Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 21 Part 3

Becky adapted quickly.

By the very next day, she moved through Eleanor’s bedroom with the skill of someone who had worked there for years. Her previously dirty clothes and face were now clean, and she selected accessories along with the maids to bring to Eleanor.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Thanks to you,” Eleanor replied with a bright smile as she sat in front of the mirror.

Becky brought a set of pearl jewelry, simple yet luxurious. She first arranged Eleanor’s short hair. Her once-short locks had grown to reach her shoulders, making it easier to tie up. Once Becky’s work on the hair was complete, she draped the necklace over Eleanor’s slender neck.

“Wow, this really suits you, madam.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

Eleanor smiled, thinking Becky’s words were just polite flattery, but Becky shook her head earnestly.

“I’m serious, madam. It fits you so perfectly. Whoever picked this has great taste. I’ve seen some of Mdam Caroline’s jewelry, but I’ve never seen a design like this before.”

“Really?”

Eleanor glanced at her reflection in the mirror as she listened to Becky’s praise. Beneath her elegantly styled blonde hair, the pearl necklace lay perfectly around her neck as though it had been made just for her, reflecting a subtle glow.

“Could His Majesty have chosen this himself?”

“Pardon?”

“No, nothing.”

Eleanor mumbled to herself, brushing off her thought. This piece of jewelry, too, had been a gift from Lennoch. From the dresses to the jewelry and even the smallest household items, everything in this mansion had been provided by him.

“……”

Feeling overwhelmed by Lennoch’s devotion, Eleanor briefly tried to calm the emotion swelling inside her. She suddenly recalled the time when she had first left Hartmann and entered the Mecklen family.

On her first day, Caroline had threatened her with a wardrobe inspection, and she had been at a loss over what dress to wear, flustered by Caroline’s impossible demands. It wasn’t until later that she realized the wardrobe was just an excuse for Caroline to bully her.

Back then, Eleanor had desperately tried to get along with Caroline, thinking it was her only way to survive.

‘Now…’

Things were different this time. She was starting with a much more luxurious foundation.

“You’ll be late if you don’t hurry, madam.”

While Eleanor was lost in thought, Becky nudged her to get moving. If she delayed any longer, her early morning preparations would have been for nothing. Becky’s encouragement finally got Eleanor to head downstairs.

“Henrik, you’re already up?”

“Yes, I’ve decided to leave for Mondriol early with Milo. The journey is long.”

They had spent much of the night discussing business, with Henrik staying up late talking to Milo about their trade plans. Although he looked a bit worn out from the lack of sleep, his eyes were shining with determination.

This was his first step as the young leader of the Hippias Trading Company. Following Eleanor’s advice, Henrik and Milo had already started organizing the temporary staff they would need.

Fortunately, Henrik’s knowledge of management, inherited from his predecessor, was solid. Any gaps in experience would be filled by Milo.

“If you run into any trouble, listen to Milo’s advice, and don’t hesitate to contact me if necessary.”

“I’ll make sure to do so.” Henrik nodded. This first trade expedition would be a crucial starting point for revitalizing the family.

Eleanor, pleased with Henrik’s enthusiasm, turned to Milo. “Make sure to contact me as soon as you arrive.”

“Of course, madam. I’ll send reports via pigeon as soon as we make progress.”

“Thank you.”

With a smile, Eleanor stepped outside. Everyone followed her out to the garden, escorting her all the way to the mansion’s entrance. As Eleanor looked at those gathered to see her off, she noticed Becky holding a fan—the one the Empress Dowager had gifted her.

Seeing the fan in Becky’s hands, Eleanor was reminded once again of her newfound position.

“See you all later.”

With a bright smile, Eleanor waved her fan. Right on cue, a carriage emblazoned with the white lily emblem of Hippias arrived before her.

***

“Today’s going to be spent just greeting people.”

Brianna grumbled as she stood beside Eleanor. She had already forgotten yesterday’s incident at the party, behaving as if everything were back to normal. But internally, Brianna felt different.

‘When should I apologize?’

Eleanor had been busy reviewing documents on her first day at work, and Brianna, thankful that Eleanor hadn’t mentioned the previous day’s events, occasionally glanced over at her.

Eleanor, engrossed in reading, hadn’t brought up the party, which Brianna appreciated, but the thought of brushing the incident aside didn’t sit well with her. Brianna sighed deeply.

“Is greeting people that exhausting?”

Suddenly, Eleanor, who had her head down, asked the question, catching Brianna off guard.

“W-what? No, I’m not that petty! I’m not the type to just take someone’s help and then—”

“You said you were tired of greeting people earlier. I thought you meant the introductions.”

“Oh—y-yes, that’s what I meant.”

Brianna, feeling guilty for assuming Eleanor had been talking about something else, quickly turned her head away, feeling embarrassed.

‘I need to apologize soon.’

She had already thanked Eleanor at the party, but she still hadn’t delivered the most important part—her apology. Why was it so much harder to say ‘sorry’ than ‘thank you’?

‘Why did I treat Eleanor so horribly in the past?’

The more she thought about it, the more restless Brianna became. She had spent the previous night unable to sleep, haunted by regret.

‘I can’t go back and slap my old self now.’

The shock Brianna was feeling wasn’t entirely due to the emotional pain Eleanor had caused. Instead, it stemmed from Vivia’s actions, which had forced her to confront her past self. Recalling how Vivia had commanded the other young ladies, Brianna ground her teeth.

“The more I think about it, the angrier I get.”

“……?”

“I’ll definitely get my revenge.”

Eleanor’s eyes widened at Brianna’s sudden declaration of war.

“I’m not the type to let things slide. Do you think I can’t do what they did to me?”

Though Brianna’s fiery personality had mellowed somewhat, she was still herself. Eleanor chuckled as Brianna boasted about gathering the young ladies she knew to bring down Vivia.

‘It’s good to see her back to her old self.’

Eleanor had worried about seeing Brianna feeling defeated, but she was relieved now.

With a smile, Eleanor checked the time.

“Shall we go pay our respects first? His Majesty had an early morning meeting, so we should visit the Empress Dowager first.”

“Good idea. Let’s go.”

Brianna readily accepted Eleanor’s suggestion. When they opened the office door, they saw the new staff sitting at their desks. As Eleanor stepped out, everyone rose to greet her, but she waved them off, signaling them to continue with their work.

“I’ll be back after seeing Her Majesty.”

“Yes, madam. Have a good meeting.”

Leaving behind the staff’s polite greetings, Eleanor and Brianna headed straight for the Empress Dowager’s palace. Though the route and faces were familiar, the reactions were different this time.

“Good morning, Director. You look absolutely beautiful today.”

“I’m Jin, the eldest son of Viscount Metron. Would it be possible to invite you for tea sometime, Director?”

The faces of those greeting her were filled with flattery, entirely different from before. Eleanor returned their greetings with little meaning, but Brianna lifted her nose high, as if she were the one being showered with praise.

***

“Come in, Eleanor. Or should I call you Director now?”

The Empress Dowager, who had been reading a book, looked up warmly as she greeted Eleanor. In the room, there were only two people: the Empress Dowager and Berenice. Eleanor glanced around briefly as if searching for someone else.

“Countess Lorentz and Norah have been sent on an errand together. You won’t see them for the rest of the morning,” the Empress Dowager explained gently, noticing whom Eleanor was looking for.

“Brianna, you look even better than before. Do you feel more comfortable now that you’ve moved?”

“Oh, no, not at all,” Brianna quickly denied, though she was clearly caught off guard.

The Empress Dowager moved to the balcony and took a seat at the outdoor table. Eleanor, Brianna, and Berenice followed suit, sitting down in sequence. Just then, there was a knock on the door.

“Come in.”

“Your Majesty, I’ve brought the tea.”

“Ah, it’s May.”

A red-haired girl entered, carefully balancing a tray as she walked toward the table. The tray seemed heavy, and Berenice frowned slightly at how the girl’s hands trembled with the effort, but she refrained from saying anything aloud.

May walked gingerly, as if she were afraid the ground beneath her might collapse, and began setting the tea at the table.

“Shall I brew it strong?”

“Yes, please,” the Empress Dowager replied with a nod.

The affection in the Empress Dowager’s gaze was apparent as she looked at May, causing a slight flash of irritation to pass across Brianna’s face.

‘So, this must be May.’

She was the maid Countess Lorentz had brought with her, the same one Brianna had openly complained about during their previous visit to the Emperor’s private palace.

While the Empress Dowager looked at May with nothing but fondness, Berenice remained indifferent. As Eleanor pieced together the dynamics, her gaze met May’s.

“I hope the tea suits your taste.”

“Thank you,” Eleanor replied politely.

May smiled innocently, her expression one of pure, youthful energy. Eleanor watched quietly as May left the room, walking with deliberate caution so as not to make a sound.

“There’s certainly a lot of interest in May,” the Empress Dowager remarked once the room fell into silence after May’s departure.

Eleanor dipped her head slightly in apology. “Forgive me, Your Majesty. I was just a bit surprised since it’s not common for maids to attend to such duties, especially at Your Majesty’s service.”

“You’re right.”

Normally, multiple ladies-in-waiting would have taken turns tending to the Empress Dowager, so it was rare for a maid to bring tea directly. Even with two ladies-in-waiting absent today, Berenice is still present.

Eleanor, ever cautious, was the first to taste the tea, a precautionary measure in case something unusual had been added to it.

“…It seems fine.”

“Tsk, you must have been worried,” the Empress Dowager chided lightly. “You shouldn’t be so quick to take a sip like that. What if there truly had been poison?”

The Empress Dowager, calm as ever, seemed unfazed by the possibility. Eleanor glanced at Berenice, noticing her exasperation, suggesting that such events were not uncommon.

“Are you aware that May came here through Countess Lorentz?” Eleanor asked cautiously.

“You know as well?”

The Empress Dowager, about to raise her cup to her lips, turned to look at Brianna, who was seated nearby, sipping her tea quietly with a stiff expression. The Empress Dowager smiled knowingly.

“That’s why I keep her close.”

“……?”

“I’m too curious about what Countess Lorentz might be plotting.”

“Your Majesty…”

The Empress Dowager’s attitude seemed more like reckless amusement than mere curiosity. If May had indeed poisoned the tea, the situation could have escalated dangerously.

Berenice, seated beside the Empress Dowager, let out a weary sigh. “You feel pity for May, don’t you?”

“What?”

“May has become a tool for Countess Lorentz because the countess has some hold over her. For now, while we work to uncover the countess’s motives, you play along with May, acting the fool.”

“Act the fool? Berenice, isn’t that a bit harsh?” The Empress Dowager chuckled, she didn’t seem at all offended by Berenice’s words.

As the Empress Dowager laughed softly, Berenice, with uncharacteristic concern, continued, “I’m in agreement with Lady Eleanor. It’s too dangerous to keep May around solely out of pity.”

“But haven’t we uncovered something already?” The Empress Dowager smirked. “Do you remember the scandal involving Childe? The person who secretly stole and delivered the fabric swatch was none other than Countess Lorentz.”