I Aggressively Stack Steel of the Heart in the Knight Order

Although Dane, a director of the Capet Family, had agreed to cooperate with Grand Lord Kles, he still demanded that Hurst maintain absolute neutrality in all commercial and economic matters.

’Such a naive way of thinking.’

If he weren’t still of great use, the Earth Knight wouldn’t have even wanted to waste a single breath on him.

Their visions for the future were on completely different levels.

An economy without military backing was nothing more than a laughable sheep.

Twenty years after the Great Rebellion, the Ash Soil Star Zone was no longer the contested frontier it once was, where various factions vied for power, creating ample space for commercial dynasties like theirs to profit.

No matter who the final victor was, the Ash Soil Star Zone could only have one ruler.

The all-out conflict between Grand Lord Kles and the Imperial Administrative Region wasn’t supposed to happen so soon, but the arrival of the Space Dragon Race and the Demon Legion had introduced too many uncertainties.

More importantly, as members of the Baze Nobility and Lords under Grand Lord Kles, they had already received extremely precise intelligence from the ’Prophet’.

An Imperial Legion fleet—one that had started a rebellion and sided with the Dark Abyss—was approaching the Void Storm Exit near Verne.

Once that Legion reached the battlefield, the balance of power in the entire Ash Soil Star Zone would be completely overturned!

Compared to this smug idiot, Grand Lord Kles held Lady Catherine in much higher regard. He had even promised that if she was willing to reduce her commercial dealings with the Imperial Administrative Region and stop providing them with tax settlement services, there would be a seat for her among the Baze Nobility in the future. The great Prophet would even grant her a personal audience.

’A pity...’

Perhaps Dane was an exceptionally shrewd and brilliant man when it came to short-term commercial gains, but his foolishness was still unbearable to the Earth Knight.

’Does he really, naively believe that Catherine would only send some ordinary Free Knights to kill him?’

’So self-righteous. So unbelievably stupid.’

This conflict, which appeared to be an internal division within the Capet Dynasty, was in reality the result of the two most powerful factions in the Ash Soil Star Zone vying for dominance behind the scenes. The Assassins weren’t here to kill this idiot; they were here to kill *them*.

Without the military guarantee from Grand Lord Kles, those fence-sitters wouldn’t have dared to follow him in rebelling against Lady Catherine, not even if they had ten times the courage.

Although the woman’s strength was unremarkable among the many powerhouses of the Ash Soil Star Zone, within the Capet Dynasty, her power was that of an absolute Overlord, not to be questioned by anyone.

And yet, this family director, Dane, still couldn’t resist showing off his ’poise’ and ’methods’ in front of these two members of the Baze Nobility—men who could stand as equals to Warlord Nico.

”I already guessed they would infiltrate Hurst under hidden identities, so I had their contact killed. It doesn’t matter who these Assassins are. The moment they dare to show their faces, the fact that Catherine brought in outsiders to meddle in the family’s internal disputes will become public knowledge.

When that happens, her prestige is bound to plummet.”

As he spoke of this, Director Dane’s expression was animated, as if he had everything under control.

The Earth Knight’s brow furrowed. ”This is your plan?” he asked coldly.

”Of course.”

Dane sat on the sofa, a glass of red wine in one hand. Spreading his arms wide, he said confidently, ”You see? My tower is an impenetrable fortress, easily defen—”

Before he could finish, a subordinate burst into the room without being announced, rushing to his side and whispering a few words in his ear, out of breath.

The family director, who just a second ago had been brimming with confidence and the certainty that he had everything under control, saw his expression change. He frowned. ”What did you say? An unidentified ship just docked at Free Port?

Didn’t I give orders that any unidentified persons arriving at the port were to be treated as hostile forces?”

His subordinate was drenched in sweat, his pupils trembling slightly as he spoke.

”We... Our men couldn’t stop them.”

”Bastard—!”

CRASH—!

”OOF—!”

The wine glass smashed squarely against his subordinate’s head. Dane kicked the unlucky young man aside and shot to his feet. After taking a deep breath, he roared, ”What are you standing around for?! Relay my orders! I don’t care who Catherine sent, I want them dead!

Have Knight Lucas take all the mercenaries and go intercept them!”

The young subordinate didn’t dare to linger for another second, fleeing out the door as if for his life.

After barking his orders, Dane’s brow furrowed tightly. He didn’t know who Catherine had sent, but anyone who could ignore the defensive forces at Free Port was definitely no ordinary Free Knight.

They were most likely reinforcements she had brought in from the Imperial Administrative Region.

Although Grand Lord Kles had promised to protect him during this family rebellion, Dane merely glanced at his two guests, who were as steady and unmoving as mountains, and remained silent.

His dignity. His family’s prestige. They would not allow him to be like the weak Catherine, so easily bowing his head to outsiders and begging for their help and protection.

But the two men couldn’t care less what Dane was thinking. To them, this fool was just a pitiful pawn, to be discarded at will once his usefulness had ended.

Their ultimate goal wasn’t to swallow up the Capet Dynasty, but to destroy the fragile economic system of the Imperial Administrative Region.

And the outcome of their clash with the intruders would directly influence the decisions of the caravan leaders within the Capet Dynasty who were still on the fence: would they pledge allegiance to Grand Lord Kles, or submit to the rule of the Imperial Administrative Region?

「At the same time.」

The Law Enforcement Officers of the Golden Capital’s Upper City District detected the fighting and conflict within the Governor Tower and attempted to rush in to protect the dignitaries who lived and worked in the magnificent structure.

But without exception, they were all stopped outside the tower and forbidden from entering.

Furthermore, they received a direct order from a caravan leader within the Capet Family: seal off all city blocks within a ten-kilometer radius of the Governor Tower. No one was allowed in or out.

「At that moment.」

A Law Enforcement Officer in a deep blue uniform and a tall cap rested one hand on the holster at his waist, gazing up at the magnificent tower that pierced the clouds.

”Captain, what’s happening in there? Could it be Interstellar Pirates...”

”Quiet. Don’t ask questions. Just follow orders.”

The young squad member probably didn’t realize that a secret rebellion was erupting within the ruling class of Hurst World.

The Law Enforcement captain knew very well what was likely happening inside, but he had a family and children. This was not the kind of trouble he wanted to get involved in.

「At the top of the tower.」

Time ticked by, second by second.

But for family director Dane, each second felt like an eternity.

The chaotic sounds of battle from the lower and middle floors of the tower grew steadily louder, drawing closer.

He could even clearly hear the agonizing screams of dying Hired Knights.

Until... a single, extremely heavy footstep, like the drumbeat of death, traveled down the long corridor, passed through the heavy doors of the Governor’s Mansion, and fell, unstoppable, upon his ears.