Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 12 Part 1
12. One Who Ties the Knot Must Untie It
The child, Lennoch, let out a frightened whimper. His trembling hands clutched his nose and mouth, but it wasn’t enough to block the metallic scent of blood. Not long ago, these adults had forced the boy into pickpocketing, beating him whenever he resisted. The same adults who had once seemed invincible were now lying lifeless on the ground, their blood pooling around them.
“P-please… spare… me…”
“……”
Saruka’s unusually yellow eyes turned toward the child. The boy, trembling in terror, couldn’t stop his tears. Saruka casually flicked his scimitar in the air, sending droplets of blood splattering onto the boy’s face like tiny spots.
“Let’s go.”
“Huh?” Lennoch hiccupped in surprise as Saruka grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and lifted him up. The boy, dragged along, gasped for air, his neck constricted.
They headed towards a small, dilapidated warehouse next to the organization’s headquarters, a structure so rickety it seemed ready to collapse at any moment. Saruka smashed the padlock with the hilt of his sword in one swift motion.
“Bring that,” Saruka ordered, his voice emotionless as he pointed to something inside the warehouse.
Lennoch hesitantly entered, his steps unsteady. Inside were various plants, some with strong fragrances, others climbing up sticks that served as makeshift supports.
Lennoch pointed to a small purple flower in a pot at the very back. “Th-this one?”
“Yes.”
Saruka’s voice was flat and emotionless. The boy carefully picked up the pot and slowly made his way back outside. Saruka looked down at Lennoch’s tear-streaked face with indifference before issuing another command.
“From now on, you’ll be coming with me.”
“W-with you?”
“We need to replant this in a new place.”
Only then did Lennoch realize why Saruka had spared his life. The cultivation of this particular purple flower was quite tricky. The other members of the organization had found the task too bothersome, so Lennoch, who had always shown an interest in plants, had been entrusted with the job. Saruka, aware of this, had killed everyone in the organization except Lennoch to eliminate any loose ends.
Lennoch stared at the purple flower in his hands, realizing that it was the reason he was still alive.
***
The urgent situation had been resolved smoothly. Milo and Raul, who had struggled during the attack, were able to safely rejoin the group thanks to the knights who had been summoned by Lennoch’s whistle.
“Madam, do I have to go with you?” Becky whispered to Eleanor, her small frame trembling with fear. Eleanor understood what Becky was worried about.
“I’ll speak to His Majesty shortly.”
“Thank you, Madam.”
Eleanor smiled warmly at Becky, grateful for her courage in coming to her rescue—a decision that couldn’t have been easy. Becky’s fear was evident as she glanced nervously at the surrounding knights.
Milo, though walking calmly, had a face more rigid than before, making it clear that he was anything but relaxed. After all, he had once been a leader in El Gino. Should anything unfavorable come out during the interrogation of the attackers, it could negatively impact Becky as well.
‘I need to speak up,’ Eleanor thought, quickening her pace to catch up with Lennoch. Before they entered the city, she needed to send Becky and Milo away separately.
“Your Majesty,” she called out, her voice slightly cracking from nerves.
Lennoch turned at her call. “Yes, Eleanor?”
“……!”
Eleanor instinctively took a step back, startled by how close he was. Lennoch noticed her discomfort and straightened up, a look of mild apology crossing his face.
“I’m sorry. Did I make you uncomfortable?”
There were many ears listening, many eyes watching. Eleanor couldn’t help but be aware of Brianna, who was intensely observing them with wide-open eyes. Brianna seemed to find something suspicious about their interaction.
“No, it’s not that. Could we talk over there for a moment?” Eleanor asked, indicating a spot a little further from the group.
“Of course.”
Lennoch gave the knights a brief moment of rest before moving to the quieter area with her.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I just have something I must tell you…” Eleanor spoke in a low whisper, still finding it difficult to meet Lennoch’s gaze. She intentionally fixed her eyes on a distant point as she continued.
“Could we send those two people who saved me away first?”
“Hmm.”
“I know the situation isn’t ideal right now, but I will report to you separately. I can vouch for their identities.”
She tried to pull her gaze away from his lips as they threatened to draw her attention. The darkness around them made Lennoch’s expression hard to read.
“Very well.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Eleanor sighed in relief as Lennoch readily granted her request. However, he quickly added a condition.
“But in return, you must explain to me in detail what happened.”
“……”
“From now on, I need to know everything about you.”
His tone was decisive, as if he had made a firm resolution. The calm demeanor he usually maintained was replaced by an unfamiliar urgency, which caught Eleanor off guard. Her heart began to race again, though this time, it carried a hint of danger.
***
Returning to Kuhen City under the protection of the knights, the first thing the emperor’s party did was see a doctor.
“Ow, ow! It hurts! It hurts so much!”
“I’m sorry, Miss. Please bear with it a little longer.”
Brianna screamed repeatedly as the doctor disinfected her wounds. The stinging pain was driving her to the brink of madness. She had injured her feet after the heel of her shoe broke in the underground prison, forcing her to walk barefoot. As the precious daughter of a renowned marquisate, Brianna had never experienced such injuries before.
“Are you sure you’re not a quack? This feels more like torture than treatment!”
“A-a quack? I’ll have you know, I’ve been a doctor for over twenty years…”
“You’ve been telling me to endure it since the beginning! How much longer do I have to suffer?”
Feeling aggrieved, the doctor hastily continued his work. He knew he had to finish quickly before she complained further.
“Almost done. Just a little more, please.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.”
The doctor nodded, trying to soothe her as he rushed to finish the disinfection. He knew it was better to complete the task before her complaints could escalate.
As Brianna let out another groan, the doctor finally wrapped the bandages around her feet, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.
“All done.”
“That was so painful!”
Watching Brianna’s tear-filled eyes, the doctor inwardly clicked his tongue. Her exaggeration was beyond belief. He wanted to retort, but as a middle-class man, he didn’t dare rebuke a noble. Instead, he turned his head away.
“I heard you injured your shoulder.”
“Ah.” The mention snapped Eleanor back to reality. She had been lost in thought about Lennoch once more. Pushing aside the memories, she turned and sat with her back to the doctor as requested.
When he pressed on her swollen shoulder, a sharp pain shot through her.
“Luckily, there’s no fracture.”
“Mm.” Eleanor bit down on her lip, holding back a groan. The doctor, noting her calmness—so different from Brianna’s—sighed with relief while clicking his tongue in admiration.
“I apologize, but may I cut away some of the fabric to better assess the injury?”
“Go ahead.”
Once she gave her permission, the doctor reached for a pair of scissors in his medical bag. Just as he was about to cut, he suddenly froze, sensing a menacing aura. Turning his head, he found Brianna glaring at him with eyes ablaze, clearly warning him not to try anything improper.
“I swear, this is just to treat the wound! I need to see it directly to prescribe accurately!”
“Who’s saying otherwise? Just get on with it.”
Under her fierce watch, the doctor sweated nervously as he carefully cut away the fabric around Eleanor’s shoulder, revealing a deep, bluish bruise extending from her shoulder to her scapula and down to her right arm.
Brianna gasped at the sight.
“There’s no bleeding. I’ll need to apply a cold compress.”
After confirming the injury, the doctor instructed his assistant to bring cold water and towels. Brianna swallowed hard, staring at Eleanor’s battered shoulder.
‘Did she really throw herself against the door until she was in this condition?’
Brianna glanced down at her own feet. She had been hurt too, but nowhere near as badly as Eleanor. As Brianna fell silent, the doctor, feeling more at ease, began to gently apply the cold compress to Eleanor’s shoulder.
Click.
“There you are.”
“E-Ernst…?”
Brianna turned to see Ernst enter the room unannounced. She blinked in surprise, but Ernst didn’t spare her a glance. His eyes immediately locked onto Eleanor’s back.
“……”
“Uh, well, just so you know, this isn’t anything improper. It’s all for treatment—”
“I’ll take over.” Ernst cut off the doctor with a glance, dismissing him.
“Leave us.”
“S-sorry?”
Brianna protested on behalf of the stunned doctor. “But the Duchess needs medical care!”
Ernst ignored her, removing his coat and placing it gently over Eleanor’s shoulders. The rough fabric brushed against her back, making Eleanor flinch and raise her head. Their eyes met.
“Everyone, leave us.”
Ernst’s expression was tense, barely concealing his anger. Sensing the tension, the doctor quietly gathered his things and left. Though Brianna was displeased with Ernst’s decision to be alone with Eleanor, there was nothing she could do to stop him.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Ernst pulled up a chair and sat next to Eleanor.
“How did it come to this?”
“Did you send them away just to ask me that?”
Eleanor avoided his gaze, looking out the window instead. She had known that the Duke of Mecklen had returned to the city with them, but she hadn’t wanted to confront him like this. Crossing her arms defensively, Eleanor braced herself for the inevitable conversation.
Ernst noticed her guarded posture and picked up the towel the physician had left behind.
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Maya Loureiro
Lennoch claramente aproveitando a oportunidade para dar uma carteira – “A partir de agora, preciso saber tudo sobre você.”
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aham sei!
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Brianna.a.protetora❣️