The Villainess turns the Hourglass
chapter-106

Editor Group: Liber Reverie

“It could be used as an alternative to perfume.”

“There’s a small problem with the scent flying away in an instant, but… I think so, too.”

It was a pretty good answer. With no backpacks, it was better for him to gather more money than doing business with some nobility.

“Do you think you’ll succeed?”

“Yes, I’m sure I will. Ordinary people are always envious of the lives of the nobility. The content is different, but I think it will create the illusion that they are using the perfume used by the nobility.”

Besides, she liked that confidence. When she talked about business, his stupid eyes had disappeared. He was a person with good talent. One thing, if she pointed to the drawbacks…

“That’s a good idea. But when someone asks you, if you say it in detail, you’d be bankrupt.”

His weakness was that he was making all the fuss about his business items, No matter how much he liked someone. It might have been an attempt to win favors, but it was very dangerous.

Then, he hurriedly made an excuse, saying, “Never, I’ve never done this as usual!”

“Really? Then why do you now…?”

Burboom’s face turned red again when she asked the question as if she knew nothing. With his reaction, Aria had a smile on her face. She deliberately flickered her long, rich eyelashes and smiled, and the pupils of Burboom were shaking blankly.

“Then I’ll try to believe that.”

Aria got up from her seat because she was done with her business. There was no way to check out if he did not behave like that at other times, and there was no need to talk more about it.

Burboom rose from his seat in a hurry, following Aria. It was refreshing for him to repeat his stupid behavior as if the adolescent boy had fallen in love for the first time. It felt like she became a normal girl. Unfortunately, it would never happen in the past or even now.

Before leaving the lounge, Aria added a word for the baron, who still did not realize her identity, without a keen notice.

“And for the next gift, it would be good if it’s a perfume, not a cravat. I’m an investor, but I haven’t used the product yet. I’d like to have the perfume that Baron Burboom would personally pick and give me.”

While looking foolishly at the traces of Aria, who had left behind a rich scent of her seductive perfume, he recalled the meaning of the words Aria had left.

‘I’m an investor, but I haven’t used the product yet…? Investor… Investor…?!’

Only then did Burboom, who realized that investor A was referring to Aria’s A, hastened to chase the remnants of Aria. Since for a long time, he had stood stupidly, and Aria was about to leave the store with Annie, who had joined without his knowledge.

“Wait, wait a moment, please!”

Burboom called Aria up in a hurry. Everyone looked back at him except Aria, who had deliberately ignored it, because it was a very loud voice. Burboom hurried to chase the unstoppable Aria, and fortunately, he was able to catch up to her before she was completely out of the shop.

“I didn’t know about you and I made an excuse. Please forgive me.”

Burboom apologized to Aria without no reason. The reason was that he had misunderstood Aria for a man at will and that he had been so bewildered by her appearance that he couldn’t understand her words. Aria, with a generous heart, nodded a little, and Burboom’s expression brightened even more.

“Can you wait a minute? I’d like to give you the perfume I made as a gift.”

“Oh my, I’m sorry, but I’ve already bought some perfume.”

Annie stepped into the conversation without keen notice and lifted the wrapped package close to her chest. It was the perfume purchased with Aria’s permission. There were four bottles in total, two of them for Jessie, and the other two for her.

“I’m sorry. It’s my carelessness!”

Surprised by the purchase of the perfume, Burboom called a staff and ordered her to refund the purchased perfume and to bring the top-of-the-line perfumes wrapped by types.

The perfume taken by the employee was soon returned to dozens of bottles of luxury packaging. Annie couldn’t lift them alone, so they were divided and the two knights held it up.

Burboom also gave a small bouquet of flowers to Aria and Annie. It seemed to be a bouquet of flowers prepared for the VIP. Not one kind, but all sorts of flowers exhaled their own fragrance, pleasing to the sense of smell.

“Miss, miss, who the hell is this gentleman…?”

Aria was asked a question, but Annie’s eyes were on Burboom. The stars were twinkling in the eyes of Annie that had never been treated like this before.

Aria replied with a smile on her face since Annie seemed to look like she had met a prince, “Oh, he’s a businessman with a promising future. He’s Baron Burboom.”

“That’s, that’s too much compliment.”

Next to the surprised Annie was the startled Burboom. Although they were surprised, they were too responsive to small things, and the pair matched very well.

Burboom asked Annie, “What’s your name, lady?”

“La-lady?”

Annie was surprised and blushed even though he asked her a question out of courtesy. She seemed to be pondering on how to introduce herself. It seemed whether she should correct his words as a maid, or she could just answer as she was.

So Aria made the decision in person. “It’s Annie. She’s my precious child.”

“Oh, I see. Your eyes are very beautiful.”

“Me, me?! Are you sure…?”

“Yes. You are very beautiful.”

Despite the fact that those words were obviously empty, Annie swept away her already neat hair over and over again. Since then, Burboom brought up useless topics such as books and colors since he didn’t want Aria to leave, but the meeting ended with Aria’s cold farewells.

* * *

“In this world… how could there be such a wonderful, gentleman?”

In the carriage back to the mansion, Annie’s eyes were still twinkling as if she was dreaming. She let out the praises for Baron Burboom as if she were a small bird that lit the morning. Aria gave her an appropriate response. Annie became enthusiastic, referring to his hair and skin color.

“Did you like him that much?”

“Of course! I’ve never seen such a great man!”

Baron Burboom and Annie… It wasn’t a bad combination. Annie was a child, who needed to elevate her status, and Baron Burboom was a man she could raise and support. It was clear that if Annie and Baron Burboom were to be linked, Aria and Baron Burboom would be in a very close relationship that couldn’t be cut off easily. It would also be a good example for others.

But that was only possible if Baron Burboom was interested in Annie. Aria would try to connect them together as much as possible, but it might be difficult if Baron Burboom’s reaction was not good enough.

If Annie didn’t mind, of course, Aria would connect Annie to him even if he didn’t like Annie. It seemed like she could convince and persuade him with a little bit of coaxing words. Aria hoped Annie would play very well.

When they arrived at the mansion, the two knights with dozens of perfumes asked Aria, “Miss, shall we move them all to your room?”

“No, leave them all on the first floor’s hall. And will you call all the maids in the mansion?”

Annie, who was still grinning, stiffened herself. She seemed to have expected what Aria would do, thanks to her quick wits.

“Miss…! You’re not going to give them to everyone, are you?”

“That’s what I’m going to do.”

Aria’s answer, which betrayed Annie’s expectation, was firm. Then Annie shook her hands like a fallen leaf that was about to rustle. Annie burst into tears and said,

“You know how expensive these are… but are you going to hand these out…?”

“Annie, you know one thing, but you don’t know the other.” Aria said, glancing at Annie. It was like the look of a little devil trying to tell a child what was evil.

“What’s the advantage of having a lot of perfume?”

“That’s… I can decorate myself.”

“Then what are you going to do with your decoration?”

“Yes? Uh… um… that’s…”

If anyone enjoyed the satisfaction of decorating and grooming themselves, Annie found it enjoyable, so she could show herself to someone else. It was her habit to go around the mansion and boast herself to everyone every time she got something from Aria.

But today was different. Seeing her face flushed, unlike before, when she had run excitedly, she might have thought of Baron Burnoom this time.