A young man entered at that moment. His attire was somewhat flamboyant, at least in a style Palmerston had never seen before.
Yet the craftsmanship and materials were both of the finest quality; gold, silver, and jewels could only serve as embellishments. His sapphire-blue eyes and handsome face were simply too striking, even making him seem somewhat frivolous—but that only made it easier for young ladies to lose their hearts to him.
Palmerston could not help feeling a touch of envy. After all, he too had once been a handsome man.
But Palmerston quickly gave up any thought of comparison. On one hand, there was indeed a gap between their appearances. On the other, though the man before him looked somewhat frivolous, those deep eyes and that distinctive aura made him impossible to underestimate.
"Welcome, Lord Palmerston."
A gentle smile rested on Franz's face. What he saw was an old man who was somewhat weary, somewhat dispirited, and even somewhat forlorn.
Palmerston had to admit that the man before him was far more charming and dignified than he appeared in the magazines, and vastly different from the ugly, fat, overbearing, and helpless figure portrayed by the British newspapers.
But as a professional diplomat, Palmerston's ability to adjust was still exceptional.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Austria is a magical country. This visit alone has already been a feast for my eyes.
"I have brought greetings from Her Majesty the Queen. We hope to achieve more cooperation with your country in more regions.
"For instance, Tunisia."
Franz thought to himself.
"Sure enough, they're a swarm of flies that just won't go away. They caught the scent and came buzzing over."
But this too was within Franz's calculations. The British had spent a century cultivating their influence, and it had been quite effective;