Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 21 Part 4

“Countess Lorentz fabricated the evidence of the scandal?” Brianna asked in a hushed, shocked voice.

The Empress Dowager raised a finger to her lips. “Be careful not to speak too loudly. We don’t know if May is still nearby.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I’m sorry.”

Brianna, realizing her mistake, quickly covered her mouth. Unlike Brianna’s startled reaction, Eleanor remained composed.

The Empress Dowager turned to Eleanor. “You must have suspected something?”

“I had a faint suspicion.”

Eleanor explained softly, “The night before I wore the dress in question, I saw Countess Lorentz walking down the corridor outside my room. It wasn’t enough evidence to be certain, so I considered other possibilities…”

She trailed off. The scandal had occurred some time ago, and without hard evidence, the matter had been left unresolved.

The Empress Dowager nodded in understanding. “Indeed. But did you know May’s mother was once an employee at Eros?”

“……!”

Both Eleanor and Brianna’s eyes widened at the unexpected connection.

“She’s the woman who wrote the article about your scandal, Eleanor. Of course, she claimed she didn’t know who provided the evidence.”

“Is that true?” Brianna interjected again, this time unable to contain herself.

There had always been tension between Brianna and Eleanor, but now it made sense. Countess Lorentz must have deliberately damaged the dress to fuel the fire.

Berenice continued the explanation on the Empress Dowager’s behalf. “At Her Majesty’s request, I looked into May’s background. Her parents weren’t nobles. Her father was a wealthy merchant, but he squandered all of their wealth due to his compulsive thievery. They divorced, and May’s mother started working for Eros to support the family.”

“……”

“After Eros was dismantled for fabricating scandals, May’s mother was sentenced to public flogging for tarnishing the imperial family’s name. The injuries from the punishment left her unable to work.”

With no one else to care for them, young May had been forced to find work herself.

“She moved from restaurant to restaurant, eventually ending up as a maid in the palace after hiding her identity.”

“……”

“Her mother’s life is at stake. May has no choice but to follow orders.”

After finishing her explanation, Berenice took a sip of her tea.

“But even though she’s pitiable, her wrongdoing is clear. Her mother is guilty, and May approaches the Empress Dowager with ulterior motives. We can’t overlook this.”

“Of course,” the Empress Dowager agreed. She wasn’t unaware of the risks.

But there was a reason why she had kept May by her side.

“Eleanor, although we’ve discovered who was responsible for framing you, the incident was wrapped up when Duncan, Eros’s secret editor, confessed to everything. As you said, we lack concrete evidence to go further.”

“……”

“But by keeping May close, I can keep an eye on Countess Lorentz and uncover her next plot.”

“Isn’t that dangerous, Your Majesty?” Berenice asked, exasperated.

The Empress Dowager’s plan meant she was using herself as bait. Before Brianna could echo Berenice’s concerns, the Empress Dowager countered, “Do you really think I’m that easy to fool?”

“…Your Majesty.”

“I’ve survived decades in this perilous court, even after the sudden death of the late Emperor. I upheld my countless duties during that difficult time.”

After the Emperor’s passing, the Empress Dowager had protected the Baden imperial family and the young Emperor from chaos.

Her eyes gleamed with pride. “If we simply cut off the tail now, it will mean nothing. How dare they try to deceive me? I will find out what Countess Lorentz is scheming and make her pay.”

Brianna, shocked by the Empress Dowager’s intensity, sat quietly. The ladies-in-waiting had no chance of stopping her now. As Berenice shook her head in defeat, Eleanor stared down at her teacup before speaking again.

“Your Majesty, I don’t believe Countess Lorentz acted alone.”

“……?”

Everyone’s eyes turned to Eleanor. She raised her gaze and met the Empress Dowager’s, whose once cold stare softened slightly.

“Countess Lorentz is a woman with clear limitations.”

“Indeed, she is.”

“She wouldn’t have had the means or the vision to orchestrate something like this on her own.”

There must have been someone guiding her from behind, Eleanor reasoned.

“Caroline. Her sins are far worse than we imagined.”

“……”

Eleanor’s voice turned serious. “She still has much to answer for. Given all that she’s done, I wonder if she can ever repay her debt.”

At the mention of Caroline, the room grew quiet.

“You know how close Countess Lorentz and Caroline are, don’t you, Your Majesty?”

“……”

“Countess Lorentz wouldn’t dare harm you directly. Despite her loyalty to Caroline, she also takes pride in being one of Your Majesty’s longest-serving ladies-in-waiting. She wouldn’t want anything to happen to you, knowing the consequences would affect her.”

Countess Lorentz’s hostility toward Eleanor stemmed from a simple source: jealousy. She couldn’t stand seeing the Empress Dowager’s favor directed toward Eleanor.

Eleanor continued, “The intricate plan behind this incident clearly originated from Caroline. Countess Lorentz has merely been caught in her web.”

“……!”

Brianna recalled how, every time Countess Lorentz shared gossip about Eleanor, she never failed to mention that it had come from Caroline.

The Empress Dowager thought back to Caroline’s relentless persistence—how she had ensnared Rachel of the Hippias family in her schemes and tormented her beloved maid.

Berenice felt a growing sense of danger, remembering Caroline’s ability to fabricate outrageous scandals and move people in and out of the palace as if it were her own home.

“Fishing is most satisfying when you’re after a big catch, isn’t it?” Eleanor smiled faintly.

It was time to use a larger bait. Only then could they lure out the great shark hiding deep beneath the ocean.

“So, Your Majesty, leave it to me. I’ll uncover whatever Caroline is plotting behind Countess Lorentz.”

***

“Your Majesty.”

With a sullen expression, Eger addressed the Emperor.

“Who are you waiting for?”

“Hmm?”

At last, the Emperor’s head, which had been fixed toward the door, returned to its normal position. Since the morning meeting had ended, he had been repeatedly checking the door every ten minutes, as if he was impatient about something.

Eger furrowed his brows at the unfamiliar sight of the Emperor acting so unsettled. “Is there an urgent report you’re waiting for?”

“…That’s right.”

There was indeed an urgent report, at least by Lennoch’s standards. The Emperor drummed his fingers on the desk without elaborating further, although the rhythm was slightly different from the habit he displayed when deep in thought. At this moment, Lennoch was feeling incredibly anxious.

“It’s an urgent report. Why hasn’t it arrived yet?”

“Is it a new lead Evan has uncovered?”

“No,” the Emperor cut him off sharply, leaving no room for further discussion. “I have no expectations for Evan.”

“But didn’t you instruct him to investigate the poison that killed the nanny? Understanding the details is important.”

“That poison was already identified by Count Hilda.”

“…Pardon?”

Eger nearly dropped the quill he had been holding. Though not widely known, Count Hilda was an expert in herbs. So why had the task been given to Evan as well?

“Then why assign Evan to this investigation?”

“That’s because…”

Knock knock.

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Lennoch paused. His body instinctively moved as if expecting something, but he restrained himself, trying not to show too much excitement. If he seemed too eager, she might find it burdensome. After all, she had refused his invitation to stay overnight at the palace, choosing to leave in a hurry. Perhaps she really did dislike him.

No, he mustn’t do anything she might hate.

Lennoch cleared his throat, signaling that he was inside, and calmly called for the visitor to enter.

‘What would be a good greeting for Eleanor on her first day? “Good morning?” Or perhaps…’

“Your Majesty!”

“……?”

The deep, heavy voice instantly shattered all the fantasies Lennoch had been holding on to. He turned his gaze toward the door, feeling deflated.

It had been years since he had last heard that voice, but it was so distinctive that he could never forget it.

“Lord Pedro.”

“Finally, I, Pedro, have returned to the beautiful land of my homeland. It’s been a long time, Your Majesty!”

Pedro’s booming voice reverberated as he grinned broadly. He had the bronze skin and bulging muscles of a sailor, and his appearance was so imposing that he seemed like a walking weapon. His younger brother, Evan, was clinging to his arm, looking as though Pedro was choking the life out of him.

Suppressing his disappointment, the Emperor spoke, “At this rate, Evan will die.”

Just as the Emperor had predicted, Evan, whose face had turned pale from lack of circulation, looked ready to depart for the afterlife. Pedro nonchalantly shook the arm that was gripping his brother’s neck.

“Not a chance, Your Majesty. I didn’t raise my brother to be so weak. Hahaha!”

“Cough, cough!”

Evan, despite Pedro’s claim, let out a series of painful coughs, as if begging for someone to notice his suffering. Lennoch, not wanting rumors to spread about dead bodies in the Emperor’s office, gestured for Pedro to sit down.

“Set him down and take a seat.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

“Cough, cough, haaa…”

Finally able to breathe, Evan rubbed his reddened neck. Pedro’s strength was simply overwhelming. Having traveled through many nations as part of his work for the trading company since childhood, Pedro was rougher than the average noble.

‘Of all times, why did my brother have to return now?’

Evan grumbled internally.

The Duke of Nestor has two sons: Pedro, the eldest, and Evan, the youngest. While Evan managed the Nestor family’s domestic affairs in Baden, Pedro handled all overseas matters. Unlike his quiet, inscrutable younger brother, Pedro was known for his cheerful and outgoing personality, making him a charming presence.

“Eger—long time no see, my friend!”

“…You’re as loud as ever.”

Eger couldn’t help but marvel at Pedro’s ability to lower his voice while greeting others. If there were anyone who could deafen someone just by saying hello, it was Pedro. Afraid that Pedro might approach him, Eger subtly stepped back.

Still catching his breath, Evan called out to his brother. “Brother, stop embarrassing me.”

“Oh ho, if you get embarrassed over something like this, how do you expect to survive in this harsh world? You’re still too soft, Evan.”

“…Do whatever you want.”

This was why Evan hadn’t wanted to come with him. Pedro wasn’t someone you could have a normal conversation with. Without a clue about how humiliated Evan felt, Pedro continued with gusto.

“I tried to make it in time for the New Year’s party yesterday, but wouldn’t you know it? A storm hit the port, and none of the ships could sail. So, I swam ashore! Hahaha!”

“…You didn’t actually swim here, did you?”

“I did.”

“……”

At this, even the Emperor and Eger’s expressions turned grim.

“I knew you were always bold, but this… you’ve become rather extreme.”

Lennoch struggled to keep his tone diplomatic, as he had no intention of being too harsh. For the first time, he found himself sympathizing with Evan.

‘Could it be… the reason Pedro was sent overseas all this time was because no one could handle his personality?’

Pedro, oblivious to the awkward atmosphere, continued to laugh heartily.

***