Britain, London.
"The Russians have reached Istanbul?"
"How is that possible?!"
"Utter nonsense!"
"How could the Russians, with that feeble navy of theirs, possibly—!"
Not a single member of the British Cabinet believed such an absurd claim. The Russians had reached the Ottoman Empire's capital as soon as the war began?
How could that be possible?
"It is absolutely true! This report sent back by merchants has been cross-confirmed with the message sent by Viscount Stratford!
The Russians launched a surprise attack at dawn on the very day the war began.
The Ottomans had no time to prepare. If our merchant ship had not been delayed, it would likely have fallen victim to them as well."
George Villiers leaned back in his chair, speaking with his eyes closed. Though the authenticity of the news had been confirmed, even he found it difficult to believe.
After all, it was simply too unbelievable.
In truth, that British merchant ship had escaped the disaster entirely by chance. Yet even though its captain had immediately realized the gravity of the situation and done everything in his power to send word back to London, it was already a week later. In other words, Britain had no idea how the war between the Ottomans and the Russians was progressing by then.
Still, by all reasonable calculations, the Russians should not have been able to take Istanbul.
Then again, nothing that had happened so far lay within the bounds of reason.
"Gentlemen, what should we do?"
Logically, the current situation should have benefited Prime Minister George Hamilton-Gordon, who had always opposed the war, the most. Yet there was not the slightest trace of delight in his voice.
In truth, these people had more or less misunderstood Prime Minister Gordon. He was indeed opposed to war, but the