Chapter 976: The Absence of Virtue

The fallout from the sinking of Narco vessels was what one would expect. Nations that suffered the loss of illicit smuggling decried the act, and Germany refused to acknowledge its participation.

"The waves are treacherous, a fact known to sailors since the dawn of time."

That was the official response given by the New Hanseatic League when publicly questioned by the press regarding their alleged involvement in sinking commercial vessels flying the flags of sovereign nations in international waters.

Bruno read the quote in the daily paper before tossing it aside at the breakfast table. Drinking from his cup of coffee, he didn’t bother to even react to it.

Such matters were as natural as breathing to him. With that being said, not all at his table felt the same.

The King of France, Henry VI, and his family had been visiting Innsbruck more and more. Especially as the Maglev lines between Paris and Berlin were operational. Allowing a swift visit from the French heartland to Innsbruck.

Princess Isabelle seemed unusually interested in political affairs after receiving a talking to by her father all those years ago. And as she now approached a proper age for marriage, she and Karl-Franz had frequent discussions of such matters at the table.

"I’m just saying, the idea that these are ships being sunk by storms, as if this is the old age of sail, is ridiculous. Someone is clearly attacking these vessels, and the most obvious culprit is the New-Hanseatic League. It’s a flagrant violation of international sovereignty, and with all due respect, your Kaiser’s response has been less than reassuring to the rest of the world to say the least."

Bruno didn’t say anything, but Karl-Franz was quick to oppose her.

"The Kaiser’s response has been appropriate for a private entity with no ties to the German Riech other than the citizenship of some of its members, and a name that claims our history as its own."

Isabelle frowned, she knew that Karl-Franz was playing the same game as every other German she talked to.

And that was particularly annoying to her, because he was her fiancée, but was refusing to stand and side with her on this moral principle.

She didn’t express this frustration though, she simply rolled her eyes and pouted in silence, knowing that protesting any further served no purpose and would only provoke her hosts and future in-laws further.

Karl-Franz however, was quick to notice the mood his fiancée was in, and sighed heavily, placing the butter knife that he was using to coat his toast with down.

Grabbing her hand with both of his own, he reassured the woman that the issue wasn’t as black and white as she thought.

"Listen, I know you’re passionate about these things, in fact, it’s one of your more admirable qualities. But, not everything is as black and white as it seems. I have it on good authority that the vessels that have gone missing in the Adriatic were carrying illicit contraband in the form of narcotics and arms. It’s a good thing they sunk, because if those poisons and weapons reached European shores it would cause far more suffering than the drowning of those criminals."

Isabelle frowned when she heard these words, the certainty ,and detail of the claim was something proved that Karl-Franz knew far more about these recent attacks on civilian shipping in international waters than he was supposed to.

But she didn’t even need to ask, Karl-Franz scoffed as he rolled his eyes, going back to buttering his toast as he answered the question in her mind.

"Did you forget I work closely with the NDR and KMA?"

Isabelle suddenly fell silent. Looking over at the left bicep of Karl-Franz’s dress uniform. The distinctive three tabs KOMMANDO, EINZELKÄMPFER, and FALLSCHIRMJÄGER sat above the distinctive Jagdkommando patch.

Which was contrasted by the unique hunter-green beret on his head. As well as the Bordeaux-red beret flash that stood proudly in its center.

This flash was the sign that he was assigned to the Jagdkommando-Gruppe 4 "Brandenburg" a special forces group that operated exclusively under the authority and command of the Imperial Military Reconnaissance & Intelligence Service (KMA.)

The moment she realized this, Isabelle suddenly felt stupid. Of course her future husband knew what was really going on, he was practically the leader of a death squad for the German Reich’s military intelligence.

It wouldn’t surprise her one bit if he personally knew the men conducting these attacks. She remained utterly silent as she came to the realization that everyone in this room knew exactly what was happening, why, and had likely either participated in it or given the orders to some capacity.

Bruno only began to speak after he noticed the girl was sulking.

"My grandson is right. The vessels that have gone missing in the Adriatic, and are presumed sunken with no survivors, are confirmed to belong to intricate organized criminal organizations trying to break into Europe and find new customers."

Isabelle wanted to protest, but Bruno cut her off as he continued his speech regardless of her visibly growing frustration.

"You speak of the New-Hanseatic League allegedly violating national sovereignty, but I would say that by refusing to crack down on and prosecute these common criminals, the nations whose flags they fly on their vessels have given sanction to their own actions which have infringed upon the sovereignty, prosperity, and health of European nations. And therefore, the Latin American nations have no right to complain about the result. They are the victims of their own weakness, and there is no virtue in victimhood."

Isabelle remained utterly silent as Bruno cast his gaze upon her. He didn’t raise his voice, he didn’t show any sign of hostility.

His expression was utterly detached, as if to say, "Educate yourself on how the world works before you next speak at my table." Without the slightest hint of malice.

And for that she could find no fault with him, or the words he said. Just a silent resentment towards reality itself.