Chapter 305

Dobermann had complete confidence in Doctor Zhong; he was definitely not someone some Tom, Dick, A Mao could easily scam.

"No, Sophia, I assure you. The shield will absolutely not break, it's perfectly safe, and..."

Just as she was about to elaborate on Zhongli's exaggerated strength, she was interrupted directly by the other party:

"To be honest, I appreciate your kindness. But this kind of covert protection won't work. Knowing Maria as I do, she won't accept it."

"Then let me think about it some more."

Dobermann frowned, then after a moment of thought, his expression relaxed, and he grinned:

"Got it!"

Seeing Sophia's blank expression, she explained:

"We can hire a strong fighter to participate in the Knight Competition and infiltrate the arena. He can then secretly eliminate all of Maria's upcoming opponents, which would also serve a protective purpose."

"The plan sounds feasible, but..."

"Just what?"

Upon hearing this, Sophia forced a wry smile. She lowered her head, somewhat embarrassed to say it aloud.

The Nearl Family has been without a patriarch for many years and has gradually declined. As a member of a collateral branch of the family, her financial situation was limited, and she really couldn't offer any money as compensation.

"Hiring such a powerful expert must have cost a fortune, right?"

Upon hearing this, Dobermann's expression froze, and he took out his phone and said:

"I'm not sure about the exact price. Please wait a moment, I'll make a call and ask."

After saying that, she found a relatively quiet place nearby and dialed Shi Lei's phone number.

"Beep beep beep... click."

A short while later, a response came from the microphone:

"Miss Dobermann, what can I do for you?"

Shi Lei had just finished catching up with this woman, Pelosi, and thought he wouldn't have any more cases. But less than half an hour after returning home, he received a phone call.

"Doctor Zhong, I'm so sorry to bother you. I have a request for your help."

After saying that, Dobermann introduced him to the current situation of the Nearl Family and Maria's current situation.

"That's the gist of the matter. The Nearl Family has only one daughter. She's so young, it's a shame she'd be ruined in the Knight Competition."

Although she told Sophia that she would consider withdrawing from the competition after a few matches, considering it doesn't mean she actually will. If things go as expected, she will likely stick with it to the end.

As for the fee, just name your price. If the employer finds it suitable, we can close the deal.

"I see."

Shi Lei remained silent for a moment, offering no quote. Instead, he threw this thorny question back at him:

"To be honest, I'm not short of money right now. If you're going to help, can you offer any benefits beyond just financial assistance?"

He could even forge Pure Gold by hand, so there was no need for him to ask for money, which was an external thing.

Dobermann put his phone on speakerphone, listened to the audio, and then looked at Sophia. Zofia looked back at him, and the two stared at each other, neither saying a word.

"..."

After waiting for a while without receiving a reply, Shi Lei spoke again to explain:

"Your request isn't difficult, so there's no need to worry about how much money to offer. The key is whether you can provide something that satisfies me."

Sophia's lips moved, but she didn't make a sound. She didn't know how to respond.

The once-glorious Nearl Family now seems to have nothing to offer.

While talking to them, Shi Lei did not forget to use his computer to look up various stories about the Nearl Family.

This is a transaction, so it's essential to determine the value the other party can provide first.

He quickly found the relevant information on Kazimierz's local area network.

Cyril Saria, a war hero known to every man, woman, and child in Kazimierz, and the former patriarch of the Nearl Family.

Margaret Saria, the granddaughter of the clan, won the 23rd Knight Competition' Tournament three years ago. Later, she was exiled by the government because of her status as an infected person.

Cyril Saria died at home at an advanced age shortly after Margaret Saria was exiled.

Margaret and Maria's parents disappeared more than a decade ago and their whereabouts remain unknown. Online speculation abounds, but no definitive information is available.

The Nearl Family began to decline three years after Cyril Saria's death. But it is undeniable that they were once one of the most illustrious families in Kazimierz.

After Shi Lei quickly browsed through the information, Sophia's voice finally came from the other end of the phone:

"Sir, I'm very sorry. I don't know what you're interested in, so I can't offer a reward that suits your taste."

"That's easy to say. May I ask if you are the current head of the Nearl Family?"

"I am Maria's aunt, from a branch of the Nearl Family. Her uncle, Maena Saria, is currently acting as the head of the Nearl Family."

"Oh, I understand. La Signora, how about this? If you want me to help, you can talk to Mr. Maena first."

I can protect Maria's safety, and even help her win the championship. In return for this request, the Nearl Family needs to do one thing for me.

As for what to do, I haven't decided yet. I'll bring it up later when I have a better idea. Of course, this matter will definitely not violate local laws or Morality, and it will most likely be a business-related issue.

Sophia couldn't make the decision right now, so she could only agree for the time being. She would be able to give a more definitive answer after discussing it with Maena.

"Okay, I will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you very much for your generous help."

Cavaleria, Martin's Bar.

Maria is repairing an old jukebox with Koval's help.

Old Fu, with a full beard, watched from the sidelines, seemingly enjoying the banter with the bear-man Koval.

"Hey, won't this jukebox explode? It messes up anything related to Originium, no matter how simple it is."

"Damn it, Old Fu, you just wait! Once I free my hands, you're dead!"

Maria suddenly spotted a familiar figure outside the bar and immediately crouched down to hide in fright.

"Tsk, Maria, you little rascal. Don't let go suddenly without warning, I almost didn't catch you."

"Excuse me, I need to hide for a bit."

Koval suddenly realized something and turned to look at the bar entrance. Sure enough, he saw Sophia, looking furious, striding aggressively towards them.

"Maria, come out here!"

She hurried to the bar and saw Maria hiding in the corner with an awkward smile, feeling somewhat annoyed:

"In your post-game interview, you said you wanted to continue to the next Knight Competition. Do you know how dangerous that is?"

Koval put down the jukebox and tried to mediate:

"Hey, don't get so angry."

Sophia wanted Maria to withdraw from the competition so that the Nearl Family wouldn't owe her a favor for nothing. She grabbed her niece by the ear and yanked her out.

"Come with me right now to withdraw from the competition!"

"I don't!"

Are you going to back out or not?

Maria struggled to break free, her attitude resolute:

"Aunt, please don't be like this. You have no idea what the situation is like in the Nearl Family right now."

Seeing that her niece refused to withdraw from the competition, Sophia was seething with anger. She put her hands on her hips and said:

"Okay, Maria. Now tell me, what's the current situation with the Nearl Family?"

"Aunt, the Nearl Family is in a very dangerous situation right now. A Knight family without any Knight will not be recognized by the association. If this continues, the Nearl Family will be stripped of its Knight. This is our family's most prized honor!"

"Heh, so you're finally telling me the truth? Actually, I guessed it a long time ago. Your previous talk about considering withdrawing from the competition was just empty talk. Now that I know your purpose, I'm even more convinced that you will participate in the upcoming Knight Competition."

"Yes, Aunt. After my sister was driven out of Kazimierz, I was the only son left in our family. If I can't become Knight, the Nearl Family will really disappear into history."

"Maria, do you really know what you're facing? Knight Competition is not child's play!"

"I know what I'm doing, and I have to do it. If I don't act, the Nearl Family will be stripped of their Knight by the association."

Even if you were to give up your life for it?

"That's right, even if it means giving my life!"

Maria stared at Sophia, her gaze unusually firm. Her expression was serious, and she spoke with utmost solemnity:

"Uncle Maena often told me that even if we were stripped of our noble status, even if the Nearl Family crest were removed, the Nearl Family would not cease to exist."

But I still want to protect these things, to protect the honor that my sister and grandfather have always been defending.

As the youngest child in the Nearl Family, I cannot stand idly by and watch my family decline. Otherwise, I will regret it for the rest of my life!

Sophia sighed helplessly, knowing she couldn't stop this runaway pegasus. She would fight on until she could no longer stand.

Sophia had participated before, so she knew very well just how terrifying the level of the Competitive Knight was. Even if Maria underwent another five weeks or even five months of special training, she still wouldn't be able to bridge the gap in strength between the two sides.

Seeing that Sophia had a dark expression the whole time, Old Fu poured himself a glass of wine and tried to smooth things over for Maria:

Even knowing the road ahead is fraught with thorns, you still resolutely embark on the journey. This is the true spirit of Knight! Maria, I believe you can do it. This toast is to you, and to the dazzling spirit of Knight!

This bias left Zofina speechless.

"Old Fu, I was hoping you could persuade Maria, but you just watched her jump into the fire?"

The next match is tomorrow.

She felt she couldn't persuade Maria at the moment and planned to contact Maena later to discuss whether or not to accept Doctor Zhong's proposed plan.

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373 offered himself to 3K

After leaving Martin's Bar, Sophia made a phone call to Maena Saria.

It was evening, outside of working hours, but it still took about half a minute to connect. A slightly cold, weary male voice came through the receiver:

"What did Maria do wrong?"

Before she could say anything, the other person had already guessed why Sophia had called.

Ultimately, it was because she rarely contacted Maena. As the saying goes, one doesn't visit a temple without a reason, so he easily deduced that it was related to Maria Saria.

"You already know that she participated in the Knight Competition today, right?"

"Um."

Maena's answer was flat, without any hint of surprise or anger; she showed no emotion whatsoever.

Even before Maria Saria finished her first Knight Competition, the internet and forums were flooded with reports about the game.

Posts like "Can the youngest Knight of the Nearl Family reclaim the family's glory in the battle?" trended on social media, grabbing viewers' attention.

In this entertainment-obsessed city, the name "Saria" seems to possess an innate magic. It forcibly pulls you into the spotlight, making you the center of attention.

Hearing his cold attitude, Sophia frowned slightly and asked:

"Maria refuses to withdraw from the competition, and I can't persuade her otherwise. As her uncle, do you have any ideas?"

Maena paused for a moment, as if thinking. She only responded after saying "hello" twice into the receiver.

"It's hard to say, but I will try my best to communicate with the Commercial Union to disqualify Maria from the competition."

"Cancel? Ha, do you think that's possible?"

Sophia was almost amused by this reply:

"Those heartless bastards would love to have Maria participate in as many matches as possible. That way they can use the Nearl Family fortune as a gimmick to sell more tickets. I don't think your communication with them is effective."

"Things are different now than before, which is why I said I would try my best. Whether we succeed or not is not something I can control alone."

Sophia wasn't counting on Maena; she called just to discuss whether she needed Doctor Zhong's help.

The main reason is that tomorrow is June 25th, and the registration period for the Knight Competition preliminary rounds is about to end.