The Villainess Turns the Hourglass - Vol. 1 Ch. 44
- Thread starter MangaDex
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Mielle is childish and sheltered with normal reactions for someone in her position. She is a product of her environment. I've always felt pity for her.
Emma did not raise her well. Neither did her father provide proper guidance (which is typical in this setting). Emma raised her to be twisted. I think Emma is the real bad guy here. She's always whispering awful ideas into her ear. This kind of person is not a good person. I think Mielle's mother seemed alright so I think she'd be pretty disappointed with how her child was raised.
Emma did not raise her well. Neither did her father provide proper guidance (which is typical in this setting). Emma raised her to be twisted. I think Emma is the real bad guy here. She's always whispering awful ideas into her ear. This kind of person is not a good person. I think Mielle's mother seemed alright so I think she'd be pretty disappointed with how her child was raised.
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This was another super interesting chapter! I am frankly almost amazed at how unclever Mielle is. Her nanny basically spoonfed the idea to meet lower rank but up and coming people since she couldn't go whine at Isis about the broach. On top of that she really has no clue about any kind of lifestyle aside from her own, nevermind the fact that maintaining a noble or aristocratic household isn't unlike managing a business... Considering the woman seemed to be a commoner (or at least wife of a wealthy merchant) Mielle's apparent advice was pretty useless, particularly considering Mielle wouldn't have any idea on what it means to earn for oneself since she lives off her father, and would live off her husband on the future. Aria learned her lesson in regards to this since she's lived at both extremes of the wealth scale, but also has the hindsight of getting a do over since she knows that she can't reasonably rely on anyone.
And once again, Mielle is parroting Aria and failing completely because she doesn't understand what Aria's purpose and intent are in those actions. Like, the whole gift giving thing in general. Way at nearly the start of the story Aria gave embroidered handkerchiefs to the ladies at Sarah's tea party right, despite know she wouldn't get a whole out of it right? The difference then vs Mielle now is that 1) the were handmade by Aria and it's hard to refuse something someone made themselves vs something bought from a store (and I doubt Mielle is creative enough to have designed that rose broach beyond asking for it to be a rose and that it should be shiney) and 2) if I recall correctly Aria made them so that it had the lady's family crest/emblem so it was also personal to each of them. Aria may have been doing these things to improve her reputation but it showed thoughtfulness on her part.
Then if we compared Mielle's broaches to Aria's... Aria gave them to her maids who had been working for the family, so having something that represents their employer kind of makes sense? And since she chose a design that's more simple and elegant rather then ornate and flashy it means the broach can be worn more often with a variety outfits. Mielle's on the other hand end up looking like a flex on these women whose social and monetary rank are lesser then her's, plus by using an emblem of a family that they seemingly have no connection to, the broaches kind of read a bit more like a fanclub badge that no one asked for. Unlike Aria who has earned over time various people's loyalties, Mielle seems to just expect it because she's always had it by association.
If Mielle was even slightly smart, she'd be writing to Oscar letting him know in veiled words that she's aware of his feelings towards Aria and that she feels bad and that he should feel bad that she feels bad. Then she should have at least offered to put in a good word to her father about investing any expansions that any of their businesses might need in the future (not that it would mean much since the man doesn't follow any of Mielle's suggestions anyway but the women don't know that) and finally really played up the fact that she got those broaches especially for them and that she wouldn't give something like that to just anyone... So that they would take it even if they could never wear it (and then, idk, plan an opportunity for them to wear it and favor the ones who do over the ones who don't.)
I also suspect that had she stayed and not rushed off when they either wouldn't have invited Aria or invited them both. Mielle leaves this chapter with basically no meaningful connections and a bunch of tacky rose pins. And Aria's circle of allies seems to get bigger...
And once again, Mielle is parroting Aria and failing completely because she doesn't understand what Aria's purpose and intent are in those actions. Like, the whole gift giving thing in general. Way at nearly the start of the story Aria gave embroidered handkerchiefs to the ladies at Sarah's tea party right, despite know she wouldn't get a whole out of it right? The difference then vs Mielle now is that 1) the were handmade by Aria and it's hard to refuse something someone made themselves vs something bought from a store (and I doubt Mielle is creative enough to have designed that rose broach beyond asking for it to be a rose and that it should be shiney) and 2) if I recall correctly Aria made them so that it had the lady's family crest/emblem so it was also personal to each of them. Aria may have been doing these things to improve her reputation but it showed thoughtfulness on her part.
Then if we compared Mielle's broaches to Aria's... Aria gave them to her maids who had been working for the family, so having something that represents their employer kind of makes sense? And since she chose a design that's more simple and elegant rather then ornate and flashy it means the broach can be worn more often with a variety outfits. Mielle's on the other hand end up looking like a flex on these women whose social and monetary rank are lesser then her's, plus by using an emblem of a family that they seemingly have no connection to, the broaches kind of read a bit more like a fanclub badge that no one asked for. Unlike Aria who has earned over time various people's loyalties, Mielle seems to just expect it because she's always had it by association.
If Mielle was even slightly smart, she'd be writing to Oscar letting him know in veiled words that she's aware of his feelings towards Aria and that she feels bad and that he should feel bad that she feels bad. Then she should have at least offered to put in a good word to her father about investing any expansions that any of their businesses might need in the future (not that it would mean much since the man doesn't follow any of Mielle's suggestions anyway but the women don't know that) and finally really played up the fact that she got those broaches especially for them and that she wouldn't give something like that to just anyone... So that they would take it even if they could never wear it (and then, idk, plan an opportunity for them to wear it and favor the ones who do over the ones who don't.)
I also suspect that had she stayed and not rushed off when they either wouldn't have invited Aria or invited them both. Mielle leaves this chapter with basically no meaningful connections and a bunch of tacky rose pins. And Aria's circle of allies seems to get bigger...
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Wow. That was an exciting chapter. Mielle inadvertently brought together a social circle for Aria to use. And what more, she can do it without outing herself as the investor.
In the end, it was Mielle's immaturity and general difference in disposition that ruined things, wasn't it? She's a blue blood, through and through and with all that entails.
In the end, it was Mielle's immaturity and general difference in disposition that ruined things, wasn't it? She's a blue blood, through and through and with all that entails.
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Hahaha I'm so happy to see Mielle suffer. But honestly, she's so dumb like I almost can't believe it. Thx for the chapter!
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The nanny is 100% looking for the failure of the family through some means, and I don't think she cares whether or not its Aria or Mielle that's the one to do it.
Aria happened to be the more useful subject in the original timeline, this time she's focused on manipulating Mielle since she's a lot easier to use.
Aria happened to be the more useful subject in the original timeline, this time she's focused on manipulating Mielle since she's a lot easier to use.
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@AbuHajaar
She's not, she's 100% loyal to mielle, thinks of her somewhat close to a daughter, in some ways she's one of the few who has a tragic history, though her actions themselves seal her fate, in the original timeline the house never fell, aria was made a scapegoat for alot of mielle's plotting, and the royal family more or less became a puppet of the aristocratic faction, aria's ultimate goal is revenge on mielle and the other 2 members of her family for everything they did such as the murder of aria's mother but she's also got a motive to bring down the aristocrats if i remember correctly as they were at least somewhat helping mielle and the family attain power(not sure on this part, but i believe the poison that was used in the original timeline was supplied by the aristocratic faction, probably iris).
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@forget_it This is me throwing nonsense into the wind, but I would not be surprised in the slightest if Emma somehow expected to get the Duke to fall in love with her and become Mielle's mother.
Except he got with Aria's mother instead, which could also explain why she's super high strung about making the Duke's kids hate her since I doubt the Duke or his late wife would be this nasty.
Except he got with Aria's mother instead, which could also explain why she's super high strung about making the Duke's kids hate her since I doubt the Duke or his late wife would be this nasty.
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I feel like it would be fine if Aria instructed the people she's invested in to not do any business with the Roscente family or else she'll pull her funding out and shit right? Then Mielle wouldn't be able to latch on to her investments. Or Aria could just say don't do business with anyone of the Roscente but me (I can't remember if they know her true identity or not). It's funny as fuck tho that Mielle is trying to profit off these people not knowing that they were made successful by Aria.
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oh my god Mille..... she really uh. Really, sincerely thought that bc they're low class they'd just. Immediately scamper to be her cronies, huh. What I love here is that giving them broaches like that is. Super. A bad idea?? It's so weirdly formalizing, it's basically saying 'this isn't just a loose association, you are now Affiliated With Me'. Which. Isn't *just* insulting, but also a bad idea for. Business owners?? Who prob want to try to sell to as many people as possible?? To nobles NOT affiliated with that family, it'd seem like a mark of loyalty. To commoners, it's like saying you're affiliated with the nobles.
In other words, Mille doesn't actually have the patience to do any of the *work* of making connections. Instead she just kind of Showed Up, brought Zero ideas to the table, and assumed that'd be enough. She might even have been able to pull this off if she'd started with a more appropriate gesture and been able to put up with it for a few meetings.
Also wheezing at her advice of ~well obviously just HIRE someone to do that FOR you~. Like. So spend money.... on handing off Hugely Important business and finance matters... to a stranger. Who would then have huge control over your Business. Like.... girl. You'd be better off being content with your patron.
In other words, Mille doesn't actually have the patience to do any of the *work* of making connections. Instead she just kind of Showed Up, brought Zero ideas to the table, and assumed that'd be enough. She might even have been able to pull this off if she'd started with a more appropriate gesture and been able to put up with it for a few meetings.
Also wheezing at her advice of ~well obviously just HIRE someone to do that FOR you~. Like. So spend money.... on handing off Hugely Important business and finance matters... to a stranger. Who would then have huge control over your Business. Like.... girl. You'd be better off being content with your patron.
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@Psychronia That was very well put! Very concise and well-worded!
Not only does Mielle exhibit her complete ignorance to the issues of the lower classes, but also her cold disdain towards them and general poverty. She's that type of person who doesn't want to see homeless people and pushes legislature to have them all forcibly moved out of sight.
Her comments toward the baroness show how she sees labour as dirty work so anyone who does the work is a dirty person. It completely disrespects the baroness, her passions, and the hard work it took for her to get where she is. Hiring someone was never a possibility for her financially, and there is merit to cooperatively owning a business and working together with someone you trust instead; plus it strengthens the relationship between her and her husband.
But Mielle is so obsessed with the idea of the image of a true noble lady that she literally starts projecting onto the baroness, telling her what a noble wife should and shouldn't do. Yes part of it is what's expected of noble wives, but Mielle pushes it so hard that she is projecting and feels like her own image as a (future) noble wife is slighted by the baroness.
Her comments toward the baroness show how she sees labour as dirty work so anyone who does the work is a dirty person. It completely disrespects the baroness, her passions, and the hard work it took for her to get where she is. Hiring someone was never a possibility for her financially, and there is merit to cooperatively owning a business and working together with someone you trust instead; plus it strengthens the relationship between her and her husband.
But Mielle is so obsessed with the idea of the image of a true noble lady that she literally starts projecting onto the baroness, telling her what a noble wife should and shouldn't do. Yes part of it is what's expected of noble wives, but Mielle pushes it so hard that she is projecting and feels like her own image as a (future) noble wife is slighted by the baroness.
