Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 28 Part 3

As the stormy meeting concluded, Lennoch led Eleanor out of the conference room.

Walking side by side, the two were followed by knights trailing at a respectful distance.

However, Lennoch had no intention of returning to his office right away.

He changed direction and headed toward the indoor garden.

After dismissing the surrounding knights, Lennoch entered the quiet garden with Eleanor.

Admiring the neatly trimmed shrubs as they walked, Eleanor suddenly noticed something.

“There’s a swing here.”

The swing, made of fragrant wood, had recently had its ropes replaced and looked sturdy.

Eleanor let go of Lennoch’s arm and sat on it.

Lennoch stood behind her and gently pushed the swing.

The light blue ribbon on Eleanor’s hair fluttered softly with each motion of the swing.

“You were remarkable in the meeting just now.”

Although the idea of a trade city was Lennoch’s, relocating the Hartmann refugees to Kuhen and incorporating them into the city’s development plan was Eleanor’s suggestion.

Lennoch’s previously stiff expression softened as he watched Eleanor on the swing.

“It seems everyone was impressed by you.”

“Not everyone.”

Enjoying the swing that Lennoch was pushing, Eleanor replied in a soft voice.

“I didn’t expect the Duke of Mecklen to oppose the plan.”

“His attitude has changed. Compared to the past, when he tried to avoid deep involvement in politics, his recent actions are surprising.”

Thinking of Ernst caused Eleanor’s expression to darken momentarily, but the cloud over her face quickly passed.

She then recalled the look in Marquis Delph’s eyes during the meeting.

“Marquis Delph’s behavior was odd too, wasn’t it? It didn’t align with what Your Majesty mentioned before the meeting.”

It was natural for Eleanor to question this, as Lennoch had briefed her on the meeting’s anticipated atmosphere beforehand.

Marquis Neto was expected to react strongly to the Hartmann refugee issue.

However, during the meeting, it was Marquis Delph and Ernst who opposed her instead of Marquis Neto.

Even Lennoch, who had been leading previous meetings, had noticed the drastic changes in their behavior.

“Marquis Delph has no reason to oppose you. Especially since Rasburn, the city set to benefit most from this plan, is a stronghold of the Delph family.”

Moreover, Marquis Delph had rarely voiced strong opinions in meetings before.

He was often so unremarkable that people occasionally forgot he was present.

Yet his reaction in today’s meeting went beyond mere opposition; it was excessive.

Had the Marquis crossed any further lines, Lennoch would have intervened personally.

Lennoch’s brow furrowed deeply for a moment.

“Even at his daughter’s funeral, I never saw him so agitated.”

A faint sense of unease lingered.

Lennoch released the swing, momentarily lost in thought.

“The matter with Edea suddenly weighs on my mind.”

“Edea?”

“At the time, Marquis Delph showed no signs of being involved, but…”

Engrossed in his thoughts, Lennoch let out a vague sigh.

“I need to reexamine whether he truly was a victim or if something else remains hidden.”

Lennoch still had Edea’s diary in his possession.

Edea had often expressed resentment toward her father for not understanding her feelings.

At the time, Lennoch dismissed it as the complaints of someone forced into an unwanted marriage.

But as he spoke with Eleanor, a line from her diary resurfaced in his mind:

[Does my father truly love me?]

“Count Hilda will soon bring the purple flower. Let’s confirm them together.”

“There’s much to do.”

Lennoch’s serious tone seemed to foretell the arrival of something significant.

Eleanor turned her head to look back.

Lost in thought, Lennoch’s expression was as still as a statue.

The swing, tracing a long arc, brought Eleanor closer to Lennoch.

“Even two bodies wouldn’t be enough for all this work. Will it become even harder to see Your Majesty’s face?”

Eleanor playfully raised her eyebrows at Lennoch while offering a sweet smile.

“But I want to see you often.”

“……!”

Lennoch, who had intended to return the way they came, held the swing firmly in place instead.

Surprised by her sudden stop, Eleanor gripped the swing’s ropes tightly.

Supporting her back to prevent her from falling, Lennoch broke into a grin, his earlier seriousness forgotten.

“Then let’s set a date immediately.”

“L-Lennoch?”

“I’ll send a formal proposal to your family.”

So suddenly?

Eleanor blinked rapidly in surprise.

Of course, she had accepted his feelings.

But now that he was discussing specific dates, her mind felt blank, as though it had been emptied of all thoughts.

‘But I haven’t even told Henrik yet.’

After a brief moment of hesitation, Eleanor said softly, “I’ve only just become part of Henrik’s family. Wouldn’t he be quite shocked if news of my marriage came up so soon?”

“Would it help if I sought your brother’s permission first?”

“Permission? Who would dare refuse Your Majesty?”

Feeling a hint of irony in her words, Eleanor lightly shook her head.

In this empire, no noble would have the audacity to refuse a familial connection to the imperial family.

If anything, they would vie for the opportunity.

Still holding the swing, Lennoch met Eleanor’s gaze as he continued, “You never know. He might resent me for stealing his sister.”

“Henrik wouldn’t do that.”

“Or perhaps I’d intimidate him.”

Henrik had once viewed Lennoch as a suspicious man and even challenged him.

Recalling the incident, Eleanor raised her hand to reassure Lennoch but hesitated briefly.

“I’m sure he’s forgotten about it. I told him not to dwell on it too much.”

His green eyes, resembling lush vegetation, were captivating.

Eleanor wondered if her reflection in them appeared as flushed as a ripe apple.

“If it troubles you, why not spend some time getting to know him first?”

Feeling too shy to maintain eye contact, Eleanor gently stepped off the swing.

Speaking in a warm voice, she made her suggestion, “Wear a mask and meet Henrik.”

“A mask?”

“Initially, you can meet as strangers. Once you’ve grown closer, you can reveal your identity. Wouldn’t that ease Henrik’s apprehension?”

Eleanor’s suggestion wasn’t particularly difficult.

After all, Lennoch had worn a mask when they first met.

Believing it would make approaching Henrik easier, Lennoch’s lips curved into a smile.

“Then let’s do that.”

Feeling shy, Eleanor’s shoulders trembled slightly as Lennoch lightly touched his forehead to hers.

The warmth of his touch caused Eleanor’s smile to bloom uncontrollably.

Having left Hartmann and found her first family in Baden, Eleanor couldn’t help but anticipate introducing the man she loved to them.

With a heart full of excitement, she smiled brightly.

***

Vivia was comparatively fortunate that day.

Except for the bruise on her arm from being swung around by Brianna, her bones remained intact.

It was a miracle that her name was inadvertently omitted when Eleanor explained her adversaries to Lennoch.

However, being physically unscathed didn’t mean her fear of Eleanor had vanished.

‘Where on earth is Father?’

Having missed the chance to tell Marquis Delph what had transpired at last night’s party, Vivia had spent the entire evening searching for him.

Since returning from the palace, Marquis Delph had disappeared entirely.

Even inquiries to the butler yielded only formal responses, assuring her that he would return when the time came.

After scouring the main estate, Vivia made her way to a dilapidated annex as a last resort.

“Surely he wouldn’t be in such a place, would he?”

The area felt desolate, almost eerie.

Standing before the old, shabby structure, Vivia hesitated for a long time.

Something about the place felt off, making her reluctant to enter.

“…Maybe I’ll just take a quick look inside.”

After much deliberation, Vivia grasped the worn handle of the door.

Clunk.

“What? Why won’t it open?”

How odd.

“Was this door always locked?”

Muttering to herself, Vivia circled around the annex.

She hadn’t expected the door to be locked, especially after hearing that the butler managed this place.

As her unease grew, curiosity began to override her apprehension.

‘This makes me even more curious.’

Fueled by determination, Vivia made her way to the back door.

Fortunately, it was unlocked.

Elated as if she had discovered hidden treasure, Vivia stepped inside without hesitation.

Just as she was about to ascend the stairs, she froze, straining her ears at a peculiar sound.

‘From the basement…?’

The staircase leading downward was illuminated.

Aside from the butler, no one else frequented this area, so it was highly likely that her father was there.

Though she couldn’t fathom why he’d be in such a place, Vivia descended the stairs.

The noises grew clearer the further she went.

“Father… Ahhhhh!”

Upon reaching the basement, Vivia’s eyes darted around before she let out a horrified scream.

Simultaneously, Marquis Delph, who had been standing with a knife in hand, turned to face her.

“Vivia?”

“I, I… Th-that…”

Her legs gave way almost instantly.

Confronted with the gruesome sight, Vivia was momentarily paralyzed.

The metallic scent of blood filled the air, emanating from the man sprawled at Marquis Delph’s feet.

The man’s face was so mangled it was unrecognizable.

“Tsk. Such bad timing.”

Though his daughter had witnessed the person he was torturing, Marquis Delph seemed unfazed.

Maintaining his gentle smile, he dropped the knife onto the floor.

“He was going to die soon anyway. Let’s head upstairs.”

“Th-this… This is…!”

“Come now. Stand up.”

Despite her father’s stern urging, Vivia couldn’t bring herself to rise.

Overwhelmed by nausea, she began retching uncontrollably. Marquis Delph clicked his tongue in annoyance as he observed his trembling daughter.

“For someone who helped kill Madam Müller, you’re surprisingly squeamish about this sort of thing.”

Grabbing Vivia’s arm, Marquis Delph forcibly led her up the stairs.

Though she had escaped the horrifying scene, Vivia could only vomit clear bile.

Looking down at his disoriented daughter, Marquis Delph spoke in a leisurely tone, “That man was a spy from the Nestor.”

“Ugh… Ugh.”

“He’s the one Evan introduced as a capable financial manager. I caught him trying to escape and locked him in the basement.”

Initially, this hadn’t been his intention, but plans had to change unexpectedly.

“And with Evan now captured by the Emperor, I decided to use this opportunity to extract and organize secrets from the Nestor. After days of torture, he’s finally reached his limit. He’s completely useless now.”

“Ugh… Ugh.”

“I detest trash.”

As Marquis Delph reiterated the word “trash,” he cast an enigmatic glance at his daughter, as if implying there was another piece of trash in the room.

“But you came looking for me, didn’t you? What’s the matter?”

“N-no. I just… Ugh. I just didn’t see you at dinner, so I came to find you.”

Having barely stopped retching, Vivia trembled as she answered.

‘I mustn’t say anything.’

Her earlier resolve to speak with her father had completely dissolved after witnessing what had just transpired.

Vivia had a strong sense that revealing her failures to her father would not end well.

The memory of her father’s torturous methods left her deeply shaken.

Seeing tears well up in Vivia’s eyes, Marquis Delph spoke with mock sympathy, “You seem quite shaken.”

“Yes, yes…”

“I apologize. I didn’t intend for things to be so brutal, but I had a particularly unpleasant experience today.”

“An unpleasant experience…?”

“Eleanor.”

“……!”