Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 32 Part 7

The village chief was a cripple.

He was in charge of overseeing the plantation, and even the retired soldier obeyed his words without question.

Even Saruka would sometimes step back when the chief voiced his opinion.

However, to the child, he was the second most gentle person in the village after Vito.

And yet, the thought that the chief might actually kill him—

“If you want to live, don’t do anything foolish. Stay quiet.”

The man who had given the warning soon left.

His tone had been far too serious to dismiss as a mere threat.

The child glanced at the chief, who was resting after tending to the vegetable garden in the distance.

Vito was sitting beside him.

The two of them looked quite close.

***

The mention of Caroline’s secret plantation sent shockwaves through the room.

Eleanor took the note Lennoch had handed her.

As she read its contents, her eyes widened slightly.

“…Lennoch?”

“Did you call for me?”

“No, not Your Majesty. The name that appears in Prince Childe’s report—the name of the child.”

She had not forgotten.

The child she had first met in Hadum.

Ever since the fire in the slums, she had been unable to find any trace of him, and it had weighed on her heart like a lingering burden.

Now, seeing his name again, a mix of relief and emotion welled up within her.

‘So he’s alive.’

Lost in thought, Eleanor handed the note to Eger, who had been watching curiously. Then she turned back to Lennoch and said, “You found it sooner than I expected.”

“Seems we were quite lucky.”

“Lennoch… I mean, the child named Lennoch. Since his name is the same as Your Majesty’s, it’s a bit confusing. For convenience, I’ll just call him the child. The child Childe encountered at Caroline’s plantation—I know him well, just as the letter says.”

It had been during her first mission under the Empress Dowager’s command.

Eleanor recounted in detail how they had wandered around together in search of soup.

“I was so surprised when I later ran into him again as a pickpocket. He had been under El Gino’s wing, but it seems he was taken by Saruka and ended up at Caroline’s plantation.”

“And with Vito there as well, this is the perfect opportunity. I’ll send the knights.”

Childe had reported that he was waiting in a nearby village.

If the knights joined forces with him and launched a raid on the plantation, they should be able to capture everyone involved.

Eger, who had just finished reading the letter, joined the conversation.

“Didn’t you say before that Vito is the son of Rachel Hippias?”

“That’s right.”

“Rachel Hippias was the former wife of the late Duke Mecklen… That would make him Ernst’s half-brother, but I can’t quite picture his face.”

Would he really resemble the stern and taciturn Ernst?

As Eger pondered aloud, Lennoch suddenly froze mid-motion, his teacup hovering in the air.

“Come to think of it.”

He had not seen Duke Mecklen at the Noble Council. The moment he realized this, a cold chill ran down the emperor’s spine.

“Eger, did you confirm Duke Mecklen’s attendance this morning?”

“Huh? I was too busy preparing matters with Duke Nestor, so I didn’t check. Did he not show up?”

Eleanor finally noticed it as well.

“…He wasn’t there.”

She and Lennoch exchanged glances.

“Even after everything that happened yesterday, he’s not someone who would simply skip work. He’s always been consistent in his duties.”

“I agree. Which means he must be dealing with something so urgent that he couldn’t attend.”

“What could it be?”

“If Saruka is captured, no one will be more at risk than Duke Mecklen. His pardon will become useless. And if Caroline is forcibly summoned due to Saruka’s involvement, the Mecklen family will face some form of punishment—he must know that.”

“……”

In the midst of the rapidly unfolding discussion, Eger let out a troubled sigh. “To avoid that punishment, he would have to kill Saruka. But they already failed once, didn’t they? Could his absence mean he’s sneaking into the prison?”

“I doubt it. The torture chamber holding Saruka is under triple security. Attempting to smuggle out a high-ranking criminal would be considered treason. He wouldn’t take that risk.”

“Then what is he doing?”

Eleanor stared at the letter Eger was holding.

A strange sense of unease pressed against her chest.

“Lennoch. I’m coming to the plantation with you.”

“You?”

“I have a bad feeling about this. If Caroline mentioned the slaves to him, he might try to erase all traces of the plantation entirely.”

That was precisely why she had hesitated to bring up Vito and the plantation when speaking with Ernst.

Because she had a clear idea of what choice he would make.

The Mecklen family was already in crisis because of Saruka. If the existence of the plantation were exposed, the consequences would be far worse.

“If Ernst is heading to the plantation, we have to stop him.”

However, Lennoch was not keen on letting Eleanor go alone. Just yesterday, she had nearly been captured by Ernst.

Lennoch spoke firmly, “Then I will go with you.”

This time, it was Eger who shook his head with visible exasperation. “Your Majesty, the marriage announcement is tomorrow. There are countless preparations still to be made before the wedding. On top of that, we have Saruka’s interrogation and the investigation into all the Delph family’s connections. Even if you had ten bodies, it wouldn’t be enough.”

Eger’s concerns were not exaggerated.

On top of governing the empire, handling all these tasks would mean sacrificing sleep.

Eger raised his hands in protest. “I can’t handle all of this alone. Your Majesty must stay.”

“This time, Your Majesty’s knights will accompany me, so it will be fine.”

To reassure Lennoch, Eleanor gently took his hand.

She pulled it toward her, pressing it against her cheek. Lennoch’s fingers twitched slightly.

“No matter how skilled Ernst is, he won’t be able to handle overwhelming numbers. Besides, I will go fully prepared this time.”

“…If you insist this much, I have no choice.”

A fleeting doubt crossed Lennoch’s mind.

Had Eleanor learned how to handle him so effectively?

Even the lightest touch from her was enough to shake his resolve.

Lennoch traced the soft skin of her cheek with his fingers, sighing in defeat.

Was he losing again this time?

Instead—

“Eger.”

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

“Bring me that thing behind you.”

“Huh? What thing?”

Eger turned around, searching.

Seizing the moment, Lennoch’s hand, which had been resting on Eleanor’s cheek, slid down to her chin, tilting it slightly.

Smooch.

“……”

At the sound, Eger instinctively snapped back around.

Just in time to see Lennoch pulling away from Eleanor’s lips.

Had it really come to this?

“…What’s with that look?”

“…This is why people say Your Majesty is insufferable.”

So that earlier request had just been an excuse.

A ploy to steal a kiss while Eger wasn’t looking.

Realizing he had been tricked, Eger’s ears turned red as he furrowed his brows.

‘That sly snake.’

How did the Empress Dowager end up with such a cunning son?

While Eger clenched his fists to contain his frustration, Eleanor raised a hand to cover her face.

She, too, had been caught off guard by Lennoch’s sudden kiss.

Glancing at him from the corner of her eye, she saw him grinning smugly, as if he had just won some sort of prize.

Like a child proudly clutching a new toy.

Feeling both sympathy for Eger and amusement at the situation, Eleanor couldn’t help but stifle a quiet laugh.

***

Inside the carriage on the way back to the Delph estate, Marquis Delph trembled uncontrollably.

He struck the hard floor repeatedly in frustration.

But his rage would not subside so easily.

‘I won’t let this go.’

If they thought he would meekly surrender after this, they were sorely mistaken.

The Delph family would not fall so easily.

Marquis Delph ran his hand over his throat.

It still ached.

The dark bruise around his neck would not fade for a long time.

Having barely escaped death, his hatred for the emperor had only grown stronger.

Today’s humiliation would be repaid in full.

No—

He wanted the emperor dead.

Marquis Delph clenched his teeth.

“Master.”

A small window connecting to the driver’s seat slid open abruptly.

The estate was still a distance away, and the carriage had come to an unexpected stop.

“What’s the matter?”

“There’s trouble.”

“……?”

“There’s a crowd at the entrance.”

A crowd?

Suppressing his rage, Marquis Delph stepped out of the carriage.

The driver pointed ahead.

“There! It’s Marquis Delph!”

A swarm of reporters had gathered outside the Delph estate and surged toward him the moment he appeared.

“I’m from Fashion! May we have a statement?”

“Is it true that the Delph family was directly involved in drug trafficking?”

“Where are the slaves?”

“When did your connections with the East Harlem underground begin?”

Reporters from all over had come.

They surrounded Marquis Delph, shouting questions from every direction.

The flood of voices made his brow twitch in irritation.

“It’s said that you appointed Saruka as an enforcer and ordered murders. Can you confirm this?”

“……”

“Marquis, please say something.”

“…You worthless vermin.”

Marquis Delph muttered under his breath, as if chewing over his words.

The journalists flinched simultaneously, momentarily stunned by his harsh language.

“Move.”

As Marquis Delph pushed his way through, the reporters hesitated and stepped back.

Most of them were ordinary middle-class individuals who stood far beneath him in status.

If Marquis Delph chose to charge them with insulting a noble, they would have no means of escaping punishment.

While the reporters hesitated, unable to lay a hand on the marquis, his waiting butler arrived from outside with a group of private guards.

“Get rid of them immediately.”

“Yes.”

At the butler’s command, the guards drew their swords and pointed them at the reporters.

Terrified, the journalists retreated even further.

However, their voices still held power.

As if they had rehearsed it together, they continued to shout relentlessly.

“Marquis, do you intend to avoid all responsibility?”

“Please give us an explanation!”

“We want to know the truth!”

Loud cries followed behind Marquis Delph as he made his way inside.

Suppressing the burning rage inside him, he forced himself to keep walking.

He wanted nothing more than to drag them all inside and beat them with a club.

But if even the commoners were bold enough to act this way, it meant public opinion had already turned against him.

Gritting his teeth, he barely managed to keep his composure.

However, after taking only a few steps, a foul stench suddenly filled his nostrils, instantly reigniting his fury.

The grand arched gate—the very face of his estate—

“Who dares to do such a thing…?!”

Tomatoes, eggs, flour, and even animal filth.

The entrance was covered in disgusting stains, presenting a miserable sight.

Marquis Delph found himself standing frozen, his mouth hanging open in shock.

He was so dumbfounded that words failed him.

Never in his life had he suffered such humiliation.

“Father!”

Vivia, having just heard the news, ran out of the mansion.

At that exact moment, some of the filth dripping from the gate plopped down onto her head.

“Kyah! What is this?!”

“……”

Marquis Delph stared blankly at his daughter, who shrieked in horror, covered in filth.

Had he entered through that gate just a moment ago, it would have been him, not her, who suffered this disgrace.

His trembling body stiffened, and a cold gleam flashed through his eyes.

Without warning, he grabbed Vivia’s arm and pulled her inside the mansion.

“F-Father…!”

“Be quiet and follow me.”

His voice was laced with a chilling edge.

Overwhelmed by his sheer force, Vivia had no choice but to comply.

‘I just want to wash this filth off my head right now…’

But Marquis Delph was not the only one who felt humiliated.

Even the maids watching from the side whispered among themselves at the sight of Vivia, drenched in filth.

Once inside the annex, the two faced each other.

“You. What did you do about Madam Müller?”

“M-Madam Müller…?”

“When you killed her, didn’t you receive help from one of her household’s maids?”

Only then did Vivia snap out of her daze.

“I handled it well. You don’t have to worry. I made sure no loose ends were left.”

“…Are you certain?”

“Of course.” Vivia nodded confidently.

However, Marquis Delph was not satisfied with her answer. His daughter was more foolish than he had expected.

“This must never be discovered.”

If Vivia’s involvement in Countess Müller’s murder were to surface on top of the current scandal, the situation would spiral out of control.

If the journalists outside caught wind of it—

Just the thought made him shudder.

“To be safe, go silence her yourself.”

“Me?”

“Yes. I can’t move freely anymore. The emperor has placed me under house arrest, meaning I can’t leave this estate. Now it’s up to you.”

“……!”

Vivia’s face turned pale.

Earlier that day, she had read Black Cat’s article, convinced that her father’s victory was imminent.

However, she had been unable to attend the council meeting, as she had only recently returned from studying abroad and lacked the necessary credentials.

Now, hearing her father’s words, she realized that things had turned out far differently than she had expected.

“…Don’t tell me you lost?”

At her question, Marquis Delph clenched his teeth.

He had lost.

The words stabbed at his pride like a dagger to the chest.

“Shut up and go clean yourself. You reek.”

“……”

The grinding of his teeth could be heard between his words.

Although she had just been insulted, Vivia was too shocked to respond.

They had really lost.

As she felt the filth dripping from her hair, she had the eerie sensation that it was mocking her.

Her bloodshot eyes trembled as she turned away.