Chapter 480: Diplomacy And Brunch
Not long after Bruno began educating Eva in the ways of geopolitics, he found himself face to face—in his own home—with the Kings of Greece and Bulgaria. Two men who had been enemies just half a decade ago now came to him seeking advice.
Frankly speaking, both were deeply intimidated by Bruno’s strategic abilities. The fact that he had yet to retire, and now served as the chief of the German General Staff, meant only one thing: they needed his opinion before committing to any alliance outside of Germany’s orbit.
The problem was, it was difficult to know what exactly Bruno thought. After all, he was partially responsible for the current state of the Balkans.
Still, Bulgaria and Greece had two viable options. Romania and Hungary both seemed poised to reignite conflict over territory that Bruno had only temporarily pacified. The two kings hoped to avoid backing the wrong side in what could become another war.
They did not meet in some grand throne room or diplomatic hall, but rather in Bruno’s personal study—drinking tea and coffee over brunch. And neither of them could resist the man’s disarming charm as he opened the conversation not with strategy, but with something far more intimate.
"So, Ferdinand," Bruno asked with a smile, "have you been to pray in the Hagia Sophia yet? When my men and I took the city, the first thing I did was kneel within its pews and give proper worship to our Lord—the Father in heaven, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, whom we all know are truly one."
That one sentence landed like a bomb. Bruno had just echoed the Orthodox doctrine regarding the Trinity—openly—despite ruling over a Catholic realm and being of Protestant birth. The silence that followed was palpable until Constantine finally broke it.
"I’m sorry... but if I’m not mistaken, you are of Prussian stock, no? Your family is as Prussian as the lands themselves are German, from my understanding. Wouldn’t that make you Protestant?"
Bruno scoffed and rolled his eyes, answering as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Nominally? For most of my life, yes. However, I converted to Catholicism recently as a gesture of goodwill toward the people I now rule. Spiritually? Well... I’ve probably been Orthodox since the day I first read the Bible—and the history of the faith. Anyone who knows my understands this. It’s not like this is some grand secret."