Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 17 Part 1

17. Pursuit

Eleanor tried to calm her pounding heart. She took a deep breath, but her hands continued to tremble uncontrollably. After making sure no one was watching, she hurried back to her room and grabbed the glass of water from the side table. The cool liquid helped soothe her unsettled nerves.

“To my dearest Lily.”

There was no doubt that Viscount Jerata had gifted the diary to someone. The nickname “Lily,” which had appeared in Viscount Jerata’s writings, was scrawled on the first page of the diary. The early entries described events from shortly after she entered the academy in Eberk.

Not knowing when the nanny might return, Eleanor skipped ahead to the sections written after Edea had joined the court.

“This… this can’t be,” Eleanor murmured, deeply troubled by the diary’s contents. She took another gulp of water, but this time it did little to cool the burning sensation inside her.

‘How did the nanny come to possess this diary?’

Her mind raced with questions. There was something strange about the nanny’s obsession with Hail, her connection to Viscount Jerata, and Edea’s death.

“It’s all so complicated.”

Her head throbbed as she tried to untangle the web of new information. She pressed her hands against her temples in a futile attempt to relieve the headache. The later entries in the diary detailed Edea’s life after her arranged marriage and her subsequent time in the palace. From the tone of her writing, it was clear Edea had little attachment to her life at court.

Judging by her neat handwriting and precise sentences, one might assume Edea was a meticulous person. She treated the role of Empress as if it were merely a job. However, as time went on, her composed writing began to unravel. The once-structured diary entries devolved into raw, emotional outbursts. The ink smudges on the pages suggested Edea had been in a state of distress when she wrote them.

‘Jerry must be Viscount Jerata’s nickname.’

In the later parts of the diary, one name appeared frequently.

“Today, the nanny told me that Jerry… that Jerry is dead. The funeral has already taken place. I still can’t believe he’s gone. What am I supposed to do without him?”

When Edea became pregnant and her movements were restricted, the court recruited additional staff, including the nanny. It seemed that Edea had taken a personal interest in hiring the nanny, knowing she and Viscount Jerata belonged to the same family.

“…I should never have followed my father’s wishes. What does the family matter? What does it mean to be the Empress? What good is any of it?”

As her sorrow turned to lamentation and then to rage, Edea’s emotions grew more and more intense. Reflecting on the depth of those feelings, Eleanor suddenly stood up, driven by a surge of realization.

The person Edea cursed in her final entries was none other than Lennoch.

“…That can’t be.”

A despairing whisper escaped Eleanor’s dry lips.

‘He’s not that kind of person.’

In the beginning, Lennoch had appeared as an ally in Edea’s diary. They had agreed not to interfere in each other’s affairs, offering assistance only when necessary. Beyond that, their relationship seemed unremarkable. Moreover, the diary indicated that Lennoch had already had someone else in mind at the time.

However, by the later entries, all such mentions disappeared, leaving only bitterness and resentment. Edea had come to believe that Lennock was responsible for Jerata’s death.

“……”

Eleanor felt a strange unease. She wanted nothing more than to find Edea, wherever she lay, and demand answers.

‘There’s no way he could have killed Viscount Jerata.’

She recalled Lennoch’s apologetic words, his expression filled with sorrow as he spoke of how death seemed to follow him everywhere, uninvited. The memory stirred a sense of injustice within her, as if she herself had been wronged.

Unable to sit still, Eleanor paced around the room, restless. Did someone plant those thoughts in Edea’s mind when her judgment was clouded? Several names crossed her mind, but the most likely suspect was the nanny.

“It’s not as if I can go back and look again… This is difficult.”

Eleanor wished she could examine the diary more thoroughly, but she had read it too hastily the first time. Taking it from the nanny would only raise suspicions, especially since the palace was so sparsely populated, and Sven had just brought cookies to the nanny’s desk.

“…I suppose I must meet him?”

Eleanor stared at her reflection in the window, finally making up her mind. Lennoch had said she could contact him anytime if something troubled her. She hesitated at the thought of relaying her message through the nanny, but she decided that a simple note would suffice.

After finding some paper, Eleanor sat at the desk and dipped a quill into the ink. However, when it came time to write, she found herself hesitating.

What should I say?

***

“…What on earth are all these boxes?” Eger asked, his expression one of exasperation.

The stack of boxes on the desk was piled so high it nearly obscured his view. He quickly counted and estimated there were about seven in total.

Lennoch looked up from his paperwork and glanced at Eger. “Cookies.”

“Excuse me?”

“They’re cookies.”

“Are you telling me all of these boxes are filled with cookies?”

“There are cookies, yes. But I wasn’t sure what else she might like, so I added a few other desserts as well.”

Eger let out a resigned sigh. “So, you’re telling me Lady Eleanor asked for all of this?”

“That’s right.”

“…Really?”

“She might be tired of the palace’s food, so I ordered these desserts from a famous patisserie,” Lennoch explained, much to Eger’s disbelief.

Yesterday, Lennoch had been completely engrossed in back-to-back meetings, yet somehow, he had found time to exchange letters with Eleanor. Moreover, he had even stepped out briefly that morning to buy her desserts.

“You’re certainly devoted,” Eger remarked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

“It would be nice if you showed me half as much consideration. Don’t you feel any sympathy for someone like me who spends every day slaving away?” Eger grumbled.

“How could you say that? I always take good care of you,” Lennoch replied, feigning hurt.

“You take care of me, do you? Lately, it feels more like I’m being toyed with by His Majesty. Things have been pretty rough,” Eger muttered, thinking back to recent events.

It wasn’t just the Emperor’s sudden decisions—like the Duke of Mecklen’s birthday party—that had caught Eger off guard. There had been numerous unforeseen challenges as well.

As Eger continued to grumble, Lennoch nonchalantly mentioned, “I even prepared something for you.”

“…I’m not interested.”

“Take it.”

Lennoch handed Eger a box of chocolates he had hidden away.

“They’re handmade chocolates by an artisan.”

“Do you really think something like this will improve my mood?” Despite his words, Eger quickly accepted the gift, unable to resist.

He opened the box and immEdeately popped an almond-covered chocolate into his mouth. Watching Eger’s contented expression, Lennoch suddenly asked, “By the way, where’s Evan assigned these days?”

“Excuse me?”

Eger, still savoring the chocolate, paused to think. “Evan? He’s probably handling some minor administrative tasks under the Duke of Nestor. I believe his main responsibility is managing expenses.”

“Transfer him to my office as an assistant. Notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs.”

“…What?” Eger blinked in surprise. “And what will I do?”

“You’re my chief aide. You’ll continue with your current duties. Evan’s desk can go next to yours,” Lennoch replied, already mentally arranging the workspace.

Although Eger was still processing the sudden decision, he couldn’t deny that it was a bold move. What had Evan done to catch the Emperor’s eye?

Noticing Eger’s curiosity, Lennoch smiled and explained, “You know, people are easier to observe when they’re close by.”

“……?”

“Recently, I’ve noticed something odd about the villa Caroline frequents. It turns out the property is registered under Evan’s name.”

“Ah.”

Understanding dawned on Eger, who nodded in agreement. Caroline wielding a whip at the Mecklen estate came to mind, and Eger’s expression darkened.

“No wonder the Empress Dowager dislikes her. I didn’t realize she was so uncouth,” Eger remarked with a frown.

“……”

Lennoch remained silent, lost in thought. Eger glanced at the Emperor, noting the sharp glint in his eyes. It was clear Lennoch had something on his mind, particularly concerning Caroline and those associated with her.

Lennoch finally spoke again. “I’m planning to investigate Count Verdik further.”

“Is it because of Umar?”

“Partly. But I suspect Caroline might be connected to them as well.”

The incident involving Eleanor’s forged letter had been brought to light by Count Verdik, who had presented Caroline’s statement as evidence. This connection raised suspicions about their relationship. After all, it was unlikely that Count Verdik, who had little to do with Eleanor, would suddenly accuse her without cause. Moreover, he was closely related to Kuhen’s mayor, Umar, who had recently died.

After listening carefully, Eger cautiously suggested, “But, Your Majesty…”

“Hmm?”

“Caroline is the Duke of Mecklen’s mother.”

“……”

“She’s also a prominent figure in the family. While I’m not saying we should ignore her actions, it’s important to proceed with caution due to the family’s influence.”

Publicly, Caroline was still recognized as the Duchess Dowager of Mecklen. If she were to be arrested, it could cause a significant scandal.

“If we were to take action against her, it might appear that you’re turning your back on the Mecklen family. This could lead to unrest among the nobility. If rumors spread that a loyal noble family was abandoned by the imperial family, it could even spark rebellion.”

Eger’s concerns were valid, and Lennoch nodded in agreement. “I’m well aware of the risks. We’ll need to approach this carefully.”

One of the most challenging aspects of Lennoch’s reign was managing the balance between the various factions within the empire. Public opinion was like a venomous snake—mishandling it could lead to disaster. When conflicting opinions arose, Lennoch had to mEdeate while keeping his own views in check. Sometimes, this meant making compromises.

His role was to maintain stability within the empire.

However, now…

“I’m reaching my limit.”

***

“Is it even possible?”

“Do you have any other ideas?”

“Well, no. But if we get caught, we could end up as enemies.” Count Verdik hesitated, knowing what Caroline was proposing was too reckless. “Why don’t we just give up on that flower and find another way…?”

“Give up? Do you have any idea how much it’s worth?” Caroline sharply rebutted. “We absolutely need to keep this venture alive. Do you realize how much we’re losing right now?”

“I understand, but it’s not as easy as it sounds. We’ve already invested so much in cultivating that flower. And it’s not just difficult to grow; it’s rare, and no one really knows how to handle it…”

“That’s why we need to steal it. The Marquis of Delph’s estate is full of those flowers.”