Indulgence Mode 2.0

Forming an alliance was a complicated matter that required considering every aspect. It was not as if Britain and France had no conflicts; on the contrary, the two countries were competitors in many areas.

Austria had put enough pressure on the British, but it had not brought enough pressure to the French. At the very least, the Paris Government did not feel Austria's threat deeply.

Though the recent civil war had badly wounded France and it would take years to recover, that was merely the outside world's view. Most French people still felt quite good about themselves.

Ideas and perceptions could not be changed overnight. The greater the power, the more stubborn it tended to be in this regard; confidence was often accompanied by arrogance.

Besides, what the French had lost was only their economy. Their military strength had suffered virtually no losses, and they remained the most terrifying man-eating beast in Europe.

In the temporary royal palace in Paris, Napoleon IV had yet to recover from the hatred of having his home destroyed. He cast aside his former tolerance toward the revolutionaries and ushered in an era of White Terror.

This was an inevitable outcome. No ruler could tolerate the existence of rebels. The previous magnanimity had been for the greater picture; now that the situation had stabilized, it was naturally time to settle accounts after the harvest.

If the rebels went unpunished, would that not be encouraging everyone to rebel?

For Napoleon IV, the most pressing task was to reclaim the monarch's lost majesty and restore the glory of the crown.

Looking haggard, Napoleon IV asked in a deep voice, "How likely do you think the British proposal for an alliance is to be genuine?"

Suspicion was necessary. Anglo-French relations had been dreadful most of the time, and