I'm on the Ark, and I start out as Gretchen.

Just as Bianca was about to say goodbye and leave quickly, a discordant voice suddenly interrupted her.

"Pfft... You're hungry so early? Judging from your appearance, you're probably not from around here. In that case, as an apology, I'll treat you to dinner." As she spoke, a hint of a smile appeared in the girl's eyes as she looked at Bianca.

"Oh, right, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Maria, let's get to know each other."

P.S.: I'm having some writer's block. I'll add an extra chapter tomorrow, just one chapter today. I spent ages revising this... I should have one more chapter tomorrow morning. Although I won't be getting up at 4 AM like before to write it.

Greetings, everyone.

Chapter 10 Maria: "...?"

"Oh, right, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Maria, let's get to know each other." After saying this, Maria smiled and extended her slender hand to Bianca.

"..."

Looking at Maria's gentle smile, Bianca was slightly taken aback, and then sighed inwardly.

Suppressing his turbulent emotions, he returned the girl's smile with a bright, confident one. Then, he gently grasped the hand that was outstretched in front of him.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Maria. My name is Bianca."

“Bianca, that’s a lovely name. It’s a pleasure to meet you too.” Maria’s mood improved even more after seeing Bianca’s response, and her smile became much brighter.

“Let’s go. Since you’re hungry, I remember there’s a great restaurant nearby.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Maria, as if afraid that Bianca would run away, gave her no chance to refuse and calmly took her hand and walked forward.

However, from an angle Bianca couldn't see, the fleeting shyness and guilt in Maria's eyes betrayed that her inner state was not as calm and composed as it appeared.

"okay."

Bianca, who had originally wanted to say something to politely decline, could only swallow her words silently after being suddenly faced with Maria's enthusiasm, and let herself be led forward.

……

"...By the way, why did Bianca come to our Great Knight Territory?"

After the two had walked a distance, Maria calmed down a bit before turning her head slightly to look at the person beside her and asking curiously.

Just like when she met Mebius before, she subconsciously regarded Bianca, who had no racial characteristics, as an outsider.

Actually, Maria was also startled when she saw Bianca... For a moment, she almost thought she had met her sister who had been away from home for a long time.

Although she saw it clearly later, she had already become interested in Bianca.

So when he realized that Bianca wanted to leave, he used those rash words and actions to stop her.

Maria's face still flushed when she thought about the "stupid thing" she had just done...

"Why am I here? I just happened to be passing by." After hearing Maria's question, Bianca answered honestly without much thought.

Silly Goose dislikes deception and disdains to deceive, especially over something as trivial as this, which is perfectly acceptable to say.

"I see. So Bianca is staying here to watch the Knights' Tournament?" Maria asked again, but this time her tone was more certain.

Because she had noticed the flyer for the Knights' Tournament that Bianca had been holding from the very beginning.

Maria thought that if someone wasn't interested, why would they keep holding onto a flyer?

Maria's words this time successfully startled Bianca, who then flashed a hint of helplessness in her beautiful blue eyes as she explained:

“Watch? No... I have absolutely no interest in watching a match that lacks even the most basic fairness.”

"Hey, I saw Bianca holding a flyer the whole time, so I thought you were interested in knightly competitions." Maria said with a hint of helplessness and disappointment in her voice in response to Bianca's reply.

However, Maria's disappointment wasn't that Bianca wasn't interested in the match, but rather that... this friend she had just met and found so appealing might not stay here for long.

After all, we were just passing through the Great Knight Territory...

"...?"

After hearing the disappointment in Maria's words, Bianca was somewhat confused, wondering what Maria was disappointed about.

However, Dai'e wasn't one to pry. After glancing at the flyer she was holding in her other hand, she added an explanation:

"I took this flyer because I need to learn about the competition and the registration period so as not to miss the registration deadline."

"Cough...cough cough! What, what did you just say?"

Maria was completely taken aback by Bianca's bombshell statement. For a moment, she even began to wonder if she had misheard.

"Are you OK."

Seeing Maria suddenly cough, Bianca's eyes flashed with worry as she stepped forward and gently patted her back.

"Cough, I'm fine! Repeat what you just said!" Maria, who had barely recovered, didn't care about anything else. She turned her head and stared intently at the "golden man" in front of her, asking with a serious expression mixed with shock.

“Are you okay…?”

"The sentence above that!"

"I took this flyer because I wanted to learn about the competition and registration dates so I wouldn't miss the registration deadline. Why?"

After hearing Maria's words, Bianca repeated them with a somewhat bewildered expression. She seemed completely unprepared for the girl's strong reaction to her signing up.

"You're going to participate in this Knights' Tournament?! Bianca, weren't you just passing by?"

Looking at Bianca, who was still unaware of the "seriousness" of the problem, Maria could no longer control her voice.

She almost grabbed the girl's shoulders and shook her awake.

"Maria, calm down. How about we find a quiet place?" Bianca suggested with a helpless expression, looking at the agitated Maria.

Group: 54365938

At this moment, the silly goose finally realized that his casual participation in the competition... seemed a bit outrageous to others.

"Ah... I'm sorry, I lost my composure. Come on, Bianca, come with me!"

Bianca's reminder snapped Maria out of her daze, and then, noticing that many people on the street were looking in her direction, her face flushed red.

Then, pulling someone back, they headed towards the shop they had originally planned to visit.

……

In the hotel's partitioned rooms—

"Bianca, weren't you just passing through the Great Knight Territory? What, why do you suddenly want to sign up for the Knights' Tournament?"

After ordering, Maria quickly sat down next to Bianca and then asked the question that had been on her mind the whole way.

"Ahem..." Looking at the girl beside her who was no longer as calm as before, Bianca coughed lightly and then explained in a low voice, "It's not that I want to sign up, it's that I've already signed up."

"...?"

P.S.: There's more tonight. Games are truly the enemy of life. Such a waste of time...

As for the plot, I'll write it a little faster. Because I also want to see a complete sweep... and I'll definitely show off.

Give it a push.

Chapter 11 Maria's Doubts and Worries

"...?"

After hearing Bianca's quiet explanation, a big question mark slowly appeared above Maria's head.

"..."

Seeing that her new friend was completely bewildered by her words, Bianca wisely shut her mouth and sat quietly to the side with an obedient expression.

The silly goose dares not provoke Maria anymore, lest it accidentally make the child stupid.

However, Bianca couldn't help but sigh, sometimes fate is truly a strange thing. You see, she had been avoiding Maria all along, not wanting to have any contact with her.

Who knew that after all that hiding, things would just end up bumping into each other? And then, I was enthusiastically dragged to this place for a meal.

"!"

"You signed up?! You signed up?"

After a moment of stunned silence, Maria's brain finally processed the information, and she exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes, I've already registered. I just came out of the registration area before I bumped into you, Maria." After hearing Maria's surprised words, Bianca nodded slightly and then answered calmly and seriously.

"Hiss... If Bianca only did it on a whim, do you know what it means for you to sign up?"

Upon hearing this, Maria gasped, then leaned closer to Bianca with a serious expression and asked earnestly.

"I know, but I've thought this through carefully. It wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision... Besides, I'm not weak, so don't worry, Ma."

Leah.

Seeing Maria suddenly approach, Bianca leaned back instinctively, a helpless smile appearing on her face, before explaining in a somewhat affected tone.

"Ah...cough cough, I see."

Maria only realized what had happened after noticing Bianca's slight backward lean. She then sat up straight and coughed lightly to cover up her "minor rudeness."

"...What the hell! Bianca, how old are you? Participating in this kind of competition? You could easily get injured, or even seriously injured!"

After sitting down again, Maria's tone suddenly changed, and she reminded him with a hint of excitement.

It's not that Maria doesn't trust her new friend; it's just that, in her opinion, Bianca is far too young, looking no more than her early twenties.

It's not that there's anything wrong with participating in the competition at this age. After all, the previous Knights' Tournament before the girl's participation had already produced a miracle known as the "youngest".

The problem was that Bianca spoke too casually and easily. So casually that Maria felt she was participating in some simple, childish game.

Although Maria hasn't been involved in this area recently, she has some knowledge of knightly competitions because of her sister.

Because of her understanding, she knew that the triennial knightly tournament was not child's play, but a brutal battle that could result in injury or even serious injury.

And just as Bianca herself said before, this was still an unfair battle with behind-the-scenes manipulation.

Hearing Maria's reminder, Bianca gave her a slight smile, then explained helplessly:

"Calm down. There's a reason I suddenly decided to participate in the competition. And I'm confident enough."

After saying that, he reached out and gently patted one of the ponies on the shoulder, offering silent comfort.

"Hmm? What's the reason?"

After being comforted by Bianca, Maria calmed down considerably. A hint of doubt flashed in her golden eyes, and her expression became somewhat curious.

“Because I want to help and protect those who need help here.” As she said this, a glint of determination flashed in Bianca’s beautiful blue eyes.

"Eh……"