Dragon Raja 3; Chapter 7: Last Grandson of the Emperor (3)

Dragon Raja 3

“Sometimes I think that those who love to drink can’t be all that bad. That’s why I like you—you understand vodka.” Dr. Herzog took the Makarov pistol from Bondarev and handed him a cold glass.

A beam of light shone down from above, illuminating the doctor and Bondarev. The glass in Bondarev’s hand refracted the light, making it look as if it were made of the finest crystal, but it had been carved from a single block of pure ice. The ice was so clear there were no bubbles, and cornflower patterns were intricately carved into its surface. The two men gently clinked glasses and drank the liquor in one go.

Bondarev toyed with the ice cup. “This is amazing—vodka encased in ice, as captivating as a stunning woman hidden beneath an iceberg. I feel like my hand will freeze to it.”

“Most people use fur gloves to hold such ice cups. Only someone like you, Major, who is unafraid of the cold, can hold it bare-handed. It was carved from ancient ice, buried at minus 30 degrees Celsius, and it’s kept in the same frigid environment. It’s the coldest drinking vessel, paired with the most fiery liquor,” the doctor explained. Despite his words, he too held the cup bare-handed, his long fingers steady and unaffected by the cold.

Dr. Herzog was dressed in an impeccable black suit, with a crisply starched white shirt and a rose-red bow tie.

“You don’t look like you’re about to kill someone, yet you’re holding a gun,” Bondarev remarked.

“It depends on your intentions. I’m dressed for a reception, as I might be the host welcoming a guest. But I wouldn’t mind being the executioner, either,” the doctor said, staring into Bondarev’s eyes. “Who are you? Why are you here?”

“Bondarev, KGB major, from Moscow. That’s the truth. I just didn’t tell you my great-grandmother’s name. She was Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova,” Bondarev said slowly, pronouncing the long, twisted name as if casting a forbidden spell.

The doctor was taken aback. “The last grand duchess of the Romanov dynasty?”

Anastasia was the last princess of the Romanov dynasty, the final ruling family of Russia until they were overthrown in the October Revolution of 1917. In 1918, Tsar Nicholas II and his entire family were secretly executed by the Red Army. Anastasia, the Tsar’s youngest daughter, though young, held the title of Grand Duchess, making her more esteemed than other European princesses of the time. Royal women had to curtsy to her and address her as “Your Imperial Highness.” Rumor had it that she had escaped execution, and her name, Anastasia, meant “resurrection.”

“Since I am still here as her grandson, you can’t call her the ‘last’ grand duchess,” Bondarev smiled.

“How can you prove that?” the doctor asked.

“I saw Rasputin’s signature at the end of the tunnel. That heretic, once canonized, had been here, right? He was the one who discovered this cave, wasn’t he?”

“Yes,” the doctor said. “This cave is his legacy.”

“Then you must also know that Rasputin was a close confidant of the Tsar and a friend of Princess Anastasia. The fact that I found this place proves that I know Rasputin’s secret, which he passed on to my great-grandmother. This is the evidence that I am the last grandson of the Romanov dynasty.” Bondarev proudly raised his head.

“Then, what secret did Rasputin reveal to the Grand Duchess?”

Bondarev smiled mysteriously. “I believe I know some things that you don’t, and of course, there are things you know that I don’t. Why don’t we exchange information? Perhaps then we can sit down and discuss cooperation.”

“Go ahead,” the doctor gestured with his gun.

“This story begins with my great-grandmother’s escape. The Red Army’s bullet did pierce her heart, and her body was thrown into an abandoned mine shaft. But three days later, she awoke, and her wound had miraculously healed. Only then did she remember Rasputin’s words to her. Rasputin had said he was willing to share the secrets of the world with her because, like him, she was one of God’s chosen ones. She, like Rasputin, possessed unparalleled vitality and could even return from hell. Later, she married a Red Army officer. At that time, marrying a Red Army officer was her only way to obtain protection. My great-grandfather eventually rose through the military ranks. He was a good man who always protected her and never revealed her identity. Sometimes, my great-grandmother would wake up from nightmares, shouting, ‘The Red Army is coming with guns,’ and my great-grandfather would comfort her, saying, ‘I am the Red Army, and as long as I live, the Red Army’s guns will protect you.’”

“A touching love story,” the doctor remarked indifferently.

“My great-grandmother decided to leave her past behind, so she rarely spoke of the Romanov dynasty. But there was one exception. She told my great-grandfather that in northern Siberia, there was a divine relic, as Rasputin had told her. The saint found a cave by the frozen sea where God had created life. But he didn’t reveal it to the world. Instead, he sealed it with molten iron because the divine relic had fallen and become the cradle of demons—inside were fallen angels. Our family was warned to be vigilant, generation after generation, because if that cave was ever opened again, the end times would follow.”

“So, you’ve come to check whether we’re properly guarding the relic?”

“No, no. My great-grandmother was a devout and kind-hearted Orthodox Christian. I’m not. I have an enormous curiosity about everything. After inheriting this secret, I was determined to find the relic. If I find it, I will definitely open it. Not long ago, I found an old engineering map in an abandoned archive.” Bondarev took out the map and rolled it across the ice toward the doctor. “It marks the elevator that leads deep into the permafrost.”

The doctor glanced at the map. “This isn’t the original—it was drawn from memory.”

“It was drawn by a madman. He was once the commander of the engineer battalion of the 13th Guards Infantry Division and was tasked with participating in the excavation of the tunnel. Later, he was brainwashed with drugs and became a frequent patient in a mental institution. All he remembered was working on a major project along the northern coast of Siberia—the project was to dig into a cave. I suddenly realized I had found a breakthrough. But as I investigated further, the mystery deepened. Many years ago, the military built a port in the far north of Siberia, where navigation is almost impossible. There are no records of this port—its coordinates have even been erased. Underneath the port, engineers dug through the permafrost to open a long-sealed cave. So, I decided to come and see for myself. As a KGB officer, it was easy for me to obtain special permission to investigate this mysterious port, allowing me to arrive here as an ‘Imperial Commissioner.’ Sure enough, I found Rasputin’s signature at the end of the tunnel, and I finally reached the place I had dreamed of since childhood.” 

Bondarev looked around. “But it doesn’t seem all that interesting here.”

“You probably noticed when you arrived: the closer you get to Rasputin’s signature, the more bones you see embedded in the permafrost. Those bones all crawled out from the cracks in the rock. Rasputin said this cave would give birth to demons—he was referring to those creatures. But now this cave is dead. Its mysterious power has faded.”

“I don’t think so. If this cave were truly worthless, you would have left long ago.”

“If this cave really were valuable, I should shoot you and keep its secrets to myself.”

Series Navigation

<< Dragon Raja 3; Chapter 6: Last Grandson of the Emperor (2)Dragon Raja 3; Chapter 8: Last Grandson of the Emperor (4) >>