Re: Blood and Iron

Chapter 244: Contemplating Mortality and God's Will in the World



To say that Bruno was not the least bit concerned with Leon's death, which was revealed in the papers as an act of German artillery, was quite the understatement. If not for the fact that French propaganda had painted the failed general as Bruno's rival on the world stage, he

would have forgotten all about the man.

Leon had not earned his position, he was given it because of Bruno's rapid rise. They needed a young face among the general staff, one with a good service record as an officer, and Leon's shared history with Bruno in the east gave him preference in this regard.

However, the man had proven to be volatile, quick to anger, extremely selfish, shortsighted, and incompetent on a scale larger than the command of a battalion, especially when given his own theater, albeit a minor one like Luxembourg to plot, and invade on his own.

The result of which was his death at the hands of his own men. Who concealed this act of murder and mutiny as a random casualty of the war. In the end, Bruno had nearly forgotten about Leon, and any grievances against him and the French General was merely a one-sided affair.

Bruno simply didn't care, Leon's death had no real impact on the war, and he was a figure from his past life that was unknown to history, meaning he was incredibly unlikely to leave a real footprint on the world after the Great War was over.

No, Bruno was far more interested in important French figures of the era, like Charles de Gaulle, who, ironically enough, was currently serving in Belgium as a much lower ranking officer than Leon had been at the time of the man's death.

Charles de Gaulle was currently a lieutenant in the 33rd Infantry Regiment, which according to Bruno's intelligence was receiving a severe pounding from the Belgian-German alliance that they were defending against as Bruno himself currently sipped from a cup of coffee within the city of Belgrade and read from the daily newspaper.

In Bruno's past life, the man had been a major player in shaping the world during and after WW2. Though from 1916 until 1918, he was a prisoner of war in the previous timeline. Only reaching the rank of captain by the time he was captured.

Whether Charles would live or die was up to fate to decide. Even so, Bruno couldn't help but feel that there was something that didn't sit right with Leon's sudden death. According to his intelligence, the only artillery employed in the battle were lightweight 60mm mortars which had been used by the Stormtroopers in their assault.

If rumors were to be believed, Leon's death was so gruesome, Bruno would find it hard to believe that a mere 60mm mortar shell had taken him out in such a fashion. Luxembourg was not his area of responsibility, however, and because of this gathering accurate information on the topic was a more difficult endeavor than he cared to actually pursue.

Because of this, he eventually put down his paper and sighed as he pulled out a cigarette from his pack of smokes. He was just about to light the thing when Heinrich sat down in front of him. The man had his own medals pinned to his chest, which he had earned over the years, and was quick to comment on the paper Bruno was just reading, with a grim look on his face.

"You know that could be either of us, right? Before this war ends, the angels could come calling for you or me just as they did that French twat..."

Bruno chuckled as he heard this, before responding to his friend's somber tone, as he tossed the paper aside so that neither of them dwelled on the morbid subject for too long.

"I hate to break it to you, Heinrich, but I am far too important for the plans God has for this world. If I am stupid enough to get myself killed before I have finished his work, our heavenly father will simply send me back to attempt it again."

Henrich chuckled at Bruno's words. The man had indeed grown more religious as the years passed, but this was perhaps the most insufferable cope he had ever heard Bruno state regarding his own mortality and the potential of his death in the line of duty. Because of this, there was almost a bittersweet smirk on the Colonel's face as he responded to what he perceived to be a jest from his superior officer.

"Are you sure about that, my friend? How certain are you that when you die, the Lord will just send you back to start anew? Wouldn't your failure to achieve the goals he had trusted you with mean that you are unworthy of resurrection?"

Bruno's expression turned mortified as he heard his friend's words, not only because he knew there was some truth to them but also because he found it to be amusing.

"Dear God, I never thought of it that way before, but you might actually be right. The amount of stupid shit I have done on the battlefield because I assumed my death would not be final! I think I want to go home and rethink my life..."

At first Heinrich thought that Bruno had been joking around this entire time, but the man's acting skills were convincing enough in this moment that he genuinely thought the man may have had a complete and total delusional mindset throughout his entire military career until

now.

Causing Heinrich to jump out of his seat and shout at his friend as if the man was an absolute idiot.

"Are you fucking kidding me!?!"

His reaction was loud and stirring enough that the interests of several soldiers sitting nearby were cast upon the two high-ranking officers, that is until they realized who they were. Bruno, however, simply chuckled and shook his head while returning to his coffee, all with a cheerful smile on his face.

"Relax, Heinrich, I may be religious, but I'm not insane... You do know that reincarnation is a Buddhist ideal, right? Not a Christian one? Granted, if God truly exists as the good book claims he does, he most certainly possesses the power to make such a thing reality, but I doubt he would move his hands to help me should I fail so miserably after the second chance he has given me with this life..."

Heinrich immediately settled himself down, forcibly so as he sat down in his seat, pondering upon Bruno's words. He didn't exactly know what "second chance" Bruno had spoken about, but after thinking upon it for no more than five seconds, he figured it could have been a great deal of things as Bruno had endured several near-death experiences so far in his relatively young life.

Instead, he sighed heavily, before assuring Bruno he was serious with the deliberate tone in his voice, while expressing his gravest concern about this war.

"Hey man, seriously though... Promise me... If I end up dying out here, you will take good care of Alya, right? You will look after my daughter for me, yes?"

Bruno smirked, seeing this as a good chance to make fun of his friend, despite the severity of the request, as he looked Heinrich straight in the eyes while sipping his coffee once more before saying the words he knew would utterly infuriate the man.

"Relax, the matter is settled. She is already set to marry my eldest son. What more can I do

than that?"

Heinrich, of course, grew flustered as he stood up once more and cursed at Bruno before storming off in a fit of rage.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"Fuck you! I never consented to that fucking engagement, and you know it!"

As Heinrich pouted and angrily stomped away from Bruno, the man hollered at his friend once more, doing his best to thoroughly take advantage of the situation given to him.

"What? You don't want to be a member of my family! I am insulted! To think that for all these years, I thought we were as close as brothers!"

If it were not for the fact that Bruno was at the peak of German military command, and the

city was filled with soldiers at the moment, Heinrich would have flipped off Bruno as he walked away from his line of sight. But he reserved himself because of the circumstances, even if it pained him to do so.