Chapter 546: Dinner With the Kaiser
Bruno was out at dinner with the Kaiser. The two of them were enjoying a couple of beers and a hearty meal at the Imperial Palace in Berlin.
The year had been a rather ragged one for Bruno. He had been spending his time in Berlin, living in the same barracks as the young enlisted men, all while micromanaging the war.
Whether it was logistics networks back home or troop movements in the field, he made sure everything was in place.
Sleep was rare, and the luxuries he’d once enjoyed while living with his family were long gone.
Even so, when meeting with the Kaiser, Bruno ensured he was in proper shape.
Whether it was his clean-shaven face, freshly applied cologne, or clean-cut hair, which, now in his early fifties, had begun to show signs of graying, Bruno always presented himself with the utmost decorum. To him, it was a matter of respect and proper courtesy.
As for the Kaiser, he looked quite well for his age. He commented on the war as if it were a distant affair, a minor inconvenience to be handled.
"So, I’ve heard that the Japanese lines in Korea will falter within the fortnight, as the Russians have ensured that their winter offensive is ready. If they succeed, how long do you think it will be before the war comes to an end?"
Bruno considered it for only a moment, his gaze lifting toward the ceiling before he resumed cutting into his wurst.
"By next summer at the latest. Although the Japanese appear to already be in a state of infighting. With the deaths of the Emperor and the Crown Prince, chaos reigns. Everyone with ambition is now trying to consolidate power rather than focusing on the war effort."