The Villainess turns the Hourglass
chapter-30

Aria devoted herself to the meal without expecting the conversation to turn in her direction. It was different from the day before, when she had drawn their attention. She didn’t know what kind of conversation had gone on between her step-brother and step-sister, but they were completely rejecting Aria.

Aria cut the meat halfway through, making sure there were no particulars in their conversation. Unfortunately, she couldn’t get much information. She was just able to understand that Mielle and Oscar were not very close.

When Cain urged Oscar to answer Mielle’s one-sided questions, Oscar did so briefly.

‘How should I get between those two?’

Rather, that was the problem. They didn’t seem particularly close, but their relationship had continued. Accepting that as if it were natural, like air, the conclusion of their courtship would be engagement and marriage.

If they had had a close relationship, she might’ve been able to break through the gap, but she didn’t know what would be needed to break a relationship like that. Even if Oscar became interested in and liked Aria, she felt like he would still become engaged to and marry Mielle.

“Is he the type of man who would fall for a honey trap? Or do I have to pretend to be miserable?’

She thought both might work. The whole thing was very ambiguous.

‘I’ll have to try both of them.’

First, he had to pay her back for the handkerchief. Only then, would she be able to start. So for now, she had to stand still, making sure not to blame the pair of anything. She needed time.

As she was lost in thought, the speed with which she ate her meal slowed down, so Oscar asked her, “Is something bothering you? Are you OK?” He looked worried. “Are you sick?”

“No, I’m fine.”

‘Oh, I got it. Pretending to be miserable works.’

When she tried to put the meat in her mouth with an awkward smile, his worries further increased. If Mielle had not dropped the fork frivolously, he would have brought Aria some water.

Aria swallowed a bright smile into her mind.

* * *

Oscar and Cain returned to the academy early the next morning.

The countess, who had not returned to the mansion for days, having apparently become interested in something recently, felt sorry about her absence after learning of it.

She called Aria in secret and asked about how Oscar had been in the mansion.

“Well, nothing in particular stood out.”

“It was a good chance, so I feel sorry I wasn’t here.”

Whose chance was it? Was it for Mielle, who could see him more often than her? Or for Aria, the one who had seen him for the first time? The countess’s dark red lips drew a crescent-shaped, sad line.

But her mouth soon recovered liveliness. Not long after they returned to the academy, Oscar’s repayment for the handkerchief arrived at the mansion.

Two gift boxes were delivered under the name of the family of the Duke of Frederik. The butler, who identified the messenger from the family of the duke, informed Mielle about this.

Aria, who was just preparing to go out for a meeting with the young ladies, was unexpectedly able to find Mielle at the front door of the mansion, sweeping the gift boxes with her palm. Around her, were the butler and several maids, all of whom poured their blessings on the gifts she had received from Oscar.

“I guess it’s in return for the nib I gave him last.”

“I think Mr. Oscar has a deeper heart than the sea.”

The errand man pulled out a paper and spread it out. It seemed to explain the contents of the boxes.

From a little distance, Aria watched with great excitement to see if one would be hers.

“These are gifts from Mr. Oscar. Of the two gifts in total, the box with the red ribbon is to Ms. Mielle, and the box with the blue ribbon to Ms. Aria… Hmm, hmm… He asked me to give it to Lady Aria.”

The gift-giver stammered while he referred to Aria’s name. He had simply been told to take gifts to the Roscent mansion, so he hadn’t known to whom the gifts were.

Aria’s unexpected name made him rearrange his monocle once and blink. He seemed quite embarrassed. The same was true of those present. As soon as Aria’s name was mentioned, questions and surprises appeared on their faces.

‘Why?’ Everyone knew that Mielle was constantly Oscar’s favor and had sent him gifts. Her gifts were unique, but they were also rewarded, so they had thought it was the same thing again this time.

In addition, the two people might end up married later. They were welcomed by each other’s family, and Mielle liked him to the extreme. Oscar didn’t refuse her either.

However, Aria was somehow included in the rewards this time. ‘Why did she get the same number of gifts as Mielle when she had no contact with Oscar?’

Behind the astonishment and the questioning, was a great curiosity. He couldn’t have sent the gift for no reason, so there must be something.

“Why are you all gathered so?”

The countess, who looked as if she was about to go out, appeared with her servant and some knights. All the people in the hall bowed to her and showed her courtesy. The same was true of the messenger from the duke’s family.

“Oh, isn’t this the seal of the duke’s family?”

The rose on the top of the gift boxes denoted their sender. The seal on the large boxes indicated that the contents within it were not ordinary.

Aria answered the countess’s question, “These are gifts from Mr. Oscar, and he sent me and Mielle one each.”

“Aria, to you?”

Her eyes widened with astonishment, and Aria replied the expression with a cute look, as if she didn’t know anything.

“Yes… He just took my handkerchief a while ago, so it must be something in return for it.”

“He took your handkerchief?”

By the end of the countess’ question, the hall was filled with silence.

‘What did she say now? Oscar took Aria’s handkerchief?’

All eyes were on Mielle. They did not look directly at her, but glanced at her behavior, questioning why he had taken Aria’s handkerchief and not hers.

Mielle, who had never dreamed of that, could not answer anything, but clenched her fists until her knuckles were white.

“Would you give me the letter?” The countess reached out to the messenger from the duke’s family.

A letter was attached to the gift to show its purpose and reason. It was polite to enclose a letter with a gift, as they had to know for sure who had sent it.

Then, the messenger took out the letters he had kept in his arms. He had not understood why the duke’s family had given him two letters, but now, he knew it was because he had to give them to both of the girls.

He had thought they had all been addressed to Mielle, but then, he looked closely and saw that the receiver’s name was different on each envelope. The countess identified the names on the envelopes and gave them to Aria and Mielle.

Everyone was curious about the contents of the letter, which were firmly sealed by the rose-shaped wax. Although Aria did not have to share them with others, the countess gently suggested reading the letters to appease her curiosity.

“I think there is nothing great in my letter, so why don’t you read Mielle’s letter?”

No one was curious about the contents of Mielle’s letter.

It was Aria’s letter that everyone wanted to know. She didn’t seem to have had any particular relationship with him in their last meeting, so they were all wondering when their relationship had begun and how it had progressed to her giving him a handkerchief and receiving a gift in return.

But no one could bring their real intentions out of their mouths. It was a great disrespect to be curious about their master’s personal life. They just read each other’s countenance, all except for one person, Mielle.

She was nearly insane with curiosity about the contents of Aria’s letter. She wanted to find out the contents somehow, even if the contents of her letter were disclosed.

“Then, I’ll read it first, so sister Aria can follow me.”

‘Ah, poor Oscar! Does he know that his letter is about to be made public? If it has a beautiful poem, it will be to his credit.’