Chapter 15
“The Crown Prince of Kassel, having finished his tour of Shar, has sent a schedule for his visit to Lechern. The proposed date is mid-next month,” the aide reported.
Commander Brendan glanced at the calendar on the table to confirm the date.
“Should we proceed with this?”
“If they’re coming, what choice do we have?” Brendan scowled and waved dismissively as if resigned to the situation.
The Crown Prince of Kassel, the victorious nation, was making his rounds through the defeated nations.
Officially, it was under the pretext of assisting regions severely affected by the war.
“The purpose of this visit is to establish plans for aiding heavily damaged areas…”
Brendan skimmed the official letter handed to him before slamming the file shut.
Although he held real power, major decisions still required Kassel’s approval.
For now, he had no choice but to play along. Having resolved his stance, Brendan brought up a question that had crossed his mind.
“Has the wedding gift I mentioned been delivered?”
“Yes, Commander.
The gift you sent reached Kassel safely this morning.”
“So, it’s finally happening this weekend,” Brendan muttered to himself. He doubted Adeline wanted his gift, but appearances had to be maintained.
A few letters were then handed to him. When Brendan looked at them questioningly, the aide explained, as if it were routine.
“They’re letters from Colin in the hospital, addressed to Lady Adeline. As per your instructions, all correspondence given to the caretaker is reported to me.”
“Letters to Adeline, huh…”
There were three envelopes from a child named Colin. Brendan unfolded one letter with his gloved hands.
“To my dear aunt,
I miss you so much. As promised, I’m eating well and…”
The handwriting was wobbly and unsteady, but it was legible.
Despite living in a hospital, the child seemed to have learned the basics of writing.
But Brendan barely glanced at the letter before folding it carelessly.
His only concern was preventing any private exchanges between Adeline and Colin, who had been sent to Kassel.
From the start, he had no interest in Colin Avis’s circumstances.
The sickly child was merely a tool to keep Adeline compliant.
Tossing the crumpled letter onto the table, Brendan gave a curt order.
“Don’t bring these to me anymore. Make sure Adeline never receives them. Report to me only if something unusual comes up.”
“Understood, sir.”
The aide began organizing the disordered files while Brendan stood and walked toward the large window. The clear May sky stretched endlessly outside.
The Bernadotte royal family was now a history page. Brendan had decided to execute the king and all the royals of Lechern in one fell swoop.
“Commander, what Kassel wants is unconditional surrender. Is there any need to drench the palace in blood? Even Kassel hasn’t asked for such a measure.”
“Yes, sir. Why not surround the palace with our advance forces and secure their surrender letter instead?”
“I agree. Taking the palace and deposing the king and queen should be sufficient.”
Before the operation, Brendan faced numerous attempts within the military to dissuade him.
Even Kassel, who had been covertly negotiating, had not implied killing the royal family.
But Brendan was unyielding. Opportunities had to be seized and held tight. This was his chance to solidify his control over the nation.
Deposing the king and queen wasn’t enough. There was always a risk that someone could rally the people in the future and cause trouble.
“Leave no sparks behind,” he declared.
“Commander—”
“Are you defying my orders?”
“…No, sir. My apologies.”
“Good. Let me make this clear once more: tonight, everyone in the palace, except Adeline, will be executed.”
Thus began Operation Red Night, which was carried out swiftly.
With most of the forces deployed to the front lines, the palace’s weak defenses crumbled more easily than expected.
Adeline was spared as planned.
“But I didn’t expect that fool Lars to die so quickly and in such a pitiful way,” Brendan thought irritably.
He was uneasy about Adeline’s new husband-to-be, Michael, backed by Kassel’s might. Brendan knew better than anyone the terrifying power of military supplies, monopolized by Count Meitner, Michael’s family.
“Ugh…” Brendan groaned, discontented. Adeline becoming the Meitner family’s mistress left him uneasy, but there was nothing he could do.
His only option was to plant informants to monitor her movements.
Adeline sat silently in front of a framed picture sent across the border. The head housekeeper had just handed her a large parcel.
“This is a gift for you, Lady Adeline.”
“A gift?”
“Yes. It’s from Commander Brendan, as written here.”
On top of the neatly packaged box lay a small card. Upon seeing the sender’s name, Adeline’s face hardened.
Brendan was not someone she exchanged gifts with. He hadn’t even responded when she declared she’d leave after Prince Lars’s death. And now he was sending a gift?
Adeline couldn’t help but laugh bitterly at Brendan’s mockery.
“Congratulations on your wedding. I sincerely wish you well.
This is a small token of my regard.
P.S. Colin is doing well at the hospital.”
The note was brief, but Adeline gripped the stiff paper tightly, tempted to burn the package without even opening it.
However, the housekeeper had already unwrapped it, revealing the framed picture. Adeline froze at the sight of it.
It was a painting of rolling blue waves, golden sands, and the royal palace’s flag fluttering on the horizon—her favorite landscape painting once hung above her bed.
When she left for Kassel, she had been allowed only a single bag of belongings.
She’d left most of her treasured items behind.
Adeline couldn’t bring herself to refuse when Karen, the head housekeeper, spoke.
“Shall I have this moved to the Meitner estate with the rest of your belongings?”
Karen gave instructions to have the painting packed. Outside, maids whispered freely about Adeline’s situation.
“Imagine—an ex-princess marrying without any dowry or even a single servant.”
“Well, her whole family was slaughtered. She’s lucky to be alive.”
“Still, isn’t she fortunate? Her original fiancé died, and then Prince Lars passed away, yet now she’s marrying Count Meitner!”
Their hushed laughter and gossip went on unchecked.
Even Karen, who usually enforced discipline, didn’t stop them this time.
Late that night, Michael entered a bustling social club filled with chatter, cheers, and the haze of cigarette smoke.
“Michael!” Tobias, the host, greeted him warmly as the club’s manager guided him to the group.
These were familiar faces—some he’d known for a decade, others for almost twenty years.
As Michael leaned back on the sofa, playful jabs and teasing quickly followed.
