Chapter 524: Happiness
First Town, National Defense Army 101 General Hospital.
The National Defense Army 101 General Hospital was the most well-equipped medical facility in East Africa, both in terms of staff and infrastructure. Just hearing its name inspired confidence—especially in a society like East Africa, where military prestige was high. Any hospital associated with the army naturally earned public trust.
In reality, the 101 Hospital also served as the royal family's designated hospital. Ernst hadn't established a separate royal or imperial hospital—just as the East African military wasn't officially labeled as the "Royal Army." Of course, a Royal Guard Division existed, but it was still nominally part of the National Defense Army.
It's worth noting that since the modification of the Little Rhine River and the opening of the canal, the Royal Guard Division now had its own naval arm—though in essence, it functioned more like a riverine force. East Africa had imported several advanced river vessels from Austria-Hungary to serve as its ranking units.
While Austria-Hungary's navy was far weaker than Britain's Royal Navy, its river fleet was another story. The Austro-Hungarian Empire covered a much larger landmass than Britain and sat at the heart of Europe, with access to major rivers like the Rhine, Danube, and Leitha—all crucial for navigation and defense. As a result, inland naval forces played a vital strategic role and enjoyed generous funding.
The river ships imported by East Africa were among the best available internationally. Paired with East Africa's own coastal defenses and newly built vessels, plus the strategic location of Bagamoyo Port at the mouth of the Little Rhine, East Africa's naval strength from Bagamoyo to First Town was formidable.
Given that the 101 Hospital served both the royal family and the military, it wasn't easy for ordinary people to enter. That's why First Town also had a "First Town No. 1 People's Hospital" to serve "civilians"—though what counted as a civilian was open to interpretation. Still, in terms of medical quality, the People's Hospital was on par with the 101, forming a "twin star" system in East Africa's healthcare network.
Though the 101 General Hospital served the military and royalty, even military personnel couldn't enter freely. Instead, several branch hospitals served the broader armed forces.
Today was an important day at the 101 Hospital—not only were the Crown Prince and Crown Princess visiting with their child, but a significant medical experiment was being conducted at the same time, and the Crown Prince was particularly interested.
On the third floor, the Hechingen royal family sat in a private suite reserved for them, awaiting young Prince Friedrich's health report.
"Look at this little guy—he must've inherited your beauty. So adorable!" Ernst teased while holding the drowsy Friedrich in his arms.
Karina blushed, replying, "I didn't expect you to be so smooth-tongued."
Women always enjoy a compliment. Though she pretended to scold him, Karina's smile was harder to suppress than a Kalashnikov rifle.
To Ernst, it was all quite novel. Karina had been raised under the strict eye of Empress Dowager Sophie and had developed a serious demeanor. When she first arrived in East Africa, her smiles had seemed forced—what she called "noble etiquette."
At first, Ernst wasn't used to it. Though he came from nobility, Konstantin had pampered him as an only child and never imposed strict discipline. So after awakening to his memories of a previous life, Ernst remained just as free-spirited as before.
Seeing Ernst staring at her, Karina blushed furiously and snapped, "What are you smiling at?"
"Nothing. You just looked really cute being so lively," Ernst replied—now a self-taught expert at charming his wife.
"So smooth. Have you said that to other girls too?"
"No way. Don't you know me by now? I'm busy all day—I don't have time for anyone else."
Hearing that, Karina understood. After all, East Africa's entire empire was Ernst's creation.
In another time, he'd be seen as a founding emperor. But Ernst didn't care for such titles—he was happy to let his father enjoy the spotlight.
"You've been so busy lately with that hydraulic project. Aren't you pushing yourself too hard?" Karina asked, concerned.
Though their marriage was politically arranged, the two had known each other beforehand and had mutual feelings. Life after marriage had been happy, and love soon followed.
"The waterworks do take up a lot of my time," Ernst admitted. "But every country has to face these problems—especially one based on agriculture. Don't worry. Once everything's running smoothly, I won't have to supervise everything myself."
He wasn't exaggerating. In his past life, he'd worked in civil engineering across Africa, so infrastructure projects were second nature to him—city planning, bridges, roads, water systems.
That real-world experience had been invaluable for East Africa's development.
Projects in East Africa were always held to high standards—similar to Soviet-era planning. East Africa was, after all, a planned economy.
As a civil engineer, Ernst poured his heart into construction. Many of the projects underway were intended to last for generations.
Looking at his worried wife, Ernst gently said, "Once I'm free, let's give Friedrich a few more siblings."
Karina looked surprised. "Huh? Why are you bringing that up now?"
Ernst took her hand. "I know it's a bit sudden. But it's our duty. The Hechingen line has only one heir per generation. East Africa is too big to leave to outsiders."
Karina wasn't against the idea—it just caught her off guard. But she saw the logic. East Africa had become a major power. It should be passed down to their descendants.
With a shy smile, she said, "Then I'll listen to you."
Ernst, touched by her understanding, set little Friedrich aside and embraced his wife. He felt deeply grateful for the way Empress Dowager Sophie had raised her.
As for "independent women," Ernst didn't really favor them. Independence could lead to emotional distance. In a family, someone had to compromise. Relationships were about give and take. Obsessive fairness often led to misery—just look at Franz and Empress Elisabeth.
Ernst and Karina were both traditional, which made them compatible—just like Karina's parents. Though they'd been wild in their youth, they'd settled down and remained happy. For noble families, happiness was often the hardest thing to achieve.
Karina's mother, Princess Charlotte, had a romantic heart. Though slightly vain, her love for Archduke Ferdinand was unwavering. Ferdinand had been indecisive in youth, but he was responsible, diligent, and deeply respectful of his wife.
As for Konstantin, he was the embodiment of devotion—raising Ernst alone after losing his wife and never remarrying. Now he supported his son in building East Africa. Ernst, in turn, was a dutiful son, and their bond was strong.
Though the Hechingen family had great power, they weren't much different from ordinary families. And Ernst took great joy in that.
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