Chapter 133: The Altruism Paradox
The next day, everyone was in a much better mood, having slept off any negative thoughts regarding the horrific but accurate retelling of war that Bruno had shared during the previous evening's dinner.
And Franz Joseph had wanted to personally meet with Bruno, who had made a significant investment into Serbia's meat industry, one that gave him a significant amount of control over it. Because of this, Bruno found himself in Franz Joseph's personal quarters, where he sat across the Austrian Kaiser face to face at his desk.
The man was quick to break out an offer of an expensive drink, which Bruno politely declined due to the early hours of the day. After which Franz Joseph just blatantly came out and said what needed to be said, since Bruno was not willing to stand on ceremony with him.
"I want to know why you have decided to approach the Serbian government with the funds necessary to invest in their attempts to circumvent our sanctions by selling their meat elsewhere. I have considered you a friend of Austria, and the House of Habsburg up until this point, but now I get the feeling you are deliberately acting against our interest, and I want to know why?"
Bruno scoffed when he heard this accusatory statement and was quick to roll his eyes as he dismissed it entirely.
"Frankly speaking, your majesty, whoever advised you to engage in economic sanctions against the Kingdom of Serbia either doesn't have your best interests in mind, or is an absolute moron.... To put it simply, this isn't a battle you were destined to win. In fact, you could say the deck has been stacked against you from the start.
I invested in Serbia's meat industry because if I had not done so first, the French would have gladly taken the opportunity to do so. Either way, with or without my interference, Serbia would have circumvented your sanctions and made a profit off of their international trade of pork. While the only ones who would have suffered would be you and your people.
By getting involved, I have claimed a large degree of authority over where this pork ends up, and at what price. I have also stolen all the profits from the French who would have surely used it to fund their war efforts, which would one day soon be wielded against our two nations.
I have done you a significant favor, and you repay me by accusing me of being an enemy of your family?"
The Austrian Kaiser's eyes narrowed at Bruno after his rather confident statement. He then folded his hands together and was quick to ask the next question in his mind.