Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 17 Part 5

“Ah, ah-choo!” Hail sneezed loudly, struggling to cope with the persistent sneezing that had taken hold of him.

The nanny hurried over to his side, her concern evident. “Your Highness, have you caught a cold?”

“It seems the weather has turned quite chilly,” Eleanor said as she carefully wiped Hail’s nose, which had turned red like Rudolph’s.

The temperature had dropped sharply with the onset of winter, and despite wrapping him in warm clothes, it appeared that the cold had still managed to get to him. Hail had been enjoying his first time on a swing so much that they had stayed out longer than planned—a mistake, it seemed. Eleanor touched his forehead but, thankfully, found no fever.

At that moment, the nanny took Eleanor’s hand.

“Lady Eleanor, please allow me to take care of this. It’s the nanny’s duty to attend to His Highness.”

“No, it’s alright,” Eleanor replied, trying to gently refuse, but the nanny insistently took the handkerchief from her.

“It is my responsibility to ensure that His Highness is cared for without any lack,” the nanny insisted, almost as if she were pleased to reclaim her role. She quickly settled beside the prince, mirroring the actions Eleanor had just performed.

“Now, Your Highness, just lift your head a little more.”

“Mm…”

Hail, unaccustomed to receiving such direct attention from the nanny after so long, felt slightly awkward but complied with her instructions. Eleanor watched quietly as the nanny, focusing solely on the prince, turned her back on her.

Eleanor allowed herself a faint smile. “You are very meticulous, nanny.”

“Oh, you flatter me,” the nanny replied, laughing at the unexpected compliment. However, Eleanor wasn’t finished.

“Since you take such good care of him, I feel at ease about leaving.”

“Leaving? Where are you going?”

“I’ll be returning to my family soon,” Eleanor said, her tone tinged with regret.

The nanny, finally tearing her gaze away from Hail, turned to look at Eleanor. For the first time, Eleanor’s expression was heavy with sorrow, as if she were reluctant to leave.

Observing this change, the nanny showed a slight shift in her demeanor. “You must be sad to leave after growing so attached to His Highness.”

“I don’t want to go, but I have no choice.”

“Are you going far away?”

“I’ve arranged a house on the eastern side of the capital. His Majesty said it was alright for me to stay here longer, but I can’t impose indefinitely.”

“I understand. It must be uncomfortable for you,” the nanny said, nodding thoughtfully.

Though she was stationed at Winston Palace, the nanny wasn’t completely ignorant of the rumors circulating. She had vaguely heard that Eleanor had resigned from her position as a lady-in-waiting to the Empress Dowager, though she didn’t know the details.

‘So, she’s finally leaving,’ the nanny thought, inwardly pleased at the news that the thorn in her side was departing from the palace.

“When are you planning to go?”

“I intend to inform His Majesty that I’ll be leaving tomorrow morning.”

“Eli…”

Hail, who had been staring off into space, whimpered softly. Eleanor gently took hold of his small, outstretched hand.

“When I speak to His Majesty, I’ll make sure to ask for a doctor to be sent. We can’t let your cold get any worse.”

“You’re right.”

“I’m counting on you to take good care of His Highness.”

‘How presumptuous.’

Since when had Eleanor become so close to the prince? To the nanny, Eleanor seemed like an outsider trying to play the role of a permanent resident.

Suppressing her true feelings, the nanny replied warmly, “Of course. You can leave with peace of mind.”

“I’ll trust you, nanny,” Eleanor said, maintaining eye contact with the nanny as she continued to stroke Hail’s hand.

So focused was the nanny on Eleanor’s seemingly affectionate gestures that she failed to notice Hail’s reaction. Though he had been on the verge of tears, Hail surprisingly remained calm, not clinging to Eleanor despite her intention to leave.

After leaving Hail’s room, Eleanor headed straight for the outer door. At that moment, as the shift change approached, a recently assigned knight was standing guard at the entrance of Winston Palace. Recognizing Eleanor as she approached, the knight greeted her first.

“Lady Eleanor!”

It was Gallip von Hilda, one of the knights who had been abducted along with Raul to El Gino. Though he had been the most severely injured among the knights who had escorted Eleanor and Brianna, he had fortunately recovered without any lasting effects and had returned to his duties.

Gallip, who was also a cousin of Norah, was the only knight from the Hilda family, a predominantly administrative house.

Eleanor recognized him as well and greeted him with a bright smile. “We meet again.”

“What brings you out here? Is there something I can assist you with?”

With a large number of new guards assigned to Winston Palace, many knights frequently passed through the palace. Just the other day, Eleanor had been delighted to spot Gallip while she was on the swing with Hail in the garden. Now, stepping outside to catch him on duty again, Eleanor felt a twinge of guilt.

“In that case, could I ask you a favor?”

“Of course,” Gallip responded with a firm nod. “It’s the least I can do for you after everything you did for us in Hadum.”

“Thank you.”

Gallip’s straightforward and dependable nature filled Eleanor with confidence as she quickly got to the point.

“Could you inform His Majesty that we need a doctor at Winston Palace?”

“A doctor? Are you unwell?”

“His Highness has caught a cold.”

“That’s serious. I’ll go report it right away,” Gallip said, prepared to leave immediately. Although leaving his post was generally against the rules, the health of the prince was a special case. As Gallip made to depart, Eleanor handed him another item.

“Could you also deliver this message for me?”

“Certainly.”

“And…” Eleanor smiled softly. “Please tell His Majesty that I plan to return to my family home tomorrow.”

***

“…Return?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. That was the message she asked me to deliver,” Gallip reported, noticing the strange expression that crossed Lennoch’s face.

The new organization hadn’t even been established yet.

In truth, it didn’t matter where Eleanor resided. However, the thought of her leaving Winston Palace caused an inexplicable unease to rise within Lennoch.

As the Emperor’s expression hardened, Gallip handed him a letter Eleanor had given him.

“She also asked me to deliver this.”

The letter was sealed with wax. Lennoch took it and immediately broke the seal.

“I want to run away from Winston Palace. Is there a way out? Oh, and I don’t think I’ll need any dessert this time.”

Upon reading the cryptic message, Lennoch fell silent.

Gallip, who had been waiting quietly, began to grow nervous. The Emperor, who already appeared cold, now seemed even more distant, filling the air with an icy chill.

‘This must be something serious,’ Gallip thought.

Then, Lennoch’s lips twitched. It looked as though he was trying to suppress something.

Startled by the sound, Gallip instinctively shrank back. The sound, which started as a quiet snicker, gradually grew louder.

As the Emperor’s laughter filled the quiet office, the bewildered Gallip called out hesitantly, “Y-Your Majesty?”

‘Run away, she says.’

It was a charming code. When Eleanor had mentioned his childhood, it was clear she had remembered the way he used to sneak out of the palace and had used that memory as inspiration for her message.

Lennoch couldn’t help but recall his own mischievous younger days, as well as the small Eleanor in her pink dress, brandishing a sword.

“Tell her I understand.”

Though Eleanor had said she planned to return to her family, her letter was asking him to provide the secret passage. Lennoch was curious about her intentions.

‘Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter.’

Whether she intended to use the passage to secretly come and go from the palace or for some other urgent reason, it didn’t concern him. He trusted Eleanor, knowing she wouldn’t act with malice. Besides, her frequent visits to the palace would be a good thing for him.

“Oh, and take this with you.”

Suddenly recalling something, Lennoch rummaged through his desk and pulled out a dagger.

“This…?”

Gallip’s eyes widened as Lennoch handed him the dagger, which bore the emblem of the Baden imperial family.

Lennoch sealed the matter with finality. “Give this to Eleanor.”

“At once, Your Majesty.”

Gallip, accepting the dagger with reverence, saluted smartly before leaving.

There were only a few who had been granted a dagger bearing the imperial emblem. With it, Eleanor would be able to move freely within the palace. After Gallip left, it wasn’t long before Eger, who had been sent on an errand, returned to the office with Evan.

“Your Majesty, we’ve returned.”

“You’re later than expected.”

Having just finished burning Eleanor’s letter in the fireplace, Lennoch turned to face them.

The role of the Emperor’s assistant involved not only processing documents but also running various errands and conveying necessary information across departments multiple times a day. Given the numerous projects underway, they would be exceptionally busy in the coming days.

Evan, who had spent the entire afternoon moving around the palace, looked visibly tired as he prepared to sit down.

“You’ve arrived at the perfect time, Evan. I have an important task for you.”

“Please, give the order, Your Majesty.”

If the Emperor had chosen him directly, it must be a significant assignment. It was also a prime opportunity to earn the Emperor’s trust quickly.

Glancing at Eger, who was already sitting and reviewing documents, Evan’s slitted eyes gleamed with a subtle sense of superiority.

“Whatever it is, Your Majesty, I will accomplish it.”

With a confident tone, Evan stepped forward, only for Lennoch to smile and lean in close, whispering in his ear, “Bring me a list of the most famous dessert shops in the capital.”