Capítulo 1: The Heartless Lord
Edward Habsburg was a heartless person. He had no friends, no allies, no love. He only had power, wealth, and fear. He ruled his lands with an iron fist, crushing any opposition or rebellion. He was feared by his enemies, respected by his peers, and obeyed by his subjects.
He was the most powerful lord in the empire, and even the emperor himself treated him with deference.
But Edward was not happy. He hated his life, and he hated his parents. They had given birth to him, but they had left him alone in this horrible world. They had died long ago, fighting against the evil forces that threatened the empire.
They had been brave, noble, and heroic. But they had also been foolish, reckless, and selfish. They had abandoned their son in his infancy, leaving him to the care of strangers and servants. They had never shown him any affection, any warmth, any guidance. They had only given him a name, a title, and a legacy.
Edward despised his parents. He despised their ideals, their values, their sacrifices. He did not care about the empire, the people, or the world. He only cared about himself, his survival, and his domination. He did not believe in justice, honor, or mercy.
He only believed in strength, cunning, and ruthlessness. He did not seek glory, fame, or admiration. He only sought control, security, and vengeance.
He had heard many stories about his parents from the people who had fought with them, and died for them. They had praised them, admired them, and loved them. They had told him how they had saved countless lives, how they had faced impossible odds, how they had made the ultimate sacrifice.
They had also told him how they had ensured his future, how they had protected his interests, how they had secured his position.
Edward did not care. He did not thank them, he did not honor them, he did not mourn them. He only used them, exploited them, and discarded them. He used their reputation to intimidate his rivals, he exploited their wealth to fund his schemes, and he discarded their memory to erase their influence.
He did not want to be their son, he did not want to be their heir, he did not want to be their legacy. He wanted to be his own person, his own master, his own lord.
He had no friends, but he had many enemies. He had made them throughout his life, by his actions, his words, and his attitude. He had offended, betrayed, and humiliated many people, from nobles to peasants, from generals to merchants, from priests to bandits. He had no allies, no supporters, no admirers. He had only rivals, opponents, and haters.
But Edward was not afraid. He was confident, arrogant, and fearless. He had faced many challenges, many dangers, and many threats. He had overcome them all, by his skills, his intelligence, and his will.
He had defeated, outsmarted, and outlasted many foes, from assassins to armies, from conspiracies to rebellions, from curses to plagues. He had no weaknesses, no regrets, no doubts. He had only strengths, achievements, and ambitions.
He had one goal, one desire, one obsession. He wanted to be the emperor, the ruler, the master. He wanted to be the supreme authority, the ultimate power, the absolute lord. He wanted to be Edward Habsburg, the heartless emperor.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
Edward Habsburg had no friends, but he had one acquaintance. He had met him at a party hosted by the emperor, where he had been invited as a guest of honor.
He was an old man, with a long beard and a mysterious smile. He had introduced himself as *Arthur*, a friend of his mother. He had claimed that he was connected with his parents' past, and that he had something important to tell him.
Edward had been intrigued, but also suspicious. He had wondered what this man wanted from him, and what he knew about his parents. He had felt a strange mix of curiosity and resentment, of longing and hatred, of interest and indifference.
He had wanted to know more about his parents, but he had also wanted to forget them. He had wanted to get closer to them, but he had also wanted to distance himself from them. He had wanted to love them, but he had also wanted to hate them.
He had agreed to go with Arthur, when the man had offered him a chance to get to know his parents better. He had hesitated at first, but he had agreed later. He had not shown any emotion on the surface, but he had felt a turmoil inside. He had followed Arthur out of the banquet hall, and into his carriage.
He had not noticed the strange device that Arthur had hidden in his cloak, nor the odd symbols that adorned it. He had not realized that Arthur was not a friend, but a foe. He had not known that Arthur was not a human, but a time traveler.
He had arrived at his mansion, and had invited Arthur inside. He had led him to his study, where he had kept his most precious and personal belongings. He had asked Arthur to tell him what he wanted to say, and to show him what he wanted to show. He had expected Arthur to reveal some secrets, some documents, some artifacts.
He had not expected Arthur to activate the device, and to open a portal to another era. He had not expected Arthur to push him into the portal, and to follow him. He had not expected Arthur to say these words, before they disappeared from the present:
"I'm sorry, Edward. But this is the only way. You have to see the truth for yourself. You have to meet your parents, and understand their choices. You have to face your past, and change your future.
" You have to be Edward Habsburg, the heartful lord."