Pleading for Mercy

Italian Navy Minister Francesco was a balding middle-aged man. He had not come from a naval background; he had only secured this position because of his close personal friendship with King Vittorio Emanuele III.

With an outsider leading the navy, it was no wonder the Italian Navy was so weak.

Francesco waited in the Naval Ministry's telegraph room for the outcome of the naval battle. He knew that the King and the Prime Minister were also awaiting the result. For the Kingdom of Italy, this battle was of vital importance—it directly concerned the kingdom's very fate!

"Why is there still no news? Could we have lost? What are we supposed to do then?" Francesco fretted anxiously.

Francesco had actually been deeply pessimistic about this naval battle. Though he was not from the navy, he knew very well how powerful the German Navy was. That was precisely why he had not placed much hope in the Combined Fleet. Although the Combined Fleet was not weak, the German Navy was even stronger! For the Combined Fleet to defeat the German Navy was almost impossible.

Many high-ranking officials in the Kingdom of Italy were now deeply dissatisfied with their earlier betrayal of the Allied Powers and decision to join the Allied Powers in the war. They believed it had been nothing but digging their own graves. Had the Kingdom of Italy remained with the Allied Powers, they could have won the war and shared in its spoils. They would not now be heading toward destruction.

"Sir, a telegram from General Paul," the secretary reported to Francesco.

Francesco practically snatched the telegram from the secretary's hand and immediately began reading it. Yet when he finished, his face had turned deathly pale.

"Damn it, we really lost. What are we going to do now?" Francesco