Chapter 33

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: The Lily of Traon
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He was dressed not in a uniform, but in a navy-blue frock coat. Soldiers were required to wear their uniforms when entering the palace, unless there were special circumstances. This was also an order from Commander Cesare himself.
The order stemmed from his belief that the military needed to appear appealing to attract capable talent. In fact, after the soldiers' triumphal march, the number of volunteers for the Imperial Army had skyrocketed.
Cesare, in particular, was like a symbol of the Imperial Army, so he almost always wore his uniform. But his appearance at the Imperial Palace in civilian clothes meant this was an unofficial visit.
Likely something that wasn't on the Grand Duke's schedule for the day…
Aileen stared at him blankly. Cesare watched Aileen as he slowly walked inside. He paused near the sofa, his red eyes fixed on Aileen as he spoke.
“Not saying it today?”
Aileen, not understanding his meaning, could only blink. He added with a smirk.
“The part where you say I'm not your husband yet.”
Her face flushed at the man who so casually used the word "husband." But Aileen was the only one who was embarrassed.
Cesare sat down right next to Aileen. He took his seat nonchalantly, as if the three of them had planned to meet from the very beginning.
He draped his arm over the back of the sofa. His forearm rested behind Aileen's small shoulders. At the casual touch, Aileen shrank back like a mimosa plant.
It was the first time she had seen Cesare since that night. Bathed in the midday sun, the man was as beautiful and perfect as ever. It was hard to believe he was the master of the lewd memories Aileen had just been recalling.
“Well, you found out too quickly.”
Leone let out a hearty laugh. He shook his head as if admitting defeat. Then, tilting his head, he asked playfully.
“Is Sir Rotan still alive?”
“Who knows. That will depend on your answer now, brother.”
Cesare returned a reply that didn't sound like a joke at all. "This is nerve-wracking," Leone muttered, personally placing a teacup in front of Cesare.
Only then did Aileen notice that the tea set had been prepared for three people. Leone had anticipated Cesare's visit from the start.
But Cesare didn't touch his own cup; instead, he took Aileen's. After emptying the cold tea and refilling the cup, he added sugar cubes and milk, just as Aileen always took it.
He prepared it almost like a milk tea, placed it in front of her, and then offered her a small muffin pierced with a fork. Aileen, who had taken the fork without thinking, glanced at him cautiously, but Cesare's gaze was fixed on Leone. He asked as he added brandy to his teacup.
“Why did you summon Aileen?”
“There was something I wanted to ask.”
“Something you had to ask while keeping it a secret from me?”
“I could say the same to you.”
*Clink.* Leone set his teacup down with a sharp sound. The emperor, who had deliberately broken etiquette, calmly stared at his younger brother.
“She didn't seem to know anything.”
Aileen clutched the fork with the muffin and blinked. Cesare glanced over at Aileen. Seeing that she hadn't touched the muffin or the tea, he gestured with his chin.
Aileen reflexively opened her mouth and took a bite of the muffin. After she chewed and swallowed, Cesare gestured toward the teacup with his eyes.
Aileen immediately lifted the cup and drank the tea. Unlike before, it was sweet and smooth, going down easily.
The tea leaves at the Imperial Palace were of such astounding quality that even the sweetness was a work of art. Aileen, momentarily lost in the blissful taste, quickly came to her senses and began observing the situation again.
Just then, Cesare suddenly turned toward Aileen.
“…!”
Aileen held her breath. A cool scent emanated from him as he leaned in abruptly. It was a cold yet refreshing smell, like a forest drenched in dawn's dew.
A black leather glove caressed Aileen's lips. With a casual touch, Cesare brushed away the muffin crumbs from her lips before straightening up again. In an instant, Aileen turned crimson all the way to her neck.
Ignoring Aileen, who was so red it seemed crimson liquid would gush out if she were poked, Cesare drank his tea as if nothing had happened.
“You…”
Leone, who had witnessed the entire scene, let out a disbelieving laugh. Cesare merely raised an eyebrow in response.
“My mistake, my mistake.”
Leone muttered in a fed-up tone and looked at Aileen. He politely apologized to the still-blushing Aileen.
“My apologies if I startled you, Lady Elorde. I only wish to be on friendly terms with you.”
“Th-thank you.”
When she stammered her thanks, Leone burst out laughing again. She had no idea what he found so amusing. Leone turned his gaze to Cesare and asked.
“Shall we talk, just the two of us?”
At Leone's request, Cesare looked at Aileen. Leone immediately added.
“I'll have Lady Aileen guided to my personal garden.”
Hearing it would be quite interesting, Aileen quickly nodded. Anywhere was fine, as long as she could escape this room. Then, realizing her behavior was improper, she quickly added, "My apologies." At that, Leone laughed again.
“Go have a look around for a bit.”
Cesare escorted Aileen to the door of the audience chamber and added softly.
“Don't leave your husband behind this time.”
He caressed her cheek before sending her out of the audience chamber. Finally free from the suffocating room, Aileen let out the breath she had been holding with a whoosh. An attendant waiting outside the audience chamber bowed politely to Aileen.
“I will escort you to the garden.”
Aileen followed the attendant toward the garden. She walked back through the courtyard cloister she had traversed with Rotan earlier. The courtyard was filled with rare flowers and trees, and as she glanced around with curious eyes, a pungent smell drifted from somewhere. It was the smell of tobacco.
*Who would be smoking in the emperor's palace?*
Just as the question crossed her mind, the attendant suddenly stopped and bowed his head. Aileen, who was behind the attendant, peeked around him to see what was ahead.
Standing there was a woman of such startling beauty. Her hair was the platinum blonde she had only ever heard about. Her pale green eyes were as delicate as new sprouts. Her skin was fair and translucent, and her slender shoulders and arms evoked a natural instinct to protect her.
There was only one beauty in the capital famous for her dazzling platinum blonde hair. Looking at the spring-like woman, Aileen recalled a description she had read in a magazine.
[With her pure and graceful appearance, she is the proud flower of the empire. The epithet ‘Lily of Traon’ is indeed the most fitting descriptor for her.]
She was the only daughter of the Parvellini ducal family, Ornella von Parvellini.
Ornella was also Emperor Leone's fiancée. There were complicated reasons why she, who should have long since become empress, remained in the ambiguous position of a fiancée.
When Leone was just a prince, no noble family was willing to send their daughter to him. There was no reason to gamble on a prince with no backing.
When Leone became emperor, Ornella expressed her desire to the duke to form a marriage alliance with the Traon Imperial Family. As the emperor's authority was still unstable, the Duke of Parvellini vehemently opposed his daughter's choice.
The duke did not want his only daughter to walk such a dangerous path. But since Ornella pleaded so earnestly, he had no choice but to enter into marriage negotiations with the imperial family.
For the imperial family, which needed to strengthen its power even slightly at the time, it was a proposal they had no reason to refuse.
Originally, the person Ornella had wanted was Cesare. However, because Cesare refused on the grounds of departing for war, she ended up engaged to Leone.
Leone, however, postponed the wedding. His reasoning was that he could not hold a state wedding alone while his younger brother was away at war.
The Duke of Parvellini also readily accepted Leone's proposal, as it would be advantageous to break off the engagement immediately if Cesare were to be defeated.
And now that Cesare had returned victorious.
Ornella was in the midst of preparing for her wedding. As it was the emperor's state wedding, the preparations had to be meticulous, and she had heard the wedding was scheduled for next spring.
This was the woman who would become the most noble lady in the empire. The star of the capital's high society, a woman admired and adored by all nobles. Her status was so far above Aileen's that even making a comparison was embarrassing.
*Ah, a greeting.*
Aileen followed the attendant's lead and offered a clumsy curtsy. She lowered her head slightly before raising it again. Even then, Ornella showed no reaction.
She stared at Aileen with a blank expression. Her translucent, pale green eyes sent a gaze so blatant it was disconcerting. Ornella moved only her eyes to look at the attendant and asked.
“Who is this?”
“This is Aileen Elorde of the Elorde Barony.”
Hearing the attendant, she made a short "hm" sound in her throat and slowly approached Aileen. Aileen wanted to hide behind the attendant, but he quickly stepped aside.
Ornella stared intently at Aileen and took a drag from her cigarette. Then she blew the smoke into Aileen's face. She snickered as she watched Aileen cough uncontrollably.
“Congratulations on your marriage?”