1885, I came to save Greece

The study at the Prime Minister's residence was brightly lit.

Alexandros Zaimis did not look at the emergency report about the disappearance of the "Sea Serpent"; his entire attention was focused on a target paper sent from the palace.

He held the corner of the paper between two fingers, as if it were contaminated with some deadly plague.

The eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses reflected a cold light under the lamp.

"Kluge... that butcher from the Prussian Jaeger d'Arms." He murmured the name, his voice carrying the smug satisfaction of a cat catching a mouse.

He brought the target paper to his nose and sniffed it gently, as if he were savoring a bottle of fine aged wine.

"The ash of a fine cigar, the yeasty taste of Prussian dark beer, and..." His smile widened, "...the captivating aroma of gunpowder and money."

He knew that the opportunity he had been waiting for had finally arrived.

A golden opportunity to overthrow that arrogant crown prince and completely seize control of the country!

"Come in," Zaimis called out to the door.

The secretary pushed open the door and entered, bowing respectfully as she stood at attention.

"Notify the editor-in-chief of the Athens Democracy newspaper," Zaimis slowly placed the target paper into a brown envelope and sealed it with sealing wax. "Tomorrow's front page needs a truly shocking headline."

Just as the secretary was about to take notes, Zaimis raised his hand to stop him.

"No, not the title." He shook his head, his smile turning cruel. "I want a manifesto against 'monarchical power.' An article that will convince all the citizens of Athens that the crown prince's riding boots will be treading on their necks at any moment."

He looked at his secretary and added, word by word.

"I want to instill fear in them."

The next morning, the entire city of Athens was blown up.

The front page headline of the Athens Democracy newspaper featured a striking line of large, blood-red text:

The Crown Prince's Secret Army—The Praetorian Guard of New Athens?

The article, written in a highly inflammatory tone, depicts a secret armed force trained by "Prussian butchers" and "loyal to only the prince." It compares Constantine to Julius Caesar, who sought to overthrow the Republic, and describes this force as a "new Athenian Praetorian Guard" ready to storm the parliament at any moment and "persuade" all dissidents with swords and chains.

"He used our future hope—that national salvation loan—to raise henchmen who belonged only to him!"

"When this army raises its sword against Parliament and against the Constitution, who will protect us?"

"Wake up, Greeks! The shadow of dictatorship is looming over the palace!"

Panic, like a plague, spread rapidly throughout Athens.

In the cafes of the Kolonaki district, businessmen who usually talked loudly were now speaking in hushed tones, looking worried.

"My God, has he really gone mad? He actually dared to have his own army in Greece! My cargo ship is scheduled to dock next month!"

On the campus of the University of Athens, radical student leaders stood on tables, waving newspapers and shouting at the surrounding students: "He promised a future of steel and steam, but he will only bring a future of shackles and silence! This is the most shameless betrayal of democracy!"

In the salons of the nobility, gloating discussions arose one after another.

"I've always felt that this crown prince is too ambitious. He really wants to be a dictator! Who does he think he is? Louis XIV? What an ill-mannered Danish country bumpkin."

The flames of public opinion were completely ignited by Zaimis, burning even brighter than he had anticipated.

An emergency meeting was convened at the Parliament building amid an atmosphere of public outrage.

Zaimis, dressed in a black tuxedo, walked onto the podium. His face was solemn, his eyes filled with sorrow, like a saint deeply concerned for his country.

"My esteemed members of parliament! My fellow citizens!" He opened his arms wide, his voice resounding throughout the parliamentary hall, "Today, I stand here with a heavy heart to expose to you a colossal conspiracy that is threatening the very foundations of our republic!"

He held the copy of the Athens Democracy newspaper high, as if it were a royal decree.

"Our Crown Prince, His Highness Constantine! He exploited our trust in him, exploited the hopes we placed in him, and secretly assembled a private army right under our noses, completely outside the bounds of national law and parliamentary oversight!"

The parliament hall erupted in chaos.

This was exactly the effect Zaimis wanted. He raised his voice, accusing Zaimis in a stern and forceful tone:

"His unauthorized establishment of an armed force is a ruthless violation of the Greek constitution!"

"His appointment of foreign instructors is a blatant insult to the honor of our Greek military!"

"His use of funds from dubious sources is a betrayal of all taxpayers!"

"I ask you, where will the sword of such a lawless army ultimately be pointed? At our enemies, or at ourselves?!"

He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the entire room, and everyone he looked at felt a chill run down their spines.

Then, he raised his fist, his voice like thunder.

"I, Alexandros Zaimis, as Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Greece, hereby formally propose this motion!"

"First! Immediately disband this illegal armed group entrenched outside Athens! Disarm all personnel and hand them over to the Ministry of Defense for review!"

"Second! Immediately establish a supreme investigative committee led by parliament to thoroughly investigate the funding sources for Crown Prince Constantine's private army, and whether there is an even larger conspiracy behind it..."

He deliberately dragged out the sound before uttering those four fatal words.

"...A treasonous plot!"

The hall was silent for a second.

A moment of deathly silence.

Then, as if a volcano had erupted, the oligarchic members of parliament who supported Zaimis all stood up and applauded and shouted wildly.

"Support the Prime Minister! Uphold the dignity of the Constitution!"

"The prince's actions constitute treason! He must be severely punished!"

"Greece must never return to the dark ages of monarchical dictatorship!"

The shouts grew louder and louder, completely drowning out the voices of the few centrist lawmakers who tried to defend themselves.

The elderly speaker struck the gavel countless times, but could not quiet the room. He glanced at the king's representative beside him, whose face was ashen, his eyes seeming to say, "We're finished," and finally made a helpless decision.

"Motion...passed!"

"Summon His Highness Crown Prince Constantine! He shall appear before Parliament at 10:00 AM tomorrow to answer questions from all members!"

A victor's smile appeared on Zaimis's face.

The net has tightened.

The young prince either acted like a coward, disbanded the army, bowed his head in remorse, and became a political puppet.

Either disobey orders, solidify the charge of "treason," and then be completely crushed by the state apparatus itself!

No matter what he chooses, he's headed for death.

A strongly worded summons, personally signed by the Speaker, was respectfully delivered to the Athenian Royal Palace by a parliamentary clerk.

That night, outside the palace gates, there were frenzied crowds and flickering torches.

The palace was deathly silent.

A political struggle that would determine the life or death of the royal family and the future of all of Greece had officially begun.