novelSusiti Chapter 212 The Double Act on the Balcony
Chapter 212 The Double Act on the Balcony
After the banquet, the three of them moved to the open-air balcony on the second floor of the palace.
Here you can overlook most of Athens at night. The streets in the distance are shrouded in lights, outlining the city's silhouette. Further away, the fishing lights of Piraeus Port blend with the starlight on the sea.
The evening breeze was cool and carried the scent of the ocean.
Sofia draped a white cashmere shawl over herself, and the moonlight shone on her, making her look like a moon goddess descending to earth.
Major Harrison lit a Cuban cigar, its rich smoke swirling in the night air. He leaned against the carved marble railing, relaxed, as if he owned the place.
He exhaled a smoke ring and asked casually, "Your Highness, how do you intend to deal with this egregious border crime? Will you merely lodge a diplomatic protest with the Ottoman Sultanate?"
His question was like a stone thrown into the air, breaking the silence of the gathering.
However, before Constantine could answer, Sophia spoke up first.
Her voice carried a clear, barely suppressed plea and worry.
"Major Harrison, you are His Highness's friend and an upright English gentleman. You must persuade him!"
She stepped forward, her cashmere shawl slipping slightly as she moved, revealing a section of her rounded shoulder. Her beautiful face appeared exceptionally sincere and vulnerable in the moonlight, and even her voice trembled slightly.
"Those generals in the country are shouting in parliament every day that they want to use war to 'punish' the disrespectful Turks! They say this is the best opportunity to wash away the national shame!"
"Constantine... He's still young. Although he won the 'Ghost War,' he's too easily influenced by those passionate pronouncements. I'm really worried that he'll be swayed by those hawkish generals and make some irreversible decision."
She perfectly portrayed a young wife who was politically naive, lacked a sense of the bigger picture, and was solely concerned with her husband's safety.
The affectionate nickname she used—"Connie"—added a real and intimate touch to this wonderful performance, making it feel like a real family affair. It instantly bridged the gap between her and Harrison, giving him the illusion that he was involved in "royal family matters."
Harrison's gaze, behind his glasses, swept quickly over Constantine. He saw the young crown prince's face darken after hearing his wife's words, but he didn't refute her, only gazing at the distant night sky, as if hiding his thoughts.
Harrison let out a barely perceptible sneer inwardly. A typical Prussian aristocratic woman, politically naive to the point of being endearing, always believing that marriage and family could solve everything. And this prince, though possessing some cleverness, was ultimately young and impetuous, driven by domestic nationalist sentiment, finding himself in a predicament. This was too perfect! A young monarch in need of "guidance," a pretext of "justice" to be exploited, an opportunity to both put pressure on the Ottomans and counterbalance German influence… This was practically a divine gift delivered to him! He, Lionel Harrison, a rising star of the empire from old Paris, would become the director of this drama…
This was a golden opportunity for the British Empire to take the lead, with Greece at the forefront, to both deter the disobedient Ottoman Empire and deepen its control over the Greek royal family. It also provided the British Empire with both moral and practical benefits in this "war on drugs"!
Just as Harrison's thoughts were racing, Sophia gave him another crucial reassurance.
She seemed to have inadvertently mentioned her brother, the high and mighty German Emperor.
"In his last letter, Vili said he hoped the Balkans could remain peaceful. He was very interested in the Ottoman army reforms and believed that a stable Ottoman Empire was in Europe's interest. If Kenni really took any radical action because of the border conflict, I really don't know... how I would explain it to my family."
That statement was extremely clever.
It clearly conveyed three messages to Harrison:
First, Germany desires peace in the Balkans and will not support any military adventures by Greece.
Secondly, the fact that Germany was cooperating with the Ottomans made the British instinctively wary.
Third, Sophia herself, as a Prussian princess, opposed the war.
These layers of information combined almost perfectly ruled out the possibility of German intervention and gave Harrison a strong and unique sense of superiority—in this situation, only I, only the British Empire, can help this troubled prince and solve his problems!
Just as Harrison was about to speak, offering some platitudes to appease the Crown Princess and hinting that Britain could provide "help," Constantine finally made his move.
He turned around, walked to his wife's side, and gently pulled Sofia behind him with a protective gesture that was a mixture of helplessness and affection.
He gave Harrison an apologetic smile.
"I'm sorry, Major. My wife, she's always been too sentimental. Women are always like that, their world revolves only around family and lovers, they can't see beyond that."
This charade between husband and wife was perfectly coordinated.
An "impulsive" husband and a "naive" wife.
One was held hostage by the military and public opinion, while the other was bound by family and kinship.
Harrison was completely and utterly convinced that he had seen through the young royal couple before him. All their cards, all their weaknesses, had been exposed to him.
Now, it's up to him, the "director," to decide how this play should end.
He stubbed out his cigar in the ashtray on the railing, straightened up, and wore a solemn and sincere expression.
"Your Highness, Your Highness the Crown Princess. Please allow me, as a friend, and not merely as an advisor to the General Intelligence Service in Greece, to offer you a suggestion..."
Constantine's hand, hanging at his side, twitched slightly.
The fish has taken the bait.