[Lord Schneider, word has it that your son, Julius, has been working as a secret operative under the National Ministry of Defense. Some say even as a high-ranking General within the Revenant Knights, or perhaps the Navy itself. What do you have to say about these claims?]
[I have no statement to make on unverified rumors. My son is a private citizen. What he does or does not do beyond the family’s corporate affairs is of no concern to the public.]
Johannes Sievernich Schneider appeared on the screen as Julius watched, taking his breakfast in his rented hotel room in Stahnsdorf.
Munch. Munch.
[Private citizen might be too humble a description, Lord Schneider. Your son has appeared before the media four times now. Twice in his teens, and twice in just a single day. Citizens are beginning to ask, what can Germany expect from him? Will he work for our safety on the field, as rumors suggest? Or will he follow your path into politics?]
[My son is free to choose his own path. If he decides to serve the Republic, then I will be proud. If he chooses another direction, I will still be proud.]
Munch. Munch.
"Wow. What a load of bull."
[So you’re not denying his involvement with the Revenant Knights, or the Ministry of Defense?]
[I have said what I need to say.]
[Before you go, Lord Schneider, just one last question.]
Julius took a slow sip of water as he watched from his hotel room, barely paying attention to the reporter’s voice. Having attention on him was nothing new.
In his previous life, he had been on television often enough, but for all the wrong reasons. So this was quite a significant change.
He could practically recall the headlines.
’Schneider’s Youngest Squanders €2,000,000 in Failed Joint Venture.’
’Heir of the Schneider Group Involved in Nightclub Altercation.’
’Julius Schneider: The Schneiders’ Greatest Disappointment.’
He had been the kind of man who spent his nights drowning in liquor and luxury, with not a single accomplishment to his name.
A man born into greatness but who did nothing with it.
[Among all the rumors surrounding your son, there’s one that seems to be especially popular, particularly with the young ladies. They say Julius might be a member of the Secret State Police. Some even claim he’s an undercover officer.]
[If he is, I wouldn’t know. Given the nature of the Directorate, only the Chancellor would have that information.]
"Here it comes..." Julius stepped out of the bathroom, drying his hands just in time for the next part of the interview.
[But I will say this. If my son truly were serving the Republic in that capacity, then I would consider it one of the greatest honors for our family. It would show that even those born into privilege understand the value of duty.]
[So you mean to say that, perhaps, the Schneider family has always stood for the Republic’s ideals?]
[That has always been our family’s purpose. The Schneider name has served Germany faithfully for generations. My son is no different. Whether in the field or in politics, we will continue to serve, wherever the Republic calls us.]
Julius sighed and switched off the television. The screen went dark, leaving only his reflection staring back at him. It was nearly checkout time.
The Schneider Group’s media division was fast. Not even half a day had passed, and they were already turning his deeds into campaign material.
"Popular with the ladies, huh?"
Julius scrolled through his phone, idly checking the articles about himself regarding his involvement with the Secret State Police. At first, it was harmless curiosity, until he made the mistake of diving deeper into the comments and fan forums.
It had only been a night since the entire incident, yet the internet had already done its work.
"...."
There it was, a whole corner of the internet dedicated to him. Apparently, overnight, fan communities had decided to make him their newest obsession.
"What."
And not just admiration.
"The."
It was smut.
"Fuck?"
Full-blown, disturbingly detailed fanfiction.
"The Blond Officer and the Handcuffed Heart"
"My Secret State Boyfriend"
"Interrogated by Love (18+)"
"The Schneider Heir’s Rough Arrest"
"Mein Herr, Don’t Taze Me Gently"
Still, despite his disgust, he couldn’t help but keep scrolling, half horrified and half fascinated by the absurdity of it all. Some were bizarrely detailed, which made him wonder if these people were secretly tracking him.
After a long while of torturing himself, a knock came at the door. Julius stood up and peered through the peephole, only to find a pair of eyes staring right back at him.
He sighed and opened the door.
"Really... Juli. Making a superior officer come all this way? If I were a little meaner, I’d have beaten you for blocking my number last night."
It was Sabine Eleanor Schneider, his sister-in-law and Deputy Commissioner of the Secret State Police.
"...."
Julius said nothing and stepped aside, letting her in. Sabine walked past him and made herself comfortable on the couch, crossing one leg over the other.
He closed the door behind her, pinching the bridge of his nose. Of course, she’d come in person.
After the incident at Lichterfelde, she had called him nonstop, over and over again, demanding updates. It had gotten so bad that he’d blocked her number just to focus on his work.
"I told you to report any findings to me..."
"That’s why I called you—"
"After blocking me...!" Sabine crossed her arms and leaned back against the couch. "Fine."
After all, what kind of probationary officer would have the audacity to not only ignore, but outright block a commanding officer’s number?
Sabine’s glare could have melted steel. "You’re lucky we’re family, Juli. Anyone else would’ve been written up and reassigned to border duty in the Arctic..."
Sabine went on and on about hierarchy, believing Julius didn’t understand it, or perhaps never cared to. In her eyes, he had been raised spoiled and was too used to getting his way to grasp how authority truly worked.
It took her a while to notice that Julius wasn’t even listening anymore. Only then did she pause when she noticed the dark circles under his eyes. The irritation in her face turned into concern.
"Didn’t sleep?"
"Tried to. But then my sister-in-law called me from an unknown number, demanding my location."
"...You don’t have to make me feel bad about it." Sabine pouted, averting her gaze and crossing her arms.
Julius said nothing. He walked over to the desk, picked up a stack of papers, and handed them to her.
"Here. All neatly drafted and compiled, formatted exactly how the Directorate likes it."
Sabine took the report, flipping through the pages. Her eyes scanned the contents, and her expression softened a little.
"You did all this overnight?"
"Yes, ma’am."
That wasn’t all Julius had done, of course. But for now, he decided to keep the rest to himself. The investigation about Nameless was something only he and Gabriel could handle.
Anyone else would think they were insane if they brought it up without proper evidence. Julius needed something solid as proof that Nameless existed beyond word of mouth.
Because right now, he didn’t even have a name.