Just as expected.
Exactly as Sona had guessed.
Those unfriendly gazes that had been constantly fixed on her actually vanished after the match. Not a single one remained. At first, Sona worried about an assassination, but now it seemed she had overthought it.
"Sona, on your chest?"
After the match, amidst the cheers of the audience, Sona and Justyna left the arena together.
As soon as they left, Justyna's attention was completely fixed on Sona's chest. This logo, she hadn't really seen it before.
"Is that a sponsor?"
Generally speaking, it's almost impossible for a new knight with no achievements to have a personal sponsor. Even many accomplished knights only wear the standardized sponsors of their knightly order. As a member, they just print the sponsor's LOGO on their armor at the order's request. In reality, although these knights are covered in LOGOs, they don't receive a single cent in advertising fees.
But Sona hadn't joined any knightly order, which meant this sponsor specifically sought Sona out.
As expected of Sona!
Justyna admired her friend more and more.
Sona didn't tell her friend the specific contract amount. After all, real friends don't talk about money. Unless Justyna asked, Sona wouldn't bring it up.
They walked out of the stadium.
All the Armorless Union knight-killers lurking outside had already left. Sona and Justyna went to a nearby mall for lunch.
"Justyna~"
Sona suddenly called out.
Justyna nodded, looking at Sona in confusion.
"I'm preparing to form a knightly order. Do you want to join?"
The news Sona suddenly dropped stunned Justyna for a moment. After spacing out for a few seconds, she calmly said, "Don't you need to be an accomplished knight to form an order?"
"I can use the company's name to form one. And... I plan to take most of my contract money and all the money I earn from future competitions to help the Infected throughout Kazimierz. I want to use my order as a center to provide a sanctuary for these Infected. In the future, other Infected knights can also join our order. We can all unite and help each other."
Justyna's spoon fell onto her plate. She never expected Sona to say something like this. This was also Justyna's dream, but it seemed too distant right now. Even if they wanted to achieve it, they'd at least need to make a name for themselves and earn money first.
"This..."
Justyna said, "Isn't this a bit too early, Sona?"
Sona shook her head. "We can start now. I have a company backing me, so I'll have a steady stream of income and prize money. Although it's impossible to protect all the Infected with just my strength, I still want to shelter some. Like I said before, don't worry about whether we're capable enough. If we can help ten, we help ten. If we can only help one, we help one. Why must we wait until we can help ten? Why not start now, and help one at a time?"
After hearing Sona's words and seeing her determined gaze, a faint smile blossomed on Justyna's exquisite face, like snow melting for the first time.
"Mn! I'll join too!"
Sona didn't know why Lucas Reeve needed this help for the Infected, nor did she know his specific goal. She only needed to know that since it was something Mr. Reeve wanted to do, she would do her utmost to accomplish it, without asking why. Besides...
This was something Sona wanted to do herself.
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Raythean Industries' Kazimierz branch was located in Kazimierz's capital, the Grand Knight Territory, Kawalerielki.
However, compared to the Chamber of Commerce's towering skyscrapers in the Grand Knight Territory, Raythean Industries was rather inconspicuous. After all, this was their capital, so Raythean's facilities weren't built to be eye-catching, and were only located in the suburbs of the Grand Knight Territory.
The branch here primarily sold heavy industrial equipment. Almost all of Kazimierz's large-scale heavy mining equipment, including large processing machinery in various factories and artificial intelligence, came from Raythean Industries. If one were to force a complete market cap ranking for companies in Kazimierz, the Raythean Industries Kazimierz branch would undoubtedly be number one.
Today.
The head of the Kazimierz branch, Kleiman Webber, was extremely happy. Columbia headquarters had just given him a mission. If he completed it successfully, he would leave his current post and return to the main company in Columbia. Kleiman knew exactly what this meant. For a director of a major branch like him, there was only one promotion path left above him: the core board of directors.
A behemoth like Raythean Industries could no longer be swayed by a single person's words... and the core board of directors was Raythean's true center of power.
Raythean Industries was divided into a general shareholders' meeting and a core board of directors.
Generally, anyone holding a certain amount of stock could attend the general shareholders' meeting. These were usually held only for major events; otherwise, a general meeting was held once a year.
Above the general shareholders' meeting was the core board of directors.
The core board consisted of nine people.
This included the current Chairman of Raythean Industries.
A branch head like the one in Kazimierz was already at the ceiling among ordinary shareholders. The only step up was the core board.
Although the task from headquarters might offend the Kazimierz Chamber of Commerce, compared to his own future, offending them seemed trivial.
Just as Kleiman thought.
Two bigwigs from the Chamber of Commerce paid a personal visit after learning that Raythean Industries was sponsoring the "little squirrel."
There are five types of people in this world.
Ordinary people, rich people, powerful people, rich and powerful people, and finally, the mysterious type.
For this last type, others have no idea how many assets they have or how much power they wield... However, even these bigwigs didn't dare to slight the head of a Raythean Industries branch, so two Vice-Chairmen came personally.
"It's been a while, you two. What brings you to my humble abode today?"
President Kleiman was already waiting in the reception hall.
"Could it be because I sponsored a certain little knight?"
President Kleiman couldn't be bothered to beat around the bush and went straight to the point.
These two Vice-Chairmen were also direct.
At their level, they no longer played word games. Instead, they preferred a "back-to-basics" approach of just stating their business... how could they waste time on boring rhetoric?
"It seems President Kleiman is aware. It's not that our Chamber of Commerce forbids it... Why the sudden interest in sponsoring a little knight? ...I recall you didn't seem to have any interest in the Radiant Knight back then, did you?"
This Vice-Chairman asked relatively tactfully... it wasn't wise to tear down all pretenses. It was unknown if it would affect Raythean, but it would definitely have a huge impact on Kazimierz.
After all, Kazimierz's large-scale industrial manufacturing tools... were all supplied by Raythean Industries. ...Although some of Kazimierz's own heavy industry companies could do it, their equipment was only half as efficient as Raythean's.
If Raythean Industries packed up and left.
...then Kazimierz's internal production capacity would probably take a massive hit... the gap with Raythean Industries was just too wide.
"I just happened to watch this little knight's match... Our Raythean Industries isn't lacking for people at a champion knight's level. I just saw the shadow of an old acquaintance in her, so I sponsored her."
This reason...
Was, of course, fabricated.
President Kleiman suddenly laughed. "I know what you're worried about. It's nothing more than whether Raythean Industries wants to interfere in Kazimierz's internal affairs... Sponsoring this little knight is just something I personally want to do. It doesn't represent Raythean Industries... As for how far she can go, that's all up to her. Besides..."
"Even if she really wins the championship, so what?"
That was true. A champion knight was truly nothing to Raythean Industries.
Kleiman put on a disdainful expression... He just needed to modify them slightly.
For example, headquarters said if there was a chance, it was fine to interfere in Kazimierz's affairs. So, Kleiman told the Chamber of Commerce people they wouldn't interfere... As for the money, Kleiman didn't specify how much. Thirty million is money, three hundred million is money, three billion is also money...
As for not providing any other help, well, he never said the little knight couldn't use the contract fee from Raythean to buy equipment *from* Raythean.
A whole set of hidden logic. It was like saying something without saying anything at all.
"We hope President Kleiman will be true to his word..."
"Naturally. As a major international corporation, our word is our bond. We do what we say."
After the two Vice-Chairmen left the Raythean branch and returned to the Chamber of Commerce, they immediately convened a general meeting.
They analyzed Raythean Industries' possible motives...
Assassinating the "little squirrel" was definitely off the table.
...was to openly cripple or kill the "little squirrel" in the Knight Major arena. ...Raythean Industries would have no reason to find fault.
After all.
The Knight Major arena was inherently cruel. Blades have no eyes.
"Who are we sending for the next match?"
The Chairman seated in the center suddenly asked.
Since the "Final Four Knight" had already lost, they could only send someone whose strength was no less than a champion's.
After deciding on the candidate, the Chamber of Commerce moved to the next agenda item.
Director Barton, as the meeting's host, spoke first.
"Mr. Chairman, according to news from our informants in the north, it's suspected that the Knight King's Tomb has been discovered."
When this news came from Director Barton's mouth, even the three Chairmen couldn't help but open their eyes slightly.
The Knight King...
The true founding hero of Kazimierz.
...led the people of Kazimierz to defeat the gods, ending the era of divine rule and ushering in the era of man.
According to legend.
In the Knight King's twilight years... as long as one could pull out the Holy Sword symbolizing the Knight King's status, they would be the next Knight King. ...yet no one in all of Kazimierz could pull it out. After the Knight King's death, the Holy Sword also vanished. ...Kazimierz never produced a second Knight King. The rule of Kazimierz fell to the Knightly Conclave, composed of the Grand Knight Commander and the Great Knights.
Of course, this was just a legend. ...the Knight King was disappointed in the later knights of Kazimierz... and was buried with the Holy Sword in an unknown place.
But the Knight King and the Holy Sword were real.
Therefore, for many years, the Chamber of Commerce and even the Supervisory Commission had been searching for the Knight King's Tomb. ...hoping to obtain the legendary Holy Sword that symbolized royal authority, and thus completely control Kazimierz.
However, it had never been found.
To think they would hear this good news in their lifetime.
The Chairman in the main seat, his eyes usually calm, showed a flash of joy and greed deep within.
For someone like him, the only way to advance further was to rule all of Kazimierz. ...But... if they obtained the Holy Sword, the Campaign Knights would no longer obey the Grand Knight Commander, but would directly answer to the one who possessed the Holy Sword!
"Send people to investigate immediately. Remember, don't let the Supervisory Commission know!"
"Yes!"
And after the Chairman finished speaking, the two Vice-Chairmen beside him also had other thoughts flickering in their eyes.