Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 16 Part 1

16. The Turning Point

The Duke’s deployment to the frontier presented a golden opportunity. While Ernst was away on the Emperor’s orders, Caroline quickly began to tidy up the matters she had left unfinished. She sorted through secret ledgers and land documents and altered the means of communication with Saruka. Once those tasks were mostly completed, Caroline’s next move was to convene a meeting.

“Madam Caroline, I was worried when I couldn’t reach you, but I’m relieved to see you’re well.”

“Count Verdik,” Caroline greeted, watching as Count Verdik, the first to arrive at the agreed-upon location, greeted her warmly.

“Despite all your efforts, I failed to accomplish our goal.” Count Verdik wore an expression full of guilt.

Caroline, slumping onto the leather sofa, shook her head in exasperation. “Ugh. This mess has been nothing short of unbearable.”

“My apologies.”

Despite having gone to the trouble of drafting a testimony, it had completely backfired. Caroline explained how Eleanor had already been punished, which had only resulted in her being detained by the Duke of Mecklen. Count Verdik, overwhelmed by guilt, didn’t know where to put himself.

“Still, it wasn’t all for nothing. By bringing up the issue publicly, we’ve made sure all the nobles know that Eleanor is a fraud,” Count Verdik noted, trying to find some silver lining.

“And what’s been the reaction from others?”

“They’re furious, of course. People are demanding to know how such a woman could be allowed to remain unpunished.”

The scandal had not only embarrassed the Duke of Mecklen but also garnered sympathy for his mother, Caroline. In social circles, the Duchess of Mecklen was now being openly scorned as a despicable woman who had deceived not only the imperial family but also her own in-laws. If the Emperor hadn’t intervened to resolve the matter quickly, the resulting public outcry might have led to even harsher punishment for Eleanor.

Caroline nodded, understanding that, despite everything, there had been some progress. Now, the only thing left is to get them divorced. Having revealed her hand, Caroline saw no reason to continue tolerating the princess. No, she absolutely had to drive her out. Even if Ernst refused to divorce her, Caroline couldn’t allow it any longer. She feared that the secrets she had hidden for so long might soon come to light.

‘How on earth does she know about Vito?’

Caroline clenched her teeth, furious. Initially, she had intended to break Eleanor’s spirit and manipulate her as she pleased, but Eleanor’s resistance had far exceeded her expectations. Now, Caroline had to take action before things escalated further. If she didn’t, Eleanor would become an insurmountable obstacle in her path.

“Madam Caroline.”

“Speak.”

“There’s something that’s been bothering me,” Verdik said, lowering his voice as he glanced cautiously at the door.

“What is it?” Caroline, her face twisted into a scowl like a wicked witch, looked at him with curiosity.

Count Verdik gestured for her to come closer, and when their faces were nearly touching, he whispered, “It’s about His Majesty.”

“……?”

“Something feels off.”

“What do you mean?”

“I suspect there’s something between him and the Princess of Hartmann. He hasn’t forgiven my brother Umar’s death, and he’s punished our entire family. Yet, he’s been incredibly lenient about that woman’s crime.”

The Emperor’s swift handling of the situation, completing the punishment within just two days, was uncharacteristic. And, though it was brief, the cold glare he had given Count Verdik when he denounced the Duchess had been unsettling.

“Hmm,” Caroline murmured, listening closely to Count Verdik’s account.

“Could there be something behind the Duke’s marriage to the princess?”

“Perhaps. It certainly seems like there might be something, given Ernst’s reaction. But he hasn’t said anything to me directly,” Caroline admitted, sharing Count Verdik’s suspicions. Although she had reluctantly accepted the princess under the Emperor’s orders, the fact that Ernst, who had never shown interest in women or marriage, had so readily agreed to it was certainly odd.

“Madam Caroline, perhaps you should test the Duke’s feelings?”

“Testing might be too difficult… but I can certainly investigate.”

“There’s still something that bothers me. A few months ago, there were rumors that the Princess of Hartmann was going to become Empress. At that time…”

Click.

“What are you two discussing so intently?” a voice interrupted.

“Lord Evan.”

Evan entered the room, his eyes narrowing as he smiled at the two of them. Startled, Verdik quickly distanced himself from Caroline.

“It’s not what you think. Madam Caroline and I were merely—”

“It’s fine. Age is irrelevant when it comes to love. I’ve always supported you both,” Evan teased, smiling mischievously.

“Cut the nonsense,” Caroline snapped, annoyed by Evan’s mocking tone. She had never liked Evan, especially after the Childe incident. He had a habit of acting as if he were constantly mocking them, and it irritated her to no end. Crossing her arms, Caroline glared at him.

“Madam Caroline, you’re not being very honest,” Evan remarked, unfazed by her icy stare.

While an ordinary person might have cowered under Caroline’s withering gaze, Evan was no ordinary person. He simply shrugged and took a seat across from Count Verdik.

“So, how did that business venture go?” he asked.

“Business?”

“Didn’t you take 500 gold for it? You mentioned using it to establish a new publishing company to replace Eros and cover additional expenses,” Evan reminded her, his tone light but pointed.

Ah, yes, that was it. This was why Caroline disliked Evan. Just when she thought she had forgotten, he would bring it up, deliberately provoking her. Ever since Count Verdik had started sharing some of the group’s funds with Evan, the latter had taken every opportunity to express his displeasure indirectly, often by questioning how the money was spent.

Caroline’s face twisted in anger. “How dare you try to blackmail me?”

“Blackmail? Why would I do something so dreadful? I’m simply curious,” Evan replied, his voice feigning innocence.

“Madam Caroline, please, calm down…” Count Verdik pleaded as Caroline jumped to her feet, ready to strike Evan.

While Count Verdik frantically tried to restrain her, Evan calmly picked up a teacup from the nearby table and poured himself some tea. The fragrant aroma of the black tea filled the room as he leisurely sipped it.

“Please, have some tea and relax. The Marquis will be here soon,” Evan suggested with a calm demeanor.

“You little…!”

“Madam Caroline,” Count Verdik whispered urgently. “The Marquis is on his way.”

“…Ha.”

With that reminder, Caroline forced herself to take a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions swirling inside her.

She understood what Count Verdik was trying to warn her about. If she let Evan provoke her and the Marquis discovered their involvement in the Hadum slum organization, it would spell disaster.

Realizing now was not the time to let her emotions get the better of her, Caroline sat back down with a huff.

“You’re getting cocky because you think the Marquis is on your side. Let’s see how long that lasts.”

“……?”

Evan, who had been savoring his tea, looked up at her unexpected comeback.

Caroline, who had been seething with rage just moments ago, now wore a faint, mocking smile. “Why do you think the Marquis entrusted the management of funds to you?”

“What do you mean…?”

“You’re all here,” a voice interrupted.

Evan frowned as he stood up, recognizing the voice behind him. It was the Marquis, the very person they had been discussing.

Unlike Caroline, who remained indifferent, and Count Verdik, who was anxious, Evan smiled warmly and approached the Marquis.

“Marquis Delph,” he greeted.

“Haha, Lord Evan, have you committed a crime? You look like you’ve just been caught red-handed,” the Marquis joked.

“Oh, no. I was just so excited to see you that I jumped up without thinking.”

Removing his hat, the Marquis of Delph scanned the room, his gaze lingering briefly on each person present.

“I heard Madam Caroline has had quite a difficult time recently,” he said.

“Hmph, has word traveled that far already?”

The news that Ernst had confined her shouldn’t have spread so easily. Which meant someone must have informed the Marquis directly. Given that Count Verdik hadn’t mentioned anything about it earlier, it was unlikely he was the source. That left only one possibility—her eyes briefly rested on Evan before returning to the Marquis.

‘Crafty bastard,’ Caroline thought, suppressing her urge to confront him directly. Instead, she forced a smile.

“Thanks to that, I was able to gather everyone here for a meeting. It’s been so difficult to get an audience with you, Marquis. You’ve been so busy, and it’s been quite disappointing.”

“Haha, my apologies,” the Marquis replied with a laugh, taking a seat.

The gathering consisted of four people in total: Caroline, the Duchess Dowager of Mecklen; Evan, the second son of Duke Nestor; Count Verdik, an ally of the Delph family; and the Marquis of Delph himself.

“It’s been a while since we’ve all come together,” the Marquis observed, a smile gracing his face.

***

“Eli, are you leaving?”

“No, Your Highness. I’m not going anywhere,” Eleanor reassured him gently.

“Not even later…?”

“Of course not. I’ll be right here.”

Time had passed since Eleanor began staying in her new quarters. After the incident where Hail hurt his foot and cried, he frequently asked Eleanor if she was going to leave. Whenever Eleanor had to step out briefly, Hail would stay in bed, anxious and restless, unable to get down on his own. To ease his worries, Eleanor began spending more nights with the young prince, often staying in his room.

‘It must have been so traumatic for him.’

She realized how deeply the incident had affected the young prince, turning his pain into a constant fear. Eleanor’s heart ached for him, and she couldn’t help but stay by his side.

“Isn’t it time for you to visit the library?” the nanny asked, bringing in a tray of snacks as usual. She stopped short, surprised.

“Oh my, the prince is still awake.”

“He must have napped too long today, so he’s not sleepy,” Eleanor replied, looking down at Hail, who was clinging to her and playing with her fingers. His face was bright and clear, likely from having had a restful nap.

When Eleanor offered her index finger, Hail quickly grabbed it.

“Eli’s hand.”

“Yes, it’s my hand.”

“It must be tiring to hold him like that all the time,” the nanny remarked with a slightly awkward smile. “Perhaps if you lay him down, he might fall asleep more easily. I could look after him while you visit the library for a bit.”

“No, that’s alright,” Eleanor declined. In the past, she might have accepted the offer, but not this time. She remained firmly seated, holding Hail close.

Seeing her refusal, a hint of impatience crossed the nanny’s face. “I only suggest it because you’ve spent so much time with the prince. It must be exhausting for you.”

“……”

“After all, you even read books to him. You must be very tired.”

Because Eleanor spent so much time with the young prince, her opportunities to read were limited. So, Eleanor came up with a clever idea: she would read books aloud to Hail. Even if he couldn’t understand the content, Hail enjoyed listening to Eleanor speak.

Perhaps it was because conversation in the palace was so limited. Sometimes, Hail would ask questions about the stories, and Eleanor realized that reading to him wasn’t so bad after all.

As the nanny continued to urge her, Eleanor suddenly had a good idea. “Your Highness, would you like to go to the library with me?”

“……?”

“There are lots of books there.”

“Books?”

The mention of books caught Hail’s attention.

“Yes.”

“Alright.”

“You like that idea? Then let’s go together.”

“Wait, Lady Eleanor, are you planning to take the prince to the library?” the nanny asked, alarmed.

As Eleanor stood up with Hail in her arms, the nanny quickly moved to block her path. “Why would you take him to such a place when he can’t even see? It’s out of the question.”

“We’ll just pick out some books.”

“I absolutely cannot allow it. What if he gets hurt? Will you take responsibility then?”

“I understand your concern, but can’t we at least go pick out some books?”

“No, absolutely not. You cannot leave,” the nanny insisted firmly, standing her ground.

Eleanor hesitated for a moment. “Then, how about a walk?”

“A walk?”

“I’ll carry him and we’ll just take a short stroll around here. Maybe he’ll get tired and fall asleep. If he does, I could quickly visit the library while he’s napping.”

“Hmm.”

The nanny seemed to consider Eleanor’s calm explanation. There was nothing wrong with taking a short walk. As long as they agreed on a set route, and if Hail fell asleep, they could return quickly. After some thought, the nanny made a decision.

“Alright, but only in the immediate vicinity. You must not leave the palace grounds, or His Majesty will be displeased.”

“I promise,” Eleanor agreed with a nod.

The route they settled on was very simple: they would walk through the corridor to the central courtyard, enjoy the view of the flowerbeds, and then return. That would be the extent of their walk.

“Please take good care of him.”

“Of course. We’ll be back soon.”

With that, the nanny, now at ease, returned to the kitchen, carrying the untouched tray of snacks. Eleanor watched her disappear down the hallway before slowly beginning to walk.

There was only one path to the flowerbeds, and they had to pass through the corridor to reach it. As they walked, Hail, who was unaware of their true destination, nuzzled his face into Eleanor’s neck and asked softly, “Eli, where are we going?”

“To the library,” Eleanor whispered with a smile, keeping the secret from the nanny.