Chapter 6
*“At most, it’s only a financial loss. On the contrary, the tailor might even gain sympathy.”*
Besides, there was nothing she could expect from Benjamin. The only person who could take action was Grace—herself.
Whether unfortunate or fortunate, compared to the original Grace, the current Grace did not have a particularly pleasant personality.
She was the kind of person who only felt satisfied once she paid back what she had received.
*“Then what should I do?”*
With a kindly expression on her face, Grace pondered how to legally cut off the livelihood of the tailor standing before her.
Just then, the tailor spoke to her.
“Madam?”
“Oh, go on,” Grace replied.
Of course, Grace wasn’t listening to a word of the nonsense coming from the tailor.
Listening any longer would only worsen her already foul mood, so she treated it as background noise and busied her mind.
*All right…*
From now on, no matter what the tailor said, she would pick a fight.
*I can do this.*
Not only could she do it—she had to. Someone whispered that she couldn’t, but Grace ignored the voice completely.
Clutching the catalog tightly in both hands, she waited for the tailor to speak again.
“So, in the case of this design—”
“It’s tacky.”
“…Pardon?”
Grace snapped the catalog shut and tossed it toward the tailor.
“I said it’s tacky.”
“…Ah, haha. Madam simply doesn’t know any better.”
“And what, exactly, don’t I know?”
“Yes?”
“Could you explain, clearly and concisely, what it is that I supposedly don’t know?”
With an indifferent expression, Grace looked straight at the tailor.
Thanks to years of experience dealing with noblewomen, the tailor didn’t so much as change his expression and spoke smoothly.
“You reside mainly in the annex, so you wouldn’t be aware. Of course, your body type doesn’t suit the currently fashionable designs or colors at all, but the piece I devised this time—”
Grace listened quietly to the tailor speak without hesitation, then rang the bell beside her.
A maid who had been waiting outside entered the room.
“Sally, you often go into town, don’t you?”
“Yes, madam.”
“Then could you help me out here?”
Sally looked at Grace with a puzzled expression.
“You see, since I stay in the annex all the time, I supposedly don’t know the latest trends. I must really lack any sense at all. I think I need your help.”
Grace murmured with a gloomy look.
There was something Grace had learned while living secluded in the annex: every servant assigned there was friendly toward her.
*Is it because I don’t scold them harshly, even when they make mistakes?*
Even if Benjamin and Grace didn’t get along, Grace was still a duchess, and compared to other noble households, she paid higher wages.
From an employee’s point of view, even a sidelined duchess was still someone who paid well—and that made her the best kind of employer.
Thinking that at least for that reason the servants were on her side, Grace put on a dejected expression in front of Sally.
Sally’s eyes widened as she looked at the tailor.
“You know, I only wanted to order something comfortable to move around in this time, but the tailor kept recommending expensive dresses. Maybe I really can’t express myself properly?”
“M-Madam, why are you suddenly saying this?”
“Still, there was one design I quite liked, but he said it wouldn’t suit my body. Of course, I agree with that, but still…”
Sally stared at the tailor as if he were her sworn enemy who had murdered her parents. Grace, deliberately lowering her gaze and speaking sadly, didn’t notice Sally’s expression.
“Well, since His Grace recommended this tailor, he must make dresses for the imperial family too. Someone like me probably doesn’t—”
“Madam! No! I never said anything like that—!!”
The tailor cut her off in panic. Sally spoke coldly to him.
“My lady is speaking. How dare you interrupt?”
“……”
“No, it’s fine… Don’t be angry. I’m sure he didn’t mean it. I’m probably just too comfortable with him.”
As Grace let her words trail off weakly, the atmosphere around Sally grew ominous. From Grace’s behavior, she could tell this wasn’t the first or second time the tailor had acted like this.
Only then did Grace lift her lowered gaze.
“I suppose someone like me doesn’t suit a position like this, does she?”
At Grace’s words, Sally stiffened. Unable to say anything, she just opened and closed her mouth, then glared at the tailor again.
Between the two of them, Grace thought calmly.
*Sally’s a maid, so she’s probably a commoner. Am I putting her in an awkward position?*
But all Grace wanted was a rumor.
The servants in the annex were all close with one another. They constantly gathered together to whisper and gossip, and whenever Grace merely saw them, she would scurry away.
*Are they afraid I’ll scold them for slacking off?*
Word that Sally had been summoned to the parlor where Grace was meeting the tailor would spread instantly, and it was obvious everyone would ask Sally what had happened.
Grace had always dismissed everyone else whenever she met the tailor, because she didn’t want others to see the exact measurements of her dress.
And after being questioned again and again, Sally would eventually talk about how terribly the tailor had behaved.
*She probably won’t go into detail. Just something like, “The tailor was rude to the duchess.”*
After that, all it would take was for a few of the annex servants to casually mention it in town.
*Who would want to spend a fortune hiring someone rude? Nobles have strong pride. Even if they hate another noble, the moment noble authority is disrespected, they get angry together.*
This was the method Aria from the original story had used.
*Aria wasn’t looked down on for her appearance like I am—her problem was her origins. Wasn’t it because her hometown was insulted that she took action?*
She didn’t know if it would really work, but for Grace right now, it was the best she could do. Of course, what she truly wanted was to tear the catalog to shreds and fling it away.
Looking at the tailor, whose face was growing stiff, Grace said to Sally,
“I think it would be better to call a new tailor. I need different clothes right now.”
Grace smiled brightly and asked Sally to call for a carriage. Sally bowed deeply and left the room.
“Madam, you can’t do this to me. Do you know how much effort I’ve put into fitting your body all this time?”
Grace looked at the tailor with pity as she stood up.
She nudged the catalog that had fallen to the floor with her foot.
“That’s none of my concern.”
“Pardon?”
“Whether a fashionable design suits my body or not—”
Grace let out a short laugh.
“Why should I have to take that into consideration? His Grace must be paying you quite a lot. Shouldn’t you at least earn what you’re paid?”
The tailor couldn’t hide his shock at Grace’s behavior, so unlike the Grace he knew.
“Explain to me why I should understand your lack of ability compared to the money you receive.”
“……”
“If you can’t make clothes well, you should at least be good with words. But it seems you aren’t. Then, goodbye.”
With that, Grace left the parlor.
*W-Was that really okay?*
The moment she stepped outside, she suddenly came to her senses.
Maybe she’d been overly sharp because she was hungry.
“No, I did well.”
If she’d had more power, she would have shut down his entire shop and buried him in debt, not just cut off his livelihood.
That nasty thought crossed her mind, and she quickly snapped herself out of it.
*No.*
That wasn’t something she could really do.
If she did something like that, there was no way she could live peacefully day by day. It was right to make him pay only to the extent that he had tormented her.
She steadied her thoughts.
Grace slapped her cheeks lightly with both hands—though she hit herself a bit too hard, and tears welled up in her eyes.
“…Get a grip.”
She’d steel her resolve, lose weight, get divorced, leave this house, and live a long, long life.
Grace’s resolution was modest.
To buy a single building in a provincial territory and live simply off the rent.
That was Grace’s small dream.
*No, that’s kind of big.*
After all, that would make her a landlord.
⋆★⋆
A few days later, Benjamin suggested having tea with Grace.
*I don’t want to…*
Grace felt uncomfortable, but she couldn’t refuse Benjamin’s suggestion. She was always wary of when his mood might sour.
She dismissed all the servants who wanted to dress her up and wore only something appropriate enough not to be rude.
“Madam, you’re here?”
Benjamin, who had arrived early and was already seated, stood up with a bright smile when Grace appeared.
Grace greeted him lightly, watching Benjamin make an expression like a dog reunited with its owner.
“Madam, I bought a cake from a pastry shop that’s said to be popular among noble ladies these days. Oh, and since coffee has been trendy lately, I had some brewed. Is that all right?”
“Coffee?”
At the word *coffee*, Grace’s face lit up.
*Coffee!*
Before transmigrating, her health had worsened so much that she hadn’t been able to drink coffee for a long time. And after transmigrating, since tea was the norm in this world, she hadn’t seen a single coffee bean.
“Madam?”
Grace, who had been glowing with excitement, snapped back to her senses at Benjamin’s call and cleared her throat.
“I-It’s fine.”
“That’s a relief.”
Benjamin, who had been fidgeting anxiously, smiled brightly at Grace’s response.
