Chapter 101 – 10. Express Train to Partenope (1)
In the east, the sun rises.
There is not much time left for the underdog. So, the intelligence agents of the Army Intelligence Department were busy and faithful to their roles. Anton, the head, drew pictures on a macro level, and Hartmut, who could be said to be his right-hand man, played a role as a manager in the field.
“Lieutenant Colonel Heinz.”
“Franz? How do you…….”
109 9th arrondissement Boeblingen. Fifth-floor foyer of off-white apartment house. Franz Rosenkrantz suddenly opened the double door of the safe house and appeared. He was dressed in inconspicuous plain clothes, and was armed with a firearm, evident from the bulging coat that covered his waist.
“I heard you were on vacation until today?”
“That’s camouflage. The First Lady gave me another mission.”
The two heads of Bernhard’s intelligence department are on good terms. Although the ranks of the two are quite different, such as the honorary officer and the lieutenant officer, it was impossible not to be close as they had lived through life and death several times with similar ages and roles.
Of course, because of the nature of their duties, intelligence agents must be thorough in classifying construction projects. This is because the emotional involvement that friendship produces can be the beginning of a mistake in the mission. Even more, they had to assume all sorts of interventions and conspiracies for those who control the country’s information.
“What? I wouldn’t have had time for that…….”
Doubts are fleeting. Such curiosity is resolved without the need to spit it out in words. My rapidly spinning head sorts out a lot of complicated clues, and the reason why the colleague in front of me appeared at this place convinced me of many things.
“It must have been when you got off at Steilheil…….”
“And I have one more thing to tell you.”
“What?”
“The security of the safe house where the First Lady lives has been breached.”
“This is impossible!”
“But it really happened. I’m sure you know what this means.”
Hartmut Heinz is a lieutenant colonel in Army Intelligence. He is also the right-hand man of its chief, Anton Feininger. In Bernhardt, a de facto military state, such a position or honor cannot be lived by loyalty alone.
You just have to have the right skills.
“They say the information is leaking somewhere.”
“That’s right.”
It is not that difficult to draw conclusions. The important thing is how clear the clues are gathered. Reasoning is a connection between assumptions and cause and effect, so the two people standing at the front door quickly exchanged information. No one said anything first, so I headed indoors.
“Is it the Royal Guard?”
“I am Mrs. Shadow.”
The desolately tidy living room was a good environment to focus on something. Hartmut brought out a blueprint of an unknown house and unfolded it, and Franz laid out a map of the city of Brullin along with a well-sharpened pencil.
“According to the order of the First Lady, I prepared the 7th safe house at 109, 1st Street, Rosengart District. The safe house is a top-secret place, and there was nothing wrong with the safety situation until the most recent inspection.”
Soon, Hartmut, holding a pencil, scribbled on the drawing. It was the number of times the safe house was used since it was designated, the date of the most recent inspection, and the approximate personal information of the users.
“I was ordered to do a few operations under the guise of vacation.”
“What if it’s a duke?”
This time, Franz wrote on the map with the remaining pencil. He initially inserted the Army Agency symbol in the corner to point outside the capital. Next, I pointed out the SS headquarters in the Steilheil district and several buildings related to it.
“One is to take some weapons out of the Arsenal of the Army Administration. The two are to specify a place designated as confidential in the 5th Bureau of the SS. The third is to steal special data from the place you found out.”
“If it’s the 5th country, it’s a secret country, right?”
Hartmut pointed out for a moment. Franz nodded quietly and pointed to one of the buildings I had pointed to earlier. The place where the signboard of the private research institute was hung was actually a research institute belonging to the 5th Bureau of the Waffen SS, the so-called Secret Service.
“Annenerwe Lebensborn Institute.”
“…… !”
“Another name is Bernhard’s First Forbidden Training Center.”
For Yeongbu Army Seo Jeong-woo, the current enemy was not one. He was sometimes Heinrich’s bodyguard, sometimes a follower of Mrs. Shadow. That’s why he needed someone he could absolutely trust beyond his existing ties or interests.
But, where was the trustee so easily obtained?
“This is where the monster named Elfriede Eichmann was born.”
“Chief of Extinction…… !”
Everything is a gamble
“In this document I am holding right now, it shows how a 6th class mage named Luminous was born.”
Therefore, infinite trust is not necessarily a bad method. Of course, it can be a problem if you feel betrayed and yet do not reap your trust. Passive trust is worse than active betrayal. It’s just naive or lazy.
But the relationship between people is like that. As with anything else, you have to take risks to get the job done. So Franz Rosenkrantz is here today. As someone the queen’s opponent would be willing to serve and trust.
“Then what weapons were stolen from the Arsenal of the Army Administration?”
“Yes, he wants to capture the brilliance as a magic bullet shooter.”
Because the oath of friendship and loyalty is born that way.
“I understand the plan roughly. But there’s something I still don’t understand. No matter how close we are, it’s good that as few people as possible know about such things. But why are you even telling me about it? By any chance, did the First Lady arrange a role for me as well?”
“We grew in size without even deciding on a name to define ourselves. Naturally, the infiltrator infiltrated in the process was no different from what was planned. Therefore, he is taking this opportunity to crack down on the inside.”
The bloody battle in Saxony, which was like a tragedy, had the effect of a new force emerging in Bernhardt’s political arena. And the unexpected aftermath also led to the jeopardy of the survival of the Youngbugun faction, as if a premature baby was born.
“For the most part, an organization called a traitor must reveal its true colors in a moment of danger…….”
This is just catastrophe. So, Franz quietly moved his hand to his waist with meticulous calculations. Against Hartmut, a top-notch spy, he pulled out his gun and fired back without a chance to resist. It happened so quickly that he completely subdued him, who had no time to be surprised.
“Franz?”
“Brother Hartmut, put your hands on his head so that you can see them clearly.”
“What are you doing!”
“Two hours ago, the First Lady contacted me again. It means that the security of the safe house provided by my brother has been breached. Thanks to you, I have more work to do. I found out that Rosengart’s No. 7 Eye House is top-secret. Even the warden did not know that the First Lady was there.”
“So, are you suspicious of me?”
The phages were perfect. The muzzle was pointed directly at the forehead. Hartmut put his hands over his head in a cold sweat. He calmly shook his head, trying to deal with the sudden situation as it was. It wasn’t easy. Because the fear of death cluttered his head.
“I don’t want to believe it either. But there was no other suspect besides you.”
“Damn it, I’m not!”
“Can you prove it?”
“In this state now?”
It was a fierce confrontation. Yes, I had no choice but to do so. Even though one side unilaterally took the initiative, in private, the two were close enough to protect each other. They didn’t want to believe in each other’s betrayal, and even if they did, they couldn’t shoot easily.
“The caller was suspicious of me too.”
“Which one is it?”
“Do you have any idea, when the guards and the shadow wife are all targeting us.”
“I can’t believe it.”
“I just put the protection of the Youngbu Army first. That’s why only I knew where he was. If there were no such doubts, what good would it be for me to know that on my own?”
The eyes of the two quickly crossed. In that short and brief moment, they engaged in fierce psychological warfare, examining each other’s intentions. So Franz, like the words I had heard, considered ties to be a gamble and boldly demanded it.
“That alone is not enough.”
“Not enough?”
“The top-secret clearance doesn’t come out of nowhere. Wasn’t it a safe house that had never been pierced? But do you think it makes sense that an unknown person whose whereabouts can’t be located accurately pinpoints the location and even calls?”
Hartmut pursed his lips.
“That’s right.”
But even then, he still had some excuses.
“By the way, do you know what I’m thinking right now?”
“Tell me.”
“But I am still innocent. Because there was no problem there. And I only heard through you that the place was pierced. If there is an infiltrator among us, you are more likely than me.”
Franz furrowed his brow. Arguments like this have always been a challenge even for a weakling like them. Besides, he didn’t have much time right now. The moment to make a decision was getting closer.
“Maybe.”
“…… ?”
“Maybe it is. The snitch may be somewhere other than us. Or it could have been betrayed by an unexpected person. But bro, we are underdogs. Threats that cannot be controlled must be eliminated.”
You can’t help it even if you don’t have evidence. Even if it is later revealed that he is innocent, he cannot do it. That’s what intelligence is. If you have any doubts, you should rule it out first and see it. That way it won’t be a problem later.
“My older brother would have done the same for me.”
The underdog thoroughly classifies construction work. Even executives like the two of them are no exception. Hartmut shook his head with difficulty. The two, who were more like brothers than real brothers, could understand each other at this moment.
“Well, I guess so…….”
“I will make it look like I was shot, so please cooperate.”
Then Franz put his finger on his trigger. He secretly drove his colleague, who was close enough to consider him his brother-in-law, to the window. He was afraid that the feeling he would feel in the future might be a sense of betrayal or guilt, but he hardened his heart.
“Is there really no other way?”
“I wanted to find it until I died too.”
“I guess so. Believe. Now I really have no choice but to cooperate in order to die. But if my innocence is confirmed, I want to ask you a favor.”
“When it comes to family, I will take responsibility even if my older brother is a traitor.”
“Thank you for that…….”
Upon hearing that, Hartmut finally gave up. Following his instructions to get up slowly, I got up and prepared to face death.
“Turn around and look out the window.”
Even in a situation where he decided to kill, the reason why he tried to disguise it as a sniper was because of the possibility that there might be one. It is to ensure that he was truly innocent, and that the aftermath of it does not work as a result of dissolving and doubting each other.
“There are no personal feelings.”
“Know.”
I knew it without having to express it in words. He would have done the same had he changed his position.
“I’m so sorry, brother.”
Hartmut hung his head in silence. All right, he signaled to shoot now. On the other hand, encountering the last moment of my life, I opened my eyes because I felt the desire to capture even the scenery that came to mind. We faced the sadly empty street as our final scene.
“Wait a minute, that…… ?”
And saw.
“Don’t move!”
“Don’t move! Stop shooting and wait!”
Black cars came one by one on the road in front of me. Soon, the people who got off from him were seen forming a rank. Appearing in a private car with the word “Annihilation” Written on it, they were the SS. It was Gwanghwi and her group of hounds following her.
“Elfriede Eichmann?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“This shit, that’s what it was!”
Hartmut inadvertently turned around. His hands were still on his head, but even that was a big threat to the weakling of cancer whose job was to assume all kinds of cases.
Naturally Tang!
And with a bang!
Franz, who reflexively pulled the trigger, shot Hartmut. A bullet flew through his shoulder and shattered his window just like that. To make matters worse, he alerted Elfriede and a group of annihilators who had just arrived at the entrance of the apartment building.
“Keugh…… !”
“Didn’t I tell you not to move!”
“Not me! Now I can prove it!”
“How!”
Franz asked with a suspicious look. However, Hartmut, who seemed desperate despite the gunshot wound that was terribly painful from the penetration, began clearing things up at a glance.
“You answer me. Who else knows this safe house besides us?”
“His Excellency of the Army, the warden, and a few people who set up sentries when the two of you rendezvous.”
“It is a memory from a previous life. The only ones who shared that memory were executives like us. So at that time, they don’t know this safe house. That’s not natural Because this is my original base. This place is also the highest level secret of the Ministry of Information, I’m not going!”
“What do you want to say?”
“There is one more! A person whose innocence has not been confirmed, and who is more suspicious than I am!”
Based on the memories of the previous life, the people who can access the safe house are extremely limited. Also, the suspicion Hartmut received was the suspicion of conspiracy with the shadow wife, not the charge of defection of the SS.
“No way…… !”
Franz thought of a certain stupid woman. Knowing only that she was innocent, she was actually the one who gave birth to the tragedy of the underworld.
Moreover, the deceased chieftain, Gisele Schneider, had some kind of connection with the shadow wife.
“Ansuk can hold hands for a while in front of a common enemy.”
“Are you saying that the SS and the Shadow Lady colluded?”
Perhaps the informant had a long-standing relationship with his wife. I don’t know when that started, but the reason why the security of Rosengart’s 7th safe house and now this safe house was breached must have originated from her.
“At least Mrs. Shadow must have told me. Because you can blow her nose without even using her hands!”
“Then…….”
Franz lowered the gun with an expression of being hit hard in the back of the head. And, except for the voices of the two people, the sound of dozens of people walking and running began to echo in the room, which had been as quiet as a mouse. From afar it got closer and closer.
“Franz, they are coming!”
Hartmut slapped him on the cheek as if to come to his senses. Seeing that he realized the situation, albeit belatedly, he quickly wrote down something on the drawing with a pencil.
“Wiretapping!”
I wasn’t sure. However, since the safe house was exposed, the eavesdropping had to be assumed as the basics before going in. Moreover, when looking at the circumstances before and after, the probability that she was monitoring this place at the headquarters of the Extinction Bureau was very high.
The position of head of the SS was not free enough to go to a house that might have been empty.
“What did the warden and I find out?”
「Iron Cross, move!」
「No. 3, No. 8, No. 12, No. 13!」
Judging by the numbers written one after another, there were as many as four members of the Iron Cross involved in this operation. The goal was, of course, Yeongbu Army Seo Jeong-woo, and it was to find clues to the civil war conspiracy of the forces following him and wipe it out at once.
“You?”
Franz’s eyes flashed. Now, feeling the presence of reaching right below, I quickly wrote a letter. I had a conversation with Hartmut, who started writing down answers in the same way. The sentence was short, but there were quite a few letters, but they both scribbled like crazy, probably because there was no time to delay.
“The original plan, Eliminate Elfriede!”
“Purpose?”
「Strength stabilization after cutting off Heinrich’s limbs.」
“The reason for the stranding?”
“Shadow wife intervention, about 2 hours ago!”
The pencil lead snapped from the harsh pressure.
「The status of Yeongbu-gun?」
“Partenope!”
“Way?”
「Airship, train, car!」
“Really?”
“Train!”
The two exchanged glances. Then it moved as if there was only one thing to do. Hartmut took out a blood-soaked letter from his bosom, and Franz put down the forged passport and train ticket he had prepared in advance.
“I’m sorry, brother.”
“Because I’m eavesdropping.”
There is no precedent in the history of Bernhard who survived or escaped from the pursuit of an extinct nation. With that one word, the two men, who had cleared the sediment from before, tapped each other on the shoulder. He was prepared to die and shook off the thick fear with the courage of a bond.
“Come.”
“Do you have a walkie-talkie?”
Thud! Finally, on the 5th floor, a group of dogs tried to break down the door. Immediately after, Hartmut took out a walkie-talkie and Franz took out a firearm, exchanged them, and went into action.
“This is Franz Rosenkrantz, leaving an urgent message via one-way communication. I was isolated with Hartmut Heinz at 109 9th Street in Böblingen. As soon as the radio is delivered, go to the appointed place and take action. More than.”
There was a high probability that a wiretapping device had been installed in the room. It was clear that the line was being intercepted. However, radio was relatively safe. Judging by this, the urgent fire was put out, Franz hurriedly picked up items scattered on the floor.
“There is a bookshelf in the study that reaches all the way to the ceiling. It will be pushed aside. If you remove it, a ladder will come up to the roof, so go climb the roof and jump.”
“Go first. I will follow soon.”
“OK.”
Franz, who immediately found the study, pushed the bookshelf and fled to the roof. Hartmut, who was left behind, confirmed that he was out, then grabbed the gun with the arm on the side of his shoulder that was intact and aimed it at the door.
Bang!
Then, at the moment when the door opened as if it had been broken, I pulled the trigger. He thought about the number of bullets left and went into a sit-in with the intention of wasting time as much as possible.
Exactly, that’s what I was trying to do.
“Kuh…… ?”
But for some reason, my body didn’t move. He couldn’t even lift a single finger. At the same time as the door opened, a bizarre figure emerged from my shadow, constricting my entire body. For some reason, I could only barely roll my eyes, and I couldn’t even breathe properly, so my face gradually became red.
“If it were the same as usual, I would have hung out with you.”
“You…… !”
The hounds of the extinct country entered one by one. As if they were about to go to war, they checked the safety of the room, heavily armed, and soon started lining up from the end of the hallway. I bowed my head to the owner who created the shape and the person who appeared while sputtering incomprehensible words.
Her bobbed hair swayed at her brisk, breezy gait.
The attire was a neat SS uniform. On his shoulders were epaulettes of the fearsome Annihilation Police. On his chest hung an insignia that only director-level personnel could wear. With her pink hair like her cherry blossoms, her cute appearance and the opposite madness, she was the light.
“Elfriede Eichmann…… !”
13th seat of the Iron Cross, brilliance!
“But this one is pretty serious.”
Invisible magic power pressed down on Hartmut’s body. I thought it was quite endurable because it was somehow a trained body, but it wasn’t.
With a yawn and a nonchalant expression, she visited her study and exploded. As she did, she completely destroyed one side of the building and lifted Franz, who was fleeing, into the air with a single gesture. Literally dismantled with her magical fingertips.
Only then did Hartmut realize. She said that she came back and was looking after her.
“They said to go first, but the order was reversed?”
Rolling around, Franz’s severed head rolled across the floor, spattering blood. Her pointy ears doubled the horror.
“Franz, Franz…… !”
Hartmut cried out. The cruel Elfriede did not even give her time to mourn and trampled her head under her feet with his boot. The remaining remains of the body were thrown outside the roughly collapsed wall, and only the items that looked important were packed.
“Elfriede, you damned wicked woman!”
“Noisy.”
Right! She snapped her fingers, supplying just a little more of her mana. In the midst of her suffocation, Hartmut, who was barely holding on to her spirit, was squeezed and exploded. Blood and flesh splattered all over her, and all that was left was a corpse that had become unrecognizable.
It was over.
Stretching her out of her boredom, she approached her window. She began to look through the sheets of paper she had collected from Franz’s body, one by one. It was cool and pleasant to see a cool breeze blowing through the broken glass. I was very satisfied with how easy it was to tear what I had finished reading.
“Let’s see, this is a map of downtown Brullin…….”
A drawing of the structure of the safe house. A letter reporting the convocation and trend of the Iron Cross. Traces of writing that the original purpose was to kill me. Bernhard’s passport, which appears to be forged. And finally, the most impressive clue.
“Huh, look at this.”
National Railway Company, Bernhard Reichsbahn Train Tickets.
“Is our naughty male prostitute trying to repeat the past?”
Today at 8 am, the express train from Brullin to Partenope.
* * *
Ironically, the official residence of the President of the Republic of Korea, a luxurious mansion, can sometimes feel dreary because of that.
Helga Schmidt thought it was now. She was an employee who had just come to work, and the quietness in the midst of the turmoil seemed to have changed the suffocating but not lonely space to an empty look.
It wasn’t night. On the contrary, it was very bright in the early morning. The sun rising from her east illuminated the garden of her beautiful residence and made her shed a tear as she looked at it.
But why?
The bright and lovely woman was miserable today. It was very hard for her not to be able to hide her depression. It was because she was helpless. She is a feeling that comes to everyone, but she is a stranger to someone as lively as her.
– All, who the hell are you?
– No need to know.
Helga recalled her nightmares of her past. It was when, as usual, she went to the market to find quality food ingredients. The story started when bandits appeared out of nowhere and put a knife to my throat and kidnapped Elizabeth, who had accompanied me as a porter.
It wasn’t true until later, but they were truly scoundrels and villains.
―What did you do to Miss Mittemeyer!
― She will be with us in the future.
The important thing is that there was something behind these terrifying people. And he was enmity with the gang he kidnapped, so he took action himself.
Helga, who was held hostage, remembers the horror of that time. The talented people who appeared out of nowhere in the dark watched over and knocked down a few who stood on the line at once. As it was, he exchanged questions and answers with Elisabeth and her unknown mother, and then took her out.
The only thing left is the woman who seemed to be the boss and herself.
– But it’s strange.
There was a noise of steel cogs meshing in her businesslike yet poignant woman. There was a creaking sound, like moving a rusty joint. Helga put on her blindfold, fearing that it might be her vile mechanical weapon.
But in fact, it was an iron will.
―Isn’t Miss Mitemeyer’s whereabouts a good thing to you?
– What, what?
―Even if it’s a fake marriage enemy, a marriage enemy is a marriage enemy. Blinded by greed, you will still harbor resentment for being denied my affection.
A woman who had lost her limbs needed a steel prosthetic leg to stand tall on her own. She is an enemy, so she needs a prosthetic arm to fight her kind against her kind.
Disability is such a hard thing.
It is not insurmountable, but it requires great pain and enormous effort. That is why the woman despised Helga. She hated the fact that she was living such a poor life, not living with her special disability like I did.
– What are you talking about!
―Miss Schmidt, the people of the United States would be surprised to know. A world-class chef with the Order of Gallic d’Honneur is rotting her talent while being treated as a mere concubine. The Grand Croix-class genius chef, who was said to have had no precedent in the history of gastronomy, is now making a living as a mere parasite.
On the elbow side, hot steam gushed out from the gap in the prosthetic arm. It was because of the intense movement even though it was a short battle.
―Talent isn’t something you can roll carelessly.
Helga felt it was like her sigh for me. I don’t know what kind of harmony she was, but she was because of a woman who knew a lot about me.
― What do you know about me that you say so carelessly?
― Winner of the Gallia Haute Cuisine Grand Prix for 3 consecutive years. Campania Hellas Cuisine Olympia Festival 2 consecutive championships. Atlantic United States International Culinary Competition Winner. A star chef who enjoyed worldwide popularity just five years ago.
Certainly. Up until now, a woman named Helga Schmidt was just the head chef at the official residence. But she too was once a global celebrity. In terms of cooking, she was a person who could even be compared to that perfect Führer, Beatrix.
― The talented woman who was as brilliant as that dish has now become an ugly woman who only looks good on the outside.
– Coward! I can’t even see your face now! On the subject of unilaterally pouring bad words at a person who is driven into a corner, where is it!
My father, a dwarf, was a fairly resourceful businessman. His mother, a fox hunter, was skilled enough to run a small handicraft workshop. Although her husband and wife were of different races, she was as strong as their affection.
– You don’t have to take off the blindfold. Even so, you’ll know that it’s bugging you. It won’t change anything if you yell at me like that. The fact that you, who could have reached the pinnacle of one field, has now degenerated into a swindler clinging to those in power.
As an adopted child, Helga grew up in such an affluent family. She fled from a country troubled by civil war and studied abroad in many places, where her talent blossomed. With the care of her parents, who nurtured her as a foster daughter more carefully than her own blood.
― How dare you know anything about me…… !
― Well, I understand that your crying voice is pitiful.
She thought that only the glory days would await. This was the case until the victorious government enacted racial discrimination after the end of the civil war. However, her motherland took over the business that her father devoted her whole life to. Quarantined under the guise of legality with her loving mother.
― The conversation ends here. It’s almost time for the airship to arrive.
– You, who you are…….
-Unlike you, he is the one who refused to fall. Although he may have lost his limbs, he has not lost his resistance to the Führer. You probably know my name too. At one time, I was the second person in this country, and I was a being called a person with authority…….
― Les, Leona Schultz?
―Unfortunately, it’s just a lapis lazuli that couldn’t get rid of a woman clinging to the man she loved.
After those words, Bernhard’s old power disappeared like a mirage. Left alone, Helga had to chew on the insults she was given until those who came to her rescue arrived. In the dark, where she could not see an inch ahead, she had to realize her fear as she was tied up.
The stigma of a fallen woman!
But there was no other way. No matter how famous he is, he is just an individual in front of the nation. What’s more, Helga was just an ordinary up-and-comer chef.
After Beatrix came to power, Britannia, which had been accepting large numbers of refugees, turned neutral at the same time as the country was closed. It was a de facto declaration of surrender. Gaul and Hellas were crushed before the overwhelming difference in national power, and even the capital of Campania, an ally, was turned into ashes in one night.
By that time, no country was more lenient enough to grant asylum to a businessman who had lost his fortune.
So Helga Schmidt had to be poisoned. I had to travel all over the world to find a battlefield that would increase my value. Sometimes it was Gaul, Campania, and Hellas. Furthermore, it was only the United States across the ocean.
– What about mom and dad?
What if she was a bastard who clung to those in power?
– My father didn’t come out.
– Why? Aren’t you sick?
It was only once a month that I could meet my parents who had been exiled to the ghetto. Even so, the eyes of the surroundings were severe, and the place was limited to a thick glass wall in a sloppy meeting room.
Where is that? Visitors on remote streets often fell prey to violent crimes. Most of the guards who supervised the quarantine area had a vicious personality, colluding with thugs on the street and taking their back pockets by committing acts such as robbery and rape.
– You know, my dear…….
– Yes?
― You don’t have to come to me in advance.
How many times did she go through such a crisis. And her parents, who came across the fact belatedly, issued an order to celebrate the event. Because of her desire to see her daughter, she did not want to stand in her way.
– What are you talking about, Mom!
―Are you old enough to be independent now?
In the end, all Helga could do in front of them refusing to visit was to climb higher. If it was a contest about cooking, all he had to do was to win it regardless of means and methods, and gain worldwide popularity and become the first person to qualify for asylum.
– Do not say that!
– Hello…….
― I will live happily with my mom and dad! She has the ability, and she has confidence! So just one more time, if her face doesn’t show up for me, I’ll die somewhere, so I know that!
His skills improved day by day. Her innate beauty helped her rise to fame. However, the more famous she became, the more her parents were drawn to the bottom. Fortunately, I was thoroughly managed as a hostage so that talented people like me would not go outside.
Of course, it is not that there have been several offers of asylum in the meantime. However, the country that made such a proposal fell soon after, or the target was limited to myself. I didn’t think of my father or mother, who was almost confined to the ghetto.
Another way was needed.
Even if it meant becoming the concubine of an influential figure, she was in no position to cover it.
So, based on my skills and the value of my name, I showed my face all over the social world. And one day, at a banquet hosted by the SS, I met a handsome man with four white eyes in a cold atmosphere. She got a special offer from him.
― Miss Schmidt, do you have any intention of dedicating yourself to your country?
― May I ask what kind of dedication are you talking about?
―Your Excellency highly valued your talents.
Become a chef in your new residence. Let him please him by becoming a candidate for the prince’s concubine from the East. If he is chosen, he will give him wealth and honor unimaginable. I’ll stand in the middle of the power and give you anything you want.
– Who are you?
– The introduction is late. My name is Heinrich Heinrich.
Holding onto the railing of the pole, Helga looked up at the blinding sun. Under such warm sunlight, I wondered why I felt so lonely. She wept silently and silently as she let her tears begin to flow again.
The trials of life are too heavy.
However, she desires more earnestly than that burden. Rather than having parents who only gave birth to her, she wants to be happy with the parents who raised her all her life. Like the ending of a story in a fairy tale, and I want to end with a long, happy life.
“Hello? This is Ingrid.”
Inside the hallway, a woman approaching from afar spoke cautiously. She was Ingrid, a commuter employee. As her kitchen assistant, she was helpful in many ways because she was diligent, and she was unfamiliar with my very different appearance today.
“Everyone went to work, but they weren’t there.”
Furthermore, I felt emotions just by looking at her back, and approached carefully.
“Is something wrong?”
It was really kind-hearted. She did it to the point where she wanted to rely on her without thinking about it.
“Ugh, no.”
But Helga Schmidt doesn’t open her mouth. Even at this moment, she thought of her parents who must have been suffering from the poor conditions of the ghetto, and she was only able to cheer up. She dreamed of the day when she would live happily with her family like any woman in a house, she just forgot.
The memory of last night that was like a nightmare, the things I was told to look back on my own situation, and even the disillusionment of myself when I looked in the mirror.
“Stop it because the weather is so nice today.”
So, after secretly wiping away tears, the chef of the official residence turns around before long.
“Good morning!”
With a bright smile, we greeted each other today.
* * *
How long has it been since you left home?
The busy street of Brulin somewhere was crowded with people on their way to work. It was a perfect place for a rendezvous. Arranged earlier, we recognized each other without much difficulty, and after mingling with the crowd, we made intimate contact.
In a shopping district close to the subway station, there were many shops looking for customers to take a break for a while. Among them, there was a place where you could have a glass of beer or coffee while looking out the window at a long bar table, so our feet soon headed there.
“Welcome.”
“Anything with dark beer.”
“Please sit in a comfortable seat and wait.”
The shop I visited was closer to a pub than a cafe. The courteous greetings of the young, tall receptionist were impressive, but most of the customers were sipping beer or whiskey rather than coffee. The atmosphere was cool and free-spirited.
It was suitable, so I found an empty seat and sat down in the corner. I received the dark beer I ordered earlier along with the saucer and tasted it leisurely. The bitter and deep scent was very satisfying. The presence of roasted malt, which was felt unconsciously, was also ecstatic.
“Let’s take some orders here.”
“Yes, what would you like?”
“With light whiskey.”
When her glass was half empty, a large orc sat down next to her. She took the golden whiskey and drank it without ice. Wearing a Britannia-style hunting cap on a cheap leather coat, he looked like a migrant worker.
Jerk, jerk.
I sighed as I heard the guy’s throat drop. In the meantime, an orc appeared at the entrance of the store, wearing a suit and accompanied by a cane, and looked around. I took a seat after moving my steps to see if the seat for me and my hunting cap friend seemed appropriate.
“May I take your order?”
“Wine, Erste lage.”
“I will bring it to you right away.”
Are you a nerd who wants to be seen as a member of the heritage class? All of them were good, but the round and small glasses really didn’t suit me. After all, such meticulousness is necessary to secure the position of the head of the underdog in this country.
“It’s quite a match, both of you.”
I quietly opened my mouth and looked out the window with my chin resting. The hunting cap and the glasses man stared at the same place as me with a calm expression. The wall made entirely of window glass was perfect for admiring the scenery outside the store.
“How can I eat something like this?”
The orc who took off his hunting cap muttered as he brushed his hair.
“I said I was going to shake it off, but it still stings my eyes.”
The orc who hung the staff on the chair also answered. Just in time, he quenched his thirst with the wine the receptionist brought him, rummaged through the products, and put his passport with the train ticket on it on the table.
“Otto, Anton.”
Unexpectedly, the people sitting on either side of me were Otto Moritz and Anton Feininger. As planned, while I was away, it was a twin carriage in our organization that would have to fill the void thoroughly.
“Honestly, I was a bit surprised. I didn’t expect to see you guys here.”
Until I left the safe house, the one I was supposed to meet here was Franz. However, he was nowhere to be seen, and the fact that two people who would suffer from heavy workload even appeared in disguise showed that some variable had worked in our plan.
“Did something happen to Franz?”
Anton, who disguised himself as a bespectacled, rich gentleman, replied.
“He is dead.”
It was unbelievable. Unable to hide my bewilderment, I managed to hide that expression and asked myself as if I was talking to myself. Even at that moment, I acted with awareness of the guards of the SS who were following our contact somewhere.
“What are you talking about, did Hartmut really become a spy?”
“That is still unknown. But Lieutenant Colonel Heinz, like Captain Rosenkrantz, was also found dead in a safe house in Böblingen. Based on the terribly damaged shape and the surrounding testimonies, the culprit was confirmed to be an SS annihilated country.”
“Is this information clear?”
“It was confirmed through the will the captain left over the radio. Since he was isolated with the lieutenant colonel, he asked me to go to the meeting place on his behalf.”
If so, the conduit of information leakage leading to Shadow Denial and Heinrich would remain the same. Also, judging from the circumstances, Hartmut probably wasn’t a spy. If not, there would be no way to use the expression that Franz, who had heard from me about the possibility of him being an infiltrator, was also isolated.
“It seems that the weakling was faithful to his duty until the moment he died.”
“I’m thinking of a joint funeral once things are sorted out.”
“Our organization also needs to differentiate more systematically.”
The fact that the extinction country is moving means that its leader, Elfriede Eichmann, will appear. According to her original plan, we tried to reorganize her forces by taking advantage of the void created by killing her. It was not intended, but in the end, the moment was right in front of my eyes.
“Yes, what more do I need to say.”
There was half of the beer left in the glass. All the bubbles have long since subsided. It was just like our lives. What is the meaning of a life that is fleetingly disappearing like a bubble? It won’t be visible to the naked eye. You won’t be able to hear it with your ears.
But we can feel its aftertaste and taste.
“This is mourning.”
We each grabbed the glass given to us. It was slippery with water droplets, and he held it up in front of his eyes and sang it without a word. I didn’t dwell on the intoxication that was burning up, and I passed the alcohol that was like a slow poison to comfort their souls.
“On the day we return to this city, we will bear the glory and name our names.”
Anton nodded. Otto agreed silently, took out his passport with the airship ticket on it and put it on the table. It was a sign that it was time to leave. I casually brought out the passports lying on either side and put them in my bosom.
“The way out is the back door.”
“There must be an office address written in your passport. Please note that all tools for disguise and letters from special people are enclosed.”
“They are special.”
“One from the east, one from the sky.”
“It’s worth knowing.”
After saying that, I got up from my seat and headed for the back door. Entering the shady hallway of the store, I handed a high-denomination bill to the receptionist who approached me asking if he was looking for a bathroom, and while he was careless, he grinned and punched me in the stomach at once.
“Ouch…… !”
What is a young, tall, and polite receptionist doing in a store like this? If you’re going to act, at least bring someone who doesn’t look like a soldier.
Anyway, there is only one receptionist inside the store. Of course, even for such a short bird, Heinrich’s eyes would be all over the streets. But it doesn’t matter. Because at this point, after Otto and Anton, our plan had already begun.
“Robert, start.”
I took out the walkie-talkie I was wearing on my back, matched the frequency, and spit it out.
「Good reception, good luck.」
I checked the short but straight answer and immediately threw it on the floor. Trampled and crushed. After that, I opened the thick iron door and went out into the street. I blended in with hundreds of people walking down the street wearing the same outfit as me.
No matter how iron-clad the guards are, there must be no answer in front of the tactic.
“How it feels darkest before dawn.”
We, who had been confusedly mingled through the thick snow, were scattered.
“Goodbye, Brulin.”
Finally disappeared
