Wicked Husband-Chapter 123 - 122

After Cesare attended the Grand Duchess’s tea party, all of society buzzed with talk of the Erzet couple. The ladies who had been invited proudly recounted their experiences at every social gathering.

"He seems almost god-like, doesn’t he? So distant and hard to approach..."

"Yes, you’re right. It’s hard to even approach him. He rarely attends social events."

"Well, they call him a god on the battlefield, so it wouldn’t be wrong to say he’s more than human."

"Exactly. But seeing how he treats the Grand Duchess with such kindness made me realize—he’s human too, just a husband like any other."

It wasn’t just the noblewomen talking. The gossip columns printed endless articles about the Grand Duchess’s tea party, repeating the same information over and over. Yet as long as it involved the Grand Duke and Duchess, the papers flew off the shelves.

The whole world seemed to be captivated by the Erzet household. The Grand Duchess’s first tea party was an undeniable success.

But what stung Ornella the most wasn’t the triumph of the tea party or the overwhelming attention on it.

’I’ve lived as my father commanded, and I will continue to do so.’

That was what she had blurted out to Cesare in a moment of uncontrollable impulse. Ornella couldn’t understand why she had said it.

Why did I say that?

The question kept circling in her mind. Every time she recalled that moment when she exposed her vulnerability, it made her feel like she was going mad.

Right now, she wanted to hurl her teacup across the room. She wanted to scream and shatter everything around her, but she held herself back. Here, she had to remain the "Lily of Traon." 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Ornella was sipping tea in the emperor’s audience chamber, where she was scheduled to meet her fiancé, Leone.

Unlike the tyrannical late emperor, Leone could truly be called a wise ruler. He never denied that it was his younger brother, Cesare, who had secured the throne for him; in fact, he accepted it with pride.

In stark contrast to the many historical figures driven to madness by feelings of inferiority, Leone’s wisdom and humility set him apart.

However, the twins were still of Traon blood, and people often gossiped about which of them had inherited the madness that ran through their lineage.

Most assumed it was Cesare. He was like a cold, burning flame, his brutal nature on the battlefield a widely whispered rumor.

But was Cesare truly the only one to inherit that dangerous nature? Even if Leone resembled their mother in temperament, she had also been far from stable, much like the previous emperor.

"I greet the Emperor," Ornella said as she rose to offer her respects to Leone, who had just entered the audience chamber.

Leone, strikingly similar to the late emperor with his dark blond hair and blue eyes, smiled gently.

"Lady Farbellini."

Ornella returned his soft smile. Though their engagement was born out of duty rather than love, Leone was a fine fiancé. If it weren’t for Cesare, he would have been the most outstanding man in the empire.

"It’s been a while. I should have come to see you sooner, but here you are, making the effort to meet me..."

"Your Majesty," Ornella interrupted, breaching etiquette as she stepped closer. Leone raised his eyebrows in surprise as she gently placed her hand on his chest and asked,

"What do you think of the Grand Duchess of Erzet?"

***

Leon’s reaction to Ornella’s unexpected question was subtle. He closed his eyes briefly, then reopened them with a faint smile.

"I didn’t expect you to come here to ask such a question."

He gently removed her hand from his chest with polite composure.

"I thought you had come for something similar to what the Duke of Farbellini recently approached me about."

The Duke of Farbellini was still fuming over the incident where Cesare had barged into his mansion in the middle of the night, threatening not to tolerate any disrespect. Naturally, the duke had come to his son-in-law, Leon, and ranted endlessly.

When the Traon royal family first arranged a marriage between the Farbellini family and the imperial line, it had seemed like a losing bargain for the duke. The twin princes had won the civil war, but their position remained precarious.

The duke had bet on the potential of the imperial family, and his gamble had paid off. After the successful conquest of Kalpen, the Traon dynasty was firmly established as the victor.

The Duke of Farbellini considered himself a royal benefactor. For all his sacrifices, he believed he deserved to be treated as a founding hero of the empire. Now, humiliated by Cesare, his anger knew no bounds.

The duke had threatened to bring the matter before the imperial council, denouncing Cesare’s arrogance. Yet despite his furious words, he was also afraid.

The reason he hadn’t yet taken this issue to the council was clear: he feared that Cesare might truly lose his mind and do something unimaginable.

As Grand Duke of the empire, commander of its armies, and the emperor’s brother, Cesare had much to lose. Now that he had a family of his own, he should have been more cautious. Yet there was something unsettling about Cesare, a volatility that suggested he might throw everything away at any moment.

This wasn’t a fear held only by the Duke of Farbellini—Leon felt it keenly himself.

Since Cesare’s return to the capital, he had been saying strange things, and Leon couldn’t help but worry. With this latest incident, he was beginning to grasp the gravity of the situation.

What has changed my brother so much?

Cesare had always been reserved, but Leon had never struggled to understand him like this. As twins, they shared a special bond, knowing each other better than anyone else. Yet recently, Cesare had become an enigma, his actions unpredictable.

The once-perfect brother now seemed to be showing cracks.

"I’m only curious about your thoughts, Your Majesty," Ornella’s voice pulled Leon from his reverie.

She smiled serenely, like a painting come to life. "As your fiancée."

Leon chuckled softly, followed by a light sigh.