At Rhodes Island
"Thank you for your hard work, Amiya. But don't overdo it next time, alright? Make sure to rest properly, understand?" said a Feline woman, with a medical unit armband on her right arm, to the little bunny-eared Cautus girl who was sitting at her desk, smiling with a troubled expression.
Seeing the concern and pity in the woman's eyes made Amiya feel a little sad. Even so, she put on a bright smile and responded like a student being gently scolded by her teacher.
"Don't worry, Officer Lin. I'll be more careful next time."
"Sigh... Even if this is the tenth time you've said that," Lin replied with a smile before bidding Amiya goodbye and walking out of the room with some documents in hand.
Amiya kept smiling until Lin left the room, but once she was alone, her expression gradually shifted into sadness. She sighed and got up from her desk, heading through a door into the back room—a small, white bedroom with minimal decoration. Only a bed, a study desk, and a violin hanging on the wall filled the space.
She laid down on the bed, exhausted, but her eyes remained fixed on the blank white ceiling. In her mind, she kept thinking of the faces of people she deeply missed.
"Lady Theresa... Doctor... I miss you both so much."
It had been over a year since that tragedy. The Babel Tower had fallen, and Professor Kal'tsit had led her and the surviving staff out of Kazdel aboard the mobile ship called Rhodes Island.
That day, Amiya had inherited the crown from Lady Theresa, though she couldn't fully wield its power. Yet, because of the crown, Kal'tsit had entrusted her with the leadership of the organization in Theresa's stead. That moment was the most confusing time in her life—Theresa's death, and the doctor being severely injured and needing long-term recovery in Chernobog.
Amiya didn't know what she should do next. But with Professor Kal'tsit's guidance, and the encouragement from the staff who still believed in Lady Theresa, she was able to stand up once more. She decided to pursue her own goal—fulfilling the promise she made to Lady Theresa and the Doctor, using this ship as a medical company.
The main goal: to help the Infected and protect the weak, to make the world a better place.
It was a childish dream she had once envisioned, but Theresa and the Doctor were both delighted when they heard about it. They told her it was a noble dream, but also warned her the path ahead would not be easy.
Still, they promised to always stand by her side and cheer her on...
But now, I'm the only one left here... Amiya bit her lip tightly, holding back the emotions welling up in her eyes.
She had promised herself she wouldn't cry anymore.
For the Doctor, for Lady Theresa... I must be strong.
Amiya tried to close her eyes, using her exhaustion to mask her sorrow, hoping she could fall asleep like she always did.
Bzzz!
"!!" Just as she was about to drift off, a vibration from her phone in her coat pocket made her eyes snap open. She sat up abruptly and hurriedly pulled out the phone, thinking it might be a message from Professor Kal'tsit.
But when she looked at the screen, she found no message. Instead, a short notification appeared, saying that an application had been automatically installed.
The bunny ears on Amiya's head tilted to the side in confusion.
"What is this? A PRTS error?"
"But... Arknights... That's something the Doctor used to say all the time."
Looking at the icon of the app—which featured a Cautus girl—Amiya felt a strange sense of familiarity, as if she were looking at herself. But the image had a cartoon-like art style, and the girl in the picture seemed older than her, so she brushed it off as coincidence.
"Could this be... something the Doctor left behind for us?" The thought made Amiya's resolve falter. No matter how strong she tried to be, she couldn't stop the emotions when she thought of her time with the Doctor.
Before she knew it, Amiya had tapped on the app. The screen immediately turned pitch black, with large letters spelling "Arknights" appearing, along with a chilling background that made Amiya feel uneasy.
Then, a short cinematic-like trailer began to play, showing various groups of people and logos appearing on the sides, hinting at their affiliations:
'Rhine Lab'
'Blacksteel'
'L.G.D'
'Penguin Logistics'
Which organization would you like to collaborate with?
Please consider your choice carefully, as the organization you select will influence the storyline and events to come.
Suddenly, a message appeared with a bolded warning at the top.
"A game? Is this... a game?" Amiya was surprised. But as she looked at the four names, they began to ring a bell.
Wait a minute, aren't these names from those recent reports?
Rhine Lab was a major organization in Columbia that Kal'tsit had expressed the most interest in collaborating with. Rhodes Island had already sent multiple proposals to them but hadn't received any response yet.
Blacksteel was a mercenary company Amiya was very familiar with. Rhodes Island had worked with them in the past, and they were highly professional. They never let bounties distract them from their missions. Even Kal'tsit admired them.
L.G.D surprised her. It wasn't like the other organizations, but rather the security force of Lungmen, tasked with maintaining order. They operated independently of other cities or companies. Why were they an option?
But the most puzzling group was Penguin Logistics—a name she had never heard before. Judging from the name, it sounded like a logistics company. They didn't seem to specialize in combat... yet everyone in the image was armed. Amiya wondered if the name was a typo.
"And all the choices are filled with women... Oh? Except that one guy," she noted when looking at the Penguin Logistics image.
Amiya spotted a man sitting on a couch between a black-haired Lupo and a red-haired Sankta. Even though the image was in cartoon style, it was obvious he was quite handsome.
He had an air of nobility, dressed in an elegant brown and black uniform adorned with a company logo. His long white hair was tied in a small ponytail, giving him the aura of someone from the Yan Empire. The thin red eyeliner around his golden eyes made them even more striking.
If she had to rate first impressions, Amiya would say he outshone any man she had ever seen. Maybe it was because of his gentle appearance, which made him seem approachable—and that made her feel at ease.
And... he has white hair just like the Doctor...
Amiya's cheeks flushed slightly. She might have been young, but she had her preferences. Of course, this image was largely influenced by her admiration for the Doctor.
Though she had seen Logos, arguably the most handsome man she'd ever met, this man left a stronger first impression. Logos was rather cold and intimidating. Every time he saw her, he wore a guilt-ridden expression, as if he blamed himself for what happened last year.
Amiya sighed at the memory... then turned her attention back to the choices.
Under normal circumstances, she believed the most suitable choice would be Blacksteel, due to their combat effectiveness. But seeing the small number of people in the image and the presence of a timid little Feline made her hesitate (sorry, Jessica).
In the end, she chose the option she was most curious about: Penguin Logistics.
Her decision wasn't solely based on her impression of that man. Every member of the organization had distinct roles and weapons that seemed to complement each other. Compared to the others, who had fewer people and seemed less cohesive, Penguin Logistics appeared to have more balanced team dynamics.
After making her choice, the screen suddenly went dark again, and a dialogue box appeared.
[Amiya]: Hand...
"Huh?" Amiya's eyes widened when she saw her name appear in the box.
[Amiya]: Hold...
[Amiya]: Doctor Ren.
"!!" Amiya shot up from the bed when she saw that name.
Then, a CG scene appeared. A familiar Cautus girl was holding the pale white hand of someone lying in a box that resembled a coffin.
[Amiya]: Doctor Ren! Please, hold my hand!
After that message, the screen changed again.
Year 1096, December 23rd
Chapter 0 – Evil Time (Beginning)