Translator: Khan
Editor Group: Liber Reverie
'How did the kind Mielle did such a terrible thing?! Is there anything else in the world that is so absurd?'
No, it was clear that there would be nothing. She had set up a trap and attracted accomplices, but the trap was a sharp blade toward her and, to make matters worse, even her accomplices betrayed her. Moreover, the trap to finish the wicked woman made herself a wicked woman.
It was hard for Aria to hide the laughter that burst out because it was so ugly as Mielle revealed her true nature and got very desperate.
"When did I ask you to say that? I asked if you saw it, and you said that you saw it! All other ladies saw it, right?"
It was not a lie but a truth, so some ladies nodded reflexively. Then, they lowered their heads in astonishment, fearing that they would soon be forced to serve as an accomplice.
It's funny to have this kind of thought, but... Mielle is also a very poor woman.
She would have thought of herself as the finest and most elegant aristocratic lady in the empire. As Aria watched them now, it was too hard to think that they had friendly laughed and chatted.
'What was her personal network that Mielle had built, and as an elegant lady of the county family with such great wealth, and as the next Duchess?'
Aria turned her head, thinking it was such a funny life. At the end of her gaze was Sarah. Caught in the arms of the Marquis of Vincent, she had a look as astounding as this disastrous situation.
'Will she stand by me until the end if I do something like that?'
As she thought so, she suddenly got an eye contact with Sarah, who was looking at this way. Her worried eyes were filled with affection for Aria.
'Is that so?' That was why it occurred to her that Sarah would never betray herself, and she would be at her side in any evil deed. It must have been the greatest treasure after she had been returned to the past and succeeded with Asher.
"Lady Median! How can you lie like that!? If you hadn't seen it in the first place, you should have said that!"
"That's...! You pointed at me so much and asked...!"
"Is that your excuse? Your Honor, I'm really under a false accusation! I have never given such instructions to both of them, and they have testified that they saw my sister! And... she was really on the scene!"
Mielle shouted as she became desperate. She seemed to be mad by the shock.
In court which was a terrible mess, Frey, who had been furrowing her forehead, pressed her temple several times and ordered her to be quiet soon.
"... It's a mess, I can't think of as a noble's trial. My head hurts."
Everyone agreed. Who would regard them as elegant and noble ladies? They were appalled and disappointed as they saw the dirty, mud fight.
"I understand your arguments. First of all, the surest thing is that Lady Aria wasn't in the mansion at that time. She's submitted evidence like this," said Frey, holding in her hand the evidence submitted.
"And another one. Although Lady Median and Lady Wendy couldn't recall what they saw on their own, they drove Lady Aria to the criminal, and finally changed your testimony. In fact, I wonder if you've actually witnessed it."
Median and Wendy shivered. Then they set their eyes to the floor as if they were ashamed.
"Finally, I would like to point out that Lady Mielle witnessed the Count of Roscent fall from the stairs and has known who the real culprit is. What do you need to fight? It's very simple to sort out."
With that arrangement, it seemed to be clear who the culprit was. It was the only one who had witnessed the Count fall down the stairs. Perhaps it was the same in Miele who realized that and she squeezed her voice at Frey with a great deal of malice,
"The culprit is really... my sister."
"All right, I'm going to review the evidence submitted by Lady Aria and make a ruling. If the evidence is true... and the real culprit will also be revealed."
Frey, who said so, got up from her seat. Her eyes staring at Mielle were as cold as the ruling had already been judged.
"Oh, and I'll make the ruling again at this time tomorrow. I'm sorry, but I'll put guards on you and other ladies until then. Please excuse me because I cannot be sure of the real culprit and therefore have to do it."
Frey, who said so, looked back before leaving the courtroom and at the end of her gaze was Aria, holding the Countess's hand tightly in her hand and consoling her.
"Mielle!?" And Mielle who had been crying and screaming all the way through the trial soon lost consciousness and fell to the floor. Cain hurriedly supported her, and they soon heard a voice calling for a doctor.
But unlike Emma's last case, people turned away from his doctor-seeking voice, and in the end, Mielle was moved to the carriage by the servants of the county family. Five guards followed behind Cain and Mielle. Rather than worrying about Mielle, the guards showed their determination not to miss her whereabouts.
"Aria!"
"... Sarah."
After the trial, Sarah, who ran to Aria, hugged her and burst into tears. Even though she was mature outside, Sarah felt that Aria would be hurt by the shock she had received.
Aria buried her head on such a shoulder and hugged her waist, like the day she had first met, just like a pure child. Sarah cried for a long time as if the bank that had blocked her emotions had collapsed. It had always been so when she was with Sarah, but it was unfamiliar to Aria.
In the past, Aria had just laughed at these things. She had never imagined someone would think so much of herself. Not even her mother hadn't done it. So she had thought it was all about being drunk with entertainment and leading those who had praised her beauty.
But not now. Aria felt calm and strange when she had others who loved her more than themselves. As much as they thought and worried about Aria, Aria had come to think about them, too.
"Don't worry, Sarah. I'm fine and innocent."
"Everyone in the world knows that Lady Aria is innocent. So I hope the truth will come to light soon and get rid of the false charge."
Sarah, who had been consoling Aria for a long time, soon returned home with worrying. Aria, who had five guards, was sent back to the mansion after being escorted away by Asher.
"My God, Miss. Look at how much you lost your weight!"
"Would you like to take a bath first? You must be tired of a long trip, but you can't even rest..."
The servants and maids of the mansion, who she thought they would start doubting the case, treated Aria with great intensity. There were, of course, those who thought Aria might be the culprit, but even those people were worried about her because of her movements so far.
'If I'm in a crisis or framed, it's normal to lose people around me. What's going on?' Even if she was in a very plausible trap, there were a lot of people who were worried about her. They were at best possessed by crude gifts and pretentious words.
Aria, who felt strange in one side of her heart, released her emotions frankly and said,
"... Thank you all."
"Miss..."
She checked the condition of the Count, leaving behind the crying servants by the impression. He was asleep with a face so emaciated that he really didn't seem to wake up.
How pleasant it would be if he woke up miraculously and reminded that the one who had pushed himself was Mielle. Wouldn't he be crazy? It was something that might ruin the county's family. So she took his hand, hoping that the Count would wake up, but unfortunately, there was no movement.
'So why did you pour your affection on Mielle? To such a foolish child who can't reciprocate?'
Besides, he had just tried to take advantage of herself. If he had changed his attitude at all, she would have turned the hourglass around even if she could be left alone in the woods, even if she could not measure the time. She was sure she had been worried about the Count falling down the stairs.
However, the current Aria didn't think of that at all. This was all the Count's own gain. He was guilty of driving a humble but innocent child to the brink of the cliff, and raising Mielle so that she knew only herself and pushed her father down the stairs.
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