"Your Majesty, the latest news from Athens: the Russian army has already entered Constantinople."
Franz was instantly more than half awake. The war had only begun two days ago; even if every Russian were cavalry and met no obstruction along the way, they might not have been able to reach Constantinople from Bulgaria so quickly.
"Is the news reliable?"
"It was a telegram sent personally by Otto I."
Franz nodded. He knew Otto I well enough.
"Bring me the telegram."
Franz took the telegram and read it, then handed it to Celestina, who was in charge of intelligence beside him.
"Make several copies and send them to the ministers' residences."
"Yes."
Though Celestina, who had returned from Paris, still bore some resemblance to Ajani between her brows, no one would ever mistake them for the same person again.
Though it was still unclear how the Russian army had entered Constantinople, one thing was certain: the Russians must have launched a surprise attack from the sea.
As for how the Russians had breached the coastal defenses, Franz did not know, nor did he need to know.
This was good news for the Austrian Empire, however, because the British arrangements had now failed, and British Parliament was surely in an uproar.
The corresponding downside was that Franz's original plan would also come to nothing.
Before long, the principal ministers qualified to attend the imperial council had all arrived.
"The Russians launched a surprise attack on Constantinople? Is that true?"
The brothers Albrecht and Friedrich clearly found the news difficult to believe. Whether from the perspective of the navy or the army, it all sounded far too fantastical.
Franz nodded.
"It is."
"Your Majesty, then what are we waiting for? We can hire some Ottomans to launch a surprise attack on our country.