The battle between Manner and Margaret actually ended very quickly. Manner did not use Stone source art. The two were fighting purely on basic skills, and in this battle, after Margaret displayed skills and strength not inferior to Manner's, Manner very naturally conceded.
This result did not surprise Noah, who was watching from the side. Ever since Margaret returned, she had felt that Uncle Manner was about to hand everything over to Margaret.
As expected, this battle was less an uncle-niece sparring match and more a disguised Lingguang Family head handover ceremony. Manner was quite decisive, even somewhat impatiently handing over the position of Lingguang Family head to Margaret, after which his perpetually five-million-yuan-in-debt expression halved to a two-and-a-half-million-yuan-in-debt look.
If one were to say who was happiest after Margaret's return, besides Noah, it would undoubtedly be Maria. As a dedicated sister-complex, she equally adored both of her older sisters. Although she would certainly never say these words in front of Noah or Margaret, there was no doubt that upon seeing her two sisters together again, she felt as if something had returned to her heart.
Especially recently, even when Margaret was busy, she would push Noah out to sunbathe during her leisure time. Although Noah constantly complained, she never refused once.
In the garden, Margaret gently pushed Noah's wheelchair, speaking words that even she herself felt were a bit nonsensical, but strangely, in front of Noah, no matter what, she felt she could speak it. Just being able to get a response from her already made her very happy. Noah had always held a very important place in her heart. She valued Noah so much, even though, by seniority, Noah was her older cousin.
However, neither of them was concerned with seniority. Now Margaret was the head of the Nearl Family Family, and Noah was the head of the Kielanlet. What did it matter if the two family heads had a good relationship?
Moreover, the Nearl Family and Kielanlet families already had a very good relationship.
"Margaret, speaking of which—" Noah suddenly remembered something. "Speaking of which, are Nightingale and Shining… your colleagues at Rhodes Island?"
Noah's question was based on the fact that she had also been to Rhodes Island before. She remembered that there didn't seem to be these two people in the medical department. Without bragging, because of her special condition, she had basically met every doctor of note at Rhodes Island during expert consultations, but there was no Sarkaz with white horns, nor was there that Miss Nightingale who was somewhat similar to herself.
"...Hmm, they are my partners. But rather than colleagues at Rhodes Island, they are people I met before I went to Rhodes Island," Margaret had no intention of avoiding the topic. "They are important partners of mine, who taught me many things when I was still lost."
"Hmm… I see," Noah nodded. "They must be very important to you, right?"
"Of course, I would readily sacrifice my life for both of them—" Margaret's response was direct, but it made Noah pause. However, she didn't react much, simply nodding.
"I see. When I wasn't around, you really did meet many amazing people. I guessed correctly after all," Noah whispered. "You, did you receive a lot of love letters from young girls while you were at Rhodes Island?"
"Why is it limited to young girls?" Margaret asked, puzzled. "But it's true..."
"Don't I know you? You're so handsome and graceful. When you were an operator at Rhodes Island, many people must have received your care. You're excellent in both looks and ability, and you also have temperament and grace. If no one liked you, I'd think that's abnormal," Noah said jokingly. "Is there anyone you like?"
"I haven't thought about things like that..." Margaret replied. "I've returned all those love letters and explicitly rejected them."
"What a pity—" Noah suddenly patted the back of the chair, making Margaret stop her wheelchair. "Or do you already have someone you like? Who is it? Can you tell me?"
"Why are you suddenly so interested in my gossip, Noah?" Margaret asked, puzzled. "Could it be that the Red Wine News reported some new scandal about me recently?"
"You know about it too," Noah snorted. "And it's not that I care, it's just that as a friend, as a childhood friend, I always have to vet them for you."
"...Perhaps," Margaret hesitated for a few seconds, then shook her head. "But I don't think she's noticed yet, so I won't say anything for now."
"I see..." Noah nodded. "Alright, when you want to talk about it, be sure to tell me right away."
In Noah's perception, Margaret's emotions had, at one point, conveyed something akin to shyness, but Noah didn't pry, merely keeping it in her heart.
Margaret, she always thinks about others' feelings, and as a result, she's never very proactive. When she used to interact with Noah, even though her personality was very outgoing, she would instinctively retreat whenever she saw Noah frown. Such a person, too concerned with others' feelings, will only stop moving forward.
However, compared to romance, she was perfect in other aspects. Whether as a Knight or as an older sister, she was flawless from every angle.
Noah wondered who would benefit from her in the future—
Thinking of this, Noah recalled the two Sarkaz that Margaret brought. If it were the mature Ms. Shining... never mind. According to Kuro, Ms. Shining was a hidden master, and in the few brief exchanges she had with Noah, she was clearly more concerned about the lady beside her, codenamed Nightingale.
It was hard to imagine what someone like her would be like if she fell in love—
Nightingale, on the other hand, although a Sarkaz, and also of the physically weaker type like Noah... Nightingale was clearly more direct with Margaret, running over several times to call Margaret by her name, and she also seemed to care about Margaret's feelings in everything.
To be honest, if Noah were to guess... perhaps Nightingale was more likely to be the person Margaret didn't want to talk about.
Noah thought about it repeatedly but couldn't come up with anything conclusive, and in her heart, there was actually another question she wanted to ask. However, she probably wouldn't be able to ask that question in her lifetime.
So she changed the subject—
"Margaret, what's your competition schedule like after this?"