Chapter 130

  The seats on the ground shook, and the loud volume pierced through the car window, sweeping across Jilphi's entire body. Half a beat later, the tension in his body recovered, and Jilphi rushed out of the car, running past the stunned and noisy crowd.

  "Lord Reinhardt!"

  Gillfieth's long legs ran up the marble stairs. The smoke that rushed out of the house in a favorable direction formed a colorless whirlpool, and wails and screams scattered around with the whirlpool. At this time, there were still people who asked Gillfieth about his identity with their sense of order, but the red-haired young man naturally ignored them.

  Girfieth's heart seemed to hear the sound of emotions and reason boiling in his blood vessels. He shouldn't have advised Lai Tuanharte to attend this banquet. He let that golden-haired young man, who was like the source of his life, encounter unnecessary danger.

  "Lord Reinhardt, where are you?"

  Gillespie's vocal cords were unable to produce any sound other than this. He was gripped by a rare emotion - fear accompanied by regret and loss, which had taken hold of his nerves. If there was no response to his cries forever, he would lose his own value for existence. His fingertips touched something soft. It was part of the human body blown open by the explosion. He suppressed vomiting and shouted again.

  "Lord Reinhardt, answer me."

  "…Gilfeather!"

  The voice wasn't loud. Probably wouldn't stimulate any auditory senses outside of Jillfice. But the red-haired young man heard that sentence and it was enough. Next to the destroyed marble decorated pillar, there was a luxurious golden glow.

  "Lord Reinhardt, fortunately you are safe..."

  From the depths of terror, he quickly floated up to the surface of calm waters. Gilfeather, who had run over, noticed that his voice was trembling. Reinhardt, sitting on the floor, made a smiling face to calm him down and then gently patted his ears with his palms.

  "I still can't hear very clearly. My useless eardrum has been ringing nonstop since earlier..."

  One hand wiping away the dust on his face with the handkerchief handed over by Gilfeather, Reinhardt stood up. Although not very smoothly, but very stable, which made Gilfeather happy.

  "I thought that if I just sat still, you would definitely come to find me. So I didn't move... Hmm, it seems that this disgusting pillar has saved my life."

  "What a touching gay love............" A smooth voice came from under the ground.

  With this sound, the pile of rubble began to slide, and a broken pillar weighing hundreds of kilograms was lifted off the ground. Finally, amidst the rustling sounds, a figure single-handedly held up the marble pillar, tossed it aside, and stood up.

  "It's Rudolf von Fafnir, General...!!! Isn't the weight above a ton?! Monster! Monster! Is Orfelia just a harmless kitten in front of him?!" The blond Reinhart and red-haired Gyllenis were both shocked by that shocking scene, automatically filtering out General Fafnir's disgusting words.

  "Damn it! Even eating a meal can encounter a bombing attack! I should really go buy some underground lottery tickets!" Fafnir's clothes were tattered and covered in dust, his mouth cursing as he spoke. After finishing, he didn't seem to have much anger left, but instead gave Jin Mao and Hong Mao a meaningful glance before bending down to pick up a bottle of wine and walking out with a swagger.

  "What does this look mean!" Reinhardt's cheek was red with anger, fortunately he didn't want to reveal it in front of his friends. He forced himself to ask Gilfeather.

  "Is it fried noodles?"

  "It shouldn't be fireworks, should it?"

  "Please forgive me. It's all my fault for persuading you to attend this banquet..."

  It's all your fault, you have to buy me a cup of coffee tomorrow.

  Reinhardt's implication was for him to stop making amends, at which point he heard a loud but weightless voice yelling something.

  "That groan seems to indicate that Duke Brownback is still alive."

  Subsequently, in the exchange with Major General Mecklinger who came to investigate, it was also learned that the first suspect was indeed Duke Klopstock. At the same time, the final casualty report was also obtained later: more than ten people died on the spot, and the injured were ten times as many. Among them, about 30% are likely to be prepared for a trip to the underworld. For the nobles, this is a more heinous crime than starving tens of thousands of poor people to death. Moreover, the suspect is still the master of the most famous family among the nobility.

  The House of Klautschek, with a history no less illustrious than that of other noble families. Their ancestor Albrecht assisted Rudolf the Great when he was still a member of the Galactic Federation's Congress, serving as Secretary-General of the National Reform Alliance and doing his utmost to overthrow the republican system. After the imperial regime began, he served as Cabinet Secretary, then Minister of Finance, and after the notorious Fastolfe died, he was appointed Home Secretary, making great contributions to suppressing the New and slaughtering Republican extremists, earning him the nickname "Blood Turnwheel". Later, there were twenty generations of noble bureaucrats in a row, with six people serving as State Secretaries, seven marrying into the royal family, and one becoming an empress. They are the epitome of a privileged class overflowing with honor, power, and wealth.

  What cast a shadow over his head was the accession of the current Emperor Frederick IV. Originally, it was expected that Frederick's brother would ascend to the throne, and he had made considerable investments, even obtaining an oral agreement for the position of Chancellor, but under repeated reversals of circumstances, Frederick was pushed onto the throne. Those who were left in a precarious situation due to their failed predictions were not only Count Klopstock, but he had always looked down on Frederick as a loser in the imperial succession struggle, and his contemptuous attitude made Frederick's confidants hate him even more than the man himself, and at this point, he could no longer correct his course. Count Klopstock was relegated to the position of being despised as a failed candidate for thirty years.

  Kloster Zeven's Marquis, aware of the "Grand Duke Friedrich" who was often troubled by wandering expenses before his accession and the situation of evading creditors everywhere. Also, several times as a topic of conversation among friends. Later, due to the sudden change in circumstances, Friedrich wore the supreme crown, but he couldn't believe what "sacred inviolability" nonsense.

  Historically, the privileged class's tendency towards a penal colony took root rapidly in the mind of Marquis de Croix. With humiliation and oppression as fertilizer, it watered ten thousand mouths. It stopped at the position of fantasy, refused marriage, rejected socializing, and countless cold smiles.

  On the twenty-first of March, in the sixth year of the Imperial Calendar, Marquis Wilhelm Kl?tz, dressed in the formal attire of an Imperial Army Reserve General, walked through the gates of Duke Bronzwick's mansion, holding a black box made of composite materials. It had been thirty years since he last entered this gate. Prior to that, he had donated the magnificent hunting grounds and attached mansions that his family had owned since its founding, located in one corner of the Imperial Capital, to the Emperor, made large donations to the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Rites, and presented secretly stored artworks to Duke Bronzwick and other major noble families. With humble words, he lowered his proud head and begged to be allowed back into society. From his own experience, he knew that fawning on the nobles was the most effective way. Stimulated by a pleasant sense of superiority, Duke Bronzwick looked at the few famous paintings that even the imperial family did not have, and proudly invited this dark assassin, who was hiding sinister intentions, into his mansion.

  The Ministry of Internal Affairs, which is in charge of domestic security, has been plagued by the same evil practices since the fifth century. The crimes that have been committed are like a layer of sediment that has accumulated over time, making it impossible to reveal the truth. All of these crimes have been dealt with under the name of "plotting to overthrow the imperial republican regime". Sometimes, additional charges were added to political prisoners or prisoners of conscience who had already been arrested, and they were given heavier punishments.

  The great Emperor Taizu rewards informers for exposing Republicans. If the information is true, it will be rewarded; even if it's not true, it will still be seen as a manifestation of loyalty to the emperor and won't be punished. When officers and soldiers kill Republicans, even if innocent civilians are caught in the crossfire, they will be considered "guilty by association" for standing alongside Republicans. Officers and soldiers will all be exempt from punishment.

  But this time it seems that the "irreverent republican" will not be on stage. The fact that the bomb was in a black box brought by Marquis de Kruyten is established that evening.

  "Marquis de Klopstock? Impossible!"

  But the gendarmes who rushed to the Marquis's residence could only see that the master was not there, and the servants' uneasy expressions. Although the authorities also investigated the spaceport, the Klopstock family's private spaceship had already left with priority over public passenger ships at the time of the bombing explosion, with the original noble style.

  "It seems that a punitive expedition is to be dispatched. Of course, the Duke of Klopstock has already been deprived of his title on charges of high treason and lèse-majesté."

  The next morning, Reinhard received the intelligence from Gillfi and put on his second attire to go to the Imperial Palace. He ordered Gillfi, who had been gathering information all night, to sleep at home.

  Reinhardt, who had requested an audience, waited for over two hours along with more than a dozen other petitioners. Although it was said that emperors of past dynasties would enter their offices as early as 4 am, the current Emperor Friedrich IV did not torment his courtiers from dawn but instead chose to make those hoping to see him wait.

  The audience began, and then it took another hour and a half. As soon as Reinhardt stepped into the audience chamber, he noticed two things: one was that Annie Rodgers was not by the Emperor's side, and the other was that there were particles of alcohol floating in the air.

  "Major Mjolnir, this is a disaster. But it's good that no one was hurt."

  Reinhardt lowered his head even further. The attendant cast his gaze over the list of those hoping to have an audience, and whispered something in the Emperor's ear.

  "Is that so, you're already a general?"

  "Thanks entirely to Your Majesty's benevolence..."

  "Yes, it is I who appointed him."

  The emperor's mouth was spewing out a strong smell of alcohol as he laughed. The white wine bottle placed on the silver small table had more than half of it empty.

  "So, what's the big deal today that you're waking up your benefactor so early?"

  "I have come to request that I be dispatched as a general in the matter of subjugating the Marquis of Kropotkin."

  Reinhardt, with his expression and emotions suppressed, only spoke what he meant. He hoped that the day when he could be freed from this suffocating feeling would come as soon as possible.

  "Ah, that matter. It's understandable that you'd want to appeal, but the commander has already made a decision. It can't be changed now."

  "May I ask which respected person?"

  Duke Packard said it had to be done by him. He mentioned this last night.

  "Shouldn't Your Excellency's military status be that of a reserve officer? Have you forgotten this point?"

  "As you said, but he requested to be temporarily reinstated this time. After all, there were too many victims among the nobles, and everyone wanted revenge for their brothers, cousins, and whatnot. As the saying goes, 'revenge first' is indeed unstoppable. Moreover, Viscount Rudolf von Fafnir also came to disturb me yesterday. In the end, he got a position, Count Migel, you're too late...". Accompanied by meaningless laughter, the Emperor waved his hand and let Reinhard go see his sister.

  Reinhardt, who had just stepped out of the door, saw people from the Imperial Palace carrying a stretcher rushing towards the hospital inside the palace. He curiously went over to take a look and found that it was the annoying Baron Filigel, who was unconscious on the stretcher with his whole body purple and black, looking as if he had been trampled by a thousand elephants dancing on him.

  "Who did it?"

  The Imperial Guard who was asked saw that it was the younger brother of the favored concubine, and hastily replied: "Baron Filger and Viscount Favniel had a dispute, then before the staff could intervene, Viscount Favniel threw down his white glove, and after 5 seconds, it became like what Your Excellency sees now." On the side, he also showed an expression of wanting to laugh, as very few people would like someone like Filger...

  On August 30, the Imperial Army's First Class General Duke Brünhilde temporarily resumed his post as commander and led the army to defeat Count Kl?p?tck from the imperial capital of Odin. This was a force composed of regular troops and private soldiers of various nobles in disarray, but it was sufficient in number to deal with the mercenaries of a single nobleman. Reinhard couldn't help but think that the nobles were openly displaying their disregard for public and private matters. For them, this military action was an act of revenge for their relatives and friends, and the so-called crime of treason was just a nominal term.

  Later, Reinhard was also forced to spend his days idly in the capital, but one day he received a TV phone call from Baroness von Westerland. After exchanging words about his sister...

  "Do you know? That detachment of troops seems to be in a tough battle."

  "That's very likely."

  The crusader army was a motley crew, vastly outnumbered by the enemy, and once they engaged in ground combat, the defending side had the advantage of terrain. Meanwhile, Margrave Klopstock stood on the line between sanity and despair, seemingly willing to spend any amount of money on his mercenary troops. As a result, the crusader army was also forced into a desperate battle.

  But to return to the subject, even if the grand dukes were to organize the party members into an army, it would seem that there is no need to be afraid. People like Filger, when they become soldiers, seem to have only a fraction of their usual boastful and bombastic language.

  "In the punitive army, although there were several professional soldiers serving as combat technical advisors, because those nobles, especially the younger generation, were unwilling to follow instructions, internal strife seemed to be constantly occurring. Duke Brownback was just yelling all the time. However, Viscount Fafnir's troops were advancing triumphantly and had already completed their landing, but many young nobles kept dragging him down..."

  "You know it in great detail."

  "It was Major Mecklinger who told me."

  Reinhardt's perfectly shaped eyebrows moved slightly.

  "Can this be told to someone like me?"

  "It's what he wanted me to pass on to you. I'm just a messenger. How about it? You should also make some connections of your own, both inside and outside the palace, it would be better for your sister too..."

  After the shadow of Baroness Vestapale disappeared from the screen, Reinhardt was deep in thought with his fingertips grasping that beautiful chin, and when Gilfieth entered the room soon after, he mentioned the conversation between him and the baroness, discussing whether to get along with Meklinger.

  "He also told us this because he wanted to help us, right? It's good that we can look forward to a better relationship in the future."

  "The question is how much expectation can be had!"

  Yelnyov, Mekhlis, this young officer, was not loved by Baroness Vestolitskaya as a military man, but as an artist. He differed from her seven lovers in that he had sufficient means of his own and was already quite famous as an artist. He was a poet, a water-color painter, and a pianist; but this only served to place him on the other side of the line which separated him from the baroness, who seemed to be attracted only by men who needed her spiritual and material support.

  On October 2nd, the punitive army returned under the command of Marquis de Clermont-Tonnerre. It took more than a month to put down this regional small rebellion.

  On this very night, Major General Oskar von Roeschenthal came to Reinhardt's residence.

  Oskar von Reuentahl and Wolfgang Mittermeyer were serving as tactical advisors to the combat fleet of the Marquis of Kropton. The two men were extremely close friends, and only Mittermeyer was able to defend Reuentahl's womanizing nature among normal people; in the abnormal fleet there was even more gossip about it: "This Persian cat just likes women, he doesn't take us seriously at all! He never looks us straight in the eye! One of these days this Persian cat will get his comeuppance!" Some people said.

  The campaign of the 486th year of the Imperial Calendar against the Marquisate of Kropfsteckt had no constructive significance for Midamia and Rosenkavalier, who were military men. They, along with several high-ranking officers, received the title of "Combat Technical Advisor" and were responsible for guiding young nobles without battlefield experience, but these "apprentices" lacked obedience and seriousness to an immeasurable degree. Rosenkavalier had already abandoned a dozen times in just one week. How many times their friends had given up was unknown.

  "Give me command. I'll finish it in three hours."

  At the same time, there was a certain viscount's remark "Want to try saying that in front of me? You'll be a pighead in three seconds!" - This guy is one step ahead, even the "Combat Technique Advisor" can't help but acknowledge his ability.

  "Peaceful and stable deployment of troops... This guy's tactics are really old-fashioned, but... almost flawless!" A certain Persian cat's evaluation.

  And Midamidori roared, in short the unworthy disciples finally succeeded in suppressing the rebellion, and Marquis Kropotkin drank poison and died with resentment. So far, the explosion incident at Brownback's mansion can be considered as an end, but...

  Although the law stipulates that the assets of rebels should be confiscated and returned to the state treasury, in reality on the battlefield, each side does its best to plunder. Probably only immovable property or financial assets with registered names are left in the hands of the Imperial Ministry of Finance.

  In this campaign to subdue the Earl of Klott, the soldiers were allowed to do as they pleased and commit atrocities against non-combatants, plundering their property. The ones who led the looting and caused the most chaos were the troops belonging to Favniel, who had landed first and completely defeated the Earl's private army. They indiscriminately committed brutal robberies, ignoring friendly forces, and any young noble who dared to stand in their way and try to get a share of the spoils was beaten mercilessly with the support of the shameless Viscount from behind. This led to multiple arson incidents. As a result, the young nobles had no choice but to engage in "pleasant" hunting and looting in areas without Favniel's troops.

  In this regard, Rostand abandoned it from the start, while Mida Maya seized those unworthy apprentices to scold them and constantly tried to stop this shameful barbarism.

  "I taught you how to fight, but I didn't teach you how to loot, bully and set fires."

  Using this tone to make the other party reflect, Midoriya himself is also fed up, but seeing the violent behavior, he can't pretend to be silent.

  "One day you will dance with regret in hand, remember these words."

  Not prophesying, but with a full sense of foreboding, Midas Mida spoke some words, though he had driven away those scoundrels in uniform, yet thinking of the number of atrocities that had occurred beyond his line of sight, he couldn't help but feel a sense of futility. Rostar looked at his friend with an utterly unenthusiastic gaze.

  "Orthodox Metropolitan of Midyat, you have worked hard."

  "Don't tease me."

  "Have you heard? Viscount Fafnir has issued an order that the troops under his command are not allowed to rape women, and if they want to play with women, they must pay a fee equivalent to that of a mid-range prostitute in imperial marks. Should I say that even scum have a bottom line?"

  "This is slightly better than human waste..."

  Soon, Mita was arrested for shooting down a subordinate - some noble scum and his companions had made a bet to rape an old woman and kill her in front of Mita, cutting off her throat to steal her ring. Mita shot the somewhat well-connected scum, then went to jail.

  He stood tall in the face of the empire's most powerful noble families, withstanding all sorts of emotional abuse and one by one presenting evidence to refute them. He accused the aristocratic-born officers who were supposed to discipline the soldiers of being the first to break military rules, killing non-combatants, committing violence against women, setting fire to civilian homes, looting property, "really greatly disgracing the military flag and His Majesty's name."

  "You who are called nobles, if you were ordinary ignorant commoners, there would be nothing to say. With great ancestors and a glorious family name in history, it is originally the noble children who should be rich in education and shame, but they have done such an astonishing ugly deed, really making it hard for this humble official to believe."

  “……”

  "The honor of the Imperial Army lies in defending the nation with military power, not in indulging in cruel pleasures such as plundering, slaughtering and destroying. It is the responsibility of the Commander-in-Chief to ensure that the entire army adheres to this principle! However, Your Excellency the Duke not only condones their atrocities but also denies the punishment according to military law. Are you yourself bringing shame to the position of Commander-in-Chief?"

  At the same time, Viscount Favniel, the commander of the largest military group in this battle, said a word: "A waste that can't even win a duel deserves to die! Your family won't only produce such useless trash, will it?" The duke, who was so angry that he almost had a stroke, also had to retreat under Favniel's mocking and murderous gaze. After all, the viscount was said to be a guy who even Ovresha, a human-shaped meat grinder, feared, and he was completely a ruthless killer who didn't care about consequences. It wasn't necessary to mess with him. Fortunately, Favniel also had no intention of giving Midamaya a chance to escape punishment, so he just said one sentence and left directly without even looking at Midamaya. He was the kind of guy who came just to slap the duke in the face.

  Mita Medici also understood that at this point, both the other party and himself had already cut off their retreats. Although he knew in his heart, but at this time, his temperament drove away his calculations, and his tongue continuously shot out sharp words of impeachment. Every sentence made the red blood cells on the face of Duke Brownback decrease. He jumped up from his chair, excitedly ordering the execution of Mita Medici, but was dissuaded by trusted officers such as Ansonbah Schutler, avoiding the danger of executing a general who had committed a capital offense, and only imprisoned him instead.

  To rescue Major Midamac, Major Rojental intends to use every possible means. And what is meant by "possible" here is not the scope permitted by general morality, but the limit that his brain activity can achieve.

  Rogenhental thought that it was impossible to save Midas Mayer with just legitimate arguments. Originally, if the situation had been reasonable and understandable, there wouldn't have been a result where Midas Mayer stood in front of the wall of his cell with his arms crossed, staring blankly. The Empire's laws were originally more favorable to the noble families, but because they also allowed for tyrannical behavior that went beyond the law, everything was still decided by power. If there had been someone even more powerful than Duke Blanche Buck, perhaps their justice could have been realized.

  Luoyantal had been holding onto someone from a long time ago. That person was young and didn't have any sect, but the misunderstandings he received were far more than the praise.

  But in Rogenwart's view, his talent and future prospects far surpassed those of the noble sons who boasted of their family history. As the people in the palace privately said, this person, Reinhardt von Mühlberg, might have just been lucky on the battlefield. However, wasn't it already commendable that he personally went to the battlefield, unlike the nobles who indulged in wine and meat in the safe palace and manor? As for a certain scum, due to his disgust towards his own kind, the Persian cat general was not considered at all.

  "Midoriya, I'll take care of everything, okay? I want to go ask someone a favor. No, I have someone in mind who I think will get drawn into our affairs and become an ally."

  "Alright then, everything is up to you, but who exactly are you?"

  "What the nobles say, blond boy."

  "Are you Reinhardt von Mühlberg?"

  "That's right. According to rumor, by year's end he will become the Earl of Rheinhardt von Rozenkranz."

  "But we and the other party have never met before!"

  "We are not bosom friends now, but we will be in the future."

  Mi Damao's eyes narrowed. He was undoubtedly pondering his friend's mind in this sentence, and it seemed that he had entered deep thought, probably because he had a premonition that this choice would decide the fate of him and his friends.

  "Compared to the dukedom passed down through generations of ancestors, a newly risen earldom is much more impressive! The current emperor has no male heir. It's clear that a palace struggle will erupt in the near future. Since we must entrust our lives to one of the contending nobles, wouldn't you or I want someone with greater talent and character as our leader?"

  Although Meituan is silent, it does not negate what Luo Yonghao said.

  "So, we must also take this opportunity to determine whether Reinhard von Müsel is worthy of our loyalty. If he can help us resist the unbridled tyranny of the great nobles, then we will swear fealty to him."

  "......I understand, everything is up to you now."

  Mi Damaia turned determination into sound. Since friends have already figured it out for him, he can only entrust everything to his friends.

  "Then, everything is up to me. Listen, I will definitely rescue you. So don't be impatient. Don't be too anxious."

  Luoyantal thought of his friend's vigorous vitality.

  "Alright then. But don't overexert yourself for my sake."

  "There's no need for coercion. Women and victories will naturally come to me without being called."

  He said a few words of farewell to Reinhard and his imprisoned friend, but he did not leave immediately. He declared everywhere that if Mittermeyer were to die before returning to the Imperial Capital, it would be considered an assassination, and this matter would be reported to the Ministry of Military Affairs in the Imperial Capital by superluminal communication. It was because of this arrangement that Mittermeyer was able to avoid being wrongly killed in prison. ...And so, on the night of October 2nd, after returning to the Imperial Capital Odin, Oscar von Reuentahl visited the residence of Reinhard von Müsel in a stormy and rainy night.

  After a series of magnificent performances and calls, the man who would later be known as "Hurricane Wolf" was rescued by another golden lion.