Chapter 101: Appointed Director Of The War Department’s Foreign Propaganda Section
After Lelouch left Munich, he took a train straight north to Berlin.
One day later, he smoothly arrived at the imperial capital.
He had come this time originally to meet with Minister Baden of the Prisoner of War Affairs Department and Occupied Area Affairs Department to handle procedures for receiving some government positions.
But the previous trip to Austria to visit family had unexpected complications and many trivial matters, so the schedule for this Berlin trip became increasingly extended.
The morning after arriving in Berlin, Lelouch first went to Minister Baden.
He had made a phone appointment in advance, and Minister Baden did not keep him waiting; he was received as soon as he arrived at the department.
Minister Baden personally handed him a document: “I have detailed in my work report to the Prisoner of War Affairs Department your contributions in negotiating the surrender of Britannian prisoners of war. Your set of negotiation procedures has already been imitated and implemented for over half a month.
Now more than 12,000 Britain prisoners of war and over 7,000 South Asia prisoners of war have been negotiated to surrender, sincerely working for the Empire. The Empire has even formed the first Britain prisoner of war division, which can be used for Eastern Front combat in the future, and has organized a special South Asia mixed brigade.
In the future, these captives can be used to participate in operations against potential hostile small countries in South Asia. Those battles have relatively low intensity, and even if surrendered prisoners of war who have abandoned darkness for light are assigned main combat tasks, desertion is unlikely to occur.
Moreover, the weapons, equipment, and ammunition for these troops do not need to be newly produced by the Empire, nor do they occupy inventory; they can be directly allocated from captured enemy supplies. It is truly a very cost-effective deal.
His Majesty is very satisfied with this result and has instructed the Prisoner of War Affairs Department to continue the effort and gradually negotiate the surrender of more enemy prisoners. The War Department has also expressed thanks for this contribution, so it has formally appointed you as Director of the Foreign Propaganda Section of the War Ministry Propaganda Bureau. You can just go there to complete the procedures.”
“Thank you for His Majesty’s trust and your cultivation, Minister. I will certainly continue to work hard.”
Lelouch first expressed his thanks, then abruptly changed the subject and casually chatted with Minister Baden, hoping he could help arrange a position as an occupied area commissioner.
“…This Mr. Guilford originally served as section chief of the tax collection section at the Vienna city tax bureau and has over ten years of local tax work experience. To be honest, he is my brother-in-law. I want to try some occupied area economic innovation experiments in the Dunkirk-Ypres region on the Western Front and need someone to cooperate…”
With that, Lelouch had his brother-in-law Guilford step forward for Minister Baden to “interview” and examine him in person.
Minister Baden chatted briefly with him but still gave Lelouch plenty of face: “Since he is Colonel Lelouch’s man, Mr. Guilford, I’ll be direct with you. If you expect to secure such a hasty position in Germania proper, that is impossible.
Considering it is in the occupied area and has only just stabilized, I will help with this. However, you do not seem to be a Germania citizen yet, right? In this situation, it should be the same as when Lelouch first came to our country.
During wartime, specially naturalizing a foreigner and immediately assigning them to an important administrative management post is really unreasonable. First provide your resume and complete the procedures for serving in the Western Front occupied army uniform, then you can directly naturalize and obtain grassroots officer status.
Then I will grant you the position. The entire process will take half a month to a month, but you can actually start performing duties in advance.”
“Thank you for your cultivation, Minister!” Guilford expressed deep gratitude and vowed to do a good job.
He and Cornelia lingered in Berlin for a few days, handling the necessary procedures and making the connections they needed, then hurriedly headed to the Western Front first.
Lelouch personally saw them onto the train and told them to contact him by phone if needed, but not to send telegrams to avoid eavesdropping.
Even for phone calls, Lelouch specifically instructed them on which manual transfer line to use and to absolutely avoid routing through the neutral Netherlands relay station, to prevent physical contact eavesdropping on the phone lines.
Guilford and Cornelia were both a bit nervous upon hearing this and took it to heart: Is this the feeling of entering the Empire’s power system? Their words, actions, and work now involve many important matters worth spying on by Britannians.
……
Sister and brother-in-law headed to Dunkirk to take over Lelouch’s business affairs. They communicated with technical experts like Rochlin and Heilong on the preparation and construction details of the three-phase electric arc furnace steel plant.
Lelouch stayed in Berlin and lingered for several more days, mainly to take over and familiarize himself with the work of the Imperial Ministry of War Foreign Propaganda Section. At the same time, he had in hand a secret diplomatic suggestion memorial from Duke Rupprecht to Emperor Wilhelm, which needed Lelouch to find an opportunity to present.
The Emperor was very busy and not available for audiences every day, often briefly leaving Berlin, so scheduling was needed in advance.
Lelouch’s audience schedule was pushed back to late March.
Lelouch had no choice but to take advantage of these days to properly work at the War Ministry Foreign Propaganda Section, contributing modestly to war propaganda work. He also got familiar with his deputy, the executive deputy director Colonel Rochester of the section, as well as other colleagues and subordinates.
When Minister Baden arranged the administrative position for him, he had considered that Lelouch would not be in Berlin often, so the daily work of the Foreign Propaganda Section must be handled by the executive deputy, and Lelouch could only occasionally exert his propaganda talent with some clever ideas.
Lelouch worked diligently for a few days, and in the blink of an eye, it was March 20.
The audience with the Emperor had not yet been scheduled, but Lelouch received some other good news and invitations.
The good news came from Dunkirk: sister and brother-in-law had been in position for nearly a week and had basically taken over the work.
Sister Cornelia called back, mentioning that Rochlin and Heilong had produced the first experimental small-scale three-phase electric arc furnace and had already produced steel—of course, industrial construction matters are very complex, and from small laboratory-level production equipment to actual large-scale mass production, it would take at least several months of break-in.
But in any case, with the laboratory technology validated, it at least proves that this technical route is correct: how much percentage lower the energy consumption of the three-phase furnace is compared to the single-phase furnace invented by the Franks 15 years ago, how much the impact on the power grid load is reduced, how much the steel quality is improved, how much the molten steel output per furnace can be increased…
These parameters can now be precisely demonstrated. Then Lelouch can use this “data PPT” to pitch and seek deeper cooperation.
The matter he had previously envisioned of setting up a meeting with Krupp and Skoda now finally had real prospects.
Therefore, after receiving the breakthrough news from Rochlin and others, Lelouch immediately called Gustav, Krupp’s boss, hoping he could come to Berlin, as there was a more major cannon cooperation project to discuss that would absolutely satisfy Gustav.
To prove his words, Lelouch had his sister send Gustav a set of experimental data and several samples of three-phase electric arc furnace steel. After Gustav received them and had Krupp’s laboratory test, analyze, and evaluate them, Gustav indicated he would come to Berlin as soon as possible to discuss follow-up plans.
Besides this good news, another recent gain for Lelouch was Minister Baden introducing him to some parliament members mainly from the moderate left Social Democratic faction.
Mainly people like Burns and Kautsky, of course.
When Lelouch first heard these names, he was slightly startled.
After all, in the political textbooks of the later Great Eastern Nation, these two were tied to “revisionism” and seen as having betrayed the original faith of the founding sage.
But calming down and thinking objectively, since Lelouch was now in this position to save the country, he could only cooperate with centrists left and right to win their support.
The remaining most extreme factions: one was too advanced, hoping to eliminate national boundaries in this era, which was temporarily impossible. The other was too militarily fanatical, wanting to fight blindly to the end, killing gods and Buddhas alike, and would ultimately collapse from exhaustion.
Moderate right parliament members often had a favorable view of generals who had established outstanding military merit on the battlefield.
With Lelouch’s background and record, he did not need to deliberately seek support from those parliament members, nor did other generals with outstanding war records.
For example, Duke Rupprecht, Hindenburg and Ludendorff—moderate right people supported them equally. Ultimately, who got more support would depend on whose future military merits were more prominent.
As for support among moderate left parliament members, Lelouch currently had considerably more than Hindenburg and Ludendorff.
At least these few days, after Burns and Kautsky had very pleasant talks with him under Minister Baden’s hosting, they quickly confirmed that this young man was absolutely extraordinary.
He was a resolute person who was not afraid of war but also not bellicose, willing to put the brakes on the Empire’s violent expansion desires when necessary, and clear about the Empire’s strength limits, without blind arrogance or advising rulers to casually expand war aims.
Such a person was simply the new star in the military that the “war to promote peace” faction should most support.
（Note: If I were to write it, I could write a ton on how Lelouch’s exchanges with Burns and Kautsky convinced them. But after all, these people are representatives of “revisionism,” so no need to expand. Everyone just remember the conclusion and believe the protagonist has the ability to unite these factions.）
In short, if Lelouch wants to put the brakes on Hindenburg and Ludendorff in the future, it will be a contest between “center-right + center-left” and “center-right + far-right.” To truly decide the winner, it will probably depend on which faction ultimately contributes more and has harder military merit.
These are matters for later.
……
Time quickly came to March 25.
This day was also when Emperor Wilhelm finally scheduled time to receive Lelouch.
Coincidentally, after Lelouch sent the three-phase electric arc furnace steel samples and experimental report to Gustav Krupp earlier, Krupp agreed to come to Berlin for a face-to-face talk, ultimately scheduled for March 25 as well.
Lelouch could only be busy: early in the morning he would first finish the audience with the Emperor, then discuss military industry matters with Gustav in the afternoon.
At 8 a.m., Lelouch drove to Potsdam Palace in southwest suburban Berlin. After long waiting and announcements, he finally had audience with His Majesty the Emperor at exactly 9.
Emperor Wilhelm, nearing sixty, had a very thick mustache with ends curling upward on both sides.
Whether standing or sitting, the Emperor never fully faced the audience directly but always slightly turned his body sideways toward them.
This way he could hide his half-crippled arm, atrophied from birth injury, behind him, always placing his strong arm in front.
“You are Lelouch von Hunt? Very young. I hear you airdropped and seized Dunkirk, captured John French alive, and helped Minister Baden design the negotiation of surrender for tens of thousands of Britain captives, inciting the Belgian Army to defect?”
Lelouch: “Your Majesty attends to myriad state affairs yet remembers all of this servant’s merits—it is truly diligent governance.”
What the Emperor mentioned was, of course, not all of Lelouch’s merits, just the most important ones, but that did not matter.
The Emperor then said some routine encouraging words, urging Lelouch to continue working well for the Empire, which would not treat him unfairly.
After chatting for about fifteen minutes, the Emperor asked: “I hear from the adjutant that you brought a remonstrance from Duke Rupprecht this time?”
Lelouch then had the opportunity to present the document he brought, respectfully handing it to the Emperor.
The Emperor unfolded it and skimmed it: nothing more than matters related to guarding against certain neutral small countries on the Southern Front being pulled in by the Britannians, hoping the Empire would intensify efforts and tilt resources when forming reinforcements for the Southeast Front.
The Emperor then asked Lelouch a few questions, which Lelouch answered fully—nothing more than elaborating again on the principle of “if petty villains stir, give a warning beating to one, deterring a hundred with a single punch.”
The Emperor agreed deeply with this reasoning, just like Duke Rupprecht.
But the Emperor had greater authority and could make more aggressive and comprehensive decisions.
After a slight hesitation, the Emperor ultimately decided to fine-tune the reinforcement plan for the Southeast Front.
The 8th Army Group in the Northern Sector of the Eastern Front remains unmoved, still commanded by Hindenburg and Ludendorff, responsible for the Eastern Front Northern Sector main defense line, namely the Poznan-Vistula-East Prussia main defense line in later Poland.
The 9th Army Group newly formed in December last year is placed in the Königsberg direction, the narrow strip along the Baltic Sea at the northernmost edge. Commanded by veteran Marshal Mackensen.
The 6th Army Group to be entirely transferred from the Western Front and the newly formed 10th Army Group are allocated to the Eastern Front Southern Sector.
Among them, the 10th Army Group is commanded by retired old Marshal Leopold of the Baria Faction, responsible for the Carpathian Mountains defense line west and north of Budapest.
The 6th Army Group is naturally still commanded by Marshal Rupprecht, responsible for the Carpathian Mountains defense line east and south of Budapest. （Details as in the following diagram）
At the same time, since the frontal defense zone for the 6th Army Group is shorter than originally planned, the 6th Army Group is allowed to detach some forces for adaptability, either to the Italo-Austrian border or to guard against the Romania direction.
All units begin movement immediately, and once in position, prepare to engage in combat as soon as possible based on battlefield changes.
After handling the Eastern Front military affairs adjustment, the busy Emperor soon had to receive the next minister and had no time to chat more with Lelouch, the Baria Faction representative.
Lelouch received the latest instructions on behalf of Duke Rupprecht and respectfully withdrew.
As he left the Emperor’s study, he ran into another minister about to enter for reporting.
Lelouch did not know this person but recognized him from black-and-white old photos he had seen in his previous life—could this be Naval Minister Marshal Tirpitz?
Lelouch suddenly thought that although he had not met this naval minister, the other seemed to owe him a favor. After his audience with the Emperor, he should be able to leverage that favor to make acquaintance.
Thinking of this, Lelouch was not polite. He was originally supposed to return to central Berlin to discuss tank research and development cooperation and naval gun steel matters with Mr. Gustav of Krupp.
But since he had run into Marshal Tirpitz, let Gustav come here instead.
Lelouch immediately called Gustav’s residence in Berlin: “Mr. Gustav, the meeting plan has changed. I’m not returning to the city center. Come to Potsdam. I’ll find a place near Potsdam Palace to talk.”
Gustav Krupp’s first reaction was displeasure: Lelouch this kid is ordering him around! Who does he think he is!
But Gustav, as an old hand in diplomacy and industry for many years, had the composure and poise.
He did not refuse right away but casually asked one more thing: “Coming to Potsdam is no problem, of course, but is there any necessary reason?”
Lelouch: “I just ran into His Excellency the Naval Minister. Don’t you want to chat together?”
Gustav: “On my way!”
——
PS: Training today, class during the day, so no splitting chapters—just this much today.
