The Villainess turns the Hourglass

Editor Group: Liber Reverie

“Ah! You mean because you’ve heard and seen a lot?”

No, it was the product of Aria’s years of learning and experience. It was the product of her who had put men under her feet and made them act like her hands and feet. But she couldn’t say that.

“… you can say that.”

All the young ladies gathered, gazed at one another and nodded.

“There is something to learn from the common people, too!”

“That’s amazing. I really want to hear their love story, too!”

‘You didn’t want a love story, but a method to succeed by seducing a high-ranking aristocrat.’

Aria answered them with a pure smile. “I’m here like this, so whenever you ask me, I’ll answer you. I don’t know if it will help.”

“If it is the advice of Lady Aria, we must listen to and follow!”

“Yes! Thank you very much, Lady Aria!”

Of course, no matter how many skills and much knowledge Aria had in attracting men, it would be of no use to them. In the first place, the way Aria used and the one they could do were totally different.

In Sarah’s case, any action had been acceptable because the Marquis had had a heart for her, but it would have no effect on men who had no acquaintance at all or no good feeling for them.

Nevertheless, Aria willingly offered to help them. The person whose value on the rise was not Sarah whose status would rise from now on, but Aria, since he instilled hope in them.

“Come to think of it, until recently, there was a pretty messy rumor?” said one young lady, glancing at Aria.

Other ladies also nodded as if they knew what she was talking about.

“Ah, are you talking about the rumors about Lady Aria?”

“It’s really ugly. It’s a good thing it turned out not to be.”

Aria, the very person of the rumor, asked, “What do you mean by that?”

“Oh, my God…! Didn’t you know that? The crazy rumor that was going on in the public?”

“Yes, I don’t know what you mean.”

Indeed, there were so many rumors surrounding her that she could not guess which one.

“It was a very funny rumor. It was rumored that you had seduced Oscar and hurt Lady Mielle.”

‘Oh, is that what you are talking about? It’s true if it is the rumor.’ Nevertheless, Aria swallowed her breath as if she were very embarrassed.

“It’s, it’s ridiculous! How dare I…!”

“It’s nonsense. Lady Aria, who is so nice and lovely, can’t do that. I kept saying no, but the people around me couldn’t believe it. I was so angry…! Whew,”

“Fortunately, it turned out to be a lie because so many people saw Mr. Oscar taking care of Lady Miele himself on the princess’s birthday. If it weren’t for that, such an absurd rumor would still be circulating.”

Aria alone thought how good it would have been if it had been true among the angry ladies. If so, she would have hurt Mielle and brought her down to the abyss without going back like this.

‘Come to think of it, what kind of person is Asher? How far can he help me?’ Of course, it would be all she could do to join the meeting, but he must have been a big shot anyway, so she might get help if she built a close relationship with him.

‘Can I get some help getting Oscar back? Does he have the power to do that?’

‘Does he have the power comparable to the family of the Duke of Frederick? I hope so.’ She thought he might help her with her revenge, very simply.

“… Aria! Lady Aria?” A lady, who sat next to Aria, who was in thought, thinking of Asher, called out her name quite loudly.

Aria, surprised by this, stammered and replied, “Yes, yes?”

“Huh, what are you thinking? I asked Lady Aria if you had anyone in mind.”

“Anyone in mind?”

‘Is it because I thought of Asher for a while?’

The face of Asher came straight into her mind. It was even a scene in which he had suddenly bent his upper body and taken off the petal attached to her hair. Aria’s face was burning in a flash. The flaming-hot pretty girl’s face was enough to please the hearts of the ladies in the garden.

“Oh, my God, who in the world did you think of? Your face is so red.”

“It’s like a beautiful tulip. It’s so cute.”

“Who is the one Lady Aria, who is so lovely, is interested?”

Sarah’s voice was heard among the young ladies who laughed and teased Aria.

“Somehow I’m jealous.”

‘Why on earth does not the face of Asher disappear?’ She tried to think of someone else several times, but she couldn’t think of, so the face of Asher stuck in her mind like a picture. For a while, the fiery face of Aria did not return to its original state, so the ladies’ teasing continued.

* * *

It was about fifteen days after Lane had taken the letter when Aria received a reply from Asher. He sent only flowers and a letter through another person, whether it was true what Lane had said was the last visit. This time again, like last time, a lily arrived for Mielle and a tulip for Aria.

When she hadn’t known that the sender was Asher, she had thought he had been deliberately discriminating against her, but not now. Rather, it was Mielle who was discriminated against. She didn’t know what his situation was, but she was sure that there was a reason for Asher to insist on tulips all the time.

The letter he sent was concisely written of the date, time and place of the meeting, and precautions. Aria kept it in a drawer so that she wouldn’t lose it, and then heard a report about what she had ordered Annie to do before.

“To be funny, I was called in by Emma while I was screening the maids. I guess she still thinks I’m listening to her! It’s been a while since I haven’t reported to her!”

She began to speak ill of Emma, claiming her innocence.

“I’ll have to pick a maid to take on the chores as soon as possible and change my clothes. That way, Emma won’t call me anymore.”

“So what did you say?”

“That’s…”

The reason Emma had called Annie was simple. She would have said, “I will add a new maid, so you have to persuade Aria well.”

“Of course I answered I would! I was going to choose a new maid anyway. It’s better than to be hated with refusal.”

“Yes, that’s what I think. You handled it very well.”

With the thought of turning the maid, who was on Mielle’s side, to her side one after another, she was thrilled to the roots of her hair. Annie praised; raised her voice with excitement.

“Maybe many of the maids under Miss Mielle are envious of me. Sometimes they asked about my hairpin or my skin.”

“So what did you say?” Aria asked with a look of anticipation.

“Of course, every time I said Lady Aria was generous with her maids and I received gifts. Miss. Mielle is tender and kind, but she doesn’t give anything. She is just a noblewoman.”

“Hmm. I guess you’re comfortable with me who comes from a commoner. I’m not even aristocratic.”

“No! What are you talking about, miss? Of course, it means that Miss Mielle is stingy, and Lady Aria is generous!”

Aria burst out laughing at Annie’s desperate excuse as if misunderstanding was not allowed.

“It’s a joke.”

“I thought so!”

At Aria’s dizzying joke, who had been now accustomed, Annie also burst into laughter and made an appropriate response.

It wasn’t long after Annie brought a new maid. She was the maid who Aria remembered well.

‘She is the maid who ordered me to throw the bottle of water, Isn’t she?’

It was the very maid of Mielle, who had ordered her to commit evil things. She was also the maid who had confessed Aria’s sins to the death of Aria. “The wicked woman ordered me to put poison on the tea of Miss Mielle. She had been mean to Miss Mielle! I just had to do it! It was really… really painful, Mr. Cain!”

It had been the maid who had been yelling, even putting a blood band on her neck. So Aria couldn’t forget her. At an unexpected figure, Aria greeted her with a broad smile.

“Welcome. You’re my new maid, aren’t you? What’s your name?”

“It’s, it’s Be, Berry, miss.”

“Berry… Yeah, that’s right. Berry. That’s a name well matched for you.”

‘It fits very well on you! Like a berry of which fresh juices burst when I bite a small grain, I want to bite and kill that ugly body.’

Aria welcomed her with all her heart. And she revised the plan. She was going to take her side, but she was going to let her fall into hell.

As the maid arrived to take on the chores, Annie and Jessie were free from their work, changed their clothes and became beautiful girls. Berry looked at Annie with strange eyes, saying, “I think I’ve finally found my original shape.” Of course, more than half of her eyes were occupied with envy.