Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 4 Part 1

4. The Empress Dowager’s Test

Crash—!

“How dare she play me like this?” Caroline fumed, hurling a plate across the room. The dish shattered against the wall, scattering fragments everywhere with a loud, resounding crash. The entire room was in disarray, the floor littered with debris from her outburst.

“How on earth did she manage to apply as a lady-in-waiting?” Caroline muttered angrily, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

Eleanor couldn’t have had any connection to the palace. Caroline had made sure to keep her isolated, even preventing her debut in society to ensure she remained completely cut off.

Immediately after hearing of Eleanor getting the position, Caroline had gathered all the servants and interrogated them one by one, convinced that someone must have helped her. But no evidence surfaced.

“Damn that woman,” she spat, the memory of Eleanor’s calm farewell before stepping into the carriage replaying in her mind. It sent a fresh wave of fury through her, making her body tremble. Caroline tightened her grip on the reins, fearful that someone in the household might leak information.

‘If that woman dares to tell the Empress Dowager anything…’

Caroline knew that the Empress Dowager didn’t particularly like her. Although they maintained a cooperative relationship for the sake of the Mecklen family, the future was always uncertain.

“No, that won’t happen,” Caroline reassured herself, trying to calm down. Even if Eleanor tried something, the Empress Dowager would never easily trust her. Any reckless words from Eleanor could backfire on her instead.

Having assessed the situation, Caroline smoothed down her disheveled hair. She always felt a bit better after venting her anger.

“Madam,” a voice called out tentatively. It was the butler, Gilbert, who had been waiting for the right moment to speak.

“A guest has arrived.”

“Who is it?”

“Countess Lorentz.”

Caroline’s expression shifted slightly. She had been eager to hear news from the palace. She quickly made her way to the drawing room, where she greeted Countess Lorentz with open arms.

The Countess returned the embrace warmly, saying, “You are as beautiful as ever. How have you been?”

“Very well, thanks to you. You there, bring us fresh tea,” Caroline ordered, dismissing the maid who had brought the previous tea service.

Once they were seated across from each other, Caroline spoke in a lilting tone, “Thanks to you, Lady Brianna has secured a wonderful position. I’m grateful, Countess.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Lady Brianna is such an intelligent young lady. She’s made my work much easier these days,” Countess Lorentz replied, her tone warm and friendly.

As they sipped their tea, enjoying the delicate aroma, Countess Lorentz brought up a new topic that immediately piqued Caroline’s interest.

“Speaking of the Hartmann princess,” the Countess began, recalling the interview with a slight frown, “she’s quite a bold girl.”

“Oh really?” Caroline’s ears perked up, eager to hear more.

“Can you believe it? She openly declared to the Empress Dowager that she wanted to become a servant.”

“My goodness,” Caroline murmured, her eyes narrowing into slits.

“So that’s why she’s still in the palace,” she thought, surprised by Eleanor’s uncharacteristic boldness. The usually meek Eleanor had taken an unexpected path.

“By the way, Madam, how did it happen that you wrote a recommendation for such a girl?” Countess Lorentz asked cautiously.

“Recommendation?” Caroline’s hand, which had been moving the teacup, froze mid-air. A flash of confusion flickered across her vision.

Not noticing Caroline’s reaction, Countess Lorentz continued, “You wrote an identical recommendation for her as you did for Brianna. Thanks to that, they both received the same extra points. If you hadn’t written it, Brianna would have been chosen alone, without question.”

Countess Lorentz grumbled about how she couldn’t force Eleanor to fail the selection process. Despite the fact that the Countess and other interviewers had adjusted their scores to ensure Brianna received the highest marks, something unexpected had happened. The Empress Dowager and Berenice had intervened in some way, resulting in Eleanor receiving the same score as Brianna. The recommendation letters had played a crucial role in this outcome.

Caroline slowly set down her teacup as she absorbed the full weight of the situation.

“Madam?” Countess Lorentz’s voice was filled with concern.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Caroline responded, though her voice was tight.

“But your complexion…” Countess Lorentz trailed off, glancing nervously at Caroline, whose face had turned a deep shade of red.

‘So she forged the recommendation letter,’ Caroline thought, the pieces of the puzzle finally clicking into place. It took all of her self-control to suppress the rage that was threatening to explode. Her face trembled with the effort to maintain her composure.

Seeing this, Countess Lorentz asked if she was feeling unwell, her voice laced with genuine concern.

“I’m fine, Countess,” Caroline replied, her tone regaining a measure of calm. “But tell me, how is Her Majesty the Empress Dowager these days? Is she in good health?”

“Hoho, Her Majesty is as vigorous as ever. Ah, just recently…” Countess Lorentz began sharing news about the Empress Dowager, visibly relieved as Caroline’s expression seemed to return to normal.

As she listened to the Countess, Caroline’s responses were automatic, her mind occupied with a single, burning question:

‘How can I use this to my advantage?’

***

The duties at the palace were not particularly heavy, especially after Brianna and Eleanor began sharing the responsibilities that would have normally been handled by the Marchioness of Radsay alone. This division of labor significantly reduced the workload, but that didn’t mean the tasks became any easier.

Eleanor gradually adapted to life in the Empress Dowager’s palace, learning new tasks and growing more comfortable with her surroundings. Occasionally, attendants from the Mecklen estate would visit, but Eleanor always found excuses to avoid them.

“You’ve arrived.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

It was early morning, and the ladies-in-waiting had been summoned. Countess Lorentz blatantly ignored Eleanor, directing her attention solely to Brianna.

“Eleanor, Brianna, I have called you both because there is something I need you to handle,” the Empress Dowager began.

“We await your command, Your Majesty,” Brianna said, stepping forward. Today, she was dressed in a cream-colored dress, adorned with large, sparkling jewels at her ears and neck. Her radiant appearance naturally drew attention.

After a brief glance at Brianna, the Empress Dowager continued, “Last year, I established an organization in my name. Its primary purpose is to provide aid to the poor.”

She referred to a charity funded by a portion of the imperial budget. The Empress Dowager had Countess Lorentz fetch the schedule. The monthly report outlined the activities supported by the charity, including daily operations. She handed the document to Eleanor and Brianna, allowing them to review it themselves.

“Today’s schedule is to distribute soup to the poor,” the Empress Dowager said in a gentle tone, issuing her command. “You two will go in my stead and assist with this task.”

It’s a test.

***

The Empress Dowager’s command had come suddenly, leaving Brianna and Eleanor with no choice but to comply. They were informed that a carriage was already prepared to take them to their destination, and without further delay, they headed outside. The journey to their destination was marked by silence, a lingering awkwardness between the two women ever since the events of the interview.

As they passed through the opulent streets lined with grand estates and entered the outskirts where the commoners lived, the scenery changed drastically. The roads became uneven, and the buildings were in disrepair, with walls made of crumbling stone and roofs patched with worn-out cloth. The air was thick with an unpleasant odor that made Brianna wrinkle her nose in disgust.

“We’ve arrived,” the coachman announced.

They had reached the slums.

The ground was rough and uneven, and the buildings around them looked as if they could collapse at any moment. Moss and weeds grew unchecked along the walls, and the streets were crowded with dilapidated homes. Eleanor surveyed the scene with a faint gasp.

‘I had no idea such poverty existed in a wealthy nation like this,’ she thought, struck by the stark contrast between this area and the luxurious city she had seen earlier. It reminded her of the economic collapse back in Hartmann, where the poor seemed to be everywhere.

“Welcome, my ladies,” a man greeted them. He was the priest overseeing the charity work, a man named Gran, whose white hair and beard spoke of his many years of service.

Brianna and Eleanor followed Gran as he led them to the distribution area. The slums were too dangerous and labyrinthine to venture into, so the food was distributed on the outskirts.

Gran, with a warm smile, gave them a few instructions. “Here, please wear these gloves. If they become too dirty, I’ll bring you a new pair right away.”

“Thank you.”

“If anyone from the slums grabs at your clothing or acts threateningly, please shout immediately. We’ve stationed mercenaries nearby for your protection.”

“Yes, we will.”

“And if it becomes too difficult, please let us know. There’s no need to push yourselves.”

It was obvious that these noblewomen had never lifted anything heavy. Looking at their elaborate dresses, it was hard to imagine them doing any strenuous work.

“So, we just need to ladle out the soup and hand it to them?” Brianna asked.

“Yes, that’s correct,” Gran replied politely.

Wearing white gloves, Brianna made no effort to hide her displeasure. Though she couldn’t refuse the Empress Dowager’s orders, of all days, she had worn a cream-colored dress today. Worried that her clothes might get dirty, Brianna became even more sensitive.

“I’ll leave you to it,” said Gran, who had other duties besides guiding them.

In front of each of them was a large pot of soup. The freshly made soup was steaming. However, it was distinctly different from the soup served in the palace. The color was more watery, and the only ingredients were unrecognizable mashed vegetables. There was a faint scent of meat, but there wasn’t a shred of actual meat, not even a bone fragment, in sight.

“What a disgusting soup,” Brianna frowned, unable to comprehend how anyone could eat this.

Eleanor could somewhat understand Brianna’s complaint since she had never seen such a soup before either.

With the loud ringing of a bell in the distance, the waiting poor people gathered around them. If someone hadn’t stopped them, the two noblewomen might have quickly been surrounded by the crowd.

Upon the warning that they wouldn’t receive any food if they didn’t stay in line, the poor people reluctantly formed a long queue.

“Thank you,” they said as Eleanor moved her ladle.

Most of them were visibly emaciated. Although she maintained a calm exterior, Eleanor was deeply shocked by the condition of the poor.

‘Where did all these poor people come from?’

As she continued to ladle soup to the people, Eleanor found herself lost in serious thought.