Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 8 Part 1

8. A Discardable Piece

The end of autumn was fast approaching. The midday sun hung slightly askew in the sky over the mountain, where the leaves had begun to fall. Sipping black tea while enjoying the late autumn scenery had its own charm. Two maids, who were quietly observing the Emperor having his tea on the balcony from a distance, whispered to each other.

“Is that woman with His Majesty…?”

“Shh. Be quiet.”

Though their chatter wouldn’t reach the Emperor’s ears, they knew they needed to be careful. Glancing around nervously, the maids focused on the short-haired woman sitting before the Emperor. She was the subject of the most significant recent gossip within the palace. It was the first time they had seen the Duchess of Mecklen meet with the Emperor formally, and they couldn’t tear their eyes away from them.

“Is there something you’re curious about?”

At the sound of the gentle voice, Eleanor lifted her head.

Lennoch, worried she might misunderstand, quickly added an explanation, “I’m not trying to force an answer out of you. It’s just that the Empress Dowager doesn’t often arrange opportunities like this, so I asked.”

After the debutante, Lennoch had been too busy to visit Eleanor. But now, she had taken the initiative to seek him out, using the Empress Dowager’s errand as an excuse, and for that, he was grateful. Eleanor, noticing his efforts to make her feel at ease, finally parted her lips.

“I wanted to thank you.” She gave an awkward smile. “Thanks to Your Majesty’s intervention, the false charges against me were cleared.”

It was because the Emperor had personally testified at the debutante. The young lady who had danced with Eleanor at the masquerade had also stepped forward to help. The scandal involving Childe had quickly been debunked as a rumor in high society, and today, Eros had published a correction. With the situation that had been so unfavorable to Eleanor suddenly overturned, the Duke of Mecklen could no longer demand her dismissal.

“What have I done to deserve thanks? If anything, I’m sorry I couldn’t step in sooner.”

“No, it’s not that,” Eleanor replied, turning her gaze away to avoid Lennoch’s warm smile.

The awkwardness that had lingered in her heart had now been replaced with a sense of embarrassment. She had never imagined that he would step forward to protect her. As someone who had once belonged to the Hartmann royal family, Eleanor knew well that it wasn’t easy for an emperor to stand before so many nobles in such a matter.

Moreover, she had rejected him multiple times. He had every reason to resent her for the cold way she had treated him, but he had remained consistently polite and kind. He had never once tried to impose his authority on her, always seeking to help instead.

“I had to give it up in order to protect it. It’s hard to explain everything to you, but…”

Lennoch’s words, which she had previously brushed aside, suddenly resonated with her.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I hope I haven’t caused you any trouble…”

She had tried to resolve matters herself, not wanting to cause any inconvenience to those around her. That’s why she had vehemently opposed the Empress Dowager when she had insisted on attending the debutante with her. Although she had volunteered to become the Empress Dowager’s lady-in-waiting to gain a foothold in Baden, she hadn’t intended to tarnish the Empress Dowager’s reputation by using her.

What she needed was a foundation on which she could stand independently in Baden.

“I’m worried that people might say unkind things about you, Your Majesty.”

She felt both sorry and grateful. She appreciated his efforts to clear her name despite the rumors surrounding her.

When Eleanor couldn’t bring herself to meet his gaze, a hint of mischief appeared in Lennoch’s eyes. “Do you know?”

“Pardon?”

“This matter was more desperate for me than it was for you.”

Eleanor, startled, quickly raised her head. Lennoch gazed at her wide eyes with a gentle expression.

“I found it quite displeasing that Childe was the subject of your romantic scandal.”

Eleanor’s blinking eyes suddenly paused. Soon, her once pale neck slowly turned a shade of red. Though she tried to maintain her composure, Lennoch could tell right away that she was quite flustered.

“I was so shocked when I heard that you had gone to the Duke of Nestor’s residence yourself.”

It was fortunate that Berenice’s report had not come too late.

“Bringing the mask with me turned out to be a wise decision. There’s nothing more effective than showing it directly.”

“What if it had ended up as gossip in Eros?”

This had been one of the reasons she had taken matters into her own hands. If she had become entangled in another unsavory rumor and failed to clear up the misunderstanding, the situation could have escalated into a disaster.

Contrary to her concerns, Lennoch replied with an unbothered tone, “If that were the case, it would have been an honor for me.”

“Y-Your Majesty.”

“I was considering getting rid of Eros, but in that case, I might postpone it. Hmm, how long would be appropriate? A month, perhaps?”

At this point, Eleanor couldn’t tell whether he was being serious or joking. Instead of answering, she used the fan the Empress Dowager had given her to cool her flushed face.

The Emperor, observing the movement of her fan intently, spoke again. “Is there anything else you need?”

“I’ve already received too much. Even the Empress Dowager has been so kind to me, it feels overwhelming.”

“Are you sure there’s nothing?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

Why does he keep asking? The more he questions her, the more Eleanor finds herself unable to understand him. Lennoch’s face lit up with a faint, ambiguous smile.

“You really are… so modest that I don’t know what to do.” He muttered as if talking to himself, then added, “Well then, let me change the question.”

He leaned forward slightly. Although his smile remained, it was much heavier and more serious than before. Sensing that what he was about to say was no ordinary matter, Eleanor set down her fan on the table. As she reached for her teacup to hide her nervousness, Lennoch spoke.

“What do you think… about divorce?”

Unconsciously, Eleanor tightened her grip on the teacup.

***

“Eleanor?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Your expression doesn’t look good. Are you unwell?”

“No, Your Majesty.” Eleanor shook her head in response to the Empress Dowager’s question. “I just have a lot on my mind. I apologize.”

“That’s understandable. Now that Childe has been captured, you’re likely worried about what comes next.”

‘That’s not quite it…’

Eleanor swallowed the words that almost slipped out. She still felt dazed. It was Lennoch who had brought up the idea—divorce. Her marriage, which had been ordained by the Emperor’s special decree, was now something he was considering reversing, and the thought had left Eleanor in a state of confusion. She hadn’t been able to give him an answer right away and had left, but his words still echoed in her mind.

When Eleanor remained silent, the Empress Dowager nodded as if she understood.

“So, what do you intend to do about Childe’s punishment, Your Majesty?” Berenice asked the Empress Dowager.

Childe, who had been captured in a dawn raid, was currently imprisoned in the imperial dungeon. If this had been a simple scandal, the imperial family wouldn’t have intervened. However, his false testimony, along with the defamation of the Empress Dowager’s lady-in-waiting, had resulted in charges that also tarnished the honor of the imperial family.

“There is still much to investigate,” the Empress Dowager said as she rested her chin on her hand atop the desk.

It was hard to believe that Childe had acted alone. The piece of Eleanor’s dress he had was genuine. Moreover, it was suspicious that someone like him, constantly pursued by creditors, could own such a large villa and possess such a significant amount of gold. There were too many unanswered questions.

Even under pressure, Childe had consistently claimed he didn’t know who had orchestrated the whole affair.

The Empress Dowager clicked her tongue in disapproval. “How could such a scoundrel have come from the Duke of Ezester…”

Berenice, who had been listening quietly, cautiously spoke up. “Could it really be Caroline?”

“It seems that’s the most likely explanation. No one else comes to mind.”

“But it’s strange that she would own such a villa…”

“It does seem suspicious, doesn’t it?”

“I share the same concerns, Your Majesty,” Eleanor added, agreeing with the two.

Eleanor knew that Caroline had been embezzling funds. However, when she heard about the amount of gold seized from Childe, the value of the villa, and the overall cost involved in the scheme, she became suspicious. The wealth required for all of this would far exceed what could be stolen from the Mecklen estate alone. Even Ernst, in his formal manner, occasionally checked the estate’s finances.

Could Caroline, who had meticulously deceived her son for so many years, really have a way to amass such a vast fortune?

“Eleanor, you mentioned that you weren’t fully aware of her ledgers, correct?”

Eleanor bowed her head. “My apologies, Your Majesty.”