Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 4 Part 3

Seeing Eleanor holding the flower, Brianna felt increasingly irritated. It was obvious that the flower had been picked from the roadside, a mere weed. She couldn’t understand why a Duchess would accept such a gift. Even if they returned to the estate immediately, there would be thousands of items far more valuable than that flower. The earrings she was wearing at that moment were worth infinitely more than the flower.

“It’s going to wither soon anyway,” Brianna remarked with a click of her tongue, making sure Eleanor could hear her.

Eleanor knew that Brianna was trying to provoke her, but she chose to ignore it, focusing instead on the flower the child had given her.

‘The scent is rather unique.’

It wasn’t completely odorless, but the fragrance wasn’t strong either. There was a faint, almost slightly fishy scent that Eleanor couldn’t quite place. She tilted her head in curiosity at the unfamiliar smell.

“Hey, Madam. Are you listening?” Brianna’s voice grew sharper when Eleanor didn’t respond. It was clear she was upset at being ignored.

Eleanor calmly met Brianna’s glaring eyes. “What is it?”

“I asked if you’re going to throw that away,” Brianna said, nodding toward the flower instead of mentioning it directly.

Shaking her head, Eleanor replied, “Throw it away? No, I’m going to take it back to the palace.”

“You’re going to take it?” Brianna echoed, her eyes narrowing in disbelief. Her expression twisted as if she had encountered something repulsive.

“What will you do with it? It doesn’t even seem suitable as decoration,” Brianna continued.

“That’s for me to decide. Whether I keep the flower or discard it is entirely my choice. Why does it concern you, Lady?” Eleanor retorted, her tone making it clear that Brianna’s interference was unwelcome.

Brianna hesitated, then scowled. “Well, it’s just…”

‘It’s just that I don’t want to see it,’ Brianna thought to herself.

The happiness Eleanor showed over such a trivial flower was irritating. If only Eleanor knew the kind of gift Brianna had given Caroline, she would never make such a face over a mere flower.

If it were Brianna, she would have tossed the cheap flower aside in frustration, unable to bear the thought of accepting something so lowly.

‘She doesn’t even appreciate the beauty of jewels,’ Brianna thought, feeling a sudden, albeit insincere, pity for Eleanor.

“Shall I give you a gift, Madam?” Brianna offered.

“……”

Eleanor instantly recognized the condescending look in Brianna’s eyes. It reminded her of an encounter she had once during a brief trip to the north. She had come across a slave trader from another country. Unable to punish the trader directly due to his foreign status, she had instead saved the poor children he had enslaved. The looks those children received from other nobles were just like the one Brianna was giving her now.

“If you want, just say the word. It seems your jewelry is rather plain, so I can pick something nice for you from my collection. I assure you, you’ll be satisfied. All my accessories are crafted by renowned jewelers, and many are limited edition designs,” Brianna said, her voice full of pride.

No noblewoman ever refused jewelry. It made them shine when worn and served as an excellent asset just by owning it. Some nobles even sold their jewelry to raise emergency funds.

Confident that Eleanor wouldn’t turn down the offer, Brianna felt smug. Perhaps this could be a way to sway Eleanor, just as she had secured her position with Caroline by offering her jewels. If she could tempt Eleanor with jewelry, she might uncover the source of the information Eleanor held—how she knew about Brianna’s mishap with Ernst.

Brianna’s eyes were locked on Eleanor’s lips, eager to hear her response.

“Well?” Brianna prompted.

“You must really like jewelry, Lady,” Eleanor finally said.

“Well, of course,” Brianna replied, her expression one of obvious disbelief that Eleanor would even question such a thing.

“Does anyone dislike jewelry?” Brianna asked.

“I like it too,” Eleanor replied.

“Ha, I figured as much. Then this will be quick. I—”

“And I also have plenty of it,” Eleanor added.

“……”

In truth, Eleanor didn’t own much jewelry. She was frugal by nature, and the items she had brought from the Hartmann royal family were nothing extraordinary. However, Brianna, unaware of Eleanor’s true circumstances, couldn’t argue and instead stiffened like a stone.

Since things had come to this, Eleanor decided to be even more brazen.

“Even if it’s in name only, I’m still from Mecklen. Do you think I’d be lacking in proper jewelry?”

It felt uncomfortable to bring up her family, but it was useful in moments like this. The name Mecklen carried a certain weight, leading people to make assumptions and judgments on their own.

Brianna was no different. She believed every word Eleanor said and her face twisted into a scowl.

“Perhaps I should be the one giving you a gift, Lady. Is there anything you desire?” Eleanor asked.

“I… I really don’t like you, Madam.” Brianna’s voice was now openly hostile. There was no mistaking the strong animosity in her tone.

Eleanor, still composed, asked her, “And why is that?”

“Because you stole my place.”

Stole her place?

Eleanor couldn’t hide her disbelief at Brianna’s accusation. Feeling victimized, Brianna lowered her voice and cried out to her, “That position as Duchess was supposed to be mine.”

“……!”

“If you hadn’t come along, Madam Caroline would have chosen me, and I would have married the Duke of Mecklen.”

Brianna had liked Ernst since childhood. It wasn’t just because of his status. She found his cold, unfeeling demeanor particularly appealing. She despised indecisive or weak-willed men. In terms of her ideal type and his noble status, Ernst was the best husband she could hope for among her peers. But the position she believed was hers had suddenly been taken by an outsider, a princess from Hartmann. It was absurd.

“And even now, you’re the same. How greedy can you be that you’re not satisfied with just being a Duchess? When I saw you at the Empress Dowager’s lady-in-waiting interview, I was stunned.”

Brianna thought that if she couldn’t be with a man who met her standards, it was better not to marry at all. Moreover, she still had lingering feelings for Ernst.

Lost and aimless, she had applied to become one of the Empress Dowager’s ladies-in-waiting, thinking she might as well expand her connections within the imperial family. But of all people, she encountered the princess of Hartmann there once again. It made her hate Eleanor even more.

If it weren’t for her…

“Don’t you have any pride as a member of royalty? If it were me, I would have taken my own life to protect my honor.”

‘Die.’

Brianna spat out the cruel words with no hint of guilt. The blatant look in her eyes made Eleanor more dumbfounded than angry.

“Do you wish for me to die, Lady?”

“Yes,” Brianna replied nonchalantly.

“If you want, I can even procure some poison for you.”

“……”

Eleanor was taken aback by Brianna’s self-centered nature. What could have made her so vicious? With a little thought, she might have realized that Eleanor hadn’t wanted to marry the Duke either.

But Eleanor didn’t let her emotions get the better of her. Brianna was still someone with whom she could have a reasonable conversation.

Having made up her mind, Eleanor calmly placed her hands on her lap. “What would you gain if I were to die?”

“……”

“The position of Duchess? If all you’re going to get from my death is a title, then take it. Or rather,” she paused, considering her words carefully, “I can divorce the Duke of Mecklen if that’s what you want.”

“……!”

Brianna’s eyes widened in shock. The word “divorce” had come out of Eleanor’s mouth far too easily. Weren’t they only a little over a month into their marriage? But Eleanor wasn’t finished.

“It’s a marriage in name only, anyway.”

“…….”

“If you know the story, then you should understand why I’m saying this, Lady.”

“Of course I do.”

“I never wanted to marry him in the first place, and I haven’t changed my mind about it now. If there’s any chance of divorcing the Duke, I’m more than ready to do it.”

Why?

Though the prospect of a divorce delighted Brianna, she couldn’t quite grasp Eleanor’s reasoning. Wasn’t this akin to throwing away a golden opportunity? It seemed exactly as Caroline had said—Eleanor was overstepping her bounds, unaware of her place. She didn’t seem to realize the immense value of being the Duchess of Mecklen.

However, Brianna refrained from voicing her thoughts, worried that if she said anything favorable, Eleanor might change her mind. Instead, she suppressed her joy, smiling sweetly.

“Then let’s prepare the divorce papers right away. It’s a simple matter of signing the documents, isn’t it?”

“No, it’s not that simple.”

“And why not?” Brianna bristled, ready to argue again, when Eleanor added another comment.

“Because there’s one prerequisite.”

“A prerequisite, what is it?”

“The divorce must be approved by His Majesty the Emperor.”

“……”

It was something Ernst often mentioned—the national marriage decreed by the Emperor. Eleanor had heard that when she married the Duke, the Emperor had paid her dowry to the Mecklen family. For Ernst, the idea of divorce was almost impossible to contemplate unless Eleanor herself initiated it.

“So if you truly want the position of Duchess, you’ll need to help me,” Eleanor continued.

“…What did you say?”

“Convince His Majesty the Emperor to approve the divorce so I can leave the Duke of Mecklen.”

For Eleanor, demanding a divorce due to her own faults carried too much risk. She wanted to reach an amicable agreement with Ernst, but it was a difficult process. However, if she gained the trust of the Empress Dowager, it might be achievable. Brianna could turn out to be an unexpected ally in this endeavor.

Realizing this, Eleanor felt that this might actually work to her advantage.

“What do you think?” Eleanor asked.

“I… well…” Brianna stammered, unable to outright refuse. While Eleanor’s proposal was tempting, the involvement of the Emperor made it seem far more complicated. Moreover, her pride was wounded at the thought of simply accepting this arrangement. The princess of Hartmann seemed almost delighted at the idea of a divorce. Her smile was so bright, as if she had the world in her hands.

Brianna, fumbling for words, reluctantly muttered, “Hmph, it’s not exactly to my liking… but I’ll think about it.”

She turned her head sharply, feigning indignation. To an onlooker, it might have appeared as a refusal, but Eleanor could tell that Brianna was deeply conflicted. A peculiar smile crept onto Eleanor’s lips as she observed Brianna.

***