The Villainess turns the Hourglass

Editor Group: Liber Reverie

According to reports by the maids of the mansion, if there had been a big incident, Mielle had received a letter from the princess. And they also said that even before the incident, letters had often arrived. So she must have gone for advice again this time.

‘And how angry and upset the princess would be because she would think I intercepted the Crown Prince.’

Before the Crown Prince, Aria had also had a scandal with Isis’s lovely brother. Aria hadn’t met her a few times, but she was sure Isis wanted to rip her to death because she had been involved in bad things.

‘Now that Mielle is dependent on her, is the real enemy the princess?’

If she were to continue her meeting with the Crown Prince anyway, the princess would naturally be an enemy, but apart from that, she was bound by her personal grudge. Aria could not forget the hostile look at Mielle’s birthday party.

So she spent the day thinking about how to stop Isis from seeking new power by marrying the king of another country, and how to check it, but a guest visited her late in the evening. He was an unexpected guest, with a bunch of tulip flowers that didn’t wither easily, and a gift box in his hand.

“… Mr. Lane?”

“I’m sorry if I’m late at night. I’ve been on a business trip to a faraway place, and I didn’t have a free time to visit.”

His visit meant that she could hear the news of Asher. She was in a hurry to prepare tea, but unfortunately, the Count and Cain came home at that moment.

The Count had to inform Cain of his work and deal with the accumulated work, so he looked very tired. It was also because of the rumors circulating between her two daughters. He had not cared about his stepdaughter when she had been a wicked woman, but how painful it must be for his own daughter to become a wicked woman. However, the rumors were all grounded and he did not take action otherwise. If there were no grounds for the rumors, he would have been around, saying, “This was all Aria’s work.”

That was why the Count did not like Lane, who had come to visit after a long time. It was also because there was nothing more to take from him.

“What brings you here so late? I remember you said that you wouldn’t come anymore. Don’t tell me, you came here because you were interested in Aria?”

The Count, who had tried to pass Aria on to Rain in the past, was now wondering if Lane would be interested in Aria. He didn’t even know Aria’s snorting at his two-faced figure. Cain also glared at Lane with a face similar to his father’s.

They did not welcome him enough to make him uncomfortable, but Lane answered with a careless face, “Haha. I wanted to, but I was wondering if the Count is doing well. My master asked me to say hello and he is very interested in the Count’s business.”

“Really? Well… then.”

When Lane even mentioned his master, who had helped the Count, he suggested that Rain eat with him, with his exhausted body, since he could no longer be uncomfortable. He seemed, of course, to think that Lane had come to see him. Lane looked a little uncomfortable, but soon nodded and headed to the dining room. The bouquets and gifts he had prepared were given to Aria at the instruction of Asher so that all his business was done.

‘Why didn’t Mr. Asher come by himself?’

He used to come to her room. As she was curious, she hurried up to her room and opened the letter. The present was a backseat.

[I’m sending you a letter through Lane because I’m in a difficult place to visit you.]

Through the first sentence, Aria realized it was not that he had not come but that he could not. ‘Where in the world did he go so that he could not come?’ She read the letter in haste again, fearing that he might be wandering around strange places by hostile forces as before.

[It’s not something you should worry about. The reason why I am sending this letter is because I couldn’t contact you because I told you at the last meeting I’d visit you soon. I was thinking about when it would be good, and I thought it would be better to coordinate the timing with you.]

In the following letter was written as if he had spoken to her before her eyes as if he had read and thought of her mind. Since then, it was written about the time that Asher wished to visit, and it was quite late at night. It also said that just in case she should vacate the room that day, so she put it in her head so that she wouldn’t forget it.

‘… What is this?’

When she finished reading the letter, she looked at it for a while and opened the present she had left on the table, and there was a bracelet she had never seen. It was made up of a string of thin threads tied together. It was the first time she saw it.

‘Is he out of the country?’

That was why she felt like he had sent her this amazing ornament. Wherever he was, she hoped he would come back in good health, and she re-opened what she had to do.

* * *

“Look at this cookie. It’s fresh in shape.”

“Yes. It’s cute.”

Young ladies, seated at a luxurious table in a colorful garden, each expressed exaggerated admiration. At the center of them was Mielle.

“It’s a special one from the princess.”

“It’s as expected.”

“She has a different eye.”

They tried to pretend to be calm, ignoring the bombs that fell in their territory. They were gathered to do so. As they were anxious and worried by themselves alone, they brainwashed each other as if the situation would be okay.

“Then, the wicked woman of rumors… You know, she’s been running around like that, and she’s… Well, she made the worst choice.”

“She has the dirty blood and so she’s been doing like that. She is a creature that must be parasitic, just like her mother.”

“I’m worried about the future of the empire.”

And they gathered to attack the public enemy.

“I’m sure the princess is struggling to stop it.”

“That’s right. She’d rather join hands with another country than have dirty blood as the descendant of the empire.”

Finally, it was to praise the existence that they believed in and should follow. It was Mielle’s job to unite the hearts of aristocratic ladies in this situation, where rumors about herself and their faith in the Aristocratic Party had become blurred.

Unlike Aria, who had built her own power, what all other aristocratic ladies could do in the present situation was to gather and enjoy refreshments and gossip.

“I’ll pass on your opinion to Isis. I’m sure she’ll be happy.”

In fact, it was only their names she would actually tell, but Mielle, who spoke empty words as a representative, spent time with the young ladies in moderation before heading to the princess.

It was Isis, who had become nervous after knowing that the Crown Prince was meeting with Aria. It was because of the shock that the daughter of a prostitute, who was no one else, would take her place. Even if she had been elevated to her status who would give a new power to him.

‘If I haven’t been compared.’ Mielle was also shocked, but not as much as Isis. The princess had been compared to the dirty blood she had hated so much. There was even an opinion that, unlike when Mielle and Aria were compared, Aria of shallow birth was better than Isis, who succeeded the blood of the Imperial family.

It was those who were possessed by her frivolous appearance, and those who were possessed by her false character. Mielle reported what had happened in the meanwhile, as she tried not to offend the princess as much as she could.

“You don’t have to worry about the young ladies. They are so loyal to you. If they had a betrayer, they’d throw themselves to stop her.”

Although it was not an important report that Isis wished for, she treated that it was a matter of great importance. That was why Isis answered with a cold face and asked something else,

“… I see. Did His Highness ever visit the mansion?”

“Yes? Oh, no. Not yet…”

Isis was obsessed with it to the point that she regretted if she made a report. Even after quite some time, the shadow of the Crown Prince was not visible.