The Villainess turns the Hourglass

Editor Group: Liber Reverie

Asher said, sitting next to Aria. It was a patter of grumbling, but his expression was soft. He had said he really wanted her to be a wicked woman and be isolated, but he also seemed proud of Aria, who was loved and supported by everyone.

“That’s impossible. It’s a great and difficult place, and who dare say that? If they did, it would be a joke.”

“No, I’m sure you’ll do well.”

“Then I’ll have to think about it. The seat.”

“Haha, I got it. I’ll be ready to give you the seat any time.” After a moment of pleasant conversation, as if there was really a separate matter, Asher opened his mouth with a serious look. “I think the department you suggested will be created soon, under the name of the Crown Princess’s business.”

“Oh, my God. Really?”

“Yes, so now you won’t have to accept the donation.”

It meant that the facilities created by Aria would be registered as official facilities of the empire and that they would establish a department to support the operating expenses under the name of the Crown Princess. There was nothing new because there was no Crown Princess or Queen who had not run a national business until now.

It was nothing special except that it wasn’t a business that had been poured out a huge amount of money like Aria. Thus came the department for the Crown Princess, and support was possible without difficulty.

“No, I’ll keep getting the donations. There’s a business that I’ve allowed for.”

“Then why don’t you divert the donations to another place?”

“No, I’ll keep putting them into the facilities. We need a lot of money to make sure that no one gets discriminated against. I don’t want to see my facilities tremble and be hard on money.”

She didn’t like to waste too much of it, but she hated it all the more if it lacked and didn’t work to its original purpose.

“In addition, I think we can manage our budget transparently because the department has been established in the Imperial Castle. We can recollect the rest of the budget together and respond to natural disasters like infectious diseases, so there’s no reason to stop receiving donations.”

‘No rich country has ever had a natural disaster. It is simply the will of heaven.’ Aria had prepared a budget for this, but if she could help just in case, it would have been better. In her stern answer, Asher took her hand without further ado.

“I was stupid. You’re wise, as expected.”

“You’re not stupid. I’ve only just realized as I’ve been with you for a long time.”

After all, all that remained during the conversation, which ended with praise for each other, was a smile.

“I have to go back to the Oval Office now that my break time is over… What’s your following schedule like?”

“I’m going to look around my facilities. They’ve just opened. I’m going to look around to see if the new building is also going well.”

“I see. I’ll have to put a firm guard on you.”

“Oh, come to think of it, what happened to the person in charge I asked you for?”

“I’ve taken care of it well as you asked, of course.”

“Then I’ll have to look around with him.”

It was none other than Hans who Aria asked Asher to appoint as the head of the department to work with her. There had been a limit to his promotion because he was a commoner and a poor background among the commoners, but with Aria’s full support, no one could stop him from rising.

“It’s, it’s an honor, Your Highness the Crown Princess! I will do my best!”

Hans, who dared to put even the nobles under his feet, bowed down to Aria, unable to hide his tension.

“Hans, I hope you do so, so that there are no more people living unhappy lives.”

“I’ll, I’ll keep it in mind!”

Standing behind Aria, Jessie watched him with a tearful face.

And Aria called her, “Jessie.”

“… Yes?”

“I can’t go to the facilities every time, and I’m busy with other things, so make sure to stop by the facilities frequently in the future.”

“… Me? But I…”

‘I am just a maid.’ Anticipating Jessie’s following words, Aria answered without hearing them. “Yeah. You’re the only one I can trust, right? And Hans, Jessie is still immature in this kind of work, so I hope you’ll take good care of her.”

“… Yes, yes!”

Hans would be even busier from now on, so he wouldn’t have time to meet Jessie. It was to be considerate and to give Jessie a seat like Annie to solidify her position. The two were involved in a project that a huge amount of money had been invested and would continue to be praised in the future, thus promising a bright future.

New medical facilities were being built, so until completion, they had been operating in existing buildings. When she opened the medical facility’s entrance door, it was crowded inside because of a long line of commoners from the entrance.

When she visited to see if they were handling it without any problems, people running around sweating on the soles of their feet opened their mouths wide and fell flat on the floor.

“I’m, I’m seeing Your Highness the Crown Princess!”

“… Did he say that she is the Crown Princess?”

It was only a matter of time before even the sick commoners lay face down on the floor.

It was not long since it had opened, but no one complained about it because of the rapid pace of patient care with huge capital injection.

‘The Crown Princess who truly cares for the common people!’ Her rumors of an unhappy childhood had already spread across the empire and the continent. So how could they not have a sense of intimacy unlike other noblemen and royal family members?

Moreover, as Aria smiled benevolently at everyone, their affection and admiration became more maximized.

“I wonder if there is any difficulty.”

“Of, of course not! As it’s just the first time, we’re busy with people, but I think we’ll find some stability in a little while…!”

At Aria’s question, a medical staff answered as if he was much grateful. This seemed not to be his own idea, but no one refuted it.

“I’m glad then. But just in case, I’ll let you know the contact person. It’s Jessie, my favorite and trusted girl.”

Aria’s explanation drew everyone’s attention to Jessie. Jessie blushed as if they were seeing her as a great woman.

“Jessie will stop by here once a day, so please tell her if you need anything difficult or necessary.”

“Thank, thank you!”

So Jessie, who was just a maid, became a preacher of the great work of the Crown Princess, and the ones who would degrade her were gone, so Aria’s worries disappeared too.

‘Besides, how can I continue to worry because Jessie has done better than I thought she would do?’ Adhering to principles and being virtuous, Jessie was the most appropriate person for her duty. It was a bit difficult because it was a matter of being independent, not serving someone, but she did her best with all her heart.

Jessie looked so bright and cheerful that she couldn’t be compared to herself just like in the past, as she met Hans once a day and was doing something that was rewarding.

“There’s a lot of praise for Your Highness the Crown Princess.”

“I told you not to call me ‘Your Highness the Crown Princess’, Sarah. I don’t want to call you the Marquise, either.”

“How dare I call the name of Your Highness the Crown Princess.”

“Please call me by my name when we’re alone.”

As if they had met for the first time, Aria acted like a child and asked her to do so, Sarah smiled helplessly and called her name. The corners of her mouth were filled with smiles.

“I get it, Aria. I’ll do that only when nobody’s around.”

It wasn’t just to talk to her that Aria called Sarah to the Imperial Castle. She wanted Sarah to be the headmaster of the new school.

As Aria had already mentioned it in a letter, there was no need to repeat the explanation. Aria just waited for an answer that Sarah would do it. If she accepted the job as the mistress of the Marquis family, who now held the greatest power in the empire that had no Duke, the Imperial Authority would be strengthened, and no one would be able to easily spread rumors about Aria.

Of course, Aria had self-interest as well. To Sarah, a teacher who only had one class a week that was not suited for her. She needed to play in a little bigger board. Sarah had the kindness that could correct a perverse child like Aria.