Chapter 254: Maximilian's Redemption Arc Begins

Chapter 254: Maximilian's Redemption Arc Begins



While Bruno advanced into Albania, Russia was fighting its own campaign in Anatolia. Sure, they had given an Army Group or two to help in the Balkans. But considering that they were the ones who actually bordered the Ottomans, whereas nobody else did.

The war with the Turks fell primarily to them. With only an equal or less amount of support that Russia gave to the Balkans coming their way from their allies. Even so, Russian gains were by no means minimal despite the war still being in its early stages.

Armenia had fallen in its totality to the Russian Empire, and was currently being "occupied" by Russian forces, with a potential annexation being discussed among the Russian higher ups. Of course, there was also the discussion for recreating the Kingdom of Armenia, and using it as both a puppet and buffer state to potential adversaries in the middle east.

When it came to Anatolia, that was where the lines had more or less stagnated. Britain, hindered by German naval supremacy in the North Sea, was easily able to send troops and supplies across the Atlantic and Mediterranean to its colonies in North Africa, where it could then send troops straight into eastern Anatolia via the Ottoman railway system.

Because of this, Russia, and its limited support from its allies more or less, had been forced to dig in and wait for further reinforcements while defending the gains they had made. Artillery fire thundered in the air across the borders between Russian occupied Armenia and Ottoman Anatolia.

While at the same time the chugging of the machine guns could be heard in the distance, no doubt from some counter to a charge. Who was advancing, and who was defending? Nobody really knew outside of those participating in the battle.

But the echoes of war were ever present in the current stalemate that was within the Anatolian borders. In Bruno's past life, the Ottoman Empire had to fight the combined might of the Allied Powers with very limited support from their allies.

In this life, however, they were now fully supported by their allies, albeit fighting against a Russian Empire that was more or less on steroids when compared to its previous incarnation. Hence, even with the increase in military capability from the Ottomans, the Russian Army was still holding its ground.

It did not take long for Maximilian, who was naturally gifted in many ways like his many brothers, but had always squandered his inherent talent due to his lavish upbringing, to flourish in his new profession.

Maximilian quickly regained what he had lost, buying a far more humble abode, and regaining parental rights over his children. Despite the fact that their mother had perished in years prior, and their father had always been a less-than-ideal parental figure, the children were quite happy to be reunited with their father, especially after they learned of his change in character.

The man had truly begun to reforge his broken life and, for the better, eventually marrying a young maiden to help take care of his home and children. And then the war began. Seeing his younger brother Ludwig, Kurt, and Bruno all playing their own roles in the war.

What with Ludwig being a politician, both denouncing the war altogether, yet still doing everything he could to make sure the army had what it needed to defend it. Kurt now being a full-fledged physician working inside one of Heidi's many hospitals which were established to aid the wounded soldiers of the Great War, and finally Bruno commanding Germany's forces to repeated victories against their enemies, while risking his own neck on the front line.

Maximilian felt compelled to do his own part for the fatherland. It just so happened that the job Heidi had hooked the man up with was being a desk jockey in the headquarters of German Foreign Intelligence.

But after the July Crisis began, Maximilian immediately volunteered to shift towards that of a field operative. And over the past eight months or so, had been working on concluding the training necessary to become one.

With his life turned around, and victory hanging in the balance, Maximilian could finally put his natural charisma, which he had used to engage in scandalous swindles and scams as a state backed conman for decades, to good use for once in his life. And hopefully, in doing so, redeem himself in the process.

This wasn't a matter of regaining his status as "Von Zehntner" nor was this a chance for personal glory. This was an opportunity to support the fatherland, and its war efforts in the same vein that his younger brothers had been doing for years.

And because of this, Maximilian wore a charming smile on his face as he shared a cup of tea with the future King of Iraq. Opening the discussions in the traditional Arabic way.

"As-Salaam-Alaikum..."Nôv(el)B\\jnn