Chapter 1160: Colonial Transaction
Words spoken were like water spilled—there was no taking them back. Especially with something as momentous as a change of throne; it was no joking matter.
Since he had made the decision, no matter how others tried to persuade him, Franz had no intention of changing his mind.
Anyone would grow tired after doing the same job for too long, and being emperor was no exception. Power was certainly alluring, but after holding supreme authority for more than fifty consecutive years, Franz had long since lost his initial passion.
One only had to look at his performance over the past decade or so. He had pushed a great deal of government business onto Friedrich, calling it "training the crown prince's political abilities," when in truth, he was simply trying to slack off.
No matter how much he slacked off, an emperor was still an emperor and still had to be responsible for the country. Franz could refrain from handling specific affairs, but he still had to personally formulate matters concerning the nation's long-term development and strategic diplomacy.
In truth, Franz had long wanted to quit. At seventy or eighty years old, he was still fighting away at his post—truly a model worker.
The main reason was that, with heroes contending for supremacy and the international situation unclear, Franz had not been sure whether Friedrich could hold things together.
Now, the dust had settled. The era of conquering the realm had ended, the Holy Roman Empire's great momentum had taken shape, and the demands placed on a monarch's personal abilities had already fallen sharply.
As a colossal giant, the Holy Roman Empire had an exceptionally high tolerance for error. So long as no one blindly stirred up trouble and they proceeded step by step, its hegemony could