Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 1 Part 3

It was a soft, white bread, quite different from the hard bread usually reserved for the maids. Becky had discreetly hidden it in her apron when the kitchen staff discarded the uneaten food.

As Eleanor accepted the bread, she found herself momentarily speechless, her throat tightening with unexpected emotion.

“How did you…?”

“You need to eat it quickly before the Madam finds out,” Becky urged, glancing around nervously, even though they were alone in the room.

Eleanor hesitated but eventually tore off a piece of the bread. It was hard to swallow, her throat feeling tight with each bite. She drank the water to help force it down.

“Take your time, or you might choke.”

Eleanor set the water down and looked at Becky, whose sun-kissed skin and dark, pure eyes reminded her of the night sky. Becky had always shown genuine concern for her, both in the past and now. It wasn’t a feigned expression but one filled with sincerity.

Eleanor felt a pang of guilt for having ever considered pushing Becky away, even for a moment.

‘Why did Becky betray me back then?’

The memory of Becky accusing her of murder in court before her regression was still fresh and painful. The desperate, unfamiliar look on Becky’s face during the trial had left Eleanor too stunned to defend herself properly.

“Becky,” she said softly.

“Yes, Madam?”

“What is the most important thing to you?”

What had driven Becky to betray her? During the trial, Becky had been more desperate than Eleanor had ever seen her. What could have pushed her to such extremes?

Becky smiled awkwardly at the unexpected question. “My family.”

“Your family…”

“I have a mother and a younger brother.”

Becky’s voice took on a hint of emotion, touched by the fact that someone was finally showing interest in her life. It was a rare occurrence, especially considering that the person asking was none other than the elegant Duchess of Mecklen, someone far above her station.

Becky had grown weary of the cold, demanding environment of the Mecklen estate. Talking about her family, her only source of comfort, brought a faint blush to her cheeks.

“My brother’s name is Nicky. There’s a big age gap between us; he’s ten years old now.”

“Do you live together?”

“Oh, no. The maids here must live communally. My brother lives in another region, in a small village called Münton. You probably haven’t heard of it—it’s very small.”

“Münton…” Eleanor repeated the name, as if committing it to memory.

“Don’t you miss them?”

“Of course, I do. I don’t even know how my mother is doing. She has trouble with her legs, and before I came here, I was always by her side.”

Once Becky started talking, the words flowed easily. Her face, flushed with emotion, spoke of the loneliness she’d felt during her five years at the Mecklen estate.

‘If only I had paid more attention…’

Eleanor thought to herself, reflecting on how Becky had been the only one she was close to in the estate before her regression. Becky had always been kind, secretly helping her whenever she was hurt. Despite their different statuses, Eleanor liked and relied on Becky. That’s why Becky’s betrayal had been so shocking and painful.

‘Becky must have loved her family dearly…’

Back then, Eleanor had been too mentally and emotionally exhausted from Caroline’s harassment to notice what Becky liked or what kind of life she led.

Eleanor took another bite of the bread, forcing herself to chew despite the tears welling up. Swallowing the bread with her tears seemed to bring her some relief.

“Becky.”

“Yes, Madam?”

“I will help you, I promise.

“Sorry?”

“I’ll make sure you can return to your hometown.”

Becky’s eyes widened in surprise, looking as if she couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. Eleanor found it hard to reconcile the innocent, kind girl before her with the woman who had harshly testified against her in the previous timeline. Yet, this very contrast fueled her determination.

“So, if anything bad happens to your family, please tell me.”

“Sorry? I don’t understand…”

“You’ll understand later. When the time comes, I will help you no matter what. Trust me and let me know.”

It might not be for a long time, but…

Becky seemed puzzled by Eleanor’s words, her expression a mix of confusion and curiosity. But Eleanor didn’t offer any further explanation, instead giving her a reassuring smile before finishing the last of her water.

***

On the second day.

From early morning, Caroline was busy preparing for her outing. Although Ernst was still at the estate, keeping things under wraps was second nature to her. As soon as Eleanor entered the study, Caroline began rattling off the tasks Eleanor was to complete that day.

“Make sure all of this is organized before I return.”

“…Yes.”

“Oh, and once you’re done, put them all back in the bookshelf. Make sure not to mix up the order.”

“Understood.”

Eleanor quietly replied, her face hidden as she kept her head bowed. Caroline cast a downward glance at her.

“You talk well enough.”

“……”

“We’ll see later if you’re actually capable of doing it.”

Caroline was certain Eleanor wouldn’t be able to complete the task. The documents she’d been instructed to organize were far too numerous to be sorted in just one day.

With a tilt of her hat, Caroline spoke in a cheerful tone, “See you this evening.”

Eleanor bowed as she left, as usual, Caroline ignored her and turned away without a second glance.

Bang!

As the sound of the door closing echoed, Eleanor straightened up. Her disheveled blonde hair fell into her eyes, obstructing her view. She ran her fingers through her hair to push it back.

If Caroline were to see her now, she might have screamed in disbelief. Because right now, on Eleanor’s lips was…

“This much is nothing.”

A light smile. It was a rare expression for someone who typically maintained a somber demeanor.

Eleanor settled herself in front of the warm mahogany desk. To keep her long hair from getting in the way, she tied it up high with a hair tie she had prepared in advance.

‘She’s acting faster than I expected.’

In her previous life, Caroline had given her this task much later. Perhaps Caroline was feeling a bit more wary after Eleanor had memorized the list of Baden’s nobles and their portraits in just one day—a feat she hadn’t believed possible at first. It was no surprise. In her previous life, Eleanor had spent days and nights painstakingly committing it all to memory.

“Let’s start with sorting.”

Eleanor reached for the stack of documents on the far right. In her previous life, she hadn’t only memorized the list of nobles.

No matter how much Caroline despised her, she couldn’t treat her entirely like a servant due to Eleanor’s status as a duchess. So, Caroline had sought ways to punish her that were justifiable and wouldn’t make her lose her noble dignity.

Tasks like these were typical:

Bringing in foreign books under the guise of fostering culture and forcing her to memorize them all.

Copying out the entire Baden Empire legal code by hand.

Organizing scattered documents, reading them, and summarizing them—just like now.

“It’s all the same.”

As she flipped through the pages to check the contents, Eleanor felt relieved. It was exactly as she remembered, so there was no need to go through it all again. She already had it all in her mind.

Without hesitation, Eleanor began stacking the documents back on the bookshelf in the order they were originally placed.

The materials Caroline had left behind were the historical records of the Mecklen family, documenting the family’s history from its founding to the present day.

In her previous life, Ernst had compiled these records into a book, a task he undertook to prevent loss and preserve the history in a more manageable format.

‘He used the summary I wrote to create the book’s outline and structure.’

Though she thought Caroline would have discarded her work, it seemed that Caroline had found it useful and decided to keep it for later use.

Eleanor paused as she organized the documents. She heard the door open behind her.

“What are you doing here?”

***

It had been two days since Ernst had returned to the family estate, but he hadn’t gone back to the palace immediately. A letter had arrived from the emperor, encouraging him to take a few days off since he was already home. Though he hadn’t intended to take a break, Ernst found himself with an unexpected holiday and decided to use the time to check on household matters. While reviewing the operations of the company, the number of business partners, and the flow of goods, he discovered that a record was missing. That’s why he had come to the study.

“What are you doing here?” His voice grew colder as he asked again, receiving no response.

This was the first time he’d seen his wife since their wedding. Ernst looked Eleanor up and down. As a princess of Hartmann, she had clearly been raised with care and luxury. The outfit she wore seemed to have been brought from her homeland, slightly different from the loungewear he was accustomed to.

“What brings you here?” Eleanor’s unexpected response to his question left Ernst momentarily taken aback.

“Didn’t you hear me? My question came first,” he said, his voice tinged with irritation.

“I apologize. You don’t usually come this way, so I asked… I was doing what the Duchess Dowager instructed me to do.”

“My mother?”

Even after Eleanor explained, the frown on Ernst’s face didn’t disappear. When she mentioned that she was organizing the family’s historical records, he scoffed. “As if someone from another country could do that properly.”

“……”

“Don’t waste your time. Go back to your room immediately.” Ernst crossed his arms and leaned against the bookshelf. His tall figure cast a dark shadow over Eleanor’s head as he bent slightly. Uncomfortable with his cold gaze, Eleanor lowered her eyes, focusing on his white shirt, which seemed like an impenetrable wall.

“…Why is it a waste of time?” Despite her trembling heart, her voice was calm.

“No one’s managed to organize the family’s history properly until now.”

“So?”

“…Even though I’m from another country, I’m now part of the Mecklen family. I’m trying to become one. I may not be perfect, but I want to help in any way I can.”

In her previous life, Eleanor had never had the chance to speak to Ernst alone, let alone have the opportunity to bear a child. Caroline had insisted on delaying any children, citing Ernst’s youth and the need to avoid distractions for his work, and Ernst had agreed.

But now…

If she could change even a little, Eleanor was prepared to do whatever it took. Yet Ernst casually dismissed her determination.

“Why should I entrust that to a thing like you?”

“…A thing?”

“Yes, you,” Ernst said, nodding toward Eleanor.

His indifferent tone made her hesitate. Had she heard him correctly? But his clear gesture left no room for doubt.

‘A thing like me.’

The feeling was strange. Even if theirs was a loveless, formal marriage, this wasn’t what she had hoped for. She had expected at least basic respect, but was that too much to ask?

Eleanor couldn’t understand, but Ernst seemed to think there was nothing wrong with addressing her that way. To him, she was just an outsider.

Eleanor’s face slowly regained its color as the shock faded.

“…I have something to ask of you.”

“Is it important?” Ernst straightened up. It was about time to send this woman away. He had come here for another reason, after all.

He glanced at the watch on his left wrist. This conversation with Eleanor had already taken longer than expected.

“Please send me to the northern branch of the Mecklen Trading Company.”