At the critical moment of the Anglo-Austrian negotiations, his mother, Princess Sophie, brought him news that seized Franz's full attention.
His uncle, Ferdinand I, was going to abdicate early and had told him to prepare for an early accession to the throne.
Heaven and earth bore witness—Franz dared swear in God's name that he had played no part in this. As Austria's lawful heir, he was not so impatient as to force his uncle off the throne.
Nor had Ferdinand I, the man directly concerned, truly made this decision. It had been a collective decision by the Habsburg Family.
Though Austria was famed for conservatism, after all these years, the people's tolerance for this mentally deficient emperor had reached its limit. The Vienna Rebellion had been fueled in part by this very factor.
For the Habsburg Family, this was a disaster. The monarch's dignity had been swept away, and jokes had become endless. If this continued, it would shake the royal family's position.
Then Franz had appeared out of nowhere as regent. In a short time, he had taken control of power and suppressed the domestic rebellion, giving many people hope.
The Austrian Empire's national strength had been steadily declining. The imperial family saw it with their own eyes and worried deeply, but these archdukes had the will without the strength; none possessed the ability to turn the tide.
Franz's outstanding performance had lit up their eyes. It seemed that the Habsburg Family was about to welcome a ruler who would restore its fortunes.
After discussing it in private, they decided Ferdinand I could no longer be allowed to disgrace himself on the imperial throne. For the past few decades, the Habsburg Family had practically supplied the aristocratic circles with all their punchlines.
For the sake of their long-term interests,