The Villainess turns the Hourglass

Editor Group: Liber Reverie

Aria clicked her tongue by the window of her room to watch the luxuries carried by the servants. Plenty of spices began to pile up in the mansion of Count Roscent. The warehouse was filled with a few bags of sugar and was most commonly used, followed by honey or pepper.

‘Does the count think we need that much amount? Will he be in trouble if a large quantity of supplies is released?’

It was quite possible because he was walking on a different path from the past. The lower aristocrat must have accumulated a great deal of wealth already, so he might think it would be better to pull out his feet.

Of course, pulling out of his feet at this point would cause a huge spike in luxury goods, but he wouldn’t mind since he had already wrecked the market.

“Miss, I’ll bring some letters to you.”

Aria was still imagining how the future would change, and she heard a knock on the door. When she answered to come in, Annie showed up with a few letters in her hand, with a still bright face, today.

“Those are from Baron Burboom! He said they were the ones he mentioned last time. And there are so many other letters, too.”

As he had promised, he had introduced promising young businessmen to her from summer. Aria, who still didn’t know much about business, chose a businessman to invest in, thinking about what things and businesses were going to be like in the future.

Most of the things she remembered, who had had little interest in business in the past, were very unlikely to fail because most of the items that would be fashionable were in the social world. Even if some of the projects that were accidentally invested in were destroyed, it would be clear that the others would be revived and she would not lose much.

Moreover, some businesses had been already gaining momentum as soon as she had started to invest. Young businessmen were quick in action. As soon as they had received the investment, they had started or expanded their businesses and began to gain recognition a little faster than in the past.

Ignorant of the future, they expressed infinite gratitude to Aria for investing in their unsteady businesses, and would occasionally send long letters that were hard for her to read.

Furthermore, some people had misunderstood that thing had begun to work out thanks to Aria’s investment. They were businesses that would work well someday, although they might take some time even if they did not receive investment.

‘They are supposed to be like that.’

It was the privilege of the person who had turned over the hourglass.

Aria relied upon a letter to invest, after selecting some of the most impressive businessmen like Baron Burboom was introduced to herself. ‘What better way to sit back and make money and gain power?’

Moreover, the anonymous investor, who would invest large sums of money on the basis of possibility, had already been the subject of respect, envy, and attention to young aristocrats. Perhaps, in a little more time, it might be rumored that those who had been selected by Aria would have a great success.

‘Who knows? If it works out that way, I’ll create a force comparable to the Aristocratic Party.’

People would gather to a person with plenty of money. And there would be a loyal one to the person who would give mercy and support them… Even if it turned out that it was all the work of a wicked woman, she would be honored as a saint, not as a wicked woman anymore. If that happened, the one who was known to have been bullied by a wicked woman so far might become a wicked woman. They would say that she made false rumors to defame the saint.

——————–

So Aria fired all her tutors. They were the women hired for a trial tasting anyway, and because she was creating larger connections than those, and they were no longer useful.

‘And in order to take advantage of the three wives, I must have ties to their sons…’

Somehow she felt a strange sense of guilt. It wasn’t a guilty mind for wives and their sons. The target for the guilty mind was none other than Asher. Without knowing why, whenever she met the wives, and her tutors, she felt bad because the face of Asher came up to her mind continuously. That allowed her to fire the wives without regret.

“Did, did I do something wrong? Do you think I was going against you? Then please, forgive me…!”

When Aria said she would fire her, Viscountess Sirby pleaded with tears. It was a natural result because the fish she had thought she had almost caught declared that it would run away to the sea.

Aria shook her head coldly and reminded Viscountess Sirby of her incompetence. “No, I just want to learn more. I think your knowledge is limited. I don’t have to waste my time.”

“…!”

The wives pleaded with Aria several more times, but at last, they felt their own incompetence and had to shed tears and leave the mansion. It used to be a tearful scene, but now it was the past. It would be better for her to clear up the useless so quickly.

——————–

‘It won’t be long before a wicked woman becomes a saint, and a saint becomes a wicked woman.’

Her heart leaped as she imagined the glorious future. The characters were crushed with force in the hand that wrote a reply letter. But they became rather a strong handwriting and filled the letter. It was clear that it would leave a strong impression on the minds of young businessmen who would receive letters.

* * *

[I’m sorry I’m late, Lady Aria. I really want to meet you because I haven’t seen you for a long time. The Marquis, too.]

It was not long before Aria’s sixteenth birthday that she got a letter from Sarah.

Sarah talked about the meeting after two seasons as if she had been busy in preparation for next year’s engagement and the education to be the marquise. There was no reason to refuse her, so Aria replied right away that she knew it, and the schedule was quickly set. It was a very close day if it was left out in advance.

Aria, not too much stylish, headed for the mansion of the marquis. Aria had remained up all night wondering how the marquis who had earnestly wooed to Sarah would greet her.

“Miss, we have arrived. Please get off.”

Aria arranged her dress as the voice was heard from outside the carriage. She checked and checked with Jessie who sat on the other side many times if she was okay. Then a relieved Aria nodded. The carriage door slowly opened. It was time to check the results of the long work.

“Welcome to the mansion of the marquis, Lady Roscent.”

Aria, who was walking to get off the wagon, stopped moving. As usual, she had thought the butler of the mansion, or Sarah would have come out to meet her because the person who greeted her was a very unexpected one.

“Are you all right?”

“Oh, I’m okay.”

The Marquis of Vincent with a very worried face laid his hand on Aria. It seemed to mean holding his hand and slowly getting off. The knight who had been trying to escort her took a step back, and Aria’s hand, which trembled a little, held the hand of the Marquis of Vincent.

Contrary to rumors of being blunt and cold, he was embarrassingly polite and kind. It was Sarah who welcomed Aria off the wagon after the marquis, and who would guarantee her future.

“Lady Aria, you had a hard time coming.”

“Lady Sarah…!”

Sarah seemed to have been really busy, and she had lost a little weight. Due to the thinness of her face, Aria could find the maturity from Sarah, which had been lacking.

Sarah and the Marquis of Vincent seemed to have worked quite hard to welcome Aria. It was like they had come out to meet Aria in person and waited, having split their busy time, and so did the servants and maids who treated her politely. It was also the case with a parade of luncheon meetings set up with rare materials that were not easily seen.

Before the main menu came out, the Marquis of Vincent asked Aria, “I don’t know if you love this food.”

“Of course, I love it.”

“I’m so glad you love it.”

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for preparing such good food.”

All food was fit for her mouth as if they had prepared it after grasping her taste. Sarah was laughing when she saw Aria and the Marquis exchanging conversations. The friendly conversation between the person she loved the most and the girl she cherished with each other was unparalleled happiness for her.