Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 21 Part 6

“Do you like duck?”

“Ah, yes. Of course, I do. I eat all kinds of food without being picky.”

Vivia quickly responded to the unexpected question. It seemed the Emperor was curious about her taste in food. Though she was already quite full, if the Emperor was offering more, she could always find room. Her face lit up with anticipation.

“The chef seems exceptionally skilled, Your Majesty. The dishes are so wonderful, no matter how much I eat, I never tire of them.”

“Is that so?”

Without looking at Vivia, the Emperor casually responded while inspecting the dishes on the table. He seemed to be checking each meal placed before the guests. After a moment of contemplation, the Emperor gestured to the head chef, who had been standing against the wall.

“Bring out something else.”

“Pardon? Something else, Your Majesty?”

“Is there no special dish? Something to stimulate the appetite would be nice.”

The head chef tilted his head slightly, puzzled by the request. There were still plenty of untouched dishes on the table. Nevertheless, he quickly bowed his head and erased his doubts.

“I will prepare something right away.”

As the head chef exited, Vivia felt pleased but also a bit worried. Not only was the table filled with food, but her own plate was still full.

‘When am I going to finish all this?’

She regretted her earlier boastful remarks, but it was too late to take them back. As Vivia struggled to slice her meat and force it into her mouth, the Emperor’s gaze once again shifted toward Eleanor.

‘Why is she barely eating?’

Compared to the others, Eleanor’s plate was nearly untouched, as if it had just been served. Upon closer observation, it seemed she had only taken a few bites of each dish, merely tasting them. Resisting the urge to urge her to eat more, Lennoch quietly pushed one of the dishes closest to him toward her.

“……?”

Eleanor, who had been sampling some potato salad, glanced down at the plate that had been slid toward her. It was the duck steak Lennoch had mentioned earlier. The rich aroma of the meat, still warm and glistening with oil, filled the air. Eleanor glanced to the side. “Your Majesty, should I cut it for you?”

“Ah, no…”

Before Lennoch could respond, Eleanor had already taken the plate and begun cutting the meat.

‘That’s not what I intended.’

He had wanted to take care of her, but instead, he was the one being looked after. Smiling awkwardly to hide his embarrassment, Lennoch watched her. It didn’t take long for Eleanor to slice the relatively small portion into bite-sized pieces. She handed the plate back to him with a smile.

“How about we share this? It’s too much for one person.”

“I’m fine, Your Majesty. What I have is more than enough.”

“Is that so?”

There was no point in insisting when someone clearly didn’t want to eat. Resigned, Lennoch took the plate back, but not before his gaze fell on Eleanor’s wrist, exposed beneath her voluminous sleeve. It looked so delicate that he feared it might snap if he touched it.

‘She seemed to eat dessert just fine earlier.’

“Your Majesty, we’ve prepared a new stew along with a meat dish cooked with lemon and white wine.”

The head chef returned, carrying a tray of freshly prepared dishes. Lennoch instructed him to place the new dish in front of Eleanor, hoping that she might find something she liked.

As the head chef set the plate before Eleanor, Vivia watched from across the table, her eyes narrowing in frustration.

‘What a sly woman.’

She had never imagined Eleanor would win the Emperor’s favor by slicing his meat for him under the guise of innocent kindness. Watching the dishes she believed should have been hers end up in front of Eleanor filled Vivia with a misplaced fury. She stabbed her fork into a roasted tomato as her thoughts churned.

‘But something doesn’t add up.’

According to Evan, there was something unusual about the relationship between Brianna and the Emperor. He had even witnessed Brianna visiting the Emperor’s private palace, which was undeniable proof. Yet here was Eleanor, blatantly trying to win over the Emperor right in front of her eyes.

‘Wasn’t it Eleanor who saved Brianna from her crisis yesterday?’

But now Eleanor was showing clear interest in the Emperor. Vivia couldn’t understand it.

“…A love triangle,” Vivia muttered to herself.

It was clear that the two women were competing for the Emperor’s favor. That explained everything.

‘They may pretend to be close on the surface, but in the end, they’re no different.’

If Eleanor and Brianna were both aiming for the position of Empress, then there was no need for Vivia to make a move, as her father had suggested. While the two of them fought each other, Vivia could focus on endearing herself to the Emperor, ultimately eliminating both of them in one stroke.

‘I just need to pit them against each other.’

Although Marquis Delph had planned to meet Eleanor himself, Vivia had convinced him to let her handle it instead. It might be easier than she thought. If she could manipulate the situation just right, her father would have to recognize her cunning brilliance.

Smiling wickedly to herself, Vivia crushed the tomato on her plate.

“……”

Evan, seated beside her, noticed the subtle shift in her expression. From the way her eyes curved slyly, he could tell she was plotting something again.

Evan loathed Vivia.

Does she think the Nestor family will just stand by and let the Delph family produce another Empress?’

‘Absolutely not.’

Though everyone smiled and laughed warmly, beneath the surface, their thoughts and motives clashed continuously.

Different dreams in the same bed.

There was no better phrase to describe the scene unfolding before them.

***

Eleanor stifled a sigh as best as she could.

The uncomfortable lunch had finally come to an end, but the social gathering continued. The same group remained together.

‘I’m so full.’

Lennoch had once again ordered an assortment of pastries and snacks for her. While Vivia enthusiastically stuffed herself, Eleanor found her behavior to be utterly ridiculous.

“Lady Eleanor, it seems you’re not particularly enjoying yourself. You haven’t touched any of the food.”

“Ah, yes.”

Vivia, nibbling on a chocolate muffin, teased her in a playful tone. It was clear that Vivia wanted to show off and win favor with the Emperor. Her intentions had been transparent from the beginning.

Eleanor, unimpressed, smiled brightly at Vivia. “I’m just saving room for you, Lady Vivia. Please, have as much as you like.”

“……”

Vivia flinched at Eleanor’s words. She was already at her limit. The Emperor had been providing endless dishes, almost as if he were trying to fatten her up. Evan had already given up, while Pedro continued to consume food like a warrior in a competitive eating contest.

“Your Majesty, this cake is quite delicious. Is it filled with cream?”

“Eat as much as you want.”

Lennoch was growing increasingly frustrated. He had intended for Eleanor to eat more, but instead, the wrong people were devouring all the food. Pedro was on his third cup of tea, oblivious to the strained atmosphere.

Lennoch sighed internally.

‘I just wanted to have a quiet conversation.’

He had been looking forward to this new appointment more than anyone. He had hoped to talk with Eleanor about work and, perhaps occasionally, take a walk together under the guise of discussing important matters. Yet, from the very first day, these intruders had appeared.

More than his disappointment, Lennoch was beginning to worry.

‘Is she really not feeling well?’

Eleanor had eaten much less than usual compared to the time they had shared cookies at Winston Palace. Could something have happened earlier with Vivia? Lennoch furrowed his brow slightly, recalling the confrontation between the two women in front of his office.

‘I’ll have to ban Vivia from entering the palace.’

While he couldn’t prevent her from visiting her father, he could certainly post guards to keep her out of the Emperor’s private palace and office.

As if sensing his concern, Eleanor turned to him. “I apologize, Your Majesty. The Empress Dowager invited me for brunch earlier, so I had a light meal at the West Palace. That’s why I couldn’t eat much during lunch.”

In truth, she had simply missed the chance to explain earlier, distracted by watching Vivia’s enthusiastic eating. With just a cup of tea in front of her, Eleanor felt guilty as she compared her sparse plate to Vivia’s overflowing dishes.

Her gown was also unusually ornate today, making eating even more uncomfortable. Eleanor had found the situation amusing and hadn’t realized how concerned Lennoch had been, which made her feel bad.

“I should have told you earlier… I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

“It’s alright.”

Lennoch finally relaxed after hearing her explanation. Since Eleanor was full, there was no need to keep serving more food.

Lennoch gestured to the attendant bringing in another dessert. “That’s enough. You may stop.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

At last, the Emperor’s order to cease the meal prompted a collective sigh of relief. Pedro groaned in disappointment, while Evan and Vivia breathed sighs of relief.

Pedro, the only one still eager to eat, clicked his tongue in regret. “Still, I haven’t eaten like this in a long time. Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Pedro’s bow of gratitude was far from the formal etiquette of nobles. Having spent years traveling abroad, meeting people of all ranks, he had developed more casual habits.

Eleanor, observing him closely, joined the conversation with a smile. “Do you not usually eat like this?”

“Normally, I just make do with a simple sandwich. Feasts like this are a luxury for me when I’m traveling abroad. Haha.”

“You must have a difficult time abroad.”

“It’s nothing. Oh, I apologize for the late introduction. I’m Pedro of the Nestor family. I’m Evan’s older brother.”

“I’m Eleanor of Hippias.”

Pedro extended his hand confidently, and Eleanor took it without hesitation. Lennoch’s eyebrow twitched slightly at the sight, but no one seemed to notice.

Eleanor smiled as she firmly shook Pedro’s hand.

‘In my previous life, he was known as the Midas of trade.’

Pedro’s rise as a prominent merchant occurred in the year of Eleanor’s execution. His skills were not yet widely recognized by other nobles, but Eleanor knew the truth. Pedro possessed remarkable intuition, an uncanny ability to connect with people, boundless curiosity, and a sharp, analytical mind. Combined with the vast resources of the Nestor family, he would one day become a leading figure in international trade.

‘He’s a clever man.’

Despite his carefree appearance, Pedro was exceptionally knowledgeable. He was fluent in foreign languages, familiar with cultures around the world, and always prepared to make money wherever he went. Eleanor remembered how Caroline had underestimated him, only to fail miserably in a business venture they had discussed.

“How long will you be staying in the country, Lord Pedro?”

“I have a tight schedule, but…”

Pedro began counting on his fingers. Next to him, Evan desperately tried to signal him to stay quiet, but Pedro was oblivious to his brother’s efforts.

“I’ll be here for about ten days.”

“That’s wonderful. My office is nearby, so feel free to visit. I’ll make sure to serve you tea.”

“Haha, I’d be delighted. Thank you for the invitation.”

Pedro beamed with genuine delight at Eleanor’s offer, while Evan’s face darkened considerably. Lennoch, too, seemed less than pleased.

***