Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 14 Part 1
14. A Direct Order from His Majesty
“Where is His Majesty?”
“He’s in the indoor garden.”
Eger, who was in the Emperor’s office, informed Ernst of Lennoch’s location. Ernst nodded in response and headed straight for the indoor garden.
Unlike other gardens, this one was located in the center of the building on the second floor. The entire garden was surrounded by glass windows and filled with various tropical plants, making it a favorite among the nobility.
Ernst approached the Emperor, who was standing with his arms crossed, gazing out at the exterior view.
“Your Majesty.”
“Ernst.”
For once, Lennoch addressed him by name in a casual manner. However, Ernst maintained his formal demeanor.
“Give me your orders.”
“…You’re no fun, as always.”
Lennoch smiled faintly at Ernst’s unchanging demeanor. His friend, both a knight and an official, was always the same—someone who seemed like he would never change. Lennoch had always been confident that he could trust Ernst more than anyone else.
“I heard that the Mecklen family is hosting a banquet soon. Is that correct?”
“You’ve heard correctly.”
“Marquis Delph mentioned that he received an invitation.”
Caroline had sent out the guest list. Ernst, who had seen his name on the list, had dismissed it as insignificant and had paid little attention to it. His mother had written to say that she would handle the preparations for the banquet, so he hadn’t concerned himself with it.
“Let me ask you something.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Will your wife be accompanying you to your family’s estate for your birthday?”
“……?”
The question seemed a bit odd, but Ernst did not let it show.
“Yes.”
“…I see.”
Lennoch fell silent for a moment, his expression growing serious. Ernst, noticing the Emperor’s troubled face, asked, “Is something wrong?”
There had been no particular issues related to Eleanor. Despite the lack of communication between them, Ernst had kept himself informed about Eleanor’s affairs. The only thing that concerned him was her injury, but seeing that she was still able to carry out her duties under the Empress Dowager, he assumed it wasn’t a major problem.
“Is there a problem with her?”
“No, it’s nothing like that,” Lennoch replied, relaxing his tense expression to avoid causing any misunderstanding.
‘Perhaps it would have been better if I had never trusted him.’
Had they not been close friends, would things have been better? Lennoch had many things he wanted to say but found none of them easy to voice.
He steadied his swirling thoughts and continued, “Actually, Eger mentioned feeling left out because he wasn’t invited.”
“…Lord Nestor?”
“For him to say that to me, it must have really bothered him. Send him an invitation for my sake.”
“I wasn’t aware of that. I will invite him.”
If Eger had been present to overhear their conversation, he likely would have been horrified. He despised banquets and would never have expected Lennoch to mention an invitation on his behalf without his consent.
Ernst, unaware of this, nodded quietly. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”
He had much to do before his upcoming birthday. Lennoch, believing that their conversation was over, started to let Ernst go but then called him back.
“What if…”
What if it hadn’t been Eleanor, but a princess from another kingdom?
“Would you have done the same if it had been someone else?”
Ernst, who had been about to leave, hesitated. Lennoch forced a smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. His otherwise charming smile was marred by the slight tremor at the corners of his mouth.
“Of course,” Ernst answered without hesitation. “It wouldn’t matter who it was. My decision would remain unchanged.”
“……”
“The loyalty of my family to Your Majesty is unwavering, so there’s no need to worry.”
At that moment, Lennoch exhaled a silent sigh. He had hoped Ernst might feel something for Eleanor, but his friend’s words revealed that he felt nothing for her.
‘This is my fault.’
Guilt surged within Lennoch as he thought about Eleanor, who might have had to live with such an indifferent husband for the rest of her life. He felt a mix of emotions: guilt, gratitude, joy, and a deep sense of self-loathing.
“I’m sorry.”
“……?”
“For forcing the two of you together.”
“There’s no need for apologies.” Ernst shook his head. “I would have had to marry eventually, and the timing just happened to be right.”
“……”
“But lately…”
Ernst hesitated. The relationship between his mother and Eleanor hadn’t been good, and he wondered if he should mention it.
After a brief pause, he continued, “My mother says that she is content with our marriage.”
“……?”
“So there’s no need for Your Majesty to worry.”
It was an obvious lie. Lennoch knew well enough about the strained relationship between them. Sensing Ernst’s discomfort, Lennoch spoke again. “Not to be overly concerned, but I hope you’re not just saying that because you’re worried about my reaction.”
“Your Majesty.”
“Do you truly believe that your wife is happy?”
Ernst’s eyes hardened slightly at the unexpected question. Lennoch observed him carefully, waiting for an answer.
Ernst finally replied, “Do you remember, Your Majesty? You once asked me if the responsibilities of being the head of the family felt heavy. You wondered if I had ever wanted to escape them.”
Lennoch remembered. He had asked Ernst that question on the day they both assumed their roles as adults, when Ernst, the Duke of Mecklen and a knight of the imperial family, had been tasked with guarding him.
“At the time, I told you that I was honored to carry on my father’s legacy and to be a true member of the family.”
Ernst instinctively knew that he needed to answer carefully. He believed that Eleanor was going through a transitional phase, trying to become a mature duchess like Caroline. If he wanted to mold Eleanor into the ideal duchess he had envisioned, the Emperor should not interfere in their marital affairs.
“She is the Duchess of Mecklen.”
“……”
“So she will be happy. The Mecklen family is worth that much.”
“……!”
Lennoch felt as if he had been struck by something. His mind went blank.
“Even if she does not understand now, one day she will take pride in the family, just as my mother did, and she will live happily, enjoying what she has.”
Ernst added, “My mother went through a similar process and now lives a life of respect as the former Duchess of Mecklen.”
“…And if that is not what she wants?”
Ernst shook his head as he responded, “That would be impossible. No, she must not even think of such a thing.”
Lennoch’s face grew steadily grimmer as he listened. Not once had Ernst mentioned anything about caring for Eleanor’s happiness.
“To live in Baden, she needs the support of our family. And for the family, a certain level of sacrifice is necessary at times.”
“Do you really believe that?”
“Yes.”
‘This is the worst.’
Lennoch thought he had made the worst decision for both of them. Ernst was a good friend and a loyal subject, but his views on marriage were completely different from Lennoch’s. Lennoch realized that Ernst’s lack of interest in women wasn’t just due to his work-focused nature.
‘I was foolish.’
Lennoch’s guilt toward his friend was a separate matter. Eleanor’s feelings were being sacrificed for the sake of the family, but that was not the true protection he wanted to provide.
If he had cut off all ties with them under the guise of acting in their best interests, Eleanor might have been condemned to a life of unhappiness. If he had never met her on that street, if she had never entered the palace, he might have remained ignorant, believing that she was living a happy life.
Things had gone wrong from the start. Since he had caused this, he needed to be the one to set it right.
“Are you sure you won’t regret this?” Lennoch asked in a slightly hoarse voice. “The things you’ve said just now?”
“……”
Ernst noticed that the Emperor’s expression was somewhat strange. It reminded him of the determined look Lennoch had worn when he returned to the palace after secretly sneaking out as a reckless young prince. Despite noticing this, Ernst didn’t change his mind.
“Yes.”
Ernst was certain.
“I will never regret it.”
***
“The Emperor has approved it.”
Eger handed over a thin document, and Eleanor silently accepted it. With the Emperor’s approval, the notice would have been sent to the Grand Temple.
The divorce proceedings could take as little as a month or as long as three months. The lengthy review period was designed to give the couple time to reconsider their decision, and in some cases, the period could be extended depending on the situation.
Eleanor had only just taken the first step toward divorce.
“There’s still a long way to go.”
“……”
“Please convey my thanks to His Majesty.”
Eleanor understood how difficult it must have been for Lennoch to make this decision.
“I will take responsibility and set everything right.”
It had been a difficult promise to make. Admitting one’s mistakes was challenging enough, but keeping one’s word was several times harder. Thinking about how Lennoch had likely struggled behind the scenes on her behalf, Eleanor’s feelings became incredibly complex.
“Oh, one more thing. May I ask you to do something for me?” Eleanor suddenly took a letter out of a drawer and handed it to Eger.
“What is this?”
“Please deliver this to His Majesty.”
“Why don’t you give it to him yourself…?” Eger, holding the sealed letter, asked in surprise. The letter was sealed with an emblem, making it obvious if anyone other than the intended recipient tried to open it.
“Now is the time to be cautious.”
Eleanor left behind those cryptic words with a smile. She stood tall, with her back straight, looking every bit like someone who had completed all necessary preparations. Seeing her composed demeanor, Eger couldn’t help but feel a chill run down his spine. It was as if he was standing in the calm before a storm.
***
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ele ainda tentou dar uma última dica – que obviamente falhou em absoluto .