Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Side Story 12

The persistent dream had revealed his past life.

On the night of Caroline’s execution, Ernst fully regained the memories of his previous life.

The moment he realized that the nightmares he had been suffering were rooted in himself was nothing short of hellish.

For several days, he couldn’t leave his home.

The inescapable past kept flooding his mind.

On Eleanor’s wedding day, he once again realized what a heartless husband he had been to her.

It wasn’t just heartless.

In his past life, not only had he presided over her trial, he had never once looked back at her—not even when she died falsely accused.

Just how merciless had he been?

“I couldn’t bear to stay in the palace.”

“……”

“It felt like an invisible hand was choking me.”

He would only later understand that this was guilt.

At the time, he just felt suffocated and wanted to run.

Ernst had used the public demand for his punishment as an excuse to leave the capital.

After descending to the countryside, he wrestled with his thoughts for a long time.

“Why was it only after my mother died that I fully regained my past life?”

He had recently reached a conclusion.

“Because she was someone who couldn’t feel regret, she paid for her sins with death.”

And he—

“Because I can regret… I figured this must be God’s last mercy, telling me to pay my dues to you and the Emperor.”

It wasn’t just Eleanor’s death that Ernst had witnessed in his past life.

He had also seen the Emperor, who, upon arriving late from the Lubraith Empire and hearing the tragic news, had completely lost his mind.

He neither ate, drank, nor moved—he only wept, clinging to her corpse.

The words he whispered as he held Eleanor’s lifeless body were still vivid.

“I’m sorry… I should have protected you, no matter what…”

In that life, the one who killed Caroline was none other than Marquis Delph.

When the Emperor, half-mad from grief over Eleanor’s death, ceased governing, Marquis Delph openly revealed his long-hidden ambitions.

Only then did Ernst realize the gravity of his past mistakes.

What it had meant for the Emperor to entrust Eleanor to him.

How terribly unjust the false accusation against Eleanor had been.

Having understood it all, Ernst beheaded Marquis Delph himself.

Then, he knelt before the Emperor.

“I’m sorry.”

I’m sorry, Your Majesty.

“I was… wrong.”

That evening, a great fire broke out in the palace chapel.

Amid the roaring flames, the Emperor held Kaham’s bracelet in his hand.

That was the final memory of his past life.

When he awoke from the dream, Ernst realized that this life was one the Emperor had turned back time to create.

Listening to the whole story, Eleanor cleared her throat awkwardly.

“Kaham’s bracelet is a relic surrounded by many rumors.”

Ernst’s eyes dropped to Eleanor’s slender white wrist.

As if the bracelet were truly there.

“They say it has the power to restore lost things—objects, people, hearts.”

“……”

“The night the bracelet came to me and the nightmares began… It was telling me to remember what I had lost.”

Ernst did not take the memories of his past life lightly.

Kaham’s bracelet was a relic that bridged past and present.

He whispered in a low voice, “I didn’t return to the capital to ask for your forgiveness.”

The red clock tower incident had been no different.

He hadn’t stopped the terrorists to earn a reward.

It was to apologize.

This was a repentance that must never be forgiven.

He had only just begun.

After explaining everything, Ernst let out a weary sigh.

As if he had poured all his energy into this moment.

Then he added one final word,

“I’m sorry.”

For not knowing the truth in their past life, for wrongfully condemning her and driving her to her death.

“I’m truly sorry.”

“……”

And—

To his one and only friend, the Emperor.

***

“What did you talk about with him?” Lennoch asked on the carriage ride back.

Eleanor, who had been staring out the window, slowly turned her head. “It seems Ernst plans to pass House Mecklen to Vito.”

“…He’s giving it to Vito?”

Lennoch immediately caught on to the distant look in her eyes.

Despite her inner turmoil, Eleanor answered in a composed tone, “He said the title of head of House Mecklen was never truly his. That Caroline had forcibly taken it from Rachel, and it was right to return it to the rightful heir, Vito. He said he came to the capital to persuade the elders of House Mecklen on the matter of succession.”

It wasn’t a lie.

That was what Ernst had said after sharing the story of his past life.

He claimed he would return all the things Caroline had stolen to their rightful owners.

As for the red clock tower incident—he had come only because he believed no one else could stop it.

But explaining that would mean revealing how he had predicted the terror attack.

So Eleanor withheld that part.

“He said he booked a place to stay near the red clock tower.”

“……”

“He plans to enter the palace and formally transfer the title after the Founding Festival.”

Even after her additional explanation, Lennoch said nothing.

The smile that had been on his lips was long gone, replaced by a faint chill.

It was an unfamiliar expression.

“…Lennoch?”

Growing uneasy, Eleanor called his name again.

Lennoch gazed at her for a long moment.

‘No.’

He was sure of it.

Eleanor, after returning from speaking with Ernst, wore a deeply unsettled expression.

Ernst, unlike before, had not dared to approach—he had merely offered a polite greeting from a distance before leaving.

That made it all the more suspicious.

‘There’s something else.’

Eger had whispered something before he left.

He suspected Ernst was acting with a specific purpose.

He said the distance was too far for Ernst to have heard the commotion at the red clock tower and rushed there—that he must have already known something about it.

Which meant that the current situation was—

‘…He’s hiding it on purpose.’

Eleanor was thinking about him.

And she was hiding something from him.

A secret between Ernst and Eleanor.

Suddenly, Lennoch’s chest tightened. “Does he trouble your mind?”

“No. Not anymore.”

“So he used to, then?”

Eleanor replied reluctantly, “…At first, I found his talent a shame to waste. I still thought he was important to Baden.”

He had once held a rather meaningful position within the imperial court.

“He had a reputation, too. Outwardly, the bond between the imperial family and House Mecklen symbolized the ideal sovereign relationship. And no other knight commander had the same charisma. In terms of ability, I acknowledge he was exceptional.”

“…Whatever he is doesn’t matter.”

Lennoch’s voice deepened slightly.

“To me, you come before anything else. Whatever Ernst did to you in the past—”

“I know.”

“……”

“And I feel the same. To me, you come first, Lennoch.”

Lennoch was at a loss for words.

“That’s why I kept Ernst around. Not because I had lingering feelings, but because I wanted to give you more options. To use him as much as possible for the benefit of the imperial family. So that he could return as a knight commander anytime, if needed.”

But now, there was no point.

After her conversation with Ernst, Eleanor had quietly let go of the card she had kept in reserve—Count Mecklen.

“The knight order is doing just fine without him anyway. The new generation of knights will gradually fill the gap he left.”

Joshua’s family had even begun rising as a new noble house since Mecklen fell.

The same went for the other knights.

“So from now on, Ernst will no longer be with us.”

“……”

“Not for the rest of our lives.”

Eleanor spoke firmly, worried that Lennoch might misunderstand her relationship with Ernst.

She also didn’t want a meeting between Lennoch and Ernst, who now knew the memories of their past lives.

But it wasn’t the answer Lennoch wanted.

He muttered quietly, “Since when… did you care so much.”

“……?”

“Is the imperial family more important to you than yourself?”

He looked as if he’d been hurt.

Caught off guard by Lennoch’s unexpected reaction, Eleanor grew slightly flustered.

She was about to say more, but Lennoch fell silent.

For the first time, an awkward air lingered between them.

***

The second day of the Founding Festival.

The palace remained bustling with visitors.

After finishing a busy morning schedule, Eleanor finally had a moment to breathe by the afternoon, when she received a message from a servant and made her way to the audience chamber.

At her side was Brianna.

“Your Majesty, have you been well?”

“Lord Pedro.”

Pedro greeted her brightly and took Eleanor’s hand.

Duke Nestor scolded him for being too familiar with the Empress, but his reprimand quickly dissolved into laughter.

Watching Pedro clasp Eleanor’s hand, Brianna quietly stepped in between them.

“It’s been a while, my lord.”

“Lady Brianna.”

When Pedro saw Brianna covering her mouth with a fan, his expression brightened.

“That fan is made of silk imported from the East, isn’t it? The embroidery must’ve been commissioned from Arangbi. The overlapping pattern of seven roses is quite beautiful.”

“…You know your things.”

Brianna’s smile twitched awkwardly.

‘He really has no interest in me at all.’

She had taken such care with her skin the day before just for this meeting.

And the first thing he praised was her fan?

Annoyed, Brianna pretended not to hear the rest of Pedro’s comment.

Meanwhile, Eleanor spotted a chessboard on the desk.

“Were you playing chess?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I enjoy it quite a bit, and His Majesty was kind enough to be my opponent,” Duke Nestor replied promptly with a smile.

But Eleanor couldn’t smile as freely.

Across from her sat Lennoch.

Since the incident with Ernst, the two had barely spoken.

They hadn’t had a falling out, but—

It felt unfamiliar, like seeing someone again after a long separation.

Then, as Lennoch turned his head, their eyes met.

“……!”

“If it pleases you, would the two of you care for a game as well?”

Duke Nestor offered the suggestion at just the right moment to Eleanor and Brianna.

Eleanor quickly looked away from Lennoch. “There are a lot of people here—why don’t we pair up and play as teams?”

“A good idea.”

Lennoch, seated across from her, gave a small smile.

Perhaps influenced by those around him, he seemed no different from usual.

Just then, Brianna quickly sat down next to Eleanor. “Her Majesty and I will be one team.”

Which meant naturally—

“Then it’s you and me.”

“Haha, I guess that’s how it turned out.”

At Lennoch’s words, Pedro scratched his head and laughed.

Duke Nestor, now a spectator, chimed in from the side. “Your Majesty the Empress, you’ll need to be careful. His Majesty is a formidable opponent, but my son isn’t bad either.”