Berlin, the night had already deepened. Yet, Paolo Boselli, the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Italy, had yet to retire for the evening. In his hands, he held a telegram sent from Rome.
After a long silence, Boselli finally put down the telegram.
"Is His Majesty the King and Prime Minister intending to use Germany's strength to suppress the Austro-Hungarian Empire? Regardless of the outcome, we will suffer greatly. Yet, in the current situation, there seems to be no other choice. This may well be the best option for the Kingdom," Boselli murmured to himself.
"Bring the car. I need to meet with the German Foreign Minister," he instructed his secretary.
"Yes, Sir. However, it is nearly midnight. Would it not be too late?" the secretary voiced his concern.
"Some matters are best discussed at night," Boselli replied.
"Very well, Sir. I will make arrangements immediately."
The secretary first contacted the secretary of the German Foreign Minister, von Wicht, to confirm the possibility of a meeting at such a late hour. After receiving confirmation, he quickly prepared the car to take Boselli to the meeting.
The location for the talks was not at the German Foreign Ministry, but rather at von Wicht's private residence, a place more concealed and secure.
"Your Excellency, I sincerely apologize for disturbing you at such a late hour," Boselli said with an apologetic tone upon meeting von Wicht.
"Please, do not mention it. I am aware that your visit at such a late hour must be due to urgent matters," von Wicht responded.
Von Wicht had a good idea of the purpose of Boselli's visit. The earlier peace talks had placed considerable pressure on Italy, and now, it seemed, Italy was seeking a way out. No matter the cost, Germany's interests must be safeguarded. As for the interests of other nations, that was no concern of his. As a senior official of the empire, his primary duty was to protect the interests of the German Reich.
The conversation took place in a private room within von Wicht's residence. Aside from the two secretaries, no one else was present. Here, they could speak freely and securely.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the conversation quickly turned to the matter at hand.
"Your Excellency, I have been in contact with Rome. Our government finds the terms proposed by your country to be excessively harsh. Therefore, we hope that your nation could moderate some of its demands. As for war reparations, we are prepared to offer one hundred billion marks. As you know, our country is not wealthy, and one hundred billion marks is the largest sum we can afford. Regarding territory, we can cede Sicily to your country, but we request that Sardinia be left to us. Sardinia holds a unique significance for our nation, and its loss would be a heavy blow," Boselli explained.
Before the unification of Italy, the region had been divided into several smaller states, with the Kingdom of Sardinia playing a pivotal role in unifying the country. As a result, Sardinia held a unique place in the hearts of Italians, and its cession would be a devastating loss.
Von Wicht furrowed his brows, contemplating the matter, before responding, "Sardinia need not be ceded. However, the war reparations must be two hundred billion marks. That is our bottom line, not a single mark less."
"Your Excellency, Italy cannot afford such an amount," Boselli replied, beginning to plead poverty.
"Indeed, Italy is not overly affluent, and two hundred billion marks is a significant sum for you. However, we are not asking for immediate payment. The reparations can be spread over three or five years. Moreover, I am aware that your royal family amassed considerable wealth when they unified Italy. Forty years have passed, and I trust that those riches have not been entirely spent. Gold, silver, and artworks could be used as collateral for the reparations," von Wicht remarked.
"Your Excellency, those riches have long since been exhausted," Boselli countered.
However, von Wicht was not convinced. He knew that the Kingdom of Sardinia had plundered vast sums of wealth from the Papacy. Had they been wiser in using that fortune to foster industrial growth, Italy's power might have been greater than it was now. Unfortunately, the Italian royal family had hoarded that wealth like misers, reluctant to use it. As a result, they had squandered a vast fortune without strengthening the nation. Now, after their defeat in the war, all that wealth was being claimed by others.
Boselli could sense von Wicht's determination and understood that Germany would not yield on the issue of reparations. However, securing the retention of Sardinia was, in itself, a significant victory.
"Your Excellency, if Italy agrees to the terms of the German Empire, what should we do about the Austro-Hungarian Empire? Their demands are excessively harsh, and Italy cannot possibly accept such conditions. Yet, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne has threatened us with military force," Boselli said, his face filled with distress.
"The Austro-Hungarian terms are indeed severe. If Italy is unwilling to accept them, then do not accept them," von Wicht replied casually.
Boselli's heart surged with hope. It seemed Germany was supporting Italy on this issue.
"But what if the Austro-Hungarian Empire continues to attack Italy? What should we do then?" Boselli asked, his concern deepening.
"The Austro-Hungarian military is not particularly strong. If Italy puts forth its full effort, it may not necessarily lose to them. If you can defeat them on the battlefield, you will not need to pay reparations," von Wicht suggested.
Boselli frowned deeply. He was disheartened by the state of Italy's military. While the Austro-Hungarian army was not particularly formidable, the overall strength of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was certainly greater than Italy's. If Italy failed to defeat them and was again defeated, the consequences would be severe.
"If Italy requires assistance, we are prepared to secretly provide you with weapons and equipment," von Wicht added.
Boselli's eyes lit up. This, without a doubt, was a clear sign of Germany's support.
"Your Excellency, if war can be avoided, that would be the best outcome. Would it be possible for Germany to apply pressure on the Austro-Hungarian Empire to have them reconsider their harsh terms? The German Empire is the world's foremost power; surely, the Austro-Hungarian Empire would heed Germany's advice," Boselli suggested.