The Villainess turns the Hourglass

Editor Group: Liber Reverie

Aria was also carrying the power of Croa on her back, and most of the commoners were on her side. Moreover, since she was ardently loved by the Crown Prince, how could they hate or reject Aria? They deserved to be seen as good to Aria. They deserved to be on her side. Even if they didn’t like her, she was a being that they couldn’t show it.

“It’s an excessive compliment. I have a lot to learn.”

When Aria answered with a little blush, the ladies covered their mouths with their own fan and could not hide their favor for her. It was a face to bewilder them without distinction of sex or age. It was a lovely face that fascinated the ladies as if she were determined to.

The eyes of Lane, who faced the appearance that evoked even the fondness, wandered for a moment before heading to the teacup, with a sigh that the Crown Prince deserved to be worried.

“You’re humble.”

“We seem to have a lot to learn from Your Highness the Crown Princess.”

“I agree.”

“How blessed His Highness the Crown Prince is!”

“So is the empire.”

Thanks to this, the conversation went smoothly, and a friendly atmosphere continued.

This was a very good situation for Aria, who had just become a Crown Princess, but it would have caused Lane a great deal of trouble. It was clear that if he reported as it was, it would increase Asher’s irritation.

As he had long been so, Asher had a keen interest in the people around Aria, in a bad sense. In the past, as he had been far away from her, and it had been hard to see her directly, the degree had been weak, but not now. How could he not be offended when there were so many people who praised and liked Aria before his eyes?

If Asher had enough time to see Aria, he would be OK, but he would be angry because he had too much work to do and had no time to see her often. So Lane had to deal with it wisely, just as he had corrected Asher’s confusion between Mielle and Aria in the past.

‘However, may it be enough to take an act of small revenge on Asher, who has let him work in the far-off provinces so distantly? I would delay time a little bit so that he couldn’t catch it.’

This was only an act of small revenge when he thought of Asher, who had let him work like a dog. After thinking about it, Lane quietly called Aria, who saw off the ladies who were leaving the tea party.

“Your Highness, the Crown Princess, I have something to tell you.”

“I have my next schedule. Will it be long? Did Mr. Asher send you?”

“Yes.”

Aria was as busy as Asher, but she nodded calmly as if she were waiting for the timing of the conversation because she thought Lane would never have come for nothing.

“I hope to see you again.”

“Me too, ma’am.”

“May you be at peace by then.”

Aria, who had sent the ladies out first, returned to her neatly arranged table. Lane, who followed her to the other side, said to Aria with a very serious look.

“His Highness… is concerned about you.”

“Concerned about me?”

“Yes… he is worried if the Crown Princess has any problem or is getting well.”

It wasn’t wrong, but the meaning in it was quite different. It sounded as if he came to watch her if Aria was doing well and if she was performing her duties well.

“…”

Then Aria shut up her mouth. She must have grasped exactly what Lane was trying to convey. Lane hurriedly added an explanation before Aria doubted his words,

“His Highness Asterope has a terrible regard for the Crown Princess. So he takes care of you while he is busy. He sent me here if he can’t work as usual. Of course, you seem to be doing very well, so I think I can make a report comfortably. You haven’t been here long, but you’re amazing!”

It was a very long explanation. The remark was prolonged for fear of being doubted, but fortunately, it was not a look of doubt. It was the opposite, but it was so brazen that Lane answered with a very satisfied look.

Of course, it was a satisfying situation, because he himself had made this set up.

Now Aria would try harder to keep the Crown Princess’s true duty and learn what she lacked by easing Asher’s worries. That would take away her time more to see Asher.

Lane smiled as much as he could, saying, “I will run out the time between the two and try to clear up the misunderstanding later.” It was the lewd smile of a schemer.

“Then, I’ll go report to His Highness. I hope you’ll give favor to me as I may see you again.”

“… Yes.”

Aria briefly lost in thought at Lane’s words, soon nodded and left with the maids to attend the next schedule. The move was a step that was both impatient and determined to do well.

Then Lane, who had left room for sabotage and would come back again, headed toward Asher’s office with a light step. There was a feeling of satisfaction in his footsteps. Knowing a solution that could solve everything, he had nothing to fear.

“How is she doing?”

Reiterating to report, he urged Lane to tell him what he had seen, in haste. It was only an hour, but he looked impatient as if the hour were close to a billion years.

“She is doing very well. She’s had all the love of the noble ladies. You don’t have to worry.”

“…”

Lane pretended not to know anything and gave an answer that would upset Asher, and Asher furrowed his forehead.

And Lane continued, “It seems to be a big factor in the fact that the Crown Princess drove out the traitors of the empire with her accomplishments. They asked nothing and didn’t argue, but they just followed. And she is wise! She mentioned a new designer who she is going to invest, and she got the noble ladies’ attention all at once.”

“…”

“Isn’t this all because she wants to help you? I’ve been thinking about her for a long time, but she’s a great woman. You must be confident.”

Lane had always understood Asher’s condition very well and gave an appropriate answer.

‘Why are you doing this today?’ With such an expression on his face, Asher looked down briefly at the pen he held in his hand. The pen didn’t make it that way itself, but his expression was filled with resentment as to why it did this as he had just had a national marriage.

As Lane watched it swallowing his laughter, Asher again opened his mouth whether he had come to his conclusion. “For the time being, I’m going to have to forbid anyone else from entering the Imperial Castle.”

“… Pardon me?”

“I can’t take her time with the useless outsiders, because my Crown Princess is working so hard.”

Then he took a sip of the tea with a more relaxed look as if it was a very satisfactory decision. It seemed like a strategy to keep others from meeting her if he could not meet her.

And Lane was dumbfounded. No matter how uncomfortable he was, how could he make such an extreme choice…? Lane managed to close his mouth as it opened naturally.

“Are you really going to do that?”

“Yes, it’s a busy time, so we don’t have to bring in any visitors.”

It’s not because of a busy time, but it’s just that you don’t want Aria to see other people, and that some people who like her were around.

“… I see.”

As if it was not empty words, Asher called in a person and instructed him not to let in outsiders starting tomorrow. Although it was simply a visit for friendship, the servants who had to cancel it was busy because all of them had been prearranged and scheduled.

“Then go see and come back at what the Crown Princess is doing.”

“… Yes.”

“Come back in an hour and report.”

“… Yes.”

Somehow Lane thought it was going in a strange direction, but he felt sorry to come up with a solution now. When he saw the more agonizing and struggling Asher, he could ease what he had been badly treated in the meanwhile. If it was not this time, there would be no way he would ever embarrass the Crown Prince again.

So he went back to Aria, and Lane saw that she was learning the history of the Imperial family.

If she was not good at memorizing, Aria looked at the nobleman with a troubled face, who was listing the names of all the Imperial family members and explaining their achievements.