Pilsen, Bohemia, Austrian Empire

Duke Kristoph is waiting for the Crown Prince to come to the parlor. He makes sure that everything that needs to be done is done so that no one will interrupt their meeting with the Austrian Crown Prince. He knew that this meeting will be important to the future and this might be the only time they meet before the invasion will come.

“Thank you for waiting for me Duke Kristoph.”

“The pleasure is mine, Your Imperial Highness.”

Crown Prince Justinian together with Count Karl Alexander entered the parlor where the Duke is waiting. They need to start the meeting immediately for the meeting would take a lot more time for there are a lot of issues that are needed to be discussed.

“Duke Kristoph how’s everything in the camp?”

“It is fine Your Imperial Highness. All supplies and logistics are arriving on time. The Central Government must have realized their negligence for the military.”

“Good. Everyone must prepare and unite from the incoming disaster.”

The three continue to talk during the meeting, even Count Karl is giving his ideas and opinions regarding the topics. Crown Prince Justinian indirectly give pointers to the Duke about the combined arms theory. He knows that he can’t just give the idea directly because it would hold no grounds for an inexperienced person to teach about real combat. But if it is the Duke who had formulate the idea even if it is just rough sketches, for he is more reputable and appropriate regarding military and strategic affairs.

“Duke Kristoph… how about the order I have given you about secretly training more men.”

“About that Your Imperial Highness…  I have recruited secretly 15,000 men for the 1^st Imperial Guard Division, the entire division is already at full strength of 25,000 men. But the other men… about that…”

“What happened Duke?”

“Your Imperial Highness. I have recruited about 30,000 additional troops but they were not in here Your Imperial Highness.”

“Where are they?”

“In Bavaria Your Imperial Highness.”

“…”

Crown Prince Justinian should have no problems if the Duke raised the army he ordered outside the empire. But of all places, it is in Bavaria of the South German Confederation which would be tricky. This might slightly affect his plan, for the South German Confederation had always stayed neutral and away from international politics that would affect its country.

It even avoided the Austrian Empire for years in order to make its reputation impartial and unbiased to the world, not opting to choose between Austria and Germany. So for Justinian, he would not be affected by anything that would happen to the Confederation.

But what just the Duke had done is asking for a favor from the South German Confederation, and in order to keep the Empire’s reputation and influence. The Austrian Empire must also pay back the favor in the future and that would possibly affect his problem if the Confederation would use it during the invasion. He had other plans for the Confederation but it seems that plans would not be used anymore.

“What does the South German Confederation ask in return?”

“They had said nothing for now Your Imperial Highness. They promised that we can recruit more from the civilian populace in Bavaria.”

“…”

This would be a big problem for Justinian. The South German Confederation didn’t state what they want in return. It means that the South German Confederation might use the favor for asking for a better deal in the future like a protection treaty from German aggression or a guarantee and protect its freedom.

It is bad news for Justinian who is planning to use the South German Confederation as a bargaining chip for the German Empire. He is planning to abandon and let the German Empire swallow the South German Confederation in exchange for not joining in the war between Austria and Ottoman Empire in the future.

But Austria right now has a favor to pay back to the South German Confederation. And it might use to ask for protection from external threats. The pride and honor of Austria and him would be in tatters if he can’t give back the favor.

“What do you think they would ask in the future Duke?”

“Maybe guarantee or protection from German Empire.”

The thing the Duke is thinking is the same as the Crown Prince. For the South German Confederation to survive, it needs protection from its neighbors to balance each other. And now it is the German Empire that becomes the biggest threat to the South German Confederation.

For years, the German Empire is always promoting a united Germany under its banner and the South German Confederation is a prime target for the German Empire. The Austrian Empire had already stopped in its aspiration to unite the German people into its banner after the Russo-Prussian war of 1832.

Together with the sanctioned demilitarization, the Austrian Empire had also renounced its aspiration of a military powerhouse in Central Europe. It become a big blow to the reputation and honor of the Habsburgs as for centuries they were the ones who is leaders and emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. It becomes a big stain on the history of the empire and the imperial family.

“Duke, can you find a way to make them ask something in return? I can’t afford to give favors during the war. Like tax cuts and fewer trade tariffs on their products into our empire. Even if we would be at a disadvantage, as long as it is not political or international, we can make do with what we can do.”

“I’ll try my best Your Imperial Highness. After the Christmas holiday, I’ll travel personally to Bavaria. I’m sure there is something that they need from us aside from political leverage and protection.”

“Good.”

Crown Prince Justinian feels slightly reassured by the Duke’s word. He knew that the Duke is an amicable person and can induce the other person to speak about something that the Duke wants him to spill. The Duke is really a reliable person and he can trust him to do some significant and confidential tasks.

“Your Imperial Highness, there are petitions and ask for help sent by our agents and officers inside Ottoman Balkan, your Imperial Highness. In their report, the Ottoman soldiers are massacring people and razing villages and towns. It is estimated that about 200,000 to 300,000 people were killed alone in the Balkans just this month. They were asking what would the Austrian Government do and asking us to intervene in the Balkans.”

“That would be a big folly for us to intervene and protest against the Ottomans in these trying times. Our military is not even ready to face a fraction of the Ottoman army. It would be a disaster to provoke a political and diplomatic problem with them right now. And why are our agents in the region the ones who are emotional and empathetic, they should be rational and put Austria as their priority first.”

“That’s also my concern Your Imperial Highness. Our agents have become filled with men who don’t think and act rationally and logically. They were easily swayed by their emotions. I know that the massacres and killing in the region are very terrible but they should have also thought about what is good for the empire. There are even some agents who join to fight in the rebel’s cause.”

“This is terrible. These men have lost their minds and are easily swayed by the situation. If ever someone would be captured by the Ottomans and found out that they were Austrian agents, it would be a massive fiasco on our side. Duke warned the agents that if ever they joined such rebel groups, they would be branded as traitors of the motherland and their Austrian citizenship revoke. We can’t afford problems in our ranks and disobedience is one of them.”

“But Your Imperial Highness it would lower the morale of the intelligence agencies and groups.”

“No buts duke. We don’t need such men in our ranks, especially for espionage and intelligence. And it is also time for us to reform and reorganize the ranks of the agents and spies, they were already managed by the civilian government for too long that they have become soft. I want a new secret force that is fully loyal to the Empire and would fight and die for the Empire.”

“Yes, Your Imperial Highness. I think it is time to reinstate the Imperial secret police and a military intelligence group or agency.”

Reinstating the Secret Police would help Crown Prince Justinian in developing his own intelligence group that is loyal to the Crown and Austria. For years, the intelligence agency of the Austrian Empire has become lax and more civilian and its performance is very abysmal and horrible.

The Austrian Empire has become a haven of spies because of the weakness of the Empire’s intelligence and counter-espionage capabilities. Crown Prince Justinian hopes that the creation of a new one would usher in a better intelligence agency for the Austrian Empire and the Duke had a lot of connections and men that would be suitable for the job. Crown Prince Justinian can still remember how easily Princess Charlotte learns what Austria is doing because of such weakness.

Being easily spied on by other countries should never repeat in the future. Austria should become stronger to survive and rise up as a world power, it should not be trampled upon, Justinian thought. As he is the future ruler of Austria, he wants his country strong even though he is still not on the throne.