Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 27 Part 6

At someone’s exclamation, the nobles’ gazes shifted toward the entrance.

Through the wide-open doors, a tall man entered.

Even from a distance, his striking features drew sighs of admiration from those around him.

The Emperor, dressed in a simple outfit rather than a grand uniform, appeared far more relaxed than he did in the palace.

With each movement of his long legs, heads turned uniformly to follow him.

“Y-Your Majesty.”

Count Turin hurriedly ran to the Emperor’s side.

His face betrayed his utter surprise at the Emperor’s unexpected appearance.

Starting with Count Turin, the nobles in the hall belatedly knelt en masse to pay their respects.

The Emperor’s green eyes fixated on Count Turin.

“You look as if you’re thinking I shouldn’t have come.”

“N-no, of course not. For Your Majesty to personally grace us with your presence is the greatest honor for our family.”

Count Turin, his expression awkward, offered excessive flattery.

“Your Majesty rarely attends events outside of those held in the palace. That ours is the first is such an unexpected honor, I’m overwhelmed.”

“It is indeed the first.”

The Emperor’s gaze bypassed the short Count Turin with an ambiguous expression.

The way he looked made Count Turin break out in a cold sweat, as if the Emperor knew everything.

‘Does he know?’

Count Turin was aware that Eleanor, the Director in charge of the upcoming imperial charity event, was present at this party. However, she had been sent to the room where Caroline was.

Although he had a hunch that Caroline’s intentions weren’t good, Count Turin had feigned ignorance, thinking it wouldn’t be much of a loss.

But for the Emperor to appear right after the incident began—the timing was too uncanny to be a coincidence, leaving him uneasy.

“Go on and enjoy yourself. I seem to have unintentionally dampened the party’s mood.”

“Not at all, Your Majesty. Absolutely not.”

Count Turin quickly shook his head, flustered. He then signaled to the orchestra by waving his hand.

The conductor, catching the signal, transitioned the music into a lively waltz.

As the once-silent hall filled with cheerful music, the tension eased, and the guests resumed enjoying the party.

One of the ladies standing near Eleanor whispered softly.

“Could it be that His Majesty came here to dance?”

“It seems so. Otherwise, why would he bother coming all this way?”

Lady Coyte interjected into the conversation among the noblewomen.

“I’m going to ask His Majesty for a dance.”

“What? A dance?”

“I never had the chance to approach him in the palace. I can’t miss an opportunity like this.”

Given the Emperor’s usual demeanor, attending this ball was certainly unexpected.

His aloofness had always been impenetrable, preventing anyone from breaking through his solid walls.

Before long, women began to subtly gather around the Emperor.

Their intentions were obvious.

With no official consort by his side, the young Emperor’s attention was a coveted prize.

“I’ll just watch. His Majesty is so handsome that looking at him is satisfying enough.”

A less daring lady chose to admire him from afar.

While the ladies’ attention was entirely on the Emperor, Eleanor stood silently, making no move.

“Lady Eleanor?”

Startled by the voice, Eleanor turned her head to the side.

It was Jin, who had previously been rejected by her invitation to dance.

He seemed genuinely pleased to see Eleanor again after her disappearance from the ballroom.

Jin handed Eleanor a glass of champagne. “One gets thirsty after spending time in the ballroom. A cool drink is always welcome.”

“Thank you.”

Eleanor smiled faintly as she accepted the champagne.

Seeing her reaction, Jin’s face lit up with delight.

“Are you feeling warm?”

“I’m fine.”

To Eleanor’s surprise, Jin showed a persistence she hadn’t expected. His determination to build a connection with her was evident, making it difficult for her to avoid him.

As a result, Eleanor found herself engaging in a series of trivial conversations with him.

In the process, she failed to notice Brianna’s startled expression nearby.

“Are you enjoying the party?”

“……!”

A low voice suddenly sounded from behind her, and Eleanor’s shoulders stiffened slightly.

It was Lennoch.

Those around them, including Jin, immediately knelt in reverence at the Emperor’s arrival.

Eleanor turned slowly to face Lennoch, looking up at him.

“Your Majesty, what brings you here…”

“I’ve been looking for you.”

The warmth in his green eyes carried a tenderness that caused Eleanor’s ears to redden slightly.

All attention in the hall shifted to Eleanor, now standing beside the Emperor.

Unbothered by the scrutiny, Lennoch leaned slightly toward her.

“May I have this dance?”

“…Gasp.”

Someone audibly gasped before hurriedly covering their mouth.

The Emperor initiating a dance? And with Princess Hartmann, no less?

While the crowd reeled in shock, Eleanor offered an answer even more surprising.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Without hesitation, Eleanor placed her hand atop Lennoch’s.

Seeing this, Brianna discreetly took the champagne glass from Eleanor’s other hand.

Eleanor offered a silent thank-you with her eyes before walking toward the center of the ballroom with the Emperor.

The attendees, including the visibly astonished Count Turin, looked on in utter disbelief.

“Thank you for granting me this honor.”

Before the dance began, Lennoch lightly kissed the back of Eleanor’s hand.

Another faint gasp could be heard in the distance.

Eleanor realized, judging by the ladies’ intense reactions, that Lennoch’s behavior was entirely out of character for him.

This was solely for her.

Realizing this, Eleanor couldn’t help but blush slightly.

“Have you settled everything today?”

Unable to hide her blushing face, Eleanor asked quietly.

“You said it wasn’t something you could leave entirely to Lord Eger.”

“Thanks to you, it’s all been handled well.”

Lennoch replied lightly, subtly revealing his true feelings.

“More importantly, who is that?”

“……?”

“Jin of the House of Metron, correct?”

Following Lennoch’s gaze, Eleanor turned her head.

However, as they were dancing, it was difficult to discern precisely where he was looking.

From afar, Jin watched their dance intently. Lennoch’s brows furrowed slightly, clearly displeased.

“Have you met him before?”

“Hmm, we’ve briefly crossed paths at the palace. He remembered me first.”

Eleanor answered absentmindedly, offering a slight smile.

While the smile held no particular meaning, Lennoch’s perspective differed.

“I’m glad I came.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s been a while since I’ve danced with you, not since the masquerade ball.”

Though he tried to maintain a nonchalant tone, his jealousy was evident.

The arm holding Eleanor pulled her slightly closer.

It felt as if he wanted to protect her from external threats.

As her forehead neared his shoulder, Eleanor let out a startled, confused laugh.

“Your Majesty, we’re too close. What if I step on your foot?”

“I wouldn’t mind.”

Lennoch’s eyes softened.

“As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.”

His deep voice, lowering with every word, was undeniably alluring.

Like the warm orange lighting that bathed them, Eleanor’s cheeks flushed similarly.

Whenever he expressed his feelings so openly, her heart fluttered, making her clench her hands tightly.

Noticing her grip on his hand, Lennoch’s gaze naturally followed.

“When did you get hurt?”

“Ah.”

The scratch on her hand stood out starkly against her pale skin.

Eleanor knew it had happened during her confrontation with Caroline.

Lennoch’s eyes sharpened. “It looks like a scratch. Who did this?”

This morning, Lennoch had meticulously ensured Eleanor was well-prepared. It wasn’t hard for him to deduce that the injury occurred in his absence.

“Well, I hit the person who caused this harder than they hit me,” Eleanor replied lightly.

Since she had to report Caroline’s actions to Lennoch eventually, she saw no need to hesitate.

“I’m not sure of her relationship with Count Turin, but Caroline lured me into a trap. Lady Jutland, Lady Craister, and Lady Yavich were with her. Oh, and Vivia too.”

“Did you face them alone?”

“No. Miss Brianna helped me.”

Eleanor chuckled softly, recalling Brianna’s spirited takedown of Vivia.

“Miss Brianna fought remarkably well. Encouraged by her, I moved more boldly, and I must’ve gotten scratched in the scuffle.”

“Do you have any other injuries?”

“No, Your Majesty. I’m fine.”

To be honest, the fight was almost anticlimactic.

Those who had acted so viciously were stunned into submission when the tables turned on them.

Having never been beaten before, the shock seemed to overwhelm them.

Caroline, unable to stand after injuring her back, lay on the floor. Eleanor had hit Lady Yavich while Lady Jutland charged in, only to be knocked down by Brianna’s swift kick.

When the chaos ended, only Eleanor and Brianna remained standing in the wrecked lounge.

Lady Craister had given up early, huddling in a corner and trembling.

“I gave them enough of a scare that they won’t dare cross me again. Caroline might need tighter control, though. If she’s provoked enough, she might slip up, but she’s surprisingly cautious. I wish she’d drop a hint, like something about Saruka, but it’s not easy.”

Eleanor sighed regretfully.

The music was nearing its end.

“If I can deal with Caroline cleanly, there won’t be any major issues with the Duke of Mecklen either.”

“……”

“Oh, and Caroline won’t spread rumors about today. Even she can’t risk handling the scandal of being one-sidedly beaten. It’s not enough to threaten my position, so don’t worry too much, Your Majesty.”

Her detailed explanation was impeccable.

Yet even as the music ended and the dancers dispersed, Lennoch didn’t move easily.

Eleanor felt the gazes of those around them, focused on the two standing at the center of the hall.

After a long moment, Lennoch gently stroked the back of Eleanor’s injured hand.

“It’s best to leave for now.”

“Le… No, Your Majesty.”

“We can’t leave the injury untreated. Let’s return to the palace.”

It was just a small scratch.

Yet Eleanor couldn’t refuse.

Meeting Lennoch’s calm yet determined gaze, Eleanor silently nodded.

***

“What could my sister possibly be doing at the palace?”

A solemn voice cut through the atmosphere of the study.

Milo, who had been immersed in sales calculations, glanced up at Henrik’s muttered words.

The tea business was thriving, leaving Henrik and Milo busy to the point where late-night work had become routine.

Usually, they would be too preoccupied with analyzing sales and compiling statistics to focus on anything else.

But today, Henrik seemed distracted.

Milo noticed the serious look in Henrik’s eyes and quickly understood his thoughts.

“Are you worried about the Madam?”

“I’m just curious about what she’s doing at the palace after leaving everything to us. It’s been ages since we’ve seen her.”

At first, Henrik assumed it was because of the overwhelming workload.

But even after the store’s grand opening, she hadn’t returned home, citing various reasons. Seeing her had become as rare as seeing stars in the daytime.

Noticing Henrik’s concern, Milo chuckled softly.

“That just shows how much she trusts us. You’re managing the family well, so she can leave everything in your hands.”

For the first time, a subtle change appeared on Henrik’s perpetually serious face.

It wasn’t joy or displeasure—just an ambiguous expression.

Watching Henrik’s silence, Milo couldn’t help but smile.

‘Even though he’s not great at expressing himself, he seems a little proud.’

Family bonds weren’t necessarily weakened by a lack of blood ties.

Seeing Henrik genuinely worry for Eleanor like a real sibling, Milo playfully asked, “What will you do if the Madam gets married? You’ll have to let her go completely then.”

“…Married?”