Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 20 Part 2

“Y-you go ahead first.”

Startled, Eleanor quickly took a sip of tea. Fortunately, the tea had cooled a bit, so it wasn’t too hot.

While she slowly sipped her tea, Lennoch asked, “When do you plan to leave for the Hippias family?”

“Hmm.”

She had forgotten for a moment.

Eleanor glanced at the recommendation letter resting on the table. She had intended to search for Rachel, the former Duchess before Caroline, but she hadn’t expected to visit Rachel’s family, the Hippias family, this soon. At least this spared her the effort of sending someone to investigate.

“If Your Majesty allows it, I can leave today.”

“It’s hard to know what might happen if you go alone. How about taking a knight with you?”

“I would appreciate it, but…”

Eleanor hesitated, feeling like she had been receiving too much help. Sensing her reluctance, Lennoch gave a gentle smile.

“It’s a small matter. Don’t feel burdened. I’ll arrange for a carriage.”

“Thank you.”

“But what was it that you were going to tell me?”

Now seemed as good a time as any to speak. Lennoch would undoubtedly approve of whatever she said, but she hadn’t expected to feel so conflicted. After meeting with the Empress Dowager, Eleanor’s resolve had strengthened.

She opened her mouth, having made up her mind. “Isn’t it uncomfortable for me to be staying in Your Majesty’s palace?”

“It doesn’t bother me. Is there something that displeases you?”

Though his smile remained, Lennoch’s fingers trembled slightly under the table. Oblivious, Eleanor gave a sheepish smile.

“No, it’s not that. But I can’t hide here forever. My ankle is fully healed now, and…”

It had been convenient staying in the Emperor’s private palace, but she couldn’t continue to impose indefinitely. She was also concerned about the whispers of others. Eventually, she would have to return to society, and there might come a time when she needed to invite nobles to her home. Thinking of what lay ahead, it made sense for her to leave the palace.

After a brief silence, Lennoch spoke, though his tone was filled with reluctance. “Hail will be sad.”

“I’ll explain it to Hail.”

“…Then do what you feel is best.”

Lennoch reluctantly agreed. It wasn’t so much approval as it was an acceptance of Eleanor’s decision. This time, he couldn’t fully hide his feelings, and Eleanor noticed his disappointment.

Seeing this, she smiled warmly, narrowing her eyes slightly. “I’ll visit the palace often to see Your Majesty.”

“……!”

“And once I start working, we might even see each other every day.”

“……”

“Should I report to you once a day?”

Lennoch’s mouth hung open, caught off guard by the playful tone of her voice. Amused by his reaction, Eleanor couldn’t help but laugh aloud.

“After all, you’ll be my superior now, right, Your Majesty?”

“That… is correct.”

Lennoch awkwardly cleared his throat and turned his head. The sadness that had weighed on him vanished in an instant, thanks to her words.

***

The Hippias family resided in a city far from the capital. Worried about arriving after nightfall, Eleanor hurriedly rode in the carriage Lennoch had provided.

The city of Ripolli, the birthplace of the Hippias family, had once been powerful. However, after the incident involving Rachel, the family’s influence had rapidly declined, leaving them unable to assert their dominance over the city as before.

Upon arriving at the gates of the Hippias estate, Eleanor stepped out of the carriage and let out a soft sigh.

“This is… worse than I expected.”

The saying that even a wealthy merchant’s fall takes three years didn’t seem to apply to the Hippias family. In just a few years, the family’s fortune had crumbled. Beyond the rusted iron gate, the poorly maintained garden resembled an overgrown, abandoned field.

She pulled the bell rope several times, but no one answered immediately. It wasn’t until she rang the bell repeatedly that an old man scratching his belly finally emerged.

“Who are you?”

“I’ve come from the imperial palace.”

The man, who looked more like a servant than a proper butler, eyed Eleanor up and down before bowing. “I’m sorry, but the master is not home.”

“Has he gone out?”

“No, he passed away from illness not too long ago.”

“……!”

Eleanor involuntarily gasped. “Then is the head of the Hippias family not here?”

“The heir, Young Master Henrik, is expected back late tonight.”

Both of Rachel’s parents from the Hippias family had passed away. Rachel’s current fate was unknown, and her younger brother, Morgan, had inherited the family but had also passed away recently. Morgan’s only surviving descendant was Henrik.

The fact that neither the imperial family nor the social circles were aware of Morgan’s death indicated just how far the standing of the Hippias family had fallen compared to its former glory.

Eleanor let out a sorrowful sigh at the more severe-than-expected state of the Hippias family.

‘I can’t just wait here.’

“Where is Lord Henrik?”

“Are you going to go find him yourself?”

“If it’s not too much trouble, I’d prefer to. This matter is urgent.”

“I don’t know if you’ll be able to talk to him…” The servant scratched his beard, muttering to himself, “He’s probably at the tavern down the street. Look for the sign that says ‘Big Fish.’”

“…A tavern?”

Eleanor blinked in surprise at the unexpected word.

***

“Hey, Ena, one more drink over here!”

A young man with golden hair raised his hand amidst the boisterous group of men. Though he appeared much younger than the others, his clean-shaven face gave him the look of a student. Still, he was clearly an adult. His flushed cheeks and slurred speech made it clear that he was quite drunk.

Ena, the owner of the Big Fish, laughed at his antics. “Aren’t you adorable, young master? Will you even be able to make it home at this rate?”

“So what? It’s not like anyone’s waiting for me at home. Just bring me another.”

Henrik’s loud shout left Ena with no choice but to pour him another beer from the keg.

“Drink up.”

“To Henrik’s future!”

“What future?” Henrik sneered in response to the well-wishes. “A family that’s already ruined has no future.”

“Ha, well, that’s tr—”

“Hey, shut up.”

Another man quickly covered his mouth, silencing him. No matter how far the Hippias family had fallen, Henrik was still a noble. If he wanted to charge them with slander, they wouldn’t have a leg to stand on. The man who had made the mistake realized his blunder, his eyes widening in shock, but fortunately, Henrik said nothing.

Just as the earlier cheerfulness faded into an awkward atmosphere, there was a soft click.

“Is anyone here?”

“……?”

A clear female voice echoed through the tavern. All the men seated around the few scattered tables turned their heads toward the entrance. There, standing with two tall knights, was a noblewoman. The men’s eyes widened in awe.

“She’s beautiful…”

The same man who had earlier slipped up couldn’t help but blurt out his thoughts again. His companions immediately slapped his back in panic.

“Ha-ha, I apologize. This man has no sense. Please forgive him for his rudeness.”

“Indeed. Please be merciful.”

“Apologize quickly!”

“S-sorry…”

The man bowed deeply, berating himself for his carelessness. Fortunately, the noblewoman did not seem offended. While everyone else remained tense, Henrik alone wore a disinterested expression.

“What do you want?”

“You’re the head of the Hippias family, correct?”

“And if I am?” Henrik answered curtly.

‘Who is she?’

She was a noblewoman he had never seen before in Ripolli. Judging by the imperial insignia on her knights’ robes, she was likely connected to the imperial family. Her dress was also ornate and expensive, a sharp contrast to his own state. Seeing the stark difference between them, Henrik’s face twisted slightly.

“Are you an acquaintance of my father?”

“Not exactly.”

Watching Henrik’s defiant attitude, Eleanor stepped forward.

“I’m here to propose something.”

“A proposal?”

“This doesn’t seem like the right place to discuss it.”

Eleanor glanced around the tavern. At her gaze, the men sitting nearby shrank back nervously, though they had done nothing wrong. This clearly wasn’t the appropriate setting. Eleanor turned to Henrik.

“Would it be alright if we moved to a more private location?”

***

In the Hippias mansion’s drawing room.

For a space meant to entertain guests, the room looked rather shabby. Eleanor reached out and lightly touched the cracked wooden table. A fine layer of dust settled on her fingertip, indicating it hadn’t been cleaned in quite some time.

Henrik, sitting across from her, muttered as if in apology, “After my father passed away, all the servants fled.”

“……”

“They hadn’t been paid for months. The family’s company went bankrupt, and we sold off anything of value. We couldn’t keep up with the estate’s upkeep.”

The old man who had greeted Eleanor earlier was the estate’s only remaining servant. Henrik explained that the man had stayed because he had nowhere else to go.

“As you can see, there’s nothing left here worth taking. So what kind of proposal could you possibly have for a family like this?”

Though he was still slightly drunk, Henrik wasn’t so far gone that he couldn’t think clearly. He didn’t have enough money to drink himself into a stupor, after all. He figured that this beautiful noblewoman would leave once she saw the sorry state of his family. But then she spoke.

“I want to buy the family.”

“……?”

Henrik blinked, certain he had misheard her. “What did you just say?”

“I’m willing to pay a price in exchange for being entered into the Hippias family’s registry.”

“……!”

He was stunned. And he couldn’t understand. Unsure if this was some kind of joke, Henrik pressed his hands to his head.

“Do you even understand what you’re saying?”

“I do. The Hippias family has what I need, so I’m making an offer.”

Eleanor’s demeanor was unwavering. Seeing her seriousness, Henrik finally grasped the reality of her offer.

She was genuinely proposing to join the family in exchange for payment. The absurdity of it was laughable, but what stung more was how much his circumstances had deteriorated. The fact that he was even considering her proposal made him feel utterly pathetic.

‘I really am pitiful.’

Henrik leaned back in his dusty chair, a bitter smile on his face. “Well, I guess no other family would be living in poverty like mine. That’s why they wouldn’t even have to think about this kind of offer.”

“So then…”

“I’m not interested.”