Schönbrunn Palace
Tyrone, the head of intelligence, reported, "Your Majesty, Archduke Maximilian and his wife left Vienna yesterday. Their destination is France."
Franz took a sip of tea, suppressing the dissatisfaction in his heart. "Forget it. Let him go."
At a time like this, Maximilian's trip to France clearly meant he intended to become Emperor of Mexico with French support.
Napoleon III was likely behind this as well. What the French needed was a high-born puppet monarch, one they could use to control Mexico from the shadows.
Maximilian had stood out only because the French had no better choice. The Mexican Constitutionalists would not accept just anyone; the Bonaparte Family, at the very least, was out of the question.
In fact, the initial candidates had been limited to the Habsburg Family and the Bourbon Dynasty. Without question, Napoleon III could not possibly support a Mexican emperor from the Bourbon Family. That would be asking for trouble.
If the Bourbon Dynasty were to rise again in Mexico, and people decided the Bourbons had done a fine job and wanted to replace France's monarch, then things would be disastrous.
After all, the Bourbon Dynasty was universally recognized as the legitimate line, far more legitimate than the Bonaparte Family. The possibility of a restoration would be extremely high.
The Habsburg Family had thus become almost the only choice. Napoleon III supported Maximilian not because he was exceptionally capable, but precisely because he fancied Maximilian's chuunibyou political ideals.
If he truly had been outstanding, neither the Mexican Constitutionalists nor Napoleon III would have allowed him to become Emperor of Mexico.
What everyone needed was a puppet, not a commanding ruler. The House of Habsburg was no weak power. If Maximilian truly proved capable, he could turn the tables and become the master at any