I Aggressively Stack Steel of the Heart in the Knight Order

”Your rank isn’t high enough. Have the Legion’s highest-ranking commander come see me.”

Reinhardt’s voice was hoarse and cold. Even though his Knight Power was only at the level of a Two-star Knight Military Rank, he projected the aura of a powerful expert and the steely demeanor of a veteran. Even a simple conversation with him was enough to put someone under immense pressure.

”Well...”

The Tactical Captain of the Raptor Battle Group hesitated. What he was seeing aboard the Punisher Ship was a far cry from what the Battle Group Commander had described before he departed.

After a moment of silence, he took out the Radiant Beacon and contacted the Battle Group.

”Sir, it’s me. The subject largely matches the description, but he has an extra companion—an unidentified Tier Two Mage. Also, the ship’s commander is demanding to see... Stop—! You can’t do that!”

Before he could finish, Reinhardt strode over, brushed past the Knight’s attempt to stop him, and snatched the Radiant Beacon from his Armor. ”Are you the supreme commander on Lelag?” he asked coldly.

The person on the other end of the Radiant Beacon paused before replying in a deep voice, ”I am Aaron, Commander of the Raptor Battle Group. The Legion assigned me to be your point of contact. You can direct any requests to me.”

”We will be stopping here for three days to make repairs. We’ll need you to provide the parts for our ship. In three days, we will depart for Iberia.”

”We will provide all the necessary supplies for your repairs, but for certain reasons, you cannot leave Lelag for the time being. We ask for your understanding.”

Until now, Reinhardt’s exchange with the stationed Administrative District Legion had been professional and to the point. But after those words were spoken, a tacit silence fell between them.

Raphael’s brow furrowed slightly.

Given the level of secrecy surrounding the Vengeful Angels project, only an Imperial Knight of Legion Commander rank within the Administrative Region, or a member of the Think Tank, should be qualified to contact them.

But first, they sent an ordinary ten-man squad, followed by a Battle Group Commander whose rank was far from sufficient to be dealing with them. It seemed the Legion’s high command was intentionally avoiding them.

And now they weren’t letting them leave...

Having survived for so long under Florant’s control, Irenia’s perceptions were sharper and more subtle than even an Imperial Judge’s. Although she didn’t understand the inner workings of an Imperial Administrative Region, it was obvious that the high-ranking Imperial Knights sent to meet them were hostile.

Moreover, it felt like they were deliberately trying to antagonize them.

Reinhardt wasted no more words. He deactivated the Radiant Beacon, handed it back to the tactical squad’s captain, and stated forcefully, ”Tell your Battle Group Commander we are departing in three days. Any attempt to stop us will be considered an act of war.

And remember, this isn’t a discussion. It’s a notification.”

The members of the Vengeance Angel Squad, having spent the most time with Reinhardt, were long accustomed to his terrifying demeanor, where every word and deed carried a murderous weight.

But when had the ten Knights of the Raptor Battle Group ever witnessed such a scene?

Facing Reinhardt’s wrath up close, the Tactical Captain felt as if a giant boulder was crushing his chest. He could barely breathe, let alone dare to meet Reinhardt’s gaze.

’A notification?’

’Divine Emperor above, doesn’t he realize there’s a fully-staffed, ten-thousand-strong Knight Legion stationed here?!’

But the more he thought about it, the more uneasy he became.

”Un... Understood.”

Tensions were high the moment the two parties met. Although the Tactical Captain didn’t know why, he didn’t dare stay aboard the Punisher a second longer.

He was afraid they would kill him at the slightest provocation.

After the men from the Raptor Battle Group left, Manon’s brow furrowed. ”From what I know,” he said in a low voice, ”the Raptor Battle Group is a splinter unit that broke off from the Iberia Defender Battle Group.

The Legion stationed on Lelag should all be Governor Cicero’s men.”

Standing by the viewport, Irenia quipped, ”It seems the Administrative Regions aren’t as monolithic as outsiders believe. And here I thought only the people in Anatol enjoyed internal squabbles.”

Although this was just a minor skirmish between the Vengeance Angel Squad and the Legion stationed on Lelag, it was a glimpse that revealed a larger truth: the internal conflicts within the Imperial Administrative Region had likely reached an irreconcilable point.

Dark tides churned beneath the calm surface.

For these people to dare detain them, it must have been at Cicero’s instruction.

Although Cicero’s faction supported the Vengeful Angels project, that didn’t mean they were willing to see a Wizard’s Divine Artifact like the Ancient Black Box fall into Sedon’s hands.

It was far better to have it under their own control.

Reinhardt had once received the detailed proposal for the Vengeful Angels project from Sedon.

The plan wasn’t merely about the future of the Vengeance Angel Squad’s members. It used them as the catalyst for a series of major reforms across the Imperial Administrative Region’s Legions, including institutional changes, equipment upgrades, and the advancement of the Artificial Angels project.

This also meant that the old guard within the Imperial Administrative Region, led by Sirose, would do everything in their power to stop Sedon from implementing these sweeping changes.

Because once the reforms were complete, command over the entire Imperial Administrative Region—and even the 190,000 troops of the Imperial Knight Legions—would be firmly in the hands of Sedon alone!

The only curious part was...

...while these old powers opposed Sedon’s institutional reforms, they had no objection to equipment upgrades or the Artificial Angels project.

And so, their purpose for detaining them on Lelag became obvious.

They weren’t willing to contribute either effort or resources.

They just wanted to swoop in after the fact and reap the rewards—by forcefully taking the Ancient Black Box from the Vengeance Angel Squad.

Reinhardt had understood their entire scheme after that one simple conversation. And his ”notification” was no joke. If they dared to detain him, he would carve a path out over their dead bodies.

”Raphael, contact the Capet Family. Have Catherine arrange for a merchant ship to arrive within two days. Tell her I have a friend who needs to be taken somewhere safe.

I’ll owe her for this one.”

The Capet Family had proactively sought out the Vengeance Angel Squad in the past. In fact, their matriarch, Lady Catherine, had once seemed keen on taking her dealings with Reinhardt all the way to the bedroom.

Raphael nodded slightly.

Irenia looked slightly surprised. She hadn’t expected Reinhardt to have connections to the Capet Family, a Merchant Nobility house whose wealth was said to rival that of the Aureno.

If a Merchant Family was involved, finding a safe place for her wouldn’t be a problem at all.

At the same time, she could genuinely feel the sincerity in how Reinhardt honored their agreement; he wasn’t just giving her the runaround. For a moment, she found the experience hard to adjust to.

The treacherous Wizard World was nothing like this...

Before long, Raphael made contact with the Capet Family. They agreed readily enough upon learning the request came from Reinhardt, but Lady Catherine herself didn’t respond. It seemed she was tied up with some thorny issues.

Subsequently,

Agate steered the Punisher Ship into the Orbital Port, which resembled a cosmic megastructure. They began preparations to repair the ship, and the squad members finally had some time for a brief respite.