Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 049
Chapter Title: In a New World
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Autumn of 1729.
As leaves began to fall on the Hofburg Palace, I managed to narrowly arrange Karl's marriage.
After going this far, if he dares mess it up, the guy isn't human.
Even when I married Therese, there had been so many precarious matters to handle that it made my eyes spin.
A prime example was having to personally travel to Paris to persuade France, the party most likely to be displeased.
"Your Majesty, this matter originated entirely from an offer by the Electorate of Brandenburg. Besides, it's not even a marriage between heirs, so there's no need to attach undue significance to it."
"Hmm... However, many ministers worry that it will upset the northern balance."
"Those are just opinions trapped in outdated thinking. Instead, consider what Your Majesty can achieve through this. If Austria no longer needs to concern itself with the north, won't new tensions naturally arise with Russia?"
"Hmm... That makes sense, but shall we discuss it more slowly later? My deer park has just been completed—why not enjoy it together?"
"Ah... I'd love to, but I'm still in a position where I have to watch my in-laws' reactions."
I had to scurry about like a salesman entertaining a key client from a partner company.
"Ambassador Robinson, as you know, this marriage was entirely at the behest of Elector Friedrich Wilhelm."
"Some councilors are saying we could have simply refused."
"But Your Majesty had no choice but to consider Lorraine's stability. And which nation would be most panicked if Prussia and Austria grew close? France, of course."
"Ah, so it's a marriage aimed against Great France?"
"Exactly, exactly. How long must we turn a blind eye to the Bourbon dynasty's desperate attempts to equate itself with the Habsburg imperial house? Your Majesty believes a showdown with France is inevitable."
On the other side, I desperately used every connection, spinning tales tailored to each audience to smooth things over.
Balancing on this tightrope inevitably drew envy, but if we could just hold out for exactly three or four years, neither more nor less, it would be fine.
I buried myself in paperwork day and night, traveling abroad or to other electorates as needed, without discrimination.
This moment could determine the Empire's next century—what did a little physical strain matter?
I only hoped that my future children and their descendants would never suffer as before.
I wished they could inherit a completed Empire and live happily.
"Franz, aren't you pushing yourself too hard lately? You could take a break."
"Time is short. If I don't lay the foundations now with all I've got, we'll suffer tenfold later."
"Still, you're not even sleeping four hours a day these days."
"I sleep in the carriage, so it's fine."
"Liar. The attendants say you work nonstop even there. Father said that no matter how young and strong you are, overdoing it will lead to suffering later."
I assured her I was fine and stroked her hair.
Time flies relentlessly, slipping away no matter how desperately we cling to it.
Therese, who had seemed so childlike when I first returned, would turn thirteen next year by Western reckoning.
Still young, but she now exuded a fresh charm more like a promising girl than a child.
In a few more years, she would blossom from girl to woman.
Perhaps my relentless work was driven by a desire to finish everything before she fully grew up.
"In my view, you started overworking blatantly after Karl and Friedrich visited Vienna last time. Karl's worried he's making you suffer too much because of him. Don't worry your family like this, okay?"
"Yeah. The major things are done anyway."
I wouldn't deny it. Memories of that day had indeed spurred me to work even harder.
But now that no one could object to my brother and Wilhelmina's marriage, we just needed to set an official engagement date.
Of course, that was merely the midpoint, not the end—but I had no intention of complaining about the hardship.
I didn't reject political marriages outright, but sending children into foreseeable unhappy unions was another matter.
If the same tragedies repeated despite this second chance, I'd be nothing but an irredeemable fool.
Then one day.
After finalizing Karl and Wilhelmina's engagement date, a wave of drowsiness hit me. I dozed off right at my desk.
I lost consciousness and was carried to bed.
"...Franz! Franz!"
In my darkening vision, I heard someone's voice, but my body wouldn't respond.
Even young as I was, had I pushed too hard?
I shouldn't worry her with this—after such a long life, I was still so immature.
With that final thought, my awareness fully faded.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ I groggily sat up, my head throbbing as I rose from the bed.
"...Ah, did I not sleep properly last night? Why's my head pounding like this?"
It felt like the morning after heavy drinking, but I couldn't recall what I'd done yesterday.
If so, it had to be overindulgence—trouble.
Therese had restricted my drinking for health reasons, and I'd apparently exceeded it.
I changed clothes cautiously and stepped out, spotting her gracefully seated in the palace garden, watching children play.
"Franz, you're up? You must have fallen asleep late from work yesterday. I told them not to wake you—looks like you slept soundly?"
"Ah~ Guess I dozed off mid-work."
Oddly, there was no hangover despite feeling like I'd drunk heavily—fortunate.
I sat naturally beside her, and she gently placed her hand in mine.
"Work is fine, but prioritize your health, okay? You're not as young as before. You're the pillar for me and our children—stay strong always."
"Of course."
Gazing briefly at the playing children in the garden, I turned back to Therese.
Even after long years, her loving eyes, still beautiful, gazed straight at me.
"Oh, right. No issues with the kids lately? I heard France wants to take Antonia."
"France? No chance. We can't let our daughter live in such a stifling court. We won the Seven Years' War anyway, and with the Empire at peace, there's no need for a French alliance."
Eh... Was that right? We'd emerged victorious in the Seven Years' War.
Was age catching up? Even basic facts were fuzzy.
Then again, how could Prussia alone beat France, Austria, and Russia?
"Good. Now we can finally relax."
"Thanks to my proud husband. Wine tonight?"
"Sure. Just enough not to overdo it."
"Hmm~ A little tipsy might be nice tonight."
Eh? Why was she suddenly acting so kittenishly out of character?
Her cuteness tempted me to pet her head, but a child wearing a flower crown dashed over and hugged my leg.
"Daddy! Play with Antonia! You promised today!"
"Ah~ Right. Let's play then, my lovely princess. What do you want to do?"
"House with Daddy! You're the husband, Antonia's the wife!"
"Antonia~ Daddy's Mommy's husband. Father and daughter can't play husband and wife."
"Nuh-uh! Antonia's marrying Daddy!"
Her lisping tantrum was so adorable I scooped her up.
Yeah. No way I'd send such a cute child to France.
Can't let her hear curses like 'It's all because of Antoinette' and lose her head to the guillotine... Wait, why even think something so horrific?
That could never happen.
After that, I played with the children, strolled the palace hand-in-hand with Therese, whispered love in our shared bed, and enjoyed a long-overdue rest.
It was bliss. Days of such profound happiness I'd never known in life.
Clinging to beloved children all day, or playing spoiled in my wife's arms—for about three days.
As we walked hand-in-hand in the garden as always, she leaned on my arm and smiled.
"This is too good. I wish these days lasted forever."
"Yeah. Wouldn't that be wonderful."
In this heaven-like happiness.
"Still, it's time to go."
I bade farewell calmly.
"...Why?"
She, in my memory's most beautiful form, asked sadly.
As if pleading to stay here eternally together.
"You've already done so much. Can't you stay here happy with our children?"
"I want to. But I must go."
"...When did you know?"
"From the start."
This dream felt so real I wanted to believe it wasn't one.
What if my past struggles were the dream, and this time with wife and children was reality? How perfect.
Such an unattainable dream, blissfully dreamed for a fleeting moment.
"It'll be hard."
Yeah? With hardships ahead, I was being dramatic.
But someone awaited my return—that alone overflowed reasons to go back.
"Therese, sorry. I was a lousy husband, huh?"
"No. You worried me, but never lousy. If so, I wasn't a good wife either."
Clearly a dream—maybe that's why.
"You, our children—you were treasures beyond my worth. Every moment with you... was... to me..."
My throat choked; the words I must say stuck fast.
She smiled troubledly, then chuckled, stepping back.
"Franz, if you go back, take care of the me there. You know my temper's a bit shrewish. I follow you now, but once I grow up, I'll try to lead you around, for sure."
"...Your temper's fine."
"You'll get devoured? Definitely. But since I'm the one who loves you most, I'll look the other way?"
What a thing to say. I wiped tears, nodding.
"I'll love the you by my side forever. Make you happy all my life. So... forgive me... for burying you and our children in my heart and moving forward."
She smiled radiantly, needing no reply. Seeing it, the weight on my heart since returning to the past lifted.
That instant, the flower-filled garden bleached white, vision blurring.
Ah... I see. This is truly eternal farewell.
In the fading echoes of the past, Therese waved with the children.
"Bye, Franz. It was great meeting you. Leave regrets here and go forward. The world will smile for you then."
Words unspoken lingered, but it was truly time.
Thank you, I love you. And... goodbye.
We waved to each other. In blinding light, the white vision slowly reformed.
That day, Franz Stefan opened his eyes again.
Everything was the same, but everything had changed.