The Villainess turns the Hourglass

Aria calmly grasped reality and shook off her anxiety by thinking about the various things that were to come.

Soon, she became more relaxed and felt the sweet tea on her tongue. As she leaned back on the sofa, enjoying it in a comfortable position, Jessie suddenly entered the room with a servant from the jewelry shop.

“I’m sorry I’m late.”

She bowed immediately to apologize to Aria. The accompanying servant did the same.

Aria forgave their sins with a very generous smile. Aria thought it was cute that Jessie had come back when she felt more relieved, and she had also noticed that Jessie had had a bit of luck.

“We prepared some jasmine tea and a tart.” Jessie and the servant hurriedly arranged the table and set the refreshments.

Aria warmed her body with the new tea, which had been chilled slightly by an unexpected encounter with the chilly autumn wind. The sweet-and-sour tart with strawberries and blueberries melted gently in her mouth. It was not a common tart seen on the market.

‘I think she went to a famous bakery to buy it.’

It wasn’t bad. She felt better and better as she ate the delicious dessert.

Around the time two slices of the tart had been eaten, the knights who had gone out to find a carriage returned. They seemed to have crawled around like tortoises worn out by old age.

No matter how delicious the refreshments were, she did not have to stay at the jewelry store anymore, so she rose from her seat without regret.

Aria was escorted by her knights, leaving the jewelry shop behind. The carriage was waiting right in front of the entrance, and that made her feel at ease.

Nevertheless, Aria looked carefully around and stuck close to the knights. It would take her only a few steps, but she had to be careful because he had overpowered her knights once.

Of course, he would not be waiting for her since he had nothing to do with her, unlike before, but Aria had already died once, so she was careful of unknown dangers.

“Please, get on the carriage.”

Nothing happened until she opened the carriage door and took the knight’s hand. She felt like she could laugh at her concerns.

Aria, standing before the carriage, breathed a small sigh of relief. One more step and she would be able to hide herself in the carriage.

But as she was about to take that last step, something suddenly fell on her side.

“!”

“Miss!”

The knight who saw it quickly knocked it over with his hand. Then, that thing that had suddenly appeared near Aria’s face fell to the ground with a crunching sound. When she lowered her gaze and looked at it, she saw it was a bouquet of tulips beautifully wrapped in fine paper and decorative ribbons.

Surprised, Aria’s body froze, firmly attached to the carriage, and the two escorting knights quickly clung to her earth and drew their swords. The sharp swords were directed at a man who, with an awkward expression, picked up the bouquet that had fallen to the ground.

“Oh, my God! It was just a gift for the lady who protected my precious fortune… It must have been too sudden.”

He smiled as if nothing had happened to him as he dusted off the flowers. His casual appearance stunned Aria into silence. Whether it was the same for her knights, they also became mute. The man dusted off the bouquet for a while and handed it back to Aria in a polite manner.

She shrank back once more. When the knights tried to stop him from handing her the bouquet of flowers, filling the gap between Aria and the man, he acted preemptively, preventing them from doing so.

“You rude…!”

“It’s a small token of appreciation for that last favor. I didn’t waste any of my money because of your advice.”

Aria could not understand most of what he was saying. They were shallow words that seemed more like blackmail. ‘What advice did I give him, and is he thanking me?’

Aria, who had briefly gazed at the bouquet of flowers hanging next to her, shook her head and refused his favor, “No, I don’t think we had a thank-you-type of conversation.”

At that moment, his face showed great surprise. It seemed like she was saying something bewildering to him, and looking at his burdened expression, Aria frowned.

“That’s not true. Not buying the auction tickets kept us from losing money.”

Only then, was Aria able to understand what the man was saying. It seemed right to assume that he was a countryside aristocrat who had come to the capital for the auction.

‘How did you dare hold my wrist and threaten me so that I couldn’t leave?’

The rudeness of his actions in the past made her feel angry. Moreover, she was annoyed that she had to pay attention to him even though he was a very powerless man. She couldn’t even ask Mielle to go out dressed in her dress now to confound the man.

The man kept a light smile on his face as Aria frowned and gave no particular answer. He didn’t care at all. Even though the two knights could stop him at anytime, his posture was completely relaxed and composed.

“So, I’d like Lady Roscent to accept these tulips, which are protected by the kingdom. Little lady, I hope you will be lucky in the future.”

It was very natural for people to think she was acquainted with him, who was persistently presenting her the bouquet through a gap between her knights.

Sure enough, the knights, who had prevented him from nearing Aria, thought that he had a close relationship with her. Because of that, though their swords were still directed at the man, their nervous bodies were a little relaxed, unlike when he first popped up.

Despite the suspicious black cloak and the fact that he didn’t take off his hood, they didn’t feel any pressure or danger at all. They couldn’t believe that he was the same person they had seen at the general store.

He didn’t seem he would back down until Aria received the bouquet. If that was really the case, there was nothing they could do.

“… OK, I see.”

Aria reached out for the bouquet of flowers that had been pushed between the guards. It meant that she would receive it. He had a smile on his face, which could be glimpsed from under the hood.

The sight of the two, a young man and a woman offering each other favors, even softened the minds of those watching.

The escort knights slid aside to make room. It was only then that the man was able to give Aria the bouquet.

Aria accepted it and asked the name of the man who had given her those fragrant and beautiful flowers. Meanwhile, he tried to bow and kneel to her.

“I can’t accept them without knowing your name.”

“I see. I’m sorry. Call me Asterope.”

“No last name?”

“I am sorry, but I can’t give you my last name due to some unavoidable circumstances.”

“Hmm…” Aria sighed briefly, looking up and down at Asterope’s demeanor.

It seemed as if he was more powerless than she had thought since he wasn’t even able to give her his last name. Maybe someone with a pretty face like her mother married a countryside nobleman and gave birth to him.

Aria no longer asked Asterope anything, simply taking the bouquet from his hand and placing it in front of one of her escort’s face. Just in case, the knight smelled the flowers and confirmed they were safe. Fortunately, he hadn’t played any tricks on the flowers, so the escort knight indicated that it was OK.

“They are ordinary tulips.”

Aria shook her head when the knight, tough-spirited, took off a few petals and tried to eat them. Asterope wouldn’t have done such a meticulous thing in such a short time.

Only then, did Aria smell the tulips. Their scent and dark color seemed to indicate that they were quite high-priced. As if to reciprocate Asterope’s favor, Aria gave him a small curtsy and thanked him.

“Is this the end of your business? I have to go back to the mansion.”

“Oh, I see.”

She was telling him to leave. Since he had approached her without warning, she didn’t have to show him any more favor.

He took a step closer to Aria when he finished answering. The distance that had already been close for someone who had no acquaintance with her became even closer. It was also a distance short enough to enable him to reach out to her. It was the same last time, and he was agile and unpredictable.