The Ugly Wife of the Shady Duke - Chapter 104

“Aria, could you explain what happened?”

 

 

 

“Y-Your Excellency…!”

 

 

 

As Grace witnessed the scene before her, she vividly recalled the ‘sudden accident’ described in the novel.

 

 

 

“Ah…”

 

 

 

“I-I don’t know. I was talking with His Highness the Crown Prince here, and suddenly the statue exploded. While trying to shield me…”

 

 

 

In the original work, it was revealed to be the act of an assassin.

 

 

 

‘Who was behind that assassin again? It was such a random extra with no foreshadowing at all…’

 

 

 

This episode was designed for Aria to become aware of her own feelings. Despite being a story of a happy path of the protagonist, by the protagonist, and for the protagonist, occasional trials were still necessary.

 

 

 

Reflecting on the plot like this, Grace couldn’t help but wonder, ‘Was <The Saint’s Wish> actually a terrible piece of work?’

 

 

 

“B-But… th-the treatment isn’t working…”

 

 

 

Aria, her face streaked with tears, was pressing down firmly on Sylvester’s wound, determined to stop the bleeding.

 

 

 

“My divine power… it’s not coming out.”

 

 

 

The divine power of a Saintess often seemed like a natural gift. After all, it was akin to a blessing.

 

 

 

But upon reflection, Grace wondered, wasn’t the Saintess’s divine power actually difficult to maintain?

 

 

 

‘The happier she is, the stronger her power gets. So if she’s even a little unhappy, her divine power weakens.’

 

 

 

And that was precisely the case with Aria right now.

 

 

 

The novel described how Aria, despite the hardships, would use her holy power while imagining a happier future whenever she went to help the poor or visited the slums.

 

 

 

Coming from the countryside with no special memories or family, dreaming of any kind of future was a unique act for her.

 

 

 

Given that, one could only imagine how special Sylvester was to Aria. And if that special person was gravely injured because of her for the first time, it was impossible to fathom the shock she must be feeling.

 

 

 

“What… what should I do? Please, call someone… anyone…”

 

 

 

Benjamin stood there, frozen with a look of utter distress.

 

 

 

‘…It can’t be helped.’

 

 

 

If they asked for help here, everyone would see this scene, and rumors would inevitably spread.

 

 

 

If it became known throughout the empire, and even in other nations, that Saintess Aria’s power had limitations, it would deal a severe blow to the empire.

 

 

 

‘In fact, it would be dangerous not only for the empire but also for Aria.’

 

 

 

Aria had no significant strengths other than being a Saintess. Sure, she was pretty, but without any power, being pretty alone wouldn’t be much of an advantage.

 

 

 

If Aria’s weakness became known, the world wouldn’t be as kind to her as it had been. This would make Aria more vulnerable, leading to a vicious cycle of her divine power weakening further.

 

 

 

“Is there a priest nearby that we can call right now?”

 

 

 

After a long moment of hesitation, this was all Benjamin could manage to say.

 

 

 

‘No, even a priest would be dangerous.’

 

 

 

Grace made a cold assessment.

 

 

 

If the priest found out, it would only be a matter of time before the temple knew. If the goodwill towards Aria was solely because she was a saintess, the temple could very well change their attitude towards her.

 

 

 

Originally, this was a situation Aria had to overcome on her own, but Grace’s involvement had already twisted many events.

 

 

 

That was why Grace intended to step in during this scene.

 

 

 

Grace’s involvement in the Western contamination incident created events that didn’t originally exist, and Aria also didn’t have the opportunity to shine in the textile workshop strike incident.

 

 

 

It was accurate to say that Aria hadn’t had a chance to awaken, so she lacked the strength to help Sylvester right now.

 

 

 

Grace slowly approached Aria.

 

 

 

The smell of blood was sharp, and Sylvester’s ragged breathing could be heard.

 

 

 

“D-Duchess.”

 

 

 

Aria called out to Grace, trembling.

 

 

 

“Saintess, it’s going to be okay.”

 

 

 

Grace’s voice was just as unsteady.

 

 

 

“It… it will be okay.”

 

 

 

“…Will it? I-I’m not sure. This has never happened before…”

 

 

 

Grace felt someone approach and sit beside her. It was Benjamin.

 

 

 

“Your Excellency?”

 

 

 

Benjamin knew all too well that they couldn’t call for anyone else now; they had to rely on Aria’s holy power.

 

 

 

“There might be similar situations in the future,” Benjamin said, his voice rough and lower than usual.

 

 

 

“There will be moments when you lose someone precious in an instant, yet still be expected to fulfill your duties.”

 

 

 

“…”

 

 

 

Grace felt that Benjamin’s words were not just directed at Aria. It seemed like he was speaking to himself as well, continuing in a rough tone.

 

 

 

“Let’s try a little more. If it still doesn’t work, I will find a doctor who can keep quiet about this.”

 

 

 

“…”

 

 

 

“Calm down. The wound is large, but it’s not fatal. Sylvester won’t die from this.”

 

 

 

Benjamin never called Sylvester by his name in front of others, especially not in front of Aria, who was the female lead. 

 

 

 

But now, by using Sylvester’s name, he was letting Aria sense how close they were.

 

 

 

Aria, having calmed down somewhat, slowly moved her tear-filled eyes and looked around. She then looked down at her palm and slowly extended her hand to Grace.

 

 

 

“D-Duchess, if it’s alright, could you hold my hand for a moment? I-I just feel like it will work if you’re with me.”

 

 

 

‘Come to think of it…’

 

 

 

Even in Ardel County, Aria had mentioned that she felt a sense of closeness from the aura she perceived from Grace.

 

 

 

As Grace recalled that incident, she felt it was only right for her to help Aria. She also wondered if, through this, she might discover a way to control the power to dispel the mist in the annex.

 

 

 

She felt a bit calculating for thinking this way.

 

 

 

When she took Aria’s hand, she felt the sticky sensation of blood along with the warmth of her skin.

 

 

 

“…L-Lately, I’ve been thinking about… the time I spent with His Highness the Crown Prince.”

 

 

 

‘I know.’

 

 

 

Since moving to the capital, Aria had made many happy memories, but her time with Sylvester stood out as particularly special. Many people had shown her respect and behaved with courtesy, but her time with Sylvester had been genuinely refreshing.

 

 

 

Initially, they had met to break his curse, but Sylvester felt at ease around Aria, and Aria naturally grew fond of someone who didn’t just see her as a Saintess.

 

 

 

“B-But now, when I try to think anything… all I can remember is the worst…”

 

 

 

One failure, caused by her initial shock, had shaken Aria deeply.

 

 

 

It made her focus on the worst memories, pushing her into despair.

 

 

 

Grace looked at the young girl and squeezed her hand tightly.

 

 

 

“It’ll be alright.”

 

 

 

“…”

 

 

 

This time, fortunately, her voice didn’t sound unsteady.

 

 

 

“There’s never a day without a storm, Aria. But after enduring the storm, the sky is always still there.”

 

 

 

To be honest, Grace wondered if she was in any position to give advice to anyone. She herself had just recalled some inexplicable memories and had been swayed by strange voices.

 

 

 

She felt nauseated to the point of despair. Ever since she had seen the portrait in the Hall of Mirrors, yes, she had been truly depressed since then.

 

 

 

She had merely kept it hidden on the surface. For Grace, this lingering sense of melancholy was as constant as the air she breathed.

 

 

 

However, when she learned that Benjamin had mentioned replacing the portrait as one of his two requests, she realized she truly wasn’t okay. She was both afraid and eager to ask why he had made that request.

 

 

 

The Grace Felton in that portrait was, unlike her, truly an elegant woman in every sense of the name. She realized that she didn’t like this about the portrait.

 

 

 

Since possessing this body, Grace has encountered numerous bouts of depression. In fact, even before the possession, her life felt like sailing aimlessly on a sea of sorrow without a compass or a destination.

 

 

 

In fact, she was more pleased about replacing the portrait than naming the jewel “Grace.” The thought of having her face painted exactly as it was made her uneasy, and the idea of someone seeing it made her feel queasy. Yet, paradoxically, she also felt somewhat happy.

 

 

 

She felt that the man sitting next to her accepted her as she was.

 

 

 

‘It can’t just be a delusion.’

 

 

 

Grace looked at her hand, intertwined with Aria’s. She had lost a lot of weight since the possession, but compared to others, she was still chubby.

 

 

 

Previously, her mind had been filled with self-deprecating thoughts about her appearance, but now it was surprising that those thoughts didn’t come to mind.

 

 

 

Even in the pessimistic thoughts that had surfaced earlier, there was nothing about her appearance.

 

 

 

All sadness eventually comes to an end if you endure long enough. And to endure, one often needs someone’s help.

 

 

 

“…Actually, I was so happy that you received my letter and believed me, Aria. We haven’t known each other for long.”

 

 

 

“I-I couldn’t help but believe it. Your words were for my sake.”

 

 

 

“I was really happy about that.”

 

 

 

Grace felt a warm sensation in a corner of her heart. Despite the gloomy situation, that much was certain.

 

 

 

She was truly happy and overjoyed that Aria read and believed her letter.