Difference Between Calling SuperClass Constructor or Inherited Set Method

Hello Everyone,

This is the situation. I have the usual base class w/ private instance
variable along with public methods manipulating them. I have a derived
class which inherits from the base class.

public class Base {
   private int base;
   Base() {
       setBaseVar( 100 );
   }
   Base( int value ) {
       setBaseVar( value );
   }
   public setBaseVar( int val ) {
        base = val;
   }
}

public classe Derived{
    private int derived;
    Derived( int derived ) {
         super();
         setDerivedVar( derived );
    }
    *Derived( int derived ) { // Alternative
         setBaseVar( 100 )
         setDerivedVar( derived );
    }
    setDerivedVar( int val ) {
        derived = val;
    }
}

Is there any difference between Derived and *Derived constructors in
assigning a value to base using a call to super or inherited access
method? When calling an inherited member function ( a setter method,
for example ) from a derived class object, and setting the private
instance variable of the base class, what has happened? Because there
is no base class object (I'm assuming this) we must be setting an
instance variable of the Derived class, but it was inherited and
shouldn't even be visible technically although we have still set it.
I'm confused.

Thanks a Million,

EVAC