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Chapter 719: Charlemagne's Delusion

An hour later.

Franz II knelt before Archbishop Chiaramonti, kissed the ring on his finger, and recited a prayer:

"My soul longs for your forgiveness and guidance; my life, thoughts, and deeds are dedicated to you... May all glory be to God, now and forever, world without end..."

According to Catholic rites, he was kneeling before God.

However, this clearly demonstrated his stance.

On Schönbrunn Palace Square, Giacinto Reale gazed at the palace gates before him, taking several deep breaths, his hands trembling slightly.

He had received news that the Papal Special Envoy had arrived in Vienna.

He was supposed to have met the Holy Roman Emperor before the envoy, but his master, Muzzarelli, had encountered heavy snow in Villach. Based on the estimated itinerary, he wouldn't leave Austrian territory until this afternoon.

For his master's absolute safety, he had delayed coming to Schönbrunn Palace until this moment.

Indeed, a week ago, a mysterious individual had informed Muzzarelli that the Pope had sent a special envoy to Vienna—the messenger had also faced a snowstorm, otherwise, he would have arrived days earlier.

Muzzarelli immediately left Austria for the Papal States, leaving Reale behind to complete an important task.

Reale was soon granted an audience with Franz II.

The Holy Roman Emperor's first words upon seeing him were, "Where is your master?"

"I believe he is nearing Rome now," Reale said with a bow.

"What?" Franz II exclaimed, greatly alarmed. "Wasn't he giving a speech in Poszony? Damn it!"

Reale's heart pounded. He gathered his courage and said, "Your Majesty, it seems you have already settled terms with the Pope?"

Those familiar with his master called him a gambler, but Reale preferred to call him an adventurer. There was a fundamental difference between the two—a gambler would stake everything without seeing their cards, while an adventurer would only act when certain of success.

Therefore, this attendant believed he would not be hanged by the Holy Roman Emperor today.

Franz II nodded, stating calmly, "It doesn't matter. Without my support, the Pope can deal with him himself."

"No, Your Majesty," Reale declared firmly, "You must support Archbishop Muzzarelli!"

Franz II chuckled and motioned to a guard: "Imprison him."

Reale raised his voice: "If you do that, then the letters you wrote to my master regarding the Holy See's announcement that the Crusader Holy War was a rumor, along with your foreign minister's negotiation content with him and all related papers, will be made public!"

Franz II immediately stood up, waving his hand and roaring in fury, "I swear, if he dares to do that, I'll drag him to hell!"

Reale recalled his master's instructions and continued, "Furthermore, my master will also voluntarily confess to the Holy See, 'admitting' that the assassination of the Pope was a conspiracy between you and him!"

Franz II froze instantly.

If only the secret plot between himself and Muzzarelli to debunk the Crusader Holy War leaked, the worst outcome would be some dissatisfaction among the soldiers fighting in Poland.

But coupled with that, if Muzzarelli also framed him for conspiring to assassinate the Pope, he wouldn't be able to explain himself!

To outsiders, it would appear that he was trying to support the Austrian faction within the Holy See, making the removal of the current Pope a logical step. This would be especially true if one of the conspirators himself confessed.

Even Pius VI would believe it wholeheartedly!

By then, he would be despised by the entire Catholic world...

Franz II roared, his face ashen, "Is he insane? If he does that, he'll be ruined too!"

When Reale saw the undisguised terror in the Holy Roman Emperor's eyes, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed his master had won.

He grinned: "My master said he would be greatly honored to have a venerable Emperor accompany him to hell. His story would be recounted for centuries, even millennia."

"Madman!" The veins throbbed on Franz II's forehead. "Muzzarelli is completely insane!"

He turned and looked around, like a drowning man grasping for a lifeline, finding nothing. He then slumped back into his chair, shaking his head repeatedly: "No, this won't do! The Pope..."

Reale repeated Muzzarelli's words: "Yes, the Pope will certainly be displeased with you, declare support for the Crusader Holy War, and even excommunicate you."

Franz II immediately looked up at him.

Reale continued, "But that doesn't matter. Archbishop Muzzarelli will pressure the Pope within the Holy See. With your support, he will surely persuade the Pope to abandon those notions."

"But..."

"If you are still uneasy, you can have Tuscany and Venice cooperate," Reale said with a smile. "Oh, the French method is quite effective. What was it called? Oh, 'military exercise'—yes, have both nations conduct large-scale maneuvers on the Papal States' borders.

"I believe the results will satisfy you."

Seeing Franz II's face clouded as he remained silent, Reale leaned closer and said, "Your Majesty, in fact, this is also a rare opportunity for you.

"You know, the Pope is quite old. And once Archbishop Muzzarelli ascends the papal throne, you will become the new 'Charlemagne'!

"Of course, this process will still require your selfless support."

The Charlemagne he referred to was the creator of the Carolingian Empire.

When people spoke of the Papal States, they often thought of Pepin the Short, the Frankish king who gifted Rome to the Holy See. But in reality, the greatest contributor to the Holy See was Pepin's son, Charlemagne.

With the Holy See's absolute support, Charlemagne led his army to conquer vast territories, including what are now France, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and northwestern Italy.

Later, when he divided his kingdom among his three sons, the Western European nations as we know them today emerged. The complete Holy Roman Empire was merely a "fragment" of Charlemagne's empire.

At the same time, the Papal States received immense rewards from Charlemagne, including large tracts of land and religious dominion.

It was arguably the most glorious period for the Holy See in centuries.

Franz II's interest was immediately piqued upon hearing this.

Muzzarelli's meaning was clear: if he became Pope, he would, like Leo III supporting Charlemagne, help Franz II sweep across Western Europe.

Coincidentally, Leo III also became Pope through a coup.

Franz II pondered for a long time. Finally, his gaze hardened, and he raised a hand to the captain of the guard: "Go and bring Archbishop Chiaramonti back."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Joseph hadn't expected that merely wanting to prevent the Pope from cooperating with Austria and sending a message would cause such a monumental shift in the political landscape of the Holy See.

...

United States.

Philadelphia.

"With all due respect, Congress will never pass this bill," U.S. Treasury Secretary Hamilton told Lord Grenville, a regretful expression on his face. "Moreover, the supplies required to support your expeditionary force would be incredibly costly. Given our nation's financial situation, we absolutely cannot afford it."