Reincarnated as Napoleon II-Chapter 192: The Peace Terms and Ceasefire

Hofburg Palace, Vienna.

March 27th, 1836.

The meeting was arranged without any public notice.

No announcement was made. No court gathering was called. Only those required were informed. The arrangement moved through diplomatic channels that had stayed open despite the war.

War did not stop communication.

It only changed how it was used.

The chamber chosen for the meeting was smaller than the main council room. It was easier to control. Fewer people, fewer distractions, fewer chances for anything to spread outside.

Archduke Louis stood by the table, reading through the final notes again. Metternich remained near the window, hands behind his back, watching the room without moving. Kolowrat stood near the door, waiting.

No one spoke.

They all knew what this meeting meant.

The doors opened.

The French ambassador entered with two aides.

He stopped at the center and bowed.

"Your Imperial Majesty."

Ferdinand I was already seated.

He looked at the man for a moment before speaking.

"You came quickly."

The ambassador straightened.

"The situation moves quickly, Your Majesty."

That was true.

Louis gestured toward the table.

"Let us begin."

The ambassador stepped forward and placed a document case on the table. He opened it and took out a set of papers.

"These are the terms from the French Empire," he said.

Metternich stepped closer.

"State them."

The ambassador nodded.

"The first condition is the formal surrender of Austrian authority over its Italian territories."

Ferdinand’s expression shifted slightly, but he did not interrupt.

The ambassador continued.

"This includes Lombardy and Venetia. Austria will no longer claim or administer these regions."

Louis remained still. Kolowrat watched closely.

"And who takes them?" Ferdinand asked.

The ambassador answered without hesitation.

"They will fall under the influence of the Kingdom of Naples."

That settled in the room.

"This allows the Italian territories to unify under a single structure aligned with Naples," the ambassador added. "This must be recognized formally."

Ferdinand leaned slightly back.

"So we give them up."

"You acknowledge that they are no longer under your control," the ambassador said.

Ferdinand did not respond to that.

The ambassador continued.

"The second condition is war reparations."

Kolowrat shifted his weight slightly.

"Austria will compensate France for the cost of the campaign. Military operations, logistics, and supply."

Louis spoke.

"How much?"

"A joint commission will determine the final amount," the ambassador said. "But it will reflect the full cost of the war."

Ferdinand gave a short breath.

"You expect us to pay for this."

"You declared the war," the ambassador replied.

There was no change in his tone.

Ferdinand did not argue.

The ambassador continued.

"The third condition is that no further territorial changes will take place."

That drew Metternich’s attention.

"France will not claim Austrian land beyond the Italian regions," the ambassador said. "The borders of Austria remain intact."

Louis spoke again.

"No advance into Austria proper?"

"No," the ambassador said. "The French Empire does not intend to annex Austrian territory."

"And that is all?"

"Yes."

The room went quiet.

***

Metternich took the document and read it himself. Kolowrat leaned in slightly to follow. Louis stayed where he was.

Ferdinand remained seated, waiting.

"Well?" he asked.

Metternich closed the document but did not set it down.

"They are offering terms that end the war without dismantling the Empire," he said.

Ferdinand frowned slightly.

"They take Italy."

"Yes," Metternich replied. "But they stop there."

Louis stepped forward a little.

"They could have asked for more," he said. "They are already inside our territory. They are advancing without resistance that can hold them for long."

Kolowrat added, "They are not pressing for Vienna itself. That is the key point."

Ferdinand looked at him.

"They will not take it?"

"They are choosing not to," Kolowrat said.

The distinction mattered.

Ferdinand leaned back again.

"And in return," he said, "we give up Lombardy and Venetia, and we pay them."

"Yes."

Ferdinand’s gaze moved to Metternich.

"Tell me why we should accept this."

Metternich did not hesitate.

"Because it ends the war before it reaches the capital," he said. "Because it preserves the structure of the Empire. Because it prevents further loss."

Ferdinand said nothing.

Louis spoke next.

"The army is still intact in parts, but not in a condition to reverse this," he said. "We can slow them. We can form a line. But pushing them back to the south will cost more than what is already lost."

Kolowrat nodded.

"And if that fails, they will dictate harsher terms," he added. "At that point, we will not be negotiating. We will be complying."

Ferdinand’s fingers pressed lightly against the armrest again.

"And the cost?" he asked.

Kolowrat answered.

"The reparations will strain the treasury," he said. "But it is manageable over time. Structured payments. Adjustments in taxation. It will hurt, but it will not break the state."

Metternich added, "War costs more the longer it continues. Not just in money. In control. In stability."

Ferdinand looked at the document again.

"They are not humiliating us," he said.

"No," Metternich replied.

"They are not dismantling the Empire."

"No."

"They are not taking Vienna."

"No."

Ferdinand nodded slowly.

"Then what is the disadvantage?" he asked.

There was a brief pause.

Louis answered.

"We lose influence in Italy," he said. "Completely. That region will not return to us after this."

Kolowrat added, "It will also signal to other regions that we can be pushed out under pressure. That has long-term consequences."

Metternich finished it.

"And we accept a peace dictated by France."

"And the advantage?"

Metternich answered without pause.

"We keep everything else."

Silence followed.

The ambassador remained where he stood, listening but not interrupting. His expression did not change.

Ferdinand looked at him.

"These terms," he said, "are not meant to punish us."

The ambassador inclined his head slightly.

"They are meant to end the war," he said.

Ferdinand studied him for a moment.

"You are confident we will accept."

"I am confident you understand your position," the ambassador replied.

That was as far as he went.

Ferdinand looked back at his ministers.

"They are giving us a way out," he said.

"Yes," Metternich replied.

"And if we refuse, we lose more."

"Yes."

Ferdinand leaned back again.

The tension in his posture eased slightly, though it did not disappear.

"We fight," he said, almost as if testing the words. "We hold. We try to push them back."

No one answered immediately.

Then Louis spoke.

"We can fight," he said. "But not with the expectation of reversing this. Only to delay it."

Kolowrat added, "And delay only works if it leads to something. Otherwise, it is just loss extended over time."

Ferdinand closed his eyes briefly.

Then opened them again.

"And this," he said, tapping lightly on the document, "ends it now."

"Yes."

"We will consider acceptance," Ferdinand said.

Metternich inclined his head.

"That is the correct course."

Ferdinand looked at the ambassador.

"You will have your answer soon."

The ambassador bowed slightly.

"I will await it, Your Majesty."

"But with this deliberation, there is a ceasefire right?"

"That’s for another document, allow me to present," the ambassador beckoned his aides to hand them the copies.

The ambassador paused, then took a second set of papers from his aide and placed them beside the first.

"This," he said, "is the proposed ceasefire agreement."

Metternich did not wait. He reached for it at once.

"State it," he said. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

The ambassador inclined his head.

"The ceasefire will take effect immediately upon provisional acceptance," he said. "All active operations between French and Austrian forces will halt along current positions."

Louis stepped closer.

"Current positions," he repeated. "Meaning wherever the line stands at the moment of agreement?"

"Yes."

Kolowrat spoke.

"No withdrawal?"

"None required," the ambassador replied. "Positions will be frozen. Movement will be restricted to logistical support only."

Metternich read as the ambassador continued.

"The purpose is to prevent further escalation while negotiations are finalized."

Ferdinand leaned slightly forward.

"And how long does this ceasefire last?"

The ambassador did not hesitate.

"Seventy-two hours."

The room went quiet again.

"Within that period," he continued, "the Austrian Empire must formally accept or reject the peace terms presented."

Louis looked up.

"And if we do not?"

The ambassador met his gaze.

"Then the ceasefire ends," he said. "And hostilities resume immediately."

Ferdinand’s fingers tightened slightly against the armrest.

"At once?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Kolowrat spoke carefully.

"So we have three days."

"Yes."

"To decide the outcome of the war."

"Yes."

Metternich closed the document halfway, thinking.

"Why seventy-two hours?" he asked.

"To prevent delay," the ambassador said. "And to maintain the current balance of the situation."

Louis gave a short breath.

"They do not want us buying time."

"No."

Ferdinand looked between them.

"And during those seventy-two hours... they do not advance."

"They do not," the ambassador said.

"And we do not advance."

"Yes."

Ferdinand nodded slowly.

"So the war pauses."

"For that duration."

Metternich finally set the document down.

"This benefits both sides," he said.

Kolowrat agreed.

"It stops further losses," he added. "Gives us time to assess without pressure from immediate movement."

Louis remained focused.

"It also fixes the current situation," he said. "Whatever ground they hold now—they keep during negotiation."

"Yes," the ambassador confirmed.

"Very well, we will use the time given to us to discuss the terms. We will give you an answer within those hours," Metternich said.

"Thank you."