Chapter 91. Asterope Franz, Part VIII
Translator: Khan
Editor Group: Liber Reverie
âAh! You mean because youâve heard and seen a lot?â
No, it was the product of Ariaâs years of learning and experience. It was the product of her who had put men under her feet and made them act like her hands and feet. But she couldnât say that.
â⦠you can say that.â
All the young ladies gathered, gazed at one another and nodded.
âThere is something to learn from the common people, too!â
âThatâs amazing. I really want to hear their love story, too!â
âYou didnât want a love story, but a method to succeed by seducing a high-ranking aristocrat.â
Aria answered them with a pure smile. âIâm here like this, so whenever you ask me, Iâll answer you. I donât know if it will help.â
âIf it is the advice of Lady Aria, we must listen to and follow!â
âYes! Thank you very much, Lady Aria!â
Of course, no matter how many skills and much knowledge Aria had in attracting men, it would be of no use to them. In the first place, the way Aria used and the one they could do were totally different.
In Sarahâs case, any action had been acceptable because the Marquis had had a heart for her, but it would have no effect on men who had no acquaintance at all or no good feeling for them.
Nevertheless, Aria willingly offered to help them. The person whose value on the rise was not Sarah whose status would rise from now on, but Aria, since he instilled hope in them.
âCome to think of it, until recently, there was a pretty messy rumor?â said one young lady, glancing at Aria.
Other ladies also nodded as if they knew what she was talking about.
âAh, are you talking about the rumors about Lady Aria?â
âItâs really ugly. Itâs a good thing it turned out not to be.â
Aria, the very person of the rumor, asked, âWhat do you mean by that?â
âOh, my Godâ¦! Didnât you know that? The crazy rumor that was going on in the public?â
âYes, I donât know what you mean.â
Indeed, there were so many rumors surrounding her that she could not guess which one.
âIt was a very funny rumor. It was rumored that you had seduced Oscar and hurt Lady Mielle.â
âOh, is that what you are talking about? Itâs true if it is the rumor.â Nevertheless, Aria swallowed her breath as if she were very embarrassed.
âItâs, itâs ridiculous! How dare Iâ¦!â
âItâs nonsense. Lady Aria, who is so nice and lovely, canât do that. I kept saying no, but the people around me couldnât believe it. I was so angryâ¦! Whew,â
âFortunately, it turned out to be a lie because so many people saw Mr. Oscar taking care of Lady Miele himself on the princessâs birthday. If it werenât for that, such an absurd rumor would still be circulating.â
Aria alone thought how good it would have been if it had been true among the angry ladies. If so, she would have hurt Mielle and brought her down to the abyss without going back like this.
âCome to think of it, what kind of person is Asher? How far can he help me?â Of course, it would be all she could do to join the meeting, but he must have been a big shot anyway, so she might get help if she built a close relationship with him.
âCan I get some help getting Oscar back? Does he have the power to do that?â
âDoes he have the power comparable to the family of the Duke of Frederick? I hope so.â She thought he might help her with her revenge, very simply.
â⦠Aria! Lady Aria?â A lady, who sat next to Aria, who was in thought, thinking of Asher, called out her name quite loudly.
Aria, surprised by this, stammered and replied, âYes, yes?â
âHuh, what are you thinking? I asked Lady Aria if you had anyone in mind.â
âAnyone in mind?â
âIs it because I thought of Asher for a while?â
The face of Asher came straight into her mind. It was even a scene in which he had suddenly bent his upper body and taken off the petal attached to her hair. Ariaâs face was burning in a flash. The flaming-hot pretty girlâs face was enough to please the hearts of the ladies in the garden.
âOh, my God, who in the world did you think of? Your face is so red.â
âItâs like a beautiful tulip. Itâs so cute.â
âWho is the one Lady Aria, who is so lovely, is interested?â
Sarahâs voice was heard among the young ladies who laughed and teased Aria.
âSomehow Iâm jealous.â
âWhy on earth does not the face of Asher disappear?â She tried to think of someone else several times, but she couldnât think of, so the face of Asher stuck in her mind like a picture. For a while, the fiery face of Aria did not return to its original state, so the ladiesâ teasing continued.
* * *
It was about fifteen days after Lane had taken the letter when Aria received a reply from Asher. He sent only flowers and a letter through another person, whether it was true what Lane had said was the last visit. This time again, like last time, a lily arrived for Mielle and a tulip for Aria.
When she hadnât known that the sender was Asher, she had thought he had been deliberately discriminating against her, but not now. Rather, it was Mielle who was discriminated against. She didnât know what his situation was, but she was sure that there was a reason for Asher to insist on tulips all the time.
The letter he sent was concisely written of the date, time and place of the meeting, and precautions. Aria kept it in a drawer so that she wouldnât lose it, and then heard a report about what she had ordered Annie to do before.
âTo be funny, I was called in by Emma while I was screening the maids. I guess she still thinks Iâm listening to her! Itâs been a while since I havenât reported to her!â
She began to speak ill of Emma, claiming her innocence.
âIâll have to pick a maid to take on the chores as soon as possible and change my clothes. That way, Emma wonât call me anymore.â
âSo what did you say?â
âThatâsâ¦â
The reason Emma had called Annie was simple. She would have said, âI will add a new maid, so you have to persuade Aria well.â
âOf course I answered I would! I was going to choose a new maid anyway. Itâs better than to be hated with refusal.â
âYes, thatâs what I think. You handled it very well.â
With the thought of turning the maid, who was on Mielleâs side, to her side one after another, she was thrilled to the roots of her hair. Annie praised; raised her voice with excitement.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âMaybe many of the maids under Miss Mielle are envious of me. Sometimes they asked about my hairpin or my skin.â
âSo what did you say?â Aria asked with a look of anticipation.
âOf course, every time I said Lady Aria was generous with her maids and I received gifts. Miss. Mielle is tender and kind, but she doesnât give anything. She is just a noblewoman.â
âHmm. I guess youâre comfortable with me who comes from a commoner. Iâm not even aristocratic.â
âNo! What are you talking about, miss? Of course, it means that Miss Mielle is stingy, and Lady Aria is generous!â
Aria burst out laughing at Annieâs desperate excuse as if misunderstanding was not allowed.
âItâs a joke.â
âI thought so!â
At Ariaâs dizzying joke, who had been now accustomed, Annie also burst into laughter and made an appropriate response.
It wasnât long after Annie brought a new maid. She was the maid who Aria remembered well.
âShe is the maid who ordered me to throw the bottle of water, Isnât she?â
It was the very maid of Mielle, who had ordered her to commit evil things. She was also the maid who had confessed Ariaâs sins to the death of Aria. âThe wicked woman ordered me to put poison on the tea of Miss Mielle. She had been mean to Miss Mielle! I just had to do it! It was really⦠really painful, Mr. Cain!â
It had been the maid who had been yelling, even putting a blood band on her neck. So Aria couldnât forget her. At an unexpected figure, Aria greeted her with a broad smile.
âWelcome. Youâre my new maid, arenât you? Whatâs your name?â
âItâs, itâs Be, Berry, miss.â
âBerry⦠Yeah, thatâs right. Berry. Thatâs a name well matched for you.â
âIt fits very well on you! Like a berry of which fresh juices burst when I bite a small grain, I want to bite and kill that ugly body.â
Aria welcomed her with all her heart. And she revised the plan. She was going to take her side, but she was going to let her fall into hell.
As the maid arrived to take on the chores, Annie and Jessie were free from their work, changed their clothes and became beautiful girls. Berry looked at Annie with strange eyes, saying, âI think Iâve finally found my original shape.â Of course, more than half of her eyes were occupied with envy.