The Meat Is in the Pot

The "misunderstanding" in Panama had been far too great. An accidental armed clash had wiped out an entire division—no one would have dared believe it if they heard it.

Explanation was concealment, and it would not help in the slightest. Shortly after the incident, the Austrian Central American Colonial Government announced that it would take responsibility, though this was in fact the result of Franz's intervention.

By stepping forward to accept responsibility, they could also emphasize the trivial and downplay the serious, salvaging their international reputation as much as possible and minimizing the adverse impact.

Holding anyone accountable was naturally out of the question. The Austrian Central American Colonial Government had done nothing wrong. That was simply how colonial empires operated these days.

It was not as though similar incidents had never happened before. It was only that none had had such a great impact. Colombia was not only an independent country; more importantly, it was a white country.

European citizens had always been highly sensitive to such matters, especially those in the many small countries, who felt the rabbit's death and the fox's sorrow.

In many people's eyes, if they did not step forward to speak for Colombia today, then perhaps tomorrow something similar would happen to them—and no one would be willing to stand up for them.

Much like the Anglo-Boer War in the original timeline, Austria was being cursed bloody by public opinion, and demonstrators had gathered outside its embassies abroad.

Of course, taking responsibility voluntarily was still useful. It made the Vienna Government's international image seem not quite so terrible.

Let them curse all they wanted. Which great power had not been cursed these days? In any case, everyone was merely talking; no one could truly take action.

Compared with the Vienna Government's calmness, Franz's reaction