Chapter 60: Volume 1: Year 1897 Finale

New York City, United States of America

A young man is walking towards the tallest building in New York – Moore Life Building, which is completed in 1895 with 20 floors and 386 feet high. The young man is clearly a rich and powerful person with authority and authority as he is escorted by scores of fully-armed guards. The young man is confident as he strode boldly in broad daylight as he is entering towards the Moore Life Building. All people bow their heads slightly and give courtesies as he walks inside the building.

The young man is the son and the heir of the Moore Family who owned this tall building – Benjamin N. Moore. As the sole heir of one of the richest and most powerful families in the United States of America, he enjoyed a lot of privileges and luxuries that are equal to any noble family in a monarchist state. The Moore Family owns a lot of businesses, from the financial sectors like banks and lending companies, to food sectors like beef and meat production and management.

In the past few years, the Moore Business expand at an exponential rate and it become the largest supplier of electricity on the east coast. And the center of everything that happened is this eccentric young man, Benjamin Moore.

By the time he reached eighteen years of age, he is given the authority by his father to manage a part of the business empire and he is able to successfully manage and operate the business that which become very large. After nine years of managing, he was able to rise from just an heir of the Moore Family to a genius in the business world that everyone respected or feared.

From reforming the banking system to be more convenient and efficient for the public, to overhauling and changing the procurement and logistics in the food sector owned by the family. A lot of changes and development occur and the wealth and influence of the family increase exponentially. Everyone praise the young man in his late twenties for such achievements that they call him a genius and some are calling him the "Father of Business" even at such a young age. But one thing they didn't know is that this person is keeping a secret that only he knows.

He rides the elevator up to the top floor of the Moore Life Building and enters his own office together with his secretary.

"Candace, what is my schedule today?"

"Sir, the Mayor would arrive here later in the morning for a meeting regarding your investment in the park that is being constructed in the middle of Manhattan Island."

"In the afternoon?"

"Senator Pizen would be here in the afternoon sir…"

"Awhh… I see… you can leave now, I will just call you if I need something."

"Yes sir… ahhh… by the way sir, your father wants you back home later in the evening for new year's eve."

His secretary, Candace, then turns and goes out of the office. Candace knows that his boss doesn't want to be disturbed so she makes sure that she doesn't make a noise in closing the door. Benjamin then stands up and looks outside of his office while drinking his coffee. He looks down towards the busy sprawling streets of New York and sees other buildings being constructed around, some are trying to surpass the height of the Moore Life Building.

He then immediately read the reports and information that he asked his men to collect. On his table, there are piles of folders and documents that had different contents and information written on them. He then picks the one that is labeled Europe in the front. His expression never changes as he read the document like he is concentrating, but he is interrupted when there is a knock on the door.

"Sir, the old man is here. The one you said to let in if he is here."

His secretary spoke behind the door. She didn't enter the room as she still needs permission to enter from her boss.

"Ohhh… let him enter," Benjamin replied. He just drop the document he is reading on the table and arrange it back so it would not look messy.

The door then opened and an old man entered his office. The old man is holding a crane to support his walk while he is also supported by Benjamin's secretary.

"Welcome back here in the land of the free honorable sir."

"We are right in our suspicions… the Austrian Crown Prince is also a transmigrator."

"This would change a lot of things."

Both men know that there are a lot of things they need to talk about. The world has changed and progressed so fast that a lot of their plans need to be reevaluated if whether it is still effective or not. New variables like the Austrian Crown Prince have joined the equation, and it is still not clear whether he is an ally or not.

** ** **

Hofburg Palace, Vienna, Austrian Empire

"Good day to you Your Imperial Highness."

"At ease, Count Karl."

Count Karl had just entered the Austrian Crown Prince's office and sees that Crown Prince Justinian is busy checking and signing a pile of documents and reports that he is in authority and responsibility with.

"Your Imperial Highness. The media and newspaper companies you created had been able to win a substantial amount of public influence and share in the media market."

For months, Crown Prince Justinian has secretly created some newspaper and media companies in order to shape and win public opinion to the masses. The reason why the imperial edict of Emperor Franz Joseph and the remilitarization of the Austrian military spread faster and in a good light to the mass public is due to these newspapers and media exposure.

For months, the Austrian Crown Prince has invested a large amount of money and resources in these newspaper companies with no returns for these companies to run and sell their newspaper at a very low price to the general public. As a result, it was able to expand and win a large number of consumers and they were able to shape a lot of public sentiments regarding different issues.

"Especially to the long-term goals you have planned Your Imperial Highness, a lot of people have started to believe that it is better for a united large state rather than the independence of small minorities. The nationalistic sentiment of different minorities in the empire is slowly dissipating and a lot believed in one united European empire like the Roman Empire to protect from external threats Your Imperial Highness."

"That's good news. At least we are slowly stabilizing the empire internally so that we won't worry about any internal dissent in the near future."

"But sir they are worrying news about this Your Imperial Highness."

"What is it Count?"

"Other European countries have also copied and propagated one large empire policy as a means of survival in their own countries and justified it as a just cause. Especially the German Empire who used this as a casus belli in uniting Central Europe and targeting the Southern German Confederation. Now, there are still no military actions but it might be in the future."

"Count, the truth is that we can't prevent the unification of the lands in the South German Confederation and the German Empire in the north. The nationalism of the German people is already matured and can't be stopped anymore… the only thing we can do is to prevent losing the German regions in our empire by creating our own identity… that's the reason why I encouraged the spread of the Roman identity in our Empire."

"You want to revive the Roman Empire Your Imperial Highness?"

"Yes, at least the Eastern Roman Empire… that's the purpose of why we are preparing the clash and win against the Ottomans… If you think about it, even if we don't prepare much and lost against the Ottomans, the other European powers would not allow the destruction of our Empire, so in actuality, we really don't need to prepare this much if we just want to defend our borders."

"So you want to swallow the Ottoman Empire in one sweep Your Imperial Highness? The other European powers would also not allow that sir."

"That's why I'm having a lot of secret deals with them, we can give a lot of concessions and Ottoman territories to placate their interests… The Empire is only heading to destruction if there are no massive changes that would occur Count. That's why we are willing to bet everything in this war… this war would decide whether the Austrian Empire would rise from the ashes as a superpower or slowly disappear in the pages of history."

The Count is left speechless by what the Crown Prince had just said. What the Crown Prince had just said is a very large shift in the political policy of the Austrian Empire. For centuries, the Austrian Habsburg ruled Central Europe under the banner of the Holy Roman Empire and now even though it lost its power and influence, the focus of the Austrian Empire policy is still in Central Europe.

But this sudden change that the Crown Prince had just said would shake the very foundation and goal of the Austrian Empire, It needs extensive preparation and effort to make this into reality. Just changing the public sentiment and getting a justification would take a lot of effort and energy. No country or state can change its policy and goal overnight, it needs time and the support of the people to make it happen and what the Austrian Empire is doing right now is that thing.

"Count, we are now on the precipice of our and this empire's destiny. I hope that you would give your heart to this cause… for the glory of the empire."

Count Karl Alexander clenched his fist. He now knows why the Emperor and the Crown prince have created such radical and massive changes in the empire, it is for a bigger cause and now he is part of such change that he feels overwhelmed and honored to be part of it.

"Your Imperial Highness… for the glory of the empire… I will dedicate my all…"

-END OF VOLUME 1: YEAR 1897-