Chapter 517 May We Return to the Glory of the Divine Emperor After Death, Act 4, Event 2

"...In this world, everything has its value. The only difference is that some things can be measured by material wealth, while others cannot.

This is the warning my mother gave me on the morning I left home.

I only came to understand the true depth of those words in the third year after my husband’s death. A Judge told me that Jias had been caught up in a massive conspiracy. To protect our family and prevent me from being purged, he chose to take the secret to his grave."

Her thin, dark-gold silk robe danced wildly in the wind.

A slender figure with alluring curves.

For the third time, Lady Catherine stood on the terrace at the top of the tower. It was as if only the wild wind and the biting cold could bring a sliver of peace to her tumultuous heart.

She leaned back into Reinhardt’s solid embrace, her right hand gently grasping his forearm.

"My husband and I were victims of an arranged marriage, a sacrifice for our families. But things between us weren’t as the outside world speculated. There was no discord, no deep-seated hatred.

Jias was my cousin. He was a man of great intelligence and strong convictions. More often than not, he treated me less like a wife and more like a beloved younger sister.

Under his protection, I experienced the ten happiest years of my life."

"Until that day, the merchant caravan sent back news of his death. As his wife, I swore to investigate the reasons behind it, but everyone around me tried to persuade me to drop it, including the members of Jias’s family.

To appease my anger, they even exiled Jias’s younger cousin and personally promoted me to General Manager of the Star Zone’s operations.

After they paid that price, my own family—even my mother—began to persuade me to abandon my investigation into Jias’s death."

Deep in Catherine’s eyes, a dim, faint blue light would flash from time to time. That was the feedback from the Extraordinary Creation implanted in her body, detecting a Spiritual Energy signal.

She knew this brief conversation with Reinhardt had reached its end.

The Vengeful Angels had urged Reinhardt to return more than once.

Lady Catherine turned and embraced Reinhardt, pressing her face against his chest. The melancholy in her voice from recounting the past gradually faded, replaced by resolve and a dauntless courage.

"But now, I finally understand... Jias’s sacrifice was never to defend the family’s material wealth..."

As if making her final farewell, she released him and took two steps back, putting distance between them. Behind her, the crimson clouds of dusk looked like a thousand miles of flowing fire.

She raised a hand to hold down her windblown hair. Her expression held none of the misery or resentment of one facing their doom—only peace and acceptance.

"Reinhardt, death is inevitable for everyone. But I hope that when that day comes, both your soul and mine may return to the glory of the Divine Emperor’s radiance."

—

Onboard the Punisher.

Once Reinhardt was aboard, the Holy Fire Guard’s ship quickly ascended, departing from Hurst World.

Matthias’s expression was grave as he reported to Reinhardt, but he proceeded systematically, item by item. "The Dynasty Knights of the Capet Family have taken over security for the trade caravan’s leader.

Lord Koller asked me to inform you that core members of the Eril Family have donated a large sum of Radiant Gold Coins and reserve grain to us. These are private assets they embezzled, not on the Civil Affairs Department’s audit lists.

As for how to deal with them, he wishes to ask for your opinion.

The battle to round up the Interstellar Pirates is largely concluded. The Second Company executed one thousand three hundred and seventy-six pirates wanted by the Judgment Court and have taken their leader into custody.

Lord Koller has already submitted the list to the Judgment Court for review.

Furthermore, the Second Company seized a large cache of supplies from the Interstellar Pirates’ lair. Due to a dispute over ownership, Stearns had a small friction with the crew of the Tax Collection Ship. I have ordered him to cease all activity and await further orders.

And..."

Here, Matthias took a deep breath. "Sir, two hours ago, Holy City Time, Cicero and the Lord Alliance of one hundred and three worlds declared their independence, one after another. They will no longer be ruled by the Imperial Administrative Region.

Cicero gave a public address, stating he will wage war to reclaim their territory and retake the Holy City of Iberia.

At the same time, he is calling on warlords and Lords from other worlds, and even the Knight Battle Groups on the Verne Front Line, to rebel against the rule of the Administrative Region.

General Cateline has already issued a warning to the fortress worlds in the Border Region. The administrative chief of the Military Affairs Department asked me to relay that he has delivered a counter-speech of equal measure,

and that three Infantry Legions have been detached from the Verne Front Line, are already on their way, and will rendezvous with us in two days."

Reinhardt’s brow furrowed. The intelligence provided by the Silencer indicated that Cicero’s faction was supposed to declare independence *after* Grand Lord Kles made his move. He hadn’t expected them to be this impatient.

"Does the Military Affairs Department have a specific time and prediction for Cicero’s attack?"

Matthias shook his head.

"Someone helped them disrupt the predictions of the major Think Tanks across the Administrative Region. The Military Affairs Department suspects it might be the work of Grand Lord Kles."

Hearing this, before Reinhardt could speak, the usually quiet Skolov couldn’t hold back his anger and slammed a fist on the bulkhead.

"Cicero, that damned traitor! The Grand Governor should have killed him twenty years ago! To cooperate with Heretic Mages for power... It’s a disgrace to all Imperial Knights—!"

All eyes turned to Skolov’s sudden outburst.

Matthias couldn’t help but think that the way the former Knight Tutor of the Emperor Shield First Group slammed his fist against the wall was remarkably similar to an old acquaintance.

Even his posture was identical to that of his good friend, Manon.

Twenty years ago, Cicero was merely a local warlord with some influence. His strength at the Six-star Earth Military Rank was formidable, but it wasn’t enough to pose a substantial threat to the Empire.

Initially, to stabilize the situation during the great rebellion, the Grand Governor sought to unite all possible forces. He tacitly allowed Cicero to forge alliances with other local warlord domains.

The problem was that after Cicero’s ascension to Sky Knight in 1445, this alliance became an open challenge to the Empire’s authority.

It sowed the seeds for the rebellion that has erupted today, so many years later.

Now that war had been declared, there was no room for negotiation. It was a fight to the death.

Reinhardt considered this carefully for a moment, then responded, "Tell Koller that after confiscating their assets, all prisoners are to be dealt with according to Imperial law. Those with serious crimes are to be handed over to the Judgment Court. Those with minor or no crimes are to be conscripted and sent to the Verne Front Line.

Have him prepare to assume command of those three Infantry Legions. Ensure a smooth transfer of authority.

Finally, tell Stearns that as long as no one gets killed, he is permitted to use any means necessary to secure the seized supplies. If the people from the Civil Affairs Department take so much as a single loaf of bread from him, I’ll punish him according to Battle Group law!"

Just as Reinhardt finished giving the orders,

Faint blue text from the system materialized in his field of vision.

[Act Four · Event Two]

[While Rome existed, lords from all lands held up the banner of freedom to oppose it. After Rome’s fall, the small states that split off all claimed to be its true successors.

No matter what slogans they put forward, their ultimate goal will converge on one thing: power and profit.

And no matter how they once expressed their Loyalty, from the first day Sedon implemented the Governor System and the Battle Group reforms, the seeds of war were already sown.]

[You understand why Sedon spared no effort to implement the Governor System and reform the structure of the Knight Battle Groups. That bastard, with his extraordinary political mind, had clearly sensed it.

That besides the conspiracies of the Four Gods...

...a muddled chain of command, a chaotic order of battle, Lords growing too powerful, and Imperial decrees that never leave the capital—all were sources of rebellion.

To prevent the tragedy of the great rebellion from repeating itself, the chronic ills of the old system had to be cured at their very root. These were the growing pains the three hundred worlds of the Administrative Region had to endure.]

[Throughout history, has the subjugation of powerful vassals ever not resulted in heads rolling and rivers of blood? The soldiers on the Verne Front Line are still bleeding and dying, the Empire’s citizens behind the lines are starving themselves to support the front, and the great enemies of the Empire press ever closer.

For Cicero to strike at a time of crisis like this, colluding with external foes—it is an act of neither Loyalty nor heroism.]

[What you must do is crush this rebellion with thunderous force! In the name of the Emperor—!]

[Basic Reward: Access to Armory·Messiah’s Gift Level 2.]

[Event Reward: New Trait—Heart Steel·Divine Ascension Reforging.]