Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

When Duke Kast said this, not only Enthiodis, but also Nothis behind him frowned. Kjerag's construction of a high-speed battleship should have been a top secret, but it was casually mentioned by Duke Kast. He couldn't help but start to reflect on what went wrong. But when he thought about it carefully, there were loopholes everywhere. After all, the possibility of building a high-speed battleship secretly was very low.

There are only a handful of factories that can manufacture parts for high-speed warships. In addition, there are only a few railway lines in Kjerag, and the craftsmen who build them may not be able to keep their mouths shut.

There are so many flaws... so many that Nosis feels there is nothing left to hide.

"As expected, nothing can be hidden from you, Your Excellency." Enthiotis remained impassive, but his fists clenched behind his back. He hadn't expected to conceal Victoria's secrets for long, especially from the Grand Duke, who relied on the Grey Hats as his intelligence source. Hiding this from her was incredibly difficult. However, Kjerag, having mobilized the entire nation to build a high-speed battleship, naturally couldn't halt construction just because something as serious as this was discovered. "There's just one thing I'm confused about. Please enlighten me."

"Go ahead."

"Kjerag is building high-speed warships... is there a problem?" He finally stopped smiling and looked directly into Duke Kaster's eyes. "Kjerag is an independent nation. We're building high-speed warships to protect our national defense. Is there a problem?"

Enthiotis's words made Duke Caister look at him with a higher opinion. He had considered whether Enthiotis would deny it, panic, or even give up, but he had never thought that Enthiotis would actually discuss this with him.

"—Have you forgotten our agreement? We should be partners."

"As a businessman, I am your most loyal partner. However, as a member of Kjerag, the position of the country always comes above all else," Enthiotis responded calmly. "But Your Excellency, Duke of Kast, when did you ever consider Kjerag your private property? When did I sell Kjerag to you at a low price?"

"I see—" Duke Caister laughed, "playing word games with me?"

"Whether this is a quibble or not, Your Excellency the Duke knows best." Enthiotis smiled. "No matter what promises I make, there is one thing I believe will never change. I am loyal to Kjerag first, and then to you, Your Excellency the Duke—"

"You're so loyal to Kjerag first... I should show you my respect." Duke Kast didn't seem angry. Instead, his eyes lit up with admiration. "To be honest, Ensiodis, when you first approached me, I had no intention of agreeing to your request. I also had no intention of discussing business matters with a distant relative who showed up out of nowhere."

"That's true... I still remember your contemptuous look back then."

"Contempt? No, it's just disgust caused by the scene. The first time I saw you, I felt that you and my brother are the same kind of people."

"A kind of people?"

"I'm sorry. I've investigated your past, including how you sent your sister to take the Saint Maiden test. You know what? I know people like you all too well. You speak with high-sounding words, but behind the scenes you're full of calculations. All you see is gambling. You'd bet everything you have on a 10% chance of winning. A born gambler like you, you've always despised everything—including yourself."

Duke Caister seemed to want to completely dissect Enthiotis, analyzing everything about him with his sharp eyes.

"A gambler like you never knows satisfaction and will always give up everything. You call yourself a leader, but in reality, you only do it to satisfy your repressed heart. From the moment you forced your sister to embark on the path of becoming a saint, you were already beyond redemption. Enthyodis—I see people like you all too clearly. I understand the ambition in your eyes all too well."

"...Is that how you see me?" Enthiotis didn't avoid Duke Caister's gaze. "That's true. You do understand me and what someone like me would do. In fact, you're right."

Enthyodis spoke.

"I forced my sister to take the Saint Maiden test. I admit, this was a scheme I set up for my future. My sister is a strong-willed child, and I firmly believe she can pass the Saint Maiden test. As long as she passes this test, she can be free from the disputes between the three major families and truly safe. My other sister and I can also receive protection. This is my purpose. Of course, I also admit that I thought that the identity of the Saint Maiden could gain more convenience. I will not deny this. I used my sister."

Enthiotis never escaped or denied that he had indeed used Enya. He firmly believed that Enya could become a saint because he knew Enya too well. Her sister was a person who was even better than him. If he was a younger brother and she was the eldest sister, she would definitely not make the same decision as him because Enya was too gentle. But he was different... He was cruel enough. He had to do something for Kjerag and the Shivaash family.

If you ask him if he has any regrets, he will say yes.

But if you ask him if he would make a different choice if he had the chance again, he would still make the same decision.

This is Enthiotis. He admits his ambition and his ruthlessness, but people are complicated. There are no two people in the world who are exactly the same. Enthiotis is not the Duke of Caister's brother. His heart is not distorted by power. He still has feelings for his family. He is not a simple ambitious person. He can be cruel, but it is only to protect his two sisters.

Of course, he wouldn't just say what he was thinking.

Therefore, he completely agreed with the other party's words.

"It's just that you may underestimate my sister."

"You mean the saint?"

"Yes, Enya Shivaash." Enthyodis nodded. "Do you know who came up with the idea of ​​building a high-speed battleship?"

“…Heh, who else could it be besides you?”

"You're wrong, Your Excellency. My sister had already proposed the same idea before I did—" Ensiodis smiled, as if he was showing off his sister. "She came up with my idea before me."

"……so what?"

"Your Excellency the Duke, as you said, I am an ambitious man and a gambler. I will indeed do many extreme things as long as I think it is necessary. But at the same time, I am also a perfectionist, so as long as there is a better result, I will go along with it-" Enthyotis finally decided to show his trump card first.

"Your Excellency, do you remember the musician you saw at the banquet?"

"...Lilith?" Duke Caister naturally remembered this musician. She had even met her a few days ago. "Why are you suddenly mentioning her?"

"What if I tell you that this musician's true identity is the heir to the Witch King?"

"?!"

——Silence, absolute silence. When he heard the word "Witch King", Duke Caister subconsciously stopped breathing.

Although the Sorcerer King has been dead for over a decade, his remaining influence has left a very deep impression on all the surrounding nations, especially during the War of the Four Emperors - his method of manipulating natural disasters.

Duke Caister subconsciously recalled the music he had played, and she realized it belatedly.

There is indeed a shadow of the Witch King's music in that music.

This kind of thing cannot be imitated. Countless people have tried to imitate the music of the Witch King, but either they went crazy or died suddenly due to losing control. Imitating the music of the Witch King itself... has long been a new taboo.

"The Sorcerer King's disciple... you've found a bargaining chip of sufficient weight, but if that's all..." Duke Caster came to his senses. Indeed, the identity of the Sorcerer King's disciple was indeed quite important, but if that was all, it wouldn't have such a big impact on Duke Caster. If she were a Leithanian, the impact might have been even greater...

"Then, what if I say...her other identity..." Enthiotis had already begun to laugh, "is that she is the Honorary Saint of Shelagh?"

"...Honorary Saint...wait..."

Duke Kaster remembered that when he was collecting intelligence on Kjerag, he had heard about the Honorary Saint. Throughout history, there has only been one person who has obtained the title of Honorary Saint in Kjerag.

"...Noa Kyrielight?" Duke Caister hesitated for a moment, "But...her appearance...could it be a disguise?"

"She's not comfortable showing up in public, so she can only travel in disguise. I didn't expect you to be so impressed by her musical talent..." Enthiotis smiled and revealed his trump card. "Noa Kyrielight, Honorary Saint of Kjerag, disciple of the Witch King, and descendant of Victoria's Protector. Are these identities enough?"

Is that enough for you to take Kjerag seriously?

Chapter 53: Where is she?

"I'd like to tell you, indeed, that's enough. But..." Duke Caister smiled. "Ensiódis, when did you ever place your hopes on someone who wouldn't even stay in Kjerag?"

"..."

"Indeed, this person is enough to sway me, even to the point of placing Kjerag on an equal footing in negotiations. She possesses influence beyond your imagination, but... you can't keep her." Duke Caister gazed at Enthiodis before him and spoke with a cold tone, as if instructing a younger generation. "Many nations have sought her favor, promising her status, wealth, and power, but she has never lingered anywhere, including Colombia, Victoria, even the mysterious Agor, and Iberia. If she had only nodded her head, she could have obtained wealth exceeding that of all Kjerag... but she hasn't."

"I find it hard to imagine such a person existing in the world. She is unwavering in the pursuit of personal gain, nor tempted by power. She moves through the world unfettered by anything. She possesses immense power and popularity. As long as she raises her voice, everyone will come to her aid. She possesses such charm, yet she possesses no desires. If she truly possesses any... it would only be for misfortune."

"...You really do care about her." Enthiodis smiled wryly. His attempt to manipulate her had failed. While he had considered it, he hadn't expected the Grand Duke before him to show such concern for someone like Noah Kyrielight. To be able to say such things, he truly understood Noah. In front of this Grand Duke, who was practically a fan, his words seemed like a rip-off. "I'm curious, why does this person, who has no national background, interest you so much? Perhaps even... overly so?"

"Haha, Enthiotis, you don't need to test me. By the time I arrived in Kjerag, I already understood my situation. I don't know how you contacted Vina or how you persuaded my agents to defect. Anyway... the moment I entered the country, your goal had already been achieved. Let me guess... you already have some leverage over me?" Duke Caister smiled and pointed out Enthiotis's biggest trump card. "Enthiotis, I told you, you look a lot like him—but that's only half the story. What I truly see in you isn't my brother."

"……what do you mean?"

"The person you truly resemble is me." Duke Caister smiled. "Your eyes are exactly the same as mine were after I was betrayed for the first time."

"...What do you mean?"

"Enthyodis Shivaash, I don't need to explain this any further. You should know that the so-called aristocracy is, in essence, a game of checks and balances between the monarch and the nobles. Even though I have absolutely no desire to fight for power, I must join in for self-preservation—and the decisions I made to protect myself have propelled me to this position."

Duke Caister's eyes fell on Enthiodis, as if he was observing his past self.

"This position is that of a powerful official. It's where I am, and it's where you are too. How ridiculous! You and I are actually the same, in the same position, doing the same thing."

"My Lord Duke, you and I are quite different." Ensiodis remained unmoved, crossing his arms in a confrontational stance. "I'm not afraid of the final reckoning. If the Saint desires my Kalan Trade, I will offer it with both hands. I can be stripped of all my rights, but if Kjerag can achieve better development, I'm willing to sacrifice."

"You trust your sister, and believe this saint can bring Kjerag a better future?"

"of course."

"Even if you become a victim of development?"

"even so."

"Then how can you be sure that your decision is the right one? What if your sister actually hates you?"

"Then I will be happy to apologize to her after completing my historical mission. Even if she takes my life, I will not hesitate."

"...Heh, he's really a... 'good brother'."

"I have the confidence to accomplish everything I've said here, but what about you... you, the powerful minister, are truly in a difficult position."

"I'm not going to make you worry about me, Enthyodis." Caister laughed and shook his head, feeling bored. "Okay, let's get back to the previous topic."

In this debate among the powerful officials, Enthiotis did give a good answer. Although this answer might not be what he really meant, it was enough to say it.

The Duke of Caister did not intend to kill them all—

"I do care deeply about Miss Noah." Duke Caister waved his hand. "In fact, is there anyone who dislikes a saint?"

"...Saint, I don't think Miss Noah would like to be called that."

"Of course, saints never consider themselves saints. Saints don't claim to be saints themselves; they are admired by others. They say a saint's deeds are judged by his deeds, not his heart. And if you judge by his heart, there are no saints in the world." Duke Caister nodded. "But even so, in the minds of the people, there will naturally be someone who is... a created idol."

Speaking of statues, Enthiodis's eyes involuntarily looked behind them, at the statue that was probably the tallest in all of Kjerag, the statue of Yelagund.

"You really have elevated Miss Noah to a level she certainly wouldn't like."

"Same here. When you used her as a bargaining chip, I don't think she agreed, right?"

"indeed so."

"I've been keeping an eye on her, ever since she left Casimir. I've noticed this... descendant of the Kirilet family."

"I see. They're the Kirilet family... descendants of the Protector of the Nation. Is this the reason?"

"It's fair to say that the country was in turmoil at the time, so I desperately wanted someone who could stabilize the situation."

"From what I know, the person most likely to stabilize the situation back then... would have been you. If you had chosen to be the regent, the situation wouldn't have become so chaotic." Enthiotis asked, "Why didn't you do that?"

"...Oh, Regent... Indeed, you are right. Unfortunately, I am a selfish person." Duke Caister explained, "When I became Regent, I did have legal support and sufficient reputation, but have you ever considered? When this turmoil ends and Vina returns... what kind of existence will the Regent become?"

"—I see. You're afraid of the reckoning you might face later?"

"No, the liquidation is still within my scope of permission... It's just that you don't understand Victoria." Duke Caister responded, "You understand the impact it would have on Victoria if the leader was not Aslan or a certain Draco..."

"..." Enthiotis did not speak, because he knew that he had indeed not considered it carefully. Legally, in Victoria, only two races could serve as monarchs - Draco and Aslan.

This is tradition...it is an unbreakable barrier.

No matter how the Duke of Caister operates, there is no barrier that can be circumvented. Of course, he can also raise objections, such as the situation of Theresis, but the situation of the Sarkaz is special and cannot be confused. If the Sarkaz are in chaos and special measures must be taken, then no matter how chaotic Victoria is, the grand dukes will firmly hold power and military power. In the final analysis, the Sarkaz invasion is just a trivial matter in the eyes of most grand dukes.

But if the Duke of Caister wants to take advantage of the opportunity to become the so-called regent, it will be no small matter, not to mention the subsequent settlement... I am afraid that the grand dukes will hastily form an alliance and start to support the king on the second day after he becomes king.

This was the reason why she didn't do it... because there was no way she could succeed.

"Of course you find it incomprehensible, because I also think so. Among my many considerations, one of the two plans I've come up with is... to bring Vina back. And then support her to become the new king."

"That's beyond my expectations... I thought you and the Speaker were at loggerheads."

"There's no such thing as true incompatibility in this world, Enchiodis. As long as our interests align, I can be the Speaker's most loyal sword." Kaister smiled. "Like you, I'm a patriot. Do you understand?"

"So... what's the second option?"

"Noa Kyrielight, I plan to have her return to inherit the position of Protector of the Nation," Kaster said bluntly. "I want to avoid risk. The best way is to push a puppet into the position. That way, at least I won't get into trouble."

"Heh...you're really cruel, planning to send a blind little girl into such a storm."

"It's precisely because she's blind that she's safer." Duke Caister shook his head. "Her physical disability means she can't rule unaided. That actually makes her safer. The fight will be over who will be her deputy."

"So Miss Noya missed out on a super title..." Enchiodis made a small joke. "Then why did you give up this plan?"

"Because of you." At this time, Duke Caister looked at Enchiodis with a smile, and Enchiodis understood why after a little thought.

"Because Miss Noya has become the Honorary Saint of Kjerag."

"Indeed, with this identity, I couldn't possibly take her to Victoria. It's a shame your actions ruined my plans. I had even prepared troops to steal her from Kjerag."

"…Should I be thankful that our coup ended so quickly?"

"Enthyodis, your coup was indeed too sloppy. It should be improved."

Miss Noah, who is at the center of the topic, probably won't like this joke.

"Now that I've explained why I care about her, here's everything she's done. She gave Casimir a new lease on life, she helped Kjerag's coup in the Snow Mountain to a smooth conclusion, she saved most of the people affected by the disaster in Hill County, she restored order to the lives of the people in Rhineland, and finally... she even saved Iberia from crisis and became Agor's savior. After I've finished telling you all this, if you were someone who knew about her journey... what would you think?"

"Indeed, what she did... was shocking."

"Later, I was thankful. Thankful that everything you did prevented her from coming to Victoria—if she had come, I'd have been ousted long ago. Her abilities far exceeded the limits of my control. She is a true Saint, an existence beyond our control." Duke Caister made no secret of his admiration for Noa. "Many of her actions seemed quite reckless to me, but it was just this... just this... she succeeded."

"It seems you really like her?"

"No one who once harbored ideals would dislike her. After all, in the midst of true despair... even those riddled with sin would trust her promises," Duke Caister recounted bluntly. "Even if I were her enemy, I would trust her wholeheartedly, even willing to leave my back to her, because we both know she would never betray us."

"I thought you would ridicule her for her unrealistic behavior."

"Even the wicked need a savior."

“…Savior…”

Enthiotis didn't want to think that way, or rather, he didn't like to view his friend that way. Unlike the Duke of Caister, he had actually come into contact with Noya. He knew that placing too much hope on her would be cruel to her. However, her presence unconsciously made everyone trust her and rely on her. She was like someone who, the further she advanced, the more she shouldered the burden. Sooner or later, the responsibilities she shouldered would crush her...

As her friend, I naturally don't want this to happen.

But who wouldn't long for someone who can make them feel at ease?