Johann Meyer was confused. Minister Alberto had told him that Enok Revendale was a major force behind the coup.
When he first heard this story,
Johann Meyer had judged that Enok’s claim was quite realistic, because the Vice Premier, who could be considered the second-in-command of the Royal Court, had always expressed dissatisfaction with the current King’s policies.
While he positively evaluated the military reforms, he had consistently expressed concerns about placing more weight on relations with the Free Union rather than the Imperial Alliance.
This was due to the fear that it might lead to ‘war’.
Just a few years ago, the continent had enjoyed unprecedented peace.
Of course, this peace did not mean much for small countries like the Duchy of Okhraine, but at least they were not baring their fangs at each other.
However, the situation has changed now.
The Pry Free Democratic State began to advance its army to the border of the Adalya Kingdom,
and weapons from the rapidly developing Federal Republic of America were being distributed among the member states of the Free Union.
In response, the Imperial Alliance was not idle either.
The international situation, which had been maintained until now, had reached a point where it was like a tightly stretched rubber band, just before one side breaks.
In such times, if reforms were pushed forward rashly, there was a risk of a full-scale war with the Soviev Empire, which already had bad relations in many ways.
This was the core of Minister Alberto’s argument.
It was a reasonable statement.
Anyone who had even a little interest in politics or was involved in the current administration could predict this.
Even Johann Meyer could not shake off the thought that the Duchy of Okhraine was hurtling towards an inevitable abyss.
However, if there were a straight road ahead once we cross this abyss,
and if an overwhelming tsunami was coming from behind to devour everything,
it would indeed be right to boldly jump towards the cliff.
As the Deputy Minister of Finance, who manages all the nation’s finances, Johann Meyer could not say that the King is ready to leap over this cliff.
It was too early to judge that it would harm the duchy.
That was the role of history, not the role of those living in the present era.
‘But why, then, the Minister?’
If the person planning and executing the coup was the Minister, there would be no reason for him to be dragged away by the National Guard.
Could it be that Enok Revendale had detected the signs of the coup early and neutralized the forces through close cooperation with the National Guard?
‘No, that’s not it. The coup is still ongoing.’
Johann Meyer quickly erased the thought that came to mind. There were quite a few vacant seats.
Even though this was an emergency meeting of ministers called to convene high-ranking officials including deputy ministers.
The Chief of Staff, who could exercise military command as a proxy, was nowhere to be seen.
His absence in the current state of national emergency, when martial law has been declared, was certainly not a good sign.
Furthermore,
the seats of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister of Transportation, and Minister of Justice, who were classified as pro-King factions, were also vacant.
These positions were currently filled by similar deputy ministers.
Above all, where is the King?
This is not good.
Johann Meyer was overwhelmed with a bad feeling. As soon as he realized that the coup was still ongoing, his concern for his daughter Bella Meyer grew.
“Cough, cough…”
Soon, his superior, the Minister of Finance Radelf, sat down in the seat of the detained Minister of State Alberto.
“The Minister of State Alberto has been arrested on charges of internal rebellion, so I will take charge according to the order of precedence in the Duchy.”
“I agree.”
“I concur.”
As if they had planned it beforehand, the officials in the conference room raised their hands one by one.
At that moment, Johann Meyer felt a gaze fixed on him. Minister Radelf was looking directly at him.
“Deputy Minister, do you have anything else to say?”
“…Minister, what is this?”
“What’s going on? We are sorting out the people who participated in the faction that attempted to assassinate His Majesty.”
“You mean assassination!?”
“Last night, His Majesty disappeared. There were traces of intrusion on the terrace, and bl**d was everywhere in his chambers.”
He couldn’t believe it.
But regardless of whether he believed it or not, Radelf continued speaking.
“The prime suspects are Colonel Enok Revendale and Chief Inspector of the National Guard Major Lannister Kayle. Moreover, Major Lannister even killed Lieutenant General Sigismund Blackovich.”
Radelf smiled at him while looking directly at Johann Meyer.
“Deputy Minister Johann Meyer.”
Hearing these chilling words, Johann Meyer felt a chill run down his spine.
“I heard that your daughter has a very close relationship with Colonel Enok Revendale.”
“Minister!!”
“Do you have any information? You should have been arrested by the National Guard yourself, but you were like brothers. If you provide information, I can guarantee safety for both you and your daughter.”
Only then did Johann Meyer understand why the coup faction left him alone.
They were threatening him.
By leading away Minister Alberto, they were trying to make a lowly deputy minister feel helpless!
Grinding his teeth,
“Where is my daughter?”
“Hmm, I didn’t ask that. She is currently being held in the headquarters of the National Guard.”
“Release her immediately! She has no charges!”
“Hahaha… How can you be sure she has no charges? You yourself are full of charges.”
The guards at the entrance aimed their guns at Johann Meyer.
“Think carefully, Deputy Minister Johann. Do you want your family to hang themselves on the street as traitors?”
Cornered.
No matter how hard he thought, there was no way out.
But he couldn’t tell them anything.
He only knew that there was a coup planned, but he hadn’t heard any plans made by Enok Revendale.
“…I don’t know.”
“Are you really going to do this?”
“I really don’t know! I haven’t heard anything! I only heard that something like this might happen to my daughter!!”
“Aha, then we’ll find out when we interrogate your daughter.”
“!!!”
Johann Meyer’s heart sank.
“Thank you for your cooperation. However, detention is unavoidable. Ah, don’t worry too much. You can stay at home with your family.”
Minister Radelf tapped the table with his fingers.
“Except for your younger daughter, Bella Meyer.”
“What, what!! You b*stard!!”
“Arrest him, soldier.”
Calling him alone might be because they thought he might have some information to spill.
All preparations for the coup were based on a wrong premise. The Minister of State was not the mastermind; it was Minister Radelf.
Radelf was a sly man.
Even knowing that he was skilled with money and greedy, Johann Meyer had been distracted by the title of Minister of State and failed to consider checking him.
“d*mn rebels!! God will send all of you to hell!!”
Johann protested, but he was immediately subdued by the guards and thrown to the floor. The moment steel restraints were placed on his wrists.
Bang!!
Another guard rushed into the meeting room.
“Minister Radelf! You need to come outside immediately!!”
“What’s going on?”
“Citizens are gathering in the streets. They are not listening to the guards!!”
“What!?”
“It seems someone distributed newspapers during the night!! There is a large article stating that the Duchy of Okhraine has been seized by the coup faction!!”
Wilson Times Okhraine Bureau.
After keeping silent for a long time, Enok Revendale finally spoke up.
*
Bella Meyer opened her eyes on the cold floor. Pain spread throughout her body as soon as she regained consciousness.
The whip marks left on the tattered prisoner’s uniform, and the burning pain from torn skin.
She remembered nothing.
Not her name, not what she had done, not when she arrived here, nor where she was.
“Colonel. Colonel, sir.”
The only thing she remembered was that word. Although she couldn’t remember his name, face, or voice, she knew he was the most important person to her.
But even he…
couldn’t save Bella Meyer now.
“Ehuh, ehuh…”
“Save me… please!! I did nothing wrong!!”
This place was hell. Groans of people and screams of torture echoed everywhere.
This scene resembled the terrifying place where Bella Meyer had been confined before.
In her childhood, in a time when she knew nothing,
memories of her life being ruined resurfaced.
The fragments of the past filled the void left by forgotten happiness.
“Aaaaahhh–!!”
She screamed.
Clank-clank!! Each time Bella writhed, the iron chains fixing her wrists and ankles clanged sharply.
“Finally awake.”
Someone was watching her from beyond the bars.
“Hi, hiik…”
“Hello, miss. Today we’ll play even more fun games.”
The voice was unpleasant to hear. A dark, slimy, ominous man entered the cell.
“Colonel, Colonel, please!!”
Bella looked at the familiar emblem in front of her eyes.
A clear skull tattoo on her wrist. Strigoi. Those who call forth d*ath by sacrificing their lives.
“Kyaaahhh!!”
Bella Meyer let out a sharp scream and fainted again.
“Hey you, what did you do again!! Didn’t I tell you not to touch the people here recklessly?”
“Excuse me? I did nothing! I only greeted her!”
A scolding voice came from behind the man. A soldier spat and handed him a paper.
“That’s enough. It’s her today. They say she’s a close aide to Enok Revendale. The Chief Inspector wants the memory extraction results brought back quickly.”
“Oh, really?”
“Don’t waste time. If you mess around, you’ll be in trouble.”
“Yes, yes, of course, officer.”
“There’s a riot outside. With the manpower shortage, you need to handle it yourself. Once the memory extraction is done, you bring it up yourself.”
The soldier said and left.
The man looked at the soldier with a displeased look and raised his finger.
Though he was also a traitor, he wanted to give that annoying face a good shake.
What could he do? After all, his life was in the hands of those soldiers.
“If I’m going to be saved, I guess I have to… Well, at least it’s better than hanging on the street.”
A sweet offer came to him while he was imprisoned, waiting to d*e.
The order was to corrupt the minds of the captured mages to turn them into their pawns, as part of the Strigoi’s usual duties.
Without hesitation, the man accepted the order.
“Mages are tough mentally, making intervention difficult…”
He clicked his tongue and released Bella Meyer’s restraints.
Since memory extraction and brainwashing were complex tasks, they needed to be done in a specially prepared room.
“Maybe this one will be easier?”
The man’s gaze briefly shifted to Bella Meyer’s body.
She had a decent figure and face. He would have lusted after her even under different circumstances. He would have gone at it until he was satisfied.
“Enok Revendale must have enjoyed this guy too…”
He casually spat out vulgar words and carefully checked his surroundings.
“Um, um. Is anyone there?”
There was no answer. After all, with the riot happening, they wouldn’t leave insufficient manpower here.
Which meant he could do as he pleased.
Yesterday, he almost raped a pretty female officer but was stopped by the guards. His desire was on the verge of exploding.
“If the officer is busy, maybe I can take a break.”
Just as he was rejoicing at the opportunity, a sharp icicle pierced his groin.
“Ah, ah!!”
Crunch!!
Before he could let out a painful cry, the freed Bella Meyer lunged at him and snapped his neck.
“Puff, huff… Huff!!”
With a swift motion, she turned him into a corpse and panted heavily.
Exploit the enemy’s momentary lapse.
Though she didn’t know who had informed her, she acted on the faint memory that remained.
She still couldn’t remember her name. She couldn’t recall what she had done or who the colonel was who kept recurring in her thoughts.
“Colonel…”
But Bella Meyer was certain that the colonel would come to save her. Therefore, she couldn’t just wait.
Now was the chance.
She searched the dead man’s pockets and found the key bundle for the prison door.
“First, I need to get out.”
The black-haired girl who had been trembling in fear and crying helplessly had grown into a woman.
