hand.

But perhaps because of the education he received in the past, even when he was extremely hungry, he ate slowly and chewed slowly. Noah saw that he was at least willing to eat, and finally smiled.

"While you're eating, I'd like to chat with you briefly... About... the things about the Witch King. I feel I have an obligation to explain everything to you." Noah whispered, "Perhaps you don't want to believe me. I understand. For you, the trouble and harm caused by the Witch King's bloodline makes it reasonable for you to distrust me. And to be honest... It's hard to say that I have nothing to do with what you've experienced. Anyway... Let me be honest first... I am a disciple of the Witch King, Herhunzoren."

"...You..." Franz almost choked. He didn't expect Noah to be so frank. "Disciple? When did you..."

"Of course, I don't approve of what my teacher did, but I must admit that what I learned is related to the one you hate, Herhunzoren." Noya was quite frank. Even though the Witch King himself was listening in, Noya would not lie. Her attitude had always been the same. Academically, she did admire the Witch King's achievements, but when it came to his actions, she couldn't justify Herhunzoren's actions just because he was her teacher. "I inherited my teacher's Originium skills, and I won't deny that, but that doesn't mean I admit that my teacher's actions were correct."

"Hmph, anyone can say that..." Hei Jian's attitude was still bad, but it was more relaxed than before. "Then why did you become like that that day..."

"Because I couldn't adapt the Sonata's techniques to my own needs in such a short time, this was the only way I could catch up with you and Gerhard," Noa confessed. "Unlike what you might think, the reason I behaved that way... was actually related to some structure in my brain. It's a bit difficult to explain..."

"No... I can probably understand what you did." Black Key thought of White Chalk. White Chalk had forcibly attracted the Echoes of the World into his body, causing him to become so strange. Although he didn't know what Noah had done, judging by the situation, it was indeed very similar to White Chalk's. "It's related to the Echoes of the World, right?"

"...You could say that." Noah nodded reluctantly. "That was the only way I could catch up with you at the time. It was a special case and required special treatment. If it made you unhappy, I can only apologize."

"...Have you...already realized that Gerhard was a remnant of the Witch King?" Franz asked doubtfully, "He clearly betrayed the Witch King...why?"

"People change." Noah shook his head. "Humans are fickle creatures. Sometimes you make decisions based on your own ideas, but you will regret it later. For Gerhard, he regretted his betrayal and believed that the Witch King was the one that Letania needed. So... he became a remnant of the Witch King."

“… Actually…” Franz lowered his head, “Is this really the case?”

"Gerhard isn't a bad person, or rather, not in the traditional sense. He does sympathize with you, but sympathy for you doesn't conflict with choosing the Witch King," Noah explained. "Mr. Black Key, I can listen to others' emotions, but even so, I can never fully understand them. People's hearts are hidden within their stomachs, that's just how it is."

"...Then how can I trust you?" Franz asked. "According to you, there shouldn't be trust between people...and I shouldn't trust you either."

"Indeed." Noah nodded. "However, people can't only understand each other through telepathy... Mr. Black Key, I will prove my words with my actions."

"action?"

"...Mr. Black Key, I will surrender myself."

"...?!"

Noah said these words calmly, but Franz's expression changed.

"I will admit my identity. I am a disciple of Herhunzollon. Rather than letting Leitania fall into chaos... why not let me end this farce?"

"You... aren't you afraid that the two queens will execute you?" Franz knew very well how grave a sin the title of Witch King was for Leithnia. "You will most likely be executed in public!"

"—Of course I don't intend to die. I just intend to admit my identity. If they really intend to attack me... then I will have no choice but to run away."

"...You said it so easily."

"Maybe it's because... I'm used to running away." Noah said embarrassedly, "I don't want this farce to continue, Mr. Black Key, of course you can distrust me, but... I hope you can understand that I'm not a threat to you, and I won't become the new Witch King-"

Chapter 47: Everything for Leitania

"Maybe... you're used to running away?"

The words may be spoken unintentionally, but the listener may take them seriously. For Franz, the devastating impact of these words was undeniable. He had always considered himself a man of misery, having endured all sorts of hardships since childhood due to his bloodline, cultivating what could almost be described as a solitary character. If it weren't for the appearance of Bai Ke, he might have remained a resentful young master, but he had changed.

During the time he spent with Cretaceous, he gained a lot, including brotherhood, friends, and even later, when he went to Rhodes Island, he was still absorbing this gift from Cretaceous.

If that friend, with whom I can no longer talk, were still here, what would he do? And what should I do?

"...I'm sorry, Miss Noa." Franz lowered his head, letting go of his pride. He had to admit his mistakes; otherwise, forcing himself to be honest would only make himself more embarrassed. This time, Franz sincerely intended to trust the person before him. Even if she was a disciple of the Sorcerer King, after all... she was not the Sorcerer King, and she should never be the object of his hatred. His hatred was not directed at the Sorcerer King or those associated with him, but rather at himself.

"...There's nothing to be sorry about, Mr. Black Key." Noah shook his head, "I... um..."

"You have a headache again?" Noah saw Franz's face suddenly change, and immediately realized that it was the Echoes of the World that were causing the problem. Originally, Fremont should have had a way to pull it out, but now Fremont was still studying how to take off the crown on Noah's head, and probably had no energy left to solve the problem of the Echoes of the World.

"No, it's okay..." Franz was sweating profusely, the pain now comparable to a symptom of oripathy, but he no longer wanted to compromise. "Ms. Noa, I've always believed that fate is something you can't defy. No matter how hard you try, it will always follow you. Even the Witch King met his end in a hasty assassination. If even the Witch King couldn't escape fate, then no one else in the world could... But I don't want to give in..."

He struggled to stand up. "I met a man, or rather, a brother I'd never met. He taught me many truths and tolerated my many willful tendencies. But just when I thought I could truly control my fate, he left... Because of this damned echo of the mortal world, because of this damned melody, I hate it. I hate fate, and I hate myself even more. I couldn't protect my brother. I couldn't even protect the life he gave me!"

"The sky is blue and clear, and the breeze is singing softly. The river is flowing, and my heart is full...full..."

He recited the ballad, he recited it, but he could never utter the last two words.

Because that is hope.

Hope is too heavy for him.

"Do you know, Miss Noah? The pain, joy, and despair in his and my lives... were all given to us by others." He gritted his teeth and said, "Why should he and I be played around by fate? Why does everyone see the Witch King in me... the Witch King! Franz—not many people even mention my name! Because those who see me, those who know me, only remember me as the Witch King's offspring!"

"...Mr. Franz."

"I won't accept this! I won't accept being swayed by fate because of these two words, because of a 'bloodline' I've never met!" Franz gritted his teeth and pressed his chest. "So, Miss Noah, please help me!"

"……it is good."

"...Aren't you going to ask me what I want to do?"

"No need." Noah shook his head. "If I don't care about people who ask me for help like this, then I won't be myself anymore."

Noah smiled, and the halo hanging above her head seemed to emit a halo of a certain frequency. In Franz's eyes, Noah at this moment was no different from a god.

"I will help you, Franz Utica. I am your companion—"

-

"Have you made up your mind?" Helinmart finally appeared at Ludwig University. Ludwig University was now nearly destroyed. The Witch King's black flames had left indelible scars on this once glorious academy. She wandered among the ruins and encountered Frémont, who was sorting through the remaining tomes and tossing them one by one into a nearby cave.

"Haha, what else is there to think about? This school has been destroyed by the embers of Helhunzollon. No matter how reluctant I am, I can't keep it." Frémont didn't look back at the queen. "I almost forgot... How many years have I been in Leithania? Five hundred years? Or even longer? When I first arrived here, there was nothing. Mobile cities, towers, nobles. Haha, didn't we all live in the woods by the lake before, cooking by the fire and using stones to block the wind?"

"For us, a few decades are enough for a city to be torn down and rebuilt, a person to grow from youth to old age, and a pair of close friends to go from knowing each other to... going their separate ways." Helinmart also sighed, but whether this pair of close friends refers to the Witch King and Fremont, or... that is unknown.

"Yes, it took only a blink of an eye to transform Vidunia into Trilinterme. What will this city be called next?" Frémont smiled. "Once I deal with that unfortunate kid with a melody in his head, I will fulfill the promise we made. Then I'm going to go for a stroll in the city."

"What about after you finish shopping?"

"We'll leave," Frémont replied. "It's time to go back so you can get some sleep."

"I never wanted you to leave here, Frémont." Helinmart shook her head. "I never doubted your feelings for Leitania. I also explained your existence to those nobles..."

"What do you want to explain? Explain that liches, unlike blood demons, don't often interfere in the affairs of the Military Council. They don't have to worry about this city becoming the next Londinium?" Frémont laughed. "Helinmart, won't they understand? And... even if you don't want me to leave, do I need to specifically tell the people who really want me to leave?"

Helinmart was silent. Indeed, she knew, and... she acquiesced.

"The rest of the story, you two can handle it yourselves." Frémont shook his head, and his tone towards Helinmart softened. After all, he had contributed in part to Helinmart's birth. In a sense, the twin queens were his creations. "The liches have indeed been here too long. Knowledge shouldn't favor any particular nation or race. Do you know how many nouns in those new scrolls those little guys compiled are written in the Leithanian language? It's outrageous—after all, when Helhunzollon dies, we should have left."

He turned around, as if saying goodbye to the entire Ludwig University.

"It's just... a belated farewell."

The white-haired lich raised a hand.