In the hall on the east side of the Hofburg's first floor, every member of Austria's Emergency Committee and Finance Committee watched their Speaker with complicated expressions.
The Emergency Committee was the former Emergency Response Committee, holding the power of life and death over the Republic of Austria. The Finance Committee handled taxation, budgets, expenditures, and other matters, including military expenses.
These two committees were essentially the political core of the Republic. As for the Prime Minister and his Cabinet, they currently served only ceremonial functions. Lucas gripped the edge of the table and said in a low voice, "Under these circumstances, we must preserve the last hope for the revolution."
Bergman frowned. "Forgive my rudeness, Lucas, my friend, but this is essentially a defeatist view. We possess the strength of the people. No one can defeat us!"
Lucas nodded. "I have never doubted that the revolution will ultimately triumph, but the 'Fallback Plan' will not consume many resources. At the very least, it can expand the Republic's territory of control.
"Konstanz has been deeply influenced by France, Basel, and other places for decades, and Enlightenment thought is highly active there. Especially after the Emperor's army suffered defeat in Switzerland, the place has practically been governed entirely by the local Parliament.
"Mr. Messenger and I share the same view: all it would take is a few capable leaders and a little over a hundred soldiers to make it part of the Republic.
"As for Tyrol, while the local nobles are not weak, please do not forget that it has the great University of Innsbruck. Mr. Giovanni Albertini has long led the university's Enlightenment movement forward at a breakneck pace.
"If we rely on the university's immense influence to rally the students into revolt, together with the Military Committee's assistance, the