Echoes in the Shadows

29

 Berlin, Germany

 At the same time, life under frequent air raids, scarce supplies, poor materials, and inflated currency had become the unremarkable norm for its citizens. Yet, there was a place that seemed to exist beyond the constraints of time and space.

In the Hotel Adlon, you would never encounter artificial butter or rationed bread, nor would you know what a food ration card looked like. The hotel's shelter, 30 feet below ground with thick concrete walls, was far more formidable than the ordinary air-raid shelters used by the civilians.

Bormann, sitting at a table laden with sumptuous dishes and in the company of several glamorous ladies, appeared exceptionally composed and indifferent. These were the daughter of SS General Lutkentz and her companions. Unlike Klotho, Bormann, though not particularly interested in romantic affairs, wasn't as obtuse as his superior. Initially intimidated when he was virtually kidnapped from a rubber negotiation and taken to the general's residence, he quickly regained his composure. Understanding the Nazi general's intentions, his inherent cunning allowed him to come up with various self-preservation strategies while seeking opportunities for greater benefits.

"This is indeed a terrible night," thought Bormann and Kona simultaneously.

Neither of them had much interest in the other. Kona especially couldn't understand why her father, an SS General, would pick such an obscure and seemingly servile army officer for her.

However, it seems that her concerns were unnecessary — the junior army officer opposite her hardly had the time to sit quietly and bother her.

From the moment he entered the hotel, he was continually pulled aside by various political and social elites for secretive discussions. The topics varied widely — within just an hour, the conversations ranged from changes in the tax rate on excess war profits of German enterprises by the Imperial Ministry of Finance and its impact on credit policy, to the exchange rate issues between the military currency used by occupation forces and the central banks of occupied countries with German credit banks, and even to the Imperial Ministry of Economy's compulsory declaration of valuable bonds. Kona, left to herself for a long time, tasted her exquisite yet dull dinner as if chewing wax. Nevertheless, she finally understood why her father had chosen such a seemingly inconspicuous army officer for her.

At that moment, Borman's face turned ashen. He could no longer pay attention to the blonde beauty across the table or the impeccably dressed imperial dignitaries. Just then, a well-informed SS high-ranking official inadvertently let slip some rumors about Major Kraulenberg in the Netherlands.

In his vague and hesitant talk, words like "prostitute", "brothel", and "Gestapo" triggered Borman's memory of the scene before leaving the Netherlands, causing him to feel inexplicably agitated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I am a happy dividing line~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"No way, because your uniform is really ill-fitting!"

Major Kraulenberg of the Wehrmacht looked innocently at the Gestapo uniform lying on his desk, its shoulders stretched and torn. The real owner of the uniform, Captain Iser of the SS, stood opposite him, his face ashen and rigid, having endured this for quite a while.

The recent quarrel between Major Kraulenberg and Captain Iser had become a popular gossip topic within the local German garrison. To avoid further humiliation, this morning, Captain Iser had firmly refused Major Kraulenberg's offer to return the "borrowed" uniform in person.

With a loud "thump", Iser forcefully slammed the Wehrmacht Major's uniform onto the desk and grabbed his own clothes, turning to leave swiftly.

He had no words to spare for that infamous scoundrel.

"If you just leave like this, I'm afraid I'll have to come to your office later."

Behind Iser, the sound of a desk drawer opening and Kraulenberg's malicious voice echoed simultaneously. But Iser didn't look back; he walked straight out of that scoundrel's office.