Chapter 457: By the Numbers
Though Bruno sat across from Nicholas at the Tsar’s desk as a mere guest, he was the one who opened the bottle of vodka placed on the table and poured the drinks, offering a toast in Russian.
The two men sat in silence as they enjoyed the drink. It wasn’t a fine scotch of vintage worth a sizeable chunk of their lifespan, but it was a clean, and crisp drink, especially when paired with ice.
Bruno’s tolerance towards alcohol was at the point where vodka could be consumed as if it were mere water. And even Nicholas found himself impressed with the manner that Bruno handled his Russian spirits, making an offhand remark about it with a playful tone in his voice.
"Are you sure you weren’t born in Tsaritsyn instead of Berlin? The way you handle your vodka reminds me of the good old boys who work in the factories..."
Bruno simply smirked as he placed the glass down on the table and filled it again with the liquid that was clearer than the crystal glass which contained it.
"Oh, I was born in Berlin alright. I am 100% ethnically and culturally Prussian, but spiritually? You could say my soul bleeds for the bitter frost of mother Russia..."
Even if this was a mere throwaway line, Nicholas couldn’t help but see it with a confident and prideful outlook. It meant far more to him than his expression would suggest. Even so, with pleasantries now dispatched — and small talk having already pressed up against boundaries, Bruno preferred not to revisit — he got straight to business.
"Now that pleasantries are out of the way — let’s talk progress. I expect the numbers to justify the Reich’s considerable investment."
The Tsar had long since prepared for this meeting and slid a folder across the desk with a quiet pride. Bruno silently nodded as he read the figures — exactly what he had calculated, but he was content to let Nicholas speak.
"With the investment and joint-development programs you’ve put in place — licensing, tooling, engineering support — we’re now producing upwards of 700 armored vehicles based on your E-10 designs per month. In addition to this, we’re producing 130 to 150 armored vehicles based on the E-25 chassis.