A week had passed since the wedding of the Archduke and Archduchess Erzet, but newspaper and magazine headlines were still dominated by stories about the couple.
Today's edition featured an in-depth article analyzing the figure of Archduchess Erzet. The text extolled her beauty and described the couple as a perfect pair, united by the gods. After pages of extravagant praise, the article concluded with a provocative statement:
[… It was, in fact, the day the true Lily of Traon was born. We await, with great anticipation, the reign of Archduchess Erzet over the social circles of the capital.]
Ornella's hands trembled as he held the magazine. After rereading the last lines repeatedly, he forced a smile, but couldn't contain his frustration any longer. With a brusque movement, he threw the magazine away.
The memory of the wedding haunted her. Eileen Elrod, who had always pretended to be so simple and unassuming, had dressed dazzlingly to outshine her that day. The most painful moment was when everyone's attention shifted from her to that woman. It was a memory impossible to erase.
Calm down.
Duke Farbellini, seated opposite Ornella, spoke softly, trying to calm his daughter. His voice was deliberately kind as he addressed her labored breathing.
Is there really any reason to get upset over something so trivial? It's just the excitement of the moment. As soon as the initial excitement fades, people will go back to admiring her as always.
He signaled to a servant to pick up the discarded magazine and, lighting a cigar, added with a hint of indifference:
— What does it matter if you are the Lily of Traon? What truly matters to me is your happiness.
Ornella shot her father a furious look, her eyes red. Noticing the look, the duke sighed, annoyed. His only daughter, normally docile in temperament, completely lost her composure when overcome by anger—just like her mother.
— … It was the Lord's will.
She began to tremble violently, overcome by fury. Her body shook uncontrollably as she screamed:
— You wanted me to be a daughter you could be more proud of than a son! The noblest woman in the entire Empire!
The Duke raised an eyebrow when her voice sounded, sharp and almost shrill. He held the cigar between his lips and frowned deeply before placing it in the ashtray.
— Was it just my wish? You wanted this too, Ornella.
Despite the coldness of his words, there was a trace of affection in the duke's gaze as he looked at his rebellious daughter.
Calm down. That temper of yours…
The reprimand, though softened by a father's affection, was imbued with his own expectations. For Duke Farbellini, his daughter's happiness could only exist within the limits he himself imposed.
If Ornella ever expressed a desire to marry a street poet, Duke Farbellini would be the first to intervene, ensuring that the man met an untimely end.
Her father's hypocrisy, talking about his happiness, disgusted Ornella. As she tried to catch her breath, the fury that had consumed her moments before began to dissipate.
Running her fingers through her disheveled hair, Ornella took a deep breath and spoke, still trembling:
— … I said so many times that I should marry Archduke Erzet, and not the Emperor.
The duke sighed.
"Even as Duke Farbellini, I couldn't force the Archduke to marry you if he didn't want to. And, at that time, that man was on the verge of death. How could I put you in such a situation?"
In a sudden, defiant movement, Ornella snatched the cigar from the ashtray and took a deep drag. The Duke, watching his daughter huff furiously, showed a hint of amusement. Her face flushed with anger and frustration as she exhaled the smoke and retorted:
But look at the situation now. I was right, wasn't I?
She was certain that this man would reach the highest position—a conviction shaped by years of reigning as the queen of the salons.
But she was forced to make the wrong decision, and now she was paying the price. Instead of being celebrated as Empress, it was Archduchess Erzet who monopolized all the attention.
Even if she were to become Empress, it would only be in title. The love and admiration of the people of the Empire would clearly belong to Archduchess Erzet. Just as happened with Leone, whose glory was always overshadowed by her twin brother.
Thinking of the wretched Emperor, Ornella clenched his teeth once more. The duke lit another cigar and said:
Still, nothing is decided. After all, he's just an Archduke, not an Emperor.
Repeating her father's words with bitter irony, Ornella let out a brief laugh:
An Archduke, who could become Emperor at any moment?
Do you think your father would allow this to happen?
The Duke, holding a cutter at the end of his cigar, spoke with an air of indifference and disdain.
"Her Majesty also has her ambitions, Ornella. I heard that Archduchess Erzet is hosting a tea party today. Do what you always do."
With a swift movement, he cut the tip off the cigar. The fragment fell onto the table. Holding the blade as if it were a guillotine, the duke smiled at his beloved daughter and added:
— Leave the cleaning to me.
It was Eileen's first official public appearance as Archduchess Erzet, and the entire palace staff was working hard to prepare her.
They presented a variety of jewelry and dresses, asking about their preferences. For Eileen—who had only dressed luxuriously once, on her wedding day—it was all overwhelming.
With no experience in the fashion world, she decided to fully trust the team, letting them choose and dress her as they saw fit. The result was stunning.
The dress, made by the same atelier responsible for her wedding dress, was the result of a collaboration between three of the best boutiques.
Eileen believed the compliments she received at the wedding were merely courtesy, but the owners of the ateliers genuinely wanted her to showcase her creations.
The dress, adorned with delicate lace and ribbons, was so luxurious it almost intimidated her. The high-quality silk shimmered so brilliantly that Eileen moved with extreme care, afraid of damaging it.
Such an exquisite piece.
Descending the stairs carefully, holding the hem of her dress as if carrying something alive and fragile, she was greeted in the hall by Diego—who, conversing with Sonio, widened his eyes in astonishment and applauded:
Wow, ma'am, you look like a fairy!
Unaccustomed to receiving compliments, she blushed and replied shyly:
Thank you, Mr. Diego.
Diego, the author of the gallant comment, would be her designated escort that day. Although he was a very useful man in other roles, Eileen felt grateful for the choice. It was comforting to have Diego by her side for her official debut as Archduchess Erzet.
She looks so stunning, everyone will be speechless.
Diego showered Eileen with compliments, boosting her confidence, while Sonio tried to lighten the mood with a gentle joke, despite his evident concern.
— When I get back, I want to hear every detail of this great adventure.
Thanks to their encouragement, Eileen was able to relax a little. With Sonio bidding her farewell at the door, she boarded the carriage with Diego, and they set off towards the Imperial Palace.
Unlike his previous visit, in which he used the private passage reserved for royalty, today he would need to enter through the official public entrance, as the formality of the occasion demanded.
When Eileen stepped out of the carriage, guided by Diego, she was met by a crowd of curious onlookers. Diego made a disapproving sound and muttered through his teeth:
— My goodness, it looks like a swarm of bees.
And the word "swarm" hardly described the number of people. There were more people there than at the grand palace balls.
Pale with nervousness, Eileen hesitantly followed Diego's steps. He, attentive, discreetly adjusted the hem of her dress and whispered:
— They are all here just to see you, my lady.
Many nobles who hadn't been invited to the wedding came just to catch a glimpse of the new Archduchess. It was hard for Eileen to believe that so many people had gathered because of her.
Thanks to Diego's firm presence, no one dared to get too close. But suddenly, she found herself face to face with someone she would rather not meet.
Eileen!
A cheerful, familiar female voice echoed. A woman with long, platinum blonde hair approached with a radiant smile. It was Ornella. Approaching, she embraced her warmly.
I missed you so much! How have you been?
To any observer, it would seem like a touching reunion between old friends. Eileen stood there, momentarily stunned by the unexpected display of affection, while Ornella continued in her amiable tone.
This is my father.
Smiling, she touched the arm of the man beside her—a middle-aged nobleman with eyes as intensely green as Ornella's, though slightly darker.
— It's an honor to meet you. I am Duke Farbellini, Assef von Farbellini. I only saw you from afar at the wedding; this is the first time we've met in person.
"The honor is all mine, Your Grace, " Eileen replied, her voice trembling slightly.
The duke returned the smile, but his cold, assessing gaze made her shudder. A chill ran down her spine, and she had to gather all her strength to remain composed.
It was then that Ornella, feigning surprise, commented:
"Well, now that I see... Baron Elrod hasn't arrived yet? " he asked in a tone laced with sarcasm. "Surely he wouldn't miss such a cheerful day."
Eileen understood the provocation: Ornella was showing off something she would never have.
While Eileen struggled to find an answer, Diego, who had been quietly behind her, gently tugged at the fabric of her dress, drawing her attention elsewhere. Following his gaze, Eileen saw a man making his way through the now-silenced crowd.
It was Caesar — coming to meet him.
But he was not alone. Beside him stood Baron Elrod, his father, his face pale and sweating profusely.
(NT/Elisa: Explaining Grand Duke and Archduke.)
In modern Korean, both end up being translated as “ 대공” (Daegong), because:
"Archduke" would literally be "super duke" (prefix Archi- = "supreme").
"Grão-Duque" means "great duke" (prefix Grão = "great").
In Korean, the two prefixes (Archi/Grain) semantically condense into ⟨대⟩ (Dae), which means "Supreme / Great".
⟨공⟩ (gong) means “duke”.
And why do I know that both characters are ARCHDUKE and not GRAND DUKE? Because Cesare is a Prince (Crown Prince) who abdicated the throne and the title. He has royal blood from a direct lineage of the Emperor. That said, ARCHDUKE is second only to the Emperor. And only someone of direct lineage receives such a title.
To be continued…