Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 27 Part 5

27. Elegant Counterattack (2)

Lady Jutland, Lady Yavich, and Lady Craister.

In her previous life, Eleanor remembered being dragged around by these three.

At first, Caroline’s harassment was mild, but it intensified over time.

Caroline had astutely recognized Eleanor’s position as someone with nowhere to turn, even when bullied.

Even her husband couldn’t protect her, leaving Eleanor to endure Caroline’s torment from the moment she opened her eyes in the morning until she fell asleep at night.

“It’s such a pleasure to see everyone gathered here like this.”

Eleanor’s words of delight were genuine.

“I’ve always believed we’d meet someday, and I’m glad that day has finally come.”

“You sound as though you know us well.”

Lady Yavich snorted.

Looking Eleanor up and down, Yavich’s voice suddenly turned sharp with irritation.

“What’s that dress? Isn’t it by Charlotte, the designer? She told me she wasn’t taking any more clients, yet somehow you’re wearing one of her pieces. How did you get it?”

Charlotte was one of the most renowned designers in the empire.

Having money wasn’t enough to commission her; securing an order often took months of waiting.

Yet here Eleanor was, wearing a dress by the famed designer.

The price of Charlotte’s creations was astronomical, beyond the reach of most people, no matter how wealthy.

As Yavich’s blatant jealousy was directed at her, Eleanor let out a soft chuckle.

‘It’s a gift from Lennoch.’

She suddenly realized how much thought Lennoch had put into her.

Just then, Brianna, standing beside Eleanor, retorted to Yavich’s mocking tone.

“The Yavich family isn’t all that impressive, is it? You probably can’t even commission Vanessa, let alone Charlotte.”

“What?”

Vanessa was one of Charlotte’s ten apprentices.

She was also the least skilled among them, infamous for her poor craftsmanship.

As Yavich jumped to her feet in anger, Brianna fanned herself casually, her movements taunting.

“Do you know who made the dress I’m wearing? None other than Simone, the apprentice Charlotte is considering as her successor. What nerve you must have to bring up Charlotte when you can’t even dream of commissioning Simone.”

“You little—!”

Unable to contain herself, Yavich lunged toward Brianna, but Caroline stepped between them.

Caroline’s expression made it clear she disapproved of Eleanor wearing such an expensive dress.

“I see why you’re so full of yourself. It’s because you’re wearing something that’s out of your league.”

“Out of my league?”

“I don’t know how a castoff from the Mecklen family got such a dress. You must have begged the Empress Dowager for it. How pitiful.”

Caroline’s laugh was full of mockery, and Lady Yavich, Lady Jutland, and Lady Craister joined in, laughing aloud.

Just as Brianna stepped forward, ready to retort, Eleanor stopped her.

“So, Lady Caroline, does that mean you’ve been groveling before your son?”

“…What?”

“Ernst mentioned that you were crying and begging. He told me you said you’d apologize to me no matter what.”

“……!”

“But looking at you now, it seems that was a lie. If you’d truly reflected, you wouldn’t be acting this way.”

The laughter froze on Caroline’s face.

She had never expected Ernst to tell Eleanor all of this.

‘Why is Ernst doing this?’

She couldn’t understand. Since when had Ernst taken an interest in women, let alone shared such things with Eleanor?

Her plan to brush this matter aside had backfired, leaving Caroline clenching her fists tightly.

“You seem to have forgotten where you stand.”

Caroline muttered under her breath as she rose to her feet.

Her fiery gaze clashed with Eleanor’s unyielding stare.

“Even if the imperial family favors you now, it won’t last forever.”

“……”

“To survive in Baden, you must adapt to noble society. It’s a necessary rite of passage.”

Caroline, making no effort to hide her anger, approached Eleanor.

“You’re a noble, aren’t you? Do you think you can live off the imperial salary alone? Of course not. Running a household and maintaining appearances costs a fortune, and that money comes from managing estates and trading companies.”

“……”

“Do you think you can abandon all that and live as the imperial family’s pet? Do you believe the Empress Dowager will adore you forever? Don’t be ridiculous.”

With a sneer, Caroline jabbed a finger at Eleanor’s left shoulder.

“You need to know your place. You’re penniless. Why are you holding your head so high? Is it because you’re a princess? Does your title as a fallen royal protect your dignity? Foolish.”

Eleanor thought to herself.

Caroline had no idea how much money her tea business was earning.

But Eleanor remained silent, waiting patiently.

She could sense Lady Jutland’s subtle movements behind her.

“If I wanted, I could ruin you with little effort. Director? There are plenty of nobles ready to take your place. Hippias? I’ve already destroyed that family.”

‘As expected.’

Eleanor kept her thoughts to herself.

Caroline muttered under her breath, “I’ve disliked you from the start. There’s something about your gaze that’s infuriating. It’s just like that wretched woman’s.”

Rachel had always looked at her that way.

Back then, Rachel had belittled Caroline as a mere provincial noble.

Caroline had hated those mocking eyes with a passion.

Now, no one dared look down on her.

The position she had seized as Duchess of Mecklen had given her everything she wanted.

But then Eleanor had entered the Mecklen family and driven her out, daring to look at her with that same contemptuous gaze Rachel once had.

The memory of it made Caroline sick with rage.

“How dare you. Who do you think you are to look at me, the Duchess of Mecklen, with those eyes?”

Unable to hold back her anger, Caroline raised her hand to slap Eleanor across the face.

But once again, Caroline’s hand was swiftly intercepted.

This time, it was Brianna who stepped forward.

Before Lady Jutland, who had been standing nearby, could grab Brianna, Eleanor quickly seized Jutland’s hair.

And then—

Smack!

“Aah!”

A sharp scream erupted from Lady Jutland.

Everyone in the room flinched at the sound.

Eleanor had taken advantage of their distraction to slap Lady Jutland across the face.

Under the shocked gazes of everyone present, Eleanor, in contrast to her actions, spoke in a calm tone.

“I apologize. The situation was urgent, so my hand moved first.”

“You, you—!”

“Aren’t you going to let go of me?”

Caroline’s indignant cry was followed by Lady Jutland’s sharp scream.

Tightening her grip on Lady Jutland’s hair as the latter struggled, Eleanor glanced around the room.

“You may not know me well, but I have a personal grudge against all of you.”

With the exception of Vivia, everyone here had been tied to Eleanor through bad blood in her previous life.

The parrot of Baimach Island.

That nickname had first been coined by none other than Lady Jutland.

Eleanor could vividly recall how Lady Jutland had mocked her, watching her cry as she was forced to eat dirt at Caroline’s behest.

“Thanks to you, Lady Jutland, I drank quite a lot of water.”

“W-what are you talking about? Let’s discuss this after you let go of me!”

“It’s something you wouldn’t remember. I’m the only one who knows about it.”

In her previous life, Caroline had once forcibly taken Eleanor on a boating trip. During that outing, Lady Jutland had kicked her into the lake, Lady Yavich had clapped and laughed, and Lady Craister had mocked her by throwing grapes at her.

Eleanor turned her gaze to Yavich and Craister, who were now retreating in fear.

“You’re just the same as you were then. But in this life, I didn’t even come looking for you; you came to me. Should I thank you for that?”

“What nonsense are you…”

Lady Yavich faltered as she took a step back.

Lady Craister, who had been silent all this time, continued glancing nervously around the room.

Eleanor looked over at Brianna, who was still holding onto Caroline.

“Miss Brianna, do you know how to fight?”

“Fight?”

It was hard to reconcile this Eleanor with the gentle, kind woman Brianna had always known. Instead of being shocked, Brianna focused on the word “fight.”

Instinctively, Brianna’s gaze shifted to Vivia.

Flinch.

“Today, trust me and do as you please.”

“……!”

Vivia, startled, stood up abruptly.

Despite their numerical advantage, the air felt heavy with tension as Eleanor and Brianna’s assertiveness radiated from them.

It was as if they were prey cornered by predators.

Sensing that things were going awry, Vivia began to slowly back away.

At the same time, Brianna let out an exhilarated laugh.

“Alright. I’m no pushover, you know.”

Without hesitation, Brianna released Caroline and charged at Vivia.

Caroline, now freed, couldn’t avoid Eleanor’s incoming kick.

With a swift, powerful motion, Eleanor’s foot connected with Caroline’s waist.

“Aaagh!”

Caroline screamed as she was flung sideways.

Eleanor then delivered another slap to the resisting Lady Jutland’s face.

Smack!

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Lady Craister shouted in horror.

Brianna, meanwhile, grabbed Vivia by the hair and dragged her down, causing Vivia to tumble forward with a scream.

“This behavior is utterly uncivilized! You’re no noble! This is disgraceful!”

“Ah, but this incivility is reserved just for you. One must treat beasts as beasts.”

Eleanor replied indifferently to Lady Craister’s outrage.

Her gaze shifted between Lady Craister and Lady Yavich, making both women flinch simultaneously.

Lady Jutland, now limp in Eleanor’s grasp, looked as if she had fainted.

“Who’s next?”

“W-w-what…”

“You can come at me together if you’d like.”

To Eleanor, a fight was a fight. She was prepared to use every part of her body to take them on.

Picking up her fallen fan with her free hand, Eleanor smiled gently, her eyes narrowing.

“Let’s elegantly slap each other, shall we?”

***

The ballroom was filled with elegant music and a kaleidoscope of colorful dresses.

Despite hours of dancing, the young ladies showed no signs of stopping. Except for those heading to the lounge for a break, most of the guests were still enjoying the party.

Among a group of chatting nobles, someone looked around curiously.

“I was hoping to greet the Director. Where could she have gone? I haven’t seen her.”

“Indeed. I haven’t seen her for some time.”

They were junior staff members from the imperial court.

Just as one of the nobles turned their head, they spotted two women walking toward them from a distance and hurried over to greet them.

“Director. Are you returning from a break?”

“Yes, I just rested for a bit in the lounge.”

Eleanor replied with a smile to the noble’s question.

Beside her, Brianna fidgeted with her chest area, where a crooked ribbon refused to settle back into place.

“Director, you look exceptionally cheerful. Did something good happen?”

Curious about Eleanor’s radiant smile, the noble inquired further.

Eleanor merely nodded in response.

She appeared just as composed as she had been when entering the lounge.

Before leaving, Eleanor had ensured her attire and hair were perfectly in order.

Now, she calmly conversed with the guests as if nothing had happened with Caroline moments earlier.

It was then…

“Oh my, it seems His Majesty has arrived!”