The Grand Assembly of Argumentation

Oscar talked with German Emperor Wilhelm II and Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz until two in the morning. Although both Wilhelm II and Tirpitz approved of Oscar's design plan, getting them to immediately commit to building the battleship he had designed was still somewhat unlikely.

Building a battleship was no joke; each one took two to three years to construct. Of course, the British Navy's Dreadnought went from keel-laying to launch in just one year. But if you factored in fitting out and sea trials, it took two years before she entered service.

Therefore, before construction of a battleship could begin, thorough deliberation was essential. Everything had to be foolproof to avoid all sorts of problems cropping up after work started. If that happened, fixing those issues would be extremely troublesome.

Especially since Germany's military budget for naval development was already very limited. If problems arose, it would be a heavy blow to the German Navy, widening the gap between them and the British Navy even further. So Wilhelm II and Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz had to be cautious.

"Looks like tomorrow afternoon's review meeting won't be easy. I wonder how those old fossils on the Naval Technical Committee will choose." Oscar muttered a couple of words before finally drifting off to sleep.

That's right, Wilhelm II had decided to have the Naval Technical Committee review Oscar's design plan to determine whether to proceed with building the battleship he had designed. But the people on the Naval Technical Committee were notoriously rigid. Getting them to accept something new, especially a new-style battleship designed by a sixteen-year-old boy like Oscar, would be extremely difficult. If they chose Oscar's design, wouldn't that prove the Navy's experts were all useless? They couldn't afford to lose face!

Even though the next day was Christmas, the matter of the Navy's next-generation battleship was crucial for the German Navy. So the high-ranking officials of the Naval Technical Committee were all notified. By two in the afternoon, they had gathered in the committee's meeting room. Whether Oscar's designed battleship could become a reality depended entirely on their decision. Of course, as the designer, Oscar would also attend the review to explain his design philosophy to these experts and convince them.

Count von Warren, Chairman of the Naval Technical Committee, sat in the main seat. Also present were Sir Dietrich, the Naval Construction Director; Commodore Gussad, the naval weapons expert; Bruckner, the Chief Engineer of the Naval Technical Committee; Erich Dawson, the naval warship designer; and General Müller, the Chief of the Naval Cabinet.

"Mr. Chairman, why are His Majesty and His Excellency the Grand Admiral being so hasty this time, asking us to review a battleship designed by a teenager? Since when can a teenager design a battleship? If that's the case, what are we even here for!" Sir Dietrich complained. As the German Navy's most senior construction director and its finest ship engineer, he had his pride and believed this review meeting was pure nonsense. Besides, it was Christmas Day, and instead of spending time with their families, they were wasting time here—he naturally had strong objections.

"Yes, Mr. Chairman. Prince Oscar is only sixteen. At that age, he should be studying in school. Designing a battleship—isn't that a joke? Moreover, I've heard that His Highness the Prince is quite unruly, always finding ways to avoid attending the Kiel Naval Academy. Can someone like that really design an impressive battleship? I'm skeptical." Bruckner, the Chief Engineer of the Naval Technical Committee, also wore a look of contempt.

"Alright, gentlemen, perhaps Prince Oscar is a genius," Count von Warren said. As Chairman of the Naval Technical Committee, he had always upheld the principle that the German Navy should proceed cautiously in its development, ensuring everything was foolproof. Because if their decision was wrong, it would cause huge losses to the German Navy. Now that Wilhelm II and Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz had asked them to review Oscar's designed battleship, Count von Warren had made up his mind to adhere to strict standards and not let this design pass easily.

"Mr. Chairman, Prince Oscar is indeed a genius. But that's a genius in business, not in shipbuilding," Erich Dawson, the naval warship designer, added. Of course, his tone carried a hint of mockery. In the eyes of these technical experts, Oscar's Welfare Lottery Company was nothing but a speculative venture. Even if it raked in enormous wealth, so what?

"Alright, everyone, quiet down. The review meeting starts in five minutes," General Müller, the Chief of the Naval Cabinet, reminded them. Even though Oscar and the others hadn't arrived yet, gossiping about royal members behind their backs was never good.

Two minutes later, a group entered the meeting room. Leading them was Crown Prince Wilhelm. Wilhelm II was busy that day and couldn't attend the review in person. But to show how much he valued it, he had sent Crown Prince Wilhelm as his representative.

Following closely was Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz. As the head of the German Navy, he naturally had to be present for such an important matter as the next-generation capital ship.

Prince Heinrich, Commander of the High Seas Fleet, also came. He was the younger brother of German Emperor Wilhelm II and had served in the German Navy for a long time, wielding significant influence. Almost all battleships built by the German Navy were assigned to the High Seas Fleet, so he had a say in the next-generation capital ship.

Bringing up the rear was Oscar. He hadn't expected such a big fuss. In his view, once Wilhelm II and Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz nodded, everything would be set in stone. But now it seemed things weren't that simple. Convincing those old fossils put Oscar under immense pressure. After all, he was too young—he hadn't even started university, only having his name registered at the Naval Academy. Getting these experts to believe in him would be extremely difficult.

Still, Oscar had made up his mind. Even if the review didn't pass, he would insist on building it. At worst, he'd pay for everything himself—he wasn't short on money now anyway!