NRAL | Chapter 108

~Chapter 108~

The Opening of the Final Revenge

Eleanor hadn’t told the emperor the full truth because she feared the shock it might cause him—this wasn’t the reason.

Though she knew how deeply the emperor had lost his beloved son, daughter-in-law, and grandchild because of the Duke of Astria, Eleanor wasn’t in a position to care about someone else’s sorrow. If she had been an angelic person, she would have revealed everything long before she even planned her revenge.

The only reason Eleanor had shared part of the truth with the emperor was because it would help her own vengeance.

She knew that Arlo already knew the truth about the events, and by not revealing that Arlo was already on the Duke’s side, she hoped to let Emperor William IV feel the full extent of his anger towards the Duke of Astria. She wanted him to be able to swear revenge on the Duke without any hesitation.

As she had intended, the emperor’s anger was beyond words. His eyes were bloodshot, and the veins on his neck were tightly swollen.

The emperor, clenching his fists, suddenly slumped into the sofa. He buried his head so low that it was almost touching his chest, and he fell silent.

In the heavy silence, Eleanor knelt down, patiently waiting for him to speak.

“…Eleanor Astria, can you be responsible for what you’ve said?”

After a long pause, the emperor’s voice broke the silence.

Eleanor, already bowing, bent further and replied, “How could I dare lie in front of His Majesty, the great emperor of this empire? It pains me that with just my testimony, I cannot stop my father.”

Her statement alone wouldn’t be enough to put the Duke of Astria on trial. The incident had happened many years ago, and the details had faded from people’s memories. One witness wouldn’t be enough to confront someone like the Duke.

Although the fact that she was the Duke’s daughter would help, her age at the time and her current status as a “fake” noble meant that her testimony wouldn’t carry much weight. Both Eleanor and the emperor knew this well.

That’s why Eleanor made an enticing offer.

“That’s why I’ll become Your Majesty’s ears and hands. I’ll listen to everything my father says and bring it to you. I will also create an opportunity for Your Majesty to legally punish my father.”

“…You?”

“Yes. Even though I’m called a fake, I’m still the Duke’s daughter, and I’m trusted by him. My father, and even the Duke’s servants, all trust and rely on me. I will use that to my advantage. You just have to watch the situation as it unfolds, and if you find an opportunity in what I bring, make sure you use it.”

William IV opened his eyes slightly, clearly intrigued. It was a tempting proposal, but he was also suspicious.

“The Duke’s daughter, why? What would make you want to help me?”

He had expected something like this.

Once a noblewoman who held high status as the fiancée of the Crown Prince, Eleanor had suddenly fallen from grace. It wouldn’t be surprising if she harbored a grudge against her family.

But if that was her reason, it wouldn’t be pleasant for the emperor. He couldn’t be sure whether her vengeance was solely aimed at the Duke, or if Arlo was part of it.

His gaze on Eleanor sharpened as if trying to uncover her true intentions.

Eleanor lifted her head slightly and then, as if embarrassed, bit her lip.

“I’d like to say it’s for Juvenile… but there’s actually another reason. A shameful reason that I can’t tell anyone.”

“Then you’ll hide it from me too?”

“No, not at all. Having already come this far, what more could I hide from you, Your Majesty?”

Eleanor slowly shook her head and, after taking a deep breath to compose herself, continued.

“I’m no longer Eleanor Astria, and I’m no longer the Crown Prince’s fiancée. But… but, even so, I still love Arlo.”

“What?”

William IV’s eyes widened in surprise at her unexpected confession.

“I’ve become a fake, and someone else is now his fiancée… But how could the feelings I’ve built over the years disappear just because the situation changed? Even though I know I should stop, my feelings for him can’t be stopped.”

Her voice trembled as she tried to control her emotions, speaking with such sorrow that it felt almost pitiful.

The emperor, having known her for a long time, was taken aback by her tear-streaked face. This was the first time he had ever seen her like this.

“I came to visit him in secret, and I came to you because I couldn’t let him continue to be used by my father. All of this… it’s because I still love Arlo.”

She hated herself for acting like this. The words felt disgusting to her, but she managed to hold back the urge to vomit.

Had she said this in front of Empress Genevieve, she would have been laughed at. Genevieve, who had been trained from a young age to become the Crown Princess, would know just how absurd it was to love her ex-fiancé in this situation.

Yet, to her surprise, William IV seemed to believe her words. He wasn’t just believing her, but also seemed to be worried that her feelings for Arlo might become an obstacle in Arlo’s future.

Eleanor, sensing his concern, reassured him.

“Don’t worry, Your Majesty. I know my place. If I were still foolishly holding onto hope, I would have accepted Arlo’s proposal today. I would have become his mistress and stayed by his side, trembling. But I didn’t, because I know where I must draw the line. Besides, as you may have heard, I’m soon going to become the Duke of Royster’s mistress. It wasn’t what I desired, but as a noblewoman, I’ve come to accept my fate.”

After hearing this, William IV’s eyes seemed to relax a little, and his suspicion faded.

“Don’t worry, Your Majesty. I won’t be a nuisance to the imperial family with my childish emotions. I simply want to help Your Majesty and Arlo, even if only for a little while, before I go to Royster.”

Her words seemed to ease some of the tension in the emperor’s expression.

He nodded slowly, and after a long silence, he finally spoke.

“…Alright. I’ll trust you with this once.”

“It’s an honor, Your Majesty.”

That single nod was the signal that the final revenge had begun.

***

As summer deepened, the clothing shops in Cardiff became unusually quiet. The social season that began in spring ended in early summer, and nobles from distant regions returned to their estates.

But as the cool winds of fall began to blow and summer came to an end, the shops became crowded again with customers preparing for new clothes.

The arrival of autumn meant that the hunting festival, the grand event of Cardiff’s high society, was near.

The hunting festival, originally started to reduce the damage from wild animals like foxes before winter, had now become a popular sport among the nobility.

The Juvenile royal family traditionally hosted the hunting festival every autumn, and although some criticized it as an extravagant display of animal cruelty, the event was not canceled this year.

The nobles eagerly prepared for the event, buying new hunting clothes, hunting dogs, and horses. The festival was seen as a major social event, and both men and women were expected to attend.

However, Eleanor didn’t enjoy large gatherings and didn’t like the hunting festival’s deviation from its original purpose. She had avoided attending in previous years.

But this year was different.

“Oh my! I knew this dress would look perfect on you, Lady Eleanor! If someone sees you standing in the grass, they might mistake you for a fairy. Ho ho ho!”

Lady Corcos praised Eleanor as she looked at her in the mirror.

As she had said, the new dress was simple in design, not too heavy, and the bright color would look especially beautiful under the midday sun.

“Let me see, which ribbon should I use for the hat?”

“How about this purple ribbon?”

“Hmm.”

When Eleanor suggested it, both Lady Corcos and Hilda immediately looked away. The purple ribbon on the light beige dress would be the worst combination imaginable.

“Purple is a nice experimental color, but since the embroidery on the dress is light pink, shouldn’t we use something to match that color?” Hilda suggested.

“That’s a great idea, Hilda.”

Without even questioning the suggestion, Lady Corcos and Hilda immediately agreed.

“By the way, aren’t you going to get a riding outfit? It seems you won’t be attending the hunt.”

“No. I’ve never been good at riding, so I’ve never attended before.”

“That’s a good idea. If you get lost in the hunting forest, it could be dangerous. I’ve heard the foxes this year are particularly vicious!”

Eleanor quietly agreed with her.

“Ah! How did time pass so quickly? I think we’re done here. Oh, by the way, Hilda, the hat Lady Eleanor is wearing—did you make that?”

“Yes, but…”

Hilda, who had been happy about Eleanor’s new dress, suddenly looked embarrassed and lowered her voice, probably feeling self-conscious about her work.

“Next time, would you bring more samples?”

“What?! You want me to show my… work?” Hilda stammered.

“Of course! It may not be perfect yet, but I can tell you have talent. If you learn properly, I think you could do really well. Would you be interested in learning more?”

Hilda’s mouth dropped open in surprise. Her blue eyes shook, and it was obvious that she didn’t know how to react.

“Come on, say yes!” Eleanor gently tapped her on the shoulder.

Hilda, still in shock, finally answered, “No… I’m fine. I’m sorry, but I don’t think I have time to learn that right now.”

“You do! Don’t worry!”

Eleanor quickly stopped Hilda from protesting.

“Lady Corcos, next time Hilda will bring samples for you. So please, go ahead and take care of your next appointment.”

“Uh! Uh-uh!”

“See? Hilda’s excited too.”

Despite her protests, Hilda couldn’t pull away from Eleanor’s firm grip. It was unbelievable how much strength Eleanor had, especially considering she had never done hard work in her life.