March 26th, 1797.

Napoleon returned to the city of Udine, the Army of Italy Headquarters. Upon his arrival to the city, he was welcomed warmly by the locals and the French troops who were waiting for the commander's return.

The army has been idle for three days, and the look on the soldier's faces showed that they are excited to march onward and drive out the Austrians completely.

In the headquarters palace, Napoleon saw Berthier sifting through documents and files, managing everything from logistics to intelligence reports. Berthier looked up from his desk, his tired eyes lighting up as he saw Napoleon enter the room.

"General Bonaparte, welcome back," Berthir said, standing up and extending his hand. "How was your trip in Paris, was it productive in any way?"

Napoleon shook Berthier's hand firmly and replied. "Yeah, I have just settled my business there. Anything interesting that transpired while I was gone?"

Berthier glanced at the table and grabbed one document. "Yes General, here is a detailed report."

Napoleon took the report from Berthier and quickly scanned its contents. It detailed the recent movements of the Austrian forces, as well as intelligence gathered from spies within their ranks.

A week ago, Napoleon and his army defeated the Austrian forces under the command of Archduke Charles, brother of the Austrian Emperor, in the Battle of Tarvis. It was a hard-fought victory that solidified the French hold over the region and dealt a severe blow to the Austrian forces.

Napoleon's eyes narrowed as he read the report, his mind racing to assess the implications of their recent success. The Battle of Tarvis had been a turning point in their campaign, with the Austrians suffering heavy losses and being forced into a hasty retreat.

There would be no way for the Austrians to fight the French again in the region as the Army of the Rhine was preparing for a counteroffensive. He knew it when he received a letter from the commander, Jean Victor Marie Moreau. But they'll need a week to launch their offensive.

At this point, the war has already been won. Napoleon just has to make that reality sink into the Austrians."Berthier, order the divisions led by Masséna, Guieu, and Chabot to take…" he paused, looking for a map. He found one displayed on the wall and he scrunched up his brow, studying the map of the region.

"Klagenfurt," Napoleon said decisively.

"Understood, General, is there anything else?"

"Yes, recall our divisions in the Papal States led by Joubert, Bernadotte, and Victor to join us in the offensive, it's time that we end this war."

***

Three days later, divisions led by Masséna, Guieu, and Chabot captured the city of Klagenfurt with little to no resistance. Napoleon moved his center of operations there, and since Klagenfurt is a city of the Austrian Empire, and only 324 kilometers north of Vienna, Napoleon wrote a letter to Archduke Charles, proposing an armistice.

On March 31st, 1797, Napoleon penned a letter addressed to Archduke Charles, earnestly requesting an armistice. His intention was to secure a precious respite, allowing General of Division Jean Victor Marie Moreau the opportunity to initiate his offensive in Germany without undue hindrance.

Archduke Charles read the letter sent to him by Napoleon in The Hofburg Palace. In front of him was Francis II, who was having tea.

"So what does the letter say?" Francis II asked, his voice tinged with curiosity, as he took a sip of tea.

ƥαṇdαs ηθνε| Archduke Charles cleared his throat, his gaze fixed on the letter in his hands. "Your Majesty, General Bonaparte's letter proposes an armistice. He seeks to temporarily halt hostilities, allowing for a period of ceasefire and negotiation."

"And what are the terms of this proposed armistice?"

Archduke Charles scanned the contents of the letter once more, then began to summarize. "General Bonaparte suggests a cessation of military operations on both sides for a specified duration. During this time, diplomatic discussions would take place to explore the possibility of a peaceful resolution to the conflict."

"So, what's your opinion about our situation? Are we really losing the war against the French?" Francis asked, his tone may appear calm but the underlying concern was evident in his eyes.

Archduke Charles took a moment to gather his thoughts before responding.

"Things are not looking good on our side, Your Majesty. The French Army of the Rhine will attack sooner or later and the French Army of Italy is already in our domain. If they don't hear from us, they'll go deeper into our territories, posing a greater threat to Vienna itself leading to a thousand more casualties."

"So, what are you proposing? Should we accept the armistice?"

"Accepting an armistice means that we accept defeat, Your Majesty," Charles said somberly. "And we are not receiving any help from the British. Personally, I don't want to make peace but strategically speaking, it might be the best option for us at this point."

Francis leaned back in his chair and pondered aloud. "Are we really going to surrender to that barbaric nation? Do we not have a choice? I can't believe we are losing to a general that is just about my age."

"The French just got lucky, brother," Charles dropped his formal address and leaned closer to Francis. "If I had been the one facing Napoleon in Italy, there's no way he would have achieved such success."

"Let's stop dwelling in what-ifs," Francis said, his voice filled with a mix of frustration and determination. "I'll talk to my ministers first before I make a decision."

Charles nodded and left the Emperor.

***

Meanwhile, on the French side. Napoleon and his army are marching towards Leoben, moving deeper into the Austrian's territory. Since he hadn't received any word from the Austrians, Napoleon was growing increasingly impatient. He knew that time was of the essence, and the longer the negotiations dragged on, the more opportunity the Austrians had to regroup and launch a counteroffensive.

As they advanced toward Leoben, the French army encountered sporadic resistance from Austrian forces, but nothing that posed a significant threat.

On April 7th, 1797, Napoleon arrived at Leoben, and finally, this time, he managed to attract their attention.

"General," Berthier called as soon as he entered Napoleon's office.

Napoleon glanced up at Berthier and took a bite of an apple. The crunch of the apple echoed in the room as Napoleon looked intently at Berthier, awaiting his news.

"General Maximilian von Merveldt and the Marquis of Gallo have arrived in the city, and they're asking to meet with you," Berthier informed.

Napoleon raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the unexpected visit. "Maximilian von Merveldt and the Marquis of Gallo? Interesting. Did they mention the purpose of their visit?"

"They didn't specify, but it's likely in response to your letter proposing the armistice," Berthier replied. "They must be here to discuss terms and negotiate."

Napoleon nodded thoughtfully. "Very well, I will receive them. Set up a meeting in the main hall at noon."