Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 15 Part 4

Adjusting to life in Winston Palace wasn’t difficult. Thanks to Lennoch’s swift preparations, Eleanor didn’t experience even the slightest discomfort.

‘What if I end up not wanting to leave?’

She chuckled to herself as she looked around her room. Her quarters were located right next to Prince Hail’s room. The space was adorned with luxurious decorations, including framed artwork and sculptures, and the bed was plush and inviting. Her wardrobe was filled with enough clothes to last a month without repetition, and she had more than ten pairs of shoes.

Eleanor felt a wave of gratitude for Lennoch’s thoughtfulness in arranging all of this so discreetly.

“Eli!”

“Your Highness?”

Startled by the faint call from beyond the door, Eleanor hurriedly stepped outside. Somehow, Hail had managed to leave his room and was feeling his way along the wall, inching forward. Fearing he might fall, Eleanor quickly scooped him up, and Hail, his eyes half-closed, murmured sleepily.

“Eli, I’m sleepy.”

“Are you very tired?”

“Mhm.”

The nanny had warned her against indulging him too much by carrying him, but Eleanor couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of pity every time she saw Hail. In the palace, she was his only companion. For reasons she didn’t fully understand, it seemed Lennoch had made sure that Hail had limited contact with outsiders.

There were no maids or attendants permanently stationed at Winston Palace. The few servants who worked there disappeared quickly once their duties were completed. It became clear to Eleanor why Sven, the head chef, had been so eager to welcome her—Hail had no one to interact with besides the nanny and himself.

‘How lonely he must have been,’ Eleanor thought as she gently patted Hail’s small back.

“Let’s go take a nap.”

“Mhm.”

Eleanor carried Hail to his bed. The little prince, who had been mumbling softly, quickly fell asleep. As Eleanor lightly patted his belly, she glanced around his room, which was just as spotless as her own.

But it wasn’t just clean; compared to her own room, Hail’s was strikingly empty.

‘Did they remove everything to prevent him from bumping into things?’

Eleanor, lying beside Hail, slowly sat up.

Click.

“Oh, Your Highness is asleep,” the nanny said as she entered with a tray of milk and cookies. Seeing the tray, Eleanor smiled faintly.

“He had a big lunch, so he’s fine.”

“That’s too bad. These cookies go so well with milk.”

Accepting Eleanor’s refusal, the nanny took the tray away. After ensuring that Hail was soundly asleep, she suddenly remembered something and let out a small exclamation.

“By the way, Lady Eleanor, would you be interested in visiting the library?”

“Is there a library here?”

“Of course. Winston Palace is a historically significant residence for princes and princesses, so it’s well-equipped. It’s small, but it has everything you might need,” the nanny explained with a warm smile.

Since many members of the imperial family had spent their childhoods in Winston Palace, the palace was well-prepared to meet their educational needs. The library, in particular, was one of the largest in the palace, second only to the secret archives managed directly by the imperial family.

“Now that Prince Hail is napping, perhaps you could visit for a while?”

Eleanor hesitated for a moment. If Hail woke up, he would immediately start looking for her. Sensing her concern, the nanny spoke reassuringly, “I’ll take good care of the prince.”

“…Then I’ll leave him in your care.”

It should be fine for a short while. Besides, she had been feeling the urge to read a book. Although she enjoyed spending time with Hail, she needed a hobby to indulge in during her personal time.

“If you head out and turn left, you’ll find a corridor midway. Pass two staircases, and at the third, go up to the second floor, and the library will be right there.”

“Thank you.”

With the nanny’s directions in mind, Eleanor made her way to the library. As she ascended the stairs at the third passage, she quickly found the library entrance. Despite its infrequent use, the library was well-maintained. The door handle was spotless, free of even the slightest dust.

Creak.

“It’s huge,” Eleanor marveled as she stepped inside. She had often visited the royal archives in Hartmann, but this was much larger. It felt as if every book in the world was stored here. The shelves reached up to the ceiling, which was three times the height of a person, and the distinct musty smell of old books filled the air.

Spotting a ladder, Eleanor tested its sturdiness by shaking it. It seemed secure and unlikely to collapse easily.

‘What should I read?’

The towering bookshelves were labeled with classification symbols. As she pondered over which book to choose, a thought crossed her mind.

“Flowers.”

She hadn’t yet uncovered the secret of the purple flower that Lennoch the kid had given her. As she retraced her memories, she recalled seeing a flower of the same shape but a different color in the Empress Dowager’s palace. Baroness Berenice had been curious about it as well.

‘I wonder if Baroness Berenice ever found out the name of that flower?’

She doubted it; otherwise, the baroness would have surely shared the information with her. The memory of the purple flower naturally brought the child’s face to mind, and a weight settled in Eleanor’s chest.

‘Did the child truly not make it out of the fire?’

With a deep sigh, Eleanor composed herself and began scanning the labels.

“Plants… plants…”

Given the library’s vastness, it took her some time to locate the right section. Climbing up and down the ladder, Eleanor searched diligently for a book on plants. After much perseverance, she finally found what she was looking for on a shelf far from the center of the library. Seeing the sheer number of books stacked up to the ceiling, she couldn’t help but stick out her tongue in disbelief.

‘It would take months just to skim through these.’

“I’ll just pick one for now.”

The thought of leaving Hail behind nagged at her, so she quickly skimmed the titles. There was no rush—she would be staying at Winston Palace for some time, so there was no need to read everything now. She selected a few books that focused on rare plant species, intending to dive deeper into the mystery of the purple flower.

***

“I’m so depressed,” Brianna muttered to herself.

Her day was as ordinary as any other. She was always surrounded by people, the Empress Dowager adored her, and there was nothing she found difficult. Yet, Brianna felt an unshakeable emptiness. It was a similar feeling to when she had heard that Ernst was getting married.

“Lady Brianna, what’s with that face? Are you feeling unwell?” asked Norah, who was walking beside her.

“No,” Brianna replied with a weary tone, not bothering to hide her irritation. Normally, Norah might have been offended by Brianna’s dismissive attitude, but this time, she understood. Ever since Eleanor had left, Brianna’s spirits had been low.

“Cheer up.”

“……”

“She’ll come back, I’m sure of it.”

Norah knew that Brianna had not wanted to report the forgery; she had only done so because she was pressured into it. Seeing Norah’s sympathetic expression was too much for Brianna, so she quickened her pace.

“I’ll be heading off now.”

“Take care.”

Nothing felt right anymore. After she had exposed the forgery, everyone praised her for her brave actions, but each time they did, Brianna felt worse.

‘What on earth was Eleanor thinking?’

Eleanor had assured her that giving up her position as a lady-in-waiting would lead to greater rewards. Trusting that, Brianna had gone directly to the Emperor to expose the forgery. But once the truth was out, Eleanor became the target of public scorn.

As Brianna climbed into her carriage, her face filled with frustration, she heard someone call her name.

“Lady Brianna.”

Countess Lorentz suddenly appeared and grabbed Brianna’s arm. The countess seemed unusually flustered.

“Could I have a word with you?”

“…I’m sorry, I have a dinner engagement, so I can’t.”

Under normal circumstances, Brianna would have accepted the offer, but not today. Her cold response left the countess bewildered.

“Are you really that busy? It would only take a moment for a cup of tea.”

“My father expects me home soon. I must be going.”

Before the countess could say more, Brianna slammed the carriage door shut. Countess Lorentz looked shocked, but Brianna was unfazed. As the carriage started moving, Brianna frowned.

‘How annoying.’

This incident left Brianna with a strange sense of aversion to Countess Lorentz. She was especially tired of hearing the countess’s endless slander about Eleanor. The Eleanor she knew was nothing like the person the rumors painted her to be.

Moreover…

‘I can’t trust Caroline anymore.’

Brianna found Caroline to be the most detestable of all. She had tried to pair Eleanor with Childe on purpose, and she had subtly cornered Eleanor by feeding information to Countess Lorentz. Brianna silently vowed never to meet with Caroline or Countess Lorentz again.

“We’ve arrived, my lady,” the coachman announced just then, pulling Brianna from her thoughts. She stepped out of the carriage with a heavy heart.

As soon as she entered the house, the Marquis of Liège greeted her warmly.

“Oh, my dear daughter. You’re home.”

“What brings you here to greet me?”

Normally, it was Brianna who would go up to the marquis’s study to announce her arrival. Suspicious of her father’s unusual behavior, Brianna narrowed her eyes like a cat. Ignoring his daughter’s gaze, the marquis brazenly led the way to the dining room.

“What? Can’t a father be pleased to see his daughter? Come, let’s eat first.”

The marchioness was absent due to a dinner party, so it was just the father and daughter. As soon as they sat down, the servants began bringing out the food. The marquis personally carved the turkey and served it to his daughter, then asked the question that had been on his mind.

“I heard you had a private audience with His Majesty.”

“…Is that why you called me?”

Brianna’s face fell in disappointment. She had hoped he was planning to take her to see a new play.

Unlike her somber mood, the marquis was all smiles. “Your actions have been the talk of the palace.”

At last, Brianna had made her mark. The marquis couldn’t have been more pleased. He had been tirelessly working to bring Brianna and the Emperor together. Now, with the incident involving the Duchess of Mecklen, Brianna had caught the Emperor’s attention and earned the admiration of the nobility as a woman of strong convictions. It was like hitting two birds with one stone.

In a subtle tone, the marquis asked, “So, did His Majesty ask to see you again?”