Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 5 Part 4

“Wow.”

Norah, who had been pouting with her lips sticking out, quickly brightened up. Brianna, who often raised her nose proudly when talking about fashion, had clearly earned that confidence. The dress she brought over was a stunning turquoise color.

The dress, with its shimmering teal fabric and skillful combination of translucent lace, was undeniably a masterpiece.

“Do you see this part near the chest? The subtle gold detailing is the highlight. It’s not too much, and it perfectly matches the overall vibe of the dress,” Brianna explained.

“It’s… nice,” Norah started enthusiastically, but then realized her mistake and awkwardly trailed off.

Eleanor, finding Norah’s flustered reaction endearing, gently patted her on the shoulder.

Watching their interaction, Brianna suddenly thrust the dress she was holding at Eleanor as if she were tossing it away.

“Try it on.”

“……?”

“What are you waiting for? My arm’s about to fall off. Aren’t you going to take it?” Brianna’s unexpected gesture left Eleanor confused.

Brianna clearly had a good eye for fashion, given her strong interest in dresses. However, it wasn’t that Eleanor had particularly wanted to wear it—she already had plenty of dresses, including the valuable ones that came as gifts from the Empress Dowager, not from Mecklen.

Caught in the awkward situation of neither accepting nor rejecting the dress, Eleanor stood holding it, prompting Brianna to narrow her eyes.

“It suits you well,” Brianna remarked.

“Lady Brianna, I can’t accept this.”

“Why not? Just wear it. This isn’t something from Her Majesty; I brought it from my home.”

“From your home?” The last remark came from Norah, not Eleanor.

Being at an age where fashion was of great interest, Norah’s curiosity about Brianna’s wardrobe was evident. She looked up at Brianna with innocent anticipation, which Brianna found more endearing than annoying, causing her to turn her head with an air of nonchalance.

“Just wear it.”

Eleanor couldn’t understand why Brianna was suddenly being so generous. Had something changed in her feelings?

Yet, the idea that Brianna, who had once told her to die, could have easily changed her mind for a simple reason was hard to believe. Despite their collaboration regarding the possibility of a divorce, Brianna had yet to give her a definitive answer.

So, what could this be about? There must be a purpose.

Is she trying to achieve something by catching me off guard? Or does she have a reason to make a good impression on me?

As Eleanor pondered the possibilities, she was surprised by her own thoughts—how naturally she had come to doubt others. It was something the old her would never have imagined.

Despite the sense of cynicism that came with it, Eleanor also felt it was necessary. After all, it was all about survival.

At that moment, Norah whispered in Eleanor’s ear, “Since you’ve already received it, why not wear it proudly in front of Lady Brianna?”

“I will,” Eleanor replied quietly to Norah, who was whispering conspiratorially as if she were possessed by a small demon.

Whatever Brianna’s reason, this was to Eleanor’s advantage. After all, getting multiple new dresses tailored was becoming a burden.

Caroline hadn’t yet given up on calling her back to the mansion. The upcoming Harvest Festival was the perfect excuse for Caroline to try again—under the pretext of getting a new dress for the party.

Refusing was difficult, especially since most of the dresses Eleanor already had were more suited for everyday wear. Thankfully, the Empress Dowager’s gift of a dress for the festival had saved her from that dilemma, and Brianna’s dress was an unexpected bonus.

As Eleanor turned her head, she found herself meeting the Empress Dowager’s gaze.

“It pleases me to see you all so happy,” the Empress Dowager said.

“…I am deeply grateful, Your Majesty,” Eleanor replied, bowing her knee in respect, though a pang of guilt pricked her heart.

The Empress Dowager’s kind smile gave Eleanor the uncanny feeling that she was being seen through. Could she possibly be aware of the situation Eleanor was facing?

The thought crossed her mind, but the persistent way the Empress Dowager’s eyes followed her gave Eleanor a strange sense of foreboding.

Knock, knock.

“Hmm? Who might this be?”

As the door opened, the eyes of everyone in the room turned toward it.

Entering through the open door was…

“It’s been a while, Your Majesty.”

“Oh my, we have a visitor from the main palace.”

Eger von Nestor.

“What brings you all the way here?”

“I apologize, Your Majesty. I should have visited more often, but I have no excuse,” Eger replied, bowing deeply to the Empress Dowager, who greeted him warmly.

Eger was a member of the Nestor family, which was related to the Empress Dowager through her youngest sister. This made the Empress Dowager his aunt, and Emperor Lennoch his cousin. Despite these familial ties, Eger was known for strictly separating personal and official matters, treating his relatives with formal respect. The Empress Dowager was no exception, and Eger always showed her the utmost deference.

“I came to deliver a few messages from His Majesty, and to pay my respects,” Eger said, standing straight after his bow.

“Very well, speak,” the Empress Dowager said, gesturing for him to continue.

After clearing his throat a few times, Eger quickly began his report.

“On the first day, there will be a banquet with the delegation representatives from Lubraith, Mondriol, Bahama, and Lubeck. A total of twenty-one people will attend the banquet, and there will be a cake-cutting ceremony to commemorate the occasion. The nobles invited to the evening party will be…”

As Eger spoke, the Empress Dowager gradually frowned. “Is this really something you needed to come here to tell me?”

“…Indeed,” Eger replied, surprisingly agreeing without hesitation. He knew the plan was flimsy and lacking, even as he recited it. Silently, he cursed the one responsible for sending him on this errand.

“His Majesty specifically requested that I deliver this message personally,” Eger added, emphasizing the word ‘personally.’

“Oh, how dull,” the Empress Dowager remarked with a laugh, clicking her tongue in mild amusement. “You must have really disappointed your aunt for the Emperor to make such a request. You should visit more often, Eger. The Emperor likely sent you under the pretext of delivering this message to ensure you came to see me.”

‘If only that were the reason,’ Eger thought, swallowing the words he wanted to say. He glanced over at Eleanor, who stood among the ladies-in-waiting. Fortunately or unfortunately, she was deliberately avoiding his gaze, looking elsewhere.

Eger, summoning all his acting skills honed alongside Lennoch, continued. “It seems the ladies-in-waiting are choosing dresses, Your Majesty.”

“Ah, yes, that’s right. Go on, ladies, continue with your tasks,” the Empress Dowager said, waving her hand at the gathered women.

The ladies-in-waiting, who had paused their activities to listen to the Emperor’s message, returned to examining their dresses and accessories. Eger, after surveying the room, moved closer to Eleanor.

“Where will these dresses be worn?” Eger asked.

“At the Harvest Festival, of course. We can’t wear the same dress every day, can we?” the Empress Dowager replied while selecting a hat from the ones the maids had brought.

The Harvest Festival lasted five days, but there were only four official events that the Empress Dowager would attend: the first day, the last day, the banquet with foreign dignitaries, and the masquerade ball.

While the response came from elsewhere, Eger’s focus remained on Eleanor as she examined the dresses. He picked up a dress and held it up.

“And where will you wear this one?” he asked.

“Why do you ask?” Eleanor’s expression shifted slightly as she wondered why Eger was suddenly so interested in women’s dresses.

For the first time, Eger found himself the center of attention in a room full of women, all of whom were now watching him curiously. His ears turned red from the unfamiliar experience.

“I just thought… I might be of some help,” Eger mumbled.

“I’ve already chosen my dress,” Eleanor replied.

“…Then have you selected your accessories or shoes yet?” Eger asked, desperately trying to find a reason to stay.

Eleanor took a step back, confused by Eger’s sudden interest in her. “It’s fine. I can—”

“No, my lady. If it’s inconvenient, I can call in a designer for you. Someone with a better eye for these things would be more helpful,” Eger insisted.

“……?”

“I really want to be of assistance, my lady. Truly, I do,” Eger repeated, almost pleadingly.

Norah, watching the unusual interaction, couldn’t help but giggle beside Eleanor.

“What on earth is going on?” Countess Lorentz whispered to Brianna, suggesting that perhaps Baron Eger had taken a liking to the Duchess of Mecklen.

Amused by the exchange, the Empress Dowager turned to Berenice, who was attending her. “Has that boy ever been so proactive about anything before?”

***

Bang!

“Thanks to Your Majesty, I’ve just suffered the most humiliating experience,” Eger shouted the moment he stepped into the office.

Lennoch, who was lounging back in his chair, noticed that while Eger’s usually pale skin remained as white as ever, his ears were flushed red. Lennoch straightened up, still grinning, and gestured to a chair.

“Have a seat.”

“I’m never doing anything like that again,” Eger declared, refusing the offer.

He grumbled about how dull it had been, listening to a lecture on jewelry amidst a group of women—something he didn’t even enjoy. Eger muttered that he would have much preferred reading the Imperial Law Code.

Lennoch, seeing how upset his younger cousin was, approached him with mock sympathy and began massaging his shoulders.

“You did well.”

“What do you take me for, Your Majesty? Do you think a shoulder massage will make everything better?” Eger retorted.

“Not a fan? How about a head massage instead?”

Before Eger could even respond, Lennoch’s large hand was already pressing down on his head, massaging his scalp. Eger, incredulous, responded in a frustrated tone. “Do you think this will make me feel better?”

“Doesn’t it feel good?”

“…Fine.”

Despite his grumbling, Eger couldn’t deny that Lennoch’s hands were surprisingly soothing. He eventually closed his eyes, giving in to the massage. Lennoch, sensing his cousin’s surrender, didn’t stop.

“So, did you find out about the dress?” Lennoch asked in a low voice as he continued to massage Eger’s scalp.

‘And this is the man who calls himself Emperor,’ Eger thought, opening his eyes and looking up at Lennoch with a mixture of exasperation and disbelief.

He should have refused this ridiculous task from the start. But even as he harbored complaints against his cousin, Eger reached for a piece of paper and a quill.

“The Duchess has chosen a total of five dresses,” he reported.

“Five dresses?” Lennoch echoed.

“It seems she plans to attend the festival for all five days.”

The Harvest Festival lasted five days.

“But she hasn’t yet decided which dress to wear on which occasion.”

“Then we still don’t know which of those five she’ll wear to the masquerade ball?”

“That’s correct. But, Your Majesty, do you really need to attend?”

Eger still felt a flash of frustration whenever he recalled the moment when the idea of the masquerade ball was first proposed. If the Emperor hadn’t stayed up all night with him to oversee the preparations, Eger might have resigned and retreated to the countryside right then and there, overwhelmed by the absurd workload.

But, as they say, with determination, anything is possible. Both Eger and Lennoch had endured the grueling schedule, and in the end, they had managed to pull it off.

“First, sketch out the dresses you saw,” Lennoch ordered.

“I’m really not doing this again,” Eger sighed as he began sketching the dresses on the blank sheet of paper.

Eger was the youngest student ever admitted to the Academy, and he had maintained the top position throughout his studies. His thesis, so flawless that the professors couldn’t even grade it, had garnered him widespread acclaim as the greatest genius in the Empire.

Even in such a trivial task as this, Eger’s exceptional intellect shone through. The once-blank sheet of paper was soon filled with accurate renditions of the five dresses Eleanor had chosen, drawn from memory with meticulous detail.

***