Countess Youngae’s Money-Sweeping Makeup Shop - Chapter 20
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
20
His long navy hair without curls reminded me of a clear night sky.
If Sillia was like a cat, then Ricardo had snake-like eyes.
His deep double eyelids, golden irises, and high nose bridge brought light to his previously dark face.
If someone like this went to get a refund, they’d probably welcome him with open arms, or be so scared they’d refund immediately.
On his right cheek remained a faint burn scar.
The scar wasn’t huge, but it was about half the size of a fist.
I was blankly admiring his features piece by piece when it happened.
“…Miss?”
Ricardo looked down at me with a perplexed expression.
If I had heard this while wearing a mask, I probably would have answered with a sharp voice saying ‘What!’
But now that I could see his expression, why did he look so cute?
It was like he had followed his girlfriend to a cosmetics store and got caught by a staff member.
I let out a chuckling sound and patted the seat next to me.
“Come sit here! I’ll show you magic that isn’t magic.”
His golden eyes widened briefly before returning to normal.
His lips moved slightly as if he had something to say, but in the end he said nothing and carefully sat to my right.
“Look this way.”
When he stared straight ahead stiffly like a robot, I tapped his left cheek with my index finger.
His body, larger than mine, trembled slightly.
Most people receiving makeup for the first time were nervous and had a lot of tension in their bodies.
Ricardo seemed to be the same, so I quietly patted his back.
Then he turned his head and our eyes met.
He was really handsome.
Am I going to go blind doing Ricardo’s makeup?
He’s glowing, literally glowing.
Doing makeup for beautiful people was always the most thrilling and enjoyable thing in the world.
And now a perfect person was becoming even more perfect.
Of course, I had to concentrate that much more not to ruin it.
My heart was pounding.
It felt like all the heat was rushing to my hands.
After swallowing my saliva, I disinfected my hands and squeezed some cream foundation onto the back of my hand.
I exhaled and sent Ricardo a confident look.
“Let’s begin!”
***
“Since the other young ladies seem to be waiting for His Highness the Crown Prince, I shall take my leave first. May glory always be with the Empire’s little sun.”
In the center of the ballroom, where light poured down, a woman and the Crown Prince stood.
The woman smiled confidently as she rejected the courtship of the Crown Prince himself.
In an instant, both the music and conversation stopped.
But as if she didn’t care, the woman walked toward the exit of the ballroom.
At that moment, everyone naturally moved aside to make a path, as if trying not to touch the woman.
Every time the woman moved, various gazes followed her.
Among those gazes was Ricardo as well.
Her blue hair fluttered, repeatedly hiding and revealing the face of a woman he’d never seen before.
Just moments ago she had looked confident, but now her complexion had darkened like a child facing something frightening.
Ricardo’s gaze slowly moved downward.
The woman’s hands trembled, taking on a bluish tint.
He tilted his head.
Was she afraid of the Crown Prince?
If so, she should have obediently taken his hand, so why did she push him away?
Various questions arose.
That woman had said it earlier.
‘Sillia.’
The only young lady named ‘Sillia’ that Ricardo knew was from the Ebennain Count’s family.
However, the ‘Sillia’ Ricardo remembered was not a woman with that face or personality.
If it was magic, he had never seen anyone with a face like that.
But surely she wouldn’t have changed her face to that of a non-noble?
Had she become capable of some new magic?
If so, the Tower of Mages would have already kidnapped her the moment she awakened.
Then what on earth was she doing…?
Ricardo’s decision to follow Sillia was simply to satisfy his own curiosity.
There was one more person besides Ricardo who followed Sillia out.
‘Felix Galdrid’
Those two always went around together.
More precisely, Sillia used to hide behind Felix.
Because of this, everyone thought Felix was like Sillia’s protector.
But maybe that wasn’t the case?
Felix, who had rushed out, was sticking close to Sillia’s side, wagging his tail like a dog trying to play with its owner.
“Hmm.”
Something was pricking at Ricardo’s heart.
It was really annoying to see a noble acting like that.
Giggle giggle.
Sillia, who had been talking with Felix, laughed.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen an expression like that before.
How well she laughs – the saying about birds of a feather flocking together was right.
Both the one acting like that and the one laughing at such behavior.
Felix soon got up and returned to the ballroom.
Right. Now the ballroom would only be talking about ‘Sillia Ebennain’ because of that woman, so someone should go quickly.
Finally looking at Sillia, who was now alone, he slowly approached so as not to startle her.
“What business keeps you so occupied?”
Sillia, who had been relaxed, was startled by his words and straightened her posture.
It was somewhat amusing to see her trying to hastily cover up when everything was already exposed.
As Ricardo pondered what question to ask first, the image of Sillia leaving the ballroom kept appearing in his mind.
Even when he tried to think of other things, that image kept circling back.
Eventually, he took out a pouch containing raisins and placed it in her no-longer-trembling hands.
The raisins were something Ricardo carried around to calm young children in the village who would cry in fear upon seeing him.
When they cried, it was noisy, gave him headaches, required apologies from guardians – just thinking about it was already exhausting.
Though it probably wouldn’t help Sillia, who already seemed calm, Ricardo thought he should give them to her since she had been trembling from fear.
At the same time, asking about what happened to her face in this situation would be too out of the blue.
He could ask after they became closer first.
He looked down at Sillia, who hesitantly began eating the raisins.
Her reddened eyes and cheeks reminded him of a lovely cat.
Her long, distinct eyelashes and lips similar in color to the flush on her cheeks seemed like they might strangely arouse desire.
Sillia had such varied expressions.
Making bored expressions, then surprised ones, then sad ones, then smiling.
And then she greeted him first and left?
He thought she was a really funny and strange woman.
As soon as Ricardo arrived at his manor, he wrote and sent a letter.
Other nobles would surely contact her out of curiosity about Sillia’s face, so it was a race of speed.
A competition over who would send a letter to move Sillia’s heart first and fastest.
About 3 days had passed like that.
A letter arrived for Ricardo.
Hello, Jesuert Youngsik.
Thank you for contacting me first.
My body has gotten much better.
I heard that the Imperial Palace isn’t holding a party this weekend.
So I’d like to meet on Sunday, which is 4 days from now.
If you don’t have time, please let me know.
+Your handwriting is wonderful. I’d like to learn from you, Youngsik…
From Sillia Ebennain.
“Did she stop mid-sentence trying to write ‘envious’?”
Ricardo, who had been reading seriously, unconsciously smiled at the last sentence.
Sillia’s handwriting wasn’t bad except for being thin and lacking strength.
What would such a person want to learn?
As his smile slowly faded, he wrote a letter agreeing to meet and waited for the time to see Sillia.
However, the person he faced that day wasn’t the Sillia from Ricardo’s memory.
She wasn’t like a lovable cat, but rather like a merchant’s cat with walls you could feel somewhere.
The kind that was insignificant yet sharp, seeing right through your heart so you couldn’t let your guard down.
But her expressions and voice.
Everything said she was Sillia.
Even when Ricardo’s letter came out of her basket, Ricardo had no choice but to accept it.
But it felt like being hit in the head.
It really rang, truly.
He had no memory of how he guided her to the reception room after that.
His senses returned when he arrived at the reception room and saw Sillia collapsed on the sofa.
So he really couldn’t understand why Sillia was panting like that.
He should have ordered tea and refreshments to be prepared, but suddenly Sillia smiled brightly.
She was definitely looking at Ricardo.
Ricardo’s breathing stopped for a moment.
‘Is this seduction?’
That was the only thought that came to mind.
While feeling confused, Sillia suddenly sat up straight.
Ricardo’s heart beat rapidly.
He was a bit nervous because of that smile earlier.
What words would come from those lips to seduce him…
Suddenly a basket and pile of papers were placed on the table.
The more he tried to predict what she had brought in the basket, the more he went down a strange path.
Vulgar stories circulating among nobles gradually spread through Ricardo’s mind.
He needed to continue the conversation to become closer, but his mouth wouldn’t open easily.
She put strength in her eyes and pointed at Ricardo with her index finger.
“Now, your business!”
“Pardon?”
“Your business! Shall I guess? ‘Want to do makeup business with me?'”
“Make, what?”
“I thought so, so I prepared this, ta-da! A makeup business plan!”
Make, what?
Bewildered by words he’d never heard in his life, but only for a moment, Sillia stood up from her seat making a loud noise.
And wasn’t she walking straight toward Ricardo?
He instinctively squeezed his eyes shut.
Thump.
He felt weight in his hands.
When he carefully opened his eyes, a pile of papers was clutched in Ricardo’s hands.
He blinked to understand the events that had happened in an instant.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————