Countess Youngae’s Money-Sweeping Makeup Shop - Chapter 37

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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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37

 

Haha.

 

Goodness, it’s really hard to live kindly.

 

No, it’s not. What fault do children have? It’s the adults who put a price on such things who are wrong.

 

Even thinking that way, when I remembered the hairpin Lili had put in my hair earlier, I felt like I was going crazy from the waste.

 

I tried hard to maintain a calm expression, pretending it wasn’t precious, pretending it didn’t matter.

 

But that seemed quite difficult, as Ricardo gently stroked the side of my hair.

 

“It wasn’t good.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“Has this young man gone mad?”

 

The middle-aged woman beside me spoke exactly what I was thinking.

 

When I turned my head to look at her face, the woman was looking at Ricardo with a truly incredulous expression.

 

“Everything looks good on this young lady! Where does a guard knight get off telling a precious young lady that something is ‘not good’? What if she was fond of that hairpin!”

 

“Guard…”

 

“Pfft.”

 

I quickly covered my mouth with one hand to stop the laughter that was about to burst out.

 

Since he was only wearing a cloak borrowed from our manor and a mask, it seemed no one saw Ricardo as a noble.

 

And with a woman in a dress walking around beside him, a guard, pfft!

 

Ricardo must have never heard such words in his life, as his hand that was stroking my hair froze in place.

 

“Miss, no matter how much you like the knight, this one doesn’t seem right. If you must find a lover, please look for someone else.”

 

She turned her head and spoke to me with a serious expression.

 

A lover? The laughter I had suppressed came bubbling up again.

 

I was giggling without realizing it and about to wave my hands in denial when Ricardo suddenly interrupted.

 

“Is it wrong to tell the young lady when something doesn’t suit her? Couldn’t I just find something that suits her better and give it as a gift?”

 

“Oh my.”

 

At his words, spoken carelessly without any tremor, my laughter disappeared.

 

You can’t just deny it like that!

 

I felt heat rushing to my face for no reason.

 

After stammering with my lips, I suddenly came to my senses and awkwardly laughed while stepping in front of Ricardo.

 

“Ha, ahaha! What lover, I don’t have such thoughts, ma’am! Really.”

 

“Is that so? You seem old enough to marry already, haven’t your parents introduced you to any suitors?”

 

“It’s because I’m here.”

 

Ricardo, who had been behind me, naturally bent his waist so his voice resonated near my ear.

 

I flinched greatly without realizing it and turned my head to meet Ricardo’s eyes.

 

“Huh.”

 

Our lips almost touched if I made a wrong move!

 

I immediately pushed Ricardo’s face away.

 

Whether he stumbled or not! Why is he really acting like that!

 

We haven’t even known each other for a year, you know?

 

“We! Are not! That kind of relationship!”

 

I suddenly spoke as if shouting loudly, and all the surrounding gazes turned toward us.

 

I fixed my shaking pupils on the oil and pointed at the oil bottle with jerky movements.

 

“This, th-this. Oil, olive, lavender, natural!”

 

“Natural oil, you say?”

 

Nod nod nod!

 

As I moved my head earnestly, the woman kindly explained about the oil.

 

Then she pressed three natural oils into my hand, telling me to try them and buy in bulk if they were good, and laughed heartily.

 

***

 

“Why did you do that earlier?”

 

On the way back to the carriage while holding the paper bag, I glared at Ricardo.

 

I cooled my still faintly burning cheek with the back of one hand.

 

When Ricardo’s gaze turned toward me, my eyes rolled to the side as if frightened.

 

“I did it because I disliked it.”

 

“What did you say?”

 

“I disliked being treated the same as other knights, and I disliked the idea of you being married off like you’re being sold.”

 

That matter-of-fact tone shook my heart.

 

Why? Why do you dislike it?

 

Could it be…

 

I moved my trembling lips.

 

“Why do you dislike me being married off like I’m being sold?”

 

“Because it’s pitiful.”

 

Ah.

 

What was I thinking again!

 

I couldn’t have been more ashamed of myself for having such strange thoughts alone.

 

He’s the guy who didn’t give a single glance to that woman ‘Berry’ even when he was earning so much money.

 

Once my rapidly beating heart knew the reason, it slowly began to slow down.

 

Ricardo’s steps stopped in front of a building on our way back to the carriage.

 

A jewelry shop?

 

Why did we come here?

 

Before I could ask the reason, Ricardo went inside, so I had no choice but to follow him into the jewelry shop.

 

“Welcome.”

 

Ricardo just nodded at the young woman’s greeting and stopped in front of the glass display case.

 

“I’d like to see hairpins.”

 

“Hairpins, you say? Just a moment.”

 

The employee looked at me thoughtfully, then brought hairpins that were hidden inside rather than the ones in the display case.

 

Those hairpins definitely looked more luxurious and expensive.

 

Ricardo’s gaze swept over the hairpins.

 

Then, with his gaze stopping abruptly, he picked one up with his hand and held it against my hair.

 

After pausing as if thinking for a moment, he put the hairpin back down.

 

“Yeongae, this hairpin is better than the previous one.”

 

The hairpin Ricardo had touched had a rectangular gem embedded in it, just like the hairpin I had worn before.

 

The difference was that this one had a clear golden gem like Ricardo’s eye color, not a red gem.

 

And around the large gem were small silver gems, probably diamonds.

 

It was definitely prettier than before, but doesn’t it not match my current outfit?

 

I was tilting my head when it happened.

 

“Ria?”

 

Along with the sound of the door opening, I heard a familiar voice.

 

“This is Felix…?”

 

When I turned my head, I saw Felix as I expected.

 

“Ah, it really is you? …Huh.”

 

Felix made eye contact with Ricardo beside me, blinked, then slowly approached and greeted him.

 

“Hello, Jesuert Youngsik. …We’ve been meeting quite frequently lately.”

 

The words that followed were strangely sharp.

 

Do you dislike me being with Ricardo so much, you fool! I need to make new friends too!

 

When I glared at Felix sharply, he flinched and made a slightly sulky expression.

 

Huh? Why is he acting like that? What did he do right to make that expression?

 

“Yes, we meet frequently. Gaderid Youngsik.”

 

I wondered whether Ricardo, who was responding to that, was oblivious or being considerate.

 

As soon as Felix finished greeting, he came to the opposite side where Ricardo wasn’t and examined the hairpins.

 

“You’re buying a hairpin? Did you pick one you like?”

 

“You must have come to buy something too, Yeongae. Is it alright to spend time like this? Time is money.”

 

“Yes, it’s fine. And why would this time be a waste? You’re my precious friend and partner. So? Ria, what are you looking at?”

 

If you’re going to fight, go outside and fight, you bastards!

 

Why are you dragging me into this?

 

Felix, you used to run away leaving me behind, so why are you suddenly sticking by my side?

 

Glancing back and forth.

 

After looking between the two of them alternately, I pushed both their chests with my hands to create distance.

 

“Now, now. Stop it! I like this one.”

 

I smiled brightly and pointed to a flower hairpin made of red gemstones.

 

“Then we can buy it right now-”

 

“But I don’t want to get robbed again, so I don’t want to buy it now! Next time!”

 

I cut off Felix who was about to speak as if asking what the problem was, and clapped my hands together.

 

Both of them blinked their eyes.

 

Whatever.

 

I smiled with my eyes as if telling them to disperse now.

 

But perhaps the meaning was misunderstood, as Felix smiled and pointed to another hairpin.

 

It was a hairpin embedded with blue gemstones.

 

“If that was your concern, you should have said so. Ria, how about this one? This suits your current outfit better.”

 

What are you talking about, Felix.

 

Your choice is worse than Ricardo’s.

 

You should think about harmony.

 

Why suddenly blue with white and red?

 

I should go to Felix’s estate right now and thank whoever picks out Felix’s clothes.

 

I said I’m not buying anything today!

 

When I let out a deep sigh, Felix patted my shoulder.

 

“I’ll send that hairpin along with this one to the manor so you won’t get robbed.”

 

“No, it’s fine-”

 

“If you unconditionally pick everything saying it’s all pretty, it becomes excessive and chaotic.”

 

“…Excuse me?”

 

“It might be different for the dresses Ebennain Yeongae usually wears, but such colors don’t suit today’s outfit.”

 

“Usually, you say.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Twitch twitch.

 

Are they going to fight again? Over that damn hairpin.

 

Anyone listening would think they’re having a love quarrel.

 

I squeezed my eyes shut, then clenched my fists and trembled.

 

Huff,

 

“Neither suits me, so both of you be quiet!”

 

I shouted loud enough to echo through the shop, making everyone fall silent and look at me.

 

I exhaled my remaining breath and inhaled again, preparing to pour out my words.

 

“Now, let me tell you again? I don’t want to buy anything today, I don’t want my accessories to increase anymore, you both are really bad at color selection so they don’t match today’s outfit, and if you want to buy them so badly, then buy them.”

 

Seeing their expressions brighten at my latter words, I smiled filled with anger and irritation to teach them the lesson of listening to people until the end.

 

“If you buy them, I’ll prettily stick those hairpins in both your heads, so feel free to buy them!”

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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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