The Ugly Wife of the Shady Duke - Chapter 62.1
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“……Yes.”
Benjamin softly replied.
Grace who was engrossed in the beautiful gemstone she was seeing for the first time didn’t notice…..
“It’s truly lovely.”
Where his gaze was directed as he said that.
‘It’s not something that can be decided by me alone.’
Grace lifted her head abruptly, meeting Benjamin’s eyes. It wasn’t the gemstone he was looking at, but her. Caught off guard by his stare, she stepped back a bit.
“Your Highness, may I ask a somewhat outrageous question?”
“Hmm, well. Go ahead.”
“Is it possible to purchase this mine?”
“…….”
At Grace’s inquiry, Benjamin seemed lost in thought for a moment, as if considering her question.
“It might not be a bad idea.”
“……! Really?”
“Yes. Whether this gemstone is produced here or not, purchasing the mine could be an opportunity to support the corrupted area. After all, there are initiatives to redevelop abandoned mines here and there.”
Benjamin methodically articulated what Grace had hoped for.
“However, if this happens, adequate compensation for other contaminated areas would also be necessary. Although Count Ardel’s territory is the most affected, it doesn’t mean that other areas aren’t suffering.”
“That’s true.”
Realizing Benjamin’s point was valid, Grace simply nodded in agreement.
‘Indeed, on the way here, several places were deteriorating.’
It wasn’t just this area that was affected.
The tea plantation where the group from the orphanage would be staying was also adversely affected by the contamination, resulting in a poor harvest. Thankfully, this piece of land was located at a considerable distance from Ardel County, so the contamination was not too severe.
‘In any case, once Aria arrives there, her blessings will be bestowed, so it doesn’t really matter.’
“Hmm, it’s challenging to support other areas. Because we didn’t stay long in those places as we were constantly on the move.”
From the outset, providing relief funds for the affected areas was a duty that the royal family should undertake. However, when Grace appeared contemplative, Benjamin joined her in the deliberation.
“How about this? We could hire residents from the most affected areas from the territories along the river connected to the Rondel Canal and make them a part of the mine redevelopment project.”
“Is it okay even if they aren’t experts?”
“Creating jobs depends on how one approaches it. Furthermore, as this venture produces skilled workers, it’ll be possible to redevelop abandoned mines across the empire.”
“What if this mine itself holds value for mining?”
“That would be a very good outcome.”
Benjamin smiled brightly.
“If it doesn’t, we can commence the operations first, then propose the subsequent plans to the royal family. As for all the other details, if we handle them from the start, we essentially hold the reins, don’t we?”
“Aha…”
In other words, if the mine held no intrinsic value, Benjamin intended to elevate the stature of the Felton Duchy by advancing the project and then leaving the tedious tasks to the royal family.
Although Benjamin’s smile was warm and gentle, the underlying implications of his words contrasted starkly with that gentle smile.
‘After all, there’s no need for us to deal with the aftermath.’
At times like these, Benjamin didn’t seem to be the kind of man who could be called a pushover or too naive.
As their objective was slowly being met, Benjamin took the lead to return to their accommodations.
His stride was very slow, allowing Grace, despite their height difference, to easily walk beside him.
“I often worry.”
“About what?”
“I worry that due to My Lady’s gentle nature, you might get hurt in the future.”
‘Me?’
Grace never considered herself particularly kind. If anything, she thought she leaned more toward being indecisive.
There were instances when she acted in her own interest, thinking it would benefit her.
When these actions were framed as being ‘of gentle disposition’, she felt a pang of guilt.
“I’ve never considered myself as such. Perhaps Your Highness hasn’t met truly good people yet.”
Or maybe he had?
‘Aria Miller.’
The moment Grace thought those words, the image of the female protagonist sprung to her mind, making her regret it. It felt as if a mocking laughter from somewhere was taunting her.
“You think so?”
“Perhaps, you might have already met someone…”
Grace’s confidence vanished for no reason, and her voice wavered.
Benjamin hesitated for a moment and then extended his hand to her.
“The forest at night can be treacherous. May I escort you back?”
“…….”
Grace hesitated for a moment before taking Benjamin’s hand. A faint sigh was heard.
‘What was that?’
When she lifted her head to look at the man, his face showed no sign of change, remaining as gentle as ever.
‘Did I mishear?’
The hand she held felt slightly stiff at first but soon relaxed. It felt as though the tension in the person had melted away.
‘Am I imagining things?’
If Benjamin had indeed been tense, perhaps he feared that his offer to escort her would be declined.
She hoped that was the case. For a brief moment, such a selfish thought crossed Grace’s mind.
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