Holy Roman Empire

The pros and cons were clear, and Franz had a headache. It seemed like all three proposals were good, but in reality, none of them were reliable.

On the surface, Austria had plenty of colonies, and any random tract of land seemed sufficient to settle millions of people.

But in practice, once land division began, the situation would change. The African Continent was out of the question; it was the future homeland.

The Southeast Asia region seemed nice, but in reality, there were not many islands capable of housing millions of people, and Franz was unwilling to give up Papua New Guinea.

And that was that. The population of Kalimantan Island had already exceeded ten million; there were no vast unclaimed territories left.

Perhaps in future generations, a few neighboring islands might be able to accommodate millions of people, but at present, it was simply not possible.

Franz did have a moral boundary. Death on the battlefield was inevitable. But deliberately creating a disaster that starved millions of people after the war, he just couldn't do it.

Of course, this boundary only applied to his own actions. If others were doing it, Franz could turn a blind eye.

Oh, he could still condemn it. Anything more, and there would be nothing he could do. The world is that cruel; saints have no place in the 19th century.

Unlike the future where supplies are abundant, an Emperor with an excess of sympathy in those days would be courting the death of his nation.

America had its problems too. Alaska was vast and rich in resources, especially gold, which had already begun to be mined, so the Vienna Government would certainly not let go of it.

Austrian Central America was the strategic heart of America; it could not be jeopardized. That left only the islands of the Arctic Ocean and the Patagonian plateau in South America.

Everyone knew that the islands of the Arctic Ocean were not suitable for human habitation; most people would not survive there, except perhaps hard-core criminals.

If those millions were sent there, it's estimated that not even one in a hundred would survive, which would be no different from outright execution.

Patagonia was no paradise either. At least not before it was developed. Rather than settling people there, it would be more like afflicting Chile and Argentina.

The fact that Austria had only managed to migrate a few hundred thousand people after so many years of colony establishment speaks volumes about the myriad issues.

It wasn't that the Vienna Government didn't want to increase immigration; it was the harsh natural conditions that drove migrants to Chile or Argentina.

Those who remained did so for work; there were mineral resources to exploit, and agriculture and livestock farming were concentrated on the River Valley Plain, specializing in large-scale farming.

The other two proposals were even more problematic. The Kingdom of Armenia, as planned, would only span tens of thousands of square kilometers at most, not even exceeding a hundred thousand square kilometers.

Russia would not consent to give more land, and while this bit of territory could sustain several hundred thousand Armenians, adding millions more would lead to starvation.

Expelling the refugees into Persia was equally unreliable. If they chose to leave on their own, Franz wouldn't mind giving a push, but forced expulsion was going too far.

After some hesitation, Franz made a compromise, "First, we'll send immigrants to various American countries, with the government providing subsidies to encourage capitalists to find ways to get people in.

The focus would be on the United States of America, subsidizing 40 Divine Shields for every immigrant settled there, and 35 Divine Shields for those sent to other countries. We'll figure out how to settle the rest later."

This was a princely sum. In the underground black market, the price of a white slave was generally around 10 British Pounds, while a black slave would cost about 25 British Pounds, and they had to be fit and strong.

Now there was no need to risk engaging in the slave trade. Simply transporting people would qualify for the Vienna Government's subsidy.

Franz trusted the capitalists' initiative. With the right financial incentive, there was nothing they couldn't accomplish.

Relocating millions of people to a single place was troublesome, but dispersing them across the world was not a big deal.

Franz wasn't worried that these people would be thrown out. Immigrant countries were mostly short of women, while these refugees were the opposite; the young and strong had died in the war, leaving mostly the elderly, women, and children.

Or to be more precise, there were more women and children. In the Ottoman Empire, where the average lifespan was hardly past thirty, anyone over thirty-five was considered elderly, and those over fifty were exceedingly rare.

…

St. Petersburg was already looking at the end of the war and the issue of dividing the spoils had made its way onto Alexander's work schedule.

Gone were the days of old, this time the leading role in the Near East War had shifted to Austria, with the Russian Empire playing the assistant's part.

"One's hand is weakened by the gifts received, and one's speech shortens with the food eaten."

The supplies from the Vienna Government were not easy to take; the war's logistics entirely depended on Austria, and naturally, in the post-war division of the spoils, the Tsarist Government had to pay a price.

Alexander III asked with an impassive face, "Beyond the scope of our agreement, the Vienna Government has made new demands.

They want to prepare for the Armenians to establish an independent country, to serve as a buffer between the two nations, in a location within our Caucasus region, what do you think?"

Those who understood Alexander III knew that his expressionless face meant His Majesty the Tsarist was not pleased, though his good upbringing restrained his emotions.

Of course, the ability to restrain one's emotions meant that the situation was not too dire, there was no need to worry about being sent home on a whim to till the land.

The Tsar having a temper was normal, and among all the Tsars, Alexander III was counted as one of the more manageable, at least he did not kill his ministers.

Minister of Internal Affairs Chernomor feigned indignation, "Your Majesty, such a request must not be agreed to. The borders between Russia and Austria extend for thousands of miles, where is the need for a buffer?"

Thousands of miles might be a slight exaggeration, but seven or eight thousand miles there still were.

The two great nations lay side by side; to reduce conflict, a buffer zone was naturally required, yet the lengthy border between Russia and Austria made buffering difficult.

Russia and Austria could be called old friends, having become allies since the anti-French wars. Although the alliance had broken at one point, the substantial ally relationship had never truly ceased.

Generations had passed, and everyone had grown accustomed to this. Apart from the rulers who still viewed each other with mutual concern, ordinary people had no such concept.

Finance Minister Alisher Gurov disagreed, "One shouldn't say so, both Russia and Austria are great powers, better to have a shorter border line.

More than a decade ago, there were proposals for the two countries to exchange territories to shorten the border line and reduce the possibility of conflicts erupting. Due to geographical constraints, an agreement could not be reached in the end.

The Austrians' desire for the Armenians to establish an independent state certainly isn't just based on an elusive promise; it's very likely the Vienna Government is probing.

What couldn't be achieved in the past doesn't mean it's also impossible now.

The Vienna Government brought up compensation, perhaps they're looking to take advantage of our financial difficulties to buy Asia Minor Peninsula to reduce the border between the two countries.

I think we can make initial contact. If the Austrians offer suitable compensation, it might be acceptable to delineate a barren land for the Armenians to establish their country."

A long border line has its advantages and disadvantages; while it may increase conflicts, it also means that both governments must consider their bilateral relations more cautiously.

If a war were to break out, it would truly be indefensible. If you can strike over, I can strike back, and after a victory is decided, both sides would be left greatly damaged.

The friendship between Russia and Austria is no longer based solely on the combination of interests but also includes the helplessness of both governments. The cost of being enemies is too high, so they could only be allies.

Every time "territorial trade" is mentioned, the Tsarist Government is reminded of the distant Alaska, leaving behind endless regret.

Of course, Alexander III was rational, not like those hotheaded nationalists. He was very aware that the use of Alaska as payment for debts was a move of no choice.

Had Alaska not been handed over to Austria, even the might of the Russian Empire could not have protected that permafrost land.

Separated only by the Bering Strait, in reality, it was an insurmountable chasm; distance dictated that the Tsarist Government's power projection was virtually nil. Your next journey awaits at empire

At the time, facing the threats from British Canada's colonies, introducing Austria's strength was the best choice.

As for gold, Alexander III indeed lusted for it, but the limited power of the Russian Empire failed to secure that precious land.