Re: Blood and Iron

Chapter 347: Rewarded Beyond One's Greatest Imaginations



The transfer from Milan to the Western Front was one that would require a lot of moving parts and time to do so. As a result, the 8th Army who had engaged in most of the fighting up until this point had been ordered a brief leave of absence.

This gave time to the King of England, and his cousins Kaiser Wilhelm II, and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia to reach some form of understanding regarding Britain's future in the war. The battle of Ypres itself had frozen.

Leaving Bruno time to return to the fatherland and gain some much needed rest. Bruno, unencumbered by past trauma and the grim darkness of war, had a rather excitable expression on his face as he stepped off the train in Berlin.

Only for it to vanish completely the moment he realizes that the first person to gain his attention was a member of the General Staff. An adjutant to General Ludendorff, who had replaced Paul von Hindenburg after the debacle that was his plans to entrap and obliterate the Allied army using Luxemburg as the bait.

Despite this man being a subordinate of another general, he was not currently acting on behalf of his current master. Instead, the invitation that the man was tasked with giving Bruno belonged to the House of Hohenzollern, more specifically its current master, who demanded to speak with Bruno as soon as possible.

Not one to keep his liege waiting, Bruno sighed heavily and shook his head before speaking an old expression as he marched to the Palace where the Kaiser and his family resided.

"So the chickens have come home to roost, eh?"

Bruno figured this royal summons was about the shit he pulled in the alps, faking radiocommunications to continue with his assault, and in doing so ignoring direct orders from the crown.

But the moment he stepped into the Kaiser's personal study and saw the man sitting in his seat with two drinks in his hands, quickly standing up to hand Bruno one while proposing a toast to another victory, Bruno realized he had completely misunderstood the Kaiser's intentions. Especially as the man began to speak.

"To a glorious victory over the least of a great power! Though Italy may be among the least of the Great Powers, they still are a Great Power, nonetheless! You should be proud of what you have accomplished! Two theaters of war, concluded in two years!

Countless enemies slain, and the nations broken by your fortitude, and will! Your abilities in the field can no longer be denied, even amongst your most harsh critics. And no doubt, this is one of the reasons I have summoned you here to see me so soon after returning home from

war.

Do forgive me for delaying your much awaited reunion with your beloved family, but I'm afraid these matters can no longer wait... Please sit. There is something I wish to show you..." Kaiser Wilhelm II then opened up a small jewelry case to reveal the greatest and most desirable military decoration which the German Reich was capable of granting a soldier. It was the Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross, an award that only one man in history prior to Bruno had ever been granted in this life.

That man was Generalfeldmarschall Gebhard von Blücher who had led the Prussian forces which aided in the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo. In Bruno's past life, Paul von Hindenburg was also granted this honor as the only other man to ever be awarded it, for his victory over the Russians in 1917 during the Great War.

A victory that would never come to pass in this life as a result of Bruno's interference in the timeline. To earn this grandest of honors, Bruno had to defeat the Serbians, Albanians, Bulgarians, Ottomans, and Italians in two separate theaters of the greatest war in human history up to this point.@@novelbin@@

Just going to show that he was living life in hard mode compared to his forbearers. As a result, Bruno's hands damn near shook as he saw the award. That, when combined with all others would grant him the status as perhaps Germany's greatest general in its 2,000+ long year history as a distinctive culture and people.

And just when Bruno was about to touch the medal he so coveted above all others, the last desire of his current collection, the Kaiser snapped it shut. And began to speak of what Bruno had perceived were prerequisites.

"You have earned this distinction greater than any other man in history. Even the legendary Gebhard von Blücher would have to concede to this undisputable fact. Your talents in military affairs are by far your most well-known trait, but I understand you are quite the statement on top of being an exceptional mind for science, art, and business.

After this war is over, I intend to name you Prince of Elsass-Lothringen. Don't get me wrong, I understand you have no desire to rule long term, nor to put your family in such a position. It is largely ceremonial, as the one I gave to Bismarck before you.

But unlike Bismarck, yours will be hereditary. As you will be a proper German Prince, I feel it is time to ask you a serious question regarding the future of our two houses. Your daughter Eva I hear will be turning fifteen soon. In a few years, she will be eligible for marriage. I would have her be the future bride of my grandson, Wilhelm... What do you think?

Bruno was stunned beyond words... The Kaiser had just offered to give him three things most men would covet above all. First, he would be granted the single greatest military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and by extension the German Empire could grant a military officer.

Second, he would make Bruno a prince within the German Reich, which meant far more to Bruno than any of his other noble statuses. And Thirdly, he offered to make Bruno's beloved daughter the future Kaiserin of the German Reich.

As the grandson the Kaiser was mentioning was the son of the Kaiser's eldest son, and current Crown Prince... As a result, Bruno was frankly at a loss for words, and was desperately trying to think through all the potential futures this monumental shift in the timeline would result in.

Because of this, utter silence remained for the longest of time before Bruno would finally speak his thoughts about the matter.