it seems author want make Bakarina vibes with ripley, but failed
i don't mind about Dumb MC, i like Katarina from "Bakarina" and Bertia from "Jishou Akuyaku"
Bertia and Katarina has their own charm and their personality match with their series comedic tone, But ripley didn't match really well with the tone of the story especially after author flip the tone a bit in some point (at chapter 20-22 i guess?)
she didn't know when to stop pushing over the duke and accept his feelings until it was too late and naively think the duke will listen to her because he love her after what she did to him, and without a shame she forcing her way to meet the duke without notification letter (dude that was rude af), then make a complaint about highway project because she thought he violate her friend's family, without even know what exactly happened or at least prepare some ammunition to argue with him
ripley is plain dumb, she has the knowledge but didn't abuse it, she didn't know how to behave, don't have memory of it, and not even trying to learn about it, she even use her maid shitty idea to fake her injury, she know how dangerous is if you messed with the duke, but still messed him at the end and thought she will easily get away about it, she put other people life in danger, she didn't have knowledge, power, and authority to decline his marriage proposal, yet she still did other stupid things to push him away, and thing that make she is worse, she is a shameless dumb adult who can't mind her position and responsibility
even she didn't love him tho, at least she should accept his engagement proposal or make contract marriage with him and divorce it later (i know this also a bad idea but she has not really has other choices, it's marry the duke or marry the duke, if he just focus to her, maybe he wouldn't really trying harm others for a while)