The Villainess turns the Hourglass

Editor Group: Liber Reverie

Baron Burboom, who had received the investment, expanded his business by hiring more staff and hurriedly created the perfume with Aria’s advice. This made it possible to prepare enough perfumes before the trend started properly, and he enclosed a gift with a thank-you letter to Aria.

[Thank you very much. With Mr. A’s foresight, I was able to make the most profit. It’s a small gift, but it’s a token of gratitude, so please accept it.]

Aria’s lips drew a good line after reading the letter Annie had brought. When she unpacked the present that he enclosed, it contained cravat. The embroidery between the waves of fine silk was very beautiful.

‘I thought so, but he thought I was a man.’

The cravat worn to make the fine look on the neck was for men. It might have been quite expensive, but it was of little use to the recipient. Aria, who put it back in the box, called Annie.

“I’m going to have to go out.”

“Really? You haven’t been out in a long time! Actually, I wanted to go out, too.”

The place where she arrived with Annie, who was so excited, was the perfume store of Baron Burboom. The store had expanded to a considerable size with investments and profits for the time being.

Aria, who had two knights outside because of their annoyance, went inside. Annie’s eyes glistened when she was told to pick a favorite perfume and looked through the store and went away.

Then Aria, who became alone, looked through the interior and appreciated it. Along with the luxurious interior, the height of the stand with perfume was appropriate. They were all well placed in a relaxed reach for smaller women compared to men.

So did the color arrangement. Sometimes colors would be placed on an unknown basis for the unthinking, but this place was not. Starting with a bright color, the color gradually added to the darkest color at the end. The combination of colors was different, but her eyes were pleasant as if they were looking at a galaxy.

‘Maybe he’s better than I thought.’

Aria headed to the counter after she had finished her appreciation. The waitress who was waiting greeted her in a polite manner.

“Can I help you?”

“I’d like to see Baron Burboom.”

“… Sir Baron?”

The staff opened her eyes big. She looked puzzled when Aria said she would come to meet the baron. The clerk looked very carefully at Aria’s dress and disappeared after saying, “Please wait for a moment.” As she saw Aria, she seemed to be quite a wealthy aristocrat.

Moments later, Baron Burboom, who appeared with the staff, was quite a young man. He only looked twenty-five to twenty-six at best. Still, his neatly dressed clothes and hair made him look quite a plausible businessman.

Coming down from the second floor while talking to the employee, he found Aria waiting in front of the counter with the request of the staff and could not speak for a moment with a stunned look on his face.

“Baron Burboom, I’ve come here with a message to tell and deliver you something.”

He pointed to the second floor with a stiff face and hand gestures without even confirming who Aria was. Aria folded her eyes and smiled at this, and the baron’s cheeks turned red.

“Do you mind if I go upstairs?”

“… Yeah? Oh, yeah…”

He nodded to her question like a broken buggy doll. He was hard and awkward, but he did his best to escort Aria and ordered a staff to prepare the best refreshments for her. The sugar in the market had run out, but he got some from somewhere else, and Aria asked, drinking tea that was delicately sweet with sugar,

“Who do you think I am to treat me like this?”

It wasn’t even a sharp question, but Baron Burboom stammered. “Well, I don’t know. May I ask your name?”

“I’m Roscent Aria.”

At the words that she was the wicked woman of the rumor stopped Burboom’s hand that was trying to hold the teacup.

Aria asked calmly because she expected his reaction. “Are you disappointed?”

“No… If you are Lady Aria from the Roscent family, are you only fifteen years old?”

Aria’s eyes widened at the unexpected question. “So?”

“Ha! Oh, my God! You’re fifteen. How could you…!”

Burboom hid his face in his palms and uttered a grotesque exclamation. Aria stared at him because of his incomprehensible response. From time to time, he stole a glance at Aria through his fingers and repeatedly sighed. He soon removed his hands and faced her properly.

“… I’m sorry! I don’t know why I’ve shown a shameful conduct to a little lady.”

“A shameful conduct?”

A shameful conduct? She couldn’t understand why he reacted like that as he hadn’t done anything. What the hell was he thinking? What a strange and funny person he was to have such a reaction just by thinking about it.

‘I didn’t think I’d do anything with my face because I’ve come here as an investor today… You’re running around all by yourself, so I want to bother you.’

And it seemed rather easy for her to control him than to make unnecessary words. Aria held her tea and drank it.

“I’m so sorry, but what business do you have with me?”

“Oh, no big deal. I’m here to return what I received.”

“What you received?”

If his store had been insignificant, she might have just gone back, but she confirmed that it wasn’t. He looked like she could make use of him. Aria put the box on the table.

“This…?”

“I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to wear.”

Burboom opened a familiar box that he had seen somewhere. What was inside was a cravat made of high-quality silk. It was like a gift to an unnamed investor, calling himself “A.” After looking at it for a long time, he asked Aria with a stupid face.

“Why are you showing me this…?”

He was still unable to grasp the situation. Aria thought he would have a good intuition, but he didn’t seem to have any keen sense.

Aria, who took out the cravat herself from the box, approached Burboom, who sat on the other side. His eyes were fixed around his neck. At the sudden arrival of Aria, he swallowed a tense, dry saliva.

“It’s not me, but Baron Burboom, who fits in.”

Aria reached out to Burboom’s neck. As Aria’s fine, white hand approached, the baron’s body hardened. What was unavoidable, however, was his sheer fascination in Aria’s gaze. Her appearance, which he could not believe was only fifteen, made it all the more so.

“Lady, lady…?”

“Wait a minute…”

Aria moved her hands a few times and the cravat was detached from Burboom’s neck. It was a very familiar gesture as if it had been done many times.

Whenever Aria’s hands brushed against the tip of his chin, he could not control himself as if he had been struck by lightning. Nevertheless, he held his breath to see if his nose could reach Aria’s fine hands.

‘That’s a refreshing response. It doesn’t suit your age.’

It was a lot of fun to recall that she had been swayed by Asher recently. So she thought she could play a little while pretending to be naive as she had done to Oscar, but she decided not to do so. Unlike Oscar, Burboom seemed to be obeying himself like a slave even if she didn’t do anything.

‘I don’t have to feed too much to the man who would give his life to me.’

Anyway, these kinds of people made their own food even though she did not do anything.

Aria, who hung a new cravat around his neck, returned to her seat without regret. Burboom, who was like he was possessed by something, fidgeted about his neck without saying a word. It also seemed to find the warmth of Aria that could not remain.

“Baron, do you have your next move in mind?”

“… Yeah?” A sudden question broke his silence, and he asked back with a broken face.

“I think the trend of perfume is going to last quite a while, but you should be prepared for the next one. Unlike essential consumer goods, it’s goods that they would not have any problems with even if it’s not there. Of course, if you’re satisfied with this, there’s nothing more to say.”

Aria spoke based on what she had studied and experienced for the time being. Burboom answered quickly at her testy tone of voice.

“Ah… well, there’s something else I’ve wanted to do from before. It’s about lowering prices by lightening the concentration of the perfume. Its effect as a perfume is insignificant, and it only has a very light fragrance, but I’m sure there will be a demand for the common people.”