The Villainess turns the Hourglass

Editor Group: Liber Reverie

But even if she did not explain it, it was rumored that it would spread beyond the empire to foreign countries in a little time, so Aria gave them a chance to imagine by quietly closing her mouth.

“It must be something wrong, and I’ll wait until it’s revealed…”

The servants were furious at Cain, clenching their fists at the words she would believe in and wait for him, who had just scared her as if to kill her. ‘How could he do such a terrible thing to such a good Aria?’

“Mother, please appoint a lawyer to brother. Brother and Mielle are both gone, and now you are the true master of the Count family.”

“… yes, the knight said he could have a lawyer, so I’ll have to save him. Let’s do what we can.”

The Countess, who had cleared her face, went down the stairs to find a lawyer for Cain. Now she would help to find a very capable lawyer and to reveal Cain’s sins in detail, and she would divorce the Count with the excuse of it. She would be free to do anything, to take all the property and to abandon her sick husband.

“Oh, my God, how could this be…”

“This isn’t a dream, is it?”

The servants disappeared in a whisper along her light footsteps, and Aria entered her room, supported by Annie and Jessie.

“Miss, Miss…? What is this…?”

“The knight said my brother was planning treason.”

Aria said with a casual look, as Annie asked, who was still unable to understand, and Aria cleared her face as if she’d not been frightened and wept.

“Didn’t you see the soldiers who left in the morning, the ones who had been disguised normally, and you’ve heard rumors that other noblemen’s houses were also full of questionable guests.”

Then, realizing that they were soldiers for this treason, Annie covered her mouth with her hand, as if she understood their mysterious acts.

“I was wondering who they were because Mr. Cain was so generous with all the money they were spending, but they were soldiers!”

“Miss, did you know that?”

At the question of the surprised Jessie, Aria smiled meaningfully and turned the subject away.

“I’m going out, so get ready.”

“… going out? Now?”

“Yes, the highlight of today is waiting. I have to attend, so get ready. Why don’t you join me?”

Annie and Jessie looked at each other for an answer and then hurried out of the room to bring water, as Aria said she needed to wash her face because she had cried and it was stinging.

**

When Isis returned to the mansion after an unpleasant dinner, she talked to the Duke about what was going to happen.

“I’ll put all the royals in jail, and for the time being I’d better take over.”

“Yes. Mr. Lohan should take care of Croa, and all the other nobles have agreed with that.”

“When this is done, you’ll have to have a wedding ceremony right away.”

“Yes, we’ve been talking about it, and decided to have a wedding as soon as the empire falls into Lohan’s hands, and I’ve rewritten the paperwork, too.”

“Okay, I’m very satisfied. Because of the stupid Crown Prince, there was some noise in the middle, but as a result, we got a bigger outcome. You did a good job, your accomplishments are great.”

“… no, thank you for trusting me and letting me finish.”

Isis’s eyes flushed because she remembered the hardships she had suffered in the meanwhile. It was when the Duke was about to pat her on the shoulder and comfort her.

“Sister, Father! It would be better that you should think about it again…”

Oscar suddenly appeared without a keen sense and raised the question he had posed many times. He was so excited about the battle as he had it ahead.

“I’m sure His Highness knows that our house has been occupied by unidentified people for months, and he must have investigated! He must be preparing for something!”

The Duke replied to the reasonable question as if he was foolish.

“There is nothing to worry about because their identities have been guaranteed by the Kingdom of Croa. And even if His Highness questioned about it, he has no idea when we make a sudden attack or how big it is, so we can assume that the victory is on our side.”

And as always, when the Duke repeated the same thing, Oscar raised another question.

“… I doubt that the young king of Croa is really on our side in the first place, and it has not been a day since he visited us, but he insisted on a sudden attack! It’s too early!”

When he suspected what he should never doubt, the Duke glared fiercely at him and called his servant to let Oscar out as if it were no longer worth listening to.

“Keep him in the room and watch him not to come out of the room. You can block the door.”

“Father, please reconsider! We must be a little more careful!”

“No, we can’t be more careful than this. It’s already happened. Thousands of people are moving!”

Eventually, Oscar was taken into his room, and the entrance was blocked by large furniture and he could not escape. The only son kept causing trouble, and the Duke, who was upset, frowned and said to Isis, “… you’ll be busy tomorrow, so I think you should go back to bed.”

“… yes, father.”

Isis, who had gone back to her room, was thoughtful for a moment before she went to bed. She was about to think about the joy of winning just a few hours later, but somehow it was the Crown Prince and Aria that came to her mind.

Isis had never seen before that the Crown Prince had held Aria’s hand and been anxious. No, it had been an expression she had never seen not only in the Crown Prince but in any other man. It was a humble and shameful behavior as if to show everyone how to play lovers with the daughter of a prostitute.

‘He was so anxious and went out with a desperate face.’

He might have done something shameful to speak out. He might have done something shameless and dirty, as he had been stuck with the vulgar woman. She imagined it, frowned as she was drinking tea nervously, and someone knocked on the door.

“Lady Isis, if you’re still awake, I’d like to have a word with you.”

“Mr. Lohan? Come in.”

Lohan, who she had thought she would see at dawn, came to her without any further notice. She had already finished dinner with him and had a conversation. So, she had a question, but she thought there was still something left to tell, so she hurried him in.

“No, I’ll talk to you here, it’s not long.”

He shook his head at Isis who said to come in.

“Why don’t you go with them when the soldiers go out to the battle tomorrow?”

“… me too?”

“Yes, it’ll be quick anyway. You’ll miss the most spectacular sights which will be once in your life.”

It was not a sight to see easily, as he had said, that they would occupy the Imperial Castle, drive the royals who would run about in confusion, and arrest them like sinners.

“But it’s dangerous, isn’t it?”

She was nervous and afraid to just imagine that she had to go to the center of the battlefield, even though it was a sudden attack.

“Well, I’m very curious about what faces of the ignorant will look like, and if you’re worried, I’ll be close to you. Wouldn’t you be relieved to be with me?”

It would be safer by his side, the king of a country, but it would be more dangerous than the duke mansion with private soldiers. But her mind was shaking because of the vulgar face of Asher and Aria that she had seen in the evening.

“You don’t have to worry, because I will put knights around you.”

“Okay, I’ll be sure to be safe beside you, and I’ll accompany you.”

So when she said she would, he raised the corners of his mouth and expressed his joy.

“I’m glad you’ve made that decision, and I hope tomorrow will be a good day for you.”

“I hope it will be a good day for you, too.”

“Haha, I’m already happy.”

As he said that, his face seemed genuinely pleasant as if he’d found a fun game that would never happen again. The conversation that Lohan had with Asher at the restaurant remained a little in her mind, but she could convince that he was really in a bad relationship with Asher, as she saw him so happy.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow. Take a good rest. You’ll be busy.”

“Yes, and you, too.”