Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Waldersee's Return
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After finishing Schlieffen's letter, I sank into deep thought with a grave expression on my face.
Field Marshal of the German Imperial Army, Alfred von Waldersee.
The brilliant strategist who succeeded Grand Moltke as the second Chief of the General Staff of the German Empire.
And like the mustachioed Führer who would emerge later, a man steeped in anti-Semitism—a textbook far-right figure who despised liberalism and democracy his entire life.
And now, that Waldersee was returning to Germany alongside the China Expeditionary Force.
In just a few short weeks from now.
"In the worst case, my life might be in danger."
It was my blunder to have completely forgotten about Waldersee.
Schlieffen hadn't gone to the trouble of writing that letter just to tell me to be careful for no reason.
Given my race, the odds of Waldersee leaving me alone—with his inclinations as Field Marshal—were zero percent.
Waldersee would undoubtedly try to remove me from Wilhelm II's side.
The Waldersee I knew from history was more than capable of that.
"But right now, there's nothing I can do to stop Waldersee."
Moreover, Waldersee was no pushover.
He was the most successful political soldier in German imperial politics—a sort of upgraded version of Hindenburg and Ludendorff.
At the height of his power, even Bismarck had been wary of him, thanks to his immense ambition and political acumen.
Though he was older now and his influence in the military had waned, I still needed to tread carefully.
Show any weakness rashly, and I'd be handing Waldersee—and the Junkers gnashing their teeth at me—an opportunity on a silver platter.
'At least Wilhelm II no longer trusts Waldersee as much as he once did.'
The reason dated back to a military exercise ten years earlier, in 1891.
That day, Waldersee hadn't just crushed Wilhelm II in a mock battle—he'd openly mocked the Kaiser for knowing nothing about strategy.
Naturally, our Billy had been furious.
And Waldersee, who already had plenty of enemies, lost the Kaiser's trust over the incident and was forced to step down as Chief of the General Staff.
Schlieffen had taken over the position right after.
"For now, all I can do is watch and wait."
Like a good, obedient child, holding my breath quietly.
"“Waaahhh~!”"
December 1902.
The capital of the German Empire, Berlin, was filled with the roaring cheers of citizens who had gathered from across the nation.
It was to commemorate the triumphant return of the China Expeditionary Force, victorious in the Boxer Rebellion and war against the Qing—the occasion marked by a grand parade.
Stamp! Stamp! Stamp! Stamp!
Just as their predecessors had done since Napoleon's downfall in 1814 after victories in war, the soldiers of the China Expeditionary Force marched in perfect unison through the famous Brandenburg Gate.
"Long live the German Empire! Victory forever!"
"O Empire, endure eternally!"
Excited by the rare parade, the Germans unleashed cheers filled with joy at the victory toward the expeditionary soldiers.
Most of the troops took it proudly, but a few officers and soldiers flashed bitter smiles, reminded of their experiences in China.
"……."
Unlike them, however—at least they were smiling—the face of Alfred von Waldersee, commander-in-chief of the expeditionary force and the parade's lead general, showed no hint of mirth.
On the contrary, his mood had been foul the entire journey from China back to Germany.
The cause? Hans von Choi.
That loathsome Chink who had wormed his way into the emperor's side in his absence.
'To make an Asian such as that a noble of the Empire—what has come over His Majesty!'
When he'd learned of it from a letter that arrived from the homeland one day, he'd been so enraged he thought his veins might burst.
The fact that Hans had saved Wilhelm II's life meant nothing to him.
If anything, Waldersee couldn't comprehend why the Kaiser would bring such a creature into the palace for that paltry service.
And to top it off, his closeness to that Englishwoman grated on him too.
Rumor had it she'd not only left him her fortune but her mansion as well?
Who knew—perhaps she'd infected him with her repulsive liberalism.
Waldersee vowed to eliminate that yellow-skinned brat by any means necessary.
Just as he'd once plotted a coup to drag down Predecessor Friedrich III and Victoria Adelaide—for spreading liberalism and democracy like a plague upon the German Empire long ago.
Stamp! Stamp! Stamp! Stamp!
"Halt in place~!"
Lost in thought for a moment, the parade had already reached the front of Berlin Palace before he knew it.
Waldersee snapped to attention at the forefront of the column, raising his head toward that grand edifice symbolizing the Prussian spirit.
"Proud sons of Germany!"
And soon enough, the Emperor of the German Empire, Wilhelm II, made his appearance.
The Kaiser, whom they hadn't seen in ages, stood on the balcony and began his address to the returning troops from China.
"It fills me with immense joy to see you all again, having brilliantly completed your mission in that distant Orient and returned to the fatherland."
"……."
"You have stood against barbarism intent on destroying civilization and proven that justice and morality live on this earth. I consider it a great honor that you are my army—and that I am your emperor!"
The Kaiser's speech continued amid a hushed silence.
"...Thus, I praise you all from the bottom of my heart. Long live Germany! Victory forever!"
"“Long live Germany! Victory forever! Long live Kaiser Wilhelm!”"
Waaahhh───!!
Finally, as Wilhelm II's speech concluded, the silence erupted into fervent cheers and applause that engulfed all of Berlin.
But Waldersee couldn't have cared less about that right now.
What mattered to him was advising the Kaiser at once to cast out that scheming yellow-skinned whelp.
"You've had a hard time in China, Field Marshal."
"Not at all, Your Majesty!"
After the parade concluded.
To commend their feats in China, Wilhelm II personally pinned medals on Waldersee and the other expeditionary generals.
Of course, Waldersee hadn't actually commanded any battles.
Though he was the expeditionary force's overall commander and the allied forces' supreme commander, by the time he arrived in China, the weak Qing and Boxer armies had already been crushed by the furious powers' troops.
Thus, his role in China had mainly been carrying out the Kaiser's orders for 'punishment' against the Qing.
And Waldersee had executed them faithfully.
To Wilhelm II's complete satisfaction.
"Your Majesty, might I request a private audience?"
But as soon as the ceremonies ended, Wilhelm II couldn't help frowning at Waldersee's words.
He knew all too well what this cantankerous old field marshal wanted to say.
'It's obviously about Hans.'
Having kept Waldersee close for so long, Wilhelm II knew the man inside out.
Bülow and Schlieffen had warned him several times already.
Thus, the Kaiser had prepared his response in advance.
"I refuse."
"B-but Your Majesty!"
What he'd chosen was simple: ignore him.
Tiresome talk?
Just don't listen.
But despite his flustered look, Waldersee refused to back down and pressed forward.
"It will only take a few minutes. This concerns the dignity of the Empire and the imperial house—please, hear out this old man!"
"I know what you intend to say, Field Marshal. But my answer remains: 'Not worth hearing.' So abandon any vain hopes, go home, and rest to recover from your journey."
"But Your Majesty! That Chink is…!"
"Watch your tongue, Field Marshal."
Wilhelm II warned with a stern face.
"Insult that child in my presence one more time, and I'll take it as an insult to me."
"His very existence is an insult and blasphemy to Germany. A yellow-skinned mongrel is just that in the end!"
"Hans is different from those lowly yellow-skinned hordes. His superior intellect and loyalty to me and the Empire are acknowledged by others as well."
"But that boy is close to that Englishwoman too…."
"Field Marshal Waldersee! Are you insulting my mother right now?"
"Pardon?!"
Waldersee's eyes shook violently.
No, he'd called her that himself all this time—why now?
'What in the world happened while I was in China!'
As far as Waldersee knew, relations between Wilhelm II and Dowager Empress Victoria Adelaide were poor at best—never good.
At least until he'd left for China.
He could never have imagined the two had resolved their old grudges with Hans's help.
"Enough. I don't want to hear any more."
"Y-Your Majesty…!"
"I'll consider anything further an insult. Unless you want to dishonorably strip off that uniform, withdraw."
Waldersee seemed about to protest but soon gave up, slumping as he left the room.
Confirming Waldersee's departure, Wilhelm II smiled.
Bülow and Schlieffen's worries had been just that—groundless fears, as he'd said.
Look at that stubborn old Waldersee, retreating without a word.
"That settles this issue."
Wilhelm II chuckled, basking in the victor's leisure.
"How could the Kaiser inflict such humiliation upon me!"
Of course, this was all the Kaiser's delusion.
Waldersee's seething rage and hatred weren't the sort to be quelled so easily.
"It's all that bastard's fault! That damned yellow monkey!"
Far from it—it only fueled the flames.
"What have you all been doing while things came to this?!"
And soon, his fury turned toward the military officials around him.
They'd prepared a celebration for the field marshal's return, only to be met with curses and rebukes from the old man.
'What a headache.'
Chief of Staff Schlieffen rubbed his forehead.
He'd been uneasy ever since the Kaiser said he'd handle this himself.
But fanning the field marshal's rage like this—what was he supposed to do?
"How have Prussia's proud Junkers fallen to such a pathetic state?!"
"W-well, Field Marshal, we're dissatisfied with the situation too, but with the Kaiser so fond of that whelp, we have no other recourse."
One officer mustered his courage to speak, and the others nodded in agreement.
"Besides, whether he used some Oriental sorcery or not, not just His Majesty but the entire imperial family has fallen for him—the Empress, Crown Prince, even the princes."
"I'd love to challenge him to a duel, but throwing down the gauntlet at a child is hardly proper."
Did they like Hans—a yellow-skinned upstart monopolizing the Kaiser's favor and playing noble? Of course not.
They'd have gotten rid of him ages ago if they could.
But with Wilhelm II and the imperial family backing him solidly, it was nigh impossible.
"Then we kill the brat!"
"P-pardon?!"
The Junkers stared at Waldersee, faces saying even they had limits….
Assassinating an adult was one thing, but a child? It went beyond dishonor to wounding their pride.
"Field Marshal Waldersee, that remark has crossed the line."
"Schlieffen! Are you taking that whelp's side now?"
"Think of the consequences. This isn't the Middle Ages—assassination? What assassination?!"
"Damn it, cowards, all of you…."
At Schlieffen's opposition, Waldersee grumbled with a dissatisfied scowl.
Things like this never happened when he was Chief of Staff. Time was cruel.
"Then use your heads. The Kaiser's favor? Ha! Make the brat lose it, and you're done."
Wilhelm II was fundamentally capricious.
Even the most loyal retainers got cast aside if they irked his mood.
Just as Waldersee himself had experienced.
"His Majesty values the boy highly for some reason. Prove he's just another incompetent yellow-skinned savage like the rest, and the Kaiser will change his mind!"
"Ooh…!"
The officers unwittingly let out exclamations of admiration, nodding.
Without the Kaiser's protection, the brat was finished.
They could finally boot that obnoxious yellow-skinned whelp from the palace.
Far better than the reckless assassination idea, at least.
'These idiots….'
Of course, only if it were feasible.
Schlieffen, knowing Hans was no mere lucky child, felt a throbbing headache coming on and shook his head.
"Fortunately, I have a fine idea!"
Someone spoke up confidently.
Intrigued, Waldersee turned toward him.
"It's just hearsay, but they say the baron has recently been developing some bizarre new weapon."
"New weapon?"
Doing something like that?
Schlieffen's eyes widened at the unknown fact.
"Couldn't we use that somehow?"
"Hoh…. And you are?"
"Sir! Captain Erich Ludendorff of the 9th Infantry Division!"
Stamp!
Ludendorff saluted Waldersee crisply.
Pleased by the sight, the corners of Waldersee's mouth curved upward.
Thus, the curtain rose on Waldersee's plot against Hans.