Chapter 4

Werner stood by the window, gazing at the distant mountains, and deeply reflected on yesterday's events. He had taken Clara as soon as he could and quickly returned home to report his success to his father. His father, laughing, praised his son's swift victory. However, Werner deliberately did not mention to his father that Clara was of Jewish descent.

Soon after, Werner found a suitable real estate agent and purchased a mansion with a garden in the suburbs of Leipzig, Saxony. He decided to build a dedicated research laboratory next to it for Clara. Of course, to make it easy for her to use, he fully incorporated her opinions during the construction.

Having her own dedicated research laboratory was the ultimate dream for any researcher, and Clara was overjoyed. She became so engrossed in the plans for the laboratory that she spent day and night discussing with architects and drawing blueprints.

Amidst her enthusiasm, Werner felt that perhaps she had done all this to deceive him. He had intended to go to Paris to find a new woman, but that did not happen. He received a direct summons from the Chief of the General Staff, Helmuth von Moltke the Younger, who had succeeded Schlieffen. For Werner, who was only an officer candidate, this was an unprecedented situation, but he had no choice but to comply.

Originally, Moltke was supposed to take over as Chief of the General Staff in 1906, but it happened almost a year earlier. This was because Schlieffen, due to his advanced age and the changes in the era brought about by the Vernadoktrin and the advent of airplanes, believed it was time to pass the baton to the next generation. Similarly, General Levin斯基 had also retired at the same time as Schlieffen.

By the time Werner arrived at the General Staff headquarters after traveling by train and carriage, it was already mid-March. To his surprise, he was greeted by Lieutenant General Paul von Hindenburg. Hindenburg, smiling, returned Werner's hurried salute and invited him into the headquarters.

Guided by Hindenburg, Werner walked through the headquarters with a sense of trepidation. As he became increasingly anxious about what might happen, he was led to a conference room.

There, the Chief of the General Staff, Moltke, and other high-ranking officials of the Army were gathered. Overwhelmed by the unexpected turn of events, Werner performed a flawless salute, as he had been trained to do.

The reactions of those present varied; some smiled, others watched with amusement, but Moltke returned the salute and instructed Werner to take a seat. The seat assigned to him was in the center of the room, with Moltke and the others surrounding him, making it feel like a job interview. However, Werner thought, a job interview would be much more relaxed compared to his current situation.

"Alright, Cadet von Rundstedt. I have two pieces of good news for you," Moltke began.

"You are promoted to second lieutenant effective today and will be assigned to the Operations Division of the General Staff. Of course, you will also attend the General Staff course at the War College."

Werner blinked several times and stared at Moltke. He wondered if this old man was telling him to die.

Thinking of it as an internship, Werner easily predicted that he would be involved in the research of the doctrine he had published. The fact that they were treating him with such high regard meant that the Army had high expectations for his doctrine.

Moltke, unaware of Werner's thoughts, continued.

"Regarding your company... and this applies to many companies, the Army has concluded that it would be good to mount artillery on armored cars. We would like you to develop a prototype. Additionally, we need to mount machine guns and bombs on airplanes to attack enemy positions from the air, so we would like you to work on that as well."

These were exactly the tank and close air support aircraft that Werner had proposed in his submitted paper. It seemed that Moltke and the others had concluded that these ideas had potential and decided to create prototypes as a trial.

Ah, I see, Werner thought, understanding the purpose of this meeting. Essentially, they wanted him to keep quiet so that his doctrine could be claimed as a success of the General Staff.

Once he understood this, Werner felt much more at ease.

"Of course, there are a few other things I would like you to do, but I will provide a detailed request later. Please review it."

Werner nodded, and Moltke nodded in return, adding:

"You are still on extended leave. Specific instructions will be given after your leave ends. Until then, please rest and recuperate."

This was the signal that the meeting was over.

Afterward, Werner was given a brand new uniform and a thick request document. Feeling overwhelmed, he decided to visit the War College, which was nearby.

The carriage ride took less than 30 minutes, but during that time, Werner skimmed through the request document.

It included not only tanks but also makeshift self-propelled artillery mounted on existing field guns, self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, towing trucks, personnel carriers, large-capacity cargo trucks, and trailers. There were also various types of aircraft, such as fighters, ground attack aircraft, twin-engine fighters, twin-engine bombers, and four-engine bombers, as if they had included everything they could think of.

Many of the Army's requirements were impossible to achieve with the technology of the time, but there were also more practical requests, such as replacing all the wheels of field guns with rubber tires and developing area-denial weapons using rockets. At the end of the document, it was stated that they aimed to place formal orders in about five years and that they should focus on technological maturity until then.

Werner's company specialized in automobiles and aircraft, while firearms were the domain of companies like Rheinmetall, Krupp, Bergmann, and Walther. However, the Army might be indirectly suggesting a partnership.

Historically, even as Germany entered World War II, all of its field guns still had iron or wooden wheels, which were far less mobile compared to the rubber tires used by the British and Americans. Additionally, Germany's artillery system was much more outdated compared to that of the British and Americans, and self-propelled artillery was hardly developed. Despite being considered the most mechanized army of the time, Germany still relied heavily on horse-drawn carriages for logistics, and only a small portion of its infantry divisions were motorized. In contrast, the United States was the only country in the world to achieve full mechanization at the time.

Upon arriving at the War College, Werner paid the carriage driver and looked up at the grand entrance. Despite its impressive appearance, he felt a sense of gloom. Wondering if he was cut out for a military career, he stood there when he was suddenly approached.

Turning around, he saw an unfamiliar young boy. He was in his early teens, with black hair, and his clothes were only slightly better than a beggar's. However, his face was excited, and his eyes were shining brightly.

"Is there something you need from me?"

"Are you Werner von Rundstedt?"

Werner's face was known throughout Europe and beyond due to newspaper coverage. This was the first time he had been approached on the street, but it was not surprising. The newspapers portrayed him as a young investor in RFR, an elite noble attending the War College, and added a fair amount of embellishment.

"Indeed. Who are you?"

"My name is Adolf Hitler."

Werner pulled his cheek, confirming that he was not dreaming, and then asked:

"Where are you from?"

Without being surprised by Werner's strange behavior, Hitler excitedly explained that he had moved to Vienna to become a painter after dropping out of school, but he wanted to see the capital of Germany at least once, so he had traveled from his hometown.

Hitler continued, explaining his situation. He was a young but pure-blooded Greater Germanist, advocating that Germany should include Austria.

Hitler became a Greater Germanist in rebellion against his father, Alois, who supported the Habsburg Empire, but this belief remained even after his father's death.

Additionally, it was not hard to understand why Hitler had come to Berlin. The city was home to many historical buildings, museums, and theaters, and Hitler had come to see them.

"So, what does that have to do with me?"

After listening to Hitler's speech, Werner asked bluntly. The speech was enthusiastic but seemed like a pipe dream.

"I want to help Germany in some way!"

"What about Vienna?"

"My heart is with Germany!"

Hitler's words left Werner at a loss. People like this, once they believed in something, became very stubborn.

However, it would be a waste not to use him. If he could bring Hitler to his side, it would make things much easier. Whether or not the Third Reich would be established, Hitler's political talent was quite reliable. Specifically, he had the ability to make a good impression on people he met for the first time and to attract others.

"If you really want to do something for Germany, I can arrange the funds for you to go to school."

Hitler immediately made a displeased face, but Werner quickly continued:

"I want you to become a leading politician of the Greater German Empire in the future. Of course, you want to be a painter, so you can be both a painter and a politician."

However, Werner added:

"The path to that goal is thorny. But if you overcome it, you will surely achieve success. If you don't like school, a private tutor will do."

"Really? You would do so much for me..."

Hitler became hesitant. He lacked confidence when spoken to in this way.

"Don't worry. Investing in the future is a must. More importantly, it is the duty of a noble to help those who want to do something but cannot for some reason."

Saying this, Werner firmly grasped Hitler's shoulders and looked him straight in the eye.

"Germany's future rests, in part, on your small shoulders. I am confident that you can do it. I am betting on your enthusiasm. Work hard without compromising your health."

Hitler was moved to tears. He had never met anyone who spoke to him so sincerely and took action.

He was only 15, and his young mind accepted the words and developed a respect for nobility.

"Let's go now. Time is money. To my house first."

Hitler's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected turn of events.

"My acquaintance is a former teacher. She is of Jewish descent, but I want you to accept the facts as they are, without preconceived notions."

Werner and Hitler then arrived at Werner's mansion in the suburbs of Leipzig. Clara's research laboratory had just been completed the day before Werner left for Berlin, and it was so large that it seemed bigger than the mansion itself.

Hitler, seeing a noble's mansion for the first time, was speechless, but he blushed when he saw Werner laughing beside him.

"Your tutor is the owner of that laboratory."

"A woman running a laboratory?"

Hitler asked in surprise. Werner nodded and explained:

"I am investing in her as I am in you. My father called it a million-mark gamble."

"A million marks..."

Hitler was impressed by the vast sum of money and the nobility's grandeur.

"I am considering a similar investment in you. I want you to work hard so that it's not a waste of money."

Hitler sensed the earnestness in Werner's words. He thought that Werner, being progressive, was not recognized by his surroundings or his father.

This resonated with Hitler's relationship with his father. He felt a sense of kinship with Werner and spoke up:

"Where is she?"

"She is in the laboratory, but I think it's a den of iniquity, so let's wait in the mansion."

Hitler wondered what the inside of the "den of iniquity" was like but decided not to dwell on it.

When Hitler was led into the mansion, he was surprised by the unexpectedly simple interior, the unusually large number of maids, and their ages, which ranged from around his own to their early twenties. Hitler discovered a less admirable side of Werner and felt that even nobles were human.

And he was right. Werner had not yet acted on his desires but was gathering maids from various places with the intention of doing so in the future. His plan for future happiness included not only European maids but also American, Russian, Thai, Indochinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, and Chinese maids from around the world.

Generally, when a man gained wealth and power, he indulged in one or all of three things: alcohol, drugs, and women.

Among these, indulging in women—specifically, how many women he could keep under his control—was a status symbol for men of that era.

Moreover, Werner had a work-sharing mindset, thinking that the more maids there were, the easier the household chores would be for each one.

For about 30 minutes, Werner and Hitler engaged in a lively conversation about the future of Germany and the diplomatic situation surrounding it. Hitler was shocked by the dangerous neighboring countries but also shared his own opinions, making the conversation quite engaging.

Soon, a woman entered the reception room and stood casually beside Werner.

"Let me introduce you. This is Clara Imavare, my million-mark investment."

They bowed to each other.

"Hitler, she is of Jewish descent."

Hitler did not fully grasp the significance of being Jewish. He only vaguely remembered that his mother's doctor was Jewish.

Seeing this, Werner wondered how Hitler had become so radical.

"Clara, teach him the basics of general knowledge. I will pay you for your trouble."

"Excuse me, Mr. Werner. Who is he?"

Clara's reasonable question. The maids standing against the wall were also curious.

"He is to become a prominent German politician and painter in the future."

Clara tilted her head but nodded, not wanting to upset her sponsor. She was still under the illusion of the kindness shown to her when she was taken in, but she had regained some of her composure. Her goal was to maintain her research funding without upsetting Werner too much.

"Well, Hitler, I think it's best to study the basics here and only go to Vienna for exams."

"Uh..."

Hitler gave a noncommittal response. He was unsure how to react but thought it wouldn't be to his disadvantage.

"You must also aim to be an artist. Therefore, I will arrange special seats for you to attend operas in Berlin and Vienna on weekends."

Werner's words made Hitler's eyes shine. His obvious enthusiasm made Werner laugh.

It seemed that Hitler was the type to become thoroughly obsessed with things he liked.

"Well, I'll have a room prepared for you. And I will be away for a while."

Werner was confident that Hitler would not make a move on the maids or Clara while he was gone. He thought Hitler seemed too reserved in such matters.

"So, Hitler, study hard and aim for the opera on weekends."

"Yes! Thank you!"

Hitler bowed energetically.

That night, Hitler wrote a letter to his mother in his hometown, praising Werner and the nobility.

In reality, Hitler would later clash with the Junkers, but in this world, that conflict was avoided.

Werner, with only a few days left of his extended leave, hurried to Paris, France. The streets of Paris had a different elegance compared to Berlin. However, Werner was not particularly interested in the city's charm. He thought that it would become German territory within 10 years.

What interested him more were women. Even if it would become German territory in 10 years, he would be a 30-year-old man by then. It was against his values to gather girls at that age. In short, he wanted to indulge in women while he was in his 20s.

So, he wore his newly received uniform with the rank of second lieutenant and ventured into the streets of Paris. As a German, Werner had studied English, French, and Russian at the military academy and War College. The reason for learning these languages was evident from a map: Britain, France, and Russia were all potential enemies.

He received hostile glances for being German, but he was used to it. More importantly, his rank made a difference.

Even as the lowest-ranking officer, an officer was still an officer. Many women—prostitutes—approached him, and Werner took them one by one to hotels and enjoyed himself. After the encounters, he revealed his name and showed the contents of his wallet casually, and the women, seeing the money, eagerly agreed to visit his mansion. They were eager to get him to pay.

However, Werner