The Villainess Reverses the Hourglass

Chapter 39. Revenge, Part IX

Translator: Khan

Editor: SootyOwl

Aria was thrilled to see the brooch he had brought. "… Perfect."

"Thank you, miss. My master has left me with a message that he wants you to favor us in the future for your needs."

"Please, tell him I'll do that."

It seemed normal to finish the exchange with flattery. The strange lily-shaped craftsmanship brought the red ruby together in perfect harmony.

He hadn't had to make it as great as it was for her, which made her feel even better about it.

'How could everything be so smooth?!'

He bowed deeply at the waist, and leaving behind the servant of the jewelry shop who had given her his courtesy, she walked alone to the hall to decide the fate of the driver. Jessie, who had in her hands the package containing the brooches and the necklace, followed her.

Aria smiled brightly while imagining Mielle's crumpled face.

* * *

As per Aria's wish, the driver was fired.

He had to be kicked out without receiving any severance pay. That was the judgment of the benevolent countess. He could not resist leaving the capital since he was guilty of trying to harm his master.

"I fire Elect, the driver, from the employ of the family of Count Roscent."

The countess' clear voice filled the wide hall. The driver fell to the floor, apparently unable to sleep all night. Mielle's complexion was also pale.

"Also, Yagi, who deserted his place of work, will be reassigned to work at the stables. His duty will be cleaning them."

Because of the food poisoning, Yagi had been absent without leave from the workplace, so now, he was reassigned. He was in charge of cleaning the stables, like the young servants who had just entered the mansion.

'Maybe, he'll quit. He won't get promoted for the rest of his life because he's out of favor with his master.'

It was a very satisfactory result. If there were followers that were not slaves to Mielle, those around her would think a little about the treatment they might incur with this incident.

"… I'm not feeling well, so I'll have to go up," Mielle said meekly.

The pale complexion of Mielle, who seemed about to faint at any moment, made everyone in the mansion worry about her health with a single heart. They seemed to think that she was shocked by her sister's terrible circumstances.

Aria did not forget to say words of thanks with a moved expression at Mielle's warm heart, for she had come forward worried about Aria's well being and livelihood.

"Yes! That's what you'll do. You haven't looked so well since last night, so… I think you should get some rest. Thank you so much for taking care of me."

"… No, sister. It's natural that I worry."

She would never have worried about Aria, but Mielle had to nod as if she had. Before she left, Aria reached out to Jessie, who was waiting behind her.

"Wait a minute, Mielle! Jessie, can you give me the necklace that arrived from the jewelry store today?"

"… Yes? Yes, miss!"

"It's kind of weird to give it to you in a situation like this, but… Mielle, I think it would look good on you."

Aria delivered it to her maid, who accepted on behalf of Mielle, who was about to collapse. The maid, who had lots of freckles on her nose, had wronged and envied her both in the past and even now by Mielle's side.

Aria was familiar with her, so she handed the necklace over to the maid on purpose. At Aria's instruction, the maid opened the case she had received from Aria and showed its content.

"… Oh, my God!"

Inside, was the sapphire necklace given by the owner of the jewelry shop. Mielle's maid expressed her admiration without even realizing her shame.

The eyes of all who saw it were wide open by its size and shine. Of course, it wasn't as great as the jewels and clothing that Mielle had, but it wasn't negligible.

'Why did Aria give that necklace to Mielle?'

Everyone had that question in mind. Jessie, Aria's maid, felt the same way, 'Why would she give the necklace she received as a gift to Mielle?'

Aria approached Mielle with a very sorry expression and said, "I borrowed your clothes last time and couldn't even pay you back. I'm sorry."

It was too much for a single use of a dress. Of course, for Mielle, who knew the value of the garment, it wouldn't have been enough even if Aria had brought a carriage full of jewels, but it was enough for those who didn't know the truth.

"Don't you like it?"

"No, no. Thank you, sister."

Mielle couldn't help but accept it. Mielle had lent her a dress only once and received a great jewel in return. She didn't need a necklace and didn't have a mind to wear it, but Aria was able to portray the friendly sister that way.

But now, Mielle's heart was possibly turned upside down. She had lent the dress, which Oscar had given her as a gift, to someone whom she hated the most and wanted to kill, but she had to forgive that with just a jewel. She felt like she was burning to death by an ember, so she wasn't well at all.

"Would you like to wear it immediately?"

"… Shall I?"

Aria picked up the necklace by hand and approached Mielle.

Her slender neck, stiffened and with golden brilliant hair on top, looked so weak that it made Aria laugh. It seemed like it would easily break if she applied a little more strength, and that impulse overwhelmed Aria.

But, without even hinting at her desire, she simply hung the necklace around her neck softly. It would not be fun if Meille lost her life without reason. She deserved to die after she was thoroughly exposed and disgraced.

Unfortunately or fortunately, Mielle and the necklace matched very well, and the majority of those there blessed the friendly sisters. Mielle still smiled awkwardly, pale as if about to faint, and hurriedly left, saying that she felt ill.

"I think everything is settled then, so I'll have to go up. I have to go out in the afternoon."

"You've had a hard time, mother Thank you for making the right decision."

"Now that your father's gone out, of course, it's my job."

'How can she be so casual when she has neglected her duties so far?'

Aria, swallowing a smile, followed her up to her room.

Aria, who decided to take a break while Jessie was preparing a servant to send to Oscar, enjoyed that day's victory while drinking the herbal tea prepared by Jessie.

'How grieved must the driver be now that his master has driven him into the abyss? It would be nice if he could grind the sword of revenge and cut off that slander neck.'

But, that wouldn't happen. Mielle, or perhaps even her slaves, would join forces to make the driver's life convenient, and he would spend his later years content with her crude care.

'Cause this isn't the only chance.'

Aria couldn't destroy that wicked girl at the very start. It wasn't a great thing to do such a thing in the first place, and if Mielle rejected the matter altogether, she would get out of any association with it.

Besides, there was something that was bothering her. Mielle had always clung to a maid in particular, and that reminded Aria of whom Mielle had had in the past.

'Emma.'

Mielle, who had lost her mother, had been attached to the maid as if she were her mother. Emma also seemed to regard Mielle as special. Aria thought that day's incident might not be Mielle's own evil deed when she observed Emma giving Mielle advice. Mielle, currently, was like a very small, young deer.

'If so… I'll have to look into that maid, Emma. I'll use that freckled maid first.'

Aria had a hunch that Emma would also be involved in her death. She felt it as though it wasn't mere conjecture. So, she couldn't let her go. If that hunch was true, she would separate her bones from her flesh and throw them into the feed of a beast.

When she recalled that Emma had always cast an unpleasant glance at her by Mielle's side in the past, it made her feel goosebumps across her neck. That was because the anxiety of her death seemed not to have disappeared.

Aria, who had touched her neck for a while, rose up and approached the landscape painting on the wall. When she pushed against the blank wall behind it, a handle appeared that led to a secret space.