Chapter 36 – 3. Saxony’s Great Leader (6)
The home of the Moritz couple is frugal.
The front yard is more appropriately described as a flower bed than a yard. A garage barely big enough for one car. It is a small two-story building with five rooms. Of course, there is no doubt that their lives are above the middle class in that they are whole people, but Otto and Frieda are nonetheless simple.
This is because it has already been proven in that the family of an army lieutenant general and a war hero in Bernhardt, a totalitarian country, can barely settle in a house this size. That these couples are truly luxuries.
“This is Magda Kiever, the telephone operator of the Bruhlin Telephone Department, Branch 1. How can I help you?”
An old but tidy study. Otto Moritz brought the receiver to his ear in a tidy space with the delicate touch of his wife. He went after work today to pursue the truth of Saxony, which was more important than that.
“Lieutenant General Otto Moritz of the Bernhard Defense Forces. I would like to speak to my adjutant, Captain Thorsten Hofner, who is on watch at Brullin Defense Command.”
「Heil Adler, it is an honor to have you call from the Guardian of the Eastern Front. We will connect you right away.”
“I will wait.”
Before long, the sound over the handset turned into a dry connection sound. Otto, who didn’t like the noise, let out a sigh, brushing his hair, and turned his gaze to the collection of papers and newspapers cluttered on his desk.
‘Criminal groups in Saxony and Beckenbauer, etc., And surrounding streets.’
‘A situation where many small organizations are scattered, but most of them are small ones with only a facade…….’
‘A total of 11 officially recognized organizations are known in Saxony, the so-called lawless zone, and in Beckenbauer, the so-called crime zone…….’
‘These organizations are under the control of a central organization called the federation, and influence is exercised by sending and reappointing a leader or his assistant…….’
‘The person in charge of the central organization is a person who has nothing to do with the 11 organizations, and is called the slang tailor of the street. Some say that this tailor is Werewolf Hans, the leader of the Brotherhood of Saxony, but the truth is unknown.
The phone has not been connected for a long time. But Otto was forgiving. As can be seen from these materials, which he and his trustworthy lieutenant Thorsten Hofner spent all their off-duty time researching the physiology of Saxony and its neighborhoods, as can be seen from these data, which he went through until the evening right after work.
Probably because I was wandering somewhere in the archives and didn’t answer the phone. When this job was over, I was thinking of giving him a long vacation with the privilege of lieutenant general. I’ll have to look at the family’s situation, but if I can afford it, I’m going to give a gift of an airship ticket to a decent tourist destination.
“Honey, are you very busy?”
“Freeda.”
The time was already 9:00 at night. Otto, who took off his stuffy military uniform and was wearing a shirt and trunks just like any other man, shifted his gaze to his wife’s sudden visit. Dressed in her silk nightgown and woolen cardigan, she held her steaming china cup in her hand.
“What’s wrong with resting down there?”
“It’s hot cocoa. It’s important to supplement with sugar when there is a complicated task.”
“I will drink well.”
“Can I stay with you?”
Otto showed a conflicted expression for a moment. He glanced at the papers and newspapers lying on the desk. The materials filled with describing the scene of a childish crime and its methods were nothing to show to his beloved wife, either in the text or in the photos.
“If it’s because of the documents I put there, I’ll just be here watching you work.”
“Are you okay? That wouldn’t be much fun.”
“It’s better than knitting in front of a fireplace, anyway.”
Frieda smiled lightly. She said it back nicely, but she felt sorry for herself when she finally had to stay away from her under the same roof.
“I’m sorry…….”
Otto, deeply hurt by his wife’s consideration, hung up the phone. She brought her extra chair from her study to where she stood, and handed her the blanket she had prepared for her overnight stay, alleviating some of the remorse I felt.
“Don’t be sorry. You will always be my proud husband.”
Beyond the handset, the insipid connection sound cut off. It was about time. The telephone operator, who introduced herself as Magda Kiever, soon announced that she had been connected with Otto’s personal aide, Captain Thorsten Hofner.
“Lieutenant General Moritz, Captain Thorsten Hofner is on the phone. Shall we pass it right away?”
Because he was in the middle of a conversation with her wife, Otto hesitated because he couldn’t bear to ask for it. Her quick-witted Frida, of course, realizing her husband’s plight, opened her mouth, and she relieved her lover’s anxiety as much as possible with the words she uttered.
“At the grocery store earlier, they said Toyver released a new game. I think it’s something that people of all ages can enjoy. When you’re done, let’s do it together. I can do that.”
“Frida…….”
“Call me, come on.”
Otto nodded. Holding the receiver in his hand, he corrected his posture and answered the phone. In his thick gray right hand, he was holding the fountain pen his beloved wife had given him as a gift, and he found a gap between the piles of data and was ready to write.
“Captain Hoffner. I got a call.”
“Thorsten, fly.”
“General? You work hard until late at night. I was just about to call.”
“The information from the SS that I talked about during the day. Those intelligence police Frakches.”
“Yes.”
“Did you know?”
After a while, a sound was heard from beyond the handset. It was a sound that emphasized secrecy by closing and locking the door and even covering the window.
“Sorry. It was a very close issue, so I needed some time to prepare.”
“It’s okay. Tell me.”
“There are several classmates from the military academy on the intelligence police side. They have excellent grades and are flawless in party character, so they are selected for the SS. I asked if it would be possible to closely investigate the Saxon side of the criminal organization, but I received an answer that it was difficult due to the operation being developed recently.”
“What do you mean?”
“I didn’t know that. So, at my own discretion, I turned around and inquired about the actions of Major General Feininger and Lieutenant Colonel Heinz of the Army Intelligence Department and Captain Rosencrantz.”
Thorsten Hofner is as competent an adjutant as the commander I serve. As a night watchman, faithful to Otto’s personal request, he found a way out even in the unexpected situation mentioned above, and finally revealed that he had approached the truth of the incident.
“General, what I am going to tell you from now on is a matter that is treated as top secret not only by the SS but also by the National Defense Force. Can you record separately?」
“It is in front of the desk. Speak.”
“Major Feininger, the head of the Army Intelligence Department, and his operatives are currently abducted by an organization in Saxony. It seems that the SS Information Bureau is not intervening for various reasons even after grasping the fact.”
Torsten may not have known, but Otto was not as surprised as he already knew. Although he is an aide who trusts Amman, he did not dare to inform the plan of their coalition against the president of one country.
Of course, his lieutenant knew only very limited information. But with that fact alone, Thorsten had the truth needed by the prince of the East and the protector of the Eastern Front.
“Aside from that, it’s the main point. This is the result of the investigation of what the general wanted to know earlier. Using Saxony and its surrounding streets as a base, we have identified the organization that dominates the night of Brullin.”
“Who is that?”
“…….」
Otto, who was holding the receiver, was surprised by Thorsten’s words.
“The source of the data handed over is a professional agent belonging to the Army Inspection Department, and after posting the report to the upper level, it was found dead at home with a common-law lover. Her cause of death was hemorrhagic death due to amputation of the carotid artery.”
“…… !”
“And this is my personal analogy, but judging from the aforementioned motive’s operation mention and various circumstances, it’s highly likely that the organization is doing some kind of liver.”
“Have you checked?”
“Yes, after putting all the clues together, I checked the intersection three times.”
Suddenly, Otto’s breath stopped. Thorsten’s confidence made even such a bold war hero tremble. The crisis facing him at this moment was desperate.
“That woman, the big boss, is a very dangerous person.”
“…… Captain, this is a serious situation for me and First Lady. If what you’re saying is true, we need to start evolving right away. How was the preparation of the special suppression company?”
“Assuming all the cases you have mentioned, a summons order has been issued. Everyone will be gathered in Brullin by the next dawn.”
“The content of the operation must never leak out. Not to mention the SS, and to everyone except you and me.”
“Do not worry. All of them were selected only for heavy-mouthed guys. And Marshal Eduard Chauss followed his Excellency Adler on a tour of the eastern front, including Chernysk, so you don’t have to worry too much.”
“Okay, call me in six hours. It’s going to be hard, but please suffer more in the meantime.”
“Have a good night.”
Unfortunately, it didn’t seem possible. As soon as he hung up the phone, Otto, determined to risk being intercepted, reconnected to the telephone company.
“I am Paula Arendt, the telephone operator of the 2nd branch of the Brullin Telephone Office. How can I help you?”
“Lieutenant General Otto Moritz of the Bernhard Defense Forces. Please contact His Excellency Seo Jeong-woo at the Presidential Residence immediately. In addition, in the name of the head office, we request the prohibition of neglect of wiretapping and recording.”
“I will connect you through a special security line. Please note that there may be more noise. In addition, I would like to inform you that all responsibility for this phone call after the connection lies with the General, who is a Lieutenant General of the Army of the Bernhardt Defense Forces.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“…… Connected.”
The phone went off right away with a click. The sound quality was different from when he spoke with Captain Thorsten, who was his adjutant. That would also be the case because, as a commander, contacting my aide-de-camp for work is less likely to be suspected and there is less threat of wiretapping, but with Seo Jeong-woo, the first officer at the presidential residence, the story was different.
“Yes, I got a call.”
The quality of this noisy call is, ironically, therefore free from the threat of interception. Otto, who opened his mouth at the woman’s voice that came with a crackling sound, spoke her words.
“Lieutenant General Otto Moritz of the Bernhard Defense Forces. Please contact His Excellency Seo Jeong-woo, Yeongbu County immediately. Urgent call.”
“Who are you? I can not hear you well.”
“Bernhard Defense Force Sossok…….”
Otto, whose tongue was twisted while he was talking, spat out a curse word unbecoming.
“…… Damn it! The head office is a friend of His Excellency Yeongbu! Who is on the phone right now?”
“Uh, this is Helga Schmidt, the chef.”
“Please change the phone right away. This is an urgent matter!”
“Are you talking about Jungwoo? If it’s a ball, you went out a little while ago…….」
“What?”
Otto’s heart skipped a beat. Involuntarily, he got up from his chair and set the receiver right.
“Then Adele Schneider!”
“Excuse me, but who are you? The official residence employee’s whereabouts…….」
“I am Lieutenant General Otto Moritz of the Bernhardt Wehrmacht! Directly commissioned by Her Excellency Beatrix Adler! His Excellency First Lady’s safety is at stake, so please answer immediately!”
“Ah, Adele went out earlier. The ball ran after him. Maybe.”
“…… Mittemeyer, did Miss Elisabeth Mittemeyer go out with you?”
“No, Ms. Mittemeyer is sleeping…….」
“Wake him up right now and tell him to answer the phone. I’ll say it again, but the safety of the First Lady is at stake. Got it? If you make a mistake, he will lose his life!”
“Bah, I’ll wake you up right away. Please wait for a moment.”
After about 10 minutes, another voice came from the other side of the receiver.
“This is Mitte Mayer. Who are you?”
“Otto Moritz. You would know because you saw my face during the day yesterday. Answer me if you remember who I am.”
“Ah, that comrade in Rosengart.”
It was a really bloody time. Even Frieda, who was surprised, had no time to calm down;
“Listen carefully, Miss Mittemeyer. I don’t have time. I will give you the addresses of some promising places right now, so find Jeongwoo who is headed there and secure his safety.”
“…… Wait a minute, I can’t keep up with the topic.”
“He said he went out about 30 minutes ago. According to Miss Helga Schmidt, the chef over there, yes. I went off alone to find the damn Adele Schneider.”
“Understand. Can we get the ball and Adele home safely?”
“Adele Schneider? There’s no way. For Ms. Mittemeyer, always prioritize Jungwoo’s personal safety. I’ll explain later, so just keep that in mind.”
“But, if possible, Adele would also…….」
Stop. Maybe he hadn’t woken up, but Mittemeyer’s voice, which had been boisterous, became sharper.
“Adele was the snitch.”
And her snort, followed by Otto’s words, were enough to startle her once again.
“What’s up with me! That woman is the number of bastards! The 11 organizations that control Saxony, and the head of the federation that oversees those organizations!”
“Yes?”
“Do you know what the name of that damn group is?”
“What are you saying…….」
“Schneider Family!”
“…… !”
The name of the organization that rules the streets of Saxony is the Schneider Family.
“The organization of the so-called great leader of Saxony, Gisele Schneider!”
Otto shouted loudly.
“Yes, that’s Adele Schneider’s real name!”
It was the moment when all aspects were finally revealed.
