Chapter 97: I’m Just A Colonel, Don’t Involve Me In Major Alliance Affairs
“Nanalie, eat slower! Look at you eating like that, is it like you haven’t had meat in half a year?”
That evening, in the restaurant private room at Hotel Sacher, Lelouch’s family members were all devouring their food without any manners.
He had to repeatedly remind his little sister to eat slower, while pouring her orange juice.
Hotel Sacher is a very high-end hotel in Vienna, located near the Hofburg Palace. Next door is the Vienna State Opera’s Golden Hall, which in later generations became a “high-end KTV” for Chinese literary groups.
Tonight, Guilford had originally planned to invite Lelouch and others to stay temporarily at his home, to make do.
But Lelouch now had more money than he could spend, so why make do? He directly booked enough rooms at Hotel Sacher, and simply let his sister and brother-in-law not go home either.
“Sorry, brother, it’s just too delicious.” Nanalie gulped down three big mouthfuls of orange juice, swallowing the honey-roasted goose in her throat, and then started forking the braised beef ribs in the plate in front of her.
The cream spinach and applesauce side dishes originally placed nearby to cut the richness were gorgeously ignored. Nanalie hadn’t touched a single bite, just focusing on chomping the beef ribs.
Before finishing the first one, she used her fork to rummage in the big bowl, pulling several more onto her own plate.
Lelouch couldn’t help stopping his knife and fork, quietly watching his sister, unable to bear scolding her anymore: “It’s all my fault for being busy. If I had notified you after completely annihilating the Belgians in that battle, letting you know I’d made a name for myself and sending you some money, that would have been good.”
Hearing Lelouch say this, Cornelia and Guilford, who had also been eating nonstop beside him, finally felt embarrassed and awkwardly stopped their forks: “It’s us who didn’t take good care of Nanalie. In wartime, everyone has a hard time.”
Lelouch quickly told them not to blame themselves: “No no no, it’s not your problem.”
Cornelia was also a bit curious and couldn’t help following up: “Then why didn’t you contact home after finishing your first campaign? You delayed another four months.”
Lelouch: “It’s because at that time my position wasn’t high enough, and I didn’t have much money. When the 6th Army Group completely annihilated the Belgian Army, I only got promoted to mere captain company commander. At that time, I didn’t have the capital to lay out industry, and there weren’t lacking people around me.
Moreover, a captain running back home—if he got entangled by the conscription office, it would be troublesome. At that time, I thought of persuading brother-in-law to give up his section chief position at the city tax bureau and start over in a foreign country, but you definitely wouldn’t be willing.
So I had to spend another three months, fight one more campaign, get promoted to colonel, before I had the face to come back and pull people.”
Cornelia: “…”
So in her brother’s eyes, going from captain to colonel was something that could be foreseeably planned?
You want to get promoted to colonel and you definitely can… Is that even human talk?
Cornelia didn’t want to dwell on this issue anymore and turned to ask: “So this time you’re taking us to Germania, what exactly do you need us to help with? Nanalie and I don’t know how to be officials.”
Lelouch: “Having brother-in-law be an official is enough. Near the Franco-Belgian border, I opened a new type of steel mill, and there are still many spoils of war from previous battles that haven’t been dealt with. Sister, just help me manage the finances in and out of the steel mill, and by the way, help me liquidate those captured items.
You don’t need to worry about technology, production, or operations at all, just handle the money. In the future, when I lead troops in battle, there might be more off-the-books profits and spoils, and I’ll rely on you to handle them then.”
Previously, Lelouch had to rely on outsiders to help him connect and sell spoils of war for cash, which ultimately wasn’t confidential enough. With his own sister handling it, everything would be much more convenient.
“No problem, I definitely won’t make any mistakes.” Cornelia heard it was just managing money and breathed a sigh of relief, readily agreeing.
Although her career hadn’t been very smooth these past few years, she had a husband in the tax bureau after all, and through osmosis, she was quite familiar with this kind of work. She could pick it up quickly with a little learning.
Lelouch ate a few bites of steak, took a sip of anise liqueur to moisten his throat, then continued planning: “As for Nanalie, she’s still young. If she wants to go to university in Germania, that’s fine; if she wants to help manage household affairs, that’s fine too. No need to rush for now. Or if she has time, she can help me maintain relations with the princesses and countesses from those princes’ and grand dukes’ families.
Of course, I won’t force her. My Lelouch’s sister—if she doesn’t want to learn those complicated etiquettes, and thinks socializing with noble ladies is too mentally taxing, then she doesn’t have to learn.”
Lelouch hadn’t reached the point of being so short on people yet, and wasn’t counting on his little sister to do much.
But Nanalie didn’t feel there was anything wrong with noble etiquette at all. Her eyes full of curiosity and excitement, she nodded repeatedly: “Ah? Can I? I’ll definitely learn well! I won’t embarrass brother, but brother has to buy me pretty clothes, otherwise it would be so rude~”
Lelouch was stunned. In his previous life, he was an only child with no experience coaxing sisters, and subconsciously thought little girls all hated complicated formalities.
At this moment, thinking it over, he finally realized: In his previous life, he must have been fooled by all those Mary Sues on screen! Of course Mary Sues have to act “kind and aloof” to have enough contrast with the “vain and scheming” rich beauties. Otherwise, how to explain “the domineering CEO prefers them over the rich beauties”?
But in real life, Nanalie had lived an ordinary life since childhood—how could she resist socializing with nobles? This reaction was the normal one.
“Since you like it, money is no issue. I’ll dress you up like a real princess.”
Lelouch promised indulgently, and the atmosphere at the dinner table was very harmonious.
…
Vienna ultimately had much more heritage than Berlin and Munich. As the capital of art, even in the war era, it was easy here to find high-end historical jewelry and have renowned tailors custom-make clothing.
Early the next morning, Lelouch had things to do, so he let his sister and little sister go on a big shopping spree and custom ordering, to better socialize with empire high-levels after returning home. Money was no issue.
Lelouch himself planned to go find Mr. Porsche to chat, first communicate some technical issues with him, and by the way, do him a favor.
According to Lelouch’s original schedule, in one or two months, once the three-phase electric arc furnace steel plant took initial shape, he would take the new materials to do a technology deal with Krupp, and bring back a machinery and design team to work on the tank project.
However, outsourcing all technical design teams ultimately had the risk of “putting all eggs in one basket.” Lelouch also hoped to have his own trusted people.
Befriending Porsche could be considered listening to all sides. Historically, Dr. Porsche later designed quite a few tanks and had real ability.
Right now, the other party was worrying about heavy artillery tractors for Austria. If he could give him some inspiration, that would establish the connection.
To make the other party take him seriously, Lelouch specially put on his full colonel dress uniform, pinned on all his medals, and finally threw on a trench coat from a high-end Vienna designer that he had just bought yesterday, to avoid attracting crowds on the street.
At this moment, he was in the guest room fixing his appearance in front of the mirror, preparing to go out. Suddenly, the front desk at Hotel Sacher called the internal line.
Lelouch pinned on the Blue Max Medal before leisurely going over to pick up the phone.
“Mr. Lelouch von Hunte, very sorry to disturb your rest. There is a visitor here to see you. The visitor claims to be Count Stephen Briand. We have verified his identity. Do you have time to see him?”
Lelouch thought for a moment: “I don’t know any Count Briand.”
“Let me talk to him,” came a relatively distant faint voice from the other end of the phone, followed by another person taking the receiver. “Hello, Colonel Lelouch von Hunte. I heard you returned home yesterday.”
Lelouch immediately realized that this person must have learned of his return through yesterday’s small incident at the Vienna city tax bureau, and probably had done his homework.
Lelouch responded with the best strategy of meeting change with no change: “It wouldn’t be to discuss whether I’m evading military service again, right?”
The other party immediately laughed heartily: “Of course not. We’ve investigated clearly—you left the country before the war broke out, and went to an ally country. As soon as the war started, you enlisted. You are a respectable warrior, fighting for the Germania nation wherever you are.
Let me introduce myself too. I am the undersecretary in charge of foreign affairs in our country, responsible for coordinating relations with allies—surely you don’t want to keep chatting like this on the phone?”
Lelouch: “Of course. It’s my rudeness. Please come up and we’ll talk.”
Two minutes later, a Hotel Sacher attendant led Undersecretary Stephen Briand to Lelouch’s guest room.
Lelouch was also very politely waiting in the corridor elevator area:
“Your Excellency Briand, very pleased to meet you. I didn’t expect it to be under these circumstances—truly ashamed. I just finished fighting and came back to visit family. I didn’t expect a mere colonel regimental commander like me could alarm a big shot like you.”
Undersecretary Stephen Briand quickly shook his hand warmly. People in diplomacy often have good intelligence and broad information networks:
“Colonel Lelouch is too modest. I’ve already looked into it. For a talented person like you, how can we measure with an ordinary colonel rank? To be honest, last night when my subordinates reported that one of our Austrian citizens enlisted in an ally country, rose through merits all the way, and captured Marshal French alive, I investigated.
I even called Crown Prince Rupprecht of Baria Kingdom. He and the Grand Duke of Baden both think so highly of you—what am I, a mere undersecretary? This time, strictly speaking, I have a request for you—of course, it’s also your homeland requesting you.”
Lelouch: “Then I’m truly flattered. But I have low authority and really don’t know how to help the Empire. Could it be you need Germania reinforcements? As far as I know, there really are reinforcements, but troop dispatch and rest need time. The specific reinforcement timeline has already been compressed as much as possible—I have no way to do anything.”
Undersecretary Stephen Briand: “I know that. We’re all on the same side, no need to hide between us. The one full-strength army group that Germania is sending to reinforce the Empire can arrive at the Hungarian battlefield in April, ensuring the relief of Budapest—no problem there. The Hungarian garrison can hold out until then.
But now a new situation has just occurred. The Empire also hopes the Germania side can further increase reinforcement efforts to counter the new threat. I know you have no decision-making power, but I earnestly request that when you return, you plead with Duke Rupprecht as much as possible for more troops.”
Lelouch: “What exactly is the new situation?”
Undersecretary Stephen Briand: “After the Britannians suffered a crushing defeat on the Western Front, they’ve become very willing to spend. According to my secret intelligence, they’re desperately inciting the Italians to join their Entente and declare war on the Empire and Germania!
Our southwest border now has new dangers too. If the Italians’ several hundred thousand troops launch an attack, the Empire simply can’t block them. We hope the Germania Army, especially the armies of the southernmost Baria Kingdom, can come south to co-defend the Alps defense line! We don’t need many troops—just hope your army can slightly coordinate troop allocations during dispatch.
This does no harm to Germania’s interests at all. If you can help make this happen, when you return to your homeland later, you’ll get more conveniences and preferential treatment.”
Lelouch finally understood the other’s intention: He’d heard the Italians might declare war soon. At that time, Germania armies reinforcing Austria was already set policy, but specifically how many people, and could they add a bit more? For the troops already decided to come, could some be diverted from the Hungarian theater to the Italo-Austrian border direction…
But Lelouch felt the other side was a bit too nervous.
“I think you’re overthinking it. Whether the Italians join the war or not, their combat effectiveness—you can definitely hold them off on your own.”
Lelouch should be the one in the world who knew best just how incompetent the Italians really were.
The Italians’ incompetence wasn’t just in WWII—they were bad in WWI too. In WWI, Austria was said to “struggle to win alone against any great power,” but against Italy, they finally found a chance to prove themselves.
After Italy joined the war, throughout WWI, they fought the “12 Battles of the Isonzo”—that is, along the border river in the Alps between Italy and Austria, fighting for a full 3 years without advancing an inch.
The Austrian Army, with its own strength and few troops, independently won the first 11 battles. Only in the final 12th did a small number of German troops come as allies to reinforce them, and then the Austrian Army launched a major counterattack, nearly pushing all the way to Venice.
In all 12 battles, the Italians suffered over 1 million cumulative casualties, with their farthest record just 3 kilometers into the Austrian side of the border.
Truly the waste among wastes.
But unfortunately, it was still early March 1915, and the whole world didn’t yet know how incompetent the Italians were.
Austria’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Stephen Briand was genuinely anxious. No matter how Lelouch reassured him, he took it as polite words.
Since that was the case, Lelouch felt a bit embarrassed: “If you really need reinforcements, I can allocate a little bit to you— the kind where I can decide myself later. If you can’t hold, we can add more. I’ll go persuade Duke Rupprecht to turn a blind eye.
However… if I help you with this, what conditions do you offer?”
Stephen Briand was stunned: “What conditions do you want?”
—
PS: Not sure if there will be a second update today. If there is, it’ll be very late at night, so no need to wait.
Next week I’m going to a training, 5 days of classes during the day, can only write a bit in the morning and evening, update times may not be stable, and volume won’t be large.
