Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 4 Part 5

To establish herself in Baden, Eleanor knew she needed a secure and definite status. She intended to fully utilize the privileges that came with being a noble. Even if she were to establish a company, the procedures for a noble were far simpler and more straightforward than for a commoner.

However, once divorced, she would be forced to reclaim her Hartmann surname, and she doubted that the imperial laws of Baden would easily accommodate such a transition. This was why Eleanor desired a solid title, independent of her Hartmann heritage.

Unlike Hartmann, Baden had some allowances for women to become nobility. The most notable example was Baroness Berenice, who had been a lady-in-waiting to the Empress Dowager and was granted a title at a young age in recognition of her service.

‘I have no choice but to earn it on my own,’ Eleanor thought, her expression darkening at the realization that this path would be anything but easy.

‘As for my brother… he’s probably living well somewhere.’

Eleanor’s brother, Adler, had taken what remained of the royal family’s wealth and become a newly minted noble in the country where he had defected. His betrayal, as her last living relative, had plunged Eleanor into a deep despair. Even in her final moments, as she was led to the execution ground, her brother did not appear.

Eleanor’s face contorted with bitterness at the memory.

“Forget it,” she muttered, shaking her head vigorously.

Caroline’s death and her own execution were events that now seemed distant. More importantly, they were a future she was determined to prevent from ever happening. She would change her fate, no matter what it took.

With resolve, she pressed her lips together, as if sealing her vow to herself.

***

The next day, the Empress Dowager decided to go for a rare walk, leading her ladies-in-waiting through the gardens of the West Palace. The garden was in full bloom, with flowers of every kind proudly displaying their colors.

“How beautiful they are,” Countess Lorentz remarked as she admired a bright red rose.

The variety of flowers was so vast that it was difficult to distinguish one from another. Among them, Lady Norah leaned in, pretending to sniff the fragrant air around her.

“Your Majesty, the scent of the surroundings is lovely,” Norah said.

“Ho ho, everyone, feel free to enjoy yourselves,” the Empress Dowager responded, clearly pleased to see her ladies enjoying the garden she cherished.

As they walked and chatted, Eleanor’s attention was suddenly caught by something unusual. Her gaze fixed on a particular spot.

‘That flower…’

It looked exactly like the one the child had given her in the slums, except that the color was different. The flower in the garden was blue, its faintly visible petals almost hidden among the more vibrant blooms around it. Eleanor moved closer to examine it. It appeared to be a rare species, as there was only a single bloom in the entire garden.

“What are you looking at?” Berenice, noticing Eleanor’s interest, approached her.

“I was just looking at this flower. Do you happen to know what it is?” Eleanor asked.

“No, it’s my first time seeing it as well,” Berenice replied, shaking her head despite her extensive knowledge.

“I’ll ask the gardener about it,” Berenice offered.

“No need to trouble yourself…”

“It’s no trouble at all. It’s part of the routine. Judging by the surroundings, there’s no reason for just one of these flowers to be planted here. If the seed was carried here by the wind, it might struggle to grow in this spot, and we might need to transplant it,” Berenice explained.

Eleanor nodded in understanding. It wasn’t particularly important, but knowing the flower’s name might give her a sense of closure. With that, Berenice and Eleanor rejoined the Empress Dowager and the rest of the group. The Empress Dowager seemed to be enjoying her outing thoroughly.

Seated at a tea table not far from a fountain, the Empress Dowager requested tea. “The weather is absolutely lovely today,” she remarked, admiring the clear, cloudless sky.

The table had only a few chairs, and few ladies-in-waiting dared to sit directly opposite the Empress Dowager. Only Berenice, with her unique position, sat across from her and sipped the tea that had just been brought out.

“Y-Your Majesty…!” Norah’s startled voice interrupted the tranquil moment.

“What is it?” the Empress Dowager asked, turning her head.

Norah, unable to point directly, was staring down the path ahead of them, her eyes wide with excitement and a hint of alarm. Following her gaze, the Empress Dowager and the others looked toward the end of the path.

“No… could it be?” Countess Lorentz gasped softly.

What Norah had noticed was a group of knights, marching in well-ordered formation, their disciplined steps indicating they were highly trained. But what truly drew everyone’s attention was the man leading them. He wore a black uniform adorned with a golden armband, a red cape that flowed down to his waist, and numerous medals and brooches pinned to his chest, along with an emblem of a golden lion.

But most striking of all—

‘Silver hair?’

Eleanor stared, almost dazed, as the man’s hair, silver as if spun from pure threads of silver, fluttered in the breeze. There was something strangely familiar about him.

“Why would His Majesty the Emperor come here?” the Empress Dowager mused with a faint smile, recognizing the man immediately.

The gathered ladies-in-waiting quickly knelt as the Emperor approached. “May boundless glory be with Your Majesty,” they intoned in unison.

Eleanor, caught off guard, barely managed to kneel in time, her thoughts swirling with an uneasy feeling.

‘No, it couldn’t be.’

It had to be her imagination. Eleanor quickly reviewed how many members of the imperial family had silver hair, trying to narrow it down to those of a similar age. The more she thought about it, the fewer possibilities there were.

Now that she considered it, Lennoch’s height seemed to match exactly. But as the Emperor walked past her, Eleanor couldn’t bring herself to look up. For some reason, an intense desire to avoid his gaze overwhelmed her.

“Your Majesty, this way,” Berenice said as she guided the Emperor to a chair.

Unfortunately, the chair was directly opposite the Empress Dowager, precisely where Eleanor stood. She straightened her knees but kept her eyes lowered, desperately trying to avoid looking directly at him. The sound of the Emperor taking his seat echoed loudly in her ears.

‘It can’t be,’ Eleanor thought, sneaking a quick glance at his profile before looking away again. His high, prominent nose was strikingly similar to someone she knew.

She tried to reassure herself that it was just a coincidence, that she was letting her imagination run wild simply because the Emperor happened to resemble Lennoch. But the more she tried to dismiss the thought, the more unsettled she felt.

Images and words associated with Lennoch spun in her mind: the imperial palace, the garden, the former empress, the mask, the mysterious name absent from the imperial records, and the aide named Eger.

“The Emperor gracing us with his presence—things must be going well in your affairs lately,” the Empress Dowager quipped, breaking the silence.

Despite the Emperor’s slightly weary expression, the Empress Dowager’s words were accompanied by a smile full of maternal affection. The Emperor, noticing the warmth in her tone, responded comfortably.

“It’s all thanks to having capable people working under me,” he replied.

His lips, usually set in a stern line, softened as he spoke, and his voice was calm and kind. All eyes were on the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, but Eleanor nearly lost her balance, barely managing to steady herself.

‘…Lennoch.’

The Emperor’s voice was exactly like Lennoch’s.

***

“The weather is quite pleasant today.”

“Yes, the harvest festival is just around the corner, isn’t it?”

“I’m already looking forward to what spectacles this year’s festival will bring.”

The conversation flowed naturally between the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, as they discussed various topics, clearly enjoying each other’s company after some time apart. The more seasoned ladies-in-waiting, familiar with the Emperor, occasionally chimed in, further enriching the discussion. However, both Brianna and Eleanor, still relatively new to the palace, stood awkwardly, trying to gauge the mood of their superiors.

Brianna, at least, listened attentively, eager to learn, while Eleanor found it difficult to focus, her gaze drifting, her thoughts clouded.

“Madam?” Berenice’s soft voice snapped Eleanor back to reality.

“My apologies,” Eleanor whispered, grateful that Berenice had spoken quietly enough that no one else noticed her distraction. Seeing the concern in Berenice’s eyes, Eleanor forced an awkward smile.

“If you’re not feeling well, perhaps you should inform Her Majesty,” Berenice suggested quietly.

“No, I’m fine,” Eleanor replied, her voice barely audible.

Eleanor tried to collect her thoughts. The chaos in her mind had subsided somewhat, but she still needed more time to process everything.

Fortunately, the Emperor was engrossed in his conversation with the Empress Dowager and hadn’t noticed her at all. This allowed Eleanor to hide her nervous hands in the folds of her dress. If Lennoch had recognized her, she would have wanted to disappear into the nearest hole.

‘…Wait. Why do I feel like I need to hide?’

The thought startled Eleanor, and she forced herself to calm her racing heart. There was no reason for her to be the one to retreat. After all, Lennoch had chosen to conceal his true identity. It was clear he hadn’t wanted her to know he was the Emperor. So even now, knowing his real identity didn’t change her position relative to his.

Eleanor tried to justify her feelings with these thoughts, but the more she tried, the more she felt as if she were just making excuses.

‘I have nothing to be uncomfortable about. Yes, it’s fine. We barely know each other.’

After all, they had only walked in the garden together twice. The first time, she had been swept along by the atmosphere, and the second, they had sneaked away to talk without being noticed by others. She recalled how they had even crawled through a small hole together.

I’m just…

“……!”

Suddenly, Eleanor’s thoughts were interrupted as her eyes met the Emperor’s for a brief moment. His emerald eyes locked onto hers, and in that fleeting instant, she felt as if a gentle breeze had blown through her, anchoring her in place. His expression, though subtle, conveyed a clear message: he was pleased to see her.

But just as quickly as the smile had appeared on his face, it vanished. In the blink of an eye, his attention shifted back to the Empress Dowager, and the smile that had briefly lit up his face was replaced with the same detached expression he’d worn before.

“By the way, Your Majesty, “By the way, I suppose I should introduce my new ladies-in-waiting,” the Empress Dowager said, breaking the moment.

“I was wondering about them myself,” the Emperor replied.

The Empress Dowager took the lead in introducing her ladies, though the Emperor had already met Eleanor before. Still, he played along, following the Empress Dowager’s lead as if nothing was amiss.

Brianna, with her striking red hair, stepped forward first. “Brianna of House Liege.”

“I’ve heard much about you. The Marquis of Liege holds you in very high regard,” the Emperor said.

“I am honored, Your Majesty,” Brianna responded, feeling a warm charm from the Emperor that was very different from what she had felt around Ernst.

After Brianna’s introduction, it was Eleanor’s turn. She could feel the Emperor’s gaze following her intently as she reluctantly began to speak.

“Eleanor… of House Mecklen,” she said, her voice almost faltering under the weight of his gaze.