Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 14 Part 4

“M-Madam! It’s dangerous!” Gilbert, running after her, shouted, but Caroline heard nothing.

‘How dare she show up here.’

Eleanor was the last person Caroline expected or wanted to see today. Initially, the plan had been to lure Eleanor to the mansion using the party as bait, but halfway through, Caroline had changed her mind. She had decided to completely ruin Eleanor’s reputation by exposing her misdeeds through Verdik’s influence.

But how could she be here when she should have been imprisoned?

Caroline reached the hall as if sliding down the stairs. It was supposed to be the venue for a grand party. The space should have been filled with numerous nobles, an orchestra playing elegant tunes, and the bright laughter of noblewomen. Instead, a bleak atmosphere hung in the air.

“Eleanor.”

“Have you been well?”

It was indeed Eleanor. She was wearing a dress as red as a rose. Standing tall with confidence on the gleaming marble floor, Eleanor watched as Caroline slowly approached. Her short hair was neatly pulled up, and the jeweled earrings she wore stood out. The blue jewels glittered brilliantly under the chandelier, causing Caroline to feel an instant wave of displeasure.

“You have some nerve.”

“……”

“Do you know where you are and dare to step in here?”

Eleanor did not flinch at Caroline’s sneer. Instead, her beautiful eyes curved into a crescent. “I may have requested a divorce, but on paper, I am still the Duchess of Mecklen. Have you already forgotten that?”

“What… did you say?”

“Then again, you only know how to scold and bully people, so you might not be aware. That’s why you don’t know who you’re supposed to respect and whom you’re supposed to serve. Isn’t that why you’re acting so presumptuously?”

Caroline’s breath grew rough, like a beast’s. She couldn’t believe the shameless woman in front of her was the same Eleanor she knew. This wasn’t the woman she had always seen. Eleanor had always been cowed, bowing her head in front of Caroline, incapable of defying her. Caroline gripped the handle of her whip tightly.

“You really need to learn a lesson…”

“Rachel of the House of Hippias.”

“……!”

“Do you remember her?”

Caroline, who had just taken a step forward, froze. Her lips quivered with surprise, but she quickly composed herself.

Pretending to know nothing, Caroline raised her voice. “Hippias? Was there ever such a family?”

“……”

“Oh, yes. Now I remember.”

Caroline let out an exaggerated laugh like a stage actress.

“That woman who always pretended to be so refined. Everything she had was just a result of being born into a good family.”

Caroline’s subjective view of Rachel from the Hippias family was sharp and critical. Unlike her, Rachel was a natural-born noble. Her eloquent speech and graceful demeanor often made Caroline’s insides burn whenever they crossed paths at parties. The deep blue eyes, like the sea or sky, always made her feel miserable.

“But how do you know that woman?”

How could the princess of Hartmann know Rachel?

Eleanor calmly met Caroline’s glaring gaze. “The rumors are already widespread.”

“What?”

“That you stole her position.”

There was no concrete evidence, but Eleanor deliberately exaggerated.

“The rumor that you drove Rachel out with baseless gossip and took her place.”

“W-what…?”

In her previous life, Caroline had indeed known about Rachel’s child and had hidden that fact. Eleanor was certain there was some secret hidden in it and tried to push the boundaries of her assumptions.

“Vito.”

“…!”

“That’s the name of Rachel’s child, isn’t it?”

“How… how do you know that…?”

Although she didn’t know everything about Caroline’s actions in her previous life, she knew enough. However, back then, she had only been concerned with enduring and hadn’t thought to use this information.

“I will find Vito.”

“……”

“I’ll meet him directly and hear from him what kind of person you are.”

Eleanor’s words were no less than a declaration of war, causing Caroline’s complexion to turn visibly pale. They weren’t alone in the hall. By now, the servants surrounding them were whispering, asking who Vito was.

At that moment, Caroline felt an inexplicable fear.

“…Seize her.”

“W-what…?”

“Seize her and make her kneel.”

“M-Madam…”

“Didn’t you hear me? Seize that woman and make her kneel before me right now!”

Caroline screamed like someone having a seizure. At the Duchess Dowager’s command, Gilbert and the other servants rushed toward Eleanor. They grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to the floor, but Eleanor did not resist. As Caroline approached the forcibly kneeling Eleanor, she muttered as if possessed by something.

“Yes, you’re just like her. Those cursed eyes.”

The gaze that had always despised her. Caroline glared with wide eyes as if her eyeballs were about to pop out.

“Now I understand why I never liked you from the moment I first saw you.”

It was because she reminded her of that woman. Rachel, that woman.

“Even after falling into ruin, her eyes remained the same.”

Suddenly, Caroline let out a twisted laugh. Several maids, recoiling at the sight of her rolling eyes, took a step back.

“Aren’t you curious about what happened to Rachel after she was kicked out of the Mecklen family?”

“You…”

“I’ll make you just like her.”

Caroline raised her whip high. Just as she was about to strike it down with force, the central door suddenly burst open.

“……!”

The attention of everyone who had been focused on Eleanor instantly shifted toward the entrance. The man in the black coat looked as if he couldn’t comprehend the situation before him.

“…What is this?”

Ernst’s gaze landed on the whip in Caroline’s hand. Startled, Caroline slowly lowered the whip she was holding.

“E-Ernst. Wait, listen to me…”

“How dare you lay a hand on her?”

Ernst’s angry voice erupted before Caroline could even attempt to explain herself. Seeing Eleanor being forcibly held by two servants, his feet moved of their own accord. The startled servants quickly released their grip on Eleanor’s arms.

“D-Duke! I’m truly innocent…!”

“That’s right. We were only following the Duchess Dowager’s orders…”

“Silence.”

A harsh command came from the Duke of Mecklen’s lips. At the same time, all the servants, including the ones who had restrained Eleanor, dropped to their knees. The only person who remained standing was Caroline.

Ernst struggled to suppress the urge to strike out and reached out to help Eleanor up. However, Eleanor refused his assistance.

“I can stand on my own.” Eleanor stood up alone and straightened her crumpled dress. Ernst, about to speak to her again, was interrupted by Caroline’s groan.

“Your Grace, how on earth…?”

Why had Ernst, who had personally informed them of the party’s cancellation, come here? She had assumed that with the change in schedule, he would be working today as usual.

As Caroline broke out in a cold sweat behind her, Eleanor addressed Ernst.

“As you can see.”

“…?”

“This is the reason I want a divorce.”

Now do you understand?

“Let’s divorce.”

Ernst, who had been staring at the whip in Caroline’s hand, slowly turned his head toward Eleanor. Their eyes met, and for the first time, Ernst’s expression showed something akin to bewilderment. Perhaps it was a sight that would be rare in the future, a rare and precious spectacle.

As she stood there, her lips, which had been stiff while confronting Caroline, finally softened into a gentle smile. “I’m not expecting an immediate answer.”

Having said all she wanted to say, Eleanor nonchalantly fixed her disheveled hair. Ernst, who had been dumbfoundedly watching her smooth hand movements, finally snapped back to reality.

“Wait…”

Click.

“Your Grace, a guest has arrived!”

As he reached out to stop Eleanor, Ernst froze at the news of someone’s arrival. A gentleman dressed in a well-tailored tuxedo was approaching the entrance. His face was full of awkwardness, as if unsure of what was happening.

“Eger?”

“Uh, well… this is…”

He had thought he was the last one to arrive.

Having been tricked by the Emperor’s scheme into receiving an invitation to Ernst’s birthday party, Eger had rushed to prepare for the event. He had never imagined that the party would be canceled without any notice.

As he glanced around the room, Eger saw the whip in Caroline’s hand, Eleanor’s awkward smile, and the Duke of Mecklen’s stiff expression.

It seems I’ve come on the wrong day.

Realizing that he was an unexpected guest, Eger raised his hand awkwardly.

“By any chance… is there no birthday party today?”

“……”

An awkward silence hung in the air between them.