Unreasonable Request

Oscar fled Wilhelm II's office in disgrace, not daring to linger under the Emperor's fury. He had no wish to provoke Wilhelm II further—that would bring him no benefit at all.

If Wilhelm II, in his rage, directly struck him from the Hohenzollern family, he would be utterly ruined. Then, in Germany and across all of Europe, he would have nowhere to go. A man expelled from the royal family would become a target for pointing fingers wherever he went.

"Could I really have to spend four years at the Kiel Naval Academy? Wouldn't that be a complete waste of time?" Back in his room, Oscar felt deeply unwilling.

"No, I have to think of another way," he muttered to himself. He began racking his brain for a solution to the problem.

Wilhelm II's order was for him to report to the Kiel Naval Academy within a week, and without permission, he was not to return to the palace. Clearly, this showed just how disappointed the Emperor was in him.

"If I could get Director Ludwig Birkenhagen to open the door wide for me, even if I go to the Kiel Naval Academy, I'd still have enough time to do my own things."

Of course, getting the rigid old man Ludwig Birkenhagen to bend the rules for him—Oscar didn't need to think twice to know how difficult that would be. Germans were world-famous for their strictness. Director Ludwig Birkenhagen had held his post at the Kiel Naval Academy for many years, training countless talents for the German Navy, and he enjoyed Wilhelm II's deep trust. Getting him to break the rules was no small challenge!

"No matter what, I have to give it a try. Otherwise, I really will be stuck in the Kiel Naval Academy for four years like a prisoner!" Oscar made up his mind.

"Karl, buy two train tickets to Kiel," Oscar ordered.

"Yes, Your Highness." Karl von Jonerait replied from outside the door. At the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief.

The news that Oscar had been scolded by Wilhelm II and had enraged the Emperor had spread throughout the palace. This also made Karl von Jonerait feel a deep crisis. As someone close to Oscar, his fate was almost tied to Oscar's. If Oscar fell out of favor or even disgusted Wilhelm II, he couldn't expect a good future either.

Fortunately, Oscar seemed to have come to his senses and wanted to report to the Kiel Naval Academy. This finally let Karl von Jonerait's ever-anxious heart settle back down.

Germany's transportation was very convenient, with a dense railway network connecting almost every German city. In an era without airplanes, taking the train was undoubtedly the most convenient way to travel.

With his status and position, Oscar and Karl easily got two first-class train tickets to Kiel. However, even first-class carriages were far from comparable to trains of later generations. But considering this was over a hundred years ago, one couldn't ask for too much.

Although it was only a little over three hundred kilometers from Potsdam to Kiel, given the speed of trains back then, by the time Oscar and Karl got off at Kiel Station, it was already evening.

"Find a place to rest. Tomorrow morning, we'll visit Director Ludwig Birkenhagen."

Karl nodded without saying much.

They quickly found a decent inn. Tired from the journey, they ate a quick meal and went to bed.

But lying in bed, Oscar couldn't fall asleep. He needed to come up with a way to get Director Ludwig Birkenhagen to bend the rules for him. An hour later, he finally thought of a plan. Only then did he drift off to sleep with a faint smile.

The next morning, after breakfast, Oscar and Karl headed straight for the Kiel Naval Academy.

Kiel was a small city, and almost everything there was connected to the navy. Not only was the naval academy located there, but it was also a major base for the German Navy. Facing the threat of the powerful British Navy, the German Navy could deploy in the relatively safe Kiel. If something happened, they could use the canal to reach Wilhelmshaven and operate in the North Sea.

Additionally, Kiel had a naval shipyard and the Germaniawerft, both large shipyards capable of building battleships.

Arriving at the Kiel Academy, they showed their identification and were quickly led to Director Ludwig Birkenhagen's office.

"Your Highness, welcome to the Kiel Naval Academy. Are you here to officially report?" Director Ludwig Birkenhagen asked. His rigid face showed no trace of a smile. Clearly, the news that Oscar had refused to attend the naval academy had already reached his ears.

In Director Ludwig Birkenhagen's eyes, Oscar had become a byword for an idle, useless royal member. If not for Oscar's status, he wouldn't have bothered wasting his breath.

"Yes, Your Excellency. However, I hope you can grant me a small request." Though Oscar didn't know exactly what Director Ludwig Birkenhagen was thinking, he could roughly guess most of it.

"A request? Please speak, Your Highness." Director Ludwig Birkenhagen frowned.

"Your Excellency, I hope that during my enrollment at the Kiel Naval Academy, I won't have to attend daily classes. I'll only come for the final exams, with no restrictions on my time."

Hearing Oscar's request, Director Ludwig Birkenhagen's face instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot. As the cradle for German naval officers and commanders, almost everyone who entered the Kiel Naval Academy was an elite. Once admitted, they all studied hard to serve the country after graduation.

As a member of the Imperial Hohenzollern family, he should have set an example for the entire nation. But now Oscar was making such an unreasonable demand, which naturally infuriated Director Ludwig Birkenhagen. His gaze toward Oscar was also filled with contempt. Such a person was utterly unworthy of being part of the Kiel Naval Academy.

Karl, who had come with Oscar, was also stunned, never expecting Oscar to make such a request.

"Your Highness, if you don't wish to attend the Kiel Naval Academy, I won't force you. To be honest, having you enroll was originally His Majesty the Emperor's command. I can immediately telegraph His Majesty to have him revoke the order!" Director Ludwig Birkenhagen said coldly.