Chapter 444: Security
In London, England, the "First Lord of the Admiralty" stood at the window, his face dark with anger.
His eyes were vacant as he slowly exhaled smoke from the cigarette in his hand. The ash had accumulated to a finger's width, but he didn't seem to notice.
That bastard, he actually managed to deceive the Germans with this method!
The Germans, those fools... I clearly gave them the answer, yet they still chose to believe it was a lie!
But the "First Lord of the Admiralty" wasn't truly troubled by this.
There was no doubt that Charles was on his way to victory. The surrounded German forces wouldn't hold out for much longer, and surrender was only a matter of time.
What needed to be considered now was the division of the spoils.
Though Belgium hadn't been fully liberated yet, taking the capitals of Brussels and Antwerp was of extraordinary significance. Albert I could now begin rebuilding the Belgian army.
The equipment would be a huge financial undertaking, but it wasn't just a matter of money; it was about control over Belgium.
Whoever controlled the weapons of Belgium could control Belgium itself. That was Belgium's lifeblood, and at a critical moment, it could decide whether the country would survive.
There was no doubt that it would be Charles who controlled it.
After all, it was he who led the army to defeat the Germans and liberate Belgium. He was also an arms dealer, and his weapons and tactics were undefeated on the battlefield...
Any intelligent person would know that Charles was the best choice, and Albert I was certainly no exception.
Yet the "First Lord of the Admiralty" could not accept this. Britain was the world's greatest power, and he couldn't bear to watch his influence fade away. Even Belgium, so close at hand, might slip from Britain's grasp into the arms of another country—especially if that country was France.
At that moment, the ash from his cigarette burned dangerously close to his fingers. The "First Lord of the Admiralty" flinched and hurriedly pressed it out in the ashtray.
In that instant, he made a decision.
No matter what, he had to try!
Albert I was excited as he returned to his villa in Antwerp, holding the defensive plan that Charles had proposed.
The villa was somewhat dilapidated. Before the war, it had been used by the Germans as their headquarters, and they had left it in shambles.
There had even been a small skirmish on the day of its liberation. The Germans resisted briefly to buy time and burn their documents.
As a result, there were bullet holes all over the villa, and the wooden walls were blown apart by grenades.
But Albert I didn't mind. Ignoring Colonel Eden's objections, he insisted on staying there. "You don't know how happy I am to be back here, Colonel. No matter how ruined it is, it will always be my home."
The carriage pulled through the gates, and the guard informed Albert I, "Your Majesty, General Winter has arrived. He's waiting for you in the study."
Albert I's expression darkened, and he couldn't help but grunt in irritation.
The carriage stopped. Albert I took off his gloves and hat, handing them to the waiting servant, his steps momentarily hesitant.
He had originally planned to keep General Winter waiting, but in the end, he decided there was no need for that.
Walking down the shattered corridor into the study, the first thing Albert I said to General Winter was, "You're very timely, General. I believe you've come to bring us the fuel!"
General Winter's face turned red, realizing the sarcasm in Albert I's words.
"Sorry, Your Majesty," General Winter explained. "That was an accident..."
"Hmm." Albert I interrupted him, "I'm sure it was an accident. It must have been a German submarine, no doubt about it."
The way Albert I said this left General Winter with no opportunity to offer further explanations. Everyone knew that any excuse would be pointless—once again, the actions of the "First Lord of the Admiralty" had been proven wrong.
The only thing left was to bear the consequences.
"I hope to make amends, Your Majesty," General Winter said. "We can help your country rebuild its army."
"Help?" Albert I replied with a hint of sarcasm on his lips. "Like you helped us with the Germans?"
"No, Your Majesty," General Winter responded. "We can offer free assistance in setting up artillery production lines, and if needed, we can also share our aircraft technology."
Before coming here, General Winter had done his homework.
Upon receiving the orders from the "First Lord of the Admiralty," his mind had already started thinking about what Belgium needed.
Rifles—Belgium had already received the production authorization from Germany's Mauser company and was now capable of manufacturing them on its own.
Machine guns—no one could compete with Charles' "Saint-Étienne 2," the king of light machine guns.
Tanks—Britain was trying to produce its own tank based on the "Charles A1" model, but it couldn't compete with Charles.
The only thing that could potentially give an advantage over Charles was artillery, as Charles also used British-made 6-inch, 26-pound howitzers.
French artillery either had insufficient production capacity or small calibers, which didn't meet the demands of modern warfare.
Albert I smiled. "This is interesting, General. I'm curious, what makes you think I would choose British equipment?"
The equipment you offer, Charles can provide as well, Albert I thought to himself. And what Charles can provide, you cannot.
General Winter didn't waste words. He answered directly, "Because you need to maintain a balance, Your Majesty."
"A balance?" Albert I squinted.
Then he suddenly understood. "You mean, Belgium will be controlled by Charles?"
General Winter nodded.
"Think about it. If Belgium were to buy all, or the vast majority of its equipment from Charles, what would happen?"
"One day, Charles could simply tweak something at his arms factory, or stop supplying Belgium, and Belgium would be doomed."
"You are a wise king, Your Majesty, and I'm sure you will make the right judgment and decision."
Albert I smiled and replied, "I'm afraid, General, that I may not trust Britain or France, but I do trust Charles. He won't do such a thing."
General Winter looked at Albert I, bewildered. "You shouldn't trust anyone, Your Majesty."
This wasn't something a mature politician should say. In politics, there is only "interest," not "trust."
"I understand what you mean," Albert I responded. "But you are wrong. You think you can balance Charles by buying equipment from Britain, but the issue isn't about equipment."
"Why?" General Winter became even more confused.
"Security, General," Albert I looked directly at him, his tone calm. "The only one who can ensure Belgium's security in this war is Charles. Neither Britain nor France can."
After a pause, Albert I asked, "Now, can you tell me how I can balance Charles?"
General Winter stood there, stunned. He hadn't considered that.
But what Albert I said was the truth—only Charles could defeat the Germans and guarantee Belgium's security.
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