"That was their own choice. No one forced them! The British government has already promised that as long as we withdraw from the war, Macedonia will be ours."
Prime Minister Antonis Kritikos looked at his rival with disgust as he spoke, and baron Haydeck immediately shot back.
"Have you forgotten the humiliation Don Pacifico brought upon us?"
The Don Pacifico Affair was discussed earlier, in Volume Ten, Chapter 340. In essence, Britain used the pretext of protecting its expatriates to suppress Greece and demand enormous compensation.
The Don Pacifico Affair had deeply wounded Greek national sentiment, so Prime Minister Antonis Kritikos prepared to skirt around this topic that was unfavorable to him.
"Don't change the subject. Greek blood has already been shed enough."
"More than the Greek compatriots massacred by the Ottomans in the past?"
"I mean the soldiers who died in West Thrace!"
"But you and I both know that West Thrace was taken by the Austrians!"
"Enough! I am the king! You will all listen to me! Announce our support for the Holy Alliance. We will defend West Thrace with our flesh and blood!"
Naturally, Franz had fed this line to Otto I. Even the earlier argument had been designed by Franz himself, all to make Otto I see reality clearly and stop placing too many illusions on the Greek elite.
As long as Otto I did as Franz said, he would at least remain King of Greece for as long as he lived.
However, Otto I did not possess the authority he had imagined. Prime Minister Antonis Kritikos immediately said, "Your Majesty, I support you with all my heart, but our treasury cannot support your actions. As for the matter of soldiers, I'm sure baron Haydeck has a way."
Baron Haydeck was left utterly speechless and snapped