Chapter 32 – 3. Saxony’s Great Leader (2)
1st floor of the official residence, terrace.
Charcoal fire sways in an improvised brazier. Mushrooms, bell peppers, and meat skewered on a grill are placed on top of it. I don’t know what I put it on, but the sheen that flows through it is very appetizing.
It’s not even ripe yet.
“If you are bored waiting, have a beer. I put it in an ice bucket there.”
“With what?”
“That’s stone beer.”
Helga was indeed the head chef of the official residence. He prepared a charcoal fire even after hearing that he wanted to have a beer or a skewer. While waiting, he handed me a cold beer that I had put in ice in advance for me to be bored.
“Perfect.”
The beer was cold enough to make your hands feel cold just by holding it. The trademark was Bernhard’s stone beer, which was generally regarded as the best in the country. Above all, because it is domestic.
Bang!
The moment I opened the lid and put my lips on it, the cold air, drunkenness, and fragrance flowed in. I was satisfied that I was so ecstatic that the fatigue accumulated in my body disappeared.
“It’s great.”
I need to correct it. Helga is truly the best chef. He was convinced of the refreshing feeling he felt the moment he passed the beer over his throat. She is a woman who deserves such an opinion, so let her not have the slightest doubt.
“Don’t drink too quickly. It tastes better when we eat it together.”
“It just dampened my throat a bit. How long will it take to cook?”
“About three or four minutes? It takes a long time to cook food for many people at once.”
I glanced at the clock hanging on the wall beyond the wide open window and shook my head. The current time is 8:34 PM. It’s a bit late for dinner, and it’s still early for a late-night snack.
Thanks to this ambiguous time, there were not many people attending the barbecue party that suddenly took place. Still, Helga was very busy grilling meat for me and some of the hirelings, and even though she was a sheep, it seemed too much for her to handle it all alone.
“I’ll help out a bit.”
“It’s okay.”
“Looks like a lot.”
“Will it taste better if I leave it to the experts?”
She said so much, but there was nothing more to say. I brought a rocking chair in the corner of the terrace and picked up a newspaper to use as a fire starter. I folded her buns so that they resembled her envoys, and fanned her sweating in front of her charcoal fire even in this chilly weather.
“You always suffer a lot because of me.”
“It’s something you do for money.”
“You begged me to do even the part that I shouldn’t have to do for no reason.”
That was a story left for Elizabeth. It was a story referring to what she asked her heart to do if she had to replenish her energy after suffering from me all day long.
I feel a little sorry for Helga, but deep down I was thinking that I did well for asking. Watching the skewers being cooked here on the grill, it’s because the taste looked so good.
“Leave a bottle of beer and 10 skewers for Ms. Mittemeyer, and if I don’t see you until I get off work…….”
“Even if it’s cumbersome, please pack it up and put it in the room. If it’s a door, it’s probably not locked, so you can go in and put it on the desk. If it’s locked, you can drop it in front of the door.”
“Yes, got it. I will.”
“Thank you.”
“It is not very difficult.”
How difficult would it be to cook and deliver food for others? Even if it’s not difficult to yield a hundred times, it will be cumbersome.
“Okay then, please wait a little longer.”
Helga smiled broadly. It was very hot because of the heat of the charcoal fire, but it was a very cool laugh. Hearing the sweat on my forehead and the voice moaning softly from the heat, I fanned myself more vigorously with the newspaper and repaid her efforts with a weak wind.
“Whew, but it’s a little better because someone is fanning it.”
“You could ask another kitchen employee to help you.”
“Thanks to you looking after the situation, everyone left work early. I’m sorry to call it again, and since it’s been a long time since I’ve had time, I hope you spend it slowly.”
Her absence from Beatrix soon brought peace to all the residents of her residence except her. Even if she was in a situation where she would normally be rigid, if the uniqueness of not having a queen was added to her, she would soon be reborn as a harmonious person.
Yes, oppression such as fear may certainly work quickly, but it is not a good means. Do you think such a daily peace would be allowed to a monarch who only rules and reigns?
“If it’s Helga, then so be it. Is there anything else I can help with?”
“Well, I want to hear at least one song. After cooking, can you play for me after a long time?”
“There is nothing difficult.”
The distance between the terrace and the living room is not that far, but the structure is not close enough that the melody can reach without problems when playing the piano. But if it’s a glockenspiel or a bandoneon, it’s not unreasonable to bring it here, so I’ll be able to pick out a song for you.
“If you don’t mind playing the piano, you can do it right away.”
I watched Helga’s reaction while pointing her thumb at her room. It was a gesture she took to mean that she could go get the instrument.
“Is there a song you want to hear?”
“It’s a classic song that’s famous in Gong’s hometown.”
A classic word.
“What was the title, was it real?”
“A Sicilian?”
“Oh, right!”
Yesterday it was Pavan, and today it was Sicilian. These two masterpieces, composed by Gabriel Fauré, are more enjoyable when played on the piano than on the glockenspiel or bandoneon. A flute or an oboe would do just fine, but unfortunately I don’t know how to play them.
“In that case, it would be better to listen to it on the piano.”
“Is that a song?”
“I guess.”
Especially Sicilian. It is better when I hear it on strings and piano than on other instruments. It’s not because I’m a pianist, but anyone who has listened to this song on a piano will.
“Hmm, then please play it later after the cooking is finished.”
It’s not scary to go over like that again. After thinking about it, I came up with an idea.
It was a gramophone.
The reason why Helga knows the Earth’s composer Gabriel Fauré and his song Sicilianne is because I told her about it. It’s not that it ended as a one-shot, it’s because we practiced so hard that we lost our seal as if we recorded it and left it.
Obviously there was Fauré’s Siciliane, which I once recorded, was in the box of records I put in the corner of the room.
“I had a good idea. I’ll be back soon.”
“Yes? The meat is done…….”
“It doesn’t take long. Please wait.”
She lit the beer in her hand and went inside. I bumped into them on their way home from work a few times, but they all passed by with a short nod.
As I said earlier, it didn’t take long. Bringing the courtesy phonograph that came to mind from my room.
“With this, you won’t be bored while eating.”
The gramophone I brought with me in the room was an expensive portable. I seldom listen to Hildegard’s radio or record, so I put it away, but sometimes I need the shortwave reception function attached to it, so I couldn’t bear to throw it away.
“Oh my, isn’t this a pretty expensive item?”
“It’s not cheap. It’s the kind with a shortwave receiver, so that’s what it is.”
Here in Bernhard, it is an object that combines the performance of a phonograph and a shortwave receiver in this day and age. The individual prices alone would not be too high, but since the two are put together, the price is quite high.
“Does Jungwoo often listen to banned broadcasts?”
I smiled and affirmed Helga’s words.
“Not that often, but sometimes I hear it.”
Shortwave receivers in this country are mainly used to listen to foreign broadcasts. I mainly listened to the broadcasts of the Republic of Campania. Bernhard’s controlled art and the free art of the Atlantic are not bad, but Campania is the most culturally prosperous country in the world here.
“Can I listen too?”
“I brought Sicilian’s album for no reason. Can I turn on any channel I listen to?”
“What do you usually listen to?”
“Today’s concert on a multinational channel.”
“Hmm? I heard from other people that it’s a very boring program. I don’t know who is running it, but I heard that the same story and song are circulated throughout the entire show.”
Of course it is. The identity of this filthy boring channel is one of the closest contact methods the orchestra has. When it is not appropriate to even make a phone call, let alone contact, leave a story in metaphorical words and repeat it over and over again.
“Taste is fine. If you’re not familiar with banned broadcasts, this channel won’t be bad either.”
Otto said he would deliver the news through the method of the orchestra. He was so engrossed in his affair that he completely forgot about it, but now that there is still a possibility that his phone may be tapped, this is the most likely contact he will take.
“How are you going to be okay?”
It must have been a coincidence, I thought to check it right away, so I turned on the shortwave receiver.
“Yes, whatever is convenient for you.”
It’s an ignorant method, but if it’s been discussed in advance, there’s nothing more certain than this. Moreover, the range of shortwave broadcasting is wide, and even the channels of the faraway United States can be heard, so even the SS intelligence police will not easily recognize the true value of this program.
“Then let’s listen for a moment.”
After some process, I turned on the radio. I was able to listen to today’s concert at the end of entering the frequency in my head as it is and searching for a place where radio waves reach well.
「Today’s concert, a daily story time to solicit stories from listeners all over the country every day. Who will be the main character of today’s story?”
The story of the problem could be heard straight away without waiting a bit. It wasn’t anything special because the main point was to receive a request for just one song in the story and repeat it throughout the program.
What matters is, yes, what the story contains.
Will it be a fiction written haphazardly for camouflage, or will it be a little metaphor because someone has something to say? It’s usually going to be a joke. Right now, I just remembered the conversation I had with Otto, so I checked it out, but I didn’t think that there would always be a signal.
“The sender is Miss Ottilie, a dancer who lives in Bernhard Brühllin. He said he sent this story to express his gratitude to Mr. Kidari, who has supported him both physically and mentally.”
But with Ottilie, wouldn’t the weight be on the metaphor side?
“Dear Woohoo, it was great to see your face yesterday! It was a bit sudden to see you talking about your future business plans, but I was very happy that you seemed to be working hard for our future. But I don’t want you to do anything to hurt yourself separately. Your health comes first, right?”
Even the name Uhura, that’s for sure.
My eyes twinkled.
“If you have any difficulties, tell me anytime. Sometimes you can pamper yourself. If you ever need help, I’ll take my friends and go to the uncle’s place!”
It’s okay to pamper yourself sometimes. If I need any help, I will go out with my friends.
“Oh, by the way, I’ve read all the books you asked me to read and leave impressions. It was difficult to understand everything because the content was so convoluted, but I was able to guess the culprit. What is it? I can’t believe she believed that she was a traitor! I’ll tell you the next thing as soon as I get a chance to visit later. Don’t just ask here and there if I’m not there.”
Eventually, the culprit was able to be deduced. No way she believed she was a traitor.
“I’ll end this post while writing down requested songs. Dedicated to Uncle.”
…… And it’s a requested song.
“Well, I received Miss Ottilie’s letter well. The song you requested is called Shadow of the Reaper from the opera The Alchemist. Is this a pretty creepy song? I think listeners need to be a little careful. Mr. Woohoo added that he often listens to this broadcast, but if you are listening to it now, you will feel very strange.”
With all the clues gathered, it’s time to guess.
“It’s been a long chat. Anyway, let’s go to the song. Opera Alchemist, Shadow of the Death God!”
Let’s interpret Ottilie is the feminine form of Otto in Bernhard’s language. Woohoo means eagle owl.
In short, Otto sent a message to me, the eagle owl, while playing a delicate dancer girl with his sloppy body. The content is the result of researching the place I guessed as I said before.
Judging by the metaphors in the story, the guy identified the snitch after many twists and turns. However, since it is not yet at the stage of being sure, we are saying that we will postpone the details until we can contact them later. I guess it’s just that you know.
If so, what does the requested song mean? Why did you choose the opera “The Alchemist” And the word “Shadow of the Reaper” Among them?
In this way, the requested song, which has the largest weight in encryption through broadcasting, has the most important meaning. However, in our code, the words alchemist, reaper, and shadow do not have the meaning.
If?
Let’s interpret it literally. All clues are already out there. The Alchemist is a song with the name of the shadow of the death god in the opera. In context, which of these two words refers to the subject…….
“…… Alchemist.”
Yes, the shadow of the god of death means death without looking further. In that case, the word referring to the subject would be an alchemist. But was there an alchemist I knew at or around the residence? If there was, there’s no way I can’t remember it.
“You mean Adele?”
“What?”
“Uh, suddenly you’re an alchemist…….”
There was a memory that flashed through my mind for a moment. The basement of the official residence, the room I saw in my previous life!
“Me and some of my employees call Adele that. That’s exactly what I started calling it.”
It was. Like Elisabeth’s room, a space about a few square meters was messy with reagents and experiment tools, like an alchemist’s laboratory.
– Because I am an informer.
Did that mean that?
Did you mean to be not only an informer of the Führer, but also an informer of a disquieting organization?
“Oh shit!”
Then the snitch is Adele Schneider!
