The Villainess Reverses the Hourglass

Chapter 172. Revenge (III), Part IX

Translator: Khan

Editor Group: Liber Reverie

They were able to reach the Kingdom of Croa smoothly through several cities as planned by Asher. Fortunately, the speed of the official document was slower than their movement speed, so there was no difficulty in their moving. The carriage gradually slowed down when it arrived at the border and soon stopped.

"Mr. Asterope."

Then they heard Lane's voice right outside the carriage. It meant that they should come out. Although it was the Crown Prince's carriage, it was not an official visit, so they had to go through a formal procedure unlike before. So he expressed his intention to go out soon and gave a look to Aria.

"We have to go out."

They had been through a few cities, and they had sent a person to inform their visit in advance, so luckily they didn't have to wait or prepare anything. It was enough to simply show his face and prove that it was the Crown Prince, and then sign.

"Somehow it's noisy outside."

So Aria, who was about to go out with Asher, cocked her head in the murmur of voices outside. Asher answered to Aria's wonder,

"Maybe it's because of our wagon."

They must have wondered what a carriage was because it stopped in front of them without standing in line. 'What kind of a great man is riding on it?'

If it had been stamped with the Imperial emblem, they would have bowed their heads, but the current carriage which Aria and Asher were riding was without a particular emblem, so people's curiosity grew.

"Lady Aria, give me your hand."

Aria slowly went out, holding the hand that Asher reached out after he had got off the carriage. Their eyes widened and swallowed their breath, who had been babbling at the mysterious carriage, as they saw Aria appearing from the carriage.

'Who in the world is the woman with such beauty?'

She had always been an eye-catching woman because she was beautiful without decorating. Now, however, the more brilliantly decorated than usual, Aria's figure was enough to catch everyone's attention.

Countless crowds waiting to cross the border noticed the two, and there was a man rushing through them. He was seen as a high-ranking noble. He rushed out and greeted him, kneeling on the ground.

"Wel, welcome to the Kingdom of Croa. Your Highness Franz Asterope."

And the crowd, who had been babbling again, hardened, as soon as the identity of Asher was known. 'How dare they stood up in front of the Crown Prince!' The crowd, who were watching, bent down to the point where their noses touched the ground.

"I don't know what I'm going to do, as you welcome me like this."

"It's, it's an honor. Please sign it and go straight through the door."

On the document that he brought himself, he immediately wrote down his name, and this time it was Aria's turn. As she was a woman who came with the Crown Prince, the man who still kept an extreme low attitude called her name and written in the document he had received in advance.

"Are you Lady Aria of the Roscent family?"

'Lady Aria of the Roscent family?'

Aria's name had been already widespread because there were so many people who had made their fortunes by their own efforts with the help of the empire. So the audience looked sideways unknowingly and checked her face again.

They had been told that the Investor A was a beautiful noble lady, but they were impressed by the fact that her beauty was so overwhelming that each could not express it. It was also the same for him who had come out to meet Asher and Aria, and he was bewildered by Aria, and he forgot his duty.

"Where do I sign?"

"… Yes, you can do it here!"

When Aria smiled and reawakened him to his duty, the man, who realized his rudeness, bowed down again and presented the document to Aria.

Aria, who did not blame him but gracefully filled out her name, returned the document. Then the man thanked her several times as if he had been greatly graced.

"I hope you'll have a comfortable stay and go since I've got a lodge ready."

The man bowed his head again. Thanks to the turmoil, the rumors of the Crown Prince of the empire and the star of the empire who visited quickly, spread throughout the Kingdom of Croa.

* * *

"… It won't be possible to go out."

It was a luxury accommodation only for the nobility, but it was noisy outside due to the crowd. Most of them were commoners who wanted to have Aria in their eyes even once.

People in the empire had a chance to meet Aria by attending the academy or visiting the county mansion in person, but those in the Kingdom of Croa did not. As Aria shook her head at the sight seen through the window, he put down the papers that he had been reading and laughed.

"It's all because you are so great."

"… If you say so, what to say…"

As she could not refute his words, she blurred her words, and Asher's smile grew thick.

"Since we have made evidence that you and I have left the capital for a long time, we will send the wagon first in the afternoon."

"What about us?"

"What about leaving tomorrow? I'm going to have to go out for a while because I have a business to do."

"Business?"

'A business in the Kingdom of Croa?' Aria nodded without asking further since she thought he would prepare something for the princess. And she really wanted to rest as she had moved in a carriage.

"There's a cook in the Kingdom of Croa who's pretty good at it. I remember the course dishes were pretty good. Why don't you come with me in the evening?"

"OK, I'll look forward to it."

At the same time Aria answered with a grin, Lane knocked on the door.

"Mr. Asher, we've got his location."

Asher, who looked at the box of the hourglass for a while, said, wearing a black cape. "It seems like the time has come. I'll be back in a few minutes, so please wait a minute."

Asher who left the words fled the room in a hurry. He seemed to be in a rush as if it was really important. Aria, who had nothing else to do after he left, took the book. She had been tired of reading it over and over again during the trip, but she couldn't help it because she didn't have an extra book.

While she spent her time flipping through the book, someone knocked on the door.

'Is he back already? This fast?' Aria, who thought it couldn't be done, did not answer and waited. Then the man who knocked on the door made a call. It wasn't Asher who knocked on the door, as expected.

"Asher, it's me."

Rather, he was looking for Asher. At the voice of a strange man, Aria shrugged her body on her guard. They would have set up security, but she didn't know how he got here through it. And somehow he was calling him by his nickname.

"Why don't you answer? It's me."

In a hurried voice, Aria picked up the box of the hourglass so that she could turn back the time at any given moment. Aria, who was ready, informed the visitor of the absence of Asher.

"It's been a long time since he left. So you'd better come back later."

"… Why? Isn't it first to meet me?"

In a very curious response, it occurred to her that he was the one who Asher said he had something to do with. There was a possibility that they had missed each other.

"Are you the one who made the appointment?"

"No, that's not it."

So she asked him, but the man answered firmly that he was not. At times like this, it was normal to lie. He was a very honest man.

"You'd better come back later, then."

"… How much I've cooperated… it's too bad."

Besides, he had a frustrated answer. The tone of his grumbling reduced her nervousness a bit. For a while, he muttered something as if to speak ill of Asher, and soon turned the subject around and asked an abrupt question,

"By the way, are you Roscent Aria of the rumor? A lady who the insensible Asher has been charmed to?"

It was a rude question, but she couldn't point out because she thought he was not an ordinary man as he knew who she was but talked down.

"… Then who are you?"

"I'll let you know if you show me your face. I heard you're a beautiful lady who anyone would love you at a glance, but I'm curious."

"No, I'm not so curious, and please go back."

"Haha. What an interesting young lady."