The Villainess turns the Hourglass
chapter-164-04061258

Editor Group: Liber Reverie

Annie hadn’t seen him show up in person, and Aria thought Annie would never tell anyone that he had come because she still had a lot to get from herself. Besides, even if she would speak, they had already declared official dating, and what would be a problem?

“The tea you got as a gift… Huck!”

Annie, who entered the room in Aria’s call, found him as a matter of course and became as rough as she was in surprise, and Aria rebuked her,

“What are you doing there? I was just about to get thirsty, but that’s great.”

“Yes? Yes…”

Annie wanted to ask how he had been here, but she was quick-witted, so she prepared refreshments without asking otherwise. Of course, she tried to listen and get even a little bit of information, but the important conversation was over and, to make matters worse, she couldn’t get any information because Aria asked her to leave the room.

“Is it a Bacchians black tea? That’s a great tea. It’s not easy to get.”

“Oh, Miss Frey gave it to me as a visiting gift.”

“… That’s what it is. She must have liked you enough to give you such a precious tea as a present. I’ll be sure to find out more about her brother.”

After enjoying the tea for a short time, Asher got up from his seat, saying, “I have to go now.”

“Are you going now?”

“It’s already too late at night. It’s too late to be alone with a woman. I was just going to check your face and go back.”

When Aria was very sorry, he smiled and held her hand.

“I’ll be back next week at the same time. Please don’t forget this time.”

And as usual, he kissed Aria’s hand and disappeared. When she called Annie back to clear the table a little later, she responded with a hidden response and asked Aria, with her mouth wide open.

“… My god. Where did he come in? I didn’t see him coming. No, where else did he disappear?”

“He came through the window and went out.”

“Re, really!?”

“Every time you make a fuss if he comes. That’s all he has to do to drink the tea quietly, isn’t it?”

Indeed, there was no other way but to get through the window, so Annie, who believed Aria, shut her mouth and was amazed.

“Well, that’s right…! But I think it’s too dangerous.”

“You don’t have to worry about it because he said it’s his specialty.”

When she mentioned in a nuance that she no longer wanted to comment on this issue, Annie replied, “I understand.” Then she took out another topic.

“Oh, come to think of it, Miss Mielle seemed to have exchanged letters with the princess again. According to the maid who glanced over the contents, she said the princess praised Miss Mielle.”

“… Really?”

‘What else did she do? Did the princess praise Mielle for her passionate opposition to the relationship between Asher and me recently? Or is she up to something bad about it?’ Judging from the maid’s testimony that she had been exchanging letters with the princess before she could do anything bad, Aria thought it would be unusual.

“If anything happens in the future, please tell the maid to tell me. And give a small gift to her.”

“Yes, yes. Miss! Don’t worry. Everyone in the mansion is already on your side.”

‘As Annie says, everyone is on my side, unlike in the past, but why am I so anxious? Is it because of the princess who is plotting behind her? Or is it because there is no sure thing that can certainly get rid of Mielle? Yeah, maybe this is a chance. I can use it as a counterpoint for Mielle to do something bad.’

Unlike in the past, when there was nothing to lose, now with much in hand, the clumsy act of poisoning could not get rid of Mielle. Aria had no choice but to hope that Mielle would choose the path of self-destruction, as she had done to Emma last time.

17. Revenge (III)

A few days later, it must have been true that Mielle was plotting something, and ladies gathered at the mansion. It was because of a tea party hosted by Mielle. It was an unprecedented scale, so she wanted to refrain from going out, but she couldn’t.

“Miss, you’re running out of time.”

“… Yes.”

It was because today was the day to award scholarships to students at the academy. Aria also had to attend because she was providing huge scholarships.

Of course, it wouldn’t matter if she sent an agent, but a good image of herself was just beginning to spread. It was necessary not only to meet prospective businessmen at the mansion but to show up here and there in a rush.

“Are you going out?”

Mielle spoke softly to Aria, who came down the first floor alone.

‘I’m sure the last conversation ended in a curse.’ Aria, with a laugh, answered yes, and Mielle folded her eyes softly and asked again. It was a sweet smile she had never seen recently.

“When will you be back?”

“Well, I don’t think I’m coming in today?”

So when she managed to resist the delirium coming out, she answered with a false answer, and Mielle’s face, which was like a fluffy petal, quickly turned icy cold.

“… Really?”

“Really or not, is there an obligation to report it to you? When were we supposed to be like that?”

Despite the fact that there were other ladies around Mielle, she turned around in a cruel way. They were women who she had no need to look good anyway and had no advantage from.

“… My God, how vulgar of speech!”

“Who the hell is calling her an empire star?”

“Isn’t it a falling star? A falling star with a long tail hanging out.”

“Maybe.”

“Oh, poor Lady Mielle…”

At their whispering voices, Annie gritted her teeth and uttered a small curse. At the same time, there was a compliment on how to deal with such bad girls and deal with them so resolutely.

‘I can’t be resolute.’

There was already a lot of sweat on her hands.

It wasn’t simply because there was a quarrel with Mielle. It was thanks to her overreacting to her answer that she would not come back today. It was clear that Mielle was going to do something today, as she had worried.

* * *

“You’re here.”

When she arrived at the academy, Baron Burboom welcomed Aria with a bright smile.

Then, by giving Annie a look right behind her, he announced that their relationship had progressed very much. Aria smiled brightly and said, “Would you like some time to talk with Annie?”

“… Yes? Oh, no!”

So when she made fun of him for nothing, the Baron of Burboom was so startled that he shook his hands. Annie pretended to be indifferent, fanning. It was then when she was going to make a little more fun of them because it was so cute.

“Lady Aria!”

Someone called Aria’s name. When she turned to the place where she could hear the voice, there was Sarah in full dress. People’s eyes were on her with the three knights, perhaps because she couldn’t come with the busy Marquis of Vincent.

“Lady Sarah…?”

‘But why did she come here? I didn’t send her an invitation, and it’s not a great event to honor.’ Furthermore, there had even been no Marquis Vincent, who had always followed her, worried.

‘Why on earth?’ Aria couldn’t hide her embarrassment because she couldn’t grasp her intentions, but Sarah smiled softly and handed over the letter she was holding in her hand to Aria.

“It’s a reply. I think it’s a little late. It was partly because I was thinking about it, and it was because I persuaded the Marquis.”

‘Reply? … Don’t tell me, the letter I asked you to be a teacher at the academy last time!?’ She had thought her reply was a little late, but she had thought Sarah had to consider the political position, too, so she couldn’t help it.

However, she didn’t expect her to bring it herself. And that kind of benevolent face she had! She had thought Sarah wouldn’t turn it down because it was her request, but it was true that she was inwardly anxious. Aria rushed to open the letter she had received from Sarah. The content was very concise. Nevertheless, it struck Aria’s fancy.

[I’ll accept the offer of the lovely Lady Aria.』

‘… How can I not like Sarah?’

Since reading Sarah’s letter, there was no Aria who, as the empire’s star and Investor A, had pretended to be graceful in the eyes of people.

“I can’t refuse your offer as you are doing such a good thing.”

“Sarah…!”