Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 25 Part 1

A moment later, the sound of lips meeting echoed in the room.

It was the sound of Eleanor’s palm covering Lennoch’s mouth.

In response, Eleanor’s shoulders visibly jerked up.

Somehow, Lennoch’s hands had found their way to gently hold Eleanor’s hands.

“Then, may I love you?”

“……!”

His soft voice reached her ears. It felt almost like a declaration of war.

In the flickering firelight, Lennoch’s green eyes darkened, and Eleanor’s breath grew unsteady.

“May I love you?”

His soft lips brushed against her fingers. Like a stamp being pressed, it lingered around her. The moist touch felt foreign, yet strangely stimulating.

As if under a spell, Eleanor said in a daze, “Do as you wish.”

If it is you, it’s okay.

“I will… do the same.”

Her heart swelled as if it would burst.

Lennoch, who had hesitated, moved closer, accepting her permission. Their noses nearly touched, but Eleanor did not pull away.

It didn’t matter how long he had felt this way or what kind of gaze he had used to look at her. What mattered was that, right now, their feelings were the same.

That was enough.

A light kiss touched and then left their lips.

It was as gentle as a feather.

Unconsciously, Eleanor’s shoulders flinched, and she opened her eyes, which she had closed in response to the movement.

Lennoch remained there, just a breath away.

As Eleanor stared at him with wide eyes, he leaned in again.

This time, he lingered a bit longer.

The unfamiliar warmth spread around her lips.

Lennoch waited for Eleanor to relax, murmuring softly, “Breathe.”

Today, it felt impossible to restrain himself as he had done yesterday. Before she could reply, their faces met for a third time.

The unfamiliar intruder gently nudged Eleanor’s tightly pressed lips, urging them to open.

Unaware that her face had been firmly grasped by Lennoch, Eleanor responded.

“……!”

The soft yet intense contact gradually consumed Eleanor’s breath. The thing she thought would be rough was surprisingly gentle.

As if trying to ease her tension, Lennoch’s tender touch traced the inside of her lips repeatedly.

Following his gentle lead, the heat in her mouth grew.

Before Eleanor’s breath became too labored, Lennoch turned his head slightly, creating a small gap.

“Breathe.”

“Haah.”

A hurried breath passed between their lips.

The pink lips, slightly parted, glistened, wet with transparent moisture.

Lennoch couldn’t leave them untouched.

As his lips covered hers once again, Eleanor placed her strength on his shoulders.

The sensation was something she had never experienced before.

The heat moved with a softness that left her mind completely blank.

It felt as if her entire body might melt away.

After what felt like an eternity, Eleanor finally pulled back, ending the deep kiss.

Her eyes, hazy with heat, looked up at him.

Lennoch, watching her dazed expression, planted a gentle kiss on her forehead.

“Are you alright?”

“…Yes.”

Her faint response came out like a sigh.

The warmth radiating from the fireplace had turned her entire body crimson.

Unable to meet Lennoch’s eyes, Eleanor turned her head to the side, feeling the belated wave of embarrassment wash over her.

“I, well, this is my first… time doing something like this.”

To endure the awkward situation, she made a confession she hadn’t managed to share the day before.

Worry filled her mind, hoping he wouldn’t be disappointed by her clumsy response.

Lennoch let out a soft laugh upon hearing her sincere confession.

“I know.”

Lennoch gently stroked Eleanor’s cheek, telling her not to worry.

“This is my first time too.”

“…Liar.”

“It’s the truth.”

He’s so skilled, though?

It felt as if he was teasing her, making Eleanor shake her head slightly. “I can’t believe it.”

“Why is it hard to believe?”

“You are the emperor. You’ve surely met countless noblewomen before. How could you have no experience?”

“It’s possible.”

Lennoch said it as if it were obvious.

“Because it could only be you.”

“……!”

Her face flushed even more deeply than when he had confessed.

What if my heart really stops beating?

She had never known that difficulty breathing could feel like this.

Unable to hold back any longer, Eleanor buried her face into Lennoch’s shoulder.

He gently stroked her lowered head. “How about staying here tonight?”

At his suggestion, her delicate golden hair trembled.

It was hard to answer right away.

Lennoch was willing to let her go if she wanted.

Waiting quietly for her response, Eleanor whispered softly, “Okay.”

Seeing Eleanor’s shy reaction, Lennoch couldn’t help but laugh.

He pulled her into a tight embrace, his head turning slightly to plant a light kiss on her cheek.

The warmth from their earlier kiss still lingered in her ears.

Lennoch whispered softly against her flushed ear, “You’ll get used to it soon enough.”

The night was long, and the fire in the hearth was still burning.

25. Caroline in a Corner

A welcome telegram arrived from Milo.

[Contract successful. Returning soon.]

They hadn’t yet drafted a formal contract with Pedro. The tea tasting hadn’t happened yet. However, Eleanor was hopeful that Pedro would give his full support once he was convinced.

“Confidentiality of the deal’s terms is a basic requirement for any merchant.”

Eleanor’s concern that Duke Nestor might somehow learn of their contract turned out to be needless. Pedro himself had stressed the importance of not leaking any details before the product launch. Thanks to that, Eleanor felt reassured.

“It’s been quite some time since it was just the two of us, Lady Eleanor.”

“I’m sorry. I should have arranged meetings like this more often.”

“Not at all. We’ve both been busy.”

To ease Eleanor’s guilt, Berenice answered with a smile. They were traveling in a carriage, heading for none other than Ferret Street No. 13.

The emperor had insisted on accompanying them again, but Eleanor had refused. She feared that if they left the palace together twice, someone would take notice. Unable to sway Eleanor, Lennoch secretly assigned four well-trained knights disguised as mercenaries, keeping it hidden from Ernst.

Berenice continued, “I’m glad I could be of some help to you, Lady Eleanor.”

“Oh, it’s really me who should be thanking you.”

It was Eleanor who should be expressing gratitude because Berenice’s skills were vital for this mission.

“I never imagined you’d use information brokers so frequently, Baroness.”

“If you find trustworthy brokers, they can be quite useful. I like that they’re willing to do anything for money.”

“I see.”

Eleanor recently learned that Berenice was well-versed in the workings of Ferret Street No. 13. The timing was fortunate; Eleanor needed someone like her, and she asked Berenice for help, offering to share her dealings with information brokers.

Unlike before, this mission couldn’t be accomplished by simply throwing money at the problem. While Jack Ruby had been driven by hunger for money, Russell was different; his goals were entirely different.

To sway Russell, Eleanor needed someone experienced in the ways of information brokers.

Berenice, who was responsible for the Empress Dowager’s information network, was the perfect person for the task.

“Jack Ruby is the trickiest of all the brokers. I even tried using intermediaries to get through to him, but it was useless. I was even scammed a few times by the intermediaries.”

If even Berenice had been deceived, it meant intermediaries were not reliable.

Eleanor realized anew just how much effort Milo had put in for her sake.

“So we just need to sway Russell, correct?”

“Yes, exactly. He may be new to Ferret Street, but I hear he’s already devoured several other brokers.”

The phrase “devoured” was borrowed from Jack Ruby’s terminology.

Berenice added, “And he’s said to have quite a powerful backer—Caroline, of all people…”

A faint smile crossed Berenice’s previously expressionless face.

“She really is a remarkable woman, isn’t she? Having a hand in everything.”

“It also means she must be quite capable.”

“That, I can’t deny,” Berenice agreed readily.

Caroline was a woman who had survived for many years in the prestigious Mecklen family. It would be strange if she lacked talent.

Berenice’s gaze naturally drifted to Eleanor’s eyes. “I think you’re just as impressive, Lady Eleanor. Breaking through to such high-level brokers in such a short time is admirable.”

“That wasn’t my doing.”

Eleanor blushed, crediting Milo entirely.

But Berenice wasn’t finished with her praise.

“Many nobles in the palace have recently taken notice of you, Lady Eleanor.”

“Me?”

“Yes, there’s already word circulating that you’re a favorite of His Majesty.”

Princess Hartmann, once a lady-in-waiting to the Empress Dowager was dismissed from her position due to corruption in personnel appointments. However, after being inducted into the House of Hippias, she had settled in the Imperial Court, now one of the Empress Dowager’s most trusted aides. Even the emperor had acknowledged her skills and actively supported her.

It all pointed to Eleanor.

“Of course, opposition from the rival faction is still there.”

“You mean Marquis Neto and the nobles around him?”

“Yes.”

Their dislike of Hartmann’s people had turned into opposition.

Eleanor knew that Marquis Neto sometimes went around the palace openly saying he couldn’t acknowledge her position.

Eleanor sighed slightly. “His Majesty has asked my opinion on where the Hartmann refugees should be settled, but I still haven’t found suitable land for them. It’s a serious problem.”

“The nobles are fiercely opposed, after all.”

“That’s right. And they see the nomads as a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at any moment. They fear an uprising.”

She understood those fears.

“Once this mission is over, I’ll have to come up with proactive solutions.”

“Aren’t you already handling too much?”

Berenice’s concern was genuine.

“I heard you still need to prepare for the charity party. I’m worried that you might wear yourself out.”

“Thank you for your concern. But I’ll keep at it as long as I can.”

Eleanor smiled warmly in response to Berenice’s concern.

As they chatted, they soon noticed the three chickens standing beneath a blue roof.

It was Jack Ruby’s base.

Contrary to Eleanor’s worries, persuading Russell was surprisingly easy. It took less than thirty minutes of Berenice speaking with him for Russell to spill everything. Judging by the few screams heard in between, it seemed there had been some intense moments.

Although the confidentiality of an information broker’s client’s request was an ironclad rule, nothing was more valuable than one’s life.

Going forward, Russell would be reporting all of Caroline’s movements to Eleanor.

With everything wrapped up smoothly, Jack Ruby requested a private conversation with Eleanor.

For the sake of confidentiality, they moved to an isolated room far from Russell.

“I’ve found a lead on one of the tasks you assigned to me earlier.”

It was about tracking the sale history of the counterfeit painting “Sunflower Girl” by the artist Zigor in East Harlem.

Eleanor’s anticipation was evident as she listened intently.

“We haven’t yet identified the buyer, but the seller was easy to track down.”

“That’s good.”

It was quicker progress than she’d expected.

Eleanor nodded, satisfied just knowing who the seller was, but Jack Ruby continued with even greater caution.

“The one who smuggled the counterfeit into East Harlem and put it up for auction is ‘Saruka.'”