The Villainess turns the Hourglass

Chapter 135. Revenge (II), Part VII

Translator: Khan

Editor Group: Liber Reverie

Somehow, as soon as he got out of the carriage, he stared straight into Aria’s room, which made her see him unintentionally. He seemed to not expect that Aria was by the window, and he hurried to look away.

Still, he didn’t enter the mansion, and he didn’t even move with his subtly raised face, so he seemed to keep looking sideways at herself.

“If I can just persuade him, I’m sure I’ll be able to see him push Mielle out of this.”

Thinking so, Aria with a smile around her mouth stretched out her arm to close the window. Her indoor overcoat, which was hanging on her shoulders, fluttered in the winter breeze and fell out the window.

It was very unnatural, but Cain was the only one who was looking at Aria, so no one noticed it.

“What shall I do…?”

Aria was in trouble and covered her mouth with her palm. Unless otherwise asked, Cain, who had hurried to the place where her coat had fallen before his servant, slowly picked it up with a little warmth.

“That’s… lady Aria’s clothes. I’ll wash it and bring it to her.”

Cain’s servant said. Washing it was necessary because it had fallen on the snowfield, but Cain held his coat in his hand and was troubled for a moment. He then said while shaking his head,

“No, thanks. I’ll get it for her.”

Cain, who took off his coat and gave it to his servant, climbed the stairs at a slow pace. Aria’s coat was in his hand. Now completely cold, it was only warm in the hands of the strangely hot Cain.

‘A few more steps, it’s on the third floor.’

The fact that he had to go back down after he handed over this coat gradually slowed him down. But it was not so far from Aria’s room, so he soon came to her door.

“Brother.”

‘Did she wait for me?’ As soon as Cain stopped walking in front of the door, Aria opened the door and welcomed him.

“It’s very sweet of you to bring my coat.”

Growing wonderfully beautiful every time he met her, she now exuded a palpable mood that caught the man’s eye with just a light smile. He had tried to shake it off a few times, but sometimes he had to grit his teeth to turn his attention which was charmed, rather than shake it off.

‘I swore I’d never be like my father…’

He was ashamed of his father, who was so fascinated by a beautiful appearance that he had even given up his mother’s seat. But bloodlines couldn’t seem to be deceiving, and in the end, he was also a fool who was bewildered by her subtle and beautiful appearance, even though she was his new sister, who was called a wicked woman in public.

“… Next time you’ll be the one to fall off, not your clothes if you pull the windows like that.”

When he said so under the guise of being blunt, Aria looked very moved.

“Are you worried about me now?”

She looked as if she had been worried by someone for the first time. He was worried that he might have made a mistake because he was so blunt.

Cain, who recalled the treatment Aria had received at the mansion, answered, softening his stiff face, “I don’t want to see someone fall.”

“Thank you, brother.”

Cain, who was briefly distracted by Aria, who thanked frankly, soon gave her overcoat with a loud whimper.

Passing the dirty coat, there was a sense of self-deception about what he was doing now, but now there was even greater disappointment that the need and opportunity to talk to Aria had disappeared. He thought so, but…

“I was just about to be free, but if you have time, why don’t you have tea with me?”

Unexpectedly, Cain was given another chance. Aria, who had her hand wrapped over his hand holding her coat, smiled shyly.

Reason told him that he shouldn’t have to, so he had to turn it down, but… there was no way he could refuse to see the warmth that those overlapping hands had, and the pupils of her eyes that seemed to hold the light within them.

He nodded silently, feeling somehow that his face seemed to be getting hot, and Aria closed the door and disappeared into the room, asking for a moment.

* * *

Aria, who came back from the door, was wearing a new coat. Her indoor clothes were also changed into a dress made of a material that was light and clinging to the body. Due to the overcoat, all the lines of her body were not being revealed, but it crept up whenever she moved and that melted Cain’s heart.

Aria, sitting on a table in the garden on the second floor, took a sip of warm tea. Normally, he would sneak a peek at her, but now he gave a very open glance at Aria. It was a bad look, though it was her own inducement.

“Come to think of it…”

When Aria broke the silence and opened her mouth, Cain, who was looking at her, shuddered with astonishment. This was because it was a shallow act that could be done by a bastard. He had to trim his clothes for fear of shame in his behavior.

Aria pretended not to see it and kept her words. “It’s no wonder I’ve made the house so noisy. I’m sorry.”

“… Why do you apologize? You can’t say that’s because of you.”

When she rebuked herself with a pretty sad face, he came back with a calm expression and consoled Aria. Aria, who had managed to put up with it again, had almost laughed at his way of being so different compared to the past or just last year.

“It’s true because I’m bad…”

“There’s something ugly about everyone. That doesn’t justify trying to do harm.”

Even though that ugly thing was a fatal drawback that could not be fixed or improved for life, Cain said with a pretty plausible elder’s face even though he also hated Aria’s origin.

Despite Cain’s consolation, Aria stuck to her grim look. Then she lowered her eyes with her hands wrapped around the teacup. The sight made her look like a poor herbivore who had lost her mother.

“Thank you, brother. But I think it’s better that I leave the mansion right away once I’m an adult. This could happen again. I’m sure I’ll just cause the family trouble.”

“… What?”

Cain’s voice rose in surprise at the unexpected news of her departure. Although it was common for an adult to get engaged and marry and leave the house, it was usually after marriage.

However, it was very rare for an unmarried aristocrat to gain independence, and most of those cases were because they were evicted from their family. Maybe that was why Cain was surprised.

“I repeat, I don’t think you have to go so far because you’re not guilty.”

He vented his tantrums and anger, albeit faintly. The hand that took the cup of tea and carried it to his mouth was quite rough. Sometimes he even muttered to himself, taking a glance at Aria, who was still holding her wretched face. It must have been quite a shock to hear that Aria was planning to leave.

‘I’ve never openly seduced him, but he’s caught in a net, and it’s now easier to use.’

‘How did he hide such character in the past?’ Even though there had been an easy road, she had not noticed it, and she took a handkerchief out of her arms and wiped her eyes in mourning for the foolish past that she had wandered around the thorny path.

“I’m glad you thought so.”

“I’m sure everyone thinks so. So don’t think about it.”

“… Is that so?”

Aria, who asked him back, rose from her seat. As Aria was slowly approaching him, Cain’s gaze followed her on its own. Cain, who was again distracted by her clothes that clung to her body whenever she moved, swallowed his saliva.

Aria, staring into Cain’s dark eyes, reached out her hand. Its destination was near Cain’s neck. Cain’s eyes, which shrank slightly under the unexpected circumstances, trembled convulsively, and Aria smiled softly and fixed Cain’s tie.

“It’s a little crooked.”

“… Ah.”

Surprised, Cain didn’t give a proper answer. Even though the tie was straight, Aria’s hand wandered around Cain’s neck for a while, making him lose his mind. Even though it was a light touch, Cain swallowed his breath.

Aria, who had finished fixing his clothes, finally took the invisible dust off his hair and said to Cain. He looked as if he were in a state of fascination.

“You’re sweet, too… There’s only one person I can trust at the mansion.”