France, Paris.
Baron Pasquier relayed Metternich's words to Louis Philippe, giving the latter's staff a great sense of relief.
After all, the words carried more weight coming from an enemy like Austria. France and Austria would expand only to a limited extent, while also eliminating the Pro-British Faction within Switzerland. That way, everyone could save face.
As for Henry V, who had only a castle to his name (referring to the Count of Chambord), he could go to hell. He had no soldiers at all, so he had only himself to blame for dreaming of claiming the throne.
"The British? Could they sail their warships into the mountains? Limited expansion? I say they're trying to lull us into a false sense of security, then take Switzerland for themselves! The League of Orthodoxy's leaders are Austrian puppets!
"And Archduke Charles is in Switzerland. Who knows, they may have already made their move!"
The veins on Louis Philippe's forehead bulged, and his face twisted into a savage grimace. He did not want to lose the chance to expand, much less the throne of France. He wished he had smashed the Count of Chambord against the ground when he was born.
"The British won't take Swiss territory, much less fight in Switzerland. But they can use this opportunity to expand their overseas interests while weakening both France and Austria.
"Besides, sharing a direct border with Austria would not only make border clashes more likely, but would also force us to pay enormous sums for border defenses.
"Swiss land and population would bring us little benefit. We might even have to provide them with aid."
Baron Pasquier argued his case, for Louis Philippe seemed to believe that it was all a lie—and that Pasquier himself was deceiving him.
But the former had no idea