Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Side Story 13

“I’m confident in chess too. I often played with my father.”

Brianna, never one to lose in competitiveness, declared proudly.

Duke Nestor’s provocation seemed to have sparked her fighting spirit.

Pedro looked around and said, “It’s a perfect 2-on-2. How about a little wager? It’ll make the game more exciting.”

“That sounds fun. What shall we bet?”

“How about a forehead flick?”

“P-Pedro.”

Pedro mimed the flicking motion with his fingers.

The idea that his son would dare to flick the Empress’s forehead horrified Duke Nestor.

Thankfully, Eleanor found the suggestion amusing. “Then if we win, Lord Pedro will be the one getting flicked.”

“Haha, I won’t go down so easily.”

“That’s quite the confidence. Let’s see if you’re still smiling at the end.”

“Your Majesty, may I take on Lord Pedro instead? I know it’s just a game, but…”

Brianna whispered to Eleanor, slightly awkward.

If they won, it wouldn’t just be Pedro—she’d have to flick the Emperor’s forehead too.

Given her already-strained relationship with the Emperor, Brianna found the situation uncomfortable.

Understanding her position, Eleanor nodded. “Then let’s do that.”

To keep the match fair, Duke Nestor brought out an hourglass.

It was to ensure no one took too long on their turn.

Brianna won the right to go first with a game of rock-paper-scissors.

As everyone held their breath, Eleanor reached out and moved the first chess piece.

***

A fierce match ensued between the two teams.

Eleanor’s bishop took down her opponent’s rook.

But in response, the Emperor’s knight, lying in wait, toppled another rook she hadn’t seen.

Then Brianna cautiously moved a pawn, prompting a sly smile from Pedro.

“Are you really putting it there?”

“Y-yes.”

Flustered, Brianna answered, her cheeks slightly reddening.

“Such a shame the game ends so soon.”

“……!”

“Checkmate.”

“Ah.”

Only then did Brianna realize her mistake.

The white king on the Empress’s team had wandered into the black queen’s range.

While Brianna froze in shock, Eleanor let out a deep sigh.

‘Too late.’

Eleanor’s white king had no room to maneuver.

A pawn blocked the path ahead, and both the black queen and surviving black rook were eyeing the only remaining escape route.

“We lost.”

“No…!”

When Eleanor admitted defeat, Brianna stomped her feet in frustration.

She instinctively turned to Pedro.

“L-let’s play again. Let’s count this as a practice round…!”

“Haha, Lady Brianna. We agreed beforehand. One-sided cancellations due to emotion aren’t very fair.”

“Isn’t it a bit much to take a simple game so seriously?”

“A promise is a promise. I value promises more than my life, so I’m afraid I can’t overlook it, Lady Brianna.”

“How petty…!”

Brianna’s pleas didn’t move him.

Unable to beat Pedro, she had no choice but to lift her bangs slightly.

A crisp, clear sound rang out from her forehead, like tapping a watermelon.

Rubbing the sore spot, Brianna muttered, “Just you wait.”

“Shall we play another round?”

“Of course. Your Majesty, you’re in too, right?”

Restoring her pride took priority over the pain.

Seeing Brianna’s determination, Eleanor smiled and nodded. “First, I suppose I’ll take my penalty.”

Eleanor leaned toward Lennoch without hesitation.

As her round, egg-shaped face drew close, Lennoch hesitated.

Eleanor closed her eyes, her long lashes gently folding down.

“You’ll go easy on me, won’t you?”

“Your Majesty, that sounds suspiciously like exploiting your superior status.”

“That’s right. A promise is a promise. Accept it graciously.”

Perhaps word had passed to Pedro, as Brianna now declared firmly.

Even Duke Nestor seemed quietly curious whether the Emperor would truly flick the Empress’s forehead.

Under the full attention of the room, Lennoch’s gaze slowly dropped to Eleanor’s lips.

Her gently closed lips were faintly trembling.

Smooch.

“……!”

Contrary to expectations, what touched her forehead was soft.

As her eyes fluttered open, her vision filled with the Emperor’s smiling face.

“I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

He couldn’t.

“This will have to do.”

“That’s too much, Your Majesty.”

“Exactly. How can those of us without lovers bear this?”

“Forgive me, Your Majesty. But just this once, I agree with my son.”

Brianna, Pedro, and Duke Nestor voiced their protest in unison.

But no matter what the others said, Lennoch calmly reset the chessboard.

Eleanor gently touched the spot where his lips had grazed her forehead.

“……”

The tension that had lingered moments ago now melted away like a lie.

She felt embarrassed.

But more than that, an uncontrollable laughter kept bubbling up.

When her eyes met Lennoch’s, a familiar warmth glimmered in his gaze.

Eleanor’s eyes curved softly in response.

The awkwardness between them had already disappeared.

***

The chess game continued late into the night.

Though the competition was fierce, the Emperor and Pedro proved formidable opponents.

Brianna took two more hits in a row, and finally, thanks to Pedro making a deliberate misstep, they managed to win one match.

Still, Brianna wasn’t satisfied and clung to him until the end. Meanwhile, Lennoch and Eleanor used their schedule as an excuse to slip out of the audience chamber.

Before they parted ways, Eleanor held Lennoch back.

“How about a glass of wine tonight?”

“Aren’t you tired?”

“I’m fine. What about you?”

“I’m fine too.”

“Then I’ll see you later.”

She couldn’t deny a twinge of guilt.

It felt like she had deliberately kept him at arm’s length despite how sincere he was.

‘Maybe I should just tell him everything.’

Ernst recovering the memories of his past life only deepened Eleanor’s inner conflict.

He looked as though he was ready to meet the Emperor again at any moment.

He said he intended to start unraveling their tangled past one knot at a time.

Which meant she couldn’t hide it forever.

‘All right, I’ll tell him.’

But first, she would put Lennoch’s feelings above all else.

With that resolve, Eleanor took a deep breath and stepped into the office.

“Eger?”

“…Your Majesty.”

Eger stood alone in the Emperor’s office, looking dazed.

Was he like that at yesterday’s banquet too?

Startled, Eleanor pointed to Eger’s crooked cravat. “You’ll have to fix that.”

“S-sorry, Your Majesty.”

“What were you thinking about so hard?”

Eger looked down at his disheveled cravat, then let out a sigh. “It’s about the relic Your Majesty gave me.”

“……?”

“It really does seem to have some effect.”

No way.

“I held hands with Sir Joshua.”

“Hands? Did you reach out first?”

“……”

“Sir Joshua did?”

Eleanor shouted in surprise.

Joshua had always shown no interest in romance, so she hadn’t expected much from that contact.

Eger’s ears turned red. “It wasn’t on purpose. I was out of breath chasing after Sir Ernst… Sir Joshua grabbed my hand so I wouldn’t fall behind.”

“I see.”

Only then did Eleanor exhale in relief.

Even if it was the relic’s power, the pace was moving too quickly—it startled her.

Eger muttered softly, “But there’s a problem.”

“What is it?”

“Since then… I haven’t been able to wash my hand.”

“……”

“…N-not in a weird way.”

Seeing Eleanor’s expression begin to change, Eger hurried to clarify.

“It was just such a miraculous moment. I’ve never even managed a proper conversation with Sir Joshua. Who would’ve thought we’d end up holding hands… Every time I think about it, my heart still races.”

Eger looked down at the hand Joshua had grabbed.

He knew it had meant nothing to her.

Even so, that faint glimmer of hope kept rising.

He wanted to grow a little closer to her.

“Shall I try arranging another meeting with Sir Joshua?” asked the Empress, but Eger didn’t answer right away.

After a moment’s hesitation, he asked, “Your Majesty… what were you feeling when you accepted His Majesty’s affection?”

“……?”

“Wasn’t his overwhelming interest in you… burdensome?”

Eleanor realized that Eger was curious about her and Lennoch’s love story.

She took a seat and said, “Burdensome… That’s not entirely wrong.”

“……”

“At first, I wasn’t sure why His Majesty was being so kind.”

She’d been wary, too.

“What did he even like about me? The path I was trying to walk was opposite to his. Even knowing that, would he still treat me the same? I had all sorts of doubts.”

“I’m afraid Sir Joshua will have those thoughts.”

“Eger.”

“I want to show her more of who I am, but what if she finds it burdensome and pulls away instead? That terrifies me.”

“……”

“Liking someone is so difficult. If only it were like math—where the answer is either right or wrong—it’d be so much easier.”

Eleanor smiled gently and looked at Eger. “Me too. Love is really hard.”

“But Your Majesty has already succeeded. Everyone in the palace knows how sweet the two of you are.”

“Maybe that’s why hardship comes now. I love him so much, I want to show him only the best… but it’s not that simple.”

“……?”

Trying to show him only the best had ended up hurting Lennoch instead.

Eleanor swallowed a bitter smile.

Eger, watching her, looked confused.

Eleanor shifted the subject naturally.

“Why not try highlighting your strengths?”

“My strengths…?”

“They say we often find charm in the qualities someone else has that we lack.”

“……”

“You and Sir Joshua differ in tastes, personalities—everything. That means she has things you don’t. But it also means you have things she doesn’t. That’s a big strength.”

“Ah.”

Eger groaned as if something had clicked.

Strengths… strengths…

Mumbling to himself, he suddenly tilted his head. “Then, Your Majesty, what was His Majesty’s strength in your eyes…?”

“He has a lot of money.”

“Ah, that’s tru—wait, what?”

Eger, who had nodded absentmindedly, suddenly looked up.

“Did you really marry him for his money?”

“I’m kidding.”

Of course not.

So this is why Lennoch enjoys teasing him.

As Eger realized it was a joke, the tips of his ears turned bright red.

Watching his earnest reaction, Eleanor let out a silent laugh.

She thought to herself—

Maybe this is one of Eger’s charms.