Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 24 Part 2

Ernst found himself facing relatives who had barged into his office without warning.

Never before had any of his kin intruded upon his workplace like this. The majority of the Mecklen family knew well the temperament of the Duke, who kept work and family separate.

Leaning his upper body back against the chair, Ernst showed his discomfort openly.

“What brings you all here?”

The people gathered before Ernst were the siblings of the late Duke Mecklen. Two were his uncles, and the other two were his cousins.

Despite Ernst’s sharp gaze, Norman, the younger brother of the former Duke Mecklen, stepped forward.

“Duke, how long do you plan to keep Lady Caroline under house confinement?”

The unexpected question made Ernst’s eyes narrow. “Why do you ask?”

“I think the punishment of house confinement for Lady Caroline is excessive.”

If the late Duke Mecklen had been alive, he would now be an elderly man with snow-white hair like Norman. Ernst looked for traces of his father in Norman’s face.

“This is a decision for me, as the head of the family, to make. There’s nothing more to discuss, so please leave.”

“That won’t do.”

To Ernst’s surprise, Norman persisted.

“Wasn’t Lady Caroline put under house confinement for failing to properly discipline a mere employee?”

“……”

Ernst remained silent.

He had kept the truth—that his mother had abused Eleanor—a closely guarded secret. Even after the divorce, Eleanor had not brought it up, and Ernst had chosen his course of action as a means to protect the family’s dignity.

However, to family members unaware of the circumstances, his actions seemed difficult to understand.

Ernst glanced toward Vincent, who stood a short distance away, listening to the conversation.

“We didn’t say a word about your divorce, trusting that you had your reasons. But Lady Caroline is different. She’s someone who has worked tirelessly for this family. Everyone here owes her a debt, and you know this better than anyone.”

Another reason Ernst couldn’t easily cast Caroline aside—after the death of the former Duke Mecklen, his uncle Norman had stepped in to fill the void.

While Ernst had inherited the title, Norman and Caroline had managed the family’s affairs together.

Caroline, with her exceptional business acumen, had overturned the prejudices of those who had initially opposed her and had gained recognition. Because of this, even after Ernst came of age, Caroline continued to manage the family’s business.

“I have one question.” Ernst’s eyes gleamed sharply as he asked, “Who told you all about my mother’s house confinement?”

Norman flinched at the question. After a brief hesitation, he looked back at the other family members. Following a silent exchange of glances, Norman finally spoke to Ernst.

“Lady Caroline herself sent us a letter. She said she’s planning to expand the tea business significantly, but the house confinement is preventing her from taking action.”

‘Mother herself?’

Snap.

The quill Ernst had been holding snapped in his hand. Vincent, standing some distance away, quickly brought him a new one, his actions mechanical.

As the atmosphere in the room grew tense, the family members, who had been murmuring among themselves, shrank back slightly.

“How loyal of you all. Discussing family business with my mother, even while she’s under house confinement.”

“D-Duke.”

Norman’s face turned ashen as he realized his mistake.

“Vincent.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“See them out.”

“Understood.”

At Ernst’s command, Vincent opened the office door wide.

The family members resisted, unwilling to leave, but they were no match for the strength of the knights. As they were dragged into the hallway, Norman shouted in frustration.

“Duke, how difficult is it to lift the house confinement? Why are you being so stubborn?”

“Indeed. You should know when to let go.”

“We won’t move an inch from here until you hear us out.”

The commotion in the hallway grew louder as the disgruntled family members protested. Palace servants passing by paused to watch the scene unfold.

Among them was Eleanor, who was on her way to the emperor’s office, her heart pounding.

‘Is that…?’

Having once been part of the Mecklen family, Eleanor recognized Norman’s face. She also recalled that he had been somewhat close to Caroline.

Eleanor’s eyes widened slightly as she took in the sight of the gathered family members. It seemed like meeting them here would only lead to trouble.

Just as she turned to take a longer route, Ernst, who had somehow stepped out into the hallway, spotted her immediately.

“Perfect timing.”

Muttering under his breath, Ernst strode forward and grabbed Eleanor’s arm before she could move away, pulling her toward him in one swift motion.

Caught off guard, Eleanor tried to resist, but Ernst held her firmly, preventing her escape. Finally, he spoke, breaking his silence.

“I have something to discuss with this person, so please leave.”

“Isn’t that…”

“The ex-wife, right?”

Norman and the other relatives gaped in shock, their mouths hanging open.

They had only seen her once, at the wedding held at the Duke’s estate. When news of the divorce had reached them, they had thought little of it. The fact that she was now here, in the palace, and still interacting with Ernst was astonishing.

Ernst, casting a disdainful glance at their stunned expressions, dragged Eleanor into his office.

Bang!

“What on earth are you doing?”

As soon as the door slammed shut, Eleanor struggled to free her arm. To her surprise, Ernst released her without resistance, but then blocked the door to prevent her from leaving.

“Good day, Director.”

“…Hello, Sir Vincent.”

Vincent, who had been standing quietly in the corner, approached. Not wanting to direct her anger at someone uninvolved, Eleanor greeted him politely.

Ernst interrupted their exchange.

“It’s been a while.”

“It’s not exactly a pleasant reunion, given the circumstances,” Eleanor replied, not backing down. “I don’t know what you want, but dragging me here against my will is extremely rude.”

Though she had ended things amicably with Ernst, they weren’t on such close terms that she would tolerate this level of disrespect.

Watching Eleanor speak calmly and precisely, pointing out his wrongs, Ernst’s expression shifted slightly.

“You haven’t changed.”

“It’s only been a month since we separated—it’s far too soon to talk about changes.”

“Only a month?”

He had thought at least half a year had passed. Though they were in the same palace, it had felt like an eternity since they had last seen each other.

Without showing his thoughts, Ernst replied indifferently, “I apologize.”

“……?”

“I apologize for what just happened. I acted impulsively.”

Eleanor blinked, unsure if she had heard correctly. She had expected him to insist on his own perspective, but his response was entirely different.

Ernst wasn’t done.

“Have you been well?”

“……”

“You don’t look unwell, at least.”

Ernst scrutinized her face.

“Your hair seems longer than before. You tie it up now.”

“What are you doing?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re acting strange.”

It felt as if something was stuck in her throat—his behavior was unsettling. It seemed as though he had an ulterior motive, and Eleanor eyed him warily.

Ernst, his expression blank, showed no visible changes. Except for looking slightly thinner, he seemed the same as always.

“Why don’t you both sit down and have a proper conversation instead of standing?”

It was the first time Vincent had seen his superior inquire about someone’s well-being, so he cautiously suggested they take a seat.

Ernst, appearing eager to talk to Eleanor, accepted his subordinate’s suggestion without hesitation.

“Let’s sit.”

“I’m sorry, but I need to report to His Majesty the Emperor, so I must be going. We can talk another time.” Eleanor shook her head.

It was too soon to have a conversation with Ernst like this. The biggest reason was that Caroline had not yet fully resumed her activities.

Determined to get past him, Eleanor made up her mind.

“It won’t take long.”

Seeing Eleanor looking for an opportunity to slip away, Ernst spoke up.

“I have one question.”

“What is it?”

“How well do you know my mother?”

***

“Ah, it’s so cold.”

Childe stomped his feet in the cold as he looked at the map. Unlike his time in prison, he had shaved his scruffy beard, and his now-clean face exuded a warmth.

After studying the map for some time, he looked around. “Is there no one I can ask?”

It was winter, and most of the stores had closed early. Fortunately, a small, unimpressive bakery had yet to close. When he opened the door and stepped inside, a small bell attached above the door jingled.

“Welcome.”

“Sorry, but can I ask you something? Do you know where Merry Farm is around here?”

“Merry Farm? I believe it’s completely shut down.”

“Oh dear.”

Hearing the baker’s response, Childe looked troubled. No wonder there was nothing there.

“Thank you.”

After leaving the bakery, Childe marked an ‘X’ on Merry Farm on his map.

His map was riddled with these marks, the result of verifying farm after farm in this manner. But the number of farms left to check was still hundreds of times more than those already marked.

As Childe decided on his next direction, he sighed.

‘At this rate, will I finish on time?’

The emperor had given him half a year, but Childe wanted to complete the task even faster. He had to prove himself worthy of the trust placed in him—prove that he could succeed.

Determination shone in Childe’s eyes.

‘I should start by visiting the larger farms.’

After much thought, Childe had come up with a strategy for his investigation.

From his own experience playing a small role in the scandal surrounding Eros, Childe knew that secret organizations often operated surprisingly close by. The villa where he had once hidden was close to the capital, and that alone gave him reason to suspect that Caroline’s secret farm might be in a similar situation.

Moreover, there were advantages to establishing a hidden farm near a major one. Most large farming villages stocked essential supplies like farming tools, seeds, and other goods, making things more convenient.

Thus, Childe decided to start by locating smaller farms parasitizing larger ones.

“Next up, let’s see… Whitson Farm.”

It wasn’t too far from Merry Farm. Most of the surrounding area was plains, perfect for cultivating vast fields of grain—a rare geographic advantage, resulting in numerous farms, one after the other.

Childe trudged along, scanning the street.

He happened to notice a general store across the way. The shopkeeper was talking to a tall man as he sold goods displayed outside.

The conversation seemed one-sided, with the shopkeeper doing most of the talking.

“……”

“What did you say?”

“……”

“Can’t talk, can you? You have to say something so I know what you need.”

The man trying to buy goods seemed to be mute, pointing at things with gestures—likely attempting to buy a bundle of seeds.

‘He’s quite handsome for a commoner living out here.’

He had black hair and blue eyes—a rare combination.

‘He looks familiar somehow. Have I seen a face like that before?’ Childe mused, studying the smooth lines of the man’s profile. But no clear memory came to mind.

Even if the man resembled someone he knew, it was probably just a coincidence. After all, it wasn’t like the man was a noble.

Childe glanced at the man, sweating profusely as he tried to communicate, then turned his head and continued on his way.

***