The first day of the conference passed amid a clamor, and as usual, not a single agreement was reached openly.
Viscount Stratford had actually planned to wrap things up at the end, but Austria's announcement that it was forming a Monetary Union completely threw his rhythm into disarray.
The peace conference had yet to enter the British era, and international law was little more than a dead letter. The country trampling it most ruthlessly was the Austrian Empire.
Every one of Franz's foreign wars had trampled Britain's so-called Balance of Power Policy, and the Vienna System had nearly collapsed as well.
Diplomacy had returned to its most traditional form: court diplomacy. When it came to the ability to rally the upper classes, even the four great powers combined were no match for Austria.
On top of that, this was Austria's home ground. For the first time in his life, Viscount Stratford knew what it meant to be unable to take a single step forward.
In truth, every country except Austria was more or less at a loss, and the whole situation grew even more chaotic after the European Monetary Union was proposed.
The ambassadors of every country hurriedly appealed to their governments for help. Events had clearly developed beyond everyone's expectations.
Hofburg Palace, small banquet hall.
Otto I was rather vexed. He had seen the peace conference that day. It felt awful to be ignored! Even though the fait accompli had already been established, in the eyes of the great powers, it was still so laughable.
"Franz, what should I do? They don't take me seriously at all!"
"Cousin, there's no need to be angry. This peace conference is really more like a business negotiation. As long as the cost of reclaiming those lands is higher than the income they