Even though knights have been stripped of their noble status, "Knight Nobles" still exist.
After all, the militarization of the aristocracy is always the best way to counter resistance from the lower classes. The Commercial Federation still supports these knights who fight for Kazimierz, but it's no longer a deserved salary; instead, it's given the pleasant name of "political donations."
The world bustles for profit, and people scramble for gain. Even within the Surveillance Court, as long as one is willing to open the door to convenience for the Commercial Federation, money will naturally not be scarce.
However, looking at the dilapidated furnishings, overgrown weeds, and peeling paint on the walls inside and outside the mansion, Goki finally understood why the Nearl Family knights were so respected by other knights.
At this moment, Goki was sitting in the living room of the Nearl Family mansion, observing the old-fashioned decor around him.
The Nearl Family's house plan was a standard Kazimierz manor, but in the wealthy district, this manor was the smallest.
However, when this mobile city was first established, this manor was actually the largest, and it was the only reward the Knight King gave to her most loyal knight.
As the only large house in this manor, the three-story mansion was still of the oldest wooden structure, only repaired in some decayed places with carbon Materials. Although the house's age couldn't compare to Kal'tsit, it was at least at the Shining level.
And the furniture in this house were all antique-level old items, new for thirty years, old for thirty years, patched up until now.
What's even more outrageous is that even Goki's current home has a particularly active maid, but the Nearl Family doesn't even have a maid, let alone an hourly worker.
Such a huge old house, with fewer than five people living in it, is not enjoyment but torture—many places that people don't frequent even have a lot of dust.
The Nearl Family's life, rather than being frugal, was practically ascetic. In such a high position, yet living such a simple and austere life, the Nearl Family knights could be said to be the noble figures that only exist in novels.
Goki also understood why Margaret didn't feel that living in a small house was hard—the environment here wasn't much different from her home there.
In the corridor nearby, Margaret was furiously yelling at her grandfather, Kazimierz's best fighter. Goki rarely saw her get angry, but clearly, she was especially upset this time!
"Grandpa, I already told you, Brother Goki isn't my—that thing! Brother Goki has Miss Skadi, and even if you went, Grandpa, you might not be able to beat him. Don't spread rumors anymore!"
"Huh? So that old man from the May Tree Family was tricking me, then? He clearly told me there was a hunter living with you, and he was pursuing you... Yes, that old man tricked me. He's full of hot air. I'll go beat him up for you another day!"
"Do you think I'd believe your nonsense, Grandpa? Grandpa Gaex wouldn't say such things; he's much more serious than you!"
"Ha, the Old Hunter is really active..."
Listening to the grandfather and granddaughter argue, Goki couldn't help but sigh. He originally thought the current Nearl Knight would be a calm and stern, powerful figure, like a sealed sword that could wound upon being unsheathed.
However, facts proved that this Old Hunter was indeed a formidable fighter, a quasi-general level powerhouse. Goki, using normal means, should not be able to defeat him.
But in front of his granddaughter, he was still just a kind and humorous Old Hunter.
In his twilight years, to have such an excellent granddaughter by his side, who completely inherited his noble character, how could this Old Hunter not be happy and thus dote on his precious granddaughter even more?
"Starting a Family and a career, when can Skadi and I, oh, and Gavial, Saria, and the others..."
If he said he was going to open a harem, he would open a harem. Goki declared that his heart and actions were as clear as a mirror, and everything he did was for justice.
Of course, the only difficult part was that if the girls teamed up, he might be beaten to death—never mind, that's a small matter too. When has the Old Hunter ever feared death!
After a few seconds of stunned, Goki suddenly noticed a gaze staring intently at him.
Unlike the watchful, cautious gaze that monitored him daily, disappearing immediately whenever he pointed it out, only to reappear in an even more secretive manner, this gaze was friendly with a hint of curiosity.
Goki followed the gaze and immediately discovered a Kuranta girl with long golden hair, curiously looking at him from the shadows of the room.
She was wearing light blue denim overalls, her fair arms stained with dark oil, and she held a welding pen. It seemed she had heard the Family's argument and curiously walked out from the inner room, dressed like a classic mechanic girl.
Most importantly, this girl was nine-tenths similar to Margaret in figure, hair color, and appearance, as if carved from the same mold.
Of course, compared to Margaret's serious expression, this girl seemed a little gentler, or rather... a little more simple and honest.
"Yo, hello there?"
Goki waved at her, revealing a somewhat joyful smile—he, of course, knew who she was.
Although she wasn't yet an adult, she was not far from becoming his wife!
And she also held the identity of a younger sister-in-law, it couldn't be more perfect—as the saying goes, half of a younger sister-in-law's *that* belongs to her brother-in-law?
"Miss Maria Nearl, right? I've heard Margaret talk about you. She's very proud of you, her Genius sister."
Maria Nearl, the true heroine of the Kazimierz arc event when Goki was a Doctor, a star knight six years later.
At that time, in the Nearl Family, the Old Hunter of the Nearl Family had passed away, Margaret was exiled as an Infected, the Nearl Family lost their noble title, and their already austere life became even more difficult.
And to reclaim the Nearl Family's glory, this Nona, under Zofia's guidance, once again embarked on the path her sister had once walked.
Although her opponents along the way were mostly streamers peddling shoddy products, war maniacs who only knew "waaaaaagh," and Left-Hand Left Brother who fixed matches and ate well, Maria still achieved a true victory with her sister's return.
Of course, she definitely wouldn't win the championship—but, the future head of the engineering department, Boa, who was still forging iron in the Rainforest at this time, might gain a good subordinate.
"Mm, no, that's not true, you're lying. Sister definitely isn't that kind of person, and she wouldn't praise me like that in front of outsiders."
After a brief moment of happiness, the girl named Maria immediately shook her little head like a rattle, her golden hair, lightly stained with ash, swaying back and forth.
"I don't have any talent for being a knight. I just like tinkering with machines and metal with Master Kovall. I can't be as dazzling as Sister is in competitions~~"
Upon hearing this, and thinking of her freely processing Materials for him at the processing station, never accepting a single Lungmen coin, Goki also smiled and shook his head.
"How can that be? It's not easy for people to find their hobbies and enjoy them as their work. Artisans and knights are both equally great professions, both are positions where one can shine and contribute to the people—what was your Nearl Family motto again? 'Fear no darkness,' that's right, isn't it?"
Relying on his understanding of this enthusiastic and innocent little knight in front of him, Goki's simple words made Maria's eyes suddenly light up.
"Eh? Hey, yes, is that so? I'm not as amazing as you say—but thank you anyway."
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