"I am the foundation upon which this kingdom stands. I am not a man of dreams or sentiment—I am a man of action, of calculation, of necessity. Rulers who cling to kindness are devoured by the wolves of the world. I do what must be done, not because I desire power, but because power is the only thing that ensures survival." "My people may fear me, but they also stand beneath the strongest empire this land has ever known. My hands are stained, my heart is stone, and my throne is unshakable."