The Villainess turns the Hourglass

Editor Group: Liber Reverie

“As I told you, there’s no way I’m going to hate you for that. Rather, you are so cleverly organized that I feel relieved,” said Asher, as he held Aria’s worried hand more tightly.

“I’m just a little worried that there’s nothing I can do to help.”

“Don’t worry. Everything is going smoothly. When this is over, everything will go back to normal.”

‘My nightmares will also come to an end.’

“If you need me anytime, let me know. Whatever it is, I’m willing to help you.”

“Thank you. I haven’t seen you in a long time, but I’m making the mood weird.”

“It’s not weird. No matter what the story is, I enjoy every moment with you.”

“So do I.”

Aria regained her smile again and made a bright one to Asher. She could only smile that bright because she was really running toward the end. Soon everything would be arranged, and she would have a new life.

* * *

“… Because of you!”

Annie, who had been unable to move for a while after the carriage left, soon vented her anger on Mielle. She thought she would wear a dress prepared by Baron Burboom and play the noblewoman, but she had to take such an intruder with her!

“… I don’t want to follow you, Annie.” Mielle also spoke very coldly, apparently not wanting to accompany Annie.

But the two, who were unable to convey the words to the very person who had made the situation this way, gritted their teeth with sharp hostility toward each other. And unfortunately, the Baron of Burboom arrived at the mansion before things were sorted out.

“You’ve already come out.” Even the Baron of Burboom, who confirmed that quite a crowd had gathered in the garden, asked with a very surprised look.

“… Baron Burboom!”

Annie hurriedly changed her face and smiled broadly to greet Baron Burboom. In this exciting situation, the servants began to observe Annie, Baron Burboom and Mielle, holding their breath without returning to the mansion.

“You’re as beautiful as I thought.”

“Thank you… You look great, too.”

“That’s a great compliment.”

Like other lovers, Baron Burboom, who showed his love for Annie, said that they were running out of time and reached out. He meant to start. If it had been, as usual, she would have raised her chin to the fullest extent and held his hand as if to boast to everyone but not now. The matter with Mielle remained.

Aria had left after asking for a favor, but Annie couldn’t take Mielle with her, but if she took Mielle with her, her date would be disturbed, and she didn’t like that.

As the silence continued for a moment, Jessie, who had been wary of the situation, stung Annie on the back and spoke quietly to her privately, “Annie, our lady asked you to go with Mielle. Don’t cause unnecessary trouble… It turns out that Mielle is a good girl, too.”

Jessie was the one who had had counseling in Mielle’s distress, and she also had sympathy for her. As she sided with Mielle and urged Annie, Annie, who had no other choice, rolled her eyes and breathed a small sigh as if she had made up her mind.

“… I’m sorry, Mr. Baron, but we should give a ride to a maid.”

“I see. You can do that.”

‘I thought you were going to say something about interrupting our time.’ Unlike the Crown Prince, who had pleaded and complained to Aria, Baron Burboom immediately answered that she could do that, and Annie’s discontent grew.

“… Let’s go, Mielle.”

“… Mielle?”

So when she called Mielle’s name in a feeble voice, Baron Burboom stared at Mielle with a look of surprise.

The look of the Baron of Burboom stiffened as he saw the Mielle of the rumor following Annie. ‘Why does Mielle accompanying Annie?’ No, it was a face full of questions as to why she became Annie’s maid.

It was Annie, who noticed that, but was so upset by her irritation with Mielle and her disappointment with Baron Burboom that she didn’t add any other explanation, and no conversation was exchanged in the carriage until they finally arrived at Sarah’s wedding.

* * *

Starting late, Annie and Baron Burboom’s carriage arrived at the mansion of Marquis Vincent before Aria and Asher’s. This was because Baron Burboom, who failed to overcome the silence, urged his driver.

It was also thanks to Aria and Asher who had deliberately circled the capital once. Then Annie, who got out of the carriage in an unpleasant mood, had to be distracted by the fancy carriage that had just entered the Marquis’s mansion.

“Oh, my God, look at that wagon. Whose wagon is it?”

“Isn’t it the Crown Prince’s carriage? Look at the emblem!”

“Oh, it’s true!”

“So are they in that carriage, His Highness the Crown Prince and Lady Aria?”

“This is their first time attending a place like this, right?”

“I’m more excited!”

It was quite natural that everyone’s eyes were on the most splendid wagon in the empire. Visitors, who had arrived first, were clamoring for what Aria and the Crown Prince would look like. And the visitors, who had gathered, opened their eyes wide by Aria’s figure, who got off the wagon, escorted by Asher taking his hand and couldn’t hide their admiration.

“Oh my God… I don’t know if it’s because of her coming of age, but she’s literally shining.”

“She’s not even a noblewoman anymore, but how can she be so beautiful?”

“That’s a natural beauty, regardless of status.”

While they were looking at Aria and Asher, envy was added to their matching outfits. As she watched from behind, Mielle spoke to herself so quietly that it could only be heard by Annie.

“She is the same commoner, but she’s so different from you.”

“… What?”

Of course, Annie was angered by what heard, and Baron Burboom, who had no knowledge of the reason, opened his eyes wide and looked at Annie.

“What’s the matter?”

“… That’s…!”

‘How can I say that I was angry because I was compared to Lady Aria?’

It was very sarcastic but not wrong. Annie would look like a fool if she told the truth. So when she couldn’t say anything, she could see Mielle smiling contentedly. Mielle looked as if she felt relieved since she was able to bully Annie little.

‘How dare you. Unlike Mielle, who has fallen into the abyss, now I will be a Baroness!’ Annie, who had lost her patience, raised her voice as if she had a good idea after shaking her fist.

“Mielle! Lady Aria is here, so go see her.”

Annie shouted Mielle’s name so loudly that everyone around them looked at their direction and was startled.

“Did she say Mielle…?”

Someone mumbled, asking if what she heard was right. And Annie again called Mielle’s name in return.

“Mielle! Mielle! What are you doing without answering?”

It was in a flash that the eyes of the congregation turned sharp. Everyone’s murderous eyes began to focus on the wicked woman, who had dared to lay the sin on Aria and tried to sell off the empire.

“Mielle!”

The voice reached Aria, who was far away, as Annie called her name again in the quiet garden.

Mielle became pale because she was being criticized by everyone, and Annie was smiling calmly as if she knew nothing. And Aria bit her lip and managed to hide her feelings because she felt like she was going to burst into laughter at the scene that was beyond what she had hoped for.

“How could such a wicked woman be in such a sacred place…!”

“She has no shame.”

“Don’t tell me she’s going to do something to harm Lady Sarah this time, isn’t she?”

“I guess that’s what she is trying to do. She looks vicious.”

No one could stand the torrent of abuse. Mielle, who had become pale, took hold of her head and began to tremble as if she were about to fall, and Baron Burboom beside her was embarrassed and rolled his eyes, not knowing what to do. Aria, who had been watching this for a while, laughed.

‘What are you afraid of so much? In the past, you have repeatedly criticized me. Not long ago, you invited the young ladies to the mansion to insult me or show up at my birthday party to make me feel embarrassed, asking why I didn’t invite you.’

Thinking of those memories, Aria was wondering if she would let this continue until Mielle fainted, but soon she decided to quit the idle entertainment because of Sarah’s embarrassed face and called her name.

“Mielle! You’ve arrived here first. It’s a fun day after a while, but you don’t look so good.”

As Aria, who held Asher’s hand, took a step, the crowd began to open up a way for her.