Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 2 part 4

With each step, the soft crunch of gravel beneath their feet echoed as the three made their way through the East Palace Garden, the third most renowned garden in the Baden Imperial Palace. Though smaller in size, the garden was a tasteful blend of well-maintained ornamental trees and artful sculptures, giving it a distinct charm.

Eleanor glanced up at Lennoch, who was walking beside her. He was exceptionally tall, likely around the same height as Ernst. His broad shoulders were well-fitted in a shirt and vest that seemed to have been crafted by a skilled designer, though perhaps it was simply that he had the natural physique to make any clothing look good.

“If we continue along this path, we’ll come to an artificial pond,” Lennoch said, seemingly unaware of her gaze. He pointed ahead, and she saw the path diverge into two. He led her to the right.

“If it’s been well-maintained, the fish should still be there. I remember them being quite colorful,” he added. Despite the path being smooth and free of obstacles, Lennoch offered his arm for her to hold, his muscles as solid as stone beneath his clothing.

The garden was quiet, serene, with no prying eyes or ears—an oasis of privacy by the pond.

Eleanor, gathering her courage, finally spoke up. “May I ask you something?”

“Anything,” Lennoch replied.

“Forgive me, but… where do you belong?”

Both Lennoch and Eger turned to look at her simultaneously. Not wanting to come off as impolite, Eleanor quickly elaborated.

“As far as I know, there is no noble named Lennoch among the central aristocracy, nor in the provinces. The name’s origin might be from Hartmann, but in Baden’s history, the name Lennoch is rarely, if ever, mentioned.”

Lennoch responded with a teasing tone, steering the conversation in an unexpected direction. “Have you met that many nobles already?”

“…Pardon?”

“Without meeting them personally, it’s not easy to remember even a few names, let alone so many.”

The conversation was taking a strange turn, quite different from what she intended. Feeling a bit anxious, Eleanor explained, “I haven’t met them personally, but I’ve had the chance to look over the noble registry, which is how I came to know.”

Even among nobles, it wasn’t common to know everyone by name. Eleanor’s case was unique; Caroline had forced her to memorize the list as part of her torment. In total, the number of nobles in Baden, including those in the provinces, reached into the thousands. Typically, nobles memorized only those within their social circle or those of higher rank.

While memorizing the names wasn’t a crime, Eleanor worried that someone might twist her familiarity with the noble registry as an accusation, given that she was a foreign princess.

As she waited anxiously for their response, both Lennoch and Eger spoke at once.

“My goodness, you’re quite something, Miss. Or rather, I should say, Madam.”

“It must have been difficult to memorize so many names… You must be very clever.”

Eleanor’s eyes widened at the unexpected praise.

“A true talent from Hartmann! What a waste that such a brilliant mind has been left unused.”

“For an ordinary person, memorizing all that would take months.”

They couldn’t possibly understand that she had no choice but to memorize everything, given the extreme circumstances she had been under before her regression. Caught off guard, Eleanor could only listen in silence, unable to explain her past life.

Unaware of her inner turmoil, the two men continued to lavish her with compliments. Feeling that they were on the verge of making her out to be some kind of genius, Eleanor quickly gestured for them to stop.

“Please, that’s enough. I’m really quite ordinary. It’s just something I memorized unintentionally.”

“Oh dear, aren’t you being too modest?” Lennoch teased, laughing as Eleanor’s face flushed a deep red.

It was clear that she wasn’t accustomed to receiving such praise.

As she released his arm and turned her gaze to the pond, Lennoch’s eyes crinkled into a smile behind his mask.

“My mask must be quite suspicious. That’s why you’re asking about my family, isn’t it?”

“I can’t entirely deny that,” she admitted, her voice still tinged with the embarrassment from earlier. Yet, judging by her now relaxed expression, it seemed she didn’t mind the compliments as much as she let on.

Lennoch lightly tapped the wooden mask with his hand. “If you wish, I can remove it.”

“Lennoch!” Eger interjected, clearly alarmed.

After all the effort to conceal Lennoch’s identity, this was the last thing Eger had expected. Just as Eleanor had her doubts about Lennoch, Eger, too, was wary of her.

‘If the Duchess of Mecklen were to spread rumors about Lennoch…’

The very thought drained the color from Eger’s face, prompting him to step forward quickly. Fortunately, Eleanor raised her hand just in time to stop Lennoch from removing his mask.

“I understand your meaning well enough, so there’s no need for that,” she said, gently but firmly.

“Do you really?” Lennoch asked, his voice carrying a hint of surprise.

“Considering that you’re acquainted with Lord Nestor, I’m sure your identity is secure,” Eleanor replied, rubbing her cheek, which still tingled with the weight of the conversation. She could sense Eger’s intense gaze on her and Lennoch, but for now, she decided it was better not to cross the Nestor family. She resolved to uncover Lennoch’s true identity more gradually.

As she shifted her focus to light conversation, Eger’s tense expression gradually relaxed back to normal. When Eleanor suggested they take a walk around the pond, Lennoch suddenly halted in his tracks.

“Then, it’s my turn now, isn’t it?”

“…Pardon?”

“I still don’t know what your favorite flower is.”

His persistence, cloaked in kindness, caught her off guard.

As for flowers, Eleanor had no strong preference. In fact, as a princess in Hartmann, she had always preferred books, horseback riding, and archery over more refined pastimes like flower arranging. It wasn’t that she liked flowers less; she simply hadn’t given them much thought.

“Any flower is fine,” she replied dismissively, not expecting him to take her response seriously.

But as she finished speaking, she noticed his right hand, previously hidden behind him, move gracefully.

“That’s fortunate,” Lennoch said.

A single pink rose appeared in the dappled sunlight, capturing her attention. With a sincerity that felt almost like a proposal, he continued, “I wish I could give you something better, but given the circumstances, I wanted to offer this as a token of my appreciation, Miss—I mean, Madam.”

He seemed to struggle with the final word, as if it was difficult for him to say.

“Thank you, for giving me your time.”

Eleanor looked at him and the rose in turn, her expression a mix of surprise and confusion. For a moment, she wondered if this was another joke, but the sight of Eger, standing dumbfounded in the distance with his glasses sliding down his nose, confirmed that Lennoch’s gesture was genuine.

‘Thank you?’

For a brief moment, she was taken aback. She had been considering how she might use this man to escape Mecklen, and now he was thanking her.

Her cheeks, like the rose he offered, flushed a soft pink. It was a strange, warm feeling that blossomed within her—a feeling she hadn’t experienced since arriving in Baden. Neither Caroline nor even her husband Ernst had ever extended such a gesture to her.

“Do you not like roses?” Lennoch asked, noticing her hesitation.

“…No, it’s fine,” she replied, carefully accepting the thornless rose.

Her mind was in turmoil. As she lifted her gaze, she inadvertently met Lennoch’s eyes through the mask. His eyes, glimpsed through the small opening, were a brilliant shade of green, as if they had been carved from the purest emerald.

***

If it weren’t for Eger’s urging, they might have stayed in the garden until the sunset fully disappeared.

“It was a pleasure today,” Lennoch remarked as they arrived at the Mecklen estate, his voice tinged with regret.

Eleanor nodded in agreement. “I enjoyed it as well, thanks to you.”

Throughout the day, Lennoch had been incredibly kind and considerate, making it hard to believe they had only just met. Despite her initial wariness, Eleanor found herself genuinely grateful to him. Whatever his intentions were, the weight that had been pressing on her chest all day had lightened considerably.

As she stepped out of the carriage with a clear and light heart, Lennoch followed her, saying, “I look forward to seeing you again soon.”

Eleanor’s steps faltered at his words. She hadn’t expected such a statement, and it caught her off guard. Lennoch waited beside her, sensing her hesitation.

After a brief pause, Eleanor finally responded, “…Yes.”

‘If the opportunity arises,’ she thought, but the words remained unspoken. A sudden prickling sensation in her chest made her uncomfortable, though she tried to ignore it.

“Is something wrong?” Lennoch asked, noticing the sudden change in her demeanor.

Eleanor forced herself to remain calm, suppressing the unease in her heart. “I’m fine,” she replied, her voice steady.

It’s time to go back. Really.

As Lennoch’s carriage departed, Eleanor’s hand fell limply to her side. She looked up at the towering gates of the Mecklen estate.

‘I suppose I must go in.’

Her mind knew it, but her feet were reluctant to move. Gathering her resolve, Eleanor clutched her dress and forced herself to walk forward. The rose Lennoch had given her was left behind, discarded nearby to avoid Caroline’s scrutiny.

It was late, and the sun was beginning to set. By now, Caroline would have already returned. Eleanor braced herself for the inevitable verbal onslaught she would face—this time and in the future.

And yet, she had to go in.

‘I have nowhere else to go.’

Eleanor’s reality was brutally harsh and utterly desolate.

“Lady Eleanor…!” Becky, a maid who had been busy carrying towels in the hallway, gasped as she saw Eleanor enter. It wasn’t just Becky; other servants nearby also exchanged surprised whispers upon seeing her return.

“Where have you been? The madam has been looking for you everywhere.”

“I had something to take care of… Where is she now?”

“She’s in her room. Shall I announce your arrival?”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll go to her myself.”

The household had already been through a storm. Caroline had caused a scene after abruptly leaving the dress fitting and returning home. The servants, bewildered by their mistress’s outburst, had been anxiously awaiting Eleanor’s return.

Ignoring Becky’s worried gaze, Eleanor made her way up to the third floor. She paused in front of Caroline’s door, taking a deep breath before lightly knocking with trembling hands.

Knock, knock.

“I’m back,” she called out, but there was no response from within.

Despite her announcement, the room remained silent. The brief stillness felt like an eternity to Eleanor.

Click.

The door opened shortly after, and Eleanor felt the cold, piercing gaze from within.

“I apolo—”

Slap!

The sharp sound of the slap echoed in the silence.