Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 13 Part 2

“Madam…!” Berenice, who had been silently listening to their conversation, couldn’t help but shout.

What on earth was this she was hearing? Eleanor had fought so hard to become a lady-in-waiting. Berenice, who had keenly sensed Eleanor’s desperate circumstances without needing to be told, found this decision utterly incomprehensible.

She urgently asked Eleanor, “Are you planning to return to your family estate?”

“No, that’s not it.” Eleanor shook her head. “It’s just that I don’t feel I can stay in this position with a clear conscience.”

“What do you mean…?”

“Please forgive me for only telling you this now.”

She finally revealed the reason she was able to apply to be a lady-in-waiting in the first place.

“The truth is, all the documents I submitted were falsified.”

“……!”

“Caroline didn’t write me a recommendation. I forged it myself, imitating her handwriting and submitting it in secret.”

“Oh my goodness.” The Empress Dowager’s eyelids trembled. It felt as though she had been struck hard on the back of the head.

‘I knew something was off.’

Berenice’s feelings were not much different from those of the Empress Dowager. For the first time, the usually unflappable woman looked dazed. Everything finally made sense—why Caroline, who had disliked Eleanor, would write a recommendation for her. The truth, which had been buried under various other events, was now revealed, leaving them both stunned and shocked.

Eleanor bowed her head in apology. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

“……”

“I will accept whatever punishment you deem fit for deceiving you.”

“…Eleanor.”

The Empress Dowager, who had been staring blankly, called her name. Eleanor continued, “Thank you for your kindness toward me all this time.”

This was her sincere sentiment.

“No one in Baden has cared for me as much as you have, Your Majesty.”

Though Lennoch had tried to help her in a different way, his assistance had backfired, leading to unexpected results. Her marriage to Ernst before the regression had been a living hell. As the Duchess in name only, there had been no one who had ever spoken a kind word to her. Although she had entered the palace by falsifying documents to gain the Empress Dowager’s backing, Eleanor was deeply grateful to her.

Seeing the two women still in shock, Eleanor added one more thing. “And I intend to divorce the Duke of Mecklen.”

“……!”

The Empress Dowager felt a slight dizziness. The revelation about the forged documents was shocking enough, but the news of her intent to divorce the Duke of Mecklen was just as astonishing. Berenice let out a heavy sigh, expressing her own feelings.

In the heavy silence that followed, the Empress Dowager raised a hand to her forehead, as if to steady herself.

“You…”

The Empress Dowager, usually so composed and eloquent, found her mind blank for the first time. Eleanor waited quietly for her to speak.

The Empress Dowager opened and closed her lips several times before finally managing to speak. “If you abandon everything… what do you plan to do? Caroline won’t leave you alone.”

Unexpectedly, the Empress Dowager expressed concern first. If Eleanor resigned from her position as a lady-in-waiting and divorced the Duke of Mecklen, she would have nowhere to go. Would Caroline simply let her be?

“I’ve told you before, haven’t I? She’s a very persistent and ruthless woman.”

Caroline was as tenacious as her insatiable greed. She once relentlessly pursued and tormented a maid who had been dismissed from the palace. How could Eleanor hope to withstand her wrath if she resigned without any protection?

“This seems like a reckless decision to me as well,” Berenice chimed in to support the Empress Dowager. “Living alone in the empire without any connections will be difficult.”

The two women had now united in their concern for Eleanor. The falsification of documents was a grave matter, and the news of her intended divorce was even more shocking. However, more than anything, they were worried for Eleanor. Their concern, meant to dissuade her from making a rash decision, reached Eleanor as well.

‘This wasn’t what I intended.’

She knew the Empress Dowager cared for her, but she hadn’t expected her to think so deeply about her well-being. The same went for Berenice. Eleanor had expected to face disappointment or perhaps an equivalent scolding, but not this level of worry.

After hesitating, Eleanor finally spoke, “I understand. But this position was obtained through dishonest means. And as for the Duke and me…”

“I will forgive you.”

“…Your Majesty.”

“So don’t give up so easily. You’re too valuable for that.”

Suddenly, the Empress Dowager reached out to Eleanor. Her wrinkled hand firmly grasped Eleanor’s.

“I’ll speak plainly. When you first applied to be a lady-in-waiting, I wondered what your intentions were in coming to the palace. And now I see that you used any means necessary to escape from Caroline.”

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

“Yet, you’re such a strange child. Even though you’ve fought so fiercely to achieve your goals, there’s nothing about you that has ever displeased me.”

There was a reason she had entrusted Eleanor with the important task of reviewing documents. Her diligence was a natural part of her character. Moreover, her occasional flashes of insight had sometimes left the Empress Dowager surprised. Perhaps it was because she was born of royal blood. Eleanor’s keen observations, which others, including the Empress Dowager, had overlooked, had silently impressed her more than once.

“I only wish you were a noble of Baden. No, if Hartmann were still intact, more people would have recognized your worth.”

“Your praise is too much, Your Majesty. I still have much to learn.”

“Such modesty.”

Berenice, who had been listening, flinched and looked at the Empress Dowager. She had never seen the Empress Dowager praise and hold onto someone so earnestly before. This showed just how much Eleanor had endeared herself to the Empress Dowager. Yet, Berenice understood the Empress Dowager’s feelings and added no further comment.

“So stay here.”

Eleanor hesitated. How much should she reveal? To make the Empress Dowager understand, she would need to bring up her conversation with Lennoch. But it would be better to omit their childhood connection for both their sakes.

“In truth, I already spoke to His Majesty first.”

“Already?” The Empress Dowager’s eyes widened in surprise.

“I told him my situation honestly. He is also aware of the discord between the Duke and me.”

Eleanor explained as succinctly as possible. As she listened, the Empress Dowager’s previously tense expression began to relax. She was greatly relieved to realize that Eleanor hadn’t been acting without a plan.

Eleanor placed her hand over the Empress Dowager’s, which was still holding onto her. “I plan to see things through with Caroline.”

It wasn’t just Caroline. No longer was she focused solely on avoiding an unjust death. She wanted to uncover what her hidden enemies truly desired, who was behind the rumors, the schemes, and the political maneuvering. She wanted to see how far she could rise by confronting them. She wanted to know it all.

“From now on, Caroline won’t be able to act as she pleases.”

“I’m very pleased with your determination.” The Empress Dowager smiled broadly. “Yes, that level of ambition is necessary to survive in this treacherous jungle.”

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

“You’ll succeed. So, what’s your next plan?”

At this, Eleanor smiled faintly. “I’ll soon be dispatched as a governor to Hartmann.”

***

Brianna, who had been playfully bickering with Norah, suddenly realized her mistake. She should have reported to the Empress Dowager first thing upon their return. As she looked around, she noticed that Eleanor was nowhere to be seen, having already gone ahead.

“You could have told me.”

How annoying. Brianna grumbled inwardly.

“I’ll go see Her Majesty now.”

“Take care.”

Despite their earlier spat, Brianna and Norah exchanged goodbyes. Brianna quickly walked down the hall, but then she noticed Countess Lorentz standing in the middle of the corridor.

“What are you doing here?”

“Oh, Lady Brianna.”

Countess Lorentz, who had been lost in thought, quickly regained her composure. She turned to Brianna with a troubled expression in her wrinkled eyes.

“Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine.”

“That’s why I told you not to associate with that woman.”

Countess Lorentz’s words made Brianna feel slightly uncomfortable. She had warned Eleanor not to doubt the countess, but now she found herself suspecting her instead.

‘Should I ask?’

Brianna glanced around before cautiously asking, “About the Duchess…”

“Yes?”

“Why is she dangerous?”

Was that too blunt? Brianna worried for a moment that she might have made a mistake. Fortunately, Countess Lorentz didn’t seem to notice her hesitation and responded with a brighter expression.

“Why do you ask? Did something happen while you were with her?”

“Not exactly…” Brianna hesitated, then pointed to her foot. “I hurt my foot a bit when I was kidnapped.”

“Oh my, poor thing.” Countess Lorentz looked at Brianna with a face full of sympathy. “That’s why I warned you not to stay close to her.”

“…I see.”

“Shall we go to the garden for a while? There’s something important I need to discuss with you.”

The way Countess Lorentz suggested it with an air of secrecy made it difficult for Brianna to refuse. Momentarily forgetting that she needed to report to the Empress Dowager, Brianna followed the countess. They walked to a quiet spot behind the palace, where few people passed by, and sat side by side on a secluded bench to have a private conversation.

“Isn’t it strange?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m talking about the Duchess of Mecklen. How exactly did she manage to apply as a lady-in-waiting?”

“Well…”

Brianna assumed she had submitted her application, just like everyone else, with documents and an interview. She had never questioned the process. Seeing Brianna’s puzzled expression, Countess Lorentz decided to prod her a bit further.

“Lady Brianna, you had the highest score.”

“……?”

“Originally.”

But in the end, two were chosen.

“The Duchess of Mecklen got in by forging documents.”

“…What?”

Brianna’s eyes widened in shock.

***

The announcement of Umar’s suicide was made public in the city.

Over several days, the room where the incident occurred, as well as the entire mansion, were thoroughly investigated, but no significant evidence was found. The fact that the crime scene was a locked room from the start greatly contributed to concluding it as a suicide.

As soon as the investigation was concluded, the Emperor and Ernst returned to the palace.

“You’ve worked hard.”

Vincent, Ernst’s aide, greeted his superior with a disciplined posture, something he hadn’t done in a while. Ernst merely nodded slightly before taking a seat.

After listening to a brief report from Vincent about how things had been handled during his absence, Ernst let out a deep sigh.

Vincent, watching his superior’s mood, spoke cautiously, “You seem very tired.”