Chapter 29: What Must Come, Will Come

March 1835.

The old Emperor, Francis II, suddenly felt unwell. A subsequent examination by his physicians revealed that his health was collapsing, and it was feared he had only a few days left.

Francis II left his bedchamber and wandered aimlessly through the imperial palace. As he walked, he found himself at his grandson's room. He wondered if this was divine providence or simply a desire he had harbored all along; in any case, it no longer mattered.

When Francis II entered the boy's room, he wore a kindly smile, yet his complexion was poor and he appeared deeply troubled. Franz did not know what had happened. However, based on the reports in the current newspapers, the entire Austrian Empire was in a rare period of prosperity.

In 1833, Austria’s fiscal revenue had been 130,269,877 florins. In the first year following its accession to the German Customs Union, this figure rose to 146,120,349 florins—far exceeding the projections of Count Kolowrat and the Ministry of Finance. A growth rate of 12% was certainly something to boast about.

Politically, loans had firmly placed the central Italian states under Austria's thumb. Furthermore, the rulers of these regions not only lacked resentment or suspicion toward the practice of hiring Austrian advisors to help manage their states, but actually felt they had gained an advantage by not having to pay to maintain their own officials.

After joining the German Customs Union, Austria’s status within the German Confederation became even more secure. Even the small states that had previously followed closely in Prussia's footsteps were one by one turning back to Austria. As for Prussia, having been outmaneuvered by Austria in the last vote, they had become paranoid—unable to identify the mole, having lost their foreign minister, and facing internal trouble from the Polish restoration forces.

Domestically, the nobles and capitalists of northern Italy, eager to get a share of the profits from the German Customs Union, proved remarkably well-behaved. The Hungarians remained busy with their own internal strife and were unlikely to take any major action until a new leader emerged. Moreover, a new faction had appeared within Hungary: the young nobles led by Count Széchenyi. These men were generally not traditional aristocrats; their industrial and commercial bourgeois character destined them to favor open markets and free trade. Far from opposing it, they actually supported Hungary’s entry into the German Customs Union. With the addition of this new faction, the infighting in Hungary became even more intense. In short, the country was at peace.

In recent years, France had suffered a cholera pandemic, followed by natural disasters that reduced grain production, and then large-scale worker uprisings; now, cholera was spreading through France once again. The Russians remained focused on the Ottomans, and regarding Austria, they had merely sent some Pan-Slavic agitators into the Eastern Transylvania region to infiltrate and disseminate Pan-Slavic ideology.

The spread of Pan-Slavic ideology created certain hidden dangers in the area, but the local military commander, General von Anton, immediately took decisive measures, executing or expelling those involved. Although von Anton’s actions were somewhat extreme, the Russians could find no fault in them; after all, the charges were for disturbing the local peace, with no mention of the so-called Pan-Slavic movement.

As a continental power that was also a Mediterranean state, Austria posed almost no threat to the British, and thus did not attract their particular attention. The international environment was also turning in Austria's favor.

Franz truly could not fathom what the old Emperor had to worry about. Seeing the old man’s hesitant expression, he finally asked, "Grandfather, what is wrong?"

"I am fine, my boy," Francis II said with a smile. "Franz, will you answer a question for your grandfather?"

"Of course." Franz set aside his newspaper and sat up, waiting for the Emperor to speak.

"Am I a good emperor?"

"Grandfather, of course you are a good emperor! Just look at the papers!" He picked up the newspaper and pointed to the news.

Francis II took the paper and examined it closely. It was filled with praise for how powerful the Austrian Empire was and how wise His Majesty the Emperor was. Seeing this, Francis II felt a sense of relief, as it had been a long time since anyone had sung his praises. Yet, after reading a few more lines, he grew slightly annoyed; the papers detailed only the recent achievements of the Empire, with not a single word about the dilemmas it currently faced.

However, as he read on, his brow smoothed and he felt some joy. The newspapers were busy belittling every other nation: the French could not afford bread, the Prussians had no shoes, and the Russians were forced to use men to plow their fields. It was as if everyone in the world, save for those in the Austrian Empire, lived in dire misery. Especially the Italians, who were practically welcoming the imperial armies with open arms.

These sycophantic words did not dampen Francis II's mood, nor did they shame him. Instead, he ordered the Grand Chamberlain to print more copies and ensure every Austrian official read them.

Franz felt a bit embarrassed, but he was also relieved that Prince Metternich’s censorship system was functioning effectively. If any news unfavorable to Austria or the royal family were to appear in the papers supplied to the palace, it would be a failure of duty on the Prince's part. Especially after joining the German Customs Union, Austria would be the focal point of the entire German region; any minor blemish could be infinitely magnified, potentially affecting national policy and threatening the stability of the reign.

While the common people might use newspapers to understand the country, an emperor must never rely on them alone.

"Franz, today I will tell you the secret to being an emperor. It is a secret I have learned only after decades on the throne." The old Emperor looked expectant.

Although Franz was surprised, as he did not consider the old Emperor a successful ruler, he decided to listen respectfully, not wishing to dampen his grandfather’s spirits. Francis II cleared his throat and took a deep breath, trying his best to steady himself.

"To be an emperor, one must possess the aura of a king. This aura requires not just poise and courtesy, but also courage and a sense of responsibility. If you cannot grasp this, then even if you must act as a savage tyrant, never reveal your weakness before others."

"I was a weak emperor once, and because of that, Napoleon, Talleyrand, the French, the British, the Russians, the Prussians, and those two-faced ministers and Hungarians—everyone targeted me!" Francis II appeared agitated, but then he began to laugh. "But the day I finally picked up my sword, they all feared me. They feared me, the Emperor; they feared that I would rebuild the Holy Roman Empire; they feared that I would bully them. No one dared to bully me or this country again. The whole nation has recovered, but alas, I realized this too late."

Tears slid from the corners of Francis II’s eyes as he continued. "Your uncle is not fit to rule this country, and your father lacks the talent for it. The future master of this land will be you. You must remember my words: when you have rebuilt the Holy Roman Empire, you must ensure I am buried with the title of Holy Roman Emperor."

Franz was bewildered, but he nodded.

Francis II turned to leave, then added, "And remember to have many children."