Holy Roman Empire

At the Schönbrunn Palace, Franz was in high spirits and found everyone agreeable lately. With the dust settled from the American Civil War, this meant that Austria wouldn’t have to worry about threats from the United States for the next 50 years.

Such a long time would be sufficient for him to develop the African continent. Although the natural conditions might not match the “chosen land,” it still provided the foundation of a great country.

Compared to this long-term plan, the European strategy became secondary. Franz didn’t believe he had the protagonist’s halo to unify the European continent and rebuild the Roman Empire.

The Holy Roman Empire and the Roman Empire might seem to differ by just a single word, but they are vastly different in reality.

Since the failure of Napoleon the Great, European countries had given up the idea of unifying the European continent. Even the stubborn Russian government dared not entertain such thoughts.

Even if Franz could unify Europe, he wouldn’t pursue it. It is a bottomless pit that can bury any empire. One cannot dig a pit to show off only to end up burying oneself in it.

Africa might not be the optimal choice, but it is the most suitable option for Austria. If possible, Franz wouldn’t mind focusing on South America.

The reasons are straightforward: South America boasts superior natural environments, abundant resources with low development difficulties, lacks major powers and has vast territories with sparse populations.

With 17.84 million square kilometers of land, there are merely 20 million people, most of whom are indigenous.

If Spain could undergo a revival, then South America would be their promised land.

Most South American countries gained independence from Spanish colonies, but it has only been a few decades, so the royalist faction has not disappeared. They can easily regain control.

Knowing this, Franz harbored plans he didn’t have any intention of voicing out. The Spaniards are preoccupied with internal conflicts and hardly can consider much else. By the time their internal strife settles, Spain won’t have the strength to return to South America.

Just because the Spaniards couldn’t achieve it doesn’t mean other countries couldn’t either.

The British need not be mentioned, they have too many colonies, and if they want to focus their efforts, North America is the best choice.

The period of the American Civil War was the opportune moment for them to act. Using Canada as a base to seize the American West Coast.

There is no doubt that the proud British are still immersed in the glory of the Victorian era. Apart from concerns about the balance on the European continent being disrupted, they lacked a proper strategy.

What truly worried Franz was the French. The France of Napoleon III’s era was not the passive republic that followed.

Many may think that luring France to South America would benefit Austria’s African strategic advancement. In fact, the opposite is true, as it would prematurely expose Franz’s African plan.

The European countries are not fools, they will certainly not stand idly by and watch a colossus rise. Once the hidden strategy is exposed, all the European countries will try to obstruct it, making the plan impossible to implement.

Maintaining absolute secrecy is impossible, but the longer the delay, the stronger Austria’s presence on the continent becomes. If Austria’s African territories had tens of millions of people, even if the strategy were exposed, other countries would be powerless.

Eliminating threats is certainly important, but the cost must also be considered. Did the European countries not see the rise of the United States in history?

But what if they saw it? As long as it does not threaten the core interests of everyone, who would start a war regardless of the consequences?

Wars are costly, a lesson the Russian government deeply understands. First, the Near East War, then the Russo-Prussian War, and now a continental hegemon is on the brink of collapse.

Historically, when the British didn’t intervene in the American Civil War, was it truly a strategic mistake by the British government?

Perhaps not entirely. After the failure to form the intervention alliance, many in the British government were worried about being dragged into another quagmire of war.

In this timeline, if Austria hadn’t intervened and actively meddled in the American Civil War from the outset, causing both sides to suffer losses, and had also bound British interests so they couldn’t withdraw, the British government might still hesitate to consider armed intervention.

The financial resources of any country are not limitless. Franz could clearly sense that since suppressing the Indian Rebellion, the pace of British overseas colonization had slowed.

Or, one could say that after the conclusion of the Near East War, the rate of British colonial expansion decelerated. French colonial activities in Africa also lagged behind Austria, and there’s a clear causal relationship with the Near East War.

No one’s money just falls from the sky; the wealth of the British and French financial sectors doesn’t equate to government funds.

Perhaps during wartime, they could raise more funds, but in peacetime, government fiscal revenues remain limited.

Money spent on war naturally leads to budget cuts in other areas.

Overseas colonization is also an industry that requires substantial financial investment. When governments reduce funding, it inevitably has an impact.

One can’t endlessly borrow to fund colonization, as loans need to be repaid. During this era, currency was tied to gold and silver, hardly depreciating, making debt repayment not so easy.

Therefore, Franz decided to dig a few more pits to drain the financial resources of Britain and France, hoping to curb their activities.

Just like the Russians, after the Near East War, they remained subdued for a decade. Just as they were beginning to recover some strength, they faced the Polish Uprising and the Russo-Prussian War.

Needless to say, the Russian government should remain well-behaved for the next 20 years. During this period, even if they wanted to wage war, they’d find it challenging to raise funds for it.

The top-secret document on the table was pointed to by Franz as he issued the order, “Tyron, deploy according to the plan outlined in this document.”

Picking up the document and briefly scanning its contents, Tyron responded expressionlessly, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

His greatest strength was never questioning orders; whatever Franz commanded, he would execute immediately.

The current intelligence organization is no longer the loose entity it once was. The intelligence organization is now divided into three parts, three data analysis divisions, affiliated with the National Security Bureau but they report directly to Franz.

The first data analysis division is a publicly known intelligence organization formed from a network of nobility. It primarily collects low-level confidential information and occasionally guides public opinion.

This division serves to attract attention openly and relies mainly on the cooperation of local nobility. They investigate ordinary issues and occasionally suppress revolutionaries.

The latter two are the core of the intelligence organization. Their operations are quite extensive, including collecting domestic and foreign intelligence, assassinations, causing disturbances…

The second division focuses primarily on domestic intelligence, while the third division focuses on overseas intelligence. The scope of operations for both divisions is similarly broad. Their authorities overlap significantly, suggesting mutual oversight between them.

Tyron, as the head of intelligence, primarily works to coordinate the relationships among the three intelligence divisions and ensures the implementation of Franz’s orders.

This is dictated by practical needs; intelligence work demands high levels of secrecy. Franz wouldn’t dare to treat others as fools. If he were to directly interact with the three intelligence divisions, wouldn’t that imply that each of them is an independent intelligence organization?

To minimize the visibility of the intelligence organization, when operating domestically, they merely collect information. Even in special circumstances requiring action, they employ individuals embedded within government departments.

On the surface, law enforcement within the country is handled by the police, and the intelligence organization has never appeared in public view.

Ordinary people are completely unaware that Franz commands an intelligence organization, and even the government’s top echelons are unfamiliar with the intelligence organization’s internal structure. To the outside world, the three divisions operate as a single entity.

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