Chapter 0952: A Plea for Peace

"No, we have not yet lost! It is not the time for despair. Even though the Bohemians and Hungarians have betrayed us, we still have half of our strength. If we face the Germans in a decisive battle, we may not necessarily lose. As long as we hold on, the Americans will come to our aid. Baron von Hötzendorf, I command all the troops of the nation to advance to the frontlines to resist the German offensive. Moreover, we must immediately begin an emergency mobilization; we need more troops!" Emperor Charles I commanded with eyes red with fury. In this moment, he resembled a gambler who, having lost everything, stakes his final assets in hopes of a last chance to turn the tide.

"Your Majesty, even if we gather the nation's forces, it will take time. Mobilization, especially, requires time. I fear that before we can complete these preparations, the Germans will have already reached Vienna," Baron von Hötzendorf replied.

"No, that will not happen. The forces we have can withstand the German assault. Even if we cannot defeat them, we can at least delay them. Once we have gathered more forces and completed the mobilization, we will have enough strength to deal with the Germans." Emperor Charles I insisted. He stubbornly believed that his plan would succeed, much like a drowning man clinging to a straw, convinced that it would save his life.

In truth, it was all in vain.

"Your Majesty, I fear that your demands are unattainable. Moreover, with the situation as dire as it is, will the Americans still support us? That seems highly unlikely. I even suspect that this is part of an American conspiracy. They want us to fight the Germans, to exhaust their strength, so that they can reap the benefits. However, perhaps the Americans never anticipated the situation would unfold like this. The war has barely begun, and we are already on the brink of collapse. At this rate, I fear their hopes will be dashed. We have not worn down the Germans; rather, we have eliminated the threat at their side, making them even stronger," Baron Berchtold said with a bitter smile.

The other military and political ministers nodded in agreement, fully aware of the situation's grim outcome.

Only Emperor Charles I's face darkened, his expression as black as the bottom of a cauldron. From the beginning, he had been like a fool, a pawn in the hands of both the Americans and the Germans. He had believed that by courting the Americans, he had gained the strength to confront the Germans. What he did not realize was that the Americans had merely used him as cannon fodder, while the Germans seized the opportunity to eradicate the Austro-Hungarian Empire once and for all.

"Damned fools! How dare they deceive me like this! I will not let them get away with it!" Emperor Charles I seethed, his anger a mixture of shame and fury. Now that everything had been laid bare, he could imagine that from now on, his image as emperor would be that of a laughingstock, ridiculed as the most incompetent ruler in the history of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Charles I was unwilling to accept such a fate, but he found himself powerless to change anything.

"Gentlemen, what should we do now? How can we preserve the empire, or at least end this war with the least possible loss?" Charles I asked.

Knowing the truth of the conspiracy, he no longer wished to continue the fight. There was no hope of victory; their forces were too weak to defeat the Germans, and the Americans were clearly unreliable. Although they had received a loan of two hundred million dollars from the Americans, which could serve as an excuse to default, they had yet to receive the promised one billion dollars in interest-free loans. The two hundred million had already pushed the nation to the brink of collapse, and this was a massive loss.

The ministers remained silent. The situation had grown so dire that they could no longer see a way forward. The Germans had found the perfect excuse to attack, and they would not rest until the Austro-Hungarian Empire was vanquished.

"Your Majesty, the only option now is to request peace with the Germans and end the war. There are no other alternatives. However, given that the Germans have finally found a pretext for war, persuading them to back down will be incredibly difficult. Even if they agree, we will certainly pay an unimaginable price," Baron Berchtold said.

"Peace? No! We cannot request peace from the Germans. That would make both me and the entire empire the laughingstock of the world!" Charles I shook his head vehemently. He deeply opposed seeking peace with the Germans.

The war had only begun a day ago, and if the Austro-Hungarian Empire could not hold out, resorting to peace with Germany would strip him and the empire of all dignity.

"Your Majesty, if we do not seek peace with the Germans, we will have no chance at all. Our nation will be destroyed, and the Habsburg dynasty will lose its throne in Austria!" Prime Minister Mario Weber said.

"Your Majesty, this is the only solution," Archduke Friedrich also said.

Charles I's face was a study of conflict, his inner turmoil plain for all to see. He wanted to preserve his dignity and the empire, but tragically, he could only choose one. To save face would be to lose the empire; to abandon his pride might save it.

As a proud man, Charles I yearned to preserve his honor. Yet, from the expressions of his ministers, he could see that this was no longer possible. The empire's senior officials would never allow him to act recklessly.

"Report: The Kingdom of Dalmatia and the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia have chosen to remain neutral."

The decision of two more kingdoms to stay neutral dealt a crushing blow to Charles I and his ministers.

Shortly after, a military officer entered.

"Report: The frontline troops have retreated without a fight. The Germans have entered the empire's territory and are advancing swiftly!"

"It's over. Everything is lost. We must request peace with the Germans and end this damn war with the least possible cost to the empire!" Charles I said.

In that moment, he was utterly despondent. All his ambitions had vanished in a single day.