As for old Johann Strauss's behavior, Franz was beyond snarking at it. All he could say was, "No ordinary man, indeed."
Ordinary people simply could not pull off something so heaven-defying. Still, the Austrian Empire was quite tolerant when it came to artistic creation.
So long as they did not openly rebel, there would generally be no great issue made of it. Of course, even those who had once openly rebelled would be given a chance by Franz. So long as they were willing to sever themselves from their past, they could receive a pardon.
If they truly could not get past it, they could choose exile or seek development in the colonies.
If they insisted on proving themselves, then Franz could only send them on their way.
Johann Strauss Jr. was young and hot-blooded, and Franz truly feared that, in a moment of anger, he might stubbornly resist to the bitter end.
Fortunately, after witnessing the great rebellion of 1848, Johann Strauss Jr.'s state of mind had changed greatly, as had his view of the world.
He no longer fixated on certain words, turning instead toward practicality.
In truth, it was mainly under Franz's crushing pressure that the evil within the rebellion had been more thoroughly laid bare. This dealt a heavy blow to idealists. Their faith in their ideals completely collapsed, and they felt profound despair at the evil of human nature.
Even after being pardoned by Franz, quite a few people like Johann Strauss Jr. still locked themselves away at home, beginning to reconsider the meaning of their existence and whether what they had done before had truly been right or wrong.
Everyone had clearly fought for freedom, fairness, justice, and a better tomorrow, yet the result was the collapse of order, wolves and jackals running rampant,