Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 36 Part 2

The crowd, eager to glimpse the new Empress, was buzzing with curiosity.

What kind of person is she?

The endless news reports were mostly speculation.

Aside from Fox, most were baseless rumors.

“They say the Princess of Hartmann’s mother was a descendant of a sea siren who seduced sailors. That blood runs through her, and anyone who sees her falls instantly in love. Even the Emperor was ensnared.”

“She’s no siren, just an ordinary person. But she used to be spoiled and indulgent. After arriving in Baden, she turned over a new leaf and worked diligently. The Empress Dowager saw this and chose her as Empress.”

“No, the tales of indulgence were false from the start. The truth was revealed during the trial.”

“They’re all wrong. The marriage is a royal scheme. A rebellion was brewing, backed by remnants of the Hartmann royal family. To quash it, they took her as Empress preemptively.”

Every morning, new articles came out to counter the previous day’s reports.

It was as if the papers were competing over who could attract more attention.

If the imperial family hadn’t officially declared that anything beyond Fox was false and that further speculative reporting would be punished, the confusion might have lasted right up to the wedding.

Though the misunderstandings about the princess had been cleared, people remained immensely curious about her real appearance.

“Will she really look like the portrait?”

“Come on, it could be exaggerated. Artists tend to go overboard with their brushes.”

“But it’s too plain for that.”

A small crowd gathered around someone holding a recently purchased portrait.

As curiosity and popularity around the Princess of Hartmann surged, the officially sold imperial family portraits had instantly sold out.

In the painting, the princess had her golden hair neatly tied back, with no jewelry—simple and modest.

Someone, staring at her graceful yet strong features, muttered, “Hope she comes out soon.”

Others nodded in agreement.

***

Even though preparations had begun early in the morning, there was still much to do.

As a court lady used a heated rod to curl Eleanor’s hair, which hung just past her shoulders, she glanced over her shoulder.

“Sian, sorry, could you bring more pins?”

“Here you go.”

“Jesse, how’s the hair? We still need to do makeup.”

“Just a bit more, almost done.”

Amid the flurry of attendants, Eleanor sat upright, facing the mirror.

“Your Majesty the Empress.”

Suddenly, Brianna approached Eleanor.

Moments ago, she had been unable to hide her smiles, but now her expression had shifted.

Grumbling slightly, Brianna leaned in. “There’s been an urgent request for an audience.”

At this hour?

“I was going to decline, but the man claimed to be Your Majesty’s brother. He pleaded to see you just once, and I couldn’t turn him away.”

It didn’t take long to guess who it was.

Adler.

Though he should have been staying with the Bahama nobles in the guest palace prepared for foreign envoys, it seemed he couldn’t resist acting on his own.

Without turning her head, Eleanor gave her answer. “Let him in.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Not long after Brianna left, Adler entered.

Wearing pure white gloves as usual, he stepped into the room but was visibly taken aback by the chaos inside, resembling a battlefield.

Startled by the sharp gazes of the palace staff, all on edge from the busy atmosphere, Adler instinctively glanced up at the ceiling.

‘As expected of Baden.’

The delicately carved ceiling artwork was incomparable to anything in Bahama.

‘And my sister is going to be the Empress of a place like this.’

Just imagining it gave him a thrilling sensation.

Suppressing the twitch of his lips, Adler slowly approached his sister.

Eleanor still had her back to him.

“Impressive, Eleanor. Now that I’m here, it finally feels real—you becoming Empress of Baden.”

“……”

“It’s not easy to get news from Baden in Bahama. I wouldn’t have known about your wedding at all if Duke Etetus hadn’t told me.”

Regardless of Adler’s chatter, the attendants stayed focused on their tasks.

Time was tight if they were to finish dressing her before the appointed hour.

As one court lady waited for the hairstyling to be completed, another began applying makeup.

Adler watched Eleanor carefully.

“Have you received many congratulations?”

‘Many’ would be an understatement.

So many congratulatory letters had flooded in from nobles across the country that she had to urgently hire additional staff to handle it all.

That’s how Evan of the Nestor ducal house ended up as the secretary managing external correspondence.

Having built extensive experience dealing with nobles under Duke Nestor, he was highly adept at such matters.

Duke Nestor, seeing Evan’s transformation and the new beginning, couldn’t hide his joy.

It had been a mutually beneficial arrangement.

“I’ve been worried ever since we parted last year. I felt like I’d wronged you terribly… I’m sorry. I apologize.”

Adler offered his apology without hesitation.

Eleanor checked his reflection in the mirror.

Despite the somber tone, there was an odd delight on his face.

As if he was expecting something.

Eleanor’s brow subtly furrowed, but Adler, seeing only her back, didn’t notice.

“Is His Majesty treating you well?”

“……”

“I’m sure he is. He always held you dear. I’m certain he still does.”

He spoke as if it were a known fact that the Emperor had feelings for Eleanor.

“Isn’t he kind? There’s a reason he’s so well-regarded by the people. You can be proud. He governs with care—he’ll surely treat you well, too.”

Before long, Eleanor’s appearance had changed considerably.

A crown was set atop her neatly made-up face, adding to her brilliance.

At the center of the tiara, kept in the treasury by the Empress Dowager for the next Empress, a large ruby stood out.

Seeing the crown, Adler—for once—dropped his complicated expression and grinned greedily.

“It suits you well.”

Eleanor rose from her seat with the attendants’ help.

As the translucent veil swept across the floor, a lady-in-waiting spread it carefully to keep it from wrinkling.

Eleanor instructed those around her to step back.

“How is Bahama?”

“Actually, that’s what I came to talk to you about.”

Finally, the main topic.

Eleanor watched as the proud Adler lowered his head.

“Would you accept me as a noble of Baden?”

“……”

“It’s too hard to adjust to life in Bahama.”

Barely a year after defecting, Adler wanted to change his citizenship.

His standing had weakened drastically.

After spending a fortune to defect under Duke Etetus, who had brought Bahama’s current king to power—

Now that the benefits had dried up, they had begun to look down on him.

And despite appearances, his usefulness was also in question.

If he fell out of Duke Etetus’s favor, it was only a matter of time before he’d be cast out entirely.

Before that happened, Adler needed a stable foothold again.

“We’re the only family we have.”

Adler tried to summon the nostalgia of their Hartmann days.

“Eleanor, you were the only sibling who ever treated me well. I know it’s shameless, but please—think of this as the last time I ask. I’ll never forget the favor.”

Lies.

Eleanor had a rough idea of his true intentions—but she had her own goal in mind.

“I have one question.”

“What is it?”

“How can you be so sure of His Majesty’s feelings for me? You almost missed the news about me. Doesn’t that mean you weren’t very aware of Baden’s current affairs?”

Adler, catching her meaning, hesitated.

But explaining further was uncomfortable.

He wanted to avoid it, but Eleanor firmly stated there would be no negotiation unless he explained clearly.

Left with no choice, Adler hesitated, then cautiously confessed.

“A few years ago… right before Hartmann fell, there was an unofficial meeting.”

“An unofficial meeting?”

“The treasury was drying up, taxes were harder to collect… So your marriage was hastily arranged.”

In other words, they intended to sell her to another country under the guise of marriage.

They had tried to profit from Eleanor’s bride price.

Adler showed no particular guilt as he brought up the matter.

“Before the marriage was finalized, the previous king suddenly passed away.”

“……”

“And somehow, Baden contacted us first.”

At the time, when Adler met with the Emperor, he realized the man thought deeply of his sister.

Even marriage.

Adler calculated the potential gains if Eleanor went to Baden.

At first, he had believed she would immediately become Empress.

But public opinion in Baden shifted unexpectedly, and hostility toward Hartmann people began to grow, forcing Adler to change course—

To Bahama.

“So if you speak to him, the Emperor will surely listen—”

“You won’t regret it?”

Her suddenly changed tone struck Adler with chilling pressure.

Startled, he reflexively clenched his fist.

‘What is this?’

This composed, heavy atmosphere from his sister unsettled him.

But Adler had no choice.

Today’s visit would be his last chance.

If he returned to Bahama now, he wouldn’t know when his standing might collapse.

Compared to such an unstable future, Baden seemed the better option.

“Y-yeah. I won’t regret it. As long as I can stay in Baden…”

“There’s a condition.”

“Condition?”

“I need information about Bahama.”

In exchange for naturalization, she was asking him to become a spy.

Adler pressed his lips together.

Irritation slowly began to rise.

‘Why is she testing me like this?’

Hadn’t she used to go along with what he wanted, within reason?

Now that she was going to be Empress, her arrogance grated on him.

Surely, she couldn’t handle Baden’s treacherous politics alone.

‘I’ll just manipulate her again once I’m made a noble.’

Thinking he could bend his sister to his will again after gaining noble status, Adler nodded.

“Fine.”

“Then sign.”

Eleanor called a knight waiting nearby and had the document brought over.

She wouldn’t trust mere words—she needed a signed document.

Though the formal procedure felt vaguely off-putting, Adler didn’t dwell on it.

Sneaking a glance at Eleanor, he signed at once.

***

Receiving Adler’s naturalization documents had taken a lot of time.

After coldly ushering him out, Eleanor completed the rest of her preparations.

“Heavens, Your Majesty—you are absolutely radiant.”

Norah, who had come to assist, clapped her hands with delight.

Different from how she had been with Adler, Eleanor relaxed her expression and offered a faint smile.

They were just about to leave the room.

“Eli.”

The familiar, affectionate voice made her freeze mid-step.

“Your Majesty?”

‘Why isn’t he in the waiting room?’

Eleanor’s eyes widened in surprise.

Judging by the procession waiting alongside him, he must have been standing there for quite some time.

He might even have seen her drive Adler out.

Yet Lennoch made no mention of it.

Instead, he held out his arm.

“From here on, I’ll escort you myself.”

The lady-in-waiting who had been assisting, worried she might step on the long hem, quickly stepped back.

As a result, Eleanor’s face turned red.

Reaching to take his arm, she instead placed her palm gently over his hand.

As if determined not to let go, his fingers slipped through hers and intertwined tightly.

“Are you nervous?”

Apparently, she had gripped his hand harder than she realized.

Eleanor gave an embarrassed laugh. “A little.”

“Same here.”

He says that, but he seems so calm.

Unable to believe him, Eleanor looked up at Lennoch.

He took her hand and placed it against his chest.

Startled by the Emperor’s sudden gesture, a few ladies-in-waiting let out small squeals.

“It’s pounding like crazy.”

Thump, thump.

Just as he said, his heartbeat echoed strongly through her hand.