Chapter 94. Asterope Franz, Part XI
Translator: Khan
Editor Group: Liber Reverie
Then Asher, who had kept his mouth shut, as though he had been holding up something pleasant while Aria had been speaking. It was a bit of a mess, unlike the first one, but he had a fine smile. She didn't know why, but it was a smile that he seemed to feel good.
"We've got a lot of good ideas."
Everyone glistened their eyes, paying attention to Asher's remarks. It also seemed that they would carefully listen to every word without missing a single one. And so did Lane, who sometimes had a playful look on his face. She was swayed by the atmosphere and the complexion of Aria changed too.
"I think that the best opinion is... to pass it on to the Aristocratic Party."
It was Aria's opinion.
"Most of all, I liked the idea that we could reprimand the Aristocratic Party later."
Her cheeks turned a little red when she was praised for not using the hourglass. It was because it was the first time that she had received such praise by someone in the past and the present.
After confirming this, the smile of Asher became stronger.
"As you all know... that's a rare opportunity."
The debate, which had lasted for quite a long time, ended with Aria's opinion. The opinion was that the Crown Prince needed to sacrifice his small will for the greater one. Asher seemed quite pleased with it.
'But as I said so, but after all, it's just a desk theory. However, everyone's got a lot of emotional input.'
Moreover, there was also a nobleman here to the bone, but everyone discussed it for the benefit of the Crown Prince. Aria checked the condition of Vika, a member of the Aristocratic Party. He had a very bright look on his face, talking to the man sitting next to him.
As she cocked her head in wonder, he looked at her, feeling her stare. Unexpectedly, he smiled and praised her for her brilliance.
"Why didn't I know such a wise woman as Aria until now?"
"I'm sure I wasn't great enough to make a name for a man I had no acquaintance with."
"Haha, you're too modest. I'm glad to know you even now. I hope to see you more often in the future."
'What the hell is Vika thinking?' She remembered that during the debate, he had only put forward his opinions that would not hurt the Crown Prince as much as possible. So no progress had been made. Even though others had also done that, but she knew he was a member of the Aristocratic Party, she realized it was a very strange act. She also had a hunch that he was very dangerous.
'Let's not pay any attention.'
Aria shook her head. She only attended the meeting to broaden her knowledge and give Mielle the worst possible end. Further speculation and meddling were meaningless.
After the meeting broke up, the people gathered in the basement left with the time difference. It was a very attentive meeting, not to mention the place to gather.
In the order that Lane set them out, the rest were Aria, Asher, and Lane. Asher asked Lane, who did not go out when his turn came, with a chin gesture.
"What are you doing without going out?"
"... Yes? Do I have to go out, too?"
"Get out."
Lane went out in embarrassment, on Asher's stern answer. All the people went out, and Aria and Asher were left in the empty space. It was Aria who opened her mouth first,
"Why didn't you reveal your name?"
"It was to find out what kind of person you were."
As if he had waited, he answered very easily. Aria continued to ask questions,
"Why did you try to figure me out?"
"Because I'm interested in you."
Aria frowned. It was because of the word "interest."
Then Asher added an explanation, "It was the beginning that you knew about the information of the casino, but the story I heard later from the count was quite interesting."
"You mean the fur business?"
"Yes, I thought he must be a great man because he got the help of a young lady and he was planning a new business."
"So that's why you helped my father with his business?"
"You can say that. I wanted to build a friendship and find out who you are."
'You sent Mielle all that wealth just because of that? To build a friendship and get to know the true nature of a lady, who was little and insignificant? Was it worth it to myself?' Aria's expression quite darkened.
"... so, did you find out who I was?"
The colors of the pupils of his eyes darkened more. It was the same blue eyes that she had met at the square. Then Aria trembled in astonishment, and he smiled and answered, like a beast who attempted the life of a prey,
"I haven't figured it out yet, but..."
The mood changed in a flash. As he blurred his words, and Aria swallowed.
"I'd like to get to know that part slowly in the future for a very long time."
Aria's eyelids trembled at the added words. She heard more provocative words than this, but her heart shook strangely because she was distracted by the blue eyes of Asher.
To calm her trembling heart, she picked up the glass on the table and drank water. It was lukewarm because it had been placed even before she arrived, but her heart calmed down a little when she drank it.
"Do you have any more questions?"
"... Yes, I have." Aria answered with a deep breath. "What kind of family are you in? Judging from the gifts you sent Mielle, I don't think you're an ordinary person."
"Well, do you have any family you can guess?"
"In the Empire, no one else came to my mind, so I thought you were a nobleman from a foreign country who I didn't know." However, with this fluency in the imperial language, the possibility had disappeared.
For the first time, Asher, who ignored Aria's question, asked back with a serious face, "Is it important to you which family I belong to?"
Of course, it was important that which family Asher belonged to, in the past. It was important who the rich person interested in Mielle was. The bigger the force on Mielle, the harder it would be to counter. But not anymore. Aria had heard that Asher was not interested in Mielle at all, and he had cut off his attention as if it were true. The relationship had started out from a misunderstanding, so it was worth it.
And now Asher was just a person who had proposed a meeting to broaden her knowledge. So his family didn't really matter.
"... no, it's not important."
"You'll find out in a while, even if you don't want to know."
'What does it mean that I will find out if I don't want to?' If he said that, She couldn't ask any more questions. Furthermore, Aria kept her mouth shut because it was a speech tone that he didn't want to tell her about that.
After that, there was nothing else to say, and Aria got up first. Then as if he ignored the words of leaving the time difference, Asher followed her. And it was when she reached the top stairs.
"Wait a minute."
She heard a voice behind her, and suddenly his hand fell over her waist. It was Asher's chest that touched her back when she retreated away in surprise. She was about to be angry about what the shamelessness act was, but the door that blocked her opened with a click sound.
"Please go out."
"...
There was a voice in the ears of Aria who stood in a daze, and had a bewildered silence for a moment, saying, 'Is there anything left to do?'
Aria, embarrassed, hurried out the door. On the other hand, Asher walked out casually and closed the open door tight. It looked quite relaxing for him to even take a key out of his pocket and lock it.
Aria bit her lips. It must have been done on purpose. Her face turned red.
"I was able to have a useful conversation thanks to you. I hope you'll come to the next meeting, too. I'll send you the time and place through Lane."
"... I'll think about it."
She intended to attend the next meeting, but she answered vaguely. 'Don't I really look like a teenage girl?'
At the obvious lie, Asher smiled softly. "I'll be waiting."
Asher disappeared to the other side of Aria, leaving a final goodbye.
Aria, who glanced back at the voice that was getting smaller, wrapped her cheeks in her palms. The weather was in the middle of spring, but there was a summer there. So she had to stand and cool down her face for a long time before she went back to the cafe where Annie and Jessie were waiting.