novelSusiti Chapter 120 An Invitation to the Empire
Chapter 120 An Invitation to the Empire
"very good."
Constantine looked at Nicholas Dimitrios kneeling on the ground; those eyes, which had once burned with fanaticism and madness, now held only pure faith.
He knew that this unruly lion had been completely tamed.
From now on, he will be the sharpest sword of science in his hand.
"Alexandros." Constantine did not turn around.
From the shadows, the attendant Alexandros emerged silently, as if he had always been standing there.
"Your Highness."
"Take Mr. Dimitrios to his quarters. Provide him with the best lodging, the best food, and... absolute peace," Constantine ordered. "From this moment forward, his safety is the highest priority for the Royal Family."
"Yes, sir." Alexandros bowed slightly, then said to Dimitrios, who was still kneeling on the ground, "Sir, please follow me."
Dimitrios seemed to awaken from a dream. He gave Constantine one last, intense look, his gaze almost overflowing with fervor. Then, without a word, like the most loyal soldier, he followed Alexandros out of the study.
The study returned to silence.
Constantine walked to the window and gazed at the silhouette of the Acropolis in Athens.
He planted the first seed.
A seed that could ignite the Second Industrial Revolution and allow Greece to overtake others.
But for a seed to germinate, it needs time and a stable external environment.
Two years later, in the autumn of 1887.
Athens shed its former staleness and dullness, and the air was filled with a festive yet tense atmosphere. The streets were swept spotless, and the blue and white cross flags of Greece and the black and white eagle flags of Prussia were hung on both sides of the main road.
The wedding of Crown Prince Constantine and Princess Sophia of Prussia is drawing ever closer.
This is not just a simple royal marriage.
All of Europe's attention is focused on this ancient city. The marriage of a German princess to the crown prince of Greece, a country considered "the worst-ranked in Europe," is itself a dramatic and topical event. People are curious and watching to see what changes this marriage will bring to the political landscape of Europe.
Inside the royal study.
Constantine sat behind his desk, before him an invitation decorated with gilded coat of arms. The parchment was of fine texture, and the ink was a specially made Prussian blue.
He picked up the pen and solemnly signed his name at the end of the invitation.
— Constantine.
The destination of this invitation is Berlin.
The recipient was his future brother-in-law, the Crown Prince Wilhelm, the grandson of the German Emperor. The future emperor, Wilhelm II, who was historically known for his impulsiveness, arrogance, and extreme emphasis on family honor.
Constantine knew very well that his brother-in-law was the most crucial pawn in securing German support and creating future opportunities for Greece. Winning his friendship, or even his admiration, would be tantamount to planting a wedge belonging to Greece within the intricate war machine of the German Empire.
"Your Highness." Alexandros appeared at the doorway, his expression more composed than two years ago, his eyes more reserved, like a sharp blade hidden in its sheath.
"Speak." Constantine sealed the signed invitation in an envelope and sealed it with the royal crest using sealing wax.
"Alexius Mavrokodatos has been quite active lately," Alexandros said, handing over a thin file.
Constantine took it and opened it.
Alexius Mavrokodatos, a descendant of the Fanar nobles, was a staunch defender of the old order. After the downfall of the financial oligarch Zaimis, he quickly consolidated the conservative forces dissatisfied with the new policies, becoming Constantine's most formidable "shadow enemy" in Parliament.
"They couldn't stop the wedding, so they planned to put on a good show for you in front of the dignitaries from various countries attending the ceremony," Alexandros said in a flat, emotionless voice.
"They contacted the Athens correspondents of the French newspaper Le Figaro and the British newspaper The Times, offering them large sums of money. At the same time, they spread your rhetoric of being 'dictatorial' and 'belligerent,' attempting to turn Greece into a powder keg in the salons of various embassies."
"The goal was clear," Alexandros concluded. "They wanted to portray you in front of Prince William as a dangerous Balkan tyrant, a political opportunist unworthy of the trust and investment of the German Empire."
Constantine finished reading the case file without showing any emotion on his face.
He casually set the file aside, picked up the invitation letter that was to be sent to Berlin, and handed it to Alexandros.
"Send this invitation out as quickly as possible."
Alexandros accepted the invitation but didn't move. He awaited the next order, an order on how to deal with the conspirators. Arrest them? Warn them? Or use more direct methods to silence them?
However, Constantine simply picked up the coffee on the table and blew on it to cool it down.
"Your Highness?"
"Let the flies buzz," Constantine said calmly, taking a sip of his coffee. "The louder they buzz, the more interested the audience in the theater will be."
He looked up at him, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"I've prepared a bigger stage for them, but I'm afraid they won't be able to sing when the time comes."
Alexandros understood immediately.
He asked no further questions, but simply bowed and said, "Yes, Your Highness."
As he turned and left the study, he knew that a good show was about to begin.
In the palace gardens.
Princess Sofia is pruning a cluster of roses transplanted from Potsdam.
She wore an elegant long dress, her long golden hair styled in a bun, revealing her graceful neck. Two years had passed, and she had fully adapted to life in Athens, even speaking fluent Greek.
But a deep, unyielding worry lingered between her brows.
"Are you still worried about your brother?"
Constantine's voice came from behind her. He had been standing there at some point, holding a shawl in his hand.
Sofia turned around and managed a weak smile.
Constantine stepped forward and gently draped a shawl over her shoulders: "The autumn wind is chilly, don't catch a cold."
"Connie," Sophia grasped his hand, her blue eyes filled with worry, "I know William. He's proud, meticulous, even a bit rigid. He takes pride in Prussia's order and power. I'm afraid... I'm afraid he'll come here and see the state of Greece..."
She didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear.
At that time, although Greece had shown some improvement under Constantine's rule, it still resembled a poor and backward rural relative compared to the highly industrialized and militarily powerful German Empire.
The streets were not clean enough, the army was not imposing enough, and even the furnishings of the royal palace were far less luxurious than those of the palaces in Berlin.
She feared that her proud brother would look down on her husband and the country she had chosen because of this.
She had also heard the rumors about Constantine being "dictatorial" and "belligerent." She was even more afraid that these rumors would reach William's ears, giving him an irreparably negative impression of the marriage.
Constantine looked at her anxious face but offered no direct comfort.
He took her hand and led her to the highest point of the garden.
From here, you can overlook half of Athens.
"Look there," Constantine pointed into the distance.
On the western outskirts of Athens, a vast expanse of land is being leveled, with countless workers busily working like ants. That is the Royal Military Academy under construction.
He pointed in another direction, where on the edge of the city, rows of brand-new buildings rose from the ground, with some strange metal towers vaguely visible. Those were the prototypes of the Athena National Academy of Sciences.
"My dear, you don't need to be upset about Greece's poverty and weakness," Constantine's voice was full of strength and confidence.
He turned around, placed his hands on Sofia's shoulders, and looked directly into her eyes.
"On the contrary, what we want your brother to see is not a finished product that is already perfect, but a newly opened scroll, a blueprint full of infinite possibilities."
"Germany is powerful, but it's already set in its ways, like a finely tuned machine. Greece, on the other hand," Constantine's eyes gleamed, "is an uncut gem, a value haven waiting for capital and technology to flow in."
He squeezed Sofia's hand.
"Does a savvy investor buy stocks that have already peaked, or invest in a blue-chip stock with unlimited potential?"
"We want to show William what a hopeful land his future brother-in-law is ruling."
"We want him to see that allying with Greece and investing in Greece will be the wisest and most visionary decision he can make in the future, surpassing even his father and grandfather!"
Sofia stared blankly at her fiancé.
In his deep eyes, there was not a trace of inferiority or timidity, only a calm composure and a confidence that he could control everything.
The anxiety in her heart was unknowingly dispelled by this powerful self-confidence, replaced by a deep trust and expectation.
She leaned against Constantine's chest, looking at the bustling construction site in the distance, and whispered.
"Connie, I'm starting to look forward to William's arrival."