"I'm afraid we won't even win one," Romeo said with a bitter smile. "The world is going downhill, and people's hearts are not what they used to be. People nowadays are not like those a few centuries ago who would go through fire and water for their faith. They all want benefits; without tangible advantages, they won't easily act.
What you just said was about the Christian world, and that scope is even broader. The Papal States' influence over Catholic countries is already extremely limited, let alone others. Moreover, the conflicts between different heresies are probably more intense than those between different religions. Some Protestant countries might even be eager to help the Ottoman launch an attack on Austria.
Considering the conflicts of interest between nations, the major Catholic powers are also largely excluded; a strong Austria is something no major power wants to see. And now, several major Catholic powers capable of contending with the Ottoman are entangled in internal and external troubles. The possibility of them disregarding their own difficulties to spare aid for Austria is almost zero. As for the remaining small countries, they aren't even enough to fill the Ottoman's teeth, so there's no need to mention them."
"We won't know if it works until we try," Augustus comforted him. "Even if we don't get any help, it doesn't matter. We do our best and leave the rest to fate. We do what we can. Even if only our country helps Austria, what is there to fear? Austria and the Ottoman Empire are currently in a stalemate. How much worse can the situation get?"
"But what can we gain from it?" In this era, the principle of utilitarian diplomacy had been increasingly accepted by more and more people, and Romeo was clearly deeply influenced by it.
Augustus was not much affected by religious factors, and his true intentions were certainly not selfless, but sometimes he needed to use these factors as a cover.
Augustus did not directly answer Romeo's question but instead earnestly admonished him, "Romeo, we cannot always look only at immediate benefits. The Papal States are holy precisely because we follow the will of God. If we don't even dare to help our brothers in Christ resist the infidels, how can we command respect? More importantly, we can use this opportunity to raise the banner of the Christian world and lead Christianity to a better future."
As he spoke the last sentence, Augustus's eyes were filled with hope, and Augustus himself almost believed it.
Romeo shook his head helplessly. He had seen the Pope act so properly before, and he never expected him to have such naive ideas. It seemed he had truly misjudged him. But he couldn't say it directly, so he could only persuade him tactfully:
"Your Holiness, your idea is very good, but reality is always unsatisfactory. Raising the banner of Christianity cannot be achieved with just a word, a slogan, or a single war. Without strong national power as support, this so-called banner, even if temporarily entrusted to us, will only be a burden.
And if this war is not won, or if we suffer heavy losses, or if the Papal States play a negligible role, then we will only be humiliating ourselves. Even if the situation is ideal, it is unlikely that anyone will be willing to credit us with the victory. To expect to raise the banner of Christianity through this battle is even more preposterous."
Romeo's tone was so respectful that no one could find fault with it, but the content of his words was subtly aggressive. It was the first time Romeo had expressed his stance so clearly. Other matters were easy to discuss, mere trifles, but this was risking the entire Papal States. If the Papal States were to fall because of this, he, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, would be a sinner for all eternity, and Romeo was unwilling to bear such infamy.
Augustus had guessed before that it wouldn't be so easy to gloss over, but the arguments he had thought of for so long still failed to make them budge in the slightest, which gave Augustus a sense of frustration. However, from another perspective, they were still very concerned about state affairs, which was a good thing, Augustus comforted himself.
"I will seriously consider all your opinions. But now we must let Austria know that the Pope intends to send troops to help them resist the Ottoman Empire. War aid must not be cut off; they must persevere. And besides direct military intervention, we must still do other things that can help them."
Augustus did not intend to go it alone against the strong opposition of at least two ministers, so he decided to put the question of whether to send troops on hold and first implement other matters.
"Your Holiness, I have a suggestion. We can send an observation team to the front lines of the Ottoman-Austrian War. On the one hand, they can collect useful information and understand the war situation; whether to participate in the war will depend on the circumstances, and if we do fight later, this intelligence will certainly be of great help to our army. On the other hand, it also shows our Pay attention to of the Ottoman-Austrian War, better motivating Austrian soldiers to persevere."
Karl came from that battlefield and knew best what the soldiers on the front line wanted. At this point in the war, many soldiers on both sides had lost hope, as if this war had no end.
At this time, a new hope might greatly boost the morale of the Austrian soldiers. Conversely, it would also create psychological pressure for the soldiers of the Ottoman Empire. With this ebb and flow, it might directly break the stalemate.
"That's a good idea!" Augustus couldn't help but clap his hands and exclaim.
This was truly a brilliant idea, not only practically beneficial to the Ottoman-Austrian War but also helpful in resolving internal disagreements. If they still needed to participate in the war then, as long as they selectively allowed the observation team to send back rumors of the Ottoman's weakness, most of the internal resistance could also be eliminated.
"I agree."
"I also agree."
Karl's idea quickly gained everyone's approval, and some who had originally been resistant to Karl changed their views because of it.
"Karl, Duke, you two have traveled all day to get back; you must be tired. Why don't you rest in the city tonight and return to the camp tomorrow morning?" Augustus suggested in a very gentle tone, giving people the impression that he deeply cared for his subordinates.
Karl was slightly startled, then thoughtful, and then suddenly understood. He was about to accept, but Duke preempted him.
Duke waved his hand carelessly and refused, "No need, no need, I still have official duties. For military men, what is this little journey? Marching and fighting are much harder than this. If I have to rest for this, then I won't be able to lead troops in battle in the future." As he said this, Duke seemed to remember Karl, looked at him, and added, "Karl, don't you agree?"
Karl felt extremely awkward and cursed inwardly, "Agree my ass, you dimwit, can't you see that the Pope wants to speak with us privately?" Then he looked helplessly at Augustus.
"Of course I know whether you can fight or not. When I tell you to rest, just rest. There's no urgent matter that has to be done tonight. Making you rush back for half a day and then rush back overnight makes me seem inhumane," Augustus said, annoyed. It had seemed very natural, but with Duke's refusal, it now looked as if he was forcing him to rest, which would certainly attract attention.
"Okay, I'll listen to you," Duke said after thinking for a moment.