The Villainess turns the Hourglass

Editor Group: Liber Reverie

“Aria!”

As soon as Aria came down from the podium, the Countess, who rose from her seat, came up to her with a puff. If she waited a little while, she would go back to her place, but she couldn’t bear it, and it was a quick step. It was still a face that did not understand what had happened to Aria.

“What the hell is this…?”

“Mother.”

Aria, who quickly grabbed her hand trying to raise her voice even though the ceremony was not yet over, smiled softly and hurried back to her seat.

“I’ll sit down and explain.”

When she returned to her seat with the Countess, she saw Sarah and Vincent, who had become more contemplative. They gave Aria an immediate look, asking for an explanation.

“Why don’t you enjoy the ceremony first? I think the VIP seat is getting more attention than the podium.”

As Aria said, the audience’s eyes were on Aria rather than the host on the podium explaining the next sequence. The Crown Prince, who they dared not to even face him, was at the backseat.

It must have been a shock that the empire’s star-studded investor was the wicked woman of the rumor. If she continued the conversation as it was, it would be rumored in public.

“… you’ll have to explain it properly when the ceremony is over.”

The Countess said, looking askance at her.

“Of course.”

Of course, it was necessary to explain it, as she would get busy in earnest. In the following ceremony, they were calling out a list of students who had already been selected for admission or those who had been selected for the scholarship.

After it, she turned to the place where Asher was. He was also coming down the stage after the opening ceremony was over.

‘What shall Asher say?’

She wondered if he was angry about why she cheated. ‘Will he be surprised by the fact that I am the very Investor A? Or is he pretending not to know? It’s not like running straight this way?’

Whenever he took a step forward, her heart was pounding and various thoughts were covered in her head, and his aide, who was waiting under the platform, whispered something quietly to him so that others couldn’t hear.

“…”

As if it were a serious story, Asher soon nodded and left the hall with him. ‘Did something happen?’ She was worried, but she couldn’t see him until the ceremony was over.

———————–

15. The scandal of the century.

Contrary to Aria’s efforts to avoid eye contact by stopping the conversation, their eyes towards her did not scatter until the ceremony was over.

“You’d better go outside.” The Marquess of Vincent said, wrapping Sarah’s shoulders to protect her.

They didn’t stick to her or asked if she was really the Investor A, but they were constantly observing to examine her between rumors and reality.

‘Is that beautiful lady the wicked woman of rumors? She’s so different from the rumors. Furthermore, I can’t believe that the wicked woman is the investor that has contributed to the business of the academy, so she’s not going to invest in the business that can’t guarantee profits unless she is an angel!’

‘Are all the rumors ever so far the slanders? … Come to think of it, where did the rumors come from?’

They corrected the rumors, and she savored the voices that raised doubts and took her light steps. The crowd, who were greatly shocked, steadily caught up with a deep meaning that was contained in each step.

“… We’d better get out of here quickly.”

The Countess took a quick step, conscious of her surroundings. She felt like she was going to die under the eyes of people before she could question her daughter about the enormous results she had made.

Sarah and Marquis Vincent also carefully asked if they could visit the Count’s mansion if they were willing to split the time and listen to Aria’s explanation.

‘I thought I’d have a conversation with Asher after the ceremony.’

She couldn’t do that, as he had disappeared without a word of greeting. It was then that she was going to answer, of course, that they could do so.

“I’m sorry, but Lady Aria has a previous engagement with me.”

“… Oh my gosh.”

He, who had disappeared, appeared again from behind.

“I think I mentioned it in the letter… Isn’t it?”

He urged Aria to spare her time. The Countess dropped the fan and swallowed her breath.

“I did.”

Certainly, in the letters exchanged with Pinonua Louie, he had mentioned seeing her at the completion ceremony. So when she answered, he held out his hand as if he were going to escort her.

The Countess, in his polite appearance, made a fuss and urged Aria, “Oh, come on. What are you doing? The explanation won’t be too late to come back later, so keep your promise first.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

When she was told that the Crown Prince, the noblest status in the empire, was grateful to her, she turned pale enough that it wouldn’t be strange if she collapsed right away. Jessie hastened to support the Countess.

“I’m sorry, Sarah.”

“… No. Of course, you should make a prior engagement first. Please contact me when you have time. I’ll be waiting. Letters are fine.”

Who could stop a previous engagement with the Crown Prince? Not surprisingly, Sarah also nodded and promised to do the following, and the Marquis of Vincent who had acquaintance with Asher added a little concern,

“Lady is still a minor, so maybe it’s better for a guardian to be with her.”

“Thank you for your concern, but you don’t have to worry about it because we’ve met alone several times already.”

Asher, who was uncomfortable with it, responded curtly and urged Aria to hold his hand. His remarks could have prevented her from getting married, but instead of feeling bad, she had a smile on her face.

So without making any excuses in the freezing atmosphere, as if to throw cold water with the shocking remarks of Asher, Aria disappeared smoothly holding his hand, past the crowds who gathered.

“Oh, my God… my daughter was involved with the Crown Prince…”

How envious she was of Mielle’s entanglements with the Duke family. She thought she would have no other regret in her life if she would become the Marquise, but it turned out she had a meeting with the Crown Prince. She felt like she was telling someone else’s story, not her daughter, who was always berated for being vulgar.

That was not only the Countess but also all who had not known Aria’s identity before. There were also audiences who heard nonsense near them.

‘If that’s really true… is it the scandal of the century?’

Even Annie, who knew that Aria was the Investor A, didn’t know Asher’s identity, so she followed traces of Aria that had disappeared with her reddish face.

* * *

Asher took Aria to a small cottage in the forest where she had visited the previous time. No matter how much he tried to avoid people’s eyes, she was a little nervous because he led her to a dark and gloomy place, but when she turned the corner of a building, the forest appeared immediately.

Aria, who had swallowed admiration for being so strange after several experiences, was seated on the table in the mansion garden, with Asher’s escort.

“… Huh?”

When she sat down, Aria wondered, and he asked her why,

“I feel like the chair and table have changed.”

She remembered that the chair and table she had seen before were a little old and rugged, a little ordinary for the nobleman to use.

But now Aria’s chair was very soft and comfortable, and the workmanship was beautiful, and the table was so luxurious that it could be brought to the table as an ornament. As she said, sweeping it with her hand, Asher replied casually,

“Oh, I changed it because it didn’t seem right for you.”

“… Did you change it because of me?”

‘I only visited just one time.’ As she asked and blinked her eyes, he replied as if it was natural,

“Yes, you visit again like this, and I don’t know how many times you’ll be here.”

He smiled softly, expressing his desire to meet her before Aria’s consent. Of course, she wouldn’t refuse when he asked her agreement, but she laughed a little, and he said something with a serious face that had happened today.

“You hid your identity.”

When she had a little time to spare, the sudden, direct question that came in brought a quick, cold air in the woods, a coldness that might have made him hiccup if it hadn’t been for the butler who brought the tea late. While he did not whip her with harsh words, Aria who was afflicted in her mind replied, avoiding his eyes.