Illegimate Daughter Of Archduke
Awkward Meeting
The carriage rolled to a gentle stop, the soft crunch of gravel under its wheels breaking the afternoon silence. The sun hung high in the sky, casting a warm golden light that danced through the trees lining the road. Birds chirped lazily, and a mild breeze rustled the leaves, carrying the scents of blooming flowers and fresh grass.
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"We have arrived, Sir," the coachman announced, his voice respectful yet firm.
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"Okay, thank you," came the reply from within the carriage
The door swung open, revealing a gray-haired, middle-aged man. He stepped down with the grace of experience and turned to offer his hand to a young girl inside.
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"Shall we go, Miss Leonora? We've reached our destination," he said, his voice gentle as he extended his hand to the strawberry-pink-haired nine-year-old, his eyes warm and reassuring.
Leonora took his hand, her small fingers gripping his firmly as she descended from the carriage. Her brown-golden eyes took in the surroundings, lingering on the imposing gate ahead. Two armed guards stood vigilant, their expressions stern, the gate itself a barrier between her past and an uncertain future.
Leonora (MC)
'I am Leonora Amos, or at least that's who I am for now. Once I pass through this gate, I will either become Leonora de Ortega or be discarded.' She thought
She shifted her gaze from the gate to the man beside her, the one who had brought her here. Her thoughts wandered back to the day she first met him, just a few days ago.
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"Little Miss, do you by chance know who your father is?" he had asked her then.
Despite knowing the answer from her mother's notebook, she shook her head, and he had given her a look of pity that made her question if being without her parents truly made her pitiable.
He had told her she was the daughter of the Archduke of the Oskandor Empire. She already knew; her mother’s diary was filled with details about him—his looks, his mannerisms, everything.
Leonora (MC)
"Am I, Mister?" she had asked, wondering if he would hide the fact that she was the Archduke's illegitimate daughter.
He patted her head and nodded. Though she couldn’t read minds, the direction of their conversation made it clear what was coming next.
It had only been two days since her aunt's tragic accident, and now she was here, about to face her father—the feared Archduke of Oskandor. Known as a monster, a devil, and the ruler of black mana, his reputation was terrifying. Perhaps this was due to his lineage as the devil's descendant. This was all the information she had managed to gather about him, driven by curiosity since her mother mentioned him in almost every paragraph of her diary.
Leonora took a deep breath, steeling herself as she prepared to step forward into her new life.
The man exchanged a few words with the guards, who nodded and opened the gate for them. The heavy iron gates creaked as they swung inward, revealing a long path flanked by meticulously trimmed hedges and vibrant flower beds.
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"You don't seem happy nor nervous to meet your father, Miss Leonora," he remarked with a small smile as they walked in, hand in hand.
Leonora (MC)
"Is that so?" she mumbled.
Leonora knew she was considered odd for a nine-year-old. She heard it often enough and sometimes wondered herself why she felt so different from her peers. They didn’t seem to understand things the way she did, as if she were an adult trapped in a child’s body.
The path ahead was lined with manicured hedges and blooming flowers, their vibrant colors muted in the afternoon light. Leonora's thoughts drifted as they walked, the weight of the moment pressing down on her small shoulders. She glanced up at the man beside her, sensing his curiosity about her unusual composure.
Leonora (MC)
'Maybe it's because I've always had to be more mature,' she thought. 'Without my mother, I had to grow up fast.'
As they neared the grand entrance of the estate, the imposing architecture loomed above them, a symbol of the power and prestige her father wielded. Yet, for Leonora, it was just another unknown, another challenge to face with the quiet resolve she had learned to cultivate.
Taking a deep breath, she she remained outwardly calm, her expression betraying none of the turmoil within.
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"Are you tired? Should I carry you?" he asked with a warm smile.
Leonora (MC)
"By the way, Mister, why are you helping me? What's your gain here? I'm not the Archduke's lost daughter or anything. I'm his illegitimate daughter. I know that. Bringing someone like me without his permission could get you killed."
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He smiled. "Are you worried about me, Miss Leonora?"
Leonora (MC)
Do I look worried? *she asked tilting her head*
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*softly laughs in response*
Leonora (MC)
'What's there to laugh about? I don't think I cracked a joke.' she thought
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"Cough, I apologize," he said, faking a cough to cover his amusement. "I'm not looking for any gain. I just believe you deserve the same treatment as the other children of my Lord," he said, patting her head gently.
Leonora didn't spoke as she didn't knew how to counter that,she don't belive that Archduke will ever love her like he loves his Legimate children..
Leonora (MC)
'Even if I ends up getting a bit of favor from Archduke, Their no way Archduchess will like it, she is the lady of the House, According what information I have collected through the rumors on her, she is really Hot headed woman, their no way she will ever get along with her Husband's Illegitimate child..I am fine with being ignored, hope she won't send her maids to bully me..' She thought
Her train of thoughts were interrupted by a girl's giggling as Leonora looked towards the direction of the voice, she saw a brown hair girl, quite younger then her running around the garden
Leonora (MC)
'hm..She looks around 5-6 years old..Her clothes and the amount of maids around her, sigh..she is Definitely the youngest of Archduchy, The Beloved Princess'
Leonora was around 7 since when she started collecting information about Archduchy, she is not confident that the information she have collected are 100% right, because she have mostly collected them through rumors and newspaper, no, not because she wanted to be part of them..Just because of her own curiousity
little girl who was running around giggling while maids running after after her, Leonora ignored it as she walked away with the Old man who had brought her
They reached in front of Archduke's office. After a soft knock, The Old man entered with Leonora
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I greet the Archduke *He bowed respectfully*
Brown hair man, who was probably in his forties, continued to scribblings on the pages without bothering looking at the man and Leonora
Leonora (MC)
... *Leonora bowed as well as she sneakily glanced at him*
'He is the Archduke, My supposed-father' She thought
Kayden Ortega (Archduke)
*He didn't look either of them as he spoke* Took you long enough to return back from your Vacation *He continued to scribble* and it seems you have bring an unexpected guest along side you..
Leonora (MC)
*grips tightly on the hem of her dress*
Matteo (servant)
I apologise for bringing her here without consulting with you first, My lord...*He bowed again as he continued* But M'lord..Miss Leonora have no one to look after her, you must have already gotten the news for her Aunt's death..
Leonora (MC)
... 'So he is not unaware of my situation' *Leonora made the mental note Hoping for it all to end soon, she is feeling trapped suffocating in this room*
Kayden Ortega (Archduke)
...Name?
Matteo (servant)
*Let of a sigh of Relief*
Matteo (servant)
*Bents down to Leonora's level* Young Miss, M'lord is asking you to introduce yourself
*It was fine with introducing herself but whom should she introduced herself to when he isn't even looking at her*
Matteo (servant)
*tilts his head* to Archduke ofcourse
Leonora (MC)
Archduke its bad manners to not even look at the person whose name you want to know..
No matter how mature she is for her age, she is still a child who does not understand everything
Kayden Ortega (Archduke)
*stops scribbling* ...
Matteo (servant)
Ah..*sweating*
*He puts the pen down as he finally looked at girl, His brown-golden eyes looked at her, she shares the same eyes as him, symbolism that she is his blood, his face remain poker as he observed her, he knows she is observing him too*
Kayden Ortega (Archduke)
I apologise..*He acknowledged his fault, resting his hand on the table and his chin on it as he observed her.*
It took Leonora by surprise that he actually acknowledged his fault
Kayden Ortega (Archduke)
your name?
Leonora (MC)
...Leonora Amos
He continued to observe her
Kayden Ortega (Archduke)
You really look a lot like your mother
Leonora (MC)
... *Leonora wonder is that a compliment or not*
Before Leonora could reply door of the Archduke's office brust open revealing a boy, same age as her, quite identical to Archduke
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Woah! As expected we have a guest here!!
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