About Becoming My Ex-Husband's Mistress - Chapter 37

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 37. If You’ll Permit Me
The following afternoon.
After finishing my lunch shift at the Tavern, I purchased a wooden chair and several natural ingredients for hair and skincare, then returned home.
Misha visited our house not long after, carrying what appeared to be a 500ml bottle of goat’s milk, her expression absolutely radiant.
“Wow, your home is really beautiful, ma’am.”
“Thank you. Come this way.”
I guided Misha to the dining table.
Misha listened to the hair styling lesson with sparkling eyes, diligently taking notes throughout.
However, just as the lesson was concluding, a woman arrived carrying a basket brimming with eggs.
“What brings you here?”
“My name is Maji. Actually, today is my husband’s and my wedding anniversary. I saw the neighbor’s child’s hair and it was so beautifully done….”
She must have seen Bridget’s hair.
Maji ran her hand over her own hastily pinned-up hair before asking.
“I’ll give you this basket of eggs. Could you style my hair like that child’s? Her hair is curly and mine is naturally straight, but… something similar would be wonderful.”
Everything was proceeding as planned.
Compared to what I normally earned, the value was absurdly generous, but this form of exchange suited me fine. We lived in different worlds, after all.
“Of course. Please, have a seat.”
I welcomed her with a warm smile.
As I unpinned her hair, thick, coarse natural strands tumbled down in clumps. I could see the ends were badly damaged.
“Um, ma’am, may I watch you work on the hair up close?”
It was an excellent question. She would learn simply by observing.
However, there was one necessary condition.
“If Maji permits it.”
“Of course. And please, call me Maji.”
Maji nodded readily.
Misha’s eyes gleamed with delight.
“Thank you so much!”
I seated Maji in the wooden chair I’d purchased that day in the yard. Then I placed a mirror in her hands.
The first tools I took up were a comb and scissors.
“I’ll trim the ends a bit. Since you have so much volume, I’ll thin it out so it doesn’t look heavy. But the overall length will remain roughly the same.”
Learning all manner of beauty techniques to perfect my styling had truly been a wise choice.
As I quickly worked through her hair, Misha’s mouth beside me gradually fell open in amazement.
Before long, Maji herself marveled.
“My goodness, how remarkable. The length hasn’t changed, yet my hair feels so much lighter.”
Once the thinning was complete, I took the mirror from her hands.
Next came the hair treatment.
I mixed almond oil and castor oil in the proper proportions, applied the warmed hair pack treatment, and while her wrapped hair dried, I completed her makeup.
Misha, having watched this far, covered her mouth with both hands.
Now came the curling iron at last.
I wound her hair around the heated iron to create voluminous curls, then styled it into a half-up do identical to Bridget’s.
However, I avoided ribbons that clashed with her age.
The hair tie remained hidden, creating an effect that was full and elegant.
Soon, a romantic half-up hairstyle was complete.
“There you are—all finished.”
Maji stared at her reflection in the mirror, speechless for a long moment.
She stood so rigidly that I grew uneasy, wondering if her sense of beauty differed from my own.
“Does it not please you?”
Maji shook her head, her eyes reddening at the rims.
“I was wrong to doubt.”
Then she withdrew five coins from her purse and pressed them into my hand.
“A basket of eggs wouldn’t be enough.”
An additional payment of roughly fifty thousand won.
She bowed repeatedly, insisting this was all the money she had.
“I’m more beautiful now than on my wedding day. Thank you so much for making me lovely.”
Her genuine happiness lifted my spirits as well.
“I’m delighted you’re pleased. Wishing you a joyful anniversary.”
As Maji departed, Misha cried out.
“Goodness! Teacher, were you perhaps working at the Eleonora Salon?”
Misha’s eyes sparkled with wonder.
“Or are you perhaps a goddess of beauty? How could you achieve such divine artistry? How do you cut hair like that?”
Misha, trembling with excitement, showered me with nearly rapturous praise for quite some time.
* * *
The next day.
After finishing my work at the Tavern, I decided I should build a small fence in one corner of the Yard.
I returned home debating whether to keep two or three chickens within it, only to find someone already sitting in the Yard.
Two elderly village women, with a cloth-covered basket beside them.
“Oh, you’re here!”
“You’re Priscilla, aren’t you?”
The moment they saw me, they sprang to their feet and rushed toward me with such enthusiasm that I startled.
“Are you busy today?”
“I’m sorry? I was planning to build a small fence in the Yard… but why are you—what’s this about?”
The women’s eyes gleamed.
“You did Maji’s hair, didn’t you? And gave her such lovely makeup too… just yesterday!”
“Ah.”
I recalled Maji’s visit yesterday, mentioning her anniversary.
“Yes, I did help her.”
The moment I confirmed it, the women spoke over each other.
“Could you do the same for us? It was so beautiful.”
“There’s no one on this Island who can style hair. The sea wind leaves ours so dry and brittle.”
“Maji said she brought a basket of eggs and some money, so I brought something too…”
When the woman lifted the cloth covering the basket, a hen poked its head out.
The other woman opened her basket as well, revealing it packed full of remarkably fresh fish.
“This looks delicious. Oh, how much should I pay you? You did my makeup and made my hair so lovely, after all.”
When I opened my eyes wide, the woman let out a soft laugh.
“I understand it’s inconvenient that I showed up so suddenly. But there was no way to contact you beforehand… Hair maintenance is just so difficult, you see. I really needed this. So I brought what I could on short notice.”
It seemed building a chicken coop today would be impossible. Still, these were customers who’d heard about me through word of mouth, even if their arrival was unexpected.
“This is more than enough. Please, come in.”
A few hours later.
The women, whose hair had been disheveled before, were thoroughly satisfied with their transformed appearance after receiving proper styling.
I was seeing the two of them off at the door.
“Oh, that’s right! Didn’t you say you were going to build a small fence today?”
It was the woman who’d brought the fish asking.
“Well, yes, but…”
The sun was already setting.
“I’ll have to build it tomorrow.”
“What do you need a fence for?”
“I’m thinking of raising a few chickens.”
At my answer, one of the women grasped my hands firmly in both of hers.
“My son is very skilled at building things. I’ll have him make one tomorrow afternoon.”
“Really?”
“The fish alone felt a bit insufficient, somehow. Since you happen to need something like that, it would be nice to add it to the payment.”
The woman beside her chimed in agreement.
“That’s right. Don’t make something like that with such delicate hands. Leave it to this household’s son. He’ll do it quickly, very quickly. He’ll knock it right out.”
And the next day, when I returned after finishing my work, there was indeed a properly-sized fence constructed in the corner of the yard.
The hen that I’d tied up hastily in the yard was now peacefully pecking at feed inside the fenced enclosure with its netting.
That’s when I heard Misha’s voice.
“Teacher! I’m here!”
It was time for lessons.
* * *
Time passed swiftly, and the promised day dawned.
As I opened my eyes as expected, I felt the curse’s energy coursing strongly through my body.
But it was still bearable for now. By evening, my condition would worsen.
I steeled myself.
I needed to confirm how much I could endure this time.
‘Today I’ll stay as busy as possible. So I won’t think of anything else. Especially not… that person.’
At that moment, heat surged up through my body. It was because I’d conjured the very thought I was trying to suppress.
A heated breath escaped me.
‘This is maddening.’
It seemed like soaking my body in cold water before leaving would be wise.
Walter, Misha, Maji, and the two women who’d received styling arrived earlier than the promised time.
She said preparing for a housewarming party alone would be too difficult.
Next, Irina arrived with a fresh, bright expression, her apron overflowing with wildflowers she’d carefully gathered and arranged.
“I couldn’t ignore the sincerity of your invitation. It wouldn’t be proper to arrive empty-handed, after all.”
I worked with the others to build a bonfire, then scattered makeshift tables across the Yard and along the rocks by the Beachside.
In the meantime, Irina began decorating the tables with the wildflowers she’d brought.
“Goodness, what would we have done without my eye for detail? I’m so glad I came early.”
Her expression remained as bright and fresh as ever as she spoke.
There was something endearing about her manner that made me smile without thinking.
“You’re absolutely right. Thanks to you, the tables look far more suited to a celebration. I’m truly grateful.”
Irina’s cheeks flushed crimson as she turned her gaze away, yet her face betrayed genuine delight despite her bashful gesture.
Soon, various dishes began to appear on the tables.
Finger foods and grilled fish, prepared with Walter’s assistance.
The fish was from the basket we’d received not long ago, and with parsley and lemon as garnish, it looked quite presentable.
We also laid out salad topped with cheese made from goat’s milk, ale from the Tavern, grain bread, butter and jam, and wild berries native to the Island.
Just as we were finishing the preparations, a familiar voice reached my ears.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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