Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 5 Part 2

Norah’s eyes widened in surprise at Eleanor’s request. She seemed flustered by the unexpected question.

At that moment, fragrant steam rose from the teapot adorned with painted roses. “I’m not trying to blame you,” Eleanor said in a gentle tone, savoring the scent. “I’m just curious about what people are saying.”

“Well, it’s not exactly flattering…”

“I’m aware. I’m quite conscious of my position.” Eleanor smiled bitterly. “That’s why I need to know.”

There was such conviction in Eleanor’s voice that Norah hesitated. Even though Eleanor claimed to be prepared, Norah couldn’t predict how she might react upon hearing the gossip. Besides, it felt a bit like tattling.

It wasn’t about loyalty to those who had gossiped—they weren’t worth that. But if she ended up revealing these rumors and it caused trouble later, it would be her who faced the consequences.

“Are you sure?” Norah tried to redirect the conversation. “Hearing these things might only make you uncomfortable. Wouldn’t it be easier for everyone if we just let it go?”

Norah’s face was full of caution. Eleanor, picking up on her reluctance, softened her gaze. “I’m not looking to start a fight over rumors,” she assured her.

“Then…?” Norah tilted her head.

“I want to change the future.”

“What does that have to do with rumors?”

“I need to know exactly what they’re saying about me, what needs to change. Only then can I alter it.”

“……”

“Please, Lady Norah. I’m asking you.”

Norah remained silent for a moment, clearly torn. Eleanor, sensing her hesitation, pressed on. “Please, Lady Norah. I’m asking you.”

Eleanor’s final words carried a firm resolve, and her expression reflected that strength. Her clear blue eyes conveyed a message to Norah: don’t back down.

Norah lifted the still-steaming teacup. After staring at it for a moment, her round eyes dropped downward.

“You won’t tell anyone I told you?”

“Of course not.”

“Honestly… I don’t know where the rumors started.”

“……”

“One of the people from the Kazek family, a count from Sanchez, told his youngest daughter, Cordelia, and she mentioned it to me.”

Eleanor recognized the name Cordelia—it was the same woman who had mocked her in the past alongside Caroline.

“They say one of the reasons Hartmann fell was because of the princess. That her vanity and extravagance were so excessive that while the people starved to death, she bathed in milk, doused herself in rose perfumes, ate a different dish every day, and even insisted on dessert with every meal.”

Norah glanced at Eleanor, gauging her reaction. But to her surprise, Eleanor’s expression remained calm as she sipped her tea.

Relieved by Eleanor’s composure, Norah continued with a slightly louder voice. “They said that if such a princess were to come to Baden, she would parade around without a clue, behaving arrogantly, and that they didn’t want to see such a spectacle. Some even said they’d petition His Majesty to oppose the Hartmann princess naturalizing into the empire.”

“So, those rumors started before my marriage?”

“Yes, they spread a few weeks before you arrived, so I’m sure all the nobles who interact with each other know about it.”

‘That’s why they all dismissed me the moment they saw me.’

Eleanor finally understood why, despite her efforts, the disdain and criticism she faced had only grown more intense. Her attempts to resist their bullying must have seemed like the last desperate act of a foolish princess steeped in vanity and luxury to Baden’s nobles.

She had messed up from the very first step, so it was no wonder things had only gotten worse afterward.

While she could now see the reason behind it all, a new question naturally arose in her mind.

‘Why did those rumors spread right before I arrived?’

It felt too systematic and rapid to be mere malicious gossip. She had arrived in Baden two months ago, and according to Norah, the rumors had circulated among the nobility about three months ago.

What was the reason behind the need to drag her image down to such a low point?

‘Could it have been Caroline…?’

The thought caused a slight furrow in Eleanor’s brow. The idea that Caroline could have anticipated the future and spread those rumors in advance seemed far-fetched. After all, the rumors had circulated before the talk of her marriage to the Duke of Mecklen even began.

“Lady Eleanor, are you really alright?”

“Oh, I’m fine. Thank you, Lady Norah. I know it must have been difficult to share that with me.”

“No, no. I’m the one who should apologize. I’m sorry for judging you based on those stories before even meeting you. I don’t usually like to engage in gossip, but… everyone was talking about it, and I guess I let myself be swayed by their opinions.”

Norah fidgeted with her hands, her apology sincere. If it hadn’t been for the Empress Dowager’s interview, Norah might have still harbored some of those prejudices against Eleanor. That was the terrifying power of rumors—when the majority claimed something to be true, the minority, even if skeptical, often followed suit.

“Um, if it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to continue having tea with you in the future. Would that be alright?”

“Are you sure? I’m worried that being seen with me might lead to people saying unpleasant things about you.”

Eleanor was genuine in her concern. She was acutely aware that the nature of the rumors surrounding her was never favorable. Just by being close to her, Norah could become a target and suffer because of it.

Norah, however, seemed touched by Eleanor’s worry. She shook her head vigorously. “There’s no way that would happen. Let’s become really good friends—much closer than we are now. I genuinely like you, Lady Eleanor.”

Norah had truly grown fond of Eleanor. Up close, she found her to be a much more admirable person than she had expected. She had thought the proud princess would be difficult to approach, but Eleanor’s humble nature and considerate manner of speaking made conversations easy and pleasant. Her determination to handle difficult situations on her own, without scheming or passing the burden onto others, was an unexpected and even more appealing trait.

Even now, Eleanor was trying to decline Norah’s offer of friendship out of concern that Norah might be harmed by the association.

Norah held up one finger with a playful grin. “From today, let’s make it official—day one of our friendship.”

“Day one?”

“Yes, one day since we became friends!”

Now that she had received a confirmation, she knew Eleanor couldn’t refuse. Norah’s face was pure, without a hint of malice, and her bright smile made it impossible for Eleanor to turn her down any further.

“I’m so glad you became a lady-in-waiting. Thanks to that, we’ve gotten to know each other, and I’m really happy about it.”

For the first time since arriving in Baden, Eleanor had made a friend. She responded to Norah, who had so eagerly declared their friendship, with heartfelt gratitude.

“Thank you. Truly.”

***

In the blink of an eye, evening had arrived. After parting ways with Norah, Eleanor left her room and walked down the corridor.

The pleasant tea time had invigorated her, but the feeling didn’t last long. ‘The more I know, the more complicated it gets,’ she thought, her mind racing.

Where exactly had the rumors originated? At what point had she become entangled in stories spun by someone she didn’t even know? As her smiling face gradually darkened, Eleanor’s expression turned completely blank by the time she reached her door. She hesitated to turn the doorknob.

‘I need some time to clear my head.’

From the issue of Lennoch to the malicious rumors trailing her, the deeper she delved, the more tangled and intense it all seemed. With a sigh, she allowed her feet to carry her elsewhere. She knew that if she entered her room now, sleep would be elusive.

“Oh, where are you going?” A maid’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.

“Just out for a walk,” Eleanor replied. “Could you leave my meal in my room?”

“Yes, I’ll do that,” the maid nodded, having just brought her meal.

Without much thought, Eleanor’s steps took her out of the Empress Dowager’s palace and toward the main palace. Even as she walked along the neatly maintained path and passed the boundary markers, her thoughts didn’t cease.

As she reached the stairs, she lifted her head and noticed a group of nobles gathered not far away.

‘Who are they…?’ she wondered as she slowly approached, recognizing the faces of Marquis Neto from the Treasury, Count Nopaltzin from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and Sir Huger, the Captain of the Third Order of Imperial Knights.

Eleanor slowed her steps as she conjured the portraits of the three men in her mind, side by side. They were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn’t even notice her approaching the stairs.

“That young brat, still wet behind the ears,[1] dares to give orders left and right. The nerve of him!” Marquis Neto grumbled.

[1] The phrase “still wet behind the ears” is an idiomatic expression in Korean, used to imply that someone is still young, inexperienced, or immature. It suggests that the person has not yet fully grown up or matured and is often used to describe someone who is naive or lacks life experience.

“Aren’t we being too lenient just because he’s the Emperor’s friend?” Count Nopaltzin added.

“Exactly. What kind of proper experience does a young duke have? If only the previous Duke of Mecklen hadn’t passed away so early, tsk tsk,” Sir Huger chimed in.

“He ought to show proper respect to his elders and understand how to honor those above him, but no—he runs around like an unruly child, and it’s absolutely disgusting to watch,” Marquis Neto continued, his voice growing louder with each word.

“He’s only doing all this because he’s under the Emperor’s protection, isn’t he?” Sir Huger sneered.

Eleanor, initially unsure of whom they were referring to, soon realized it was the Duke of Mecklen, based on the repeated references.

All three men were strongly opposed to the Duke. Marquis Neto, being part of the anti-royalist faction and having political views differing from the Emperor’s, was highly critical of the Duke of Mecklen. Count Nopaltzin, who supported him, was particularly dissatisfied with having to take orders from someone as young as the Duke.

As their voices grew louder, Eleanor, who had been climbing the stairs, began to quietly retreat. But just as she was about to slip away unnoticed, someone called out.

“Isn’t that the Duchess of Mecklen?”

“Shh, shh!” The three men, who had just noticed her, elbowed each other in alarm.

But their surprise only lasted a moment. Sir Huger, the most hot-tempered of the three, was the first to approach Eleanor.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Duchess. I’m Sir Huger, Captain of the Third Knight Order, responsible for the imperial guard,” he introduced himself, stepping forward with a broad smile.

“…Yes, a pleasure to meet you,” Eleanor replied, forcing herself to return the greeting politely, even though she had been caught before she could escape.

As she exchanged formalities with Sir Huger, Marquis Neto and Count Nopaltzin edged closer, watching her closely. Although they couldn’t be sure if she had overheard their conversation, their shameless demeanor remained unchanged as they continued to act as if nothing had happened.

“Are you on your way to see His Grace, the Duke?”

“Not particularly,” Eleanor replied.

“If you’re lost, we’d be happy to guide you. Where are you headed?”

“That won’t be necessary. I can manage on my own,” Eleanor responded, stepping back from their persistent questioning.

The way the three men kept pressing her with unnecessary conversation was obvious. They were trying to find any small crack in her composure, searching for a weakness.

And even Eleanor, who wasn’t fully aware of the situation, could clearly sense their intention.

‘Are they worried that I overheard their conversation and might report it to the Duke?’ she wondered, a slight frown forming at the corners of her eyes.

The three men grew increasingly anxious at her silence. They had been talking behind the Duke’s back, but if word of it reached his ears, they would be the ones in serious trouble. They knew all too well how cold and ruthless the Duke could be, and if he found out, their lives in the palace would become difficult indeed.

At that moment, Count Nopaltzin leaned over and whispered into Marquis Neto’s ear, “She probably didn’t hear anything, so let’s just go. Who’s going to listen to a princess from a fallen kingdom anyway? There’s nothing to worry about.”

“You’re right.”

“Let’s hurry before the Duke finds out,” Marquis Neto agreed.

As the three men exchanged glances and began to discreetly slip away, a sharp voice suddenly cut through the air.

“What are you all doing here?”

“D-Duke…?”

The unexpected voice made all three men, as well as Eleanor, turn around.