Benjamin seemed to have an inclination to prioritize Grace, even though logically it would make more sense to visit the Rondel Canal first.
However, perhaps Grace’s underlying tendency for avoidance, hidden somewhere within her mind, was prompting her to push him.
She clenched her fist tightly and then loosened it before making a suggestion.
“Then, shall we go visit the Rondel Canal together today?”
“What?”
Benjamin’s eyes widened as if Grace had said something completely unexpected.
“B-But if we do that, there will be a lot of people gathered…”
There is a bustling downtown area near the canal, and it was foreseeable that attention would be drawn to Benjamin since he officially came out for inspection.
Grace checked her reflection in the window.
Although Benjamin had told her to dress comfortably, she was wearing a loose-fitting dress that enveloped her body, along with a hat pressed tightly on her head.
With this attire, it was obvious that even if people recognized her as a noblewoman, they wouldn’t be able to casually confirm her face.
‘Perhaps it’s because reporters like Tom Birkin are eager to know about me, indicating that Grace has been avoiding outings for a while.’
It would be more beneficial in the long run to gradually reveal herself.
Considering that Grace is known to be the least talented and least capable among the previous Duchesses, she has attracted a lot of attention.
‘Is it because they think I don’t fit the position of the Duchess Felton?’
Furthermore, there seemed to be no information available about Grace’s maternal family, the Linden family, which was quite intriguing.
‘Making information worthless is important.’
And in order to reduce the price that Tom Birkin has to pay, it’s necessary for other reporters to act as a nuisance.
Grace tapped her hat brim lightly.
“Maybe this time I will be fine.”
Benjamin looked at her with drooping eyebrows, still not convinced.
“Are you really sure about this?”
“Yes, I’m really sure. Besides, they won’t be able to come too close anyway.”
Grace added, “Right?” and asked for confirmation. Benjamin nodded in agreement and tapped the carriage seat.
“Change the destination to the starting point of the Rondel Canal.”
A muffled response came from beyond the carriage wall, indicating understanding.
Even after changing the destination, Benjamin still seemed hesitant, his expression filled with concern.
“If it’s too difficult, you can wait inside the carriage.”
“I’m really okay.”
“…Well, if you say so, but if it gets too difficult…”
By this point, Grace felt that she was being treated delicately. She decided to simply acknowledge it, as further confrontation seemed fruitless, just saying “I know.”
After that, a long silence ensued, and it was only when the coachman’s voice announced the arrival that they could finally break free from the tranquility.
As the coachman placed the step stool in front of the door, Benjamin was the first to descend and extended his hand to Grace.
“Please, go ahead.”
His gaze briefly scanned the surroundings. It seemed like there were very few people in the bustling street.
Noticing the lack of people, he felt greatly relieved.
While others might not have noticed, Grace could distinguish Benjamin’s peculiar yet consistently calm smile.
‘It’s interesting.’
The canal was a bit further away from the carriage. As they got closer, a refreshing sensation washed over them, accompanied by the scent of water.
They noticed some people who seemed to be conducting a preliminary investigation. Judging by their attire, some of them appeared to be from the temple.
“They’re performing a purification ritual.”
“Today, without the presence of the saintess, they won’t be able to complete it perfectly. Since they’ve already called upon the saintess once and failed, they might just focus on compensating until they fully understand the true cause.”
While the temple members didn’t possess the same level of divine power as the saintess herself, they did have some degree of divine power.
Benjamin confirmed that Grace’s bonnet was securely fastened and escorted her into the crowd.
“Have you arrived?”
“Don’t worry about excessive formality. That’s not what matters.”
As Benjamin and Grace arrived, everyone bowed and greeted them. Some individuals turned their gaze towards Grace.
Feeling those eyes on her, Grace couldn’t help but feel a strange sensation, like a shiver running down her spine.
‘Standing in front of people is indeed difficult.’
She had never felt this way back at the orphanage.
‘It must be because of that magical disguise.’
Without the magic tool to disguise herself, now she was facing people as ‘Grace Felton’, so she couldn’t confidently meet their gazes.
Even though, it was unnecessary to feel this way when she had done nothing wrong.
“Your Highness, who is this person beside you…?”
As Grace didn’t introduce herself, the representative figure among the waiting individuals asked Benjamin.
“She is my wife. We had originally had an appointment today, but upon learning of this situation, she insisted on accompanying me.”
