Chương 2: A Sudden Engagement

Five years had passed since Bruno's rebirth in this new world. And it became immediately apparent to him that he was no longer in the 21st century, which he had perished in prior to reincarnation.

Curiously enough, he had been born before the folly and wrath of a bygone era. One that would permanently change the fate of Germany from a mighty empire to yet another subordinate state of globalism.

The year of his rebirth was 1879, a full eight years after the unification of the German Empire. Though the German people were finally united, it was a time of economic downturn. One that would last until the 1890s.

Despite this, Bruno was fortunate insofar as he was born the 9th son of a minor noble house within the Kingdom of Prussia, one that possessed significant wealth due to their status as war industrialists.

This house, despite being forged less than a century ago during the Wars of Napoleon, had become quite wealthy as they had a talent for engineering machines of destruction which were purchased and employed by the German Army.

Bruno's father was a wealthy and busy man. He had connections to the military as a former officer himself, as well as the politicians in the Reichstag. Making him fairly important in the society that Bruno found himself in. This meant that he was seldom home, or capable of spending time with his newest son.

As for his brothers, the oldest was already midway through high school, where he would soon ship off to the Prussian Military Academy within the next few years, as was tradition in the von Zehntner family. After all, they were founded in the heat of battle, and so, too would their sons experience the same.

Whereas the youngest of Bruno's older brothers was only two years ahead of him in age. He had no sisters to speak of, and because of this, if he wished to one day become the head of the house, he would have a long and vicious battle ahead of him.

But Bruno had much larger ambitions. Rather than be the head of a minor German noble household. His goals were to prevent the fall of the German Reich in 1918, and instead ensure its dominance in the century to come.

And it was because of this that he decided to live out the early days of his childhood to the best of his ability. And that meant that Bruno spent the majority of his time studying everything he could within the Manor's library.

Very early on in his new life, Bruno had proven himself capable of walking, talking, reading, writing, and performing basic feats of arithmetic well before a young child should have the means to do so.

This was not necessarily because he was born with any greater degree of intelligence. But rather because he maintained the memories of his past life.

Still, it was shocking to the family. From their perspective, an unparalleled genius had been born into their house. And this was only further proven so, as Bruno's display of knowledge increased with each passing year. Especially as the young child began to read every book in the family's library.

But such exceptional feats at such an early age had its drawbacks. After all, his mother had a tendency to speak frequently and boastfully about her beloved youngest son's exceptional talents, which were multifaceted and continued to expand with age.

While this would create large expectations for his future by many powerful figures in German society. It also created many enemies for the boy. Not only among the scions of the other noble families within his own age group, but especially among his brothers.

Despite only being five years of age, Bruno frequently found himself the victim of bullying and harassment, of which the most common perpetrator was the youngest of his older brothers, Ludwig.

Ludwig was a normal child, perfectly average in every way aside from the position of his birth. And he was deeply envious of the special attention and praise that his younger brother, Bruno, received from both of their parents, as well as their instructors. Which commonly manifested itself in temper tantrums.

Today was no exception. Ludwig had tripped Bruno as he was walking out of the family manor's library, and towards his own personal quarters, while carrying a stack of books. The texts which contained knowledge that would be considered quite advanced for Bruno's current age scattered on the floor.

Meanwhile, Bruno himself received scratches on the top of his knees. The pain was mild to Bruno, who in his past life had been shot multiple times even before his death. But it was the disrespect that caused him to dust himself off, and walk past his brother with a cold look in his sky-blue eyes.

This act of complete and total indifference towards him only further enraged Ludwig. It wasn't just the way that Bruno was better than him at everything that so aggrieved the young child. But it was the way that the boy would brush off every attempt in which Ludwig would make to express his fury.

Because of this, Ludwig got in Bruno's way, and pushed him to the floor violently once more. Only for Bruno to rise to his feet for a second time without the slightest care. Once more dusting himself off, as he tried to walk past Ludwig and defuse the situation.

Showing such lack of care for his elder brother's petty and childish attempts to hurt him maybe the mark of a mature individual, which was something his mother would praise him for. But to Ludwig it was a simple act of contempt, and because of this he grabbed hold of Bruno's collar and began to scream at him while raising his fist.

"You little bastard! You think you're so great! Well, let me show you!"

However, before Ludwig could strike his younger brother, a servant came rushing towards the both of them from down the hall. She had not seen the two noble scions scuffle, but rather she was here for another purpose.

And the moment she entered the area, Ludwig backed off, not willing to get caught bullying the young prodigy. He acted as if he was friendly to Bruno the entire time. Rushing towards the woman who had been both of their wet nurse as if demanding a hug.

"Helga!"

The woman named Helga however ignored Ludwig, running past him, where she knelt down in front of Bruno. There was a serious look in her eyes. It wasn't anything grave, or concerning, but Bruno had by now long since memorized the expression the woman would make whenever the Master of the House would personally request her to come find him. And sure enough, those were the words she spoke.

"Young master Bruno, your father has tasked me to come fetch you. He has an important announcement to make to you. Come this way, quickly!"

Ludwig was pouting when he saw that Helga had ignored him once more for the sake of his little brother. Apparently, she noticed this as she was holding onto Bruno's hand and ushering him forward. She called out to the older of the two siblings and assured him he would make time for him later.

"I'm sorry young master Ludwig, but your father's orders are absolute. I will have to play with you some other time!"

And with that said, Ludwig's attempts to bully his younger brother were well and truly crushed. At least for the time being.

---

Bruno entered his father's study. And was surprised to find that the man was not alone. Rather, not only was his mother by the man's side. But there was another family standing across from them.

A middle-aged man dressed in a heavily embellished military uniform stood by his father's side. Along with him was a beautiful woman, no doubt in her early twenties, who was wearing a lavish dress. And in between the two of them stood a young girl who appeared a year or two younger than Bruno.

As someone who had been properly raised with noble etiquette. Bruno immediately bowed before his father and the Prussian General while announcing his presence.

"Noble father, General, I have come to find you as requested. If it pleases you both, may I know what this is about?"

The middle-aged man, dressed in a Prussian General's uniform twirled his finely groomed and waxed imperial mustache as he gazed upon Bruno, and his manners. The man was clearly giving an approving nod to Bruno.

Almost as if he was surprised by the boy's proper display of noble etiquette. As for Bruno, he kept his head bowed until he was given permission to return to a proper standing position. But before such a thing could be granted, the General shifted his attention back to the boy's father, where he spoke to the man who went by the same name as his youngest son.

"Lord Bruno, is this the child? The young prodigy I have heard so much about?"

The house which Bruno hailed from was one generally regarded as being junkers. Though they were full-fledged nobility. The gaze which the middle-aged man shot towards Bruno's father was filled with contempt.

No doubt this man was from the old nobility, and if Bruno had to guess he was from a family which earned their status during the medieval period, when grants of land were given in accordance with feudal responsibility.

This was in contrast to Bruno's family, which had earned their noble title less than a hundred years ago via merit in combat. To an ancient noble family, like the middle-aged general was from, Bruno's family were mere upstarts, ones whose power and influence in the Reich was unfitting of their lacking heritage.

As for the young girl standing in front of her father. She was a shy and skittish creature. The moment Bruno entered the room, she hid behind her mother and peered out from behind as if she had just seen something frightening.

She, like Bruno had fine golden blonde hair and light azure eyes. Her long and silky hair was tied into twin braids. If Bruno actually had the mind of five years old, he might have developed a crush on the young doll like a girl at first sight.

But Bruno had barely taken notice of the girl, or her unusual behavior. He had no interests in such things. After all, though his body was that of a five-year-old boy, it held the memories of a man well past his fifties. How could he possibly care about a young girl such as this?

It was because of this that Bruno would never have anticipated the words which the General would speak next.

"The boy's manners are quite good, considering his heritage, and I see no imperfections to speak of. You have raised this boy quite well. I have decided you will marry him to my youngest daughter."

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Chương 3: Foiling a Dastardly Scheme

Bruno had an expression which matched that on his father's face. He was astonished by this proposal. Sure, it was common knowledge that engagements were made between noble families throughout history and in many cases the parties involved were quite young when they first occurred.

But he was the 9th son of a Junker nobleman from a family whose nobility was less than a hundred years old. Why would this general, who clearly looked down on his family, propose such a thing? Unless… Sure enough, just as Bruno began to suspect that there was some hidden meaning behind this engagement his father's expression shifted.

At first, the man was shocked, and he had every right to be, as he knew more about the circumstances behind the "offer" than his son did. But when the Lord finally recovered his senses, he could not help but clench his teeth and curl his fists.

It took every ounce of the man's strength to compose himself, as he knew the consequences of behaving recklessly here and now would be dire. He then posed a question to the middle-aged general, who was sneering at him while twirling his mustache as if the Lord's reactions were something to take great enjoyment in.

"Your Grace, am I to understand that you intend to betroth the daughter of your mistress to my true-born son?"

It suddenly hit Bruno when he heard these words. This little girl was a bastard? It made sense when he thought about it at greater length. I mean why would a middle-aged man have such a young bride, unless of course it was either a second wife, or a mistress?

And this would also explain the timid nature of the girl, who was practically shaking as she hid behind her mother. Bastards were seldom treated as family by the nobility, and were often bullied and harassed by their siblings, far more than the likes of which Bruno had endured these past few years.

A hint of pity appeared in the boy's blue eyes as he gazed upon the timid rabbit who was being sold off to his family, and for no less tragic reasons. Though Bruno suspected there was more to this offer than met the eye. Perhaps there was still some hidden meaning behind it.

With this in mind, Bruno shifted his gaze to his father and mother. Both of which looked like they were just about to throw the Prince and his family out of their house for daring to hurl insults at them within their own home. But somehow, they found the strength within themselves to remain calm.

Judging by the fact that his father had used the term your grace to deal with this general, the middle-aged man was likely a Duke. Or perhaps a mediatized Prince. Bruno would later find out that his assumptions were correct, and the general was indeed a Prince from the ancient and high noble family von Bentheim of whom had been raised to the status of "Princes" by King Frederick William III in 1817.

But at this moment, what type of noble this man was, insofar as their exact title, if they still held control of their ancestral lands, or for how long they had held such a lofty position Bruno did not know, but he did not have time to think about these matters as the middle-aged Prince quickly responded to the Lord's statement.

"Oh? What is this? You and your lovely bride seem so offended by my offer? You should be honored that I am willing to marry my daughter into a family with such a lacking heritage. She may not hold my name, but my blood runs through her veins. Perhaps some actual noble blood will do you up jumped peasants some good, don't you think?"

Now the man was no longer even hiding his insults. And Bruno knew his father's breaking point was near. Because of this, he sighed internally. If his father insulted a Prince, and a general in the Imperial Army no less, the consequences would be severe for their family.

Sure the von Zehntner family in this timeline may hold a bit of wealth, and a fair degree of influence within the Military and Reichstag. But to compare their family to this Prince, it was like comparing a lieutenant's power to that of a Field Marshal.

No doubt if the Lord acted without decorum here, it would be catastrophic to his family's future. And because of this, Bruno stepped forward. Fully willing to be the sacrificial lamb for the sake of his family and his own personal future.

"Apologies for my interruption but I would like to express my opinions on the matter. If that is acceptable to you, your grace…"

Bruno's father eyed him carefully. The boy was exceptionally intelligent and mature for his age. But to intervene now, and address the Prince and not him. There was very clearly some kind of scheme going on in his little mind. The man wanted to interrupt his son from making a mistake, but he was too slow to do so.

The Prince raised his brow and gazed upon Bruno as if he were a truly unique specimen. Most children his age would be utterly unaware of the significance behind this discussion. Or its hidden meaning. Yet this boy seemed to have followed the exchange between the two noblemen perfectly.

Wasn't this a bit too terrifying a display of intelligence and wisdom for a mere child to possess? Still, he did not know why, but the Prince wanted to see what the boy would say and because of this, was quick to nod his head and accept Bruno's request.

"Go ahead boy, speak…"

Although Bruno had the memories of a middle-aged man, he had been reincarnated and born anew. Because of this, he was still a young child, and so he decided to play to these strengths.

In doing so, he shot a kind smile at the young girl whose future was being discussed along with his. Before making a statement, that would save his family from speaking out of turn against their betters.

"I would like to thank you for your benevolence your grace. It would be my honor to marry your daughter, whether she is officially recognized by your family as a member of your house or not…"

This remark stunned the Prince. The truth of the matter was, he had not fully intended to marry his bastard daughter to Bruno. Rather, his reason for coming here today was to sabotage the von Zehntner family who he despised.

After all, the von Zehntner family was venerated among many of the newer nobility who had earned their title over the course of the last century through gallantry in battle. Or through grand achievements in science and culture.

If they lashed out against an older and more established noble family like that of the Prince's it could be used to slander all the new noble families. And that was the Prince's real goal.

But there were more people concerned about Bruno's statement than just the Prince. For example, the boy's mother was quick to cry out in shock. Trying to tell her boy to shut his mouth in the most motherly way she could.

"Hush child, you don't know-"

But her husband who raised his hand to silence her quickly stopped her. The man had few interactions with his youngest son over the years. But he had heard tales of the boy's genius. During their few encounters, The Lord knew that his son was harboring a frightening degree of intellect and wisdom, far more than a boy his age should possess.

Not only that, but he had been keeping tabs on all his sons and their growth throughout the years. Among them all, Bruno alone stood out at such a young age. Because of this, the Lord gazed down at his son with a stern gaze and asked him a simple question. Depending how Bruno answered would determine his fate.

"Bruno… Do you know what you are saying right now?"

What the Lord was really saying was, do you understand the consequences of your actions, and the effects it will have on your future?

To which Bruno responded with an equally severe gaze, as well as a slight nod of his head to his father, uttering a single word in response. And yet this word contained far more fortitude than it otherwise would have, especially when coming from a five-year-old boy.

"Perfectly…"

Bruno's father quickly sighed and shook his head, rubbing the bridge of his nose as if to soothe a headache. After which he turned to the Prince who was still staring at the boy, as if something was wrong with him. The Lord's response ultimately shook the middle-aged Prince from his stupor, making him fully realize that his plans had not gone as expected.

"You heard the boy. I have no choice but to accept your proposal. My son Bruno, and your daughter Heidi will be married when they both come of age. Or are you willing to retract your offer for reasons unknown to us all?"

It was evident by the expression on the Prince's face, and that of his young mistress that they did not know immediately how to respond to this. They fully expected the Lord to refuse the offer and hopefully even make a scene.

Which they could use to tarnish the family's reputation, painting them and those like them as little more than ill-bred peasants masquerading as nobles. But this small boy had interfered, taking the weight off of his parents' shoulders, and carrying the burden on his own. It was truly bewildering.

Before they could fully decide how to proceed, Bruno took the advantage, approaching the young girl, who was still hiding behind her mother. Bruno wore the most kind and childish façade he could possibly manage, as he grabbed hold of the girl's hands and smiled at her. All the while confirming the deal was done.

"So your name is Heidi? it is a pleasure to meet you my lady, my name is Bruno. We are to be married when we are older, so I hope you will take good care of me when that day comes!"

The girl was not nearly as articulate as Bruno was, as she was, after all, a normal child. But she broke out into tears when she saw how kind Bruno was treating her, and instinctively hugged him.

An act which shocked him. Bruno's first instinct was to pull away, but his mother looked at him with an affectionate gaze upon seeing his kindness. Ultimately compelling him to stay put while his young fiancee struggled to mutter the proper etiquette between her sobbing into his shoulder.

"I… I wi… I will be in your care…"

At first, Bruno did not understand why the girl was sobbing. But it took him all of a few seconds to process that this was perhaps the first time anyone had ever shown her any kindness in her life, and because of this he fully accepted the girl's gesture, albeit while at a total loss for words.

Though the Prince, on the other hand, was beginning to panic. He had long since lost control of the plot, and his anxiety continued to get worse until, of course, Bruno shifted his gaze towards him.

The boy mustered the most shit-eating grin he could manage, showing the Prince that this battle had ended in Bruno's victory. Causing the middle-aged man to damn near suffer a heart attack as he collapsed back onto the nearby desk. All the while struggling to breathe.

His mistress quickly began to panic, not showing the least bit of concern towards her daughter's emotional outburst, and instead checking to see if the man was alright.

"Your grace! Are you alright!?!"

Though he appeared to be on the brink of death. All it took was for the man to rationalize that he had been bested by a mere child in order for him to eventually recover from his panic attack.

He would ultimately recover his composure, after his embarrassing display, and storm out from the room entirely, leaving his mistress and their young daughter to follow shortly thereafter.

"You… I…. We're leaving!"

Heidi's mother pulled her away from Bruno, promising the girl that they would visit again before long. Whereas the girl would wipe the tears from her eyes and blush as she was dragged away by her mother, using all of her courage to wave goodbye with a forced smile to the boy who would one day be her husband when they both grew up.

As for Bruno, he waved back to the girl with a perfect smile. And once she and her family were out of range, his expression sank back to a cold and stoic visage where he sighed heavily before turning to his father, who gazed upon him with what appeared to be displeasure.

Bruno's father, having grown up among soldiers had a bad habit of breaking etiquette when he was angry with his family, and was quick to call his son out for being a scheming prick in the most vulgar of terms that would normally be ill-befitting of a noble Lord.

"You little shit… Just what are you planning?"

Bruno simply looked back at his father, remaining completely emotionless as he made a single statement before walking off.

"Nothing that you need to concern yourself with, father…"

After saying that, Bruno turned around and walked out the door. While his father collapsed in his seat and vented his frustrations to his wife.

"That little brat is going to be the death of me one day…"

As for Bruno's mother, she was filled with nothing but motherly affection towards her little genius who had rapidly become her favorite child, and rubbed her husband's shoulders while assuring the man that everything would be alright.

"On the contrary, our little boy just saved us a great deal of trouble…"

Ultimately, the Lord could not disagree with his wife's words. Had Bruno not been so quick thinking, and had not been willing to take a bullet for the family, then they could have ended up in real trouble. If Bruno was so capable at such a young age, then perhaps his father would have to pay more attention to him from here on out.

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