By now, Karl I understood that he had been utterly defeated. The German offensive had only just begun, yet the seemingly vast Austro-Hungarian Empire was already falling apart. One state after another had secretly reached agreements with the Germans behind the back of their emperor, betraying him and the entire Austro-Hungarian Empire. Even the Austrian troops were now retreating without a fight. Under such circumstances, what could they possibly use to resist the German invasion?
Karl I felt as though he were a clown. Once this matter spread, he would surely become the laughingstock of the entire world.
"So all my efforts, all my persistence, all my grand ambitions were nothing more than a joke!" Karl I murmured. Then he rose and left the war room.
The Military and Political Ministers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire watched Karl I leave, yet no one stopped him.
Although Karl I was still emperor, after making such a grave mistake, it was almost impossible for him to remain emperor. Even if the German Empire spared the Austro-Hungarian Empire this time, Karl I would certainly be forced from the throne. The Germans would never allow someone hostile to Germany to serve as emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire—or rather, emperor of the Austrian Empire.
These Military and Political Ministers had already guessed the outcome. The best possible result would undoubtedly be the disintegration of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, with everything returning to how it had been before the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary formed the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Of course, if the German Empire was determined to wipe them out completely and refused even to let the Austrian Empire continue to exist, then there was nothing they could do. The thousand-year rule of the Habsburg dynasty would come to an end because of this.
"Your Excellency,