War may be escalating in the streets of New York, but Berlin was safer than ever. And before Bruno realized it two more years had passed. It was now 1924, and it had been eight years since the Great War had come to an end in this life.
France had just begun to recover. Four years after the National Restoration Government was declared under Pétain’s dictatorship, the nation had begun the process of reconstruction. Cruel as it may be, civilization was finally restored to the lands of west of the Rhine.
Meanwhile, Britain had long since stopped reeling from the injuries inflicted upon it during the Great War. King George may have dissolved parliament for a time to restore order to the nation. But the British Empire found a way to become an adversary of the Reich once more.
In fact, it began fostering trade with the United States postwar, increasing ties to its former colonies, and what remained of its current roster. This had instigated some form of economic recovery despite the damage dealt to the Empire’s treasury during the war.
Italy, having gotten off easier than the other allies, with being forced to pay reparations to damages they caused in the war, and ceding claims over Habsburg owned territories. Had not given birth to radical communists or fascism.
For starters, the Bolsheviks were slain in a decade earlier in this life, their revolution a monumental failure. And the reds in France were also rooted out early by the warlords.
Socialism had no place in the eyes and conscience of common men across Europe. It was seen as an ideology for anarchists, criminals, and sociopaths to rally behind. And frankly, that was a realistic depiction of those drawn to its ideals.
But Italy’s place in the world was still uncertain following the Great War. They had time to rebuild peacefully, but many within the nation believed they no longer held prestige, or power as a respectable nation.
Italy was at a crossroads, It could fall to republicanism, and become another threat on the Reich’s southern border to worry about in the future. Or it could be incorporated into dynastic alliances Bruno was forging.
Because of this, Bruno sent a letter to King Emanuel III, requesting the man come visit him in Tyrol as a guest, not a diplomat. Bruno wanted to show him something.
—
While the rest of the world reeled from the aftermath of the Great War a decade after it had begun, Germany had emerged stronger, brighter, and more united than ever. Crime was at an all-time low, and the Kaiser was more powerful than ever.
And the Reich’s alliance with the Russian Empire had propelled the two nations to greater heights than mankind was capable of imagining. Tyrol, after eight years of reforging in the aftermath of the Great War, became a symbol of the future.
Its cities were rebuilt, to respect the old architecture, but incorporate new technologies. Airfields, highways, high-speed rails, and most importantly, new energy systems.
Whether it was Tesla’s wireless resonance grid acting as the primary form of energy in the Grand Principality of Tyrol, or backup systems integrated into it, like small modular geothermal plants, environmentally friendly hydroelectric dams, solar panels seamlessly integrated into rooftops, and battery storage facilities strategically fortified within the nation’s reserves.
Tyrol had become a beacon of a world without reliance on 19th century energy production. And currently, significant gains towards the research and development of small, modular, thorium powered nuclear fission salt reactors which would act as the final redundancy in the future of Russo-German energy output.
But for now, it was still a technology under prototyping. Even so, when King Emmanuel III walked among Innsbruck’s streets, witnessing the future lying before him. He could not form words to accurately convey his thoughts.
Bruno had taken the man out to a local restaurant. The two of them sat and dined on fine Tyrolean Cuisine as Bruno dropped a major bombshell on the King of Italy.
“I know I asked you here to my lands as a guest. But I have to ask. What is your opinion of Italy’s current place in the world?”
Emannuel III was indeed stupefied by Bruno’s remarks. So much so, he did not initially react to the words spoken to him. And then after turning and facing Bruno, who was rather happily spooning kaesespaetzle into his mouth.
And then it suddenly hit him… Bruno was a man who people had warned him would make you feel like a friend, comfortable, and then he would bind you to him in a way you never expected.
The Italian King’s voice trembled as if he was gazing upon the Devil sitting in front of him, enjoying a nice meal at a local restaurant.
“Well… What do you think about Italy’s current situation?”
Bruno either pretended not to notice the anxiety being displayed by his guest, or was genuinely ignorant of it as he responded with a casual tone in his voice.
“I think it has two paths lying before it… One is to become a friend of the Reich, and a valued partner for the foreseeable future in the alliance that has been built between Germany and Russia….”
The way Bruno trialed off, intrinsically baited the Italian King to inquire further, pulling him out of his own hesitation as he did exactly that.
“And the other?”
Bruno took a sip of beer, dabbed his mouth with a napkin, and spoke as if discussing the weather. What came next, however, was anything but casual.
“”Or it can oppose the Reich. And we both remember how that ended—for you.”
King Emmanuel III sat in utter horror as he heard these words. Remembering how his pride of not being invited to joint military exercises between Russia, Germany, and Austro-Hungary who he was technically aligned with at the time drove him to Britain and France. And right into the jaws of defeat.
He remembered how Bruno’s army had swept through the Alps like wind through reeds—Milan taken without a shot fired. Forcing a surrender on his own terms, when the order had already been given, not to advanced further beyond the borders.
The excuse he had given at the conference to sign the treaty of surrender was that his radio was malfunctioning in the alps, and that he had only received the message after Milan was occupied.
Knowing all of this, Emmanuel had long since gotten a good estimation of Bruno’s character, and understood after calming himself, that Bruno was extending him, and Italy an olive branch. To join the winning side of the next war to come.
“I would much prefer to be a friend than an enemy…”
And when Emmanuel said this, Bruno knew that the southern border would forever be secure. Bruno raised his glass. The future of Europe was becoming clearer by the day—one monarch at a time.
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