The Ugly Wife of the Shady Duke - Chapter 105

“…Having someone trust and follow my thoughts is truly fulfilling.”

 

 

 

Aria had no reason to believe Grace, yet she trusted her completely, following requests that might even tarnish her own reputation. For that, Grace was immensely grateful.

 

 

 

‘Yes, that has changed.’

 

 

 

Although she couldn’t change the part where Sylvester gets injured and Aria faces adversity, she did change the story of the embroidery competition.

 

 

 

Grace had succeeded in making a difference.

 

 

 

‘This assassination attempt was just bad luck, maybe I can change something else.’

 

 

 

Now, she knew many details that weren’t in the novel, and even if things followed the original plot, Grace’s presence was an additional factor.

 

 

 

Her very existence was proof that things were already different from the novel.

 

 

 

Grace glanced at Benjamin sitting next to her before lowering her gaze back to their joined hands.

 

 

 

“Aria, let’s try one more time. If it doesn’t work, His Excellency will help somehow.”

 

 

 

Grace’s words gave Aria’s hand renewed strength.

 

 

 

Her trembling hands were weak but filled with a strong resolve.

 

 

 

“You… you’re the first ones to say you’d help me like this.”

 

 

 

“…”

 

 

 

“E-Except…. for Sylvester.”

 

 

 

There was a slight hint of happiness in her tearful voice.

 

 

 

“Even in this situation, I’m just… so grateful and happy…”

 

 

 

There were many who wanted to please Aria, but when it truly mattered, no one extended a helping hand.

 

 

 

It made sense; She was the saintess. She had grown to take this for granted, but occasionally, when she found herself alone, she felt the loneliness.

 

 

 

There was always a burden that came with being the only Saintess.

 

 

 

Even now, faced with the despair of possibly not being able to save Sylvester, she wept but couldn’t bring herself to seek help quickly. Part of her feared that if her value as a Saintess disappeared, so would all the goodwill she had received.

 

 

 

Grace realized anew that Aria wasn’t just a perpetually happy and kind character as described in the novel.

 

 

 

She was shaped and developed by those around her, feeling anxiety and searching for her place depending on the situation.

 

 

 

“…”

 

 

 

“Huh?”

 

 

 

Though not perfect, both felt a bit of happiness in each other’s presence. The reassurance that someone showed kindness even when they couldn’t do anything and the joy that someone believed in them despite everything.

 

 

 

In this tense and heavy atmosphere, the relief was palpable. The belief that even though they didn’t know each other well, they would still help one another.

 

 

 

That belief manifested in two distinct lights.

 

 

 

The golden and faint teal lights were clearly identifiable to whom each of the lights belonged.

 

 

 

“…Can you see it?”

 

 

 

Aria asked Grace, who was staring blankly at the emerging light.

 

 

 

The light slowly enveloped Sylvester, and his wound began to heal.

 

 

 

“Yes…”

 

 

 

Grace affirmed, still in a daze. The light seemed visible to Aria as well.

 

 

 

‘The novel never described the divine power having colors.’

 

 

 

Aria glanced at Benjamin, who seemed oblivious to the significance of their conversation.

 

 

 

“Your Excellency, could you take Sylvie to the Imperial Palace? I’ll follow up shortly. Since the treatment was delayed, his condition needs to be checked.”

 

 

 

There were likely people who had seen Sylvester and Aria leaving together. Since Sylvester was still unconscious from the aftermath of the attack, it would be best for Benjamin, who was well-versed in the palace’s internal affairs, to discreetly move him.

 

 

 

“I’ll say I got lost and Aria guided me back.”

 

 

 

“…Alright, let’s do that.”

 

 

 

Benjamin hesitated for a moment as he lifted Sylvester, then steadied himself. After that, he looked at Grace.

 

 

 

“Please be careful. I’ll call for a knight, just in case. Don’t take any detours and come quickly.”

 

 

 

“Of course.”

 

 

 

Benjamin still seemed worried, glancing back several times until he was out of sight.

 

 

 

Once he was gone, Aria surveyed their surroundings and spoke in a low voice.

 

 

 

“Not all divine power is manifested as light particles.”

 

 

 

Grace had suspected as much. She had seen priests use their power in the western regions but didn’t always see those light particles.

 

 

 

“And, this power usually takes on the color of one’s soul.”

 

 

 

“So, our colors being different makes sense?”

 

 

 

“Yes, and also…”

 

 

 

Aria hesitated before continuing.

 

 

 

“I always felt a similar aura from you, Duchess, but I never thought you had the same power as me.”

 

 

 

“…”

 

 

 

“Could it be that you are also a Saint—”

 

 

 

Before Aria could finish her sentence, Grace covered her mouth.

 

 

 

‘Why did I stop her?’

 

 

 

Grace was too startled. She knew what Aria was going to say without needing to hear the rest. Aria was about to suggest that Grace was also a saintess.

 

 

 

Aria’s shocked face was clear in front of her. Grace kept her hand over Aria’s mouth as she spoke.

 

 

 

“That’s impossible.”

 

 

 

“…”

 

 

 

“There is always only one saintess.”

 

 

 

This was an absolute setting. Grace wondered if she was clinging too much to the original story, but she couldn’t imagine how this ‘variable’ might affect things.

 

 

 

‘If the original Grace was a saintess, why did she die so meaninglessly?’

 

 

 

Grace’s mind raced as she rolled her eyes.

 

 

 

“…Ah.”

 

 

 

‘Happiness.’

 

 

 

A saintess’s power could only be used if she felt happiness. And the original Grace Felton experienced severe depression.

 

 

 

There was never a time when she could be happy.

 

 

 

‘No, the original Grace might not have been a saintess. Let’s consider other possibilities.’

 

 

 

There is also the possibility that Grace is now a ‘possessed’ person and thus became a Saintess.

 

 

 

That’s why, unlike the original story, Grace was able to break free from her depression, and that’s how she came to hear this development.

 

 

 

Grace, trying to calm herself, removed her hand from Aria’s mouth.

 

 

 

“Do you remember the pendulum I gave you last time?”

 

 

 

Aria expected Grace to be reluctant to bring up the previous topic and said something else.

 

 

 

“Oh, yes.”

 

 

 

Grace nodded, unable to bring herself to admit that she had broken it.

 

 

 

“It was actually made from a piece of a sacred stone. It was part of a statue in the temple. And it has the power to amplify divine power… Temple people also use it as a talisman to carry into heavily polluted areas.”

 

 

 

‘Ah, so that’s why she gave it to me.’

 

 

 

She immediately understood why Aria had it and why she had given it to her. Since it was the western polluted area, someone must have given it to Aria, wishing for her safe return, and Aria, seeing Grace’s condition, had given her the pendulum out of concern.

 

 

 

Benjamin called for the knight of Felton’s duchy to hurry over and escort them.

 

 

 

“I heard that the light broke, and His Highness was injured. We will report this to the Imperial family. Please, both of you, come inside quickly.”

 

 

 

Grace, being escorted, glanced over the broken debris.

 

 

 

“Was it a magic tool?”

 

 

 

“Yes, it’s a magic tool for light. We plan to call someone from the Mage association later.”

 

 

 

Magic tools are meticulously crafted and inspected multiple times to ensure no defects before being delivered to the Imperial family. And as such there was no reason for one to suddenly malfunction.

 

 

 

‘So, that’s why they investigated it as an attempted assassination.’

 

 

 

Grace thought that with such an incident, there wouldn’t be much gossip about her in the gossip magazines.

 

 

 

‘Of course, there’s still that one matter to deal with once I get into the hall.’

 

 

 

Sylvester had collapsed, but aside from that, Aria and Grace still had to enter the banquet hall. All four were too important to be absent for an extended period.

 

 

 

‘Benjamin said he’d be here soon…’

 

 

 

There was just one thing that Grace found problematic.

 

 

 

As Aria and Grace entered the banquet hall simultaneously, they felt the blatant stares of people comparing them.

 

 

 

‘…So, this is how it’s going to play out.’

 

 

 

Because Aria was wearing a different outfit than in the novel, that ‘other’ role was assigned to Grace.

 

 

 

Normally, the temple people surrounding Aria would naturally separate the two, but at an Imperial event, priests couldn’t move as freely.

 

 

 

The number of knights allowed from each noble family was also limited, and no matter how powerful the temple had become, it was no exception.

 

 

 

So, the sight of Grace and Aria standing side by side drew some intrigued gazes.

 

 

 

‘Standing here like this, I can see why the temple in the west was especially trying to keep Aria and me apart.’

 

 

 

At Imperial banquets, most priests, except for the saintess, were mostly on standby in case of emergencies. And while pretending otherwise, they were keeping a close watch on Grace and Aria.