The Villainess turns the Hourglass

Editor Group: Liber Reverie

“Berry, bring us warm tea.”

Thanks to Aria’s care, Annie was able to hold the tea to melt her cold heart. Even though it didn’t really melt her heart, she felt much better about being able to get a hold of something.

Aria, with a strange smile, looked at Annie for a moment. Aria looked like she knew everything. As Annie shrank in that glance, Aria said, holding her hand, “Annie, you can’t be mistaken. You’re not that stupid, are you?”

“… yeah?”

“You don’t like Baron Burboom, but you like his background. You won’t be happy if you try to have his heart.”

Annie’s eyes were dazzled because she could not grasp Aria’s intention. So Aria changed the question.

“If he had been a humble commoner, would you have been interested?”

“Oh, no…”

“So you have to set aside Baron Burboom and his background. He just has a background that will make you happy. There are so many friendly and kind men in the world. But few men are going to make you rich and happy.”

Aria seemed to be already seeing what had happened between Burboom and Annie. It was more like sending Annie to him with anticipation. Still, Aria hoped Annie would overcome it, like the past, present, and future Aria herself; by blocking her mind before she got hurt, you would choose any means and a way for her purpose.

“So you should try so that I can help you.”

“Miss…” Clever Annie seemed to understand Arya.

Afterward, for the first few days, Annie seemed a little depressed, but she soon regained her vigor. Then she began to visit the Burboom’s shop again, which she had not been there for a while. She seemed to have an ulterior motive to show her face often.

“Today, he even served snacks himself. Of course, it didn’t taste good because there was no sugar in it, but… I was so happy about it, though!”

“Good for you, Annie. Baron Burboom seems to be a brusque man, so I think it’s quite advanced.”

Aria added a little caution so that she would not suffer the same grief as in the past, and Annie no longer showed a sad face. She was a smart girl, as her goal was firm.

‘It was just because of my face that he was interested in anyway.’

So Aria hoped Annie would win the heart of Burboom with more sincerity than this. In the past, the face alone hadn’t lasted very long.

Besides, they really looked quite close as they often saw each other as Annie’s wish. Even though Aria didn’t know the details because she didn’t see Baron Burboom anymore, but according to Annie, it was so.

Anyway, it was smooth. There were some people who could be called allies compared to the past, and she dealt with Mielle’s mischievous acts with determination. She also began making a new investment in Baron Burboom and was introduced to other businessmen by the baron at his youth business group meeting.

And what she liked most about this moment was that the servants and maids of the mansion only treated her with special treatment. It was during dinner time with everyone when she realized that.

‘… why did the dressing suddenly taste so good?’

As Aria cocked her head at the taste of the sweet sauce, she saw Mielle sitting opposite her putting the salad plate aside.

“I can’t eat the salad until the sugar is supplied back. The dressings don’t fit too much.”

“I got a little sugar and put it in, but it still tastes like this… It must have been lacking. I thought I got it right. As expected, there is a limit to what people can get with someone else’s hands. We’re pressuring His Highness now, so we’ll get an answer sooner or later.”

Aria could feel that their food and hers tasted different because even the count removed the salad.

Aria smiled secretly with that. They were very cute. They changed their attitudes just because she had given them a few bottles of perfume. It might be because they had never received a gift from the Roscent family before. There had been no need to give gifts to them who were paid the fair salaries in the first place. The family might have done it if they were the people, and they had to look good. However, the nobles didn’t have to be seen good to mere servants and maids.

After emptying the salad, which had been edible for a long time, Aria glanced behind. Some good smell seemed to come from the servants and maids, who were waiting without expression. She couldn’t conceal her joy as if they were on her side.

* * *

Aria felt like summer was passing by, just like in the past. In a little more time, the supply of luxury goods would begin, and the taste of the food would return. The nobles who wanted to get back to their original lives would pay huge sums of money for them.

It was when Aria, who imagined this and sent letters and perfume as gifts to the young ladies and Sarah who she could not meet for the whole summer, was indulging in reading, enjoying refreshments in leisure. As she looked out of the window, the mansion seemed to be a bit cluttered, and she saw Lane, who had unexpectedly said that he would never visit again.

‘Why the hell…?’

‘Why did he visit when he didn’t have to come?’ She went to the first floor because she had wondered that even a letter about the meeting had not come for the time being. The first thing that came into her eyes was Mielle and her maids, who laughed in a big smile.

Lane, who confirmed Aria, said delightedly,

“There was Lady Aria, too. I just had a gift for you.”

“… a gift?”

As he beckoned, a very tall servant appeared with a large box. She didn’t understand why the servant covered his face with a hood, but she ignored it and asked Lane about the contents of the gift.

“What is this?”

“It’s no big deal. It’s a small gift from my master to Lady Aria. Summer is coming to an end soon.”

It was a pretty big box for a small gift. It was too big for a woman to lift alone. ‘What on earth did he send, though it would be Asher as if he were his master?’ While Aria was agonizing, one of Mielle’s maids bragged about Mielle’s gift, even though she was not asked.

“Miss, where on earth did he get all this sugar and honey? It must have been quite expensive.”

The present that Asher sent to Mielle seemed to be sugar. As Mielle had left the box open, Aria found quite a bit of sugar to be seen from afar. It must have been hard to get, as the maid said. ‘Why on earth did he send so much sugar to Mielle?’

‘Is Mielle still worthwhile for him to make use of?’

Aria felt a little upset and tried to go up to the room without showing it off as much as she could, but Lane ordered the tall servant to move the gift.

“I’ll take it to your room. It’s pretty heavy.”

“… do it. I don’t know what it is, but thank you.”

Aria checked his face to see how Asher was doing, why the meeting was not held, and whether there was anything else to do, but Lane only smiled as he checked Mielle’s regards.

Mielle also smiled sweetly at Lane who came in a long time. “Since it’s been a long time, why don’t you have tea?”

“Thank you.”

Aria went up to her room without regret after seeing the two disappearing into the lounge. The servant with a large box followed. When she saw him climbing up the stairs with a large box, he seemed unusual.

He put down the box in one of Aria’s room when he arrived and headed for the door without saying goodbye, without permission. She was about to click her tongue in his ill manner, and the servant closed the open door, rather than going out.

“… what, what?”

As it was unexpected, Aria stood back and asked. Her tongue twisted in embarrassment. The servant turned toward her before Aria added anything.

‘What an awful thing this is!’

When she was about to get angry, Aria could do nothing when she saw his face exposed through the slowly peeling hood. That was because it was a familiar face she knew.

“… Mr. Asher?”

“It’s been a long time.”

The identity of the servant was surprisingly Asher. ‘Why did he come up the stairs with a box, leaving a proper way?’ Aria, relieved that he wasn’t a complete stranger, swept her heart away.

“… what brings you here?”