Chapter 119: A Personal Request from the Kaiser

Chapter 119: A Personal Request from the Kaiser



While Heidi was making every possible preparation for the family's vacation to Saint Petersburg, which was where the Tsar's Winter Palace was, which was the primary residence of the House of Romanov. Bruno had found himself back at work, where he immediately requested time off to attend the ball which the Tsar was throwing for some ceremonial reason or another.

Because of this, Bruno's request first went to the Chief of Staff, who passed it off to the Kaiser. And the result was an invitation to the Kaiser's palace. Because of this, Bruno was escorted out of the headquarters belonging to the Central Division of the German Army's high command, and was brought to the Kaiser's palace, which he had visited on three prior occasions in his life.

Once as a teenager where he defended his fiancée's honor against a prince who dared to sully her name. And twice when coming back from war as a way to personally debrief the Kaiser on what he had been up to.

Bruno would now be stepping foot into the home of the German Reich's foremost monarch to address his request for a temporary leave of absence. Why did the Kaiser wish to speak to Bruno personally about this matter?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Well, the man had few ideas, and because of this, he was on his best behavior when he finally stood in front of the Kaiser, saluting the Monarch as he waited for a response. Kaiser Wilhelm was in a rather jovial mood and immediately dismissed Bruno's need to stand during the ceremony.

"Oh, come now, Bruno. This is the fourth time I have invited you to my home. If I had you stand on every time you visited, it would be woefully inappropriate. Not to mention this isn't a formal meeting, or a matter of your duty to the fatherland. Rather, I asked you here for a personal request, and I assure you it is by no means mandatory to accept."

Bruno gave the Kaiser a glance that said he did not remotely trust that the man was actually making a personal request of him, and instead suspected it was indeed an order to be carried out, even if the man claimed otherwise.

The accusatory glance did not offend Wilhelm. Rather, it caused the man to break out into laughter and make a joke about Bruno's gesture.

"Yes, yes, I know all about your paranoid nature. Quite frankly, with how much you mistrust the world and those around you, I can't help but wonder how your wife puts up with you. Even so, I feel the need to ask now that this opportunity has befallen you.

I of course, have known for some time now that Nicholas granted you the status of nobility for your heroic actions during that dreadful business. And it is no doubt because of this that he wants to parade you around as the hero of Russia and its people.

"I said I'll do it... I don't know why you all have such a dreadful impression of me, but I planned to do exactly as you have requested of me from the start. Quite frankly, this meeting was unnecessary, but if it eases your worries, then I have no qualms about accepting your request. It is, after all, the logical thing to do in this situation..."

Bruno didn't even realize it, but by asserting that approaching the Tsar with intent to build a relationship with him and his family out of some hidden ambition to drag Russia into the Central Powers was an act of logic, rather than manipulation and guile was exactly why so many people had such a dreadful impression of him.

And the Kaiser looked at the man as if he had just explained himself why so many people thought of him as some kind of cruel, capricious, and ruthless being whose social skills were about as cold as ice. Even so, the Kaiser broke out into a smile and patted Bruno on the back rather joyfully, as if they were long-time friends.

"Right, that is exactly what I expect of my favorite general! Now that is out of the way. I won't stand in your way any longer. Your request for a temporary leave of absence is granted as this diplomatic mission of yours is itself far more important than whatever it is you do at the

office all day.

Oh, and tell that level wife of yours that I said hello. I will never forget the day you so boldly slapped that foolish little prince in the face and defended your woman's honor. It was truly

the spectacle of a lifetime!"

Bruno honestly felt a slight sense of pride well up in his chest upon being reminded of his youthful chivalry. He had taken up the sword in defense of his fiancee's honor, and an act that he knew Heidi still remembered quite vividly to this day.

In fact, Bruno could have sworn that at one point he walked in on his wife while she was telling his young daughters a bed-time story that was about that fateful day, a day that had forever changed Bruno's trajectory in life.

Because of this, he thanked Wilhelm for his statements, and assured him that his wife would be pleased to know that she was in the Kaiser's thoughts.

After which he stepped out of the room, where he was just about to exit the Kaiser's palace altogether when a pair of dainty hands wrapped themselves around his eyes, with the youthful whisper of a teenage girl flowing past his ears.

"Guess who!?!"