Vienna, Hofburg Palace.
To be honest, Franz felt little attachment to this palace. He preferred Schönbrunn Palace, where he had lived for more than a decade.
The people around Franz had changed considerably, too. After all, there was no such thing as gender equality in this era, and most women were not even allowed to appear in Hofburg Palace for most of the time.
Only when grand balls or banquets were held were some women of noble rank allowed inside.
Even when Sophie entered Hofburg Palace, it would give rise to gossip, as if she had brought every natural and man-made disaster with her, and could even affect the fate of the nation.
But these people had clearly picked the wrong target. Franz's mother was not the sort to doubt herself. Sophie usually chose to strike back on the spot. The advisers and scholars she brought along would argue her opponents into silence, and if any hardheads still tried to hold their ground, Count Schüssel would help loosen them up.
But even the historical Sophie, who liked to interfere in politics, would not directly attend imperial councils or take part in discussions of state affairs.
Sophie had no interest in interfering in politics at this time, but the prolonged civil war inevitably gave rise to criticism.
For instance, when Sophie visited her "sisters," she was occasionally mistaken for someone seeking refuge. Some even blamed her for making such a show of herself while fleeing, asking whether she had forgotten the tragedy of "Queen Antoine."
("Queen Antoine" referred to the famous queen who was beheaded, Marie Antoinette. At the time, German nobles often called her Queen Antoine when mentioning her, to avoid bringing up the House of Habsburg.)
The ladies might have made such remarks without thinking, but they left their