Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 14 Part 3

The Emperor’s face was as cold as ice as he read through the statement written by Caroline, who had personally testified about the forged recommendation letter. The chilling expression on his face silenced the nobles in the room, who hesitated to speak and exchanged uneasy glances instead.

“Forgery of documents?” Marquis Neto muttered in a small voice, saying it was somehow strange. No matter how much she was the Duchess of Mecklen, Eleanor was still from Hartmann. How could someone from a foreign land truly understand the culture enough to perform such a role? She wasn’t qualified from the start.

At that moment, Marquis Delph spoke up. “If this is true, she must be arrested immediately.”

“But we must consider the dignity of the Duke of Mecklen…” Marquis Radsay began to argue.

“She dared to insult the imperial family, and you think the Duke’s dignity is more important? We should send knights to arrest her at once,” Marquis Neto cut him off, speaking with icy detachment. For him, this was an opportunity to undermine the Duke of Mecklen, whom he had long considered an annoyance. It would be foolish to let such a chance slip by.

Marquis Neto, energized by the situation, looked around at the other nobles. “We must separate public duty from personal feelings. Isn’t that right?”

“Well, yes, but…” another noble began hesitantly.

“What has the Duke of Mecklen always emphasized? Not to let personal emotions interfere with duty. Isn’t this situation a perfect example of that? It’s a perfect fit,” Neto said, his tone dripping with satisfaction.

Marquis Radsay scowled at Neto. There was no one more insufferable than him at that moment.

As the debate over the Duchess’s punishment grew more heated, Marquis Delph remained silent, quietly waiting for the Emperor’s decision.

“Your Majesty, you must deliver justice,” Count Verdik pleaded again. Despite the desperation in his voice, his eyes gleamed with triumph. He was certain the Emperor would issue the order any moment now.

Finally, Lennoch, who had been sitting in rigid silence, slowly opened his mouth to speak.

“The punishment has already been dealt.”

“…What?” The noisy assembly fell silent, as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown over them.

Already dealt with? Then the Emperor had known about this all along? But when?

A flicker of realization crossed Marquis Delph’s face as he observed the situation unfold.

“Two days ago, Lady Brianna reported the forged application. The Duchess of Mecklen admitted to the crime,” Lennoch explained.

Impossible.

Count Verdik’s mouth dropped open in shock.

“The principle of ne bis in idem applies here,” Lennoch continued, referring to the legal principle that one cannot be tried twice for the same offense. “I’m sorry, but as the punishment has already been administered, the matter cannot be pursued further.”

With a calm finality, Lennoch tossed Caroline’s statement onto the table. His sharp gaze met Count Verdik’s, causing the count to blanch in fear. The confidence he had moments ago vanished, replaced by the stark realization that he had been outmaneuvered.

Count Verdik hadn’t heard anything about this from Caroline. When had it been dealt with? Not just him, but everyone in the meeting room seemed bewildered as they exchanged puzzled glances.

At that moment, a dark figure appeared briefly at the entrance of the meeting room. The sound of the door opening drew everyone’s attention in that direction.

It was the Duke of Mecklen.

He had clearly rushed to the meeting, evident from his slightly disheveled appearance. As he entered, he was met with a mix of emotions—surprise, cold indifference, mockery, and even an inexplicable sense of pity.

For some reason, a chill ran down his spine. Sensing the tense atmosphere in the room, Ernst’s expression grew even darker. Something was clearly wrong, and the weight of the stares only confirmed it.

***

“Where is Eleanor now?”

The maid who was cleaning the room was startled by the sudden appearance of the Duke. Ernst looked around the room, his eyes scanning every corner. The room was so neatly organized that it didn’t feel lived in. Noticing that even the books on the table had completely disappeared, Ernst glared fiercely at the maid.

“Has she moved rooms?”

“N-no… Well…”

The maid stammered, unsure how to explain. It was the first time she had seen the Duke so openly express his anger.

“I-I don’t know for sure, but I heard she left the palace entirely because she could no longer serve the Empress Dowager.”

“……!”

“Where she went… I’m not sure…”

As the maid spoke, Ernst clenched his fist tightly. If she had left the palace, it was undoubtedly because of that reason.

‘She planned all this from the start…!’

Today, his misfortunes hadn’t ended with being late for the meeting. The atmosphere in the council chamber, which he had arrived at late, was strange and ominous, so palpable that he could feel it on his skin.

After somehow finishing the meeting, the nobles, subtly avoiding Ernst’s gaze, gradually dispersed one by one. At that moment, the Duke of Nestor, who had approached belatedly, tapped Ernst on the shoulder.

“How did it come to this, tsk tsk.”

“What happened while I was away?”

“It seems your wife… She was dismissed from her position as a maid for document forgery.

“……!”

“His Majesty has decided to conclude the matter without severe punishment out of consideration for the Mecklen family’s past contributions. But still, it’s quite the scandal, isn’t it?”

For a moment, Ernst felt as if the ground was slipping from beneath him.

Document forgery?

There could be no greater disgrace.

Having learned the full extent of the situation, Ernst first instructed Vincent to inform the invited guests that the party had been canceled. The rumors from the meeting would soon spread among the nobles. It was better to avoid any unnecessary gossip by forcing the event to proceed.

But even after taking all possible measures, Ernst couldn’t easily calm his trembling body.

‘How much of a fool must she think I am…’

Trying so hard to mend the relationship between his mother and Eleanor, not knowing this was all happening, was foolish beyond words.

“No wonder she gave me the divorce papers…!”

Muttering to himself, Ernst was stared at by the maid with frightened eyes. The Duke of Mecklen’s sword at his waist seemed to stand out more than ever. Trembling, the maid nervously wiped her sweaty hands on her skirt.

Fortunately, Ernst realized there was nothing more he could learn from the maid, so he turned and left the room.

‘I have to find her.’

Ernst barely managed to suppress the boiling anger within him. If this continued, it was only a matter of time before rumors spread in the social circles that the Duchess of Mecklen had forged documents, requested a divorce, and then vanished.

Just as Ernst exuded a fierce, razor-sharp aura, Berenice happened to walk by.

“How fortunate to meet you here, Your Grace.”

“……”

“The Duchess asked me to convey something to you.”

Ernst, who had been about to ignore her and walk past, hesitated at those words. His eyes, burning with fury like a predator, glared at Berenice’s face as if to devour her.

Receiving his murderous intent calmly, Berenice continued, “She asks to meet you at the Mecklen mansion.”

“…Mansion?”

“She mentioned she would be attending a party there tonight.”

Ernst’s brows furrowed instantly.

A party? It made no sense. He had already sent out the notice to cancel the party.

***

The servant who hurriedly brought the Duke’s notice shrank back. Caroline, trembling all over, looked as though she was about to throw something. The surrounding servants, who had been standing by, held their breath, watching her carefully.

“Cancel…?”

Caroline crumpled the thin piece of paper with one hand. This party had taken meticulous preparation, and now, it was canceled.

Moreover, the content didn’t end there. The message also included the news that Eleanor had requested a divorce herself.

“How absurd…!”

Caroline’s eyes blazed with anger. The people around her, frightened, took a few steps back.

“How dare she demand a divorce?”

She had intended to teach her a lesson, but instead, Eleanor had lost her sense of reality and acted even more recklessly. The fact that her son would be the one to be divorced by that woman, rather than the other way around, made Caroline even more furious.

“M-Madam! There’s trouble, Madam!”

Just as Caroline was seething with rage, a maid came rushing in as if she were about to roll over. The recklessness of the maid in daring to intrude on the enraged Caroline shocked everyone, but the maid, knowing that failing to report this would bring about an even greater storm, shouted as if screaming.

“Y-Young Madam is here…! The Young Madam is here!”

“…What?”

“She’s waiting in the first-floor hall.”

The maid’s words were so urgent that spittle flew from her mouth. Normally, Caroline would have sharply rebuked her for that, but she was so startled by the maid’s report that she leaped to her feet.

Caroline, who had shot out like a spring, quickly descended the central staircase with heavy footsteps, a whip now clutched in her hand.