Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 064
Chapter Title: Habsburg-Lorraine (3)
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After the momentous first night had passed.
In a small banquet hall of the Hofburg Palace, a family dinner was held with the Emperor and Empress in attendance.
Normally, this would be the first meal shared as a true family, filled with warm laughter and kind words.
However, word of Theresia's sound sleep on their wedding night had already reached the Emperor's ears, leaving both parents with subtly complicated expressions.
"You must have worked hard with the wedding yesterday. Theresia... you look refreshed, which is a relief."
"...Yes."
It's like those mornings when you have to head to the office, you've definitely set your alarm, but when you open your eyes, you feel chillingly refreshed with light eyelids.
Theresia's current mood was just like that of an office worker on such a day.
Her mother, Empress Christine, spoke up in a tone full of regret.
"...I'm sorry. I should have educated this child better..."
"No, it's fine. I'm really not bothered at all."
Honestly, it was satisfying to see such a rare, cute side of her, but the Empress sternly scolded Theresia.
"Haah... I've heard of grooms passing out from drinking too much on their wedding night, but the bride falling asleep leaving her husband behind... Are you really thinking straight?"
"I'm sorry. I was wrong."
"Franz, this child just lost consciousness from exhaustion—it's not because she dislikes our son-in-law, so please don't be too angry."
The reason the Empress and Emperor were taking this so seriously was that the bride going to bed first and falling asleep could be misinterpreted as her rejecting the relationship with the groom.
In the conventions of this era, this was an unimaginable insult to a man, and in severe cases, it could even escalate into a diplomatic issue.
Of course, those who knew our usual relationship with Theresia would never think that, but parental hearts are all like that, aren't they?
The Empress was preemptively stepping in to ensure I wouldn't scold Theresia.
"It's fine. I was so entranced by how pretty she looked even in sleep that time flew by unnoticed."
"...Ah, Franz. How can you say that in front of her parents?"
"Why not? They should be happy to see how well we get along. Oh, you have some soup on your lip."
As I tenderly wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, creating a scene so cheesy it was hard to watch with eyes open, the Emperor and Empress cleared their throats and averted their gazes.
"Ahem... Well, if you're too tired, it can happen. Anyway, now that you're officially married, Franz, you're a member of our imperial family."
"Yes. I will serve the empire's revival with full awareness as an imperial member."
"Good, good. You'll handle that just as well as you always have. But the truly important thing is that the entire empire now recognizes the union of Habsburg and Lorraine."
One might say we've been essentially united all along, but there's a world of difference between "essentially one" and "truly one."
Until now, I'd only been acting as a proxy for the imperial family—I wasn't truly one of them.
But now, as a full member of the Habsburg-Lorraine house, I can exercise legitimate rights.
It's obvious what this means to the other electors and nobles, without overthinking it.
"Are there voices in the empire worried that Austria's power is growing too great?"
"No fools are showing it openly, but it's the expected course, isn't it?"
Austria's gains from this war were substantial enough to provoke such reactions.
First, Lorraine—which had always been a hot potato—had fully come under Austria's direct control as an imperial territory.
On top of that, we'd secured recognition for swallowing Tuscany, effectively placed Piedmont under our influence, and risen as the hegemon of northern Italy.
We'd handed Sicily and Naples to Spain, but stabilizing Lorraine, Austria proper, and northern Italy into one secure bloc was huge.
And we'd extracted reparations amounting to over half of Austria's annual budget.
Normally, such reparations get blown away filling wartime expenditures, but this time was different.
Much of the materiel used had been stockpiled in advance, and I'd covered most of the other costs myself.
"Saxony is already groveling to Prussia and us, and the archbishops along the Rhine have no choice but to watch Prussia and us closely. That leaves the Palatinate, Bavaria, and Hanover."
Among them, Hanover's elector is Britain, so realistically, Bavaria and the Palatinate should be targeted first.
"The problem is that with your marriage to Theresia, the eyes of the entire empire are on us. It won't be easy for the imperial family to make any moves."
"Exactly. We absolutely must not make any overt moves now."
Trying to tinker with the empire's structure or push reforms right after a great victory in war?
No one but a fool would miss that it's an attempt to strengthen imperial authority.
No—even a fool would notice if we were that blatant.
"Your Majesty, this may not be fitting talk for a warm family breakfast, but even after winning a war, if we don't properly leverage those gains, they hold no value."
"Hm? That's obvious, isn't it?"
"It's less obvious than you think. Take the reparations alone: nine million thalers is an enormous sum, but it could vanish in a single year if we're not careful. Roll it over properly, double or triple it, and the benefits last for years. The same goes for politics and diplomacy."
Austria and the imperial family's prestige had skyrocketed in the empire from the victory, but how we used it could reshape the political landscape like night and day.
"You're right that we must use imperial authority to reform the empire's politics. But as Your Majesty said, the electors are watching our every move with unease, fearing we'll swing the sword. From now on, every step we take must carry profound meaning."
Mild policies that don't provoke the other electors, yet lead to our gain in the long view.
Easier said than done, but fortunately, I had the right cards.
Prussia, who had also emerged as a victor in the war.
And Bavaria's elector, watching Prussia's aggressive expansion with wary eyes.
If I played this delicate relationship right, I could plunge the empire's politics into chaos without lifting a finger.
Heroes bloom in chaotic times, after all.
The empire's disordered politics would naturally call for savior Franz.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Europe might not follow the law of conservation of happiness—where one person's joy means another's misery—but at least on this continent, it held true.
The nation standing in exact opposition to Austria's festive mood.
The French court—which had been Europe's strongest just a few years ago—was like a house in mourning.
"We must! We must reclaim Lorraine next time!"
"Your Majesty, but we've already signed a treaty recognizing it as Habsburg imperial territory..."
"Where's an eternal treaty in international society? The victor's word becomes the treaty."
True enough, but people had agreed to call it a nation's credit when they at least pretended to uphold treaties for a few years.
And unless you could overwhelm the opponent, it was impossible in France's current state—a fact known to Louis XV, Fleury, and even the farmers in remote villages.
With nearly 100,000 soldiers lost, hundreds of cannons captured, and massive reparations to pay, how could they wage another war?
"Your Majesty, realistically, to fight Austria again, we must wait until Alsace's demilitarization ends in ten years."
"Indeed. With Austria's northern Italy defenses solidified, we'd have to cross the Rhine, but with Lorraine in enemy hands, Alsace's lines must be firm. Yet the treaty forced us to dismantle our fortresses."
"So, wait ten years and we can crush the Austrians?"
"Well... If we reorganize the army and bolster diplomacy for more allies, it's not impossible."
Louis XV saw Franz's irritating face whenever he closed his eyes.
That cunning fox had bewitched him with devilish words, preventing France from fully committing to the war.
He burned with rage and conviction that it wouldn't happen next time.
Of course, seeking a beautiful, cultured, and tolerant woman to soothe that anger was quintessentially Louis XV.
"Then overhaul the army on a grand scale and train new officers. Replace those useless tax thieves who've just squandered money!"
"Yes. We'll start by scouting young, capable officers..."
"Ah, and never again entrust command to foreigners. No matter what, the supreme commander must be a general with French blood—it's too unnerving otherwise."
The retort that Eugène, who commanded the Austrians, wasn't German either nearly escaped, but no fool voiced it.
The historic defeat led by the English-born Duke of Berwick had ignited Louis XV's suspicions.
"Understood. We'll build the new military core purely from French stock."
"Good. Next time, we'll reclaim Lorraine and make that Franz weep."
France's might and pride wouldn't allow them to tuck tail after one loss.
New wine in new bottles.
At the king's solemn command to renew everything, France entered reforms.
Capable foreign nobles in the French army abandoned France that day.
No fools devote themselves where advancement is impossible.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ By Eastern standards, it might confuse, but in Europe, birthplace mattered less often than one might think.
My own mother was French, yet I'd become Holy Roman Emperor.
Eugène, legendary in Austria, wasn't German; the Duke of Berwick, who beat Frederick, was English.
In the last war, there were even battles between English-led French troops and French-led English ones.
Nobles' blood mixed frequently, and switching nations for opportunity was common.
Nationalism was rising, diluting it, but in this era, such cases abounded—especially in the fragmented Holy Roman Empire.
Thus, my policy was to openly recruit talent regardless of nationality or origin.
"I'll give you money, advancement opportunities— just pledge loyalty."
I wondered if good fish would bite even so.
But news trickling from France set my blood aflame.
"Louis XV ordered high French military posts filled by French natives?"
"Yes. Berwick's defeat seems to have shocked them deeply."
Grr... Damn you, Louis XV. Thank you.
Helping me this much after Lorraine—he must be desperate.
"Fetch the people I name immediately. Promise them the best treatment—no letting them go elsewhere!"
This war reaffirmed: in the end, the best fighters rise to the top.
Diplomacy and money set the stage, but generals deliver the finishing blow.
Eugène was too frail for more wars, so beyond Joseph, I needed utterly reliable talent.
Now Louis XV generously unleashed a talent exodus—how could I pass it up?
"I come at Your Highness's summons. Maurice de Saxe... no, Hermann Moritz von Sachsen."
The French marshal who ravaged our and Britain's armies in my past life's Austrian Succession War.
The man who toyed with my brother Karl like a mouse and handed Belgium to France: Maurice de Saxe.
Anger surges again.
Karl... how badly did they beat you around?
At this point, my brother was practically an 18th-century general detector and doormat.
No commander who fell to him deserved "great general" status.
Thinking that way, pity replaced anger.
He faced monsters every battle—what could he do but get pummeled?
I should have cut him loose sooner to spare more humiliation.
"...Your Highness? I heard you sought me. Perhaps the Austrian army would employ me...?"
"Of course! Welcome, Maurice! As you've heard, Austria is ready to give you the best."
"Th-thank you. I didn't expect Your Highness to know me..."
"I've heard plenty about your Mes Rêveries manuscript."
"...Pardon? That's just a rough draft—how...?"
What does Louis XV have left after this giveaway?
Well, France's history of only six marshals becoming five, I suppose.
I spread my arms wide, sincerely welcoming the bewildered man.
As Holy Roman Emperor with French blood, I embodied diversity and inclusion.
He'd practically been chased from the French army, but upon arriving in Vienna, the scent of promotion had him grinning ear to ear.