Re: Blood and Iron-Chapter 393: Aggressive Negotiations Part III

Silence persisted between the two men of power longer than anyone could have possibly anticipated. Even Bruno himself was shocked by how long it took the Austro-Hungarian Emperor to finally make a sound.

For a moment, he even thought the man had strained his mind so much that, in his old age, he had suffered an aneurysm and died on the spot. But in the end, Franz Joseph sighed, completely relenting to Bruno's terms as he did so.

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"All right… Fine, consider me convinced… I really hate to say it, but I think I have no other choice… Name your price, and so long as you can fulfill your end of the bargain, I will pay it in full when the job is concluded!"

Bruno smirked as he stood up, straightening his jacket. There was no reason to settle on a price now. No, as a businessman, he knew that unexpected costs could arise in any process, and with the vast wealth of the Habsburg family, there was no reason not to exploit that reality.

As a result, he was quick to extend his hand in friendship while also stating his final terms.

"When the job is complete, I will send you an itemized bill of all our expenses, which can be paid in full upon fulfillment of our agreement or in payments over an agreed-upon time if it turns out to be more than you originally anticipated.

Like I previously said, war isn't cheap, but you can rest assured you will be given the greatest combat force that money can possibly buy. And yes, these professionals are indeed exceptional at their jobs.

Whether fighting the organized army of another nation or rooting out guerrillas and irregulars, I assure you, the job will be done to a standard so clean and proficient that you might consider hiring a company of my men full-time as advisors to your Leibgarde.

Now, if my terms are acceptable, you can shake my hand. I will let the men know that they are in business, and they will send over a formal contract within the hour. After that, you can expect them to have already begun operations by the time you wake up in the morning.

By the way, you should make it abundantly clear to the forces under your control that you are hiring these men and where they are coming from well in advance of their arrival because they will be treating anyone who opens fire on them as an enemy combatant and will naturally be ruthless in pursuit of victory under such engagements."

Franz Joseph immediately grabbed Bruno's hand, confirming that the terms were agreeable. If it meant saving what he could of his family's empire and securing their future in an increasingly uncertain world, then he would even sell his soul to the devil if such a price was necessary.

Though with the kind of men he would be hiring, he might very well have done just that. Only time would tell. Regardless, Bruno left the Hofburg and returned to Berlin, but before he did so, he had conveyed the order to begin the invasion after the paperwork had been settled.

By the time the denizens of Cisleithania woke up the next day, they would be shocked to find reports of foreign troops occupying strategic locations and engaging in combat operations against enemy forces.

The balkanization of the Austro-Hungarian Empire would prove to be a violent and bloody affair—one where the new standard of military aviation would be revealed, as new concepts such as paratroopers, airborne logistics, light bombers, and monoplane fighters entered the world stage.

But that was a story for another time. For now, Bruno decided to celebrate with his family upon returning home, having secured not only the future of the Habsburg dynasty but also laying plans in motion that would outright secure the annexation of their lands into the German Reich.

By the time Bruno arrived in Berlin, ten hours had passed. Because of this, the violence within the Austro-Hungarian Empire had already begun. Not that it was much of Bruno's concern. The men he had armed, supplied, and trained were already some of the best the German Army had to offer, and with their new equipment, they were even more lethal.

No, Bruno quickly entered his family home after getting some rest on the train ride there, quickly greeted by his wife, whom he dragged into his arms and kissed passionately—a little too much so—as he whispered in her ear that he had succeeded in trapping the Austro-Hungarian Emperor in a way that guaranteed his dreams would come true.

"I've done it, darling… His Majesty, Franz Joseph, has taken the bait, hook, line, and sinker… By the time the war in the Balkans comes to an end, Cisleithania will not be able to avoid annexation…

Germany will be in a far better position for the future once this has occurred. It is truly the beginning of a new world!"

Heidi was surprised to hear that Bruno's negotiations had gone so smoothly, but she also had to balance this with the information she had received from the Kaiser personally, who had paid their home a visit while her husband was in Austria.

As a result, she took a deep breath before congratulating Bruno while also making sure to properly convey the news she had been given.

"That's wonderful news! But Bruno, you should know the Kaiser was here earlier today, and he wanted to let you know that the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg wants to meet with you… I don't know what it is about, but His Majesty made it seem urgent… As much as I would love to hear all about your most recent trip to Vienna, I'm afraid that duty calls…"

Bruno could only sigh as he delicately swiped his wife's bangs out of her face. A gentle smile appeared as he kissed her forehead, before assuring her that he would be back shortly.

"I understand, but make no mistake—tonight, you and I will celebrate alone together… It has been a very long time since I have taken you out to Berlin on a proper date. And I will not take no for an answer!"

Heidi could only laugh and shake her head at her husband's newfound enthusiasm. But she was not going to deny him, especially since he seemed to have found his footing again after all that had occurred within the war—and, of course, the nasty business towards the end with Erich.

As a result, she was quick to nod her head and verbally confirm that they would indeed be going on a proper date together later that night.

"It sounds like a date! I will hold you to it, mister!"

With this said, the married couple kissed one last time before Bruno was forced to depart. There was truly no rest for the weary in this world. Especially for men of power, wealth, and prestige like Bruno. As a result, he was off to another diplomatic negotiation—one that, while he did not realize it at the moment, would also have far-reaching consequences on the future of the German Reich.