About the time I was picked up and adopted by Tallulah

"..."

Hearing the spokesperson's question, Bai Jin, who had always looked nonchalant, frowned slightly.

It is obvious that the relationship between Orson and Rhodes Island is no longer as simple as "involvement". Platinum can be sure that Orson himself has considerable authority in Rhodes Island.

Tell the Chamber of Commerce what you have seen honestly, and everyone will be happy with it, without any risk.

The previous Platinum, the uncle who was always in a carefree state, once said to Platinum, "The best choice is the one without risk."

He who said this, finally chose to fight against the No Heroes Alliance because of a girl. When Platinum recalled this sentence, his mind also recalled the time when he and Orson were wandering around Rhodes Island.

...It has nothing to do with that guy. I just don't want to add any more extra work and reporting documents to myself.

Having convinced himself with this reason, Platinum spoke softly:

"That little infected person I'm supervising? I don't know. It's not like I'm going to keep an eye on him 24 hours a day."

After a brief silence, Bai Jin gave his answer, an answer he would never have chosen a few days ago.

"So, you haven't seen anything related to this, right? Then, are there any suspicious people or people who need attention in Rhodes Island?"

The spokesperson continued to ask questions, and this time Platinum thought of the Radiant Knight he saw when he left.

"—There are many, like the giant cat wielding a chainsaw nearly as tall as a human, Doctor Crocodile with his amazing hammer-wielding fighting skills, and the unidentified Blood Demon who is often found hanging on the bridge."

Platinum didn't lie this time. Rhodes Island had no shortage of weirdos, and the number of people who "needed attention" could not be counted on one hand.

"Hmm... Just hearing the content makes it seem quite strange. So, we now have a pretty good understanding of the situation. Thank you again for your help and efforts, young Platinum Lord."

The intelligence was almost collected, and the spokesperson nodded to Platinum, who quickly said hello impatiently and turned to leave the building.

"...So, what do you think of Platinum Lord's statement?"

After Platinum left, the spokesperson suddenly asked a question to the shadow in the corner of the building.

In the shadows, a figure with an unclear outline and a crossbow on his back slowly emerged. It turned out that there had always been a third person in the room, and Platinum didn't even notice this person's existence.

"It seems that our Platinum Master is following in the footsteps of the one before him."

The mysterious man's voice was cold and calm, as if he had sensed that Platinum was hiding something.

"So what are you going to do, Master Qing Jin?"

The spokesperson asked in a low voice, revealing the true identity of the man hiding in the room—he also belonged to the No Helmet Alliance and was one of the Blue Golds above the Platinums.

"Do you really want to know, Mr. Spokesman?"

The Great Lord Qingjin did not answer, but instead asked the spokesperson a question, his eyes devoid of any light.

--------

"Do you really want to know...Maria, Aunt?"

At the same time, in Maria's mansion, after confirming that the extracted blood was effective and helping PRTs complete this stage of simulation learning, Orson immediately returned to Casimir, but there were some marks on his body that seemed to have been scratched by lynx claws or bitten by rabbits. He also had a cold and fever, and some parts of his body were even frostbitten.

"Uh... I feel like this is something that's hard to say. I'd better not ask."

Maria looked at Orson and said awkwardly that she would just forget it. Meanwhile, Zofia, standing beside her, stared at Orson with her hands on her hips and a frown on her face.

"You're not even going to a pharmaceutical company to do business. It feels more like you've been thrown into a refrigerator full of cats and rabbits... Never mind, I'm not in a position to ask about your personal affairs. Anyway, tomorrow is the opening game of the Knights' Games. Do you want to go and see them?"

As expected of an aunt, she guessed almost exactly what happened to Orson with just one casual remark.

After Platinum left without informing Orson due to his inner turmoil, Orson searched for a long time before learning the news of Platinum's departure from Kal'tsit.

After knowing this, Orson was a little anxious, because he still couldn't completely confirm Platinum's position. Moreover, because Frost Star's identity was also very special in this incident, Orson, who had not had a good talk with Platinum about this matter, was very worried that Platinum would reveal something.

"When did she leave...!"

Orson, who was a little anxious, unconsciously grasped Kal'tsit's exposed shoulders with both hands, and the green cat head was obviously not prepared for such a "strong" attack from the opponent. It was so scared that its tail stood up instantly. At the same time, it even forgot to summon mon3tr and directly used the crazy scratching engraved in its DNA on Orson.

Orson, who was scratched by the lynx, finally calmed down, but before he had time to apologize, Frost Star pushed open the door of the room which was not closed tightly.

"Dr. Kelsey, I've read the latest medical records. When can I—"

Frost Star froze mid-sentence. In her mind, she saw Orson gripping Kal'tsit tightly, as if ready to strip her clothes and prevent her from escaping. Kal'tsit, panicked and scratching, perfectly matched the defiance of a perverted rapist.

"Orson..."

"Wait a minute, Frost Star. I don't know what you're thinking, but it must be wrong!!"

"That white-haired Kuranta is fine, but now you're even targeting Dr. Kal'tsit! Isn't she said to be 200 years old?"

Froststar complained loudly.

"...Age has no relative value to me, and I have to explain that."

Kal'tsit corrected Froststar's words somewhat unhappily.

"No, we can't just let that white-haired thief go like this!!"

"Stop adding other people in here!?"

The scene suddenly became extremely chaotic, and as if adding fuel to the fire, Orson's mobile phone received a text message from Platinum at this time.

"Don't worry, Orson. I'll just muddle through the situation over there. You owe me a favor this time. Figure out how to repay it on the way back to Casimir."

"What kind of weird play is this...!"

As expected, Xuetu, whose mind was full of erotic thoughts, misunderstood Bai Jin's text message.

Afterwards, Shuangxing saw that the situation had become such that there was no need for him to pretend to be a gentleman anymore. He dragged Orson into his room.

Although Orson shouted for help from Kal'tsit, after seeing Kal'tsit repeatedly whispering, "I'm a doctor. I can't have strange thoughts about patients. He has a close relationship with the doctor. You have to stay calm...", Orson knew that he was doomed this time.

After that, I returned to Casimir after receiving comprehensive services for frostbite, cold and fever.

39. Opening Match: Boiling Blood Knights vs. Rhodes Island

"Letis and Jiantoumen! Welcome to this year's Casimir Knight Tournament! I'm your old friend, Big Mouth Mob. I'm sure you've all been waiting a long time. Blood and mud are about to fly in this arena once again!"

In front of the commentary booth at the stadium, which was decorated a bit too fancy, a guy who called himself Mob and had a Polnareff-shaped head holding a microphone was constantly stirring up the atmosphere of the game.

"At last year's Knight Competition, we welcomed the first truly recognized Infected Knight Champion. Her victory brought a whole new force to this year's Knight Competition—the Infected Knight! Yes, you heard right, this is Casimir! Inclusive of everything, as long as you possess the spirit of a knight, you can become a knight in a dreamland!"

Big Mouth Mob spoke with great enthusiasm on the stage, gesticulating and swaying like a giant. But the audience seemed to be enjoying it, and the atmosphere was unprecedentedly high.

"Don't cheer too soon, because I'm afraid your voices won't be enough for the next one! Listen up, you blood-and-limb-hungry bastards! This knight's tournament will be the most blood-soaked and terrifying in history!"

Hearing these words, the surrounding audience cheered even more enthusiastically, but in a corner of the front row, a few people were not affected by this enthusiastic atmosphere at all.

"Performing crosstalk in a place like this must be quite grand..."

Orson, the rising star of the Infected Knight who calls himself the 'Silent Knight', was munching on Casimir's signature pan-fried horseshoe while marveling at the sheer size of the arena.

"This place is still so boring... Haah, if it weren't for you and Maria, I would never come here again in my life."

Aunt Zofia sighed and fiddled with her phone, shaking her ponytail.

"Oh oh oh!!"

Maria was so embarrassed that she was infected by the atmosphere that she even forgot her goal was to deny this kind of knightly game.

"Hmm? You guys are here too. Sorry about what happened last time. If you have any complaints, go beat that guy up."

"Why do you have to beat me up first... Hey, Mr. Plastic Knight!"

Coincidentally, an old acquaintance, Plastic Knight, also came to watch the game, and he sat next to Maria with his child.

Before, Maria was very confused about her goal in the Howling Knights. In the end, it was Orson who dragged the Plastic Knights into a play, which helped Maria find her goal again.

"Ahahaha... I don't hold any grudges. Thanks to Mr. Sekiak, I finally found my true purpose in participating in the Knights' Tournament. Speaking of which, is this your son?"

"Well, he's a little shy, and it's too noisy here. Let's find a time next time to introduce him properly."

Serkiak rubbed the little boy beside him.

After noticing that there was a "not so close outsider" around her, Maria instantly became much more obedient. She smiled and rubbed her hair while sitting down obediently to show that the previous incident was over.

After hearing that there would be an opening game today, Orson and Maria, who had never properly watched a Cavaliers game live, naturally decided without hesitation to join in the fun.

After Zofia activated her money ability, the three of them easily secured a first-class seat. While Orson and Zofia weren't particularly interested in the knight competition itself, Maria seemed quite excited, until she met the Plastic Knight.

"This time, we've not only joined the regular Infected Tournament Knights, but also introduced new independent companies. The knights representing one of these companies will make the very earth tremble! And another company—the unaffiliated pharmaceutical company [Rhodes Island]—will be responsible for the opening match of this year's Knight Tournament. Will this little-known company lead a thrilling battle, or will it be utterly crushed by our old comrades—the tournament knights of the Rose Newspaper Boiling Blood Knights? The opening match is about to begin! But first, I have to recite the three-minute slogan for this year's Knight Tournament sponsor."

Amidst the boos, Orson frowned after hearing the word "Rhodes Island".

"Rhodes Island...? Didn't they say today was a battle between Boiling Blood and Blade Helmets? I want to see what level of skill I've provoke."

"This is a common situation. Sometimes when the Federation of Chambers of Commerce feels that there is a more topical combination in the event schedule, they will temporarily change the match schedule like this."

Sofia was not surprised by this and explained with a bit of disdain.

"Change of schedule...so Rosemary will play today?"

Orson muttered quietly, while the host, Big Mouth Mob, finished reading out the sponsors of a song.

"Alright! First, let's welcome the representative knights from the independent company 'Rhodes Island' for this knight tournament!"

As the lights of the arena came together, a familiar figure from the Filin tribe slowly walked out from the west entrance. It was Rosemary the kitten, who looked as if she was still sleepy or confused about the situation.

"It's Rosemary!" "Is this the cat-eared knight from before?"

Maria Zofia recognized Rosemary at the same time.

“What the hell is going on!” “Such a small girl!?” “This guy isn’t even wearing armor!” “Pull her tail off… Ouch!?”

After seeing Rosemary appear, perhaps because of her body shape and aura, the crowd did not think that Rosemary was here to participate in the knight competition.

Of course, some people will find that their tails are suddenly shaved off by something unknown after they have talked big.

"What's going on? What's going on? A knight from Rhodes Island is actually such a tiny girl from the Filin tribe!? This is really—intriguing, isn't it? Even if she gets lost, she won't have time to find her mother. This is the Casimir Arena! And today might be the unluckiest day for this child, because the enemy this little kitten is about to face is arguably the most notorious bastard in the knightly arena! Come on, shout out his name!"

"Um...I'm not lost."

After hearing the host's words on the loudspeaker, Rosemary in the venue tilted her head, wanting to tell the other party that she was no longer the person who couldn't remember the route. However, because there was no radio inside the arena, no one could hear Rosemary's whispered correction.

In contrast, under the host's guidance, the audience roared out together.

“Rust Copper!” “Rust Copper” “Gai—ya—!” “Rust Copper!”

Although some individuals turned into light, a tall knight wearing heavy silver-black armor and holding a rusty giant axe walked out of the east entrance amid the shouts of the crowd.

"Tsk... So that's what they're up to? These guys from the Commerce Association really haven't changed in their disgusting nature."

After seeing the knight holding a huge axe appear, Zofia frowned and said with extreme disgust.

"What's the matter with that thing, aunt? Can you lock it up?"

"Uwa! Don't come over here so suddenly..."

When Orson learned that the person who would be playing today was Rosemary, he immediately felt the anxiety of an old patriotic father. Therefore, when he heard that Zofia seemed to know the origin of this "rusty copper", Orson immediately went over to get some information.

Sofia was startled by Orson's "sneak attack!" and turned her face away with her cheeks feeling a little hot.

"Ahem... Anyway, the Rusty Bronze Knight's real name is Olmer Ingra, and he was just released on bail from prison last week."

Maria pulled Orson back from Zofia and forced him between the two ponies as she explained.

"Bail...what does that mean?"

Orson was stunned when he heard a word that had nothing to do with "knight".

"Simply put... the Rusty Bronze Knight possesses terrifying combat skills. Most contestants simply can't withstand his slashing blows. Furthermore, after securing victory, he enjoys continuing to disregard the rules and torment his opponents. Nearly 30 knights in the knight competition are now unable to care for themselves due to his brutality. But because the Rusty Bronze family is so prestigious, he's always found a way out."

Zofia frowned as she explained Rusty Copper's information. After hearing that this guy liked to ravage his opponents, Orson finally understood why the Chamber of Commerce chose Rosemary as the opponent for the opening match.

"This is the fifth time this year, haha. Who said the knights and nobles are in decline? They still have immense power."

The Plastic Knight sighed, glancing at Orson, who was sandwiched between two horses. He clicked his tongue a few times before whispering to his son not to become like the guy next to him.

"Oh my, this scene is truly horrific! Such a petite and adorable Cat-Eared Knight has to face the worst-ever Rusted Bronze Knight in his first battle. How inhumane! But you bastards don't think that way at all, do you? The odds are clearly showing it, over 9% of people are voting for the Rusted Bronze Knight to win. Hey, hey, hey, do you really want to see such a pitiful Filin girl shattered beyond recognition and carried away on a stretcher!?"

Big Mouth Mob was still talking nonsense, and at the same time, the spinach picture on the big screen showed that less than 1% of people were optimistic about Rosemary.

After all, Rosemary's appearance really gave people a sense of unreliability. In addition, she didn't even have a decent armor on her body. People would naturally think that this company called Rhodes Island was just a makeshift team.

"Damn it, no one supports Rosemary... Mr. Serkiak! At least we have to vote for Rosemary! We can't lose momentum!"

Orson, in father mode, broke away from his usual harmless appearance and grabbed the phone of the Plastic Knight who was passing by to watch the show, and went all in on Rosemary.

"Hey you!?"