This is a Revelation

St. Stephen's Cathedral is the largest church in Vienna and the site where Austrian emperors were crowned and laid to rest; it can be said to be the symbol of Vienna. Situated in the very center of the city, it is also known as the "Heart of Vienna."

The cathedral was built in 1304 and completed two centuries later, possessing both Gothic style and Renaissance flair.

Outside the church, one can see the 230,000 colored glazed tiles on the roof. Under the sunlight, the colored tiles arranged into a double-headed eagle are a true masterpiece.

Pushing open the cathedral doors, the scent of age and dust rushed to meet me, followed by the fragrance of resin and frankincense.

Entering the cathedral, the light inside gradually dimmed, with only the candlelight on the shrine shimmering brightly. The temperature seemed to drop as well, leaving one feeling peaceful and calm.

Surrounded by an atmosphere far removed from the worldly hustle and bustle, solemn and sacred, the heart of Francis II seemed to settle down as well.

With the Emperor arriving in person, Rauscher, as the Archbishop of Vienna, naturally had to greet him personally.

However, his obese body and flamboyant attire seemed completely out of place in this ancient and sacred cathedral.

Francis II was in a hurry this time and did not wait for the perpetually tardy Archbishop Rauscher. He walked straight toward the shrine venerated by his family, his fingers gently stroking the ancient characters engraved upon it.

Unexpectedly, the usually sluggish Archbishop Rauscher was unusually swift this time. In truth, as a bishop appointed by the Emperor, how could he dare to neglect him?

"Oh! Praise the grace of Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. What has brought the great monarch of the mortal world here?"

Francis II waved his hand. "Spare me the pleasantries; I have only come to pay respects to my ancestors."

Archbishop Rauscher naturally heard the subtext in those words. As a representative of God, he had wanted to remain reserved, but he suddenly remembered that this Emperor was obsessed with saving face and possessed very little patience.

"Your Majesty, in the dwelling of God, you may speak of anything."

"I..." Francis II pondered for a moment before deciding to speak. After all, he was a devout Catholic himself, and furthermore, the Archbishop of Vienna standing before him was his own appointee, not an outsider. The most important reason was that this fat man would certainly agree with him, which was pleasant to hear.

"My grandson, Little Franz, displayed the prophecy of Frederick III in the nursery today."

"What is that?" Rauscher asked instinctively, only to realize his mistake the next second. Wasn't it written right there on the shrine he faced every day? To cover his embarrassment, he could only adopt a very indifferent attitude, as if nothing had happened.

"A.E.I.O.U," Francis II blurted out, his tone seemingly carrying a hint of pride.

"This is a revelation," the Archbishop immediately channeled his inner mystic.

Mystics, whether ancient or modern, domestic or foreign, are all the same, and Rauscher was no exception. He liked to go along with the Emperor's words, and he was himself a primitivist who had spent his whole life searching for a so-called "born saint."

"Archbishop, are you saying?" Francis II appeared somewhat agitated, for he himself thought the same. It was a pity he was not a great ruler; even when he had his own ideas, he wanted to rely on gods and ghosts to corroborate them.

Rauscher naturally would not let this opportunity pass, delivering a compliment head-on.

"This is an auspicious omen, indicating that the grand ambitions of the Austrian Empire will surely be realized." Archbishop Rauscher wore an oath-bound expression, as if he had truly received some revelation.

In fact, if one analyzed it carefully, saying such things was no different from saying nothing at all. Although Archbishop Rauscher said the empire's hegemony would eventually be realized, he did not say exactly when or to what extent, so strictly speaking, he was not lying, nor did he violate any doctrine.

Yet for the indecisive Francis II, this was undoubtedly a shot in the arm. Because this was not his own idea—it was the will of God. In short, if any problems arose, he wouldn't have to take the blame, and he felt happy at once.

Having stayed in the position of Archbishop of Vienna for so many years, Rauscher certainly possessed the skill of reading people.

He thought to himself, The Emperor's state of mind is wrong today. Could it be that he intends to pass the throne to his grandson?

Then Rauscher thought of the Pragmatic Sanction and felt a tightness in his chest, but immediately thought of Empress Maria Theresa and the prosperity of her era, the strength of the Church, and his mood eased again.

"Your Majesty, I have also met Archduke Franz. He is indeed a special child. I still remember when I performed his baptism, he sprayed me all over."

Rauscher had a good impression of Franz because Franz always held a Bible in his hands, unable to put it down; he must be a devout believer.

In truth, the current Franz did not know much German. He liked holding the Bible because the book was large enough to use as a footstool, and the cover was soft enough to serve as a cushion. Sometimes, as a member of the royal family, Franz had to pad his seat with several books to maintain a dignified posture.

Besides that, it could also be used to beat his younger brother, Maximilian.

Maximilian was Franz's second younger brother; the two seemed naturally incompatible and were always fighting. Maximilian naturally could not beat Franz, who had lived two lifetimes, but Franz could not really be hard on a child.

Then Franz thought of a way: find a book thick and large enough, press it onto Maximilian's back, and then sit on it. This way, he could peacefully resolve this childish dispute, and that book happened to be the Bible.

The result was that Maximilian was often pinned down by Franz with the Bible, with only his hands and feet able to move. He looked just like a little turtle being held down by its shell.

However, what the Archbishop saw was a devout believer who never left his Bible.

On the other hand, from Archbishop Rauscher's own perspective, he had always wanted to find a born saint to restore the public's trust in Catholicism.

But after years of searching and countless failures, he made a decision.

Rather than wait for a saint to appear, it was better to create one himself.

Now that the old Emperor had expressed his intent, Rauscher naturally would not let this opportunity slip. If he let this child inherit the throne in the future, wouldn't he become the Emperor's godfather? At the very least, he would be a Richelieu, wielding power over the court during his life and leaving a name for eternity after his death.

"Your Majesty, you should follow your heart's choice; your choice is the will of God." Rauscher naturally could not say what he wanted to do, so he could only dump the responsibility onto God.

"Archbishop, what are you trying to say?"

Rauscher did not expect the usually straightforward old Emperor to say this; he really had no shame, so he smiled awkwardly.

"May the Austrian Empire enjoy long-lasting stability and eternal peace."

The old Emperor smiled as well. He was no enlightened monarch, but he would not be swayed by a mystic; this was his pride as an Emperor, even if it was of no use.

"Perhaps this really is a revelation."