Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 26 Part 2

Even after Caroline stormed out of the office, leaving a mess in her wake, Eleanor continued her work without a care.

She burned all the noble invitations, keeping only the ones that were necessary. Among them was the invitation from Marquis Delph.

As the end of the workday approached, another guest arrived at Eleanor’s office. It was Pedro of the House of Nestor.

“I’m leaving the country now, Lady Eleanor.”

“Lord Pedro.”

Pedro approached with a smile, and Eleanor stood up to greet him warmly.

“When are you leaving?”

“I plan to leave tomorrow afternoon. Thanks to your business, my coffers have also grown fuller, so I’m in a good mood, haha.”

“You’re too kind.”

Eleanor shook her head as Pedro burst out laughing cheerfully.

“Without you, we wouldn’t have been able to succeed this much.”

“Oh, you’re flattering me. I only made some introductions.”

“But that was the hardest part for us.”

Even though Lennoch fully supported the funding for the business, Henrik and Milo, who were in charge of operations, were inexperienced in dealing with people.

Most of Eleanor’s contacts were also nobles. In order to complete the plan, they needed the purchasing power of the middle class, and it was Pedro who helped fill that gap.

Without Pedro’s introductions, Hippias wouldn’t have been able to secure such a large customer base in the beginning.

Eleanor personally served tea to Pedro, who had even delayed his departure to help her.

“The people you introduced to us have great trust in each other. They also have excellent skills and passion. I was truly impressed.”

“Haha, thank you for the compliment. They all liked you as well, Lady Eleanor. They said you’re kind and not like a typical noble. Ah, please don’t misunderstand; by ‘not like a noble,’ they meant it as a compliment, not an insult.”

“Haha, I know, don’t worry.”

Understanding Pedro’s concern, Eleanor replied joyfully.

“I’m quite envious of you for having such friends around you. When you return to the homeland, please include me in your group from time to time.”

“Oh, everyone will be delighted if you join us. You’re the first person to speak so highly of my friends, Lady Eleanor.”

Pedro scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

“My family doesn’t like my friends, you see. It’s understandable, though. Most nobles don’t mix well with the middle class.”

Eleanor could guess the difficulties he faced. Instead of comforting him, she offered a compliment.

“You have a very good nature, Lord Pedro.”

“Haha, it’s not that I’m good-natured, it’s just that I’m oblivious. I keep friends around who others disapprove of.”

However, contrary to his humble words, Pedro’s face was beaming. No one had ever spoken positively about his friends before. Feeling happy, Pedro gulped down his tea, then made a face.

Having met Pedro several times, Eleanor knew that he didn’t enjoy tea without milk, and she quickly stood up.

“Oh, I forgot the milk. I’ll go get it.”

“No, it’s fine. I can add sugar instead.”

“No, it’ll be much better with milk. I’ll be back quickly.”

Stopping Pedro from standing up to follow her, Eleanor quickly moved.

It was late, and most people, including Brianna, were no longer in the office. Since she had to go to the tearoom herself, Eleanor reached for the doorknob to open the door. But before she could, the door swung open, pushed by someone else.

“…Ernst?”

“You’re here.”

A cold gaze focused on Eleanor.

Since the last incident, Ernst was the person Eleanor least wanted to encounter, but she responded with a smile.

“What brings you here?”

Without replying, Ernst glanced around the office. Pedro, oblivious, stood up and waved his hand cheerfully.

“Oh, Ernst. Are you here to have tea too?”

“……”

Ernst looked at Pedro, then at the two teacups on the table.

His voice took on an odd tone. “What are you two doing alone?”

“I came to see Lady Eleanor. Why don’t you sit down? Let’s have tea together.”

Pedro, ever the sociable one, gestured to the empty seat without hesitation. But the more enthusiastic Pedro became, the gloomier Ernst’s mood grew.

‘When did they become close enough to drink tea alone together?’

On top of that, Pedro seemed completely at ease, as if this was his own room. Ernst, feeling increasingly displeased, looked back at Eleanor.

“What are you doing? Sit down. I’ll get the milk.”

Seeing Ernst conflicted, Eleanor urged him and turned away. Ernst tried to stop her, but Pedro quickly rose and put his arm around Ernst’s shoulders, preventing him from moving.

Ernst, unable to do anything but watch her leave, shot a sharp glare at Pedro. “What exactly is your relationship?”

“What?”

“How often have you two been meeting like this?”

“Not often, but from time to time.”

It was for business.

Pedro scratched his cheek as he remembered meeting Eleanor in secret multiple times to introduce her to wealthy members of the middle class for her tea business. The details of the tea business were too lengthy and complicated to explain, so Pedro hesitated.

In the meantime, Ernst’s misunderstanding deepened.

“Do you like her too?”

“What?”

It was like being struck by lightning out of the blue. Pedro blinked, completely caught off guard, while Ernst, who had already reached his conclusion, frowned.

‘How many men has she been with in such a short time?’

Suddenly, his stomach churned with unease. The image of Eleanor holding the Emperor’s hand came back to him. He was already bothered by her seemingly suspicious closeness to the Emperor, and now even Pedro appeared to have an interest in her.

As Ernst’s eyes grew intense, Pedro, overwhelmed, let go of his shoulder. “You’re going to kill someone with that glare. What’s wrong?”

“Leave before Eleanor returns. I have something serious to discuss.”

“Is it serious?”

Noticing Ernst’s odd mood, Pedro grew serious as well. “Are you planning to confess again?”

“…Don’t say weird things.”

At the mention of confession, Ernst’s heart skipped a beat. The fierce energy that had enveloped him disappeared instantly, as if doused with cold water.

Pedro, sensing Ernst’s reaction, made a small sound of acknowledgment. “You still have feelings for your ex-wife?”

“……”

Ernst, caught off guard, ignored Pedro’s words and sat down in the seat Pedro had just vacated.

It was clear why he had chosen that particular seat—he wanted the uninvited guest to leave. Though it was rude for the later-arriving guest to chase away the earlier one, Pedro merely shrugged.

“I don’t know how things will turn out, but I’ll cheer for you. Good luck.”

“……”

“I’ll say goodbye to Lady Eleanor on my way out.”

Pedro found it a bit disappointing that the meeting was cut short, but he decided to yield for Ernst’s sake. He planned to drop by the tearoom to deliver a message to Eleanor on his friend’s behalf.

Pedro left Ernst behind and walked out of the office.

***

“How have you been, young lord?”

Despite being outside, she seemed like a completely different person. Caroline’s refined tone and gentle demeanor made Evan feel a chill run down his spine, though he forced a smile.

“Yes, I’ve been well, thanks to you.”

“That’s a relief. As you can see, I’m not doing so well.”

“…It appears so.”

With nothing else to say, Evan nodded in silence.

Caroline was dabbing her eyes incessantly with a handkerchief.

How could there be anything that could make her cry this much? As countless scenarios ran through Evan’s mind, Caroline moved closer to him.

“You must be lucky, having such a strong family to support you. You must be free of worries.”

‘What does she mean by that?’

Evan’s hand felt a bit clammy.

Caroline slowed her pace as she drew nearer.

Was it possible that the manager secretly placed in the Balkan Trading Company had been caught? Evan swallowed nervously.

“Is something wrong?”

“Oh, there’s plenty wrong.”

Caroline finally stopped, close enough that her shoulder almost touched Evan’s. Still pretending to wipe her tears, Caroline spoke quietly enough that only Evan could hear.

“The tea business that recently launched. You’ve heard about it, haven’t you?”

“……!”

The gentle tone suddenly took on a venomous edge.

“Because of that, everything I worked on has been ruined.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Go ask your brother. He knows best.” Caroline’s lips twisted as she cut her words short. “I won’t forget this. Just wait and see.”

Her tone was practically a threat. Evan, feeling cornered, couldn’t even manage a response.

With a sneer, Caroline left without another word, striding purposefully away.

‘I knew this day would come.’

He had realized it from the moment that man started relying solely on his father’s money.

The moment Caroline learned from Russell about the exclusive contract the company had signed, she was livid.

Hippias?

Wasn’t that the family of Rachel, the former Duchess of Mecklen, whom she had framed and driven out?

She couldn’t fathom how a fallen noble family, believed to be finished after being expelled from the center of power, had managed to secure so many business partners.

So Caroline, upon hearing the information, immediately went to visit the shop and began inquiring around the area.

After finding clues, including the fact that the eldest son of House Nestor had visited several times to finalize the building lease, Caroline became consumed by rage.

‘I will make them regret this.’

Since it was Nestor who had betrayed her first, she had no intention of letting it go.

After leaving the palace in a rush, Caroline didn’t return to the Mecklen mansion but instead stopped by the boutique district for the first time in a long while.

She passed by nobles getting fitted for clothes and entered her usual boutique.

“You’ve arrived.”

“Are they here?”

“They arrived before you and are waiting inside.”

The tailor, whom she hadn’t seen in a while, bowed and led her inside.

In the meeting room, Marquis Delph and Vivian were waiting for her.

“You’re late, Madam Caroline.”

Marquis Delph greeted Caroline with a gentle smile.

Vivian, seemingly uncomfortable with the meeting, awkwardly lifted the hem of her dress slightly. Caroline, not one to let such a thing pass easily, snapped at Vivian curtly.

“Your daughter lacks manners.”

Vivian’s glamorous face twisted for a moment. No one, except her father, had ever reprimanded her like that.

To quickly calm the suddenly chilly atmosphere, Marquis Delph stepped in. “I apologize. It seems I have been lacking in her education. I will teach her properly.”

“Hmph.”

It was not yet the time to fight Caroline.

Thanks to Marquis Delph’s quick intervention, Caroline did not pursue the matter further.

As they drank the tea brought by the tailor, the three of them went straight into the meeting.

Marquis Delph spoke first, “I’ve heard the news. Eleanor, that woman stole your business, Madam Caroline. What exactly do you mean by that?”