Chapter 237 - 202: Look at Me, Judge

Publicly assaulting an Imperial Judge, even in the era after the Great Rebellion, remained an unforgivable felony.

It was the most direct challenge to and show of contempt for the Empire’s authority.

Even though everyone present knew other factions were behind the Judge’s move to arrest Raphael, an old saying from Reinhardt’s distant homeland held true: act first, report later—a privilege granted by imperial decree.

No one could defy the authority of an Imperial Judge.

Even the silently observant Sedon and Lady Catherine were already considering what negotiating tactics they would need to get Raphael out of the Judgment Court.

And what price they would have to pay.

But Reinhardt’s sudden assault—violently crushing the Judge’s face and producing the sickening CRACK of breaking bone—stunned everyone present in an instant.

The four-man retinue from the Judgment Court who had accompanied the Judge froze for a second before their expressions twisted in horror, and they all drew their Knight’s Broadswords!

"Reinhardt! How dare you attack Judge Alban?!"

"In the name of the Judgment Court, I command you to cease this brutality at once!"

"What do you think you’re doing?! Are you committing treason, openly assaulting an Imperial Judge?!"

Unlike other Imperial departments, the Judgment Court possessed the immense power to recruit its own private army, unsupervised by the Old Empire Regency Council.

These private knights, who had followed Judge Alban and grown accustomed to the awe and deference of others, had never witnessed a scene like this.

Their superior—a man whom even the Governors of the Imperial Administrative Regions had to treat with reverence—was being held in Reinhardt’s grasp like a helpless chick, his dignity shattered as he wailed in agony.

A bead of cold sweat trickled down one of the private knight’s forehead. He stared intently into Reinhardt’s eyes, screaming inwardly, ’He’s openly attacking an Imperial Judge! Isn’t this bastard afraid the other leaders of the Witch-Hunting Order will have him executed for treason?!’

This was utter lawlessness!

The eight Technician Priests from the Mechanical Order remained silent, watching on with cold indifference.

Raphael’s brow furrowed. ’If this was truly about my use of Forbidden Power on Kemola,’ he thought, ’I would have no complaints about the Judge arresting me. And Reinhardt wouldn’t have to make an enemy of a terrifying agency like the Judgment Court on my behalf.’

’But as for the battle on Kemola... besides Robbie Hiling and the Secret Order, who might have some evidence, how could the Witch-Hunting Order have possibly found out?’

Even if that walking disaster Robbie Hiling had concrete evidence...

...as far as I know, the Secret Order and the Witch-Hunting Order have no dealings with each other, even though they both belong to the Judgment Court.

’I even recall hearing from some Cardinals I was chatting with at the National Church Court about friction between the Secret Order and the Witch-Hunting Order born from their ideological differences.’

’Besides, would that notorious madman, Robbie Hiling, really hand over his evidence to other Judges?’

Rather than an arrest for blasphemy, Raphael saw this as a calculated probe, an attack aimed at the Vengeance Angel Squad and Grand Governor Sedon’s faction.

If the Witch-Hunting Order truly wanted to arrest him, their Witch Hunters would have burned him at the stake the very day he arrived in the Iberian World from Verne.

The expressions on Manon and Matthias’s faces shifted as well.

They knew the Judgment Court’s methods all too well. Once you were branded with treason and blasphemy, there was no escape; they would hunt you to the death.

While Reinhardt’s resistance might vent their anger at the unfair treatment, the ensuing retaliation and trouble would likely be far beyond what they could imagine.

That was the Judgment Court, after all!

An organization so terrifying that a common Void Demon would piss itself on the spot just hearing the name.

During the Old Empire Era, no one who dared to resist the Judgment Court ever met a good end.

Lady Catherine looked at Reinhardt with a mixture of helplessness and pity, sighing to herself, ’This young Imperial Knight is still far too impulsive.’

’Their opponents deliberately sent a power-abusing Judge like Alban to make trouble, hoping to provoke us so the Judgment Court would have grounds to convict.’

’Far more terrifying than a conspiracy riddled with flaws is a brilliant politician’s overt plot—one that is perfectly legal and by the book.’

’If Reinhardt hadn’t resisted, Raphael would have been taken away by the Judgment Court right under our noses. To get him out later, Sedon and I would have had to pay an enormous price.’

But if Reinhardt resisted...

...then the charge of treason would be confirmed on the spot.

’By remaining silent, Sedon and I had hoped to protect Reinhardt and the Vengeance Angel Squad from the political storm about to engulf the Imperial Administrative Region, to do everything in our power to deny the Judgment Court any pretext.’

’But now...’

Sedon’s gaze, as cold and piercing as an eagle’s surveying the earth below, swept over the Judgment Court’s private soldiers.

Clad in the traditional deep black robes of the Iberian World, his tall figure stood motionless. Yet the sheer bearing of a Sky Knight and a member of the Upper Ranks exerted immense pressure on the private soldiers—men who were only Official Knights. Cold sweat poured down their backs!

Backed by the Judgment Court, they normally had no reason to fear anyone.

But that was only in principle.

When faced with a truly powerful being—a high-ranking individual wielding immense authority, a Battle Group Leader—to claim they felt no fear would be to lie to themselves.

Judge Alban screamed and laughed like a madman all at once, roaring, "Kill me, HAHAHA—! Reinhardt! Kill me! For the Radiant Divine Emperor, for the Empire!

I would gladly give my life to expose you for the damned traitor you are!

Do it—!"

Matthias gripped Manon’s shoulder tightly, holding the hot-headed big man back before he could get drawn into the trouble.

Manon glared at the Judge, his eyes wide with fury. The sound of his teeth grinding was audible, and veins bulged on the back of the hand gripping his Knight’s Broadsword.

However, just when everyone assumed Reinhardt’s reckless move had pushed the situation past the point of no return...

Reinhardt extended his left hand, and Divine Emperor’s Fury floated slowly into his grasp.

As the Divine Emperor’s Fury Flame, wreathed in Radiant Power, blazed to life on the sword, Reinhardt’s eyes, under the stunned gazes of all present, suddenly ignited with the Eternal Flame—a fire just like that of an Abyssal Great Demon!

"Look at me, Judge."

As those terrifying eyes fixed upon the Judge.

Judge Alban, who a second ago had been shouting for the Emperor and the Empire, suddenly erupted into hysterical, agonized screams!

At that moment.

In Alban’s agonized vision, what he saw was no longer the Imperial Knight Reinhardt.

He saw mountains piled high with countless corpses.

He saw gushing blood form rivers.

He saw... a terrifying entity standing amidst this mountain of corpses and sea of blood, like a vast, indescribable shadow whose flaming eyes were silently staring into his very soul.

"AAAAAHHH—! Reinhardt, what have you done to me?!"