It was at the age of 10 that Yulika Brande met Empress Marianne Valer.
The first time she was guided by her father’s hand, the Imperial Palace had looked very large and dazzling. Her chest had been racing and it had been hard to breathe.
She had wanted to wear her favorite pink dress, but her nanny put on a black one instead. She thought she wasn’t pretty at all in these black clothes, so she had cried a lot the day before.
However, Yulika changed her mind.
That day, Marianne was also wearing a black dress. It had no flashy patterns and no lace. Her headdress, and the veil that stretched out from it and covered her face, were black.
In the midst of all the black color, her gorgeous red hair stood out even more. Yulika had never seen such a beautiful person in her life.
“It’s you. The famous daughter of Count Brande.”
Marianne greeted Yulika with a smile warmer than her own mother. Yulika greeted as she had practiced many times, hiding her trembling voice.
“Y-Yulika Brande, t-the daughter of Brande, greets Her Ladyship the Empress.”
“Oh, you’re as cute as a little bird singing. Come on. Come up here.”
Marianne reached out to Yulika with her arms.
Yulika glanced at Count Brande, who was standing next to her. The count wiped his beard with the back of his hand and coughed in vain. It meant a permission.
Feeling her nervousness had broken, Yulika rushed to Marianne, and sat down beside her.
“I think Your Ladyship smells like flowers.”
“Oh, you know how to flatter your superiors.”
Marianne smiled broadly.
She was not flattering. She was speaking from the heart. Yulika was a little upset, but she swallowed her words because Marianne seemed to like it.
“The girl is really lovely. I wihs I had a daughter.”
“Your Ladyship is saying things she doesn’t mean.”
“You think so? But in fact, I wanted to raise a daughter. It was not me who wanted a son, it was my father.”
“But isn’t that a father’s heart for Your Ladyship? The duke must be very pleased that you’ve given birth to a son who is dignified and reliable.”
“He is still just ‘a son’. How can I satisfy my father’s greed with that?”
“You will soon achieve everything you want. We will do all we can to support Your Ladyship and the young prince.”
Yulika listened to the conversation between the count and Marianne, but could not understand the true meaning of any of them.
Yulika said as she grabbed the sleeve of the bitterly smiling Marianne.
“Does Your Ladyship like a daughter? Then I will become Your Ladyship’s daughter.”
“Oh, how can you be so adorable?”
Marianne rejoiced as if she were watching a little child’s tricks.
“Little lady is our treasure. She will soon be the highest and noblest woman of this empire.”
What is a high and noble woman like?
Will she become like someone like the empress?
Like this beautiful young queen, who even looks outstanding in a pitch-black dress.
The meeting with Marianne was brief.
As she left the empress’s room and walked down the corridors of the Imperial Palace, Yulika glanced at the people passing by.
“Don’t look around. Do you not know how to keep the dignity of the noble?”
At the count’s thunderous comment, Yulika hesitated and grabbed the hem of her skirt.
“Straighten your shoulders. Did you not hear? A child who is about to become the noblest woman shouldn’t be so withdrawn.”
However, the heavy, dark air surrounding the castle kept Yulika nervous.
“Father. Why are all the people of the Imperial Palace wearing black?”
In the end, Yulika couldn’t contain her curiosity and asked a question.
“It’s because there is a funeral going on.”
“A funeral? Who died?”
“Forget it. It’s someone you don’t need to know.”
At the count’s resolute words, Yulika bowed her head sullenly.
Her need for information was determined by her father, not herself. Unnecessary information was blocked. If she asked twice, only a roar would return.
Her curiosity went on without being resolved like this again.
“Wait here for a moment.”
Without explaining why, the count left Yulika in the hallway and went into a room.
Yulika stood silently in the hallway, and, unable to bear her boredom, hurriedly moved to the window.
“The Imperial Palace… is big.”
Out of the window, a splendid garden and several splendid annexes could be seen at a glance.
She thought Brande Castle was the biggest and best so far, but it was not comparable with the Imperial Castle.
“I wish I could live in a place like this.”
Yulika smiled with a happy imagination.
At the end of her sight, a boy was caught.
At the entrance to the garden, a boy, who appeared to be in his mid-teens, was seen arguing with an adult man.
“I am not going! I said I’m definitely not going! I will stay here!”
“It’s His Majesty’s order. Why are you so stubborn?”
“If you want to go, then go, Hamilton! I’m gonna stay here!”
‘It seems that he also likes the Imperial Palace very much.’
Perhaps he was swarming with the thought of wanting to live in the Imperial Palace like herself.
‘How immature.’
For Yulika, who had never disobeyed her parents’ words, it was a very unfamiliar and ridiculous scene.
“Yulika, come here. Let’s go back.”
In the meantime, the count who had finished his business came out of the room.
Without a single hesitation, Yulika ran and stood next to the count.
‘I shouldn’t be friends with that kind of person.’
As she walked down the hallway alongside the count, Yulika made a firm decision.
Her father, who came out of the room, smelled strongly of cigarettes. Barely holding back her cough, Yulika walked and walked diligently at the pace of the large count.
***
One summer, Yulika stopped by a bookstore to buy music sheet and bought a magic book together.
It was sold at the tray in front of the checkout counter, so she had picked it up because it looked interesting, but she hadn’t been particularly interested.
However, after reading that one book, Yulika developed a yearning and aspiration for magic. She wanted to know more, and she wanted to learn.
“Father. I want to study magic.”
One day, Yulika went to Count Brande’s study and asked carefully.
In the cigarette-smoky study room, the count looked at Yulika with indifferent eyes.
“Magic? Do you know how to use magic?”
“No, that’s not it, but…”
“Finish your sentence, Yulika.”
Every time the count spoke a reproach, Yulika had to experience the tension, feeling as if her heart was about to drop.
“I’m getting interested in it… for academic purpose. I want to learn it at school. If I can’t go to school, then maybe a home lesson.”
“Hmm, magic. You have to learn it these days so that you can use it.”
“I think it’s not a bad study to build knowledge and culture—”
“Yulika.”
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At the count’s bloody voice, Yulika trembled.
The count got up from his seat and walked in front of Yulika. Yulika hugged the magic book she had brought with her to persuade the count more tightly in her arms.
Books were the only place she could turn to now. Her fingers felt stiff.
“How many times do I have to tell you? You are the woman who will become the empress. What the hell are you doing, preoccupied with these useless things?”
But Father.
Prince Fran is still too young. Even yesterday, he lifted up my skirt and giggled because it looked good. How can I marry someone like that?
… But it was impossible for her to say the same thing.
As Yulika bowed her head in fear, the count clicked his tongue.
“Well… I can’t blame your taste in reading. If it’s self-taught, you do not need to ask me for permission.”
At those words, her Yulika’s face brightened all at once.
“Yulika. How long will you procrastinate? If you are to become the empress, you should be more confident and determined.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Since you were born as a Brande, you have to be useful.”
Useful.
She was born to be used to become an empress.
“Don’t worry. I haven’t forgotten for a second.”
“Yes, that’s my daughter.”
Her father’s large hand stroked Yulika’s hair.
The smell of cigarettes, which she hated so much, seemed to permeate her body, but Yulika closed her eyes tightly and held it in.
***
She thought that no one else would ever look beautiful in a black dress.
No, to be precise, Helena Peresca in a black dress was a little different from the word ‘beautiful’.
It was like the armor of a king. Strong and refined, noble and dignified. Even though she was surrounded by many people, she shone alone.
‘But how ridiculous, I still won in the end.’
Quang. The fingers pressing the piano keys were strained. A magnificent melody filled the spacious banquet hall.
‘After all, everyone is looking at me, right? His Highness is also by my side. People like her are just clowns that flash and disappear.’
As she checked Caesar and Count Brande’s reflections on the smooth piano surface, Yulika raised one corner of her mouth and smiled.
“As expected, people who took bridal lessons early are different. The princess can’t play the piano.”
“WSo wat if she can’t play the piano? She subdued the beasts.”
“Well, that’s right. Count Brande must be quite flusterred.”
“Are you sure he’s just flustered? He raised his daughter this much, and then suddenly, the princess appeared and threatened his daughter’s seat.”
“I feel sorry for Young Lady Brande.”
“Yes, what a poor thing.”
How noisy. Shut up, please.
At the words of the people around her, Yulika bit her molars tightly.
‘Don’t pity me, you fools.’
Why did they feel sorry for her?
She herself would marry Caesar. She would be the noblest woman in this empire.
That’s how she was born, and that’s how she grew up. Who dares to interfere with the Brande’s affairs?
The long tune was over.
Yulika took a shallow breath and pulled her hand off the keyboard. Thunderous applause and encore flew in. Slightly sweaty, Yulika wiped her forehead with a handkerchief.
“What a great song, Young Lady!”
“It was a beautiful performance indeed.”
People raised the mood with praise for Yulika.
In that amicable atmosphere, Yulika was a little relieved.
No matter what anyone said, it was she who stood in the center of the crowd at this moment.
Not Helena Peresca.
“Your Highness, what song—”
Yulika smiled brightly and turned her head to where Caesar was standing.
However, Caesar, whom she had been checking on frequently while playing the piano, was already gone.
“Ah, Viscount Noct called a while ago, so he left.”
“Still, he listened to the first song until the end. He seemed to be very disappointed for leaving his seat early.”
Several young ladies quickly noticed and comforted Yulika.
Yulika also looked around the people who gathered without showing a gloomy expression.
“I see. I thought I’d get a request.”
“Then may I ask for an accompaniment? I will sing with Sir Ilio.”
“Alright then.”
Young Lady Bebinca’s request was an introduction to an opera that took place on stage last winter.
Although the song was bright and cheerful, the opera’s content was quite dark.
The female protagonist had a short and intense love affair with the male protagonist, but she could not overcome the difficulties and died of an illness.
‘Even when selecting songs, the content is very relatable to oneself.’
While Yulika grumbled inside, she smiled on the outside like a flower and played the piano skillfully.
Next to the piano, Young Lady Bebinca and Young Lord Ilio sang along with it.
With you, with you I’ll be able to
share my cheerful times.
Everything is foolish in the world
which is not pleasure.
The atmosphere of the party without the host began to heat up again with cheerful music.
The night was over in the colorful lights, and empty pleasures filled the banquet hall.
Life means celebration.
If one hasn’t known love.
Yulika thought that her life might be the center of a celebration.
A celebration that would never end. But so what? All she had to do was be in the midst of cheers and applause.
She didn’t need to know things like love.
The things her father didn’t tell her, obviously, were things she didn’t need to know.
Ah, let’s enjoy
the cup, the cup and the chants,
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the embellished night and the laughter.
Yulika pressed the key harder. People laughed loudly and applauded.
Somehow she felt the smell of cigarette coming from somewhere.
Even though not a single person would be smoking in this large banquet hall.
(*Inserted lyrics are part of The Drinking Song, an introduction to the opera La Traviata.)