The Villainess Reverses the Hourglass

Editor Group: Liber Reverie

He was not in trouble as he couldn’t help her. Lane was offended as she pleaded with him to save her so much because he was the one who had spoken to Mielle and Aria himself and had experienced Mielle’s two-sided character. Soon after, he noticed that Asher was watching this situation with interest and opened his mouth as if he had no choice.

“... I’m sorry, but my master... His Highness Asterope.”

“... Yes?”

“The treasures and favors that my master had sent you were actually not meant for you, confusing you with Lady Aria. At first, without knowing the name of Lady Aria, he only knew she was the lady of the Roscent family.”

Lane, who answered so, left Mielle, who stared at him with her weary eyes, behind and greeted Asher.

“I’m sorry I’m late to greet you. She just talked to me, so... I’m back from all the work you’ve asked me to do.”

“Good job. I told Vika to tell you to go back to your mansion and rest, but I don’t know why you came here and got embarrassed.”

“That’s what I have been told, but I came here because I thought I might have forgotten your face.”

He quickly changed his face not to offend Asher’s mood since he had been grumpy without fear.

“If your business is finished, would you like to go back now?”

“... You want me to go to work. Did Vika say something?”

“...”

Asher and Lane, who had helped drive Mielle into despair, exchanged jokes in front of her who could not get out of the pit of despair right now.

“All right, I’m done here. Let’s go back. I have nothing more to say to the sinner, and nothing to find out in the first place.”

As if he had let go of the troublesome work, he said with a refreshed face. If the work of Mielle was finished, Aria would be able to escape from the past and live with himself in the future.

“Think that it is the natural consequence of your misdeeds. You did the same thing to Lady Aira in the past. No, it’s not the worst. At least your body is fine.”

“What are you talking about?”

Asher turned coldly, leaving Mielle who had a look of incomprehension because of despair.

He wanted to cut off her tongue as Aria had been afflicted in the past, but he struggled to keep his impulses, thinking that Aria might want to talk to Mielle for the last time.

“Have you decided on her sentence?” Lane asked quietly to Asher, who climbed into the returning carriage and stared out the window.

“Well, shall I tear her limbs?”

“Isn’t that too cruel?”

“It’s not even a drop in the bucket compared to what Lady Aria suffered.”

Lane cocked his head to question the answer. “I’m sorry if I said that it was wrong, but I don’t think she has been so badly treated. Of course, Mielle tried to spread malicious rumors or make her drank poisoned tea. However, that was trivial compared to death or tearing off her limbs. The crime of treason should only be imprisonment.”

Asher’s eyes deepened when Lane said that he had been punishing her too severely as his emotions had intervened. However, Asher knew what had happened in the past. He thought that it was not an excessive punishment.

Rather, he wanted to burn all her hair after torturing her with all sorts of things if he could. But if he really did, he would be told he was the mad Crown Prince, so he said, “What about tearing off her limbs?” But Asher swallowed the truth as Lane was surprised and refuted.

“If you’re going to be so reluctant, why would you ask? If I can’t tear her limbs apart, there’s only one punishment left.”

The way was to put her head on the guillotine as if he had executed the nobles of the Aristocratic Party. It was the same way Aria had been treated in the past. It was to insult her by reciting all her sins in front of everyone and then let her die while everyone cheered.

“I asked because I was afraid you’d forgive her again just like last time.”

“Such a thing will not happen anymore. It’s all over. Maybe.”

If Aria’s vengeance was over, there would be no more mercy.

As soon as he returned to the Imperial Castle, Asher said that he needed time to think for a while after dealing with urgent matters and let all the servants in the office retreat. It was already sunset and the darkness was falling. He moved the space to Aria’s mansion.

“May I go out, Lady Aria?” Said Asher in a small room attached to Aria’s room as he made a sign that he was by the door.

The room was built by Aria for Asher. It had a single sofa and a table. It was to make sure that they wouldn’t be caught by anyone, and so Aria could enjoy a private life and Asher’s visit anytime.

“Mr. Asher?”

As if she had been in the mansion, Aria replied in a startled voice upon hearing Asher. As soon as he found Aria in the room, he opened the door carefully and went out.

“It’s a very useful room.”

“It’s good to have made it.”

Aria, who welcomed Asher with a smile, called a maid and ordered her to serve another cup of tea.

Aria couldn’t show her the room inside, so she said, “Leave it outside the door,” and her maid cocked her head. But she soon realized there was a reason, so she put down the tea outside the door and left.

“What brings you here at this hour when you’re so busy?”

“The investigation is over. Only her punishment is left.”

“... Ah... That’s why you’re here.”

He came to ask for her last permission. When Aria noticed the intent of Asher, she took a sip of tea. She was lost in her thoughts for a moment and slowly opened her mouth.

“I’ve paid back everything that I had been treated, so I don’t have any regrets anymore. I’ve been harassing her enough. I don’t have to let her live anymore. Maybe she paid too much.”

There was no sadness or regret in Aria’s expression. Now that she had just finished all her work, she felt like she was ready to forget about the past.

“I see. Then I will deal with it according to the laws of the empire.”

Asher answered with a face that he could finally finish what he had hoped for.

“I don’t want her to live a minute longer, and I’m thinking of executing her at dawn tomorrow, but... Well, is it okay for you to not see Mielle for the last time?”

“Finally... You’re right.”

As he said, if she were executed by dawn tomorrow, she would no longer be able to see her.

Besides, there were some questions she wanted to ask. She wanted to ask her all the time before she had turned back the hourglass. She didn’t think that she would get the right answer, but she wanted to ask.

As soon as Aria’s permission fell, Asher, who rose from his seat, reached out his hand. As it had been for several times, Aria also rose from her seat and took Asher’s hand as she knew his intentions.

Then it was in a flash that her view changed. Aria, who arrived in a dirty prison that was wet and shabby and dependent on a few torches, sighed with relief as she looked down on her feet. She was glad she was wearing indoor shoes.

“...?”

Turning to the sound of surprise and swallowing, there was Mielle, who was locked in a cramped, messy prison. She looked shocked when Asher and Aria suddenly appeared.

“Why are you so surprised to see this already?” Aria asked. Asher stepped outside, saying that he would leave her alone for a while. He thought Aria wanted to have a casual conversation without being disturbed by anyone.

“... How could you do this to me?” At last, Mielle asked with a weak, yet cold tone of voice, realizing that Aria had driven her to the brink of the cliff.

“I wonder why you did that to me?”

“... What did I do?”

But rather, Aria asked in a wondering voice. Then Mielle replied with a scornful look, “I didn’t commit such a great crime, but why have you afflicted me so much?”

In response to Mielle’s scornful look, Aria said, “At first, you were about thirteen when you did something wrong to me. You sent your maids to me and told them to urge me to do bad things. You wanted me to be a wicked woman just like the rumors you made.”

It was the same in the past and the present, so Mielle was surprised and swallowed her breath.