Chapter 172: Chapter 137: A Clown, You Need an Exorcism
While some of the Empire’s many nobles belonged to the Loyalist Faction, unswervingly devoted to the Emperor and the great cause of the Human World...
If one were to conduct a survey in today’s Empire, you would make a surprising discovery: the higher a noble’s status, the weaker their faith in the Emperor.
It could even be called blasphemy.
Otherwise, how could the Great Rebellion have ever occurred?
Setting aside the other nobles of the Imperial Administrative Region, Sexta’s faith in the Divine Emperor could not have been particularly strong.
Because in the Radiant Holy City, not even the High Table Nobility would dare to so brazenly threaten an Imperial Knight—an Angel of the Emperor. Such words would undoubtedly be seen as a provocation against the Emperor by the Imperial State Church and deemed heresy by the Judgment Court!
And they wouldn’t care if the words were spoken in anger.
Unfortunately, the Old Empire was no more.
Without the influence of the Radiant Holy City, the authority of the National Church and the Judgment Court was hardly a threat in the eyes of the nobles who truly held power.
Of course, Sexta wasn’t a complete fool. In a fit of rage, he had dropped his facade and spoken his mind, publicly threatening to kill Reinhardt. The very next second, he regretted it.
Because he suddenly realized that Reinhardt was no ordinary Imperial Knight; the Cultivators of the National Church had always called him the incarnation of the Divine Emperor’s fury, a Vengeful Angel who brought death and slaughter to traitors.
They could have their disagreements, but uttering such disloyal remarks was absolutely forbidden.
The Clerks of the Civil Affairs Department, who had been shocked by Reinhardt’s violent actions just a moment before, were now utterly frozen in place by Sexta’s heretical pronouncement.
Even the Commander of the Imperial Guard frowned beneath his Full Coverage Helmet.
If this Knight who violated Imperial law was guilty, his punishment should be meted out by the National Church and the Judgment Court.
Ullrich was perhaps the only person in the Government Hall’s corridor to remain calm. He hurried over to intervene. "Lord Reinhardt, this is the Government Hall. There’s no need to break Imperial law over a single sentence.
It isn’t worth it."
Just then, Sexta began his performance. He grabbed Reinhardt’s arm and started struggling frantically while screaming nonsensically.
"No—! This isn’t me... Get out! Get out of my head! The Divine Emperor’s radiance is eternal! You damned... Aaaargh—!"
Though he did his utmost to appear as if he were possessed by a Demon, anyone who wasn’t a fool could see he was just trying to find an excuse for his disloyal remarks.
And at that moment...
Sexta’s hatred for Reinhardt reached an unprecedented level!
His face was flushed beet-red; he was absolutely incandescent with rage.
’It was all because of this damned, filthy plebeian! Here, in the Government Hall, under the watch of hundreds, even thousands of pairs of eyes, he was forced to abandon his noble dignity, to cast away his lofty status, and perform like the most ridiculous clown and madman from the Verne Lower City District!’
But when faced with a choice between his dignity and his career, reason compelled him to choose the latter.
Even if Lord Cicero had the absolute power and political skill to protect him by force, his career would be finished after making such a disloyal statement in front of everyone.
Though the National Church and the Judgment Court had waned in power, they were still factions Lord Cicero needed to court in his struggle against Sedon.
He understood this clearly. That was why he’d quickly concocted a plan to justify the irrational statements he’d made in his rage.
Claiming to be under a Demon’s control was a good way out, even if it made him look like an idiot.
Reinhardt watched coldly as Sexta put on his show. He had originally thought that a man who dared to threaten him to his face might be a noteworthy adversary, but he had never expected a bona fide clown.
A man who would utterly abandon his dignity and honor just to save his career and his own neck.
With the situation having escalated this far, the newly arrived Forbidden Guard and Arbitrators were at a loss for how to proceed.
The Old Empire may have been corrupt and decadent, but its one saving grace was that its leaders were, without exception, profound thinkers and master strategists.
The world could view the Old Empire’s leadership as a pack of greedy leeches, but no noble could waltz into the halls of power relying on birth and status alone.
Even the iron-fisted Sedon, despite possessing the blood of the High Table Nobility, had only managed to reach the rank of councilman in the Old Empire.
This was because the ones in power on the Regent Council were either super-intellects with the Wizard Bloodline or strategic masters of unparalleled vision. Moreover, the last Lord of the Empire had spent centuries laying his schemes, personally dragging the behemoth known as the Radiant Empire into the Abyss.
The paint scheme of the Commander of the Imperial Guard’s Armor was extremely similar to that of the Death Battle Group, but his helmet was crested with a golden-forged olive leaf wreath, and the decorations on his pauldrons and Armor were more ornate.
On the skeletal-style Battle Group insignia, one could still faintly see traces of the Death Battle Group.
He fell silent for a moment before slowly lowering his spear, choosing to play along with Governor Sexta’s performance. Activating his Radiant Beacon’s planetary comms, he ordered, "Notify the Judgment Court. We have signs of suspected Demon activity in the Government Hall."
He then walked up to Reinhardt, gave a slight nod as a gesture of goodwill, and said, "This matter requires a thorough investigation from the Judgment Court before there can be any conclusion. Please, do not make this difficult for us, Your Excellency."
This was the first time Ullrich had ever heard one of the Civil Affairs Department’s Forbidden Guard speak, let alone in such a deferential tone.
It wasn’t just him; the Arbitrators and the hundreds of Clerks watching were also utterly shocked!
Because the Forbidden Guard stationed in the Government Hall were not only powerful, but they also answered only to the Grand Governor. Their status was so lofty that even some regional Knight Warlords had to bow their heads in their presence.
To warrant a Forbidden Guard initiating conversation in such a negotiating tone... They simply couldn’t imagine what sort of background this Imperial Knight named Reinhardt possessed.
Although the Battle of Verne and the title of Vengeful Angel were well-known among the Legions in the Administrative Region, the territory of the Imperial Administrative Region was simply too vast, its population too immense and diverse.
The Civil Affairs Department alone housed a million Masters of Internal Affairs and Clerks, who had to process massive amounts of data every day.
In just one hour, the statistical data of the Battle of Verne, and even the records of Reinhardt’s deeds, would be drowned in an ocean of documents and data.
To these Mortals, who spent their days immersed in an ocean of data, burning away their lives as a testament to their Loyalty to the Emperor, the Battle of Verne was nothing more than a single, thin page in a data report that landed on some Master of Internal Affairs’ desk.
Reinhardt released his grip, and Sexta crumpled to the floor.
Sexta shot Reinhardt a look, the hatred in his eyes buried deep, before collapsing back to the ground to continue his act.
The Commander of the Imperial Guard let out a heavy sigh of relief.
As a Knight of the Death Battle Group, and formerly a member of Commander Sedon’s personal guard, he knew many secrets about the Vengeful Angels project. He knew all too well what a terrifyingly powerful being Reinhardt was.
He knew because he was one of the soldiers who had been forced to retreat from Grillers World.
However, just when he thought the dust had settled, Reinhardt stood before Sexta. As hundreds, if not thousands, of pairs of eyes watched, he held out his right hand. The plain Iron Sword on his back, as if possessing a will of its own, flew slowly into his grasp.
Then...
Wreathed in Radiant Power, the Divine Emperor’s Fury Flame ignited with a roar.
Reinhardt looked down, his voice cold and merciless.
"It looks like you’re in need of an exorcism, Governor."
