The Villainess Reverses the Hourglass

Editor Group: Liber Reverie

"How did you do that…? You couldn't do that to your father!"

She was so good at acting that Aria, who tried to swallow her laugh that was about to burst out, stepped back a few steps with a frightened face.

"It wasn't a lie…? Did my father…?"

There was no shadow of a criminal when she asked back as if she were checking the facts. Rather, it seemed like things were unbelievable to her.

"I thought… I thought you were just joking with the purpose of getting me back quickly… so I came back in a hurry and was afraid of being scolded…"

Aria's shoulders were trembling. Asher wrapped her slim shoulders.

"That's weird. She can never be a criminal."

The frightened Aria burrowed into the arms of Asher as he took her side. Just a moment ago, Aria said she wouldn't let Mielle go. Some might swear at Aria's two faces, but it wasn't him. He really liked the way she even created public opinion to achieve what she wanted. Besides, she burrowed into his arms, so he couldn't hate it.

"… Whatever Your Highness says, there are evidence and witnesses. I don't want to believe it, but… I saw it with my own eyes."

Aria shuddered at the news that she had witnesses despite her performance. When Asher, who thought it was because she was afraid, lowered his gaze and identified Aria, instead of fear, he could see the tip of her mouth rising.

'Mielle is lying.'

They had already produced irrefutable evidence even if there were witnesses. However, she had a false witness. Countless people seemed to believe her remarks.

'You're stuck in a self-made trap with all your might.'

There was no way to rescue her, and Asher said as if he could not help it.

"Then, you'd better tell the truth in court."

"… I can't help it if you want to. Poor father… When did you say the trial will take place?"

Mielle, who looked very sad, asked Cain, who had been staring at him all the time.

'Both of you, a brother and a sister, had been waiting for your stepsister to come after digging a trap in pairs. Oh, poor Aria!'

As Asher, who was smiling bitterly, patted Aria's back and swept her hair away, Cain, whose face turned red from anger, clenched his teeth and replied,

"… The criminal has appeared, so we'd better proceed right now."

The time has come to punish those who truly committed the crime.

As Cain said, the trial was held immediately.

It was because Aria had been accused and Mielle had witnesses. Nevertheless, she had to sit in the seat of a sinner because she had been on the run for a long time, but she was able to stand in the seat of the defendant, unlike Emma.

It was because she attended the trial herself. She denied outright that she was a sinner, and she also claimed to have a witness. Of course, her close ties to the Crown Prince was the biggest factor in consideration.

"Aria…" The Countess, sitting on the left side of Aria, called her name in a trembling voice.

Aria looked at her mother. 'How painful it must have been for her daughter to be a murderer.'

Aria held her mother's cold hands and pleaded for her innocence. "Mother, I'm not guilty, so don't worry."

"… Really? Do you mind if I trust you?"

"Sure. What would I get by pushing him down the stairs? Except for standing in court like this… Besides, there's plenty of evidence to prove that I'm not a sinner, so don't worry. Rather, the one who's going to be punished…"

Aria didn't finish what she was saying and looked at the other side of the room.

There was a man next to Mielle, who she had never seen before. Perhaps he was Mielle's lawyer, and next to him was Cain. They didn't expect the outcome of the trial and seemed to think they would win. Their proud, arrogant faces had no signs of retreating.

"Lady Aria is not guilty. I assure you that."

"I'm relieved to hear you say that…"

The Countess's face was a handful lessened by the addition of Asher, who sat on the right side of Aria. When the Crown Prince said that he would guarantee it, her worry vanished. 'Isn't he in a position to take away the sins that exist?'

Soon after, people began to enter the courtroom. It was known throughout the capital just before the trial that Aria had appeared near the capital and was crowded with people watching the current situation. And there, Aria could even meet an unexpected figure.

"… My God. Lady Aria, you didn't do that, right? It wasn't you who did that? Are you okay? You lost a lot of weight!"

Before the trial began, Sarah appeared in tears as if she had rushed after hearing the news. She looked so bad that she seemed unable to sleep at ease since Aria was wanted as a criminal. The Marquis of Vincent, who appeared holding Sarah's hand, also seemed to not believe the rumors about Aria.

Aria nodded and denied the sin. "It's okay, Sarah. I'm not really the sinner, so don't worry. I'll prove my innocence."

"Yes, I believe you, Lady Aria."

"I wish you luck, too."

In addition, Baron Burboom, Annie, Jessie, Aria's followers, and ladies who stood up for Mielle were on the seats, and Isis was also seated behind Mielle. Apparently, she was expecting the end of Aria.

Isis stared at Aria, who sat next to the Crown Prince, as if to kill her, and soon patted Mielle on the shoulder and offered her consolation. Perhaps she was praising her accomplishment that she had been good at dealing with the daughter of a dirty prostitute.

'They're so stupid. How could you boast of a crude relationship made up of petty tricks, even if you don't know what face you're going to leave this courtroom with later?' As if to encourage her, Asher took Aria's hand. At the same time, a judge appeared, and soon, the trial began.

"Start the trial."

The judge was none other than Frey. She seemed to be assigned this time because she was mainly in charge of the court of the nobility. Though it was a trial that she would not lose anyway, she was wondering whether her presence would benefit or not, and the tension was a little bit removed from the look of Asher, who confirmed Frey's appearance.

"Defendant Roscent Aria, you were accused of pushing the Count of Roscent down the stairs. Is that true?"

Like Emma's, Frey asked Aria's sin right away.

Aria shook her head and denied her guilt. "No, I didn't push him. I wasn't there in the first place."

"… I see."

At Aria's answer, Frey nodded faintly. It looked different from Emma's trial where she had responded coldly all the time. In addition, there was something unclear about her expression.

"… Roscent Mielle claims that Roscent Aria pushed the Count down the stairs and ran away. Is that true?"

"Yes! I saw it happened clearly, and two other people saw it. Running away down the stairs! Right? Lady Median and Lady Wendy?"

"…Yes? Yes…!"

"Well, yes. I saw it clearly…"

On Mielle's question, Median and Wendy were wary of her and said yes. The witness seemed to feel a little guilty of perjury as it was the most important incident. Besides, they would be afraid. If there was any evidence of Aria's innocence, the next time they would have to look up the judge from the center, not from the witness stand.

The juries were agitated once when three, not one, claimed yes. In response, Frey put in her eyes on the charges she had received in advance and Mielle's statements. The hands of the Countess, who held hands with Aria, became colder in an unfavorable situation.

"… Okay. Because there are enough witnesses, I'm sure it's Roscent Aria's crime. Do you have any other rebuttal?"

This time it was Aria's turn. Aria stood up proudly and pleaded not guilty. "Of course I'm not guilty."

The wrinkles in Frey's forehead quickly disappeared at Aria's words. She nodded as if to speak quickly.

"In the first place, I wasn't at the mansion at that time. I was out of the capital with His Highness the Crown Prince."

"… That's a hard argument to prove."

"No, God gave me the chance to prove that he felt sorry for me."

Mielle raised her voice and said, "Don't lie to us. You make a ridiculous claim. That can't be. I saw it with these eyes! How shameless can you be after pushing your father down the stairs!?"