Chapter 1489: The Fire of Revenge
Bergmann immediately chimed in, "Exactly! We can easily mobilize tens of thousands of people who harbor nothing but hatred for this tyrant and his corrupt officials." Hirth hurriedly tried to restrain the two most radical members of the organization. "We should strive to avoid violence as much as possible. As long as the Emperor agrees to convene a parliament..." "A parliament? Ha! The Emperor will never agree; he won't even let us speak! Insurrection is our only choice!"
Hirth looked toward Lukas and whispered, "Please, say something..."
Relying on his exceptional oratory skills and the clandestine support of the French Security Bureau, Lukas had already become one of the five most influential members of the Stieler Society. However, Lukas seemed not to hear their debate, pacing the room with agitated steps. "If all else fails, I will go to the Hofburg and rescue her myself." He turned and grabbed Hirth by the shoulders. "Where can I get guns? And I need a map of the Hofburg."
"What are you planning?" the latter asked in shock. "Even with an entire legion, it would be impossible to storm the Hofburg."
A middle-aged man wearing glasses, who had been sitting quietly by the fireplace, raised his hand to signal Lukas to calm down. "Do not be so hasty. Miss Gloria is a noble; she has the right to a public trial, and even the Secret Police cannot prevent that. There is no need for us to take such a risk at the Hofburg."
A spark of hope flickered in Lukas's eyes. "Of course, her father is Count Ulfeldt. He must have a way to save her. I will go and speak with him immediately." "Don't go!" Gagern reached out to stop him. "Those despicable nobles will hand you over to the Secret Police without a second thought."
"I cannot let Gloria stay in a Secret Police dungeon! Not for another moment! And this is the only way I can think of." By the time Lukas rushed from the outskirts to Count Ulfeldt's villa, it was already noon the following day.
"Please pick me up here before four in the afternoon."
He shoved a banknote into the driver's hand and jumped down from the carriage. He looked up at the grand mansion across the street, only to freeze in his tracks.
'A funeral?' He frowned. If the deceased was an elder of Count Ulfeldt's family, the Count would likely be too preoccupied to deal with Gloria's situation.
He glanced around and bowed slightly to a passing woman, pointing toward the Ulfeldt residence. "Madam, do you happen to know who has returned to the kingdom of heaven?"
The woman sighed heavily. "I heard it was the Count's daughter."
Lukas gasped, his heart hammering. "Which daughter? Dina or Greta?"
Count Ulfeldt had three daughters.
"The second daughter, Miss Gloria."
A thunderous roar echoed in Lukas's mind, and his entire body swayed as if he might collapse.
He grabbed the woman's arm with bruising force and bellowed, "Impossible! How could she... No, you're lying!"
Terrified, the woman struggled to break free from the rude young man and turned to flee, muttering under her breath, "She was taken by the Secret Police, and she died shortly after she was brought back. Everyone around here knows it."
Lukas's eyes turned bloodshot. Disregarding the risk of exposing his identity, he grabbed servants and guests at the door, questioning them repeatedly. Every person gave him nearly the same answer as the woman.
"Gloria!" He prepared to charge into the villa like a madman, but someone caught him in a death grip and dragged him into a carriage parked by the roadside.
The newcomer was Hirth. His family belonged to the high nobility, and he had originally intended to help Lukas establish a connection with Count Ulfeldt. He had followed in haste, only to witness this tragic scene.
Lukas remained silent throughout the journey, his teeth clenched so tightly his jaw ached.
By dusk, when Hirth dragged him back into the Stieler Society's stronghold, the young man seemed to have aged years in a single afternoon.
He did not look at the others. He simply spoke in a low, gravelly voice, enunciating every word with cold precision: "I will avenge her. I will make the tyrant and his servants pay the price they owe!"
In truth, he had actually misjudged the Vienna Secret Police.
Gloria had been killed by her own father. In a fit of uncontrollable rage, Count Ulfeldt had struck her on the temple with his cane, causing her to fall into a coma. She died before a doctor could even arrive.
Count Ulfeldt had suppressed the truth, claiming she had succumbed to a sudden illness.
Since the timing coincided with Gloria's return from the Secret Police, the servants—ignorant of what had transpired in the Count's study—spread rumors that the brutal interrogation by the Secret Police had killed her.
Originally, the leadership of the Stieler Society consisted of two radicals, two moderate reformers, and one neutral member. Now, the radicals held an absolute majority, leaving Hirth as the sole moderate.
Furthermore, the current Lukas was more radical than the other two extremists combined.
The first light of dawn touched the horizon.
In the woods on the western side of the University of Vienna, a dozen teachers and students surrounded Lukas with fervent expressions. "That's right, we must organize our own army! In our faculty alone, at least fifty or sixty people want to join. They are all resolute reformers."
"I believe the majority of our fellow students would be willing to face the army for the sake of human rights and freedom."
Lukas surveyed the crowd with bloodshot eyes—he had barely slept three or four hours a day for the past month—and nodded. "Please remember, secrecy is paramount. The Secret Police are everywhere."
Forming a student militia was something the Vienna Student Legion had wanted to do for a long time. Now, with the full support of the Stieler Society, it could finally be realized.
Lukas continued, "Furthermore, training is vital. Passion and conviction alone cannot repel the tyrant's army. I have experienced this firsthand."
A university student immediately interjected, "We can use the excuse of hunting to train on my father's hunting grounds. He rarely visits there more than a few times a year." A young teacher looked slightly troubled. "But where will we get weapons? And the flags, drums, and other equipment needed for training?" Lukas replied, "I will handle those matters."
He had already contacted his friends in France. He could purchase a large quantity of "decommissioned military surplus" for a very low price. Naturally, those friends served in the French Security Bureau.
A young man with curly hair standing before him said, "I have met many people in the military who support reform; my brother is one of them. We could try to persuade them to join us as well."
"Excellent," Lukas nodded. "But again, maintain absolute secrecy.
"In fact, it is not just the army. We must spread the message of freedom and equality to everyone—workers and peasants alike—though our primary focus remains those with knowledge and ideals.
"One day, we will make Austria a nation as beautiful as France!"
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