The Villainess turns the Hourglass
chapter-138

Editor Group: Liber Reverie

“Why did you do such a bad thing? Did you really think you can kill a wicked girl? You’re the one who came into my maid with a bad idea to me who was still there in the first place, right?”

As if she hadn’t washed her hair for a long time, the palm of her hand was greasy, and she brushed it off. She thought that she could beat that dirty little girl to death, but she was so dirty that it was gone.

‘I don’t have to worry about it now because I’ll get rid of her once it’s all over.’

There was no need to hurry. They would all be ruined anyways. That was why they should have taken Berry abroad.

‘Why do you give me this precious opportunity?’ Aria, smiling as usual, crawled into the corner and opened her mouth as she looked at Berry who was shaking.

“I’ll make a suggestion. I’m sure it’s not a bad offer for you. When everything’s done, I’ll make you run abroad, of course, with no injuries.”

When she said so, Berry’s trembling body hardened. Her slowly lifting face was full of questions.

Aria with a bright smile added a kind explanation again. “You can’t live any longer because you failed to kill me. Why don’t you just follow me?”

Aria asked Berry, who had been mumbling for a long time.

“Why don’t you answer?”

“Ugh…”

Berry nodded because she couldn’t say the right words because her mouth was blocked. Then Aria, who had loosened her rope and gave her freedom by removing the cloth which had her mouth shut, recited what she had to do.

“It’s very simple. You just have to say a few things.”

“Yes, yes…!” She nodded, ready to do so, even if she was asked to lick all the dirty dirt out of here right now, she would do it.

Satisfied with this, Aria laughed and said, “Come back to the mansion tomorrow morning. Come and tell them all the details of what you did and who made you do it.”

But in the end, Berry’s face turned pale when she was told to confess.

“… Yeah? But if I do…”

If she confessed what she had done, she would be taken by the guards immediately. They would behead her right away. Disbelief rose in her eyes. She seemed to think that if she confessed, she would be sent to prison with the real culprit.

‘Foolish.’ Aria laughed and answered as if her thoughts were obvious.

“Berry, if I had intended to kill you, I wouldn’t have come here by myself like this. Why would I keep you alive for another day?”

Then Berry, who was agonizing for a moment, answered in a very small voice.

“Are you going to catch the real killer together…?”

It was a very bold answer, as the girl who had carried out the poisoning. Aria, smiling, asked, “Why did you do such a foolish thing when you were so wise?”

“That’s right. I want to catch the real criminal. I hope the real criminal alone will take all the blame to herself. You’re only the accomplice, and if you escape alone, she will feel it’s unfair.”

Berry’s eyes trembled. Still, it seemed doubtful that Aria would save her.

Aria twisted her hair around her finger and said playfully, “I can’t help it if you don’t believe it. But think about it. This problem will not be solved if you run away just like that, is it? How long do you think you’ll be able to get away?”

She was already afraid and had run away by betraying Emma. There was no one to help Berry. If she kept running away, she would be caught soon.

“So you’ll have to take advantage of this opportunity I’m giving you.”

Aria omitted to say that. Otherwise, she would not be safe, but Berry swallowed her saliva as if she had noticed it.

“Then I’ll leave the choice to you. You can make any excuse. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to live with the sympathy that your family was held, hostage. And most of all, I’m not dead. Make your own story. Maybe it’s your last choice.”

Aria was about to put a piece of gold on the floor and turn around, saying, “I want you to eat something.”

“Well, miss…!”

Aria heard Berry’s voice behind her back. There was already power in her voice as to whether the choice was over. It was fast, too. Yeah, she didn’t have a choice anyway. As Aria smiled brightly and turned around, Berry rolled her eyes around and opened her mouth carefully.

“Well, how do I get to the mansion…?”

Aria, who had never thought of it before, opened her eyes and covered her mouth.

“My God. I almost made you walk. I’ll send a wagon here in the morning, so you can take it.”

Berry nodded and said she would do so.

The look of doubt until now was gone, and now she had no doubt because she believed Aria would save her. Aria, who confirmed the desirable face, left the warehouse expecting a pleasant schedule tomorrow.

* * *

After meeting Berry, Aria was really willing to keep her promise, so she arranged a wagon and food for her to leave for a foreign country. Unknowingly, Annie helped her and asked, cocking her head,

“Are you going to travel somewhere far, miss? No… for that, the carriage is so normal…”

“Someone’s going on a long journey.”

She would go so far away that she wouldn’t be able to come back. Without answering Annie’s question, “Who the hell is she?” Aria read the book and the letter and waited for Berry.

But as morning came and even a single trace of Berry couldn’t be seen, she felt a little nervous.

‘Don’t tell me you’ve changed your mind.’

“Miss, you should eat some lunch.”

“… I should.”

“Is there a problem?”

As Aria was motionless because it was already the promised time, Annie urged her to go down to the dining room. ‘I was sure I sent a carriage for her this morning, but why hasn’t she arrived yet?’ Aria, who was frightened, was about to leave the room, worrying if she had fled again, but suddenly, someone called Aria’s name.

“Miss Aria.”

“…?”

As she turned her head, there was something black beside the door. Surprised by it, Aria managed to hold back her scream and identified the face that was only slightly exposed, wrapped by a cape. It was Berry, who didn’t show up until the end of the morning.

“… You had an amazing talent to surprise me.”

She seemed to have come up to the third floor without being found out because she had worked at the mansion for a long time. Berry, who found Annie after Aria, hurriedly covered her face with a cape.

“Who are you?”

“She is my guest so stay back in your room. I’m going to skip today’s meal.”

“Again? Would you like me to bring you some porridge?”

“No, I’m okay.”

Everyone wouldn’t be able to eat lunch today anyway. After sending the worried Annie, she and Berry went into the room. Berry stood in the middle of Aria’s room. Her appearance looked so nervous.

“Why did you come straight to my room without doing your job?”

“… I’m sorry to say this, but I had to make sure there’s a way to live.”

As expected, Aria opened the window, saying, “Don’t worry.” Outside, there was a carriage waiting for her.

“Is that really my carriage?”

“Well, I’ve got food ready, so don’t worry about it. And I’ve also got plenty of money for the trip.”

Aria brought out the pocket she had in her drawer. It contained enough gold coins to live on without having to work for the rest of her life. Berry, who had confirmed it, sighed deeply, as if determined, and soon disappeared from Aria’s room.

And in that moment, from the first floor of the mansion, which had always remained calm, a mysterious scream rang out.

“Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

The loud footsteps behind it and the shouting came as far as Aria’s room, located on the third floor. Aria’s mouth crept up.

‘Is there any music in this world that could be more beautiful than that?’

Aria, who slowly went down to the first floor, appreciating it as if it were Prima Donna’s song, could find Berry arrested by strong servants and weighed down on the floor. Her face on the floor was so sorry that she opened his eyes round with her mouth covered with her hand.

“Miss, Miss Aria!”

“Miss! It’s dangerous here!”

The most dangerous thing here was Aria, but the servants and maids worried about her and added strength to the hands that had laid Berry.