Chapter 492: Surging Undercurrents, Honor and Ideals

For an Imperial Knight, the only way to break through the shackles of Knight Power is to fight!

Reinhardt knew his situation had changed. Conventional physical conditioning could no longer advance his Knight Military Rank. As for enemies strong enough to challenge him, there were few to be found across the entire Ash Soil Star Zone.

The Holy Fire Guard were strong, but not strong enough to fight him.

Aside from Fedor, the leader of the Red Flame Son stationed with his troops on the Fourth Fleet’s command cruiser, the only enemy who could give Reinhardt even a hint of pressure was Nelom.

The Ash-Burning Tyrant, whose Knight Power and Domain were just like his own: all raw power, no technique.

A Spiritual Energy transmission came through.

“…The Civil Affairs Department has agreed to let the Vengeful Angels take command of the operation against the Cyrenaican rebel fleet. In exchange, they will take half of the supplies and ammunition we capture. The head of the Civil Affairs Department asked me to convey his thanks to you. Some of the faster Tax Collection Ships are already on their way back to Iberia and have met no resistance. Also, the Silencers have sent word. The Grand Governor disapproves of you appointing a Planet Governor for Transk. Furthermore, that appointment conflicts with one made by Iberia. Perhaps because our troops are garrisoned here, Iberia has withdrawn its appointment for a Planet Governor of Tania World and ordered the appointee, who was already en route, to turn back.”

Koller’s voice was grave. He fell silent for a moment before continuing, “Sir, I have no wish to sow discord between you and the Grand Governor, but this business with Transk is a very dangerous signal. We… overstepped our authority.”

Appointing a Planet Governor is a power reserved for the Grand Governor and the Iberian Dome Grand Council. Although Reinhardt’s wartime appointment was legally permissible, politically, it was an act of overreach and provocation.

Koller was putting it mildly.

By bypassing them to make a direct appointment, Reinhardt had effectively offended the Grand Governor and the entire ruling faction of the Dome Grand Council.

They had remained silent when he killed Claudius last time. Now, he had used his wartime authority to appoint a Planet Governor without giving them any notice.

Koller, with his ever-sharp political instincts, had clearly sensed the lurking danger.

More than the Dome Grand Council’s reaction, Reinhardt was concerned about Sedon’s attitude. After some careful thought, he asked, “Did the Silencers report a specific reason?”

The Dome Grand Council certainly valued the right to appoint Planet Governors, but to powerhouses like him and Sedon, who wielded Knight Power, it fundamentally didn’t matter who took the position, nor would they care about the council’s opinion.

Especially Sedon.

He had to know that rebuking the Supreme Commander over a trivial matter during a war and undermining military morale was a major taboo.

“The Silencers don’t know the specific reason, but I suspect the internal situation at the Iberian Dome Council is grim. The Grand Governor had no choice but to make a show of rebuking you to stabilize morale on the home front.”

Although Reinhardt and Koller never mentioned a certain person by name, he was the subject of their every sentence.

Sky Knight, Master of Pompei, the most powerful man in the Imperial Administrative Region—Governor Cicero!

Only the greatest enemy in the Administrative Region could force Sedon to compromise and make concessions.

Reinhardt’s face was impassive. After a moment’s thought, he said coldly, “Since the Dome Grand Council loves power so much, we’ll give it to them. Inform the Civil Affairs Department that the pacification of Cyrenaica is temporarily concluded. We lack the personnel, so have the Dome Grand Council appoint a Planet Governor to take over civil administration.”

Reinhardt might have hesitated for a second over the position and power of a Star Zone Governor, but a mere Planet Governor? To him, it made no real difference whose man filled the seat.

Sedon might be a bastard, but as an ally on the same front, a Battle Brother, Reinhardt felt a responsibility to draw some of the fire off him during the Administrative Region’s most difficult hour.

This would help stabilize the situation on the Verne Front Line.

And all it cost him was the position of a single Planet Governor.

Besides, Cyrenaica was effectively under the control of Great Sage Zeka and the Mechanical Order. Anyone without a will of iron—and an ass to match—wouldn’t last long as Planet Governor there.

Koller clearly understood Reinhardt’s intentions.

“I understand. Should I have Agate send the equipment over as well?”

“No.”

As Honorary Guard Captain, Matthias had listened in on the entire Spiritual Energy transmission.

Sedon was the leader of his parent order.

Reinhardt was the Lord of Vengeful whom he revered most.

In the entire Ash Soil Star Zone, he was perhaps the one person who didn’t want to see the two of them clash.

He understood Reinhardt; the man would rather be struck down by a sword than grit his teeth and compromise with the politicians of the Dome Grand Council.

And yet, at this critical moment when Lord Sedon was facing pressure from all sides, Reinhardt had still reluctantly made a concession.

This deeply moved him, and he simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief.

As a witness to the Knight’s Duel on Grillers World all those years ago, he still vividly remembered how Reinhardt had called Sedon a bastard with every other breath.

But that was what it meant to be an Imperial Knight.

The acknowledgment forged in the clash of Knight’s Broadswords surpassed all else!

Lord Sedon’s strength back then had already reached the Seven-star Earth Military Rank, yet Lord Reinhardt had been able to beat him black and blue. Now, Matthias could better appreciate the knightly honor between them.

The more he grasped the Mighty Power of an Earth Knight, the better he understood. To set aside one’s pride and fight using only pure Body Techniques—against an opponent one could easily crush with Mighty Power—required not only a knight’s honor but also firm, unyielding, and lofty ideals.

「Meanwhile.」

「Surt’s Stereoscopic City.」

Nelom stood alone in an empty clearing, practicing his swordsmanship with a broadsword. Not far away, the Vengeful Angels Second Company was stationed, and their Second Company Commander, Stearns, would occasionally fix his gaze on him.

But they never exchanged a single word.

Much less was anyone willing to spar with him.

Nelom knew his situation all too well. Although the Lord of Vengeful had accepted his surrender, he had, in effect, been completely marginalized.

As far as Stearns was concerned, the only reason he didn’t actively provoke this turncoat general from the Cyrenaican rebels—the one who had once led a boarding action against the Avenger Cruiser—was because Koller had warned him not to.

Striking up a friendly conversation was out of the question.

It took all his self-control just to keep from drawing his Knight’s Broadsword and cutting the man down.

Whenever he thought of all the men who had been sacrificed in the Cyrenaica campaign, Stearns was filled with hatred. He hated that he hadn’t been there, and hated that he had noticed something was wrong far too late.