Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

"...And then, I plan to leave Kjerag tomorrow."

“…So soon?”

"I was just here for a stroll during the holiday, and it's almost time to go back to work," Noah said in a relaxed tone. "I've already made the arrangements. Rhodes Island will pick me up, and we're going to Iberia together to prepare."

Although the tone was so relaxed, neither Elizabeth nor Enchiodis felt that the "work" Noah mentioned was that simple.

"...Can you help me?"

"Probably not."

"Victoria's side..."

"No, it's a matter of the sea after all." Noah shook his head. "It's enough to have this intention."

——Next, it’s time to go to the Deep Blue Tree Laboratory to find out what’s going on.

Chapter 57: Epilogue

After Noya proposed to leave Kjerag, Enthiotis and others were reluctant to let her go, but they also knew that they could not keep Noya in Kjerag forever.

She has her own things to do. As friends, they cannot stop Noah, they can only give her blessings.

Now that Kjerag's matter was over and she was no longer threatened by Victoria, she had no reason to stay here.

Jian and Margaret boarded the return train with Noah. By comparison, Noah had gradually grown accustomed to using his power. Just as Ya'er had said, power was, in essence, an instinct for the Children of the Stars, or indeed for the Behemoths. It was like breathing; all it took was gradual adaptation. On the other hand, if one actually practiced it, it would be a step behind. After all, no one could teach a newborn how to breathe.

The train roared, sweeping away the snow. Noa stared out the window. She hadn't been sure how she'd gotten from being the daughter of an ordinary knight family to where she was now. It was like a novel whose first chapter was about reviving the family, and whose last chapter was about a battle to the edge of space. Well, until now, Noa had only seen the universe through the administrator's memories.

Ah... sometimes I really want to throw all these things away and pretend I know nothing and just go fishing.

Noah is actually not a very hardworking person. If possible, she would rather be an ordinary businessman or a farmer.

It hasn't been long since I got rid of my oripathy and stood up from my wheelchair... and now I have to face an enemy that I have almost no chance of defeating.

"Noah?"

"Hmm? What's wrong, Mace?"

Noah turned around and saw that Jian was sitting next to him, and Margaret was sitting opposite him. He didn't know how these two people were assigned the seats around him.

"You've been sitting there in a daze for more than an hour. Did anything happen while I was away?" It hadn't been long since Jian left her side, but it was true that with Jian by her side, she would feel more at ease. Even Margaret might not be able to give her such peace of mind.

"No, just a little...melancholy?"

"That doesn't sound like something you would say," Margaret interjected. "I thought you had no connection with that word."

"What? Can't I be melancholy for a while? I know I'm not a literary girl, but at least I'm a top student in the history department!" Noah once again emphasized that she had this hidden setting. If she didn't mention it, no one would know about it except Muirseth.

"...If you hadn't told me, I would have almost forgotten that you had this setting." Mace complained with a cold face. Noah rolled his eyes at this guy who always liked to make fun of him with a cold face. It was like this in the beginning, and nothing has changed now.

"After we return to Rhodes Island..." Noah said, "Mace, can you and Margaret... stay in Rhodes Island and wait for me?"

"..."

After these words were spoken, the entire carriage fell silent.

Margaret and Jian both looked at Noah, and Noah didn't say much, but just avoided their gaze with some guilt.

"Why?" Jian took a deep breath, "Can you give me a suitable reason?"

"..." Margaret wanted to ask the same question as Jian. Under the gazes of the two people, Noah twitched the corners of his mouth.

"...After all, the Deep Blue Tree laboratory is underwater... Can you two operate normally underwater?" Noya offered the most non-offensive excuse possible. She wanted to say there was no other reason, but she was simply worried that the dangers within the Deep Blue Tree were beyond the ability of the two of them to handle. The Deep Blue Tree had been abandoned for a long time, and its protective equipment was likely ineffective. If it was only ineffective, that would be best... But if it was still there, even pre-civilized people like Priss and the Doctor wouldn't matter, and Noya was half-pre-civilized.

But what about Margaret and Mace...

These two people are obviously not within the scope of identification.

Taking this into consideration, Noah proposed the plan of having the two wait in Rhodes Island.

But it was obvious that the reasons she gave were not enough for the two to agree. Seeing Noah's embarrassment, Mace simply closed his eyes and said, "If this is your wish, I am willing to comply."

"..." Margaret was obviously a little surprised that Jian gave up like that, but she also seemed to understand why Jian said that. "If... this is your wish."

"Thank you." Noah breathed a sigh of relief. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. I promise."

This wasn't a lie. In all of Terra, there were almost no people who could threaten Noya. Even if the Deep Blue Tree was a laboratory of a previous civilization, Noya didn't think anything would happen to him.

Both Jian and Margaret held a special place in her heart, so she naturally didn't want them to take any risks. She was truly relieved that they agreed.

-

Putting aside Noah and the others who were still on the train, Rhodes Island wasn't feeling much at ease at the moment. Precious was flipping through the blueprints irritably. During this time, she had spent a lot of time adjusting the so-called [Grey Knight Armor], as a way to relieve her inner irritability. After learning from Noah that Originium might not have any effect on lumberjacks, she had been very irritable.

"...P...Ms. Precious, are there still any problems with the blueprint?"

"You should ask what's right." Precious rolled his eyes at the anaconda that came over to ask about the situation. "It's an improvement compared to before, but it's still far behind. I told you, I won't pass it unless you meet my standards."

"But your specifications are too high... We've compromised our design to begin with." Anaconda was on the verge of tears. This set of designs was already in who knows how many versions, and every one of them had been rejected by Precious. Ultimately, Terra's entire technological landscape was limited to this point, and catching up to Precious's specifications in this area was nearly impossible. This was the best-case scenario they could have considered, but it was still rejected by Precious. "...And I've already shown this design to the doctor, and she said she could let you take a look."

"...Doctor?" Precious frowned. "Are you saying that Doctor thinks this design is sufficient?"

"She didn't say it directly, but she said she could show it to you." Anaconda shrank his head and whispered, "If the doctor hadn't agreed, I wouldn't have dared to bring it to you. I would have definitely gotten a scolding anyway."

"...What is she thinking..." Precious frowned, and scanned the design drawing again, and suddenly discovered a detail. Indeed, this design could not meet her requirements, but the users of this armor were not humans. In the human era, no one used Originium as an energy source, and no human could physically control Originium. This technology was mastered after Precious entered the Originium. In the final analysis, the compatibility between humans and Originium is actually almost zero.

Unless humans are willing or forced to be devoured by Originium, Originium has absolutely no interest in humans.

But the people of Terra are different. Their evolution itself is influenced by Originium, so every one of them is adaptable to it. This is the source of Originopathy, and it also means their adaptability to Originium far exceeds human imagination. More importantly... these cats and dogs each possess superhuman physiques. In other words, many safety measures that are common to humans are completely unnecessary for them.

——Hey, why are you worrying about security?

These supermen are probably able to break through the atmosphere with their physical bodies, so why should I worry about them?

"...Okay, let's build a prototype first. I want to see how resilient you are..." Precious's thoughts suddenly opened up. Ultimately, she was preoccupied with the safety and reliability of this device. She hadn't considered that a strong enough pilot could actually withstand several G-forces. These Terran superhumans shouldn't be measured by human standards. "Then talk to the doctor and let him determine the safety parameters himself. I'll leave all this alone for now—I don't know you as well as the doctor does."

"You mean... passed?"

"...Isn't it obvious what I said?"

"Yay!!!" The anaconda, who already had dark circles under his eyes, raised his hands and cheered, "Hurray! We finally made it!"

It was like a college student who, after countless revisions, finally passed their defense. Precious couldn't help but think of it, though she didn't notice the slight smile that crept into her lips. Perhaps the doctor was right. While these Terrans were very different from humans, they were indeed good students.

"Don't be too happy yet. You'll cry when the time comes to renovate it. And what about your Titan Project? The blueprints haven't been handed over to me yet." But before Anaconda could be happy for long, Precious's ruthless figure immediately ruined her happy expression. "Titan... The Titan Project blueprints haven't been... haven't been completed yet."

"Why don't you go fix the blueprints?" Precious rolled his eyes at her. "Remember, the Grey Knight Armor Project and the Titan Project must proceed in tandem. They are your foundation for the future."

Indeed, for most Terrans, external armor was the best way to strengthen themselves. This was especially true when facing the Warp. While there were certainly warriors capable of facing the Warp physically, it was definitely not something ordinary Terrans could do. The demonic mental contamination was extremely dangerous, and without the Grey Spikes, Grey Knight armor was the best defense.

——If the Deep Blue Tree Laboratory can remain intact, it is not impossible to create the Gray Matter Nail... But is it really possible for those instruments to remain intact?

Precious couldn't help but wonder. Having pinned their hopes on the Void Salvage Device, their biggest worry now was that it would fail. If that were to happen, even rebuilding it or repairing it would take a very long time. The best-case scenario was that the device would remain intact, or only slightly damaged. The Doctor was a genius, but he couldn't have stored all the technology of previous civilizations in his head. That wasn't something a human mind could achieve.

This is no longer a performance issue, it's a direct memory issue.

"...Ah." The anaconda had left, and Precious was alone again. At this time, she would always begin to miss the time she was with Noah. At least they could still chat at that time. During the time when Noah turned into a beacon, the two of them chatted a lot out of boredom and played many games of chess. No matter how hard she tried, she had to admit that Noah was a very good listener.

When she told the story of the Garden of Eden, Noah always played the role of a perfect listener and never made her feel bored.

But at that time she had never thought that she would be able to possess a body again, and even have the opportunity to meet the real doctor... Rhodes Island... Although this place is not the Garden of Eden, it doesn't seem bad.

When this thought came into her mind, she immediately suppressed it.

"What am I thinking about... What do you mean Rhodes Island is not bad?" Precious shook her head and threw away everything in her mind. She didn't know if it was because she was too tired, but she felt a little dizzy in front of her eyes... This is the disadvantage of having a body. The flesh always has its limits. She has long been accustomed to the form of a female ghost and will not feel hungry or sleepy, so she always forgets this. She staggered to her bed and fell into it. After a while, a light snoring sound was heard.

Not long after she fell asleep, the door of the engineering department was opened. The doctor walked into the room with a terminal and saw the unconscious Precious at a glance. She couldn't help shaking her head and went forward to cover her with the quilt.

"PRTS, turn off the lights and let her have a good rest." The doctor ordered prts softly. This native AI of Rhodes Island was built based on Prissith. After Prissith's return, all its permissions have been opened. The doctor can directly control the entire ship of Rhodes Island. By the way, he also opened the defense system of Rhodes Island that had been closed for a long time... Looking at Prissith who was exhausted and unconscious, the doctor was also quite emotional.

Back in the Garden of Eden, it was the administrator who reminded them to rest, otherwise they would have ended up like Prisseth is now... often tired to the point of fainting.

Although technology at the time was so advanced that sudden death was almost impossible, the administrators always seemed to treat them as fragile humans. Perhaps this was because the administrators, as children of the stars, had long observed humans and realized that humans were a species that easily died, which is why they had such a protective desire.

"Pureseth... I'm glad to be able to move forward hand in hand with you once again."

The Doctor muttered to himself.

"I know you can't hear me now, but I still want to say something to myself. You're not the only one who misses the Garden of Eden, Precious. I'm the same as you, except that humans always have to leave their Garden of Eden. Precious, next... we no longer have the protection of our parents, and we have to walk our own path."

"... Sweet dreams."

Volume: Deep Blue Tree

Chapter 1: Return to Iberia

In fact, if you think about it carefully, Noah has solved most of the problems on Terra as much as possible. The Haisi have evolved into the Pearl Tear Elegy tribe and have complete rationality. Moreover, because Noah is a personality sample, they have begun to choose to coexist with Agor and even began to develop their own art. In Noah's view, the Haisi have now completely transformed into the same race as the various races on Terra.

And Originium, the origin of Originium, and the real controller of Originium, Precious, has been made one of Noah's own. After bidding farewell to the administrator, he no longer mentioned the plan to be an enemy of Noah, so the issue was basically resolved.

As for the demons, Noah inherited the legacy of the Witch King and built an outpost fortress in the warp to fight against the demons, which is the Wasteland. Under the barrier of the Wasteland, Sami's battle situation has developed for the better, and when the Grey Knight armor is truly manufactured, the demons will no longer be a trouble.

Under Noah's urging, the giant beast and the beast master chose not to interfere with human choices.

However, after returning to Iberia, she was still shocked by the current situation in Iberia.

Before Noya's departure, Iberia was a bleak nation, plagued by harsh policies and widespread starvation. After the loss of Agor, the nation's fortunes plummeted, its former reputation as a golden nation long gone. The so-called Golden Age existed only as legends told by those who had lived through it. The Great Silence, the Sea Heir, and the Deep Sea Church—these things, like a stubborn disease, clung to Iberia's throat, attempting to smother this ancient nation with its final breath.

However, when Noah returned here, the first thing she saw was a field of rice waves. The still green wheat seedlings were firmly rooted in the saline-alkali land. The well-divided farmland planning and advanced irrigation system, plus the huge water purification equipment and the children running back and forth in the rice waves, formed a picture that was completely different from the past. The children running on the ridges had rosy complexions, and it was obvious that having enough food was no longer a problem.

These rices should be salt-alkali resistant rices bred by Muirses and millet. These rices have strong salt-alkali resistance, lodging resistance, and other excellent properties. The existence of these rices can be said to have almost solved Iberia's food problem.

Noya was deeply moved by this scene. Compared to the past, Iberia now felt more like a nation. She squatted down, checked the fullness of the rice ears, and smiled.

"This will be a bumper year," she whispered. "I didn't expect Iberia to have recovered to this level just after I left."

"Miss Noah—" At this moment, the Rhine Life graduate students who were tending to the rice on the ridge of the field saw Noah and immediately recognized her as the former Rhine General. Although she had now left the position, these people were all in the Ecology Department and were all graduate students of Muirseth, so it was natural for them to not recognize her. "You're finally back."

"You all... know me?" Noya asked, pointing at herself, somewhat puzzled. After all, she had scanned her memory and didn't recall meeting these people. "You're all from the Rhine Life Sciences Department, right? Did Miu Miu tell you about me?"

"No, no, no, it's not Director Muirses. It's my seniors. They told me you're their savior." The researchers immediately shook their heads. "I heard from them that getting a full-time position at Rhine Life was incredibly difficult before. But since you became the general manager, you've reformed the system and even asked the directors to take time off to help us revise our papers. Although... sometimes it's still a little difficult, it's much better than before."

"Yes, yes, Director Muirses is quite easy to talk to. He is the easiest to talk to except for Director Dorothy, the director of the Originium Technology Application Department..." The people on the side also chimed in. It can be seen that his original reform was still very effective. At least Muirses strictly abided by it.

"Is Miu Miu still in Iberia? Or has she returned to Colombia?" Noah couldn't help but be curious about Muerses' current situation and asked curiously.

"The director...was in Iberia a few days ago. She was called away two days before you arrived. The only people left here are researchers from the Ecology Department, responsible for looking after Ecological Field No. 3."

"That's... what a shame." Noya felt a little disappointed. After all, if she could meet Miu Miu here, she would have at least a rough idea of ​​the current situation. The cooperation between Iberia and Rhine Life seemed to be going very well, especially the research on salt-alkali-resistant rice, which had already entered the stage where large-scale cultivation was possible. "Then please take me to the person in charge."

"Okay, please follow me." It was naturally an honor to be able to lead the former commander-in-chief. The one who reacted the fastest among the few people grabbed this opportunity first and took Noah to the building with an obvious Algorand style.

Agor and Iberia re-established trade relations and opened ports. When Noah was heading towards the egg-shaped building, he saw several Agor people, which was almost impossible in the past.

Noticing Noya's gaze, the researcher leading the way explained smoothly.

"Ever since we established contact with Agor, they've sent many researchers via the waterway to assist us with our research. They say it's pointless to just send Agor's technology over. They hope to share their expertise with us and help us understand the principles of their technology as best as possible. I have to say they're a group of patient teachers, and with their help, we've overcome many technical difficulties."

"What about the Haisi...ah, should I say the Pearly Tear Sorrow Tribe?" Noya asked curiously, "Are there any conflicts between them and Agor now?"

"Well... I'm not entirely sure, but a few days ago we saw a few friends from the Pearly Tear Singer tribe come ashore. They had no ill intentions; they were simply discussing restoring the marine ecosystem. Mr. Ulpian, who was in charge of the meeting, approached them, and everything seemed to go smoothly without any conflict." The researcher didn't know much about Agor, so they could only share what they knew. "Mr. Ulpian is also in the technical department. Would you like to meet with him?"

"...Don't worry, I can also see how things are developing." Noya shook her head and temporarily rejected the proposal to meet with Ulpian. After all, if she met with Ulpian, they would probably only discuss business. This old-fashioned deep-sea hunter really lacked enthusiasm other than work. Noya was still very interested in the scientific research building. She noticed that there were many pipes filled with liquid in the building, shuttling between the stairs. These pipes were made of special materials. Noticing Noya's gaze, the researcher quickly explained. "These pipes were built by the Agor people. You can use these pipes to quickly travel between various facilities. It's very convenient. You may feel a little dizzy when you use it for the first time. They say dizziness is normal, but some people really can't adapt to it, so the stairs are still not eliminated."

"Carrying out operations through pipes is indeed a bit beyond imagination. However, what is the liquid inside? Won't it cause drowning?" Noya asked curiously, "Or are these pipes basically used exclusively by the Agor people?"

"Not really. Many of my companions who are curious about the future will also try this method of transportation, but I am the type who cannot adapt to it."

"I understand. I don't think I could adapt to it either. Let's take the stairs. They're the most reliable."

"Your words are exactly the same as Director Muirseth's, but the next day, she was having a blast in the tunnel. Some people may be conservative in words, but curiosity always drives them to try new things." The researcher replied with a smile, "I also recommend that you give it a try first. If you don't, how can you tell which method is better?"

"That makes sense. So where do I start? Should I put on my swimsuit first?"

"The liquid inside is called LCL. It's breathable and contains a considerable amount of dissolved oxygen. Once this liquid enters the lungs through the mouth and nose, it allows for efficient blood-oxygen exchange. Many tired people even specifically enter this liquid to recuperate. It's like a mother's amniotic fluid; once you get used to it, it's surprisingly good." The researcher deliberately used an easy-to-understand analogy. Of course, from others' perspective, this liquid is more like orange juice. It's hard to imagine that this liquid, rich in oxygen and various nutrients, has so many uses. It's said to be effective in medical treatment, leisure, and even shock absorption. "And more importantly, this liquid won't soak fabric, so you can wear it directly."

"LCL? This is the first time I've heard of this kind of thing. I guess I'm a bit behind the times. However, if it's really as powerful as you say, then we might have more uses for it." Noah said thoughtfully, "Okay, let's put the LCL thing aside for now. Where should we go next?"

"The core of the Research Building is an inverted triangle, with the pyramidal apex at its core located underground," the researcher explained. "The director in charge of the Research Building is over there, but getting there will likely require some time to apply for a pass and then wait in line, as that director is incredibly busy."

"Sir?" Noah blinked curiously. "Who is this gentleman you are talking about?"

"Of course it is..." The researcher just wanted to say his name, but suddenly shut his mouth. Noah turned around and found that the person who came over was actually his acquaintance, his old friend from Rhine Life, Ferdinand, who was once the director of the Energy Department. At this time, he was in high spirits and even changed his clothes into white. It can be seen that the fabric of these clothes is different from any of the ones Noah is familiar with. It is probably the latest achievement from Agor.

"My old friend! Miss Noah Kyrielight, what brings you to this place?"

He opened his arms exaggeratedly, as if he wanted to hug Noah, but Noah smiled and took a step back, avoiding the warm hug. Although she looked easy to talk to, she would not make such intimate gestures to everyone. She and Ferdinand were colleagues at most, and it was not yet to the point where they could hug each other casually. Fortunately, this was not the first time that Ferdinand was refused a hug, so he naturally changed from a hug to a handshake.

This time, Noah shook the other person's hand out of courtesy.

"Long time no see, Director Ferdinand."