Chapter 50, The Class That Must Not Fall

Seeing the two resignation letters in his hand, Franz could only sigh helplessly.

Time spares no one, something beyond human ability to change.

Marshal Radetzky was already 91 years old, and at this point in history, he would have already collected his last meal. Now, it was almost his time too, and although he nominally served as Chief of the General Staff, he had actually been in retirement for three years.

Anyhow, the Chief of the General Staff's position was only of significant authority during wartime; in times of peace, it mainly involved strategy development, and there weren't many specific duties, so Franz retained the old Marshal's position.

Clearly, Marshal Radetzky wasn't willing to just coast along, and once he realized he could no longer keep up, he submitted his resignation to Franz again and again.

His wording grew increasingly forceful, threatening to pass away in office if his resignation wasn't approved. After some hesitation, Franz reluctantly approved it.