Vienna welcomed the year 1784 with a heavy snowfall.
Inside a study at Hofburg Palace, a young man, appearing to be around sixteen or seventeen years old, was hunched over a desk, writing and erasing something. Currently, the only person of that age in Hofburg Palace was Charles von Habsburg, the eldest son of Emperor Joseph II and Empress Isabella, and the Crown Prince of the Holy Roman Empire.
Charles sighed. By his reckoning, it had already been sixteen years since he arrived in this world. When he first opened his eyes and found himself a newborn infant, he was in a state of utter bewilderment.
Later, he learned his identity: a person who, in the original history, did not exist.
Charles von Habsburg was the eldest son of Joseph II, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, and Empress Isabella, and the eldest grandson of the late Empress Maria Theresa and Emperor Franz I.
Unlike the history he was familiar with, in this world, his mother, Empress Isabella, did not die in 1763 due to complications in childbirth. Instead, she had remained in good health until now, giving birth to her eldest son Charles in 1768 and her second son Ferdinand in 1770, and subsequently six more siblings for Charles and Ferdinand.
This must be the butterfly effect caused by his reincarnation.
As a child born with a silver spoon, Charles was always the exemplary child. As the first male heir of the new generation of the Habsburg Imperial Family, he was taken in by his grandmother, Empress Maria Theresa, from birth to be personally raised, signifying her importance.
Compared to the grueling daily lives of the princes in the Qing Dynasty, the European Imperial Family was no less demanding.
As the Crown Prince of the Holy Roman Empire and the future Emperor Charles VIII, Charles grew up under the strict tutelage of his grandmother, Empress Maria Theresa, learning statecraft, military training, court etiquette, horsemanship, music, swordsmanship, swimming, dancing, theology, chess, painting, and languages, among other skills and knowledge.
Damn it, Charles never knew that becoming an emperor required such all-around talent, mastering eighteen different martial arts. Heaven knows how Charles survived those seven years, with less than eight hours of sleep every day, which was torture compared to his previous ten or eleven hours of sleep.
Charles finally understood why European Imperial Family members of the same age were so exceptionally talented, practically geniuses. Even an imbecile, with such intensive training, would become a genius.
As for which of these many courses Charles most detested, he would tell you without hesitation—language courses!
In addition to his native German, Charles was required from a young age to learn and master thirteen languages: French, Latin, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English, Dutch, Greek, Russian, Polish, Bohemian, Romanian, and Hungarian.
The first few were manageable, as they were languages of major countries. At this time, nobles across European Countries prided themselves on speaking fluent French, while those who couldn't were considered bumpkins. Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian were also not difficult to learn, as Charles's mother, Empress Isabella, was Spanish and later grew up in Parma, Italy, influencing his learning.
English and Dutch seemed remarkably simple after conquering the aforementioned languages. What, you ask about Russian? I'm sorry, is that really a human language? That rolled 'r' nearly took half his life. But he couldn't not learn it; it was all for the traditional friendship of the Russian-Austrian alliance.
Regarding the last few languages, facing Charles's confusion, Miss Paladi, his private tutor specifically responsible for language courses, said, "As the future Emperor of the Empire, you must be proficient in every language of the subjects within the Empire's borders."
At that time, Charles grumbled internally: "Does that mean I can't be Emperor if I don't speak these languages? I'm going to be an Emperor, not a translator."
However, Charles's intense upbringing eased considerably after the death of his grandmother, Empress Maria Theresa, four years ago in 1780. Besides his sorrow at the sudden passing of the grandmother who raised him, he also felt a sense of relief.
Afterward, he was brought back to be raised by his parents, Emperor Joseph and Empress Isabella. Perhaps out of guilt and a desire to compensate for their eldest son not being by their side from a young age and the early deaths of their previous children, Joseph II and Empress Isabella finally stopped pushing him so hard.
Thank heavens!
Just then, there was a knock on the door. "Come in!" Charles said.
"Your Imperial Highness, His Imperial Majesty and Her Imperial Majesty request your presence in the study. There is a very important matter they wish to discuss with you in detail." The visitor was an old gentleman with graying hair, wearing a monocle and impeccably dressed. Charles recognized him—Baron Lemberg, Emperor Joseph II's Court Chamberlain.
"Oh, very well. Please lead the way," Charles said.
Walking beside Baron Lemberg, Charles asked, "Mr. Lemberg, is there something important my father wishes to discuss with me?"
"Your Highness, I do not know the specifics. His Majesty said he would only inform you once you arrived," Baron Lemberg replied with a smile, shaking his head.
"Alright then." Charles nodded at this. He knew that Baron Lemberg had been with his father, Joseph II, since childhood. The fact that even he hadn't heard anything beforehand indicated the undeniable importance of the matter.
Finally, they arrived at Emperor Joseph's office. Baron Lemberg knocked on the door and said, "Your Majesty, Archduke Charles has arrived."
"Please send Charles in, Mr. Lemberg."
"Yes." Baron Lemberg opened the door, and after Charles entered, he closed it.
"Father, Mother, I hope you are well." Upon entering, Charles saw his father, Joseph II, sitting behind the desk, and his mother, Empress Isabella, holding his two-year-old youngest sister, Auguste. He quickly bowed to greet his parents.
"Charles, you're here. Have a seat." Joseph II gestured, indicating for his eldest son to sit down.
Charles obeyed, sitting properly with his hands on his clasped knees and his back straight: "Father, Mother, may I ask why you have summoned me today? Is there something important?"
Seeing his son's proper posture, Joseph II nodded with satisfaction: "Indeed, I called you here today because there is a matter of great importance, both for you and for the entire Empire. Therefore, after discussing it with your mother, we both agreed that we should consult your opinion."
With that, Joseph II and Empress Isabella exchanged glances. He gently patted his wife's hand: "Isabella, why don't you tell our dear son."
Empress Isabella nodded, then pondered for a moment before speaking: "Charles, you are already sixteen years old, almost an adult. Therefore, both your father and I, as well as Prince Kaunitz-Rietberg, Prime Minister, hope that you can marry as soon as possible. It would be a good thing for both you and the country."
Although Charles knew from birth that being born into the Imperial Family meant that autonomy in marriage was a pipe dream, and he had long prepared himself for a political marriage, he didn't expect this day to come so soon.
It was true; after all, in this era, early marriage and childbirth were common among European Countries' Imperial Families.
"Uh, Father, Mother, I'm still a child. I don't think there's any need to rush this matter," Charles said with an awkward laugh, while playfully teasing his youngest sister, Auguste, attempting a last-ditch effort.
"You're still a child? Your mother and I were already close to being engaged when we were your age." Joseph II, hearing this, gave his eldest son an exasperated look.
"Alright then," Charles said, looking sheepish.
"Currently, eligible princesses from various countries include Princess Charlotte, the eldest daughter of British King George III, who is eighteen years old and two years older than you; Princess Auguste Sophie, his second daughter, who is sixteen years old and the same age as you; and Princess Elisabeth, his third daughter, who is fourteen years old and two years younger than you. There is also Princess Friederike Charlotte, the eldest daughter of Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia, who is seventeen years old and one year older than you, but Prince Kaunitz-Rietberg, Prime Minister, is strongly against that match. And Princess Mariana Victoria, the eldest daughter of Queen Maria I of Portugal, who is sixteen years old and the same age as you," Empress Isabella recounted slowly.