A final meeting was held before the execution of the monk.
Along with the compilation of a list of key members of the assault team to be executed along with the others, discussions were held regarding those who were not members of the assault team but should be eliminated along with them on this occasion.
The first one was Kurt von Schleicher.
If history were to follow, he would have been the German Chancellor before Hitler, but due to historical changes, he never became the Chancellor.
It won't be like this forever.
Schleicher must have been so convinced that he would succeed me as chancellor that when he heard that Hindenburg had appointed me, he was furious and went around badmouthing me and Hindenburg. He still does.
"Circumstances have been discovered where he even contacted the French ambassador and received a bribe from him."
Everyone was outraged by Heydrich's words, but I just listened in silence.
Originally, Heydrich was good at gathering information, but he also had a natural talent for creating non-existent crimes and framing them on others.
There was no way to immediately confirm whether what he said was true or a fabricated accusation.
But the important thing is that it is an obvious fact that Schleicher hates me extremely and is going around slandering me.
If I leave it like this, it might come back to bite me later.
In that case, there is no choice but to strike first.
"But he was a general of a country, so shouldn't we send him off with some respect?"
"What method would you prefer, Your Majesty?"
"Bombs and guns are too noisy, so let's use the quietest method. Yes, poison would be good. Something that's very effective."
"I will do so."
Heydrich wrote down what I said in a notebook he usually carried.
After Schleicher came Papen.
Franz von Papen.
In history, he succeeded Heinrich Brüning as Chancellor, but was dismissed due to his incompetence. Schleicher took over as Chancellor immediately after Papen's dismissal.
Papen, who held a grudge against Schleicher, cooperated with Hitler and helped him come to power, but Hitler rejected Papen, who openly tried to manipulate him into becoming his shadow power.
When Papen attacked Hitler with an anti-Nazi, anti-Hitler speech at the University of Marburg, Hitler executed his close associates during the Night of the Long Knives as a warning to Papen: "If you don't want to be killed, do it yourself."
Papen immediately surrendered to Hitler and held minor posts, including ambassador to Austria and Türkiye, until his death in 1969.
"Papen is rejected."
"No, why?"
Himmler asked. He had naturally assumed that Papen would be killed in pairs, but his opposition was unexpected.
"Papen is cooperating with us now. I don't know what he's thinking. He might have other plans, but you can't know that without looking into the human brain.
Moreover, the President has great trust in him, so if you harm him carelessly, there could be a backlash."
"But Your Majesty, there is evidence that he privately stated that he should have been the next Prime Minister."
Heydrich, like Himmler, seemed to wish for Papen's death, and protested. But that didn't change my mind.
"Of course I can say that. Unless you're trying to blatantly screw me over like Schleicher, I'm willing to be lenient. Blood must be shed, but killing indiscriminately isn't something you can do."
"Your Majesty, what you said is correct."
Göring agreed with me. In real history, Göring, who had a relatively good relationship with Papen, opposed Papen's execution and protected him.
"Well, if Your Majesty says so······."
Goebbels also agreed.
"You are right. Killing should be done in moderation."
Papen's execution was overturned when Hess also voted in favor.
The next person mentioned after Papen was Gregor Strasser.
Strasser, who had strong socialist leanings, although not as much as Röhm, clashed with Hitler, claiming that the Nazi Party's line was too right-wing.
Their relationship was restored after Strasser's car accident, but he incurred Hitler's wrath by agreeing to Schleicher's coalition proposal, and was forced to resign from all public office.
Even after Hitler became Chancellor, he did not return to the Nazi Party, but worked as a director of a pharmaceutical company, and was purged during the Night of the Long Knives.
But in this world, Schleicher had not become chancellor and had not proposed a coalition government to Strasser, so he was still serving as head of the Nazi Party's organization bureau.
"This guy is still out of his mind and is demanding a change in policy, saying that the party has become corrupt.
"Like Schleicher, he is said to not hesitate to make critical remarks about the Chancellor in private."
"Really? Then do you have any evidence?"
"Yes. If you look here-"
I pretended to look closely at the 'evidence' Heydrich presented, then quietly put it aside.
"It seems to me that the evidence is too weak."
"yes?"
"He didn't tell you, but he sent me a letter two weeks ago through Hess. He sincerely apologized for his past mistakes and insisted he would unconditionally follow my decisions."
"That's a complete lie! If you fall for his lies—"
I raised my hand and cut off Heydrich.
"God knows whether he's lying or sincere. In any case, I trust him. Of course, I haven't forgotten that he clashed with me over the party line in the past.
Still, that kind of thing happens to everyone. Haven't you all had fights with your friends in the past?"
"Well, that's true, but the situation is too serious to be compared to a mere child's play. It's a matter of a different weight."
"You might think so, but I trust him.
Besides, Strasser has been a comrade of mine for a long time. His younger brother Otto was shot and killed while marching with me in Munich.
Yet, far from resenting me, he remained unwaveringly loyal.
"If he had intended to betray me from the beginning, he would have stabbed me in the back a long time ago. So I should at least give him one more chance."
Although Strasser clashed with Hitler over the party's line, he remained personally unwaveringly loyal to Hitler.
Even on the night of the Long Knives, when he saw the SS men who came to arrest him, he said, 'There's no way he would do that.'
In this way, Strasser survived. In the original history, the older brother died and the younger brother survived, but here, the situation was completely reversed.
Other names mentioned include former Bavarian Governor Karr and several former politicians, but most were passed over.
Now that the death list was complete, all that remained was execution.
***
January 28, 1933
I called Bryum.
"What? It's me. Can I talk?"
-Adolf? What's going on?
"It's nothing. I just called about the usual meeting. Where are you now?"
-I'm relaxing at the Baths of the Baths.
"I see. Summon all SA officers there by the 30th. I'll be there soon, too. Enjoy your vacation until then."
-Okay, I see. Come here and rest a bit. I heard it'll help all the fatigue go away.
"Really? Anyway···."
"You have to know how to take a break. Not only the hot springs, but the restaurants nearby are also delicious. There's a place that makes a particularly good Schweinshaxe. You should definitely try it. I'm so impressed."
"······Let me think about it."
The phone call was disconnected.
"shit."
A sigh escaped me without me realizing it.
"What did he say?"
Himmler approached me and asked. I let out a short sigh.
"You took my word for it. You didn't suspect anything."
"As expected, you are a short-sighted person."
"Well... we were that close."
Well, I guess it will be much later before I get to use that hot spring.
***
January 30th
The fateful day has dawned.
Through a spy sent to Battvise in advance, it was confirmed that Röhm and the officers of the assault force had gathered at Battvise.
"Everyone arrived without exception."
"I see. Then let's go too."
It had been a long time since I touched a Luger. I tucked it into the holster on my waistband and left the office.
"Salute to His Excellency the Prime Minister!"
Himmler and Heydrich, dressed in black SS uniforms, were waiting for me. The military had provided all the necessary weapons and vehicles.
The SS men were waiting for me, fully armed, as if they were going to war. Even the drivers.
The uselessly clear sky contrasted with Himmler and Heydrich wearing helmets, making it feel even more awkward.
"We're not even going to the front lines, so what's with all that? I don't think it's necessary to wear a helmet..."
"You must always be prepared for any eventuality, Your Majesty!"
"······."
Himmler suggested I wear a helmet, but I stubbornly declined. I'd worn one plenty of times during my active service, Inma.
"Let's go."
If history were to follow, Hitler should have become chancellor today, but he became chancellor last year.
In the history of this world, today will be recorded not as the day of Hitler's inauguration as Chancellor, but as the day of the purge.
***
Josef Dietrich, a Prussian state councillor and SS Lieutenant General, had already arrived in Munich with two SS companies and was waiting for us.
After joining Dietrich, we immediately headed to Röhm. Upon arriving at the lodging where Röhm was staying, two SA commanders came out to greet us.
"Welcome, Your Excellency the Prime Minister. The Chief of Staff is now—"
"Arrest him."
As I raised my hand, burly SS men sprang out like springs and arrested the two SA commanders.
"Wh, what?!"
"Why are you suddenly like that?!"
"Let's decide what to do after we deal with the situation. Take him away."
I climbed the stairs with the SS men. When we reached Röhm's room, Dietrich kicked the door open.
As far as I know, when he was arrested, he was lying naked in bed with his two lovers, but thankfully he was alone here.
Rum, in his pajamas, stared at me with a blank expression, as if he was too shocked to speak.
"Ram, I will arrest you."