Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 17 Part 4

“Your Grace, the task is complete.”

Late at night, Raul visited Ernst in his tent to deliver the news. They had been discreetly deploying spies, starting from the border villages where the conflicts had occurred, following the Emperor’s orders. Thanks to Tatar providing an excuse, the operation progressed more smoothly than anticipated.

‘Even if Tatar hadn’t said anything, the outcome would have been the same.’

The barracks couldn’t accommodate the entire First Knights that Ernst had brought, so even if it were possible, it would have been easy to find a reason to send them to the villages instead.

As he received Raul’s report, Ernst had a premonition that the mission would conclude more easily than expected, allowing him to return to the empire sooner than anticipated.

“Well done. Continue as planned,” Ernst instructed.

“Yes, Your Grace,” Raul responded with a salute.

As Raul exited with disciplined steps, the tent returned to its earlier quiet, as if nothing had happened. While the atmosphere here was more relaxed than in the imperial palace, Ernst still found it difficult to sleep.

‘When I return, I’ll have to proceed with the divorce.’

Unless one party was solely at fault, most divorces were settled by mutual consent. The first step was a reconciliation process, typically mEdeated by a priest from the Grand Temple. The process usually took about a week. If both parties communicated well, the divorce could be finalized within that time.

However, the longer the mEdeation dragged on, the higher the fees charged by the Grand Temple. The priests preferred longer cases, as they meant higher payments. Despite some people complaining about the priests’ greed, the law, rooted in the belief that marriage was a divine fate chosen by God, was not easily challenged.

Ernst frowned as he watched the flickering candlelight in his tent.

‘Why is that?’

Eleanor had opted for a mutual divorce. Judging by her determined attitude, she seemed resolute in seeing the divorce through. Given the actions of his mother, Caroline, there were certainly grounds for a unilateral divorce.

‘So why…?’

“Your Grace, are you awake?”

Ernst was pulled from his thoughts by the voice of a messenger.

“Come in.”

“Apologies for disturbing you at this late hour,” the messenger said, entering the tent with a small gift box.

Ernst, eyeing the box curiously, gestured for the messenger to explain.

“What is it?”

“A gift from Commander Tatar.”

“A gift?”

“Yes, he asked me to convey his sincere apologies for his previous mistakes. He personally sought out and obtained this precious item.”

“……?”

“It’s a bracelet blessed by the Kaham.”

A bracelet from the Kaham?

In the Lumana religion, followed by the people of Bahama, the highest spiritual leader was known as the Kaham.

“The bracelet was blessed by the previous Kaham himself.”

“That’s quite valuable.”

It was said that the Kaham was endowed with divine power granted by the gods. The stronger the divine love, the more powerful the sacred force wielded by the Kaham. The previous Kaham was renowned for possessing the greatest divine power in history. Anything blessed by him was considered rare even during his lifetime.

‘He’s certainly going to great lengths.’

Ernst did not believe in any gods. However, he didn’t mind accepting Tatar’s efforts to curry favor with him. Who knew? The bracelet might come in handy someday.

“Tell him I appreciate the gesture.”

“Thank you, Your Grace. I’m sure Commander Tatar will be pleased.”

The messenger respectfully handed the small box to Ernst, who immEdeately unwrapped it. Contrary to his expectations of something ornate, the bracelet was a simple silver band. If it weren’t for the Celtic cross symbolizing the Lumana religion at its center, it could easily be mistaken for a common trinket worn by peasants.

As Ernst inspected the bracelet, the messenger continued, “The bracelet is said to be effective simply by wearing it. If you carry it with you daily and make a wish, that wish is believed to come true.”

“……”

“Many believers have experienced miracles with sacred objects blessed by the Kaham. For instance, the sick have been miraculously healed, some have suddenly gained fluency in foreign languages, and others have even been reunited with long-lost loved ones. It’s truly remarkable.”

The messenger’s sincere explanation was met with indifference from Ernst, who paid little attention to the rest of the stories and simply pocketed the bracelet.

***

‘I got so caught up in the conversation that I forgot…’

It wasn’t until Lennoch had left that Eleanor realized she had missed her chance to ask him about Edea. At the very least, she should have brought up the nanny or inquired about her background.

“Eli, Eli.”

“Your Highness, you’re awake?”

Hail, who had just woken from his nap, immEdeately called out for Eleanor, as he had grown accustomed to doing. Eleanor found it endearing that the young prince always sought her out first and gently patted his head. Though her behavior—treating the imperial prince so casually—might have drawn criticism from others, here, they were alone.

Eleanor lay beside Hail, indulging in his playful antics.

“If I become the director of the Secretariat, I’ll be able to see you more often, won’t I?”

“Hm?”

“Never mind.”

Hail’s ears perked up at the unfamiliar words, but Eleanor just smiled and continued playing with him. The day before, Lennoch had offered her the position of overseeing the Hartmann refugees, and she had accepted without hesitation.

‘This might be for the best,’ she thought.

The drawback of becoming a governor was the inevitable deployment. Although Hartmann and Baden were geographically close, they had once been separate nations, and travel between them would likely become restricted. If she accepted the position at the Secretariat, the main office would be established within the Baden Empire, allowing her to visit the capital whenever she wished.

As she considered this, Eleanor thought of Brianna, Norah, Baroness Berenice, and all the others she had grown close to. It seemed she had become more attached to them than she realized.

“I wonder how they’re all doing.”

“Hm?”

Once again, Hail reacted to her musings. Sensing the tension in his small shoulders, Eleanor gently patted him.

“Shall I read you a story?”

“Hehe, yes!”

Hail beamed with delight. Eleanor fetched a storybook from the side table and began to read aloud in a soft voice.

“Once upon a time, there was a kind-hearted princess…”

Hail’s head lifted slightly, his cloudy eyes searching for the book as he instinctively reached toward it. Seeing this, Eleanor drew him closer.

‘I’ll hold off on mentioning Edea to Lennoch for now.’

There would likely be many headaches in the coming days as they worked to establish a new organization, and she didn’t want to add to Lennoch’s burdens. However, this didn’t mean she would simply stand by and do nothing about the nanny. There was undoubtedly something suspicious about her.

‘There’s definitely something there.’

The journal of Empress Edea and the secrets the nanny was hiding were clear indications that something was amiss. As she read the story to Hail, Eleanor’s mind began to form a new plan. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to her, someone was watching from a distance.

“—Disgusting.”

It was Hail’s nanny. She had positioned herself where she could observe the prince without being seen. Whenever they ventured outside, she knew exactly where to stand to keep an eye on him. Through the window, she could see Hail’s face filled with happiness as he played with the storybook beside Eleanor.

Seeing the joy on his face, the nanny’s hands began to tremble with barely contained rage. Her eyes brimmed with malicious hatred.

‘How could he die like that?’

She would never forgive them. No one had the right to be happy. Not that child, not herself, not anyone. Everyone deserved to be as miserable as she was. If they weren’t, the tragic death of her precious son would be too unbearable to endure.

Just as her fury reached its peak and her eyes bulged with anger, she heard a voice behind her.

“Nanny, good afternoon.”

“—Good afternoon to you as well, Sven.”

The nanny quickly masked her emotions, turning to greet Sven with a warm smile. The hatred and bitterness that had consumed her just moments before had vanished without a trace.

Sven, pleased with her response, waved cheerfully from a distance. “I’m off to prepare the ingredients. Tonight’s dinner will be roast turkey, so please look forward to it.”

“Really? That sounds delicious. I can’t wait,” the nanny replied, exchanging friendly pleasantries with Sven before returning to her laundry.

Occasionally, guards passing by would greet her as well. There wasn’t a single person at Winston Palace who didn’t know of the prince’s nanny. She was known for her diligence and kindness, and everyone liked her. No one would ever suspect the amount of effort she had put into building that trust over the years.

Maintaining her smile, the nanny gathered her empty basket. Before returning to her room, she glanced back at the place where the prince was one last time, as if unable to let go.

***

“From today, I will be assisting His Majesty. My name is Evan von Nestor, and it is an honor to serve you, Your Majesty.”

Evan, who had just received his new assignment, bowed deeply before the Emperor.

Lennoch smiled at him. “This is only a temporary position, so don’t get your hopes up. I’ll make my final decision based on your performance.”

“I will do my utmost to prove myself worthy, Your Majesty.”

The opportunity had come sooner than expected. Evan, who had been working in the Ministry of Finance, was initially shocked by the sudden transfer. He had always wanted to work directly under the Emperor, but he hadn’t yet achieved anything noteworthy that would catch the Emperor’s eye. He had been biding his time, anxiously waiting for his moment.

While he was pleased by this unexpected opportunity, Evan couldn’t help but remain on high alert. He couldn’t shake the suspicion that the Emperor had ulterior motives for calling him in.

As if reading his mind, Lennoch continued, “I’m going to test you quite thoroughly.”

“……!”

“I’m curious to see if you’re truly fit for this position. Even this temporary appointment is part of the test. The Duke of Nestor has spoken highly of you, comparing you to Eger, saying you’re just as talented.”

“You flatter me, Your Majesty. My father’s affection for his children sometimes leads him to exaggerate,” Evan replied modestly, glancing at Eger.

Wearing his glasses, Eger seemed displeased by the recent developments, his expression sour.

He grudgingly spoke up, “I can handle the work just fine on my own, Your Majesty. There’s no need for an additional assistant.”

“That’s not true. Didn’t you have a nosebleed just the other day?”

“…A nosebleed?”

“Yes, I was quite concerned when I saw it. It was clear you’ve been overexerting yourself.”

Eger’s expression twisted as he heard the Emperor mention the nosebleed. Seeing his cousin’s frustrated face, Evan couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

“You, who were always so composed at the academy, have been pushing yourself to the point of a nosebleed?”

“……”

Without responding, Eger angrily opened the box of chocolates that Lennoch had given him. Stuffing his mouth with the sweets, he chewed angrily, clearly stressed.

Lennoch, noticing his distress, offered a few comforting words. “I’ll make sure to buy you chocolates regularly.”

“One box won’t be enough.”

“Ten boxes?”

“More.”

Eger demanded with a sense of entitlement, making it clear that any extra duties should be compensated with his favorite treats.

The sight of Eger, visibly irritated and struggling with his pride in front of his cousin, had the desired effect. Evan, having momentarily set aside his doubts, confidently addressed the Emperor.

“You won’t regret choosing me, Your Majesty.”

***