The Ugly Wife of the Shady Duke - Chapter 44.2
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“It seems the Saintess is busy receiving others.”
“Is that so?”
Benjamin nodded and looked towards Aria. She was almost invisible, surrounded by people.
“Usually, there is an order to greetings, and they shouldn’t be oblivious to that… Or perhaps they are so startled by this incident that they’ve forgotten? Well, I can understand. They wouldn’t want to be criticized for something they didn’t do wrong.”
‘Was Benjamin always like this?’
In a gentle and soft voice, Benjamin pointed out their rudeness.
Benjamin was not only Duke Felton but also currently the person in charge of this matter. Even though it was merely a figurehead position, he was the scapegoat for this situation.
He reminded others that it was because of his own involvement that others didn’t receive blame.
The Saintess was an object of admiration for many. From the moment she was recognized as the Saintess, she ascended to a very high position, regardless of her original status.
The only ones who could treat her with disdain were the Emperor and the Empress.
‘Or perhaps Crown Prince Sylvester? It seems more like a friendly relationship than one of disdain, but maybe that’s because they are on familiar terms.’
It was evident in the novel that Aria found it difficult to handle such a sacred treatment. The reason her heart leaned more towards Sylvester than Benjamin was because Benjamin awkwardly and cautiously treated Aria, even though they were on familiar terms.
‘Wait, on top of that, Benjamin was already a married man. Even knowing that he’s married, it’s not right for her heart to sway.’
Grace momentarily forgot that she was Benjamin’s wife.
‘Am I going crazy…?’
Even during the period of divorce probation, she hadn’t truly let go of her feelings. But realizing that she was erasing her existence so naturally, she panicked.
“And it would be better for My Lady to explain directly rather than me speaking on her behalf. If I say something and distort the content, it wouldn’t be good.”
Benjamin kept unintentionally putting Grace in the spotlight.
“N-No, it’s okay. It was just a simple hypothesis… and Your Highness, you surely understood it.”
“Still, it would be better if My Lady explained it directly.”
Grace tried to refuse, feeling burdened, but Benjamin insisted in a magnanimous manner. She glanced at the expression of a nearby priest.
‘It seems like they’re suspicious.’
Grace was not someone who engaged in social activities. Coupled with her reputation for incompetence, it seemed more reasonable for Benjamin to explain rather than Grace.
If Grace were to speak about this hypothesis, most of the expressions around her would be tinged with doubt.
She had just managed to feel somewhat at ease, but if she faced those faces again, she would undoubtedly be plunged into anxiety once more.
“I will, um, board the carriage first. I thought I would be fine, but I feel a bit overwhelmed.”
“Are you feeling very tired? Can you wait in the carriage?”
“I’ll be fine if I’m alone.”
Benjamin perked up like an alert puppy in an instant.
‘I feel guilty for deceiving him, but it’s not a lie.’
Grace’s heart twinged at Benjamin’s lonely expression.
“Then, I’ll accompany you to the carriage. It wouldn’t be safe for you to go alone.”
‘Is it dangerous?’
In truth, there was nothing particularly dangerous. The setting of the island in the novel, was peace itself, at least when the original work was in progress.
‘Or rather, it was peaceful until Benjamin went on a rampage.’
In fact, the only entity that would threaten the island was discussing the danger. Grace couldn’t help but laugh at the irony.
If someone asked her if she found it genuinely amusing, she could confidently say “no.”
“It’s okay… Please, take care of yourself.”
Grace had no reason or excuse to reject Benjamin’s proposal. Sitting alone in the now-empty carriage, she felt a strange mix of emotions.
‘It feels like being treated with special care.’
Looking back, Benjamin always made an effort to do his best for Grace.
‘But why do I keep having doubts?’
Was it because of the course of the original work? Grace pondered as she looked back on the past.
‘No, it feels somewhat different from that. It’s a more fundamental issue…’
It was deeper and more unsettling than just knowing the course of the original work. Even the original Grace had such feelings.
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