The Ugly Wife of the Shady Duke - Chapter 123.2

She thought she knew what would come next. That the former Duke and Duchess had been caught up in that accident and lost their lives.

But the words that followed were unexpected.

“The former Duke and Duchess were missing at the time. They had left the Duchy and vanished.”

“…They weren’t at the Gate Administration Office?”

“No. They didn’t appear for quite some time afterward. If there was any small mercy in the situation, it was that His Grace—then still the young duke—was traveling to the capital by train, not by gate. Because of that, he was able to return to the capital relatively quickly.”

“And were the former Duke and Duchess found?”

“Yes. They were discovered deceased along the road leading north. However, because of the need to console the victims of the gate disaster, they were unable to hold a proper funeral.”

‘Why were they found there, of all places?’

“Was the cause ever determined?”

“It was concluded that they were on their way to see His Grace. At the time, the gates were heavily congested, so it’s believed they deliberately chose to travel by carriage and train instead.”

‘They avoided the gate accident… only to die in a separate accident on nearly the same day.’

Grace recalled the words she had heard in the Hall of Mirrors.

‘So that’s why there was so much grief.’

“His Grace ascended to the ducal title in great haste, and the first thing he did was e***t a memorial monument at the site of the collapsed Gate Administration Office, to honor the victims. After that, he immediately began rebuilding the Office.”

Grace thought of the strange tower she had seen outside.

So that was the memorial.

As she continued speaking with the artificer, Grace realized two unsettling things.

First, her own name had been entirely absent from this story.

And second—

“But you seem far too comfortable assuming that I wouldn’t know about this.”

“…!”

Grace had been the Duchess for two years now, yet the artificer found it completely natural that she was unaware of such a major incident from just a year ago.

“Isn’t it strange that I wouldn’t know about such a significant event—especially one involving my parents-in-law? Why do you accept so easily that I don’t know?”

“Th-that’s… I don’t know anything about it myself. I was simply told by His Grace not to speak of the incident in front of the Duchess.”

“By His Grace?”

“Yes. Yes. I merely followed that order.”

‘Is that really true?’

Considering that Benjamin had never once mentioned the memorial and had never let anything slip around her, it wasn’t entirely implausible.

‘And the fact that my role was omitted earlier could also have been intentional.’

If so, asking more things would be meaningless.

Grace made her decision quickly.

“…Very well. I won’t tell His Grace that I heard any of this. You may rest easy.”

“Th-thank you.”

Of course, if things turned sour, she could always let something slip, but that was a problem for later.

“In any case, since that accident, we’ve been focusing even more on improving gate safety. Compared to back then, the gates are far sturdier now, so you may use them with confidence.”

“I see.”

If nothing had changed since that disaster, no one would dare use them so freely. Grace nodded, unconvinced.

“Shall we proceed to the next location…?”

“No. I’d like to rest for a bit. Is there a library I’m allowed to enter?”

There was little point in continuing the tour. She had asked everything she needed to, and her legs were starting to ache.

‘If I can get to a library, it would be better to dig through records instead.’

She asked while concealing her true motive. Everyone knew she was not an expert, so access wouldn’t be difficult.

“Some sections are restricted, but the library itself is freely accessible to the Duchess.”

“I see. Then please take me there.”

‘As expected.’

Grace’s husband was the most powerful figure in the Magic Tools Association, there was no way they would deny her entry. While certain areas were off-limits to anyone but artificers, Grace was led into the Association’s library with ease.

She pulled a thick book at random from a shelf and said,

“I’ll read here. If you have work to do, feel free to go. Just tell His Grace that I’m here.”

“Are you sure that’s all right?”

“Of course. The entrance is guarded by knights of House Felton, after all.”

The artificer looked at her with concern, then said he would inform Benjamin and excused himself.

Grace pretended to open the book—then closed it the moment he left.

All the artificers were busy developing magic tools or awaiting Benjamin’s approval. The library was completely empty.

‘There has to be material on mana stones somewhere in here.’

Her gaze shifted immediately toward the restricted section, marked clearly as off-limits to
anyone but artificers. The area that contained research records.