THE VILLAINESS TURNS THE HOURGLASS

Chapter 124. Secret, Part V

"I'm not asking that. I'm asking you how these woods in the alley are?"

"Didn't you take a walk for a long time? That's why you arrived. In the woods near the capital."

"Are you kidding me? It takes a long time to get there on a horse! How can a man beat a horse?"

If it was the first time, she would pass it, but she had been through this twice, and she realized that it was not normal. At Aria's stern face, Asher was stained with difficulty with the expression.

His 'ability' was not easily understood. Furthermore, what would she think of himself if he explained this ability to her today? But Aria didn't go too easy.

"I don't know what to explain to you, but... it's a characteristic of my family."

"The characteristic of the family?"

"Yes, it's a rare ability to show up differently, and I owe it to move quickly to faraway places. You can think of my body as advanced. It's kind of... it's unusual and special."

He explained as little as possible. But he could move quickly to distant places... it was just like magic. When she asked to explain more precisely, Asher shook his head.

"I don't know much more than this. It's only as a born grace."

It was not typical so she couldn't ask anymore. It was because she was convinced that it might not be possible to explain it as if the hourglass had appeared to her.

If she hadn't had the hourglass, she would never have believed what he was saying, but more than that happened to her and it was quite understandable. On the other hand, she wondered if such a magical thing could happen so often.

He said that his ability was a characteristic of the family. 'If so, is what I became alive the hourglass's ability? Maybe... my mother was a petty prostitute, so my nameless father was one of the family.' Tens of thousands of ideas dominated her mind.

"So... is it the grace of the Viscount Pinonua family? No, is that your real name, Pinonua Louie? Is Asher a fake name?"

She thought it couldn't be, but it was the first time she had heard him formally introducing himself, so when asked, he shook his head.

"No. The Viscount Pinonua family is just helping me. I just borrowed a name to join the meeting."

"Then, you are of the imperial family..."

"Yes, you are right. I'm Asterope Franz."

"... oh my gosh."

Although she guessed that it would be the most reasonable when she saw his recent moves, she was dumbfounded when the affirmation came back.

Even if he was the Crown Prince. Listening to his name reminded her of it. The crown prince was named Asterope. It was partly because she never dreamed of having a tie with someone from the royal family. It was Asher who she had been rude to.

She had once laughed and trampled on the flowers he had given her. It had been a tulip symbolizing the empire. She had trampled such flowers in front of him. That was why she had doubted his identity, but she had thought he might not be because of the actions she had been doing to him!

Aria drank tea with trembling hands. She did not savor a sip, but instead took a few sips and emptied her glass cleanly as if she was drinking cold water.

Then Asher, who, with a gesture of his hand, ordered his butler to bring her a new tea and carefully asked, "Are you all right?"

"... I don't know if I've been rude in the meantime."

Thinking whether to stand up or not, Aria suddenly turned into a polite manner.

Asher gave her a bitter smile. "I have been afraid of this, and I couldn't say the truth. I don't want you to burden me. I want you to treat me as usual."

She wanted to, but she couldn't. She just confirmed what she had thought and suddenly felt that he was too far and too high. 'Why did he show interest in me? And why did he attend the meeting I led, borrowing a name?'

She thought of it still in the silence of the woods. Asher also stared at Aria, who seemed to think she needed time to organize her thoughts, without further words.

'The Crown Prince! But why was the Crown Prince cheating on his identity?' As she thought about it, her face turned into a dead color.

Asher had a bitter smile and said, "I think you'd better get up now today."

"But there's more to ask...!" There was still a mountain of questions she wanted to ask.

But Asher shook his head. "I'll be in the capital for a while, so we can meet anytime. Let's talk again then. I'll send you a letter. There's also work to be done first."

He was not a man to waste time in such a place. Even by taking this time, she felt sinful. The way back was faster than when she came. As soon as she got out of the forest, the alley next to Baron Burboom's shop appeared.

"I hope you don't find any difficulty in me the next time we meet."

Before she came out of the alley, he kissed Aria lightly on the back of her hand and then disappeared with the words of seeing her again soon. Everything that had happened today was magical, and Aria couldn't even move from there for a long time