Countess Youngae’s Money-Sweeping Makeup Shop - Chapter 27

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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27

 

I placed the dyes I had portioned out onto the table.

 

“The final test is this. Using these dyes, you need to create 6 colors that match the word I present.”

 

The three people each had different expressions.

 

While some couldn’t grasp what to do, others seemed relaxed as if they already had a cheat sheet.

 

I smiled brightly as I handed 5 different colored dyes to the three people.

 

“However, you cannot use water. When applied to the back of your hand, all colors must harmonize while matching the word.”

 

After hearing the latter part, all three people’s expressions became identical.

 

‘What the hell is she talking about’

 

That’s what their faces seemed to say.

 

I’m sorry.

 

Do you know how difficult it was for me?

 

I was creating colors when I’m not even a Color Alchemist.

 

I needed someone to take over my work.

 

As past memories surfaced, tears seemed to blur my vision.

 

I swallowed back the tears and smiled prettily.

 

“The time limit is 1 hour. Any questions?”

 

Silence filled the room.

 

I looked around at everyone, but since they all remained silent, I figured it was fine and nodded.

 

“Then let’s begin. This time’s theme is ‘Autumn Day Picnic’!”

 

As soon as I finished speaking, the three people began working at their respective tables.

 

At first, most of them tested colors on the back of their hands to see what color they were.

 

After that, they closed their eyes to think, wrote something on paper, or just started mixing dyes.

 

Everyone conceived and created colors through different actions.

 

As the full hour was approaching, I announced it was time to start wrapping up.

 

Wow, I feel like I’m dying.

 

Doing nothing but watching people for an hour was not only boring but made my body feel so stiff.

 

I wanted to get up right away, stretch refreshingly, and go for a jog.

 

While the three people probably wanted time to pass slowly, I wished it would go by quickly.

 

Pass quickly, please pass.

 

At least let me stretch.

 

Perhaps thanks to my earnest wish, time passed faster than expected.

 

“Stop.”

 

With Ricardo’s words, the three people put their hands down.

 

I got up from my seat, rose on my tiptoes to stretch my legs slightly, and approached Gabil who was on the far left.

 

On Gabil’s table were the most orthodox brown-toned colors.

 

From warm browns to cool browns.

 

At first glance, it was a combination that brought late autumn to mind.

 

I applied the colors to the back of my hand while asking a question.

 

“What image did you have in mind when creating these colors?”

 

“I thought of a landscape with fallen leaves. When you go on an autumn picnic, fallen leaves from the ground to those floating on lakes are what you see most.”

 

I nodded and checked the colors – these were colors that would suit shadow makeup.

 

Not bad, but it felt regrettable that the theme of ‘picnic’ wasn’t fully captured.

 

After wiping the back of my hand, I moved to the side.

 

In the center was Beliw, still with a confident expression.

 

His colors were very colorful.

 

From slightly dark red to strangely grayish yellow, brownish orange, light ivory, a color somewhere between wine and bronze, and reddish pink.

 

They seemed like accent colors that took autumn-reminiscent colors and gave them slight variations, making them not burdensome.

 

When viewed separately, they felt a bit tacky, but when layered together, they were incredibly harmonious.

 

The downside was that even when mixed and applied, there were only eye-catching colors.

 

Probably timid people would find them burdensome.

 

“What image did you have in mind, Beliw?”

 

“When you think of autumn picnics, naturally colorful trees, dried flowers, and well-ripened crops come to mind, right? And the smile of the person viewing those scenes together… ahem.”

 

Beliw blushed slightly and trailed off.

 

Ah, he has someone he likes.

 

Youth, it’s youth.

 

I smiled warmly and moved to the side, where I could see Michelle trembling.

 

Despite being so nervous, Michelle’s colors were a palette for autumn warm tones itself.

 

Based on a mysterious brown with orange tints, the colors were made darker or with higher ratios of orange or brown.

 

What was slightly disappointing was that unlike Beliw, there were no special colors that served as focal points.

 

“What image were you thinking of when you made these, Michelle?”

 

“Well, um, that is. Scenery.”

 

“Scenery?”

 

“When I went on forest picnics as a child, there were leaves that hadn’t fully changed color yet, and others that had fully changed and fallen, and the sky, no, the ground was also orange-tinted… So I made them like this…”

 

“I see. They’re wonderful colors.”

 

When I smiled at the stammering Michelle, the tears that seemed about to fall appeared to retreat inward.

 

I returned to my seat and sat in the chair.

 

“Thank you all for your hard work. I’ll deliver the results by next week at the latest.”

 

As I finished speaking, people gathered their belongings one by one, said their goodbyes, and left.

 

Soon only Ricardo and I remained in the room, and I clasped my hands together and rested my forehead on them.

 

“…Jesuert Youngsik.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Do we really have to pick just one person? Color mixing isn’t easy work, and doing it alone would lack ideas.”

 

“It’s fine to pick several, but we’d have to earn proportionally more to avoid losses. Business has more money going out than you’d expect compared to what comes in.”

 

“That’s true.”

 

Ugh.

 

Everyone had distinct strengths and weaknesses.

 

Just when I want to pick this person, that person is also good…

 

My head became complicated.

 

I squeezed my eyes shut and let out a deep sigh.

 

“Have you had lunch?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

What kind of question is this all of a sudden in such a serious situation?

 

Without realizing it, I looked at Ricardo with a bewildered expression.

 

Those eyes stared at me intently as if asking what the problem was.

 

“If you haven’t eaten, wouldn’t it be better to eat together and then continue thinking?”

 

Eat first and then think?

 

Hmm, I definitely haven’t had lunch yet.

 

Making important decisions in that state would be reckless.

 

I need to get some food in me for my brain to work properly.

 

I touched my chin while pondering, then nodded.

 

But why are you sitting there?

 

Ricardo led me to the mansion dining hall and then sat across from me.

 

Forgetting about managing my expression, I stared at Ricardo with a dumbfounded face, and Ricardo tilted his head slightly.

 

“Is there some problem?”

 

“Why are you here?”

 

“Because I haven’t had lunch yet either.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“Oh, never mind.”

 

Sitting alone together like this in such a spacious and grand dining hall felt incredibly awkward.

 

It felt like I couldn’t even breathe the air carelessly.

 

At this rate, I was definitely going to get indigestion.

 

Thinking I could make things less awkward by creating a lively atmosphere, I lifted my head to throw some jokes at Ricardo,

 

when Ricardo removed his mask right in front of me.

 

My mind filled with question marks.

 

“Why are you taking it off?”

 

“…? Don’t I need to take it off to eat?”

 

“Isn’t the mouth part of the mask supposed to open so you can eat while wearing it?”

 

“That’s a novel idea, but I don’t want to put that much effort into a mask. Being able to drink water is sufficient.”

 

“Are you planning to make me unable to focus on my meal? Is today’s menu particularly delicious?”

 

“What do you mean by that?”

 

“There are things like that.”

 

I needed to focus properly on my meal.

 

This was definitely Ricardo’s scheme.

 

A scheme to show his face so that while I’m admiring Ricardo’s looks, he could sweep away all the delicious food by himself.

 

When I glared at Ricardo with a serious expression, Ricardo looked puzzled as if asking why I was acting this way.

 

Don’t be fooled, don’t fall for it.

 

By that scheming handsome man!

 

Really,

 

glasses would suit him well too.

 

Put glasses on him and then use shadow makeup to make his features even more distinct than they are now.

 

The eye makeup shouldn’t be too heavy either. Just enough to add some depth.

 

If I did that, a gentleness he doesn’t have would melt into Ricardo’s atmosphere.

 

If I build rapport with Ricardo and he becomes a bit more docile, I could try various makeup looks on him… hehehe,

 

“Yeongae? Aren’t you going to eat?”

 

“No, I should eat. Jesuert Youngsik should eat first, then I’ll eat.”

 

“I’ve already eaten.”

 

“Oh, really? Then I should hurry up and eat.”

 

I swallowed while looking at Ricardo instead of the food.

 

What would suit those lips well?

 

A natural red would be safe, but pink would suit a cute image.

 

Ah, but his natural lip color is already pretty, so enhancing that would be nice too!

 

I stared at Ricardo’s lips with sparkling eyes.

 

Ricardo, who had been avoiding my gaze, tapped the table with his index finger.

 

“Ebennain Yeongae, why are you staring at my lips like that? Unless you’re trying to seduce me, I recommend you look away.”

 

At those words, I snapped back to reality.

 

I shifted my gaze to Ricardo’s eyes and blinked.

 

My mind buffered for a moment, then heat rose up and I turned bright red from my neck to my face.

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