The Ugly Wife of the Shady Duke

Since she had to check it herself, it was better if the distance was closer.

As Grace checked, the areas she could go to decreased, and the sound of her groaning filled the tea room.

“…It’s difficult.”

Grace was clearly in despair after gradually regaining her memories a few days after possessing this body and realizing that it was a novel. The content was one thing, but her original emotions were also affected whenever she felt down.

‘Ah.’

It was the same now.

Grace tapped her forehead and read the catalog again. “This isn’t my emotion. I’m not depressed.” She kept repeating this to herself.

The only way for her not to be absorbed into her existing depression was to do things that the original Grace hadn’t done.

‘If I do things that Grace didn’t experience, there won’t be any memories or accompanying emotions coming along.’

Since Grace’s original memories were also vague, she couldn’t be sure if she had visited an orphanage or not.

But even just breathing in the annex made Grace’s sad emotions rise. She had to make an effort to separate her emotions.

“….”

Grace hit her forehead hard again.

It was to clear her mind.

‘It’s okay.’

This is not my depression, nor my unrequited love. Grace took a deep breath and circled a few places on the catalog.

“Madam, you’re here.”

“Huh?”

Sally came to find Grace, who was checking places that were estimated to be reasonably cheap.

“What’s the matter?”

“His Highness sent a gift. It’s better to check it quickly.”

Grace held the catalog in her hand and made an unenthusiastic expression. It wasn’t that she disliked Benjamin, but rather the expression of his disgust that she had seen before.

Whether it was directed at her or not, she just found it unpleasant to see.

Suddenly, someone whispered to Grace in her mind. That the expression was directed toward her. Grace suppressed the sound and asked Sally.

“…A gift?”

“Yes.”

Grace quickly tried to dispel her stiff expression, but Sally didn’t miss it. However, Sally pretended not to notice Grace’s hesitation. It was because she could sense that Grace didn’t want to be caught.

“It’s very pretty.”

Last time, Benjamin had sent a lot of food. Grace wondered if he would send dessert again this time.

But Sally’s expression of “pretty” made Grace blink and stand up from her seat, heading in the direction she was being led.

The entrance of the annex was full of colorful flowers. In addition, there were oils, herbs, and other fragrances that filled the air without being overwhelming, making her feel good.

“There are so many small flowers.”

Usually, when giving gifts, people give big and flashy flowers, don’t they? All the flowers that Benjamin sent were small. There were even some flowers whose names she didn’t know. They were simple flowers with few leaves and a modest appearance, the kind that would never be grown in a nobleman’s garden.

‘But the colors are pretty.’

Grace didn’t feel too bad about the small flowers. Even though she knew that the flowers that Benjamin gave to Aria were all big and flashy.

‘They would be good for pressing.’

Coincidentally, Grace had almost used up all her pressed flowers. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to press them again and stock them up.

Through her hobbies, Grace found that her melancholic thoughts tended to disappear.

“Madam, what should we do with this?”

Benjamin had sent cookies again this time. The servants looked at the boxes of cookies with perplexed expressions.

Looking down at the colorful cookie box with a cute rabbit drawing, Grace tilted her head slightly.

“….hmm.”

She thought about giving them to the servants again, but changed her mind.

“There’s an orphanage not too far from here. Shall we give them to the children there?”

The children there loved sweets, so they would surely enjoy the cookies.

‘With this amount, everyone can share without fighting over them.’

Even though the cookies could have been their share, the servants didn’t seem disappointed and happily accepted Grace’s orders.

“Yes, understood.”

As Grace picked up a herb tea case, she called the butler.

“Is there any unused muslin fabric in the warehouse? It doesn’t have to be a whole piece, just the width of a book. I’m going to make something with it.”

“I’ll check.”

At the mention of a muslin fabric, the servants’ expressions darkened as they thought, “A whole piece of fabric? Of all things… fabric?” But their expressions brightened again at Grace’s next words.

“And also…”

Grace hesitated for a moment before continuing. The butler politely waited with wide eyes until Grace spoke again.