Published at 31st of December 2025 8:47 am

Chapter 804: Christmas Eve II: A War Between Sisters

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Before the second fight of the tournament’s first round could begin, the room, and its sullen atmosphere, was interrupted by the arrival of two individuals who immediately lightened the mood.

Tsar Alexei and his wife, Tsarina Elsa, arrived dressed far more casually than one might expect from those of their position.

For Bruno, that was a hard rule at his family’s Christmas gatherings: come comfortable and unpretentious, or not at all.

When Bruno saw his daughter arrive beside her husband, along with their children and grandchildren, he could not help but rise from his seat and approach them.

He wrapped his second daughter in a tight embrace, a warmth breaking through his otherwise composed demeanor.

"Welcome home, darling..."

Elsa, despite rapidly approaching forty, could not help but grow sheepish beneath her father’s affection, instantly reverting to an almost childlike state.

"Thanks, Daddy..."

Tsar Alexei did not intervene. He had long known that Bruno’s relationship with his family was exceptional, perhaps even deeper than the bond he and his sisters had shared with their own father while he had lived.

After greeting his daughter, grandchildren, and even a few young great-grandchildren, Bruno finally turned to Alexei. He studied the man with a cool, measuring gaze, as if weighing who he had become.

There was no doubt the boy had grown into a man, one who bore a striking resemblance to his late father, though without the softness that once lingered behind his eyes.

Years of ruling an empire and commanding wars had forged Alexei into something harder. The boy who once dreamed of being a soldier had become an emperor worthy of the mantle.

Bruno’s expression shifted into a calm, approving smirk. He took Alexei’s hand, gripping it firmly but without force, and welcomed him into his home.

"It has been quite some time since we last met on such informal terms, hasn’t it... Your Majesty?"

Alexei groaned softly, dropping all pretense. He knew Bruno well enough to recognize when the man was enjoying himself at his expense.

"Father, please," Alexei said. "I know my imperial father granted you nobility in Russia, and that in some technical sense makes you subordinate to me in matters of decorum, but can we drop the etiquette and simply be a family for once?"

Bruno chuckled and patted him on the back as Elsa smiled, clearly enjoying the exchange. It was the strength of the family bonds between them that kept their two Empires close, and stable.

However, it was only at that moment she noticed what was playing on the television, and what had gathered the men of her family so intently.

Her interest ignited instantly.

"Daddy, why didn’t you tell me you were watching the tournament?" she exclaimed. "I would have arrived sooner!"

Alexei shook his head with a resigned sigh. He knew well how much his wife adored the theatrical events Germany staged for Christmas Eve celebrations. Bruno merely laughed, leading his son-in-law toward the others.

"Of course I didn’t warn you," Bruno said. "Your sister will be joining us soon enough, and I know how competitive the two of you become when wagers are involved. I have no desire to see either of you making a bet that permanently alters the borders of the German Reich and the Russian Empire."

Alexei shot Bruno a sharp glare that conveyed his thoughts without words.

Don’t you dare give her any ideas.

Bruno laughed again, patting Alexei’s shoulders as he leaned in, his voice dropping to nearly a whisper.

"Don’t worry. I would never allow those two to do anything that foolish. Besides, they lack the authority to gamble away our lands. That responsibility would fall to you and Wilhelm... now wouldn’t it?"

Alexei rolled his eyes at the mention of Prince Wilhelm, grandson of Kaiser Wilhelm II. His father-in-law was far too coy to say it out loud. But even though the two men got along well enough, Alexei had sensed a quiet resentment in recent years.

It was not personal animosity, but circumstance. Alexei had ascended to rule far earlier in life, while Wilhelm remained bound to wait for both his grandfather and father to pass, or step aside, before inheriting the crown meant for him. That shared generation, coupled with vastly different stations, had given rise to a silent friction neither openly acknowledged.

If even Bruno had spotted this tension, it meant it was getting worse. Or, perhaps Alexei had simply underestimated how keen the old Wolf’s eyes were for social matters.

With a weary sigh, Alexei dismissed the notion entirely.

"I’m afraid it would be incredibly unwise to make such a wager with His Highness," he said. "Now, if you’ll excuse me, I intend to enjoy some of that Eierlikor and watch the fights with my wife."

Bruno said nothing in reply. He merely raised his glass in a silent toast and drained it, pouring himself another as he settled back onto the sofa just as the next bout began.

The fight ended exactly as Elsa had predicted. She boasted proudly about her insight, though she wisely refrained from reaching for her purse or making a formal wager.

Not only because she didn’t want to seem improper, gambling with men, but she also knew the real contest had yet to begin. And would not do so until her older sister, Eva, arrived.

As the tournament progressed and the first round concluded, victors were selected and advanced within the bracket. More family members continued to arrive at the Grand Palace of Tyrol.

Eventually, Eva herself appeared.

The future Kaiserin of the German Reich paused at the entrance to the home theater, taking in the gathering of men, and, more importantly, her little sister and lifelong rival.

The two sisters exchanged a single glance. Elsa smirked before turning her attention back to the fight.

Eva responded by taking a seat beside her, becoming one of only two women present to watch the contest of blood and bone.

Quietly, she made a wager with her sister, determined that this time, she would emerge victorious.

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