I Became a Tycoon During World War I: Saving France from the Start Chapter 353 354: Tijani’s Dilemma

By the Seine River, as the sun set amid the cooing calls of wood pigeons, the sky suddenly darkened just as it sank below the horizon.

Inside the villa of the Welles family, lights glead warmly while the kitchen was bustling. The head chef, perspiring heavily, yelled toward the telephone, "Where's the tuna?"

"It's already on the plane, should be here in half an hour!"

"Is it fresh?"

"Yes, caught today!"

They had only heard two hours earlier that young master Tijani had been granted a day off, and they'd scrambled to prepare a celebratory dinner in his honor. However, fresh tuna—a favorite of Tijani's—was nowhere to be found in all of Paris. Ultimately, they arranged for an aircraft to fly it in from a coastal city 200 kiloters away.

Finally, a delectable plate of charcoal-grilled "otoro" was placed in front of Tijani at the table.

(Translator's Note: Otoro is the fatty belly cut of tuna, known for its tenderness and high value.)

The chef's hard work paid off as Welles comnted casually at the table, "This ca all the way from Dunkirk. Give it a try."

"Thank you, Father." Tijani cut off a piece, savoring the flavor. "Delicious, I love it."

Welles nodded with satisfaction, raising his glass toward Tijani. "I'm proud of you, Tijani. Not only for your success on the battlefield, but for the maturity you've shown."

"The battlefield changes people," Tijani replied, taking a bite. "But if we're talking about success, most of it is Charles'. I just…"

Tijani gave a modest shrug. "I mostly follow his orders or work within his plans."

There was no hint of embarrassnt on Tijani's face; if anything, he looked proud. He didn't see it as a flaw—competing with Charles or trying to steal his credit would be the most foolish mistake anyone could make.

Welles appreciated Tijani's honesty. "Maybe that's true, but the fact that you are his partner is no coincidence."

Tijani raised an eyebrow. "You an because of the shipyard?"

"No." Welles chuckled. "Because of who you are, Tijani. You may not have noticed it yourself, but Charles did."

Welles watched his son thoughtfully. He himself had once thought Tijani's lack of interest in wealth or power was a weakness—an impractical fixation on the "art of war." But now, he saw things differently. Tijani was doing exceptionally well, and he could see him becoming either a celebrated general or an invaluable right hand to Charles.

Yet, Welles also felt torn.

After a sip of wine, Welles' tone shifted. "Tell about Charles. Is he really as extraordinary as people say?"

At the ntion of Charles, Tijani lit up. He set his fork down and looked intently at his father. "He's even better than what they say, Father. There are many things people don't know."

"Indeed," Welles agreed, musing. "Every success has untold risks and sacrifices. People often only see the surface, overlooking the journey it took to get there. That's the hardest part."

Tijani nodded. "That's true, but every ti, Charles manages to pull through. I'm grateful we're on his side."

Welles' expression faltered, and he hesitated before replying, "Yes, you're right."

But Tijani knew his father too well; he quickly noticed sothing amiss. His own expression turned disappointed, his tone growing cold. "You're not planning to support Charles, are you?"

"No," Welles replied, shaking his head. "I just… haven't decided yet."

Tijani laughed bitterly. "Haven't decided yet? Let's see—it's been, what, two or three months since you t Charles?"

Then the realization hit him, and he asked coldly, "Is it 'undecided,' or is it 'unwilling to decide'?"

If it was the latter, ti wouldn't change a thing. No matter how much he deliberated, the decision would still be left hanging.

Welles didn't deny it. He rely answered calmly, "You'll understand one day, Tijani—if you ever find yourself in my position…"

"No, I won't understand!" Tijani shot to his feet, his voice full of frustration. "Charles is the future, Father. He's everything. Can't you see that?"

Welles shook his head slowly, his tone weary. "But if we do 'decide,' Tijani, we might not have a future. I'd love to fully support Charles…"

"Then do it!"

"But I can't…"

"Because of profit, right? You only see the imdiate gain. Do you know what short-sighted ans? I see it clearly!"

With that, Tijani threw his napkin onto the table, storming out of the house. Left alone, Welles sat at the table, staring blankly at the lavish spread in front of him.

The rift between father and son seed impossible to bridge, always deepened by one issue or another.

...

Back at the police training base, Charles was seated at the desk in the 105th Infantry Regint's command office, skimming through notes on using gas masks.

After experiencing the flaws of gas masks firsthand, the 105th Infantry had compiled a list of guidelines:

Inspect the gas mask for damage before use, ensuring no cracks or tears.Check for a secure seal.Make sure the filter canister is new.

These instructions seed straightforward enough, but each one was written in blood. In the counterattack at Ypres, over 200 soldiers had been incapacitated by gas, with at least half of those cases due to avoidable errors.

Yet, knowing what to do was one thing; actually doing it in a war zone, where supplies were scarce, was another. Sotis, even if soldiers knew their gas masks were damaged, replacents were unavailable.

They could only choose between wearing a faulty mask or none at all.

At that mont, Tijani returned, flashing Charles a forced smile. "I couldn't stay away from the unit, so I ca back."

"Oh, really?" Charles raised an eyebrow.

The excuse was too flimsy. If Tijani truly couldn't bear to leave, he wouldn't have taken the day off in the first place.

Without answering, Tijani slumped into his chair and pretended to work, though he was clearly upset. He didn't know how to reconcile the issue—loyalty to his father on one side, and loyalty to Charles on the other. Either choice felt wrong.

"Let guess," Charles said, dropping a bombshell, "you argued with your father—because of ."

Tijani looked up sharply. "How… how did you know?"

"I also know your father abstained from voting, General," Charles replied calmly. "Rember the proposal on new uniforms?"

Tijani blinked in surprise before nodding slowly. "Of course. You'd know about that."

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