Vienna, Hofburg Palace.
Hungary's problems remained as dire as ever. Franz showed not the slightest appreciation for Kossuth's desperate, all-or-nothing gamble.
On the contrary, he despised the repeated use of such tactics. Once might be unavoidable; twice was downright shameless.
Still, Franz had to thank Kossuth. His act of breaching the dam at Buda had also struck at the roots of the Hunnic Empire.
The matter of Chutkalai irritated Franz. What use was a two-faced bastard like him?
Besides, Franz had no desire to recruit these traitors. Those who wanted peace had already joined his plans, people like Count Széchenyi.
Franz's reward to Count Széchenyi was the position of mayor of Vienna. As the capital of the Austrian Empire, Vienna would undoubtedly face considerable limits on its local autonomy, but its status and prestige were beyond comparison with those of any other mayoralty.
But Franz's appointment stirred up fierce controversy. The main objection was simply that Count Széchenyi had been born in Hungary, and might therefore act against the interests of the Austrian Empire.
Franz naturally wouldn't be swayed by such baseless rumors. Still, as the man who had truly opened the Pandora's box of Hungarian nationalism, Count Széchenyi found it difficult to forgive himself.
Yet from Franz's and the Austrian Empire's point of view, Count Széchenyi had to accept the position, whether he wanted it or not.
As for that piece of trash Chutkalai, he sure had a stubborn hold on life. Even a flood like that hadn't drowned him. Worse, some people were pleading for mercy on his behalf.
Their reasoning went like this: since such a disaster hadn't killed him, God must have forgiven him, so pardoning his crimes was God's will.
The petitioners came from the Church, including local bishops and the sons of nobles. On