Chapter 116.2
‘If all my memories return… maybe I’ll learn why I entered this body in the first place.’
And perhaps then, she might even discover where the real Grace’s soul was.
‘If that happens… could I tell Benjamin the truth?’
Knowing now how genuine his love was made her yearn for it even more.
“When I gave you that morning glory back then, it didn’t mean anything special. I’m sorry if it troubled you.”
Benjamin’s grip tightened. A faint tension passed between them.
“…I’m not sure what you mean.”
“I mean the morning glory pot. Back then.”
Only then did Grace lift her gaze from his hands to his face.
He was smiling, but the atmosphere around him was different. Like someone forced to look at something they didn’t want to see.
She had seen this expression before.
‘Yes… this happened before, too.’
When she had mentioned the ring, he had looked like this then as well. Now that she thought about it.
It had been a memory so full it brought tears just recalling it, yet he had seemed uncomfortable.
“Ah… now that you mention it, yes, that did happen.”
But the moment passed quickly, and Benjamin returned to his usual self, as though nothing had occurred.
“You’ve recalled one of my embarrassing moments.”
“I never thought it was embarrassing.”
“It is to me, Wife. I didn’t expect you to remember something so trivial and shameful. Have you remembered anything else, by chance?”
‘Anything else?’
Aside from knowledge about plants, there wasn’t much. Since there was no need to report that in detail, Grace shook her head.
“I see. If anything else comes back to you, please tell me.”
“…Yes. I will.”
Benjamin smiled gently—but unlike usual, he looked relieved. The discomfort lingered in Grace’s mouth.
‘I found a happy memory—so why is he reacting like this?’
Just then, a voice cut between them.
“Your Excellency, there’s no more time.”
“Understood.”
“Are you heading out somewhere?”
Grace noticed a horse waiting nearby.
“Ah, an urgent letter arrived. It’s nothing serious, so don’t worry. I’ll be back shortly.”
“Then… would you like to have dinner together when you return?”
At her suggestion, Benjamin’s eyes widened before he broke into a bright smile.
“It would be an honor, Wife.”
On the surface, everything seemed perfectly normal. Benjamin looked like a devoted husband with nothing to hide.
‘Then why does he react like that whenever I remember the past?’
She had never brought up anything unpleasant, yet he showed no sign of welcoming it.
After watching him leave, Grace returned to the annex. She still had time to examine the other objects.
“Madam, the cleaning is finished.”
As Grace entered, Sally approached and handed her a diary.
“This was on the floor. It looked like your personal item, so I didn’t check inside.”
“Thank you.”
One glance at Sally’s face told her she truly hadn’t read it. Grace smiled softly at her innocent expression.
Holding the diary, Grace headed toward the study where no black fog lingered.
“……”
Why had Benjamin reacted that way? If he loved Grace, wouldn’t he want to recall the same memories together?
Lost in thought, she flipped through the meaningless diary she had written during her consultations with the Temple.
“……”
Her hand paused.
“…Huh?”
Something caught her eye—something she hadn’t noticed before, when no knowledge came to mind.
Her hand moved quickly, flipping to the very first page, then through every page.
“Th-this is…?”
The final entry, where the record stopped, was written in crooked, barely legible handwriting—bleak and heavy with despair.
But the pages before it showed traces of deliberate decoration. Ordinarily, one might assume it was done out of boredom, but Grace saw something else.
Each page featured the same flower, yet here and there, different flowers were added.
Toward the later pages, it seemed she could no longer draw them properly, having forgotten their meaning—but until then, she had continued the pattern.
‘Ground cherry… allium… cistus…’
The flower language of the ground cherry meant falsehood. Allium symbolized endless sorrow and impending death.
‘…And snowdrop.’
Snowdrops symbolized hope and comfort. But looking at the ribbon drawn beside it, Grace realized it carried a different meaning.
When given as a gift, a snowdrop’s meaning changed.
[I wish for your death.]
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