Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 11 Part 7

“Phew, I’ll really try this time,” Brianna took a deep breath.

Seeing her slightly tense expression, Eleanor, who was sitting on the floor, tried to stop her again. “Don’t push yourself too hard.”

“Hmph, do you think I can’t do this?” Brianna boldly declared, but her trembling fist betrayed her. I can do this. She chanted inwardly, but her body involuntarily recoiled in anticipation of the impending pain.

Brianna deliberately bounced on her feet, stomping on the ground. She had long since discarded her shoes, leaving her barefoot.

“Hyaah!” With a shout, Brianna ran towards the door.

Bang!

“Ouch—”

“I told you, don’t push yourself too hard.”

“No, with that kind of impact, shouldn’t it have at least broken a little?” Brianna grumbled, her eyes brimming with tears from the pain.

As Eleanor had said, it seemed that just a bit more force would be enough to dislodge the old latch, but it was surprisingly tenacious, like a stubborn weed.

Despite her complaints, Brianna didn’t stop. She backed up again and slammed her body into the door.

“Ow, ow, ow.”

“…Let’s just wait for now,” Eleanor called Brianna back to her spot.

Though Brianna muttered about her pride being hurt and how she couldn’t tolerate this, she eventually returned quietly, as if the pain was too much to bear.

“With everything blocked off, it’s hard to tell how much time has passed,” Brianna murmured, her knees pulled up to her face. “I’m hungry and thirsty.”

“It’s tough, but right now, all we can do is endure,” Eleanor understood Brianna’s feelings. She had experienced firsthand how terrifying hunger could be. When starvation reaches its peak, you reach a point where you want to put anything in your mouth.

As Eleanor continued to think about their dire situation, she shook her head.

‘We have to find a way out of here,’ she resolved.

Brianna murmured in a weak voice, “I wonder what’s happening outside.”

“They’ve either forgotten about us or abandoned us.”

“What do you mean?”

At first, she had thought the kidnappers had kept them for some kind of negotiation. But after repeatedly dozing off and waking up, Eleanor changed her mind.

There was no one guarding the prison, and they weren’t even provided with the most basic necessities, like water.

It was as if…

“It’s just a feeling. Do you see that candle over there?”

“Huh?”

“It’s almost completely melted compared to when we first saw it.”

The flame was still alive, but it looked like it had only a few hours left at most. The melted wax was a clear indication of the passage of time.

“About a day seems to have passed. There’s no reason for the kidnappers not to have shown up by now.”

“Could something have happened?”

“Who knows? Even if something did happen, they must know that holding us here for so long will only make things worse,” Eleanor mumbled, thinking of Lennoch in the palace. Surely by now, he would have heard of their disappearance.

‘Would he be worried?’

Suddenly, her cheeks flushed. What am I even thinking?

A mix of inexplicable hope and embarrassment washed over her. She tried to suppress the unfamiliar feelings that kept rising within her. It wasn’t like her at all—to rely on someone else.

“Are we just going to be abandoned like this?” Brianna’s dismal voice brought Eleanor back to her senses.

“No, we have to get out of here somehow.”

“By breaking down the door?”

Although there was no immediate response, Brianna understood it as a yes.

That damned door.

Suddenly feeling stubborn, Brianna jumped to her feet. “Before I get too hungry and lose my strength, I’ll do what I can.”

“Lady Brianna.”

“Do you know how many dresses I haven’t had the chance to wear yet? They’re incredibly expensive clothes you wouldn’t even know about. I can’t die here, not with all the new earrings, shoes, and jewelry I’ve yet to use.”

A fierce determination, something never seen before in Brianna, surged within her. Snorting angrily, she ran to the door and kicked it repeatedly.

“Open up! Open this door!”

“Lady Brianna, you might sprain your ankle…!”

“I don’t care about my ankle as long as I can get out of here.”

When had she been so cautious? Now, Brianna was desperate.

Is it hunger that’s driving her?

As Eleanor moved to help her, they heard a voice from beyond the door.

“Madam? Are you there?”

“…Becky?” Eleanor’s face showed disbelief at the voice beyond the door.

Realizing someone was there, Brianna shouted loudly, “Here! There are people here!”

“Just a moment. Milo, can’t you do something about this?”

“If I strike the lock with this, I think it’ll come off…”

The conversation between the two was brief. After some clattering and a final loud noise, the sturdy door groaned unpleasantly and swung open. Brianna, who was still barefoot, ran out immediately, overcome with emotion.

“We’re out!”

“Who… who are you…?”

Milo instinctively shielded Becky behind him, not expecting to see a red-haired woman instead of Eleanor.

“It’s alright. They’re not dangerous,” Eleanor said, stepping out behind Brianna and taking Becky’s hand.

“Madam! You’re safe!”

“How did you know we were here?”

“Milo helped me, Madam. He knows this area well.”

“Thank you, Milo.”

“It’s nothing. I just did what I had to,” Milo replied, a little embarrassed by the Duchess’s gratitude.

Eleanor gently tugged Brianna’s arm, who was standing blankly by her side.

“Introduce yourself, Lady Brianna. These are the people who helped us.”

“…Aren’t they commoners?” Brianna’s expression soured as she looked Becky and Milo over.

Was she supposed to thank these people?

Seeing her grimace, Eleanor urged her. “If it weren’t for them, we might have ended up eating rats in that room.”

“What, what are you saying?”

“Think about it. You’re hungry, thirsty, and there’s no food. What would you have done to survive?”

“……!”

Whether she was joking or not, Brianna knew she couldn’t simply ignore it. She glanced back at the prison they had just left, her face slightly pale.

If what Eleanor said was true, and they had been trapped in there without help… The thought of such a nightmare becoming reality was terrifying. Brianna grimaced.

“T-Thank… you.”

“Well done.”

Although her thanks were barely audible, it was enough. Brianna shot Eleanor a slightly incredulous look as she patted her head, as if she were a child.

Then Eleanor turned to Milo and Becky. “I’m sorry, but can you help me with something?”

“Of course, just tell us what you need.”

“I think we need to find the others who are trapped here, too—the knights,” Eleanor said, pointing to the many doors lining the corridor next to the room they had been imprisoned in.

***

“Damn it, walk faster.”

“Brother, what if the knights catch us?”

“Is now the time to worry about that? Our lives are at stake!”

The two brothers of El Gino bickered as they hurried through the night.

“I told you we should have brought more people. If we get caught, it’s all over. If we had split up, we’d have a better chance of success.”

“Forget it. They’re all going to die anyway.”

“What?” The younger brother stopped in his tracks, shocked by his elder brother’s words. “What… what do you mean by that?”

“I’ve been thinking. If we stay there, we’re done for.”

“……!”

The younger brother trembled at the unexpected words. Die?

The elder brother, frustrated with his sibling’s hesitation, grabbed his arm to drag him along. “Do you think Saruka will just let us go?”

The younger brother knew the answer to that.

“I reported to Saruka that we’d killed everyone, but we’re in a situation where the lie could be exposed at any moment. And now, the knights are out looking for the Duchess’s party. The Emperor himself is involved; do you think they’ll be careless with the search?”

“……”

“The best option now is to kill all the nobles and hide in that prison.”

“Is that why… you told me to bring this?” The younger brother pointed to the load on his back. It made sense now; the bag was too heavy for just weapons. It contained enough food to last for several days.

“If we can hold out, the knights will eventually leave for another city. And the others won’t think we’re hiding there. But before that, Saruka will probably kill everyone.”

“Brother…”

“So stop whining and follow me if you want to live.”

There was no doubt it was a cruel statement. The elder brother tried to pull his younger sibling along, but the younger one was too stunned to move, emitting only rough, pained breaths.

“It’s my fault…”

“Hey, do you really want to die? Hurry up!”

“It’s because I let them live…”

Tears welled up in the younger brother’s frightened eyes. He should have killed them all as his brother had suggested. If they had all hidden together afterward, it would have been better. Saruka was indeed a ruthless man. If he found out that the leader and deputy of El Gino had escaped, he would not spare the remaining members.

His poor choice had driven their group to the brink.

Rustle.

“Get down!”

Sensing a faint sound, the elder brother quickly pushed his sibling to the ground. The younger one, who had been standing in a daze, was forced to crouch down by his brother’s strength. A black figure emerged, approaching through the underbrush. A sliver of moonlight fell upon the figure at just the right moment.

‘It’s them…!’

The elder brother, hiding behind a large tree, held his breath. He was so shocked that he almost bit his tongue. Although she looked somewhat disheveled, the woman with the noble face and short hair was undoubtedly the Duchess who had recently been seen walking around the slums.

‘And Milo?’

Milo was carrying another man on his back and limping beside the Duchess. It was surprising to see him with them.

How did he know them? The details were unclear, but one thing was certain: Milo had saved them. The underground prison was known only to Milo, the brothers, and a few others, so the culprit could only be one person.

“We have to kill them…”

“Hey, hey.”

Startled by the low murmur, the elder brother pressed down on his younger sibling’s shoulder. But the younger one seemed too panicked to hear anything. Despite his slow mind, the younger brother was strong, and he began to thrash around.

“Before Saruka finds us…”

“Wait, hey.”

The elder brother tried to grab his arm, but it was no use. The younger brother, lost in panic, was deaf to his pleas. Fearing that he too might be discovered, the elder brother had no choice but to let go. The younger brother shot forward like an arrow.

***