As the sun set in the west, a massive fleet slowly sailed toward New Frankfurt Port, quickly causing a stir among the dockworkers. As one of the Holy Roman Empire’s most important naval bases in the East Indies, the sight of warships was nothing unusual. But this time was different, because the flags they flew were wrong. A young man, trembling, pointed ahead and cried out, “What is going on? Which fool was so careless as to hang the wrong ensign?” New Frankfurt was one of the stations of the Austrian East Indies Fleet, a key military zone. Even if foreign warships occasionally passed by for supplies, they were served by small boats sent from the port and never allowed to dock. This was an unspoken rule among the colonial empires. For the safety of the ports, unless invited, or in the event of damage requiring repairs, foreign warships were not permitted to enter. After Japan’s surprise attack on the Philippines, the colonial powers had grown even more cautious. For a fleet of this size, docking was out of the question. Even if they wanted resupply, they would be forced to remain several miles offshore. The foreman beside him sneered, “Don’t talk nonsense. Who would hang the wrong flag? Just look at the shape of those ships, it’s obvious they aren’t ours. That’s the Spanish flag. They’re at war with Japan and were badly beaten not long ago. By the looks of it, this fleet must be reinforcements they’ve sent. I just don’t know why they’ve come here.” He paused, then suddenly realized something and snapped, “Get back to work. Don’t think you can slack off. Do you really believe such matters concern the likes of you? Do you still want to get paid? I’ll tell you this, if today’s work isn’t finished, none of you are going home.” Suddenly, a small-framed worker clutched his stomach with a pained expression, immediately drawing the foreman’s attention. “Little Monkey, what trick are you playing this time?” It was clear that the middle-aged foreman was worried. Whether it was about Little Monkey’s health or the day’s work, no one could really say. “Boss, my stomach hurts. Could you give me a little money so I can see a doctor?” As he spoke, the young man nicknamed Little Monkey crouched down, looking as if the pain was unbearable. The foreman frowned. Illness came like a mountain crashing down, especially for dockworkers who relied on their bodies for heavy labor. Once they fell sick, few ever managed to get back up. It wasn’t that the illness couldn’t be treated, but that they couldn’t afford the treatment. Dockworkers earned more than the average laborer, but once the costs of supporting their families were deducted, little was left. If they avoided the hospital, one might die. But if they entered a hospital, even if the man survived, his family would be ruined. “Alright. But don’t bother with the hospital. That’s not a place for people like us. Go find Old Liu and have him prepare some medicine for you.” The poor had their own way of surviving. Beyond the expensive hospitals, there were always barefoot doctors wandering about. As for their skills, that was another matter, but at least their prices were low. Usually, they gathered herbs themselves, and only bought the ones that couldn’t be found on the island, so the costs were far lower than at a hospital. But one got what one paid for. In the East Indies, there were few barefoot doctors with real ability. If they were truly skilled, the hospitals would have long since absorbed them. After all, these were all private hospitals, and money ruled everything. As long as profits could be made, no capitalist cared whether it was Chinese medicine or Western medicine. Under the drive of profit, the first hospitals that combined both traditions quietly came into being. Little Monkey nodded again and again, showing that he understood. Taking the money from the foreman’s hand, he staggered away. Everyone minded their own business. In these uncertain times, unless it involved relatives or close friends, no one would bother meddling in others’ affairs. The little monkey was a later addition, with no kinship or ties to anyone, not even a fellow townsman. Aside from a few sighs of pity, the others soon went back to their work. Once out of sight, Little Monkey, who had seemed on the verge of death, suddenly regained his strength and rushed to the telegraph office at full speed. … In the early hours of the morning, the Imperial Palace was still brightly lit. Emperor Meiji, who should have been resting, had been jolted awake by a sudden telegram and urgently convened a council before him. “The enemy is moving much faster than we expected. They have already reached Sulawesi and are now anchored at New Frankfurt Port, just one step away from the Philippines. With the enemy about to launch an attack and the British warships we were promised still not in hand, we must decide immediately how to respond.” Emperor Meiji spoke with unmistakable authority. The severity of the situation had completely exceeded his expectations. According to international convention, as a neutral state, the Holy Roman Empire was not supposed to provide any assistance to Spain during wartime. Ordinarily, for the sake of national reputation, even if support were given to a belligerent, it would be done discreetly. But for the Holy Roman Empire to openly back Spain in this way was something rarely seen in Europe. Yet convention suddenly failed. This time, the Holy Roman Empire seemed unconcerned with international reputation. Not only had they allowed Spanish warships to pass through the Suez Canal, they even provided Spanish naval vessels with port access. If nothing unexpected happened, then offering maintenance and repairs to Spanish ships would hardly come as a surprise. What seemed like minor support was, in reality, a set of factors that directly affected naval combat effectiveness. In the original timeline, the Russian Pacific Fleet had been crippled precisely because it lacked proper logistical support. It had not even managed to bring half of its combat power into play before the Japanese wiped it out with ease. Otherwise, the outcome of victory or defeat would still have been uncertain. Admiral Itō Sukeyuki demanded furiously, “What is the Foreign Ministry doing? Did not the Austrians declare neutrality? Why are they suddenly supporting Spain? Why did we not receive a single word of warning beforehand? This is dereliction of duty. Do you realize the enormous losses such an unexpected turn of events could bring to the Empire?” “Itō-kun, calm yourself for a moment. No one wished for this to happen, and the Foreign Ministry is not idle. Austria had indeed declared neutrality long ago, that much is common knowledge. What happened now stems from our neglect of a secret treaty signed forty years ago. Before the Austrians turned toward the seas, they had concluded shared-port agreements with several colonial empires, Spain among them. Thanks to those agreements, the Austrians were able to overcome their difficulties during the early days of their colonial ventures and rise to create the world’s second colonial empire. According to the treaty, in times when their vital interests are at risk, the signatories are obliged, within their means, to provide one another with logistical support and access to their ports,” Saionji Kinmochi explained helplessly. This truly was not their fault. Forty years ago had been the days of the shogunate, and they themselves had still been children. Who would have cared about some treaty that had nothing at all to do with them? What was worse, this treaty had been a secret agreement. Had he not gone to negotiate with the envoy of the Holy Roman Empire, Saionji would not even have known of its existence. Itō Sukeyuki roared in fury, “So what if there is a secret treaty? This is a blatant violation of international custom. Did the Foreign Ministry not demand an explanation from the Austrians?” Saionji Kinmochi answered bitterly, “Of course we did. The moment the Spanish fleet entered New Frankfurt Harbor, I went at once to meet the envoy of the Holy Roman Empire. He gave what he claimed was a reasonable explanation, though I fear it is one you will not like.” He exchanged glances with the others. Seeing that they were determined to know, Saionji finally spoke, “Ambassador Antonio expressed regret over the incident, and on behalf of Austria promised to shoulder all consequences. He even declared that, if we insist on pressing the issue, we may take it as grounds for declaring war, and the Holy Roman Empire will accept the moral responsibility for such a conflict.” The words only stoked the fire. Even Emperor Meiji, who normally maintained his imperial dignity, was driven to the brink of fury. A casual “we accept responsibility” sounded like contrition, yet was in truth nothing but mockery. Declare war? If Japan truly possessed that kind of strength, the Emperor would not have minded clashing with the Holy Roman Empire, to show the world that the Empire of the Rising Sun was not to be trifled with. Alas, reality was merciless. This Holy Roman Empire, reconstituted less than two months ago, already stood as a hegemon of a half of the world. Against such a power, Japan could be crushed with the slap of a single hand. The old saying that ‘weak nations have no diplomacy’ was laid bare in all its cruelty. Even though Austria admitted to violating international custom, the Japanese government had neither the strength nor the nerve to pursue the matter. Ironically, the very act only reinforced the Empire’s reputation: for the sake of honoring a forty-year-old secret treaty, they were willing to flout international custom and offend others. Of course, Japan’s protests carried little weight on the world stage. Had it been Britain wronged instead, the impact might have been far greater. Accustomed to storms and crises, Emperor Meiji swiftly seized control of the meeting before it dissolved into chaos: “Silence! If you must vent your anger, do it at home. Do not make a spectacle here. I know full well that the Holy Roman Empire has acted dishonorably, but what of it? They are the mightiest nation on earth, and they have the right to be domineering. If we have the strength, we will one day settle this debt and wipe away the humiliation. Until then, endure.” Yet even as he spoke, his voice lost its edge. The disparity between the two nations was simply too vast. The Holy Roman Empire’s power in the East Indies alone was enough to erase Japan from the map. In terms of overall strength, the gap between the two was not merely a few times but measured in dozens of multiples.
*** https://postimg.cc/gallery/PwXsBkC (Maps of the current territories of the countries in this novel made by ScH)
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