Chapter 516 For the Emperor, Punishing Angels (Part 2)

But the mastermind behind this assassination plot would never have dreamed that the great personage the Capet Family’s upper echelon had turned out in full force to welcome was not some high-ranking official from the Civil Affairs Department, nor the head of the Military Affairs Department.

It was the Lord of Vengeful, Reinhardt!

An assassination attempt of this scale would have been difficult for Hurst’s defense forces to repel. However, in the eyes of the four Holy Fire Guards led by Matthias, the assassins’ every move was laid bare to their perception.

They were merely heretics whose bodies had been modified, their power level on par with that of a Four-star Official Military Rank Knight.

Killing them was simpler than crushing an ant.

They didn’t even need to communicate or formulate any tactics.

The counter-assassination battle was over in a flash.

To the caravan leaders present, it seemed as if the four Holy Fire Guards had simply vanished from their sight, only to reappear a moment later, having already swept through the assassins storming the port with lightning speed.

One caravan leader was visibly startled when a Holy Fire Guard suddenly appeared before him. Then he saw a headless corpse fall at his feet, blood spewing from the stump of its neck.

The caravan leader, a mere Mortal, let out a terrified scream and stumbled back three steps, bumping into a colleague beside him.

And that colleague’s pale face showed he was just as frightened.

Only after the dust had settled did a squad of Law Enforcement Officers stationed inside the port notice something was wrong.

"Assassins! There are assassins! Protect their lordships!"

TWEEEEET! "Level one alert! Activate level one alert! Communications officer! Immediately warn the Dynasty Knights stationed at the Military Port! The port needs their support!"

In an instant, the once-quiet port descended into chaos.

After giving the orders, the high-ranking Law Enforcement Officer cursed under his breath, ’Damn it.’

He led a squad of men and sprinted desperately toward the welcoming party!

According to normal reception protocol, every caravan leader should have been protected by at least two Dynasty Knights, and the number of Defense Army troops around the port should have been tripled.

But to receive the important figure from Iberia, Lady Catherine had demanded that the caravan leaders bring no guards, and that the Law Enforcement Officers and Defense Army protecting the port pull back one hundred meters.

He didn’t know why Lady Catherine would issue such an order, but he couldn’t help but curse her foolishness inwardly.

’An act like this was tantamount to throwing their lordships into a wolf’s den!’

Things weren’t like they used to be. The Verne Front Line was tying up too much of the Administrative Region’s forces. In the first half of last year, not only had the Imperial Knights long stationed at Hurst been withdrawn, but even Lord Matthias and Lord Manon had been recalled by their Battle Groups and had left the Golden City.

On top of that, with the Interstellar Pirates running rampant, security had always been their most difficult problem.

’Faster! Faster—!’

At that moment, the sprinting Law Enforcement Officer captain wished he could sprout another leg.

To an Imperial Knight, a hundred meters was no distance at all.

But for these Law Enforcement Officers, they could run their legs off and still not make it to the scene in time.

By the time his first squad arrived at the scene, panting for breath, all they could see were bodies strewn everywhere, horrified caravan leaders, and four fully armed Imperial Knights.

At their rank, they wouldn’t have had access to information about the Vengeful Angels Battle Group yet. However, the Law Enforcement Officer captain still recognized from the Battle Group Badges on their pauldrons that two of them were members of the Ash Guard.

However, aside from their deep black base color, the paint jobs on their Power Armor and their other adornments were completely different.

The Law Enforcement Officer captain hurried to a caravan leader’s side and asked with concern, "Lord Theodore, are you alright?"

"I’m fine."

He said as much, but the cold sweat covering the portly, middle-aged man’s brow betrayed his true feelings.

Still, to have escaped the clutches of the Death God without collapsing in a heap, and to even be able to give a coherent answer—his courage and composure already surpassed that of most ordinary people.

Or perhaps it was that any caravan leader, who with a Mortal body would sail into the unknown, uncharted Dark Cosmos to open new trade routes and find new homes for the Empire, was an imperial superman forged in the crucible of great storms.

Even when faced with such a perilous situation, they wouldn’t descend into a state of panic.

The Law Enforcement Officer captain was about to turn when he heard a rather familiar voice from behind him.

"Freeman, immediately arrange for men to escort the caravan leaders back to a safe zone. Morphis, Skolov, I suspect there may be a second wave of attacks. You two are responsible for their protection en route. Ensure they arrive safely."

The Law Enforcement Officer captain, Freeman, froze for a moment. He turned to face the Imperial Knight who had called his name. "You’re... Lord Matthias?

And Lord Morphis? You two..."

Matthias said coldly, "Execute the order. Immediately."

Now.

Freeman finally understood why Lady Catherine had ordered all the garrisoned troops to pull back a hundred meters.

His expression shifted. He snapped to attention, struck his chest in a salute, and declared loudly, "I’ll see to it at once!"

However.

Based on his limited knowledge of Imperial Knights, Lord Matthias and Lord Morphis didn’t seem to be the great personage Lady Catherine was welcoming. Their demeanor and position suggested they were acting as guards.

A wave of astonishment washed over him at this thought.

He couldn’t imagine what kind of personage would have these two serving as their guards.

’Could it be a secret visit from the Grand Governor?’

’Unlikely.’

But all his questions vanished in an instant when he saw the massive, winged Holy Sword insignia on the Combat Boat.

His pupils trembled as shock seized his heart. ’That symbol... could it be the Vengeful Angels?! That means the Emperor’s Angel talking with Lady Catherine in the distance might be the Vengeful Angel himself—the one who quelled the Golden City rebellion!’

He drew in a sharp breath.

’Back when they were eradicating the Cult that had entrenched itself in the Lower City, I had the honor of fighting alongside that lord three times. It was a precious memory I would never forget for the rest of my life!’

Though he had guessed the visitor’s identity, he didn’t say a single unnecessary word. He followed his orders, immediately mobilizing the Law Enforcement Officers who were arriving and coordinating with the Defense Army to plan a safe evacuation route as quickly as possible.

「By the railing at the edge of the port.」

Lady Catherine seemed long accustomed to assassination attempts. She grabbed Reinhardt’s arm, stopping him as he moved to jump down from the port to hunt for the assassins.

Perhaps she had long foreseen her own death.

And leaving life with regrets was not her style.

"They’re just a few assassins. They aren’t worthy of your attention. The Law Enforcement Officers and Dynasty Knights will handle them. To continue our earlier conversation... I’d actually like to spend some time alone with you. It won’t be for long."

Although Lady Catherine didn’t say it outright, her every word and action seemed like she was putting her affairs in order, ensuring she left behind no regrets.

「A long time ago.」

When they first met, Reinhardt had no interest in this woman. But now, as a political ally, a friend with whom he shared common ideals and a common path...

He could not refuse such a request.

Even as the voice of Second Company Commander Stearns came through to him via Spiritual Energy communication.

"My lord, I’ve captured two of the Interstellar Pirate leaders and have confirmed the location of their hidden assets. Are you coming over now?"

Although Stearns’ political acumen was not on par with that of Matthias or Koller, he understood what it meant to be removed from one’s post but not one’s duties.

Clearly.

Even though he had made a grave mistake, the Lord of Vengeful still valued him. He hadn’t been kicked down to the company’s rank and file, or worse, kicked into the ’Punishing Angels’ established by Nelom.

A name like Punishing Angels might sound impressive.

In reality, only Imperial Knights who had committed grave crimes, or whose records bore indelible sins, had the ’privilege’ of being sent there by their Battle Groups.

In other words, the title of Punishing Angel was, in itself, a punishment!

Until they earned the recognition of the Lord of Vengeful and the three commanders, a Punishing Angel could never shed the status of a criminal for their entire life. Moreover, a Mark of Blasphemy, symbolizing their crimes and shame, would be permanently affixed to their Power Armor.

Not until they had washed away their sins with blood and death.