Chapter 23: Chapter 22: The German Crown Prince

Berlin, German Empire

The Habsburgs were once the most powerful family in Europe and the head of the once Holy Roman Empire. Crown Prince Wilhelm Frederick had once always looked up to the Habsburg for what they had achieved in history, on how once a small noble family rise to become as one of the most powerful monarchs in the world. Where they once ruled Spain, Germany, Southern Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands, and the colonial lands these countries possessed in the world. But that was a long time ago and now the Habsburgs are just stuck in their holdings in the Austrian Empire.

The Habsburg and the Austrian Empire now is just a relic from the past and the one who is blocking the German Empire from truly uniting the German People. The Austrian Empire is just a stumbling block that needs to be clear to achieve his dream of world domination.

And now in front of him is the future ruler of that said stumbling block, the Crown Prince of the Austrian Empire, Archduke Karl Franz Justinian von Habsburg. The Austrian Crown Prince is extending his hands towards him waiting for a handshake from him. The Austrian Crown Prince is even smiling innocently toward him like what just happened between him and the French Princess didn’t just happen.

They said that this guy is smart and cunning, he thought. He received reports from the German spies and agents that the Austrian Crown Prince already controlled a large portion of the Austrian government and the military different from him who is still struggling to regain the trust of the people due to the latest scandal he was involved in.

But now he is acting like an innocent and friendly young man. If this man is really a cunning and deceitful person as the reports say, then this man is plotting something. He can understand now why these two unscrupulous persons are gathering, they are planning something dastardly against him, such wickedness he thought.

But he was magnanimous and he would enlighten these lost souls of his grandeur and glory.

“The honor is mine Archduke Karl Franz Justinian of Austria.”

Crown Prince Wilhelm Frederick also extends his right hand and clasps Justinian’s extended hands to handshake with him. He grips Justinian’s hand firmly and strongly so that Justinian could feel pain and hurt from too much force exerted on his hands. But Justinian needs to maintain his innocent and friendly façade towards the German Crown Prince. He can see that even if the German Crown Prince is smiling, the hostility in his eyes is visibly clear.

“Soooo… what do the PRUSSIAN Crown Prince wants to discuss with us that he needs to personally grace his presence.”

“Princess Charlotte, you should watch your mouth every time you speak. We are not scared of you Frenchmen of war.”

“Ohohoho… Prince Wilhelm, you should be the one who needs to watch your actions for the Germans would not rally behind you.”

Princess Charlotte interrupts the tense stand-off of the Austrian Crown Prince Justinian and German Crown Prince Wilhelm Frederick by calling Prince Wilhelm a Prussian Crown Prince. Calling the German Crown prince to a Prussian crown prince is an insult to the new policy that the Germans implemented for years. They had for years tried to call themselves Germans so that it would be easy to assimilate other German states into one cohesive state, that’s why they avoid calling themselves as Prussians.

But Princess Charlotte instead called him a Prussian Crown Prince which is a big insult and difference for him. The Prussian Crown Prince is just the equivalent to ruling the kingdom of Prussia compared to the German Crown Prince which means the successor of the ruler of the entire German people. Even the Habsburgs can’t call themselves as the German Kaiser after their defeat in the Russo-Prussian war, this term is just reserved for them. Insulting him is equivalent to insulting the entire empire.

But what hurt the most for Prince Wilhelm Frederick is when Princess Charlotte said that a lot of German people lost their trust in him after the scandal. He is fuming in anger and wants to hurt the Princess but he can’t in front of the public and other countries’ delegates. This day should be a day of celebration for the German Empire and he should be happy as the Crown Prince but he is now humiliated by his former fiancée.

“Princess do you think the people are that stupid to lose their trust towards me, their monarch, just because of a such minor scandal? They should rejoice that I didn’t choose a wife from a family of usurpers.”

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“Didn’t your family also usurp the title of being emperor of the Germans? The one who should have that title is the one person who is here, Austrian Crown Prince Justinian. Your bloodline is might not even Germans but Polish or Slavic.”

“Shut your mouth… Princess.”

“I dare you to shut my mouth.”

“YOUUUU B*T*H !!!!!”

Prince Wilhelm Frederick can’t control his anger and shouted at Princess Charlotte with vulgar words and profanity. He even raised his hand to slap the Princess but Justinian immediately stand in front of Charlotte to protect her.

 A lot of people had witnessed Prince Wilhelm Frederick’s outburst and were shocked by his attitude. Murmurs and whispers can be heard around them and Prince Wilhelm Frederick started to realize of what he had just done. People are whispering that the Prince is not only a cheater and a womanizer but also a violent and dangerous person. He felt humiliated and can only clench his fist and he stared at the two intensely, if his sharp gaze can kill then the two are already killed a lot of times. He can only retreat for now to avoid further damage to his reputation. He started to walk away but stop at a distance so that they could hear what he said before fully leaving.

“Remember this day Princess Charlotte. I’ll repay you ten-folds of all the humiliation I received you today and the previous ones. Also… you Archduke Justinian, I will have my revenge on the both of you.”

The German Crown Prince then immediately leave the premise together with his lackeys and guards. The tense atmosphere then slowly eased and the people can relax again. But the two, Justinian and Princess Charlotte, realized that their relationship with the future German Emperor can’t be repaired anymore and in the near future they might even clash due to what happened today.

“I’ll take my leave as well Prince Justinian. I hope we can see each other more and I’ll inform you when we’re going to finalize and sign the deal.”

Princess Charlotte then immediately leave together with the French delegates and went where they were assigned to stay to continue watching the military parades in the street.

Only Justinian and Lin were left in place and they can only sigh at what had just happened and can only continue to watch the military parade. The other delegates also started to return their focus and attention to the military parade.

Deep inside, Justinian feels cheated by what Princess Charlotte had done. Before he can even decide whether to make Prince Wilhelm Frederick an enemy or not, the French Princess used this meeting for him and the German Crown Prince to be enemies and forced him to ally with her. His wariness towards Princess Charlotte had increased.

He thought the Princess is very cunning and dangerous and may be a threat to his plans. But what had happened cannot be undone anymore and he can only work with what he had now and he would do anything to succeed even if allying with the cunning French Princess.

He could only hope that what had happened would not affect them immediately, especially during the Hungarian rebellion and Ottoman invasion.

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