The villainess reverses the hourglass

Untitled Part 47

Without giving Aria any time to doubt her intentions, Mielle entered the indoor garden. A large bouquet of flowers was being held by Emma, who followed her, as if to celebrate Aria's birthday.

"Why didn't you invite me? It was a little sad."

"..."

"I came here because I thought you'd forgotten. Happy birthday, sister."

'Are you here to humiliate me?'

Otherwise, she would not have gone there on purpose. She had never visited Aria before. Mielle could not give up her wicked nature, so she attacked Aria at just the right time, and Aria couldn't laugh at all.

Aria had shown a lukewarm response to Mielle's story, so the ladies naturally thought that Mielle didn't attend her birthday party because Mielle and Aria didn't have a good relationship.

At that moment, Aria responded with an exaggerated look of surprise, "That can't be? I've tried to invite you several times, but I just couldn't tell you about the party because you were sick. You've been eating in your room for months."

"Oh, you did. But, when I was feeling better, I went down a few times and had a meal... I thought you'd left me out on purpose again. I guess I must have been mistaken."

Without giving Aria a moment to answer, Emma presented the bouquet to her in response to Mielle's regretful reply.

"I thought you liked flowers, so I prepared these. Don't you like them?"

"... No, they're pretty."

"I'm just here to make an appearance, so I'll go now. Don't forget to invite me on your next birthday. Have a nice party, then."

It was the same when Mielle handed her the flowers, of course. Mielle seemed to think Aria would retort, so she turned around right away without giving Aria time to do so.

Aria, embarrassed by Mielle, who was turning around with her perfectly happy face, looked around frantically for the hourglass. That's when she realized that the hourglass was not there. She hadn't brought it because she hadn't thought she'd need the hourglass for that little party of all occasions!

'What shall I do? If I go to my room right now and get it, will I get back within five minutes?'

Aria was left there looking anxious, measuring the time that had passed while Mielle had already left. To change the strange atmosphere, the young ladies awkwardly praised Mielle's bouquet of flowers.

"... Those are pretty flowers."

"... That's right."

Realizing that it was too late to get the hourglass, Aria sighed inaudibly and changed her expression into a good one. There was no point in regretting what had already been done.

Moreover, she couldn't hastily use the hourglass for such a trifle when Oscar might show up. She gave the bouquet of flowers to Jessie and returned to her place with a very bright and pleasant expression on her face. Aria couldn't let the awkward atmosphere that Mielle had created continue.

"She couldn't come down to the dining hall because she was sick for some time. I think she's feeling better! I was worried about her, but I'm really glad."

At Aria's expression of genuine joy, the awkwardness of her demeanor to the slightest provocation disappeared at once. It seemed that they had really accepted what she had said, that she hadn't been able to invite Mielle because she had been sick. It was true that she had pretended to be sick, so Aria was able to carry on the conversation without difficulty.

"I see. I hadn't heard anything about Lady Mielle lately."

"I think she's been sick since my father went to the northern province."