Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 33 Part 2

The arrow shot straight through the crippled village chief’s arm.

The old man let out a low groan and instinctively turned to glare at Eleanor, but in that brief moment, the child and Vito scrambled to their feet.

“Surround him!”

The village chief had no time to dwell on his pain.

The reinforcements, having finally emerged from the narrow path, rapidly tightened their encirclement.

Attempting to secure an escape route, the village chief retreated, but his lame leg hindered him.

Even so, his movements were swift, and had he been in good health, he would have been a formidable opponent.

Just as he prepared to make another leap, another arrow struck him, knocking him to the ground.

‘Damn it.’

This time, it was his leg.

As he staggered, the soldiers closed in without leaving any gaps.

The situation was overturned in an instant.

Only now realizing that they were safe, the child Lennoch and Vito finally exhaled in relief.

Eleanor lowered her bow.

“Lennoch.”

The child who shared the same name as the emperor.

A name that meant ‘luck.’

The first person in Baden to ever give her a gift.

As soon as Eleanor called his name, Vito flinched and backed away.

He was clearly wary of strangers.

The moment of confusion was brief, as the child, recognizing her face, shouted with joy.

“Lady Eleanor!”

He ran straight to her and grabbed her hand.

Childe, just as delighted, ruffled the child’s dust-covered hair without hesitation.

Though the reunion was heartwarming, it didn’t last long.

Eleanor turned her attention to the crippled village chief, watching as the soldiers slowly advanced toward him with drawn swords.

‘Is he one of Caroline’s men?’

The old man had genuinely attempted to kill Vito and the child.

Eleanor had anticipated that someone would be managing the plantation in Caroline’s absence, but she hadn’t expected him to be as ruthless as Saruka.

Despite taking two arrows, he didn’t falter, still desperately searching for a way out.

“He won’t surrender easily.”

A knight standing beside Eleanor whispered to her.

“What shall we do?”

Capturing him alive would be best, but if doing so resulted in significant casualties, killing him would be necessary.

Eleanor was just about to issue her command when—

“Vito…?”

She murmured his name.

She had been too focused on the child to notice his reaction until now.

Vito was attempting to break through the encirclement, but he lacked the strength to push past the soldiers and reach the crippled village chief.

Easily restrained, he let out a soundless cry.

“Brother!”

The child, alarmed, rushed to stop him.

Vito seemed genuinely desperate.

As everyone watched, the child began signing back and forth with Vito.

“……”

“He’s begging us to spare the village chief.”

The child interpreted Vito’s frantic gestures.

“He says there must be a misunderstanding. He’s the kindest person he knows, so why are we taking him away? …Caroline? He’s asking us to tell Lady Caroline to help him?”

Vito was seeking help from Caroline?

Eleanor nearly dropped her bow in shock.

Childe, who still didn’t know Vito’s exact identity, was just as stunned, glancing between him and the child.

Since the child had spent so much time with Vito, he could understand most of his sign language and continued explaining.

“He believes Lady Caroline will protect us. He says everyone has misunderstood something. He wants to know why we’re tormenting them like this.”

In other words, Vito saw himself and the others as nothing more than peaceful farmers living quietly in the mountains.

Now, out of nowhere, a stranger had appeared, trying to kill him.

And soldiers had arrived, ready to execute the village chief.

When the child translated Vito’s question, Childe let out a bitter laugh.

“Then what do you call what that old man just tried to do to you?”

Vito flinched.

The child quickly interpreted his frantic gestures.

“Vito says he doesn’t understand what you mean.”

He had been too busy running to notice the dagger the village chief had thrown at him.

Even after Childe explained what had happened, Vito shook his head in denial.

Eleanor recognized the deep mistrust in his eyes.

And the one he distrusted wasn’t the village chief.

‘Something’s wrong.’

His reaction was strange.

She had expected him to resent Caroline more than anyone.

But why was he seeking her, defending the people of the plantation?

Eleanor stepped closer to him.

Frightened, Vito averted his gaze, shifting his eyes around nervously.

“What do you think of Caroline?”

“……!”

At the unexpected question, Vito, who had been trying to avoid eye contact, finally turned to face her.

His deep midnight-blue eyes were identical to Ernst’s, but his softer features and demeanor were completely different.

The child carefully translated Vito’s hesitant gestures.

“She’s like a mother… A good person, he says.”

***

Ernst gazed coldly down at the fallen corpse.

The retired soldier who had helped Vito escape had been no match for him.

At first, it had seemed like an even fight, but before long, Ernst had exploited his opponent’s weak stance and effortlessly sliced through his exposed torso.

Blood had splattered across the nearby flower beds, staining the earth crimson.

Ernst flicked the blood from his sword with a careless motion.

‘Decent for a mere guard.’

Since the plantation was a hidden operation, he had assumed there would be at least one guard.

The retired soldier had put up a better fight than expected, but ultimately, he had only delayed Ernst’s progress.

His target, Vito, had already fled.

Clicking his tongue in irritation, Ernst scanned the plantation.

‘Mother said she gave the order to the village chief.’

Was the crippled old man just now the village chief?

Or was there someone else inside the plantation?

Ernst pondered whether to enter the plantation or follow Vito’s escape route.

However, his decision did not take long.

Just as he was about to take a step in Vito’s direction—

Clang.

A metallic sound rang out from somewhere.

“Y-Your Grace!”

“……!”

A loud cry came from his right.

A group of knights and soldiers had appeared.

A mere soldier might not recognize him, but no knight would fail to identify Duke Mecklen.

The knight leading the unit was visibly flustered.

‘It’s really him?’

Before launching the operation, Captain Huger had given clear instructions.

If they encountered Duke Mecklen, they were to respectfully inform him of the emperor’s command and escort him back.

At the time, they had found it hard to believe that such a high-ranking noble would be in a place like this, so they had taken the order lightly.

After a brief hesitation, the knight saluted. “Your Grace, I apologize, but we have received an order from His Majesty.”

“Speak.”

Though caught in an unexpected encounter, Ernst showed no sign of surprise.

“If we were to meet Your Grace, we were instructed to escort you respectfully back to the palace.”

“……”

“If you wish, we will provide a guard for your journey.”

The knight remained exceedingly polite, careful not to offend the duke.

Ernst, silent for a moment, narrowed his eyes as he assessed the soldiers and knights before him.

‘It won’t be difficult to break through.’

Even against this number, he was confident.

Especially now, when he was filled with a murderous intent.

However—

‘The emperor’s order is troublesome.’

The knight delivering the command was his subordinate, but he was also part of the imperial army.

Executing him rashly could have severe consequences.

If the emperor’s order was legitimate, then the moment Ernst acted against it, it would be considered treason.

“Your Grace, we mean you no harm.”

Sensing the tension, another knight quickly spoke up, trying to ease the situation.

Without responding, Ernst sheathed his sword.

“How did you find this place?”

The knights exchanged glances. They had been ordered to raid the plantation, but they did not know whether Duke Mecklen had any connection to it.

The knight who had spoken first hesitated before answering cautiously, “We came with the director.”

“Where is she now?”

“That, we do not know. But we can guide you to the rendezvous point. Please come with us.”

The knight deliberately avoided giving a direct answer.

Ernst, however, understood immediately.

‘They knew about the plantation before coming.’

And they had anticipated that he would be here.

He wasn’t sure how far ahead the emperor had planned this, but one thing was clear—

From now on, he would be watched not as Duke Mecklen, but as Caroline’s son.

A dark gleam flashed through Ernst’s eyes.

“Isn’t that the director?”

A soldier, restless with nervousness, suddenly pointed ahead.

At once, all eyes turned in the same direction.

Among the approaching figures, Eleanor was the first to stand out.

Despite the long journey through the mountain, her appearance remained remarkably composed.

Upon recognizing her, Ernst’s brow furrowed slightly.

Captured alongside her group were Vito, Childe, and the child.

And bound in rope, the crippled village chief.

Unlike his earlier defiance, the old man was now remarkably subdued.

“…Ernst.”

Eleanor, who had been leading the group as if displaying trophies, immediately recognized him as well.

‘So he really came.’

Her worst fears had come true.

After hearing from the child that a strange man had arrived at the plantation, she had chosen not to head straight back to the village but to return to the plantation instead.

Now, her suspicions were confirmed.

Eleanor observed Vito’s expression as he clung to the child.

The moment Vito saw the terrifying man who had tried to kill him, he shrank back even further, hiding behind the child.

His demeanor was entirely different from the murderous aura emanating from Ernst.

“So, you’ve come all the way here.”

“It’s been a while, Your Grace.”

Eleanor remained still, but Childe, displeased by Ernst’s familiarity with her, stepped forward.

Ernst scowled at him. “When were you released?”

“His Majesty granted me a special pardon. Thanks to that, I am now able to serve Lady Eleanor.”

“……”

Ernst’s expression darkened further.

He recalled the scandal involving Eleanor and Childe.

Though it had been dismissed as false, the sight of the two standing together only fueled his displeasure.

Unconsciously, Ernst took a step closer.

“What exactly is this work that has brought you deep into this forest?”

“I believe Your Grace knows better than I do.” Childe glanced at Vito and asked, “What is your relationship with him?”

“……”

“You look quite similar. Could you be twins?”

His remark was laced with sarcasm.

If Marquis Radsay, who was familiar with the late Duke Mecklen, were here to witness this, he would surely be astounded.

The resemblance to the former duke was undeniable

Vito, overwhelmed by the growing attention on him, trembled violently.

Sensing his distress, the child squeezed his hand tightly in reassurance.

At the same time, Eleanor noticed that Ernst had not yet removed his hand from the hilt of his sword.

‘It’s fortunate we found him before anything catastrophic happened, but…’

Right now, Ernst was like an unexploded bomb.

One that could detonate at any moment.