After breakfast was over, Bruno was required to report back to the Kaiser, the man had after all made a personal request of him to become closer to the Tsar, and while Bruno had achieved some modicum progress in this regard it was not exactly like a strong bond of friendship could be built overnight.
Unless, of course, there were some extraneous circumstances like Bruno saved the Tsar’s life, or they endured some trauma together like a survival situation, or fighting on the battlefield. And none such occasion had occurred during his time in Russia.
Because of this, Bruno appeared at the Kaiser’s palace where the man was clearly expecting his arrival, as he had quickly been welcomed into the home. Bruno saw the Prussian Princess Victoria-Louise upon entering the building, and though he tried to say hello to her, she simply glared at him as if he was some pile of refuse before walking off while pouting, all without saying a word.
Bruno had no idea what he had done to antagonize the young princess, but frankly knowing women it could have been something incredibly mild, or it was just one of those days, and thus he walked into the room where the Kaiser was waiting for him without saying another word.
The Kaiser seemed pleased to see Bruno, no doubt his spies in the court of the Tsar had reported everything about his visit to Russia to the man shortly after they happened, and because of this Wilhelm couldn’t help but make a comment of jest at Bruno’s expense.
“There’s the Russian Prince we all know and love…”
Frankly speaking, Bruno did not consider himself on friendly enough terms with the Kaiser to receive such camaraderie from the man, especially when it came in the form of not so friendly banter. Even so, there was not exactly anything he could do about it. I mean, what man would be foolish enough to reprimand an emperor for trying to be friendly with them?
Because of this, Bruno sighed and made a comment in a rather grumbled tone about the whole ordeal.
“So, I suppose you know everything already…”
The Kaiser stood up from his seat and approached Bruno, patting the man on the back as he confirmed this was indeed the case.
“Oh, of course, from what I have heard, it came as quite a surprise to you and your lovely young wife when you learned of the status you received months prior at the end of the Russian Civil War. Honestly, I’m starting to suspect that you simply do not listen to me, when I speak to you… Or perhaps is it just ceremonial affairs that you have a hard time enduring?”
Bruno sighed once more. He suspected he would be sighing a lot in this visit as he wholly admitted the truth to the Kaiser about why he was so ignorant of the fact that he was a Russian Prince.
“If I’m being honest, I have more important things to think about than the long-sorted history of the foundation of these awards. I was being granted and exactly what they meant. How was I supposed to know that I would be granted the highest noble title possible in Russia, aside from perhaps being adopted into the House of Romanov?”
Wilhelm looked at Bruno as if he was vastly underestimating his achievements in the Russian Civil War, and so he was quick to wag his finger and reprimand him for doing so.
“You have a very bad habit of underestimating your own merit, did you know that? Do you think that Nicholas is so big of a fool that he doesn’t realize what would have happened if you had not arrived in time to liberate Saint Petersburg?
Or perhaps what could have occurred if you had not returned Tsaritsyn to its rightful owner? The industrial capacity of the city alone was more than enough to provide an infinite supply of arms and munitions for the Red Army.
Your victories and your ruthlessness in pursuit of the Bolshevik leadership is ultimately what won the war for the Tsar, and is the whole reason that he and his entire family are currently breathing. To say that you saved the Russian Empire, and the House of Romanov is no understatement.”
Bruno was all too aware of the extent of what he had achieved. But perhaps it was the fact that he had never been properly rewarded for his efforts in his past life. Or maybe the idea of becoming a prince was simply too fantastical to even conceive as a possible reality. After all, he came from an era where monarchies were few and far between, and those that existed, for the most part, were entirely ceremonial in existence.
Sometimes he forgot that he now existed in a world, and a time where achieving the highest rank of nobility, outside of becoming a monarch yourself, was all achievable through merit, and merit alone. Because of this, he was quick to comment on his disbelief at becoming a full-fledged Russian Prince.
“Honestly, I never expected to be rewarded so handsomely. I understand the depth of my actions, and the effects they are most likely to have on the future. Believe me, few men in this world are aware of the full extent of what I have prevented from occurring by saving the House of Romanov.
But to be given the title of Prince, even if it doesn’t hold the sway, it would have a thousand years ago, it is still simply hard to believe from my point of view…”
Wilhelm wore a smug smirk as he addressed this, believing truly that Bruno had a hard time understanding his own merit, even if he professed otherwise, and began to go on to a speech about history.
“Surely you have learned of the prize that my grandfather granted to Bismarck for his diplomatic efforts, which saw Germany united into a single empire beneath the rule of my house, correct? The man was made a Prince for his actions. I’d say saving an Empire from certain ruin is equally formidable of an accomplishment as uniting one together in the first place is, would you not?
A pity… I wish I could grant you equal rewards myself, but the Bundesrat would throw a fit if I did so. Frankly speaking, your contributions to foreign empires have been more significant than those which you have done for the Reich. At least on paper…
I myself am all too aware of your ultimate objectives. Securing a Japanese victory in the East, and saving the House of Romanov, were actions that will benefit Germany substantially in the years to come. Even of those old codgers in the Bundesrat can’t see that yet.
Until your efforts come to full fruition, I’m afraid all I can grant you for your merit is what I have already given you. Still, it makes me proud to know that your allegiance still stands with the fatherland. So, I appreciate that, even if I can’t fully show you how much it means to me.
If you think being a Russian Prince is so unbelievable, then it makes me yearn to see your face in the coming decades when you hold an equal status here in the fatherland. I truly believe you have such meanings. So don’t disappoint me, my friend.
Now, I have taken up enough of your time. You are needed back at the Central Division, are you not?”
This was Wilhelm’s way of saying Bruno was dismissed, and because of this, he quickly saluted the German Emperor before walking out of the room. On his way out of the palace, he was confronted by Princess Victoria-Louise once more, who was in just as foul of a mood as she was before.
Though Bruno wanted to say something, she simply passed by him, leaving behind a single word of condemnation as she did so, which only caused Bruno to collapse into a state of further confusion.
“Rake…”
Bruno looked back at the girl with a look of bewilderment but by the time he did so, she had already absconded from sight. The term rake, while having fallen out of the common language by the 21st century, was historically used as far back as the mid 1600s to describe a man of ill repute. Specifically, when it came to womanizing.
Unlike the term Casanova, which held roughly the same meaning and could in some circumstances to be used as a means of praising a man’s ability to woo the opposite sex. The term Rake was almost always, if not always, used as a term of condemnation of the highest degree.
Even so, Bruno could not for the life of him understand why the Prussian Princess had referred to him by such a term, considering he was nothing but loyal to his wife. Because of this, he would continue to mull over this slanderous statement for the rest of the day without ever coming to a proper conclusion.
