Published at 11th of April 2026 6:46 am

Chapter 933: The Fall of Bern

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The streets of Bern were unusually empty tonight. Neither a citizen nor a soldier could be seen walking its streets. The lights flickered and waned. A testament to the decaying infrastructure of a nation that could no longer sustain itself.

Normally, there would be German soldiers guarding the rail stations and the streets just beyond. But they were nowhere to be seen.

And this was perfect for Reveil de France. Initially, they were expecting heavy resistance in their plot to bomb the railways, but with the withdrawal of German forces over the course of the last week it was all too easy for Pierre and his cell to infiltrate the station.

The security on watch hadn’t even noticed the men jump the fence and head down to the tracks towards the junction. There, Pierre raised his hand and pointed in several directions. All while a submachine gun rested slung beneath his elbow.

"There, there, and there. Place the satchel charges there. Those three intersections are critical to national transit. We frag those and the capital is effectively cut off from the rest of the country!"

The saboteurs nodded their heads in silence before fanning out to do as commanded. Across the city, other major transportation routes were being rigged to blow. Bridges, airfields, major intersections, and trolley tracks.

Reveil de France had gone all out for this operation, every member was out in the field tonight making sure that Operation Bern Junction was a success. And Pierre had taken the lead at the major rail hub.

He looked at his watch as its hands continued to tick down until the coordinated moment. Gritting his teeth, he ordered the withdrawal of his insurgents after the explosives had been buried and embedded at the correct coordinates.

At a safe distance, but still close enough to see their handiwork unfold. Pierre and his cell his, counting down the seconds until the moment they were all waiting for.

*boom* The earth began to quake, fires screamed to the sky, and alarms blared in every direction of the city.

Explosions had rocked Bern in a way that the neutral nation had never witnessed before. For the first time in its history as a nation, Switzerland was forced to confront the grim and somber reality of modern warfare on its own soil.

---

In Geneva, Annemarie warmed up the leftovers from the meal the night before. She handed a plate to Maximilian before sitting down in front of him.

The clock struck 0300 hours. The witching hour was upon them, and with it Operation Bern Junction would have begun already.

When she saw this, she sighed and shook her head. Returning her focus to the dinner in front of them.

"I’m surprised you insisted on eating the leftovers. With the budget our department receives, not to mention your family’s fortune, wouldn’t you prefer a fresh meal prepared by the kitchen staff?"

Maximilian didn’t speak, not at first, he seemed to savor the reheated meal from the night before. Paired together with a fine wine, he didn’t complain or correct Annemarie, not at first.

It was only after he took a sip of his wine, did he finally make a comment?

"It’s an unnecessary waste. There are people starving in this country, and you have the gall to demand throwing out fine cuisine because it has sat in the refrigerator for a single day?"

Annemarie scoffed, she didn’t think the man was being serious at first. She had seen the amount of food thrown out at banquets thrown by noble families.

Her mother had grown up a servant of one of those ancient houses and had been punished for trying to take from the scraps that were meant for the landfill.

But she didn’t say anything. Not because she was the type to bow her head and always be respectful to her superiors. But because she respected Maximilian too much to snap at him.

However, he seemed to notice what she was thinking. His voice wasn’t soft, but it wasn’t rigid either. It was neither loud nor quiet.

"Annemarie, you’re one of the best agents I have in the field. And I am all too aware of your mother’s background, and what she may have said to you about her time as a maid for the House of Wittelsbach. But let me ask you something: in all your years on this earth, have you ever heard of my house throwing a lavish gala?"

Annemarie scoffed at first. Was there even a need to ask such a question? Obviously, they had.... Wait.... No... Now that she thought about it, she had never heard anyone ever speak of attending a ball, or a gala, or even a celebration at the von Zehntner estate.

She looked over at Maximilian who seemed to be enjoying his meal, not as a performance but a genuine act.

"Why hasn’t your family held a major gala? Your royalty... Shouldn’t you do such a thing?"

Maximilian wiped his mouth with the napkin lying on his lap. And placed it neatly aside. He looked over at Annemarie and spoke the words she would never forget.

"Bruno is not a people person... He has no time or patience for empty platitudes and social gatherings that accomplish nothing towards his aims. The Order of Saint Michael the Archangel meets once yearly at his estate, as does the Order of Saint Notburga. Then we have a family celebration twice a year on Easter and Christmas."

Annemarie thought that Maximilian was joking about his younger brother. But he continued without her commentary.

"These gatherings are strictly for family. And before you ask, any food and drink that is left over is carefully packaged, our own hands among the labor, before being shipped off to the local soup kitchen or food bank to be distributed to the less needy. You would be amazed the amount of grace the Angel of Berlin has given to the people of Tyrol."

Maximilian’s eyes turned glassy as he gazed out the window into the stormy night and its darkness.

"I was once stupid enough to insult that woman for the position of her birth. The truth is, she has lived a life far more noble than my own, and I have regretted those words every waking hour of my life ever since...."

Annemarie sat in silence as she watched Maximilian reflect on his past. She could feel the weight of his words, and how heavily his past sins still sat upon his shoulders. He simply chuckled bitterly and shook his head before returning his thoughts to the matter at hand.

"I think that is enough for one night. We should get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be busy for both of us. What we do in the next twenty-four hours will determine whether Helvetia returns to the fatherland peacefully, or through conquest."

Annemarie nodded her head silently, she climbed into the bed opposite of the one Maximilian rested in. But she didn’t sleep, she reflected on the words that Maximilian had spoken well into the dawn.

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