The Charity Invitation
After meeting Prince Ferdinand, Waldemar extended his stay in Vienna to meet several dignitaries.
He arranged appointments with Eduard Jus, the professor who had designed Vienna’s urban plan; Karl Menger, the founder of Austrian economics and author of the seminal work on economic principles; Joseph Stefan, renowned for his research on heat radiation; and the still-unknown young psychologist Sigmund Freud. All of them were figures destined to leave their mark on history.
Waldemar was certainly impressed by them, yet he judged that it would be difficult to recruit men of such stature from Austria. Still, he believed that building at least a certain level of acquaintance would be possible.
*If I can only build a relationship with them, I should be able to consult them when the need arises.*
Alix sat in the quiet private room of the Central Café, watching Waldemar lost in thought as he sipped his coffee. She found it not unpleasant to observe the prince in such a setting.
“Your Highness. The coffee has arrived.”
When the servant announced the waiter’s arrival, Alix gave permission for him to enter.
A moment later, the waiter appeared carrying a silver tray laden with cake and warm coffee.
The coffee Alix had ordered was a melange—mocha mixed with warm milk. This blend was famous among the nobility of Vienna.
For Waldemar, who still enjoyed his pure black Americano even in the twenty-first century, the idea of mixing anything into coffee was unappealing.
The waiter placed the drinks before them, arranged the cake, offered a polite greeting, and withdrew.
Waldemar and Alix each took a sip of coffee and sampled a piece of cake.
Austria’s café culture was far more advanced than Germany’s, and the same could be said for its pastry traditions.
Waldemar tasted the cake, then immediately set his fork down.
“It’s too sweet.”
After rinsing the sweetness away with his black coffee, Alix laughed softly.
“Sweets are the best.”
The two spent a sweet time talking about the sights they had seen in Vienna that day.
While they were still lost in their pleasant date, the servant knocked.
“Your Highness.”
Alix, who had been coquettishly affectionate with Waldemar moments earlier, felt her mood broken by the interruption.
“What is it?”
Waldemar asked. The servant answered with perfect courtesy.
“Her Excellency Princess Metternich and the ladies request an audience.”
The weight of that name steadied Waldemar’s heart, which had grown relaxed during his date with Alix.
Princess Metternich.
*Granddaughter of the former Austrian chancellor Metternich.
She was a formidable figure who could be called the queen of Vienna’s high society.
“By all means.”
Alix straightened her posture and checked her attire for proper dignity.
Soon afterward, several women who appeared to be of considerable age entered the private room, guided by the servant.
They looked every bit the noblewomen they were.
The lady standing at the center introduced herself.
“Pauline Clementine Marie von Metternich-Winneburg greets the Prince of Prussia.”
The other ladies followed suit.
“Marie Franziska of Liechtenstein greets the Prince of Prussia.”
Once the introductions were complete, Waldemar and Alix rose and greeted them formally.
“Joachim Friedrich Ernst Waldemar of Prussia. This is my betrothed.”
“Alix Victoria Helene Luise Beatrice of Hesse-Darmstadt.”
Alix curtsied with graceful elegance.
When Waldemar and Alix revealed their identities, the ladies’ eyes sparkled with curiosity as they studied the rumored pair.
After exchanging the necessary small talk to send them on their way, Waldemar asked the purpose of their visit.
“By coming to see Your Highness, we wish to request your attendance at our charity party.”
A charity party?
Waldemar realized, after some thought, that it was not strange he had received an invitation to one.
He had already cultivated a significant reputation through charitable work.
*This is troublesome.*
On this trip he had no intention of attending social gatherings.
Alix seemed equally reluctant.
Waldemar nearly refused, but he remembered the status of his visitors.
*Franz Joseph, the Emperor himself, was a man not to be dismissed. Rejecting a direct invitation from such a figure was possible.*
In the end, he had no choice but to accept.
“Since you have come in person to extend the invitation, refusing would be impolite. I will gladly attend.”
“It is an honor, Your Highness.”
The ladies did not stay long.
After completing their business, they soon took their leave of the residence.
Waldemar comforted Alix, who looked somewhat displeased.
“You did not need to accept this invitation.”
“It was too powerful a figure to refuse.”
“The elderly lady just now was that powerful?”
“Yes.”
The Princess Metternich was a formidable presence capable of openly clashing with Empress Sisi in Vienna’s social circles.
“Now the fun is over.”
Alix suggested returning to the hotel, saying they might encounter someone else if they stayed. Waldemar agreed.
He had not anticipated that the café chosen for meeting Austrian intellectuals would become a problem.
From then on, he changed all meeting locations to the hotel.
Two days later, Waldemar and Alix headed to the Metternich residence to attend the charity party hosted by Princess Metternich.
When they revealed their identities, the hostess and her husband came forward personally to greet them.
“Thank you for honoring our invitation, Your Highness.”
“It is nothing.”
Waldemar followed the Metternich couple through the grandly decorated interior of the mansion.
The hall, adorned with hundreds of candles and gas chandeliers, was breathtaking.
When Waldemar and Alix arrived, the servant announced their entrance.
The princess introduced them to the high nobles gathered in the reception room.
Among them was Otto Franz Joseph of Habsburg, and Waldemar and Alix greeted him with proper formality.
“Where shall we receive the donations?”
“Ah, over there.”
Alix listened to the princess’s explanation and sent her elderly maid to the charity committee ladies seated on one side of the reception room.
The maid took a check from her wallet and handed it over.
“On the name of Prince Waldemar, I will donate two hundred thousand marks. On the name of Princess Alix, two hundred thousand marks.”
“Ah.”
The ladies of the charity committee were stunned by the generous sum and stared at the couple.
“Did you hear? They’re donating twelve thousand gulden each.”
Two hundred thousand marks equaled one hundred eighteen thousand gulden.
Considering that Austrian workers earned only about fifteen gulden per month, it was an enormous sum.
Princess Metternich, who had overheard the amount from one of the committee ladies, was also taken aback.
*Are the prince and princess trying to bolster my prestige?*
She had already been grateful merely for their attendance at the party, but hearing the donation amount only increased her affection for them.
After a short while, the princess seized the opportunity to announce the donations.
“Prince Waldemar of Prussia and Princess Alix of Hesse-Darmstadt have specially sponsored this charity endeavor.”
The guests who heard her words looked somewhat surprised.
“Since the princess introduced them herself, it must be quite a large sum.”
The time for tea and pastries soon came to an end.
With the final guests—Waldemar and Alix—arriving, there was no reason to prolong the reception.
Soon the princess gathered the guests into the brilliantly lit hall and declared the ball open.
Waldemar and Alix politely declined the first dance suggested by the princess and took their seats in a corner of the hall.
While Waldemar and Alix conversed quietly, a flamboyant young man approached Waldemar.
“I was unable to greet you properly earlier, Your Highness Waldemar.”
Waldemar had already known of Otto from before the introduction.
Otto was the notorious wastrel of society, the brother of the diligent Prince Ferdinand, yet famous for his luxurious and dissolute behavior.
“No need for such formalities.”
After exchanging a few words with Waldemar, Otto immediately turned to Alix as well.
From the beginning, his aim had clearly been her.
“Princess, your beauty brightens the Vienna ball even further.”
“You flatter me.”
Otto continued with more compliments and then asked her to dance.
“Seeing you quietly in the corner, I feel sorry. If it would not be rude, may I ask permission from your betrothed, Waldemar, to dance with you?”
Waldemar felt an unpleasant sensation seeing Otto flirt with Alix.
Several ladies nearby had already begun to gossip about the scene.
“If it is about dancing, there is no need to ask His Highness. Alix only dances with her betrothed.”
Otto’s face flushed at Alix’s blunt refusal.
A man of such striking appearance had rarely experienced rejection from a young woman at a social event.
Just as the atmosphere grew chilly, Princess Metternich arrived with several ladies to resolve the situation.
Otto quickly took the opportunity to leave, thanking her for the awkwardness.
“I apologize for the unpleasant situation, Your Highness.”
“Not at all. It is nothing.”
Waldemar offered a social smile and reassured the princess.
“Does Otto always behave in such a manner?”
“Only when he finds someone he likes.”
Once Otto had departed, no further problems arose.
“Alix, you were wonderful earlier.”
At Waldemar’s praise, Alix blushed.
“That was because he was being so rude.”
Waldemar turned to Alix and said, watching the Austrian nobles dancing.
“Still, one of Otto’s words seems true. We cannot leave a beautiful flower in the corner of the ball. My dear lady, would you grant me the honor of one dance?”
Waldemar extended his arm.
“Very well.”
Alix gladly took his hand.
On the stage illuminated by the glittering chandeliers and lively music, only the dancing partners were visible.
In that space, only the two of them existed.
Waldemar and Alix danced a lively waltz, forgetting all unpleasant emotions.
They were lost in the romance permitted by the night of Vienna.