The Ugly Wife of the Shady Duke - Chapter 98
Who was that person? Grace thought hard but couldn’t recall the name. However, given they were compared to Aria, they must have been quite symbolic character.
That character wore a dress of a similar color and style, which led to even more comparisons with Aria. Unfortunately, Grace couldn’t remember the exact color or design of the dress, so she decided to avoid the current popular patterns altogether.
‘And if I attend the party, I might not have the best social standing, but I will definitely not be surpassed in terms of being a topic of conversation.’
The Duchess of Felton, showing her face in society after a long time.
Indeed, it was a juicy topic.
‘Besides, Aria used an incredibly precious fabric exclusive to the imperial family, so comparison with her itself would be impossible…’
Avoiding a fight you cannot win is wise. Grace decided to leave the fight altogether.
“I would like to wear a dress made using some fabric from the Pescian people. Since you don’t have any prepared yet, you might have to make it from scratch. Would that be alright?”
Not all nobility followed the trends, so Grace didn’t necessarily need to either.
‘But it’s better to avoid saying I didn’t follow them because I didn’t know.’
Grace attending the imperial party would attract attention, but not in a good way. And they would scrutinize everything about her, from her appearance and the accessories she wore to the dress she had on.
‘Yes, this isn’t paranoia but a certain fact.’
While examining the dress designs in the catalog, Grace made a calm decision.
“I’d prefer something that covers the body more. I have some freckles.”
“Then, it’s not quite in line with the current trend.”
“Yes, but there are ways around that.”
Sireni looked at Grace with a concerned expression.
“I did receive a product from ‘The Eternal Blossom’ that’s supposed to help with freckles, but since it’s my first time using it, I really don’t know how much or how to apply it.”
Seizing the moment of Sireni’s regret, Grace subtly dropped some information.
When the name of the company was mentioned, Sireni reacted. Surprisingly, Benjamin also showed a faint reaction upon hearing the name.
“Do you know this place too, Your Excellency?”
Given that the company was primarily known for products aimed at women, seen even at the Marquis Charle’s baby shower, it was quite intriguing that Benjamin knew of it.
‘But it makes sense, given it’s Benjamin.’
Despite not being a magician, Benjamin’s involvement with magic stones, the Mage Association, and the Gate project made him a key figure in the empire’s commerce. He might have indeed come across that company.
‘It seems The Eternal Blossom didn’t play a significant role. I can’t recall it from the original story at all.’
Benjamin, being one of the top three major characters in the novel, would have been mentioned in connection with it if there had been any significant relationship.
‘Or could it be relevant to his process of turning into a villain?’
Grace feigned ignorance and casually continued speaking to Benjamin.
“It seems to be quite popular among ladies and young misses. I only learned about it recently myself.”
“Yes, I’ve heard of it too. The Mage Association had some dealings with them, as I recall.”
“Ah, did the Mage Association develop a new product with them?”
“If that were the case, I would have received a report. New products developed by the Mage Association always go through me before being released.”
Grace nodded and looked back at Sireni, who then spoke up.
“The Eternal Blossom grew very quickly considering when it was established, and that period coincides with the gradual decline of another trading company.”
‘I guess that company’s name probably doesn’t appear in the original story either.’
Grace felt a sudden surge of intuition.
“It was called ‘The Song of the Stars.'”
As Grace listened to Sireni’s explanation, she tilted her head.
“But it’s common for companies to be established and then disappear. Why specifically focus on that one?”
“It’s because the products they sold were similar to those of The Song of the Stars. Not identical, but similar.”
“Are their business methods similar as well?”
“Not exactly the same, but yes, they are similar.”
“…”
Another insight struck Grace sharply.
‘They’re practically the same.’
For some reason, it seemed that the same company had changed its name and was still in operation.
‘Why? Is there a good reason for that?’
Of course, this was just a suspicion, so it was too early to conclude.
‘So, I have no choice but to verify my suspicion.’
Bringing it up immediately could seem too forward. The key was to mention it casually as if the thought had just ‘occurred’ to her, or ‘suddenly came to mind’.
Grace was planning to have brief interactions with the people she had met at the Marquis estate during the upcoming Imperial party. Whatever the conversation, she could casually mention that she had discussed the company with Benjamin and move on.
Grace clenched her fist with a motivation unknown to others.
‘If I don’t know the exact cause of death, the solution is to eliminate all the uncertainties one by one.’
“So, about the dress, I’d like it based on the design we saw earlier.”
Grace spoke to Benjamin, remembering the purpose of her visit. He responded with a gentle smile.
“Then, I will ensure that the dress you just mentioned is completed and delivered before the party…”
Benjamin paused, pointing towards several elaborate dresses and accessories that Grace had shown a keen interest in earlier.
“And buy these as well.”
“…?”
“I’d like to buy all of them for you if I could, but my lady does not appreciate unnecessary spending.”
‘We’re already spending unnecessarily, though.’
Grace swallowed the retort she couldn’t quite bring herself to voice aloud.
“So, it seems I have no choice but to buy only the things you somewhat liked.”
As he said that, a very gentle smile appeared on Benjamin’s face.
⋆★⋆
On the day of the party, Grace had no choice but to entrust her preparation to the maids.
Perhaps it was a relief that she was allowed to take her bath alone. Despite remaining still all the time, she felt an overwhelming wave of fatigue.
‘Yes, it’s better to be busy and tired.’
Grace wondered if all this fuss was like putting lipstick on a pumpkin, yet the other maids were earnestly debating and arguing over how to style her.
‘The dress and accessories are all ready; what’s there to discuss so much…’
“Today, madam must make her entrance alone!”
“We’ll make sure you stand out more than anyone else.”
‘No, I don’t need to stand out.’
Grace gave the maids, who were unfolding unwanted attentiveness, a gentle smile.
Benjamin had become significantly busier up until the day of the party, making him hard to see.
‘It looked like he had personal matters to attend to, but probably it’s more about the tasks I entrusted him with.’
Grace had asked Benjamin for a small favor: to bring an item she had requested from Sireni to the party.
‘I didn’t expect him to agree without even knowing what was inside.’
Grace thought absentmindedly about the main events that would occur at today’s party. There were no major incidents in the original story, but now that she was involved, even minor twists could lead to unpredictable outcomes.
‘And since I’m planning to act differently this time, things will definitely change.’
Grace had no plans to participate in the embroidery competition this time. Apart from not being confident in her skills, considering her status and her standing in society, any outcome would likely lead to criticism.
Instead, she held a handkerchief engraved with the Felton ducal crest.
‘This could serve as an excuse to pass to Benjamin.’
As Grace drifted into her thoughts, the maids skillfully dressed her up.
Her curly hair was tied up and braided in halves, adorned with ribbons and jewels here and there.
The dress itself was of a dark hue, but the draped decorations were light-colored, so it didn’t look dreary.
“We kept the makeup light. It doesn’t cover all the freckles, but it seems better than something thicker.”
“That’s fine. I think I look okay right now.”
Grace looked at herself in the mirror.
Typically in novels, such preparations would transform a character into an unrecognizably beautiful figure, perhaps even angelic.
However, Grace was still Grace. Just a slightly improved Grace Felton.
A disruptive voice whispered in her mind.
‘Is it because I haven’t cleared all the fog yet?’
It didn’t approach her as aggressively as before, trying to consume her, but she could still sense a creeping, unpleasant aura.
Given that Grace had previously been overtaken by melancholy while outside, it seemed that prolonged exposure had an ongoing effect on her.
For instance, it was causing her to have negative thoughts that she wouldn’t normally entertain right now.
