Chapter 509 - 439: Everyone’s Reactions, Stearns’s Plan, the Grave Military Funding Issue

The food container, the size of a wok and filled to the brim, didn’t last forty seconds in Metaron’s hands. He wolfed it all down, leaving nothing behind.

Failures to break through a Knight Military Rank were a commonplace sight for him in the Imperial Army.

He knew countless colleagues who had failed a promotion once, their strength stagnating until the day they died.

According to Imperial law and the scriptures of the National Church, an Imperial Knight fought for the great cause of the Human World. Regardless of their strength, they were all dedicated to the Empire and the Emperor.

But in reality, a Knight Battle Group was just like the Empire’s bureaucracy—strength was the only thing that mattered.

Strictly speaking, as the Battle Group Leader of the Vengeful Angels, Reinhardt’s personal strength would directly determine the Battle Group’s future.

Those who had reached the rank of Holy Fire Guard, Matthias included, knew this for certain: if a Battle Group Leader’s strength could not reach the level of a Sky Knight, then no matter how the Battle Group developed, it would ultimately remain a second-rate unit on the fringes.

Especially in this post-rebellion era.

Order and rules had completely collapsed. If a leader’s strength stagnated, the entire Battle Group was doomed to have no future.

This was why, even though affairs at headquarters were piling up, no one dared to disturb Reinhardt.

For a Knight Battle Group, the Battle Group Leader’s advancement in Knight Military Rank was an absolute top priority that concerned everyone’s future.

Therefore, Metaron’s worries were not unfounded.

Reinhardt had already spent forty-three days, but there was still no sign of his Knight Military Rank advancing. In other words, this promotion attempt was likely going to end in failure.

However, Matthias had great confidence in Reinhardt.

’That man’s Knight Talent is beyond what any ordinary Imperial Knight can imagine.’

He chewed a couple of times, swallowed the food in his mouth, and said in a low voice, "Don’t worry, His Lordship..."

Before he could finish, a faint but incredibly powerful Knightly Aura emanated from within Holy Song Manor. It swept across his Knight Perception like a ripple on the surface of a lake.

Sensing the change in the Knightly Aura, Matthias’s expression jolted. He looked up, meeting Metaron’s eyes. Without finishing their lunch, they both shot up and broke into a jog toward the manor.

This suddenly-appeared Knightly Aura, though so faint it seemed a gust of wind could scatter it, was immensely intense and focused.

It was remarkably similar to the aura he had sensed when Nelom’s Military Rank was promoted.

It wasn’t just Matthias and Metaron who realized what this meant. At that moment, every Knight in the Vengeful Angels’ camp sensed the anomaly from within Holy Song Manor—this was the sign of an Earth Knight Military Rank advancing to Six-star!

...

In the Second Company’s Camp, although Stearns no longer held the position of company commander, his actual duties were no different. He had the authority, just not the title.

「One month ago.」

After an internal company meeting co-chaired by Commander of Vengeful Koller and Honorary Guard Captain Matthias, some soldiers still questioned the decision. They felt that ’the Lord of Vengeful was deliberately making an example of their commander to establish his authority, trampling on their dignity’.

But procedurally, the decision was accepted by the vast majority of the soldiers.

Misinterpreting and distorting a command from headquarters based on personal feelings was a major dereliction of duty. If it hadn’t been for the lack of serious consequences, executing their commander would have been a light punishment.

And these voices of doubt were exactly what Matthias had been most worried about.

For the Knights of the company, their commander’s punishment was a mark of shame branded upon them as well.

If their commander had made a grave mistake, they, as Knights of the company who shared his honor, would have willingly paid the price for those errors. But if it was for political reasons...

They would surely pay lip service but remain unconvinced, and the consequences would be severe.

Afterward, Matthias publicly addressed the soldiers of the Second Company. He promised that if they could achieve meritorious service in the next battle, he would personally recommend to headquarters that the Second Company’s honor be restored, along with Stearns’ position as Second Company Commander.

With him and Koller personally mediating, the matter was temporarily put to rest.

However, Stearns, the main party involved, knew full well that besides his own mistake, the incident was also half-political. In the eyes of the Lord of Vengeful, his actions had been a deliberate provocation of his authority.

With the Vengeful Angels newly formed, such a punishment was not unexpected.

Because the one who issued the punishment was Reinhardt, Stearns had been willing to admit on the spot that hatred and prejudice had led him to make a mistake. But in his heart, he still felt it was unjust.

’To think that man would punish me so severely, all for a traitor.’

’This whole affair started because of Nelom. One day, I’ll find a chance to confront that traitor face-to-face.’

’If Nelom shows any sign of treason, even if he’s a surrendered general under Lord Reinhardt’s protection, I will eliminate him without hesitation!’

Perhaps it was precisely because Stearns himself came from a Rebel Legion that he was particularly sensitive to such matters.

Years ago, when he was still an Adjutant in the Death Battle Group’s second battalion, Battle Brothers to whom he had once entrusted his back suddenly turned their blades on them during a battle to encircle and annihilate some rebel Wizards.

Caught completely off guard, two of his brothers were brutally killed on the spot by the captain they had once sworn to protect. The other brothers of the Loyalist Faction in the second battalion suffered heavy casualties.