Countess Youngae’s Money-Sweeping Makeup Shop - Chapter 49
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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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49
For the first time in his life, Ricardo felt the sensation of being exhausted to death.
The fact that having a single date was so difficult was just a bonus.
Sillia’s words were right, but also not right.
The work he was assigned was more than he had thought.
Handling calculations and reservations at the counter, guiding early arrivals to the sofa area, and even selling cosmetics.
He wondered how those two had managed to do all this.
Just doing this was exhausting, yet Sillia was doing makeup non-stop without rest.
Not as a partner, but purely as one person to another, he felt respect for her.
Besides his assigned tasks, Ricardo had one more thing to do: introducing himself.
Though unintended, the customers who came to the shop kept talking to him, so he had no choice but to introduce himself.
Of course it was a good thing, but interacting with others with his bare face was something from so long ago that it felt awkward.
At the same time, his energy was being drained, and for the first time he thought about wanting to be alone in the manor for a while.
He couldn’t remember how time had passed.
When he came to his senses, sometimes an hour would disappear, but when he hoped time would pass quickly, he experienced only 5 minutes going by.
Fortunately, even in his frantic state, Ricardo’s ingrained calculation skills didn’t cause any calculation errors.
It was when closing time arrived.
The door opened.
“Welcome. We’re about to close, so makeup right now would be difficult.”
After talking for several hours, the words that had become habit came out.
Then the person who entered the shop laughed and took off her black cloak hood.
When he made eye contact with Helena, Ricardo quickly bowed his head.
“I greet the Empire’s small moon.”
“Oh my, you know who I am. Hmm?”
“I am Ricardo Jesuert, eldest son of the Jesuert Mansion. It’s an honor to meet you.”
“That Jesuert Youngsik? You usually wear only a mask, so I didn’t know you were such a handsome person.”
“Thank you for remembering me.”
“Not at all. I have an appointment with Sillia, so then.”
Helena, who greeted him with a smile, approached where Sillia was.
Just as he was about to give her a heads up since she seemed not to notice Helena while organizing, Sillia forced her tired lips into a bright smile.
“Helena, welcome.”
“Why does your face look so worn out? It seems like today was very difficult. Is it okay to have a lesson?”
“Yes, it’s fine. I haven’t finished organizing yet, so could you sit and wait a little?”
“Of course. Take your time. Don’t overdo it.”
“Thank you for worrying about me.”
As if familiar, she went to sit on the sofa, and Sillia approached Ricardo with a bright smile.
“You can’t run away tomorrow. If you’re going to run away, make sure to hire staff first. You can leave first if you want. I can leave in about 2 hours from now.”
“…Would waiting not be possible?”
“For 2 whole hours?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm, this is a paid lesson so waiting here would be difficult… Ah, if you’re going to wait, wait on the 2nd floor. I’ll call you when it’s over.”
“Understood.”
“I’m asking a bit late, but why are you waiting?”
“If you faint while going alone, that person won’t be able to carry you up.”
“Lili? Lili can carry me. I didn’t know either, but she can even move flour sacks by herself.”
Hearing that, he thought this person called Lili should apply to the Order of Knights, not here.
The question was brief, as Ricardo, who had lost his excuse for waiting for Sillia and was moving his lips, rolled his eyes to the side.
“I can’t go alone. If it’s alright with you, could you just go with me to the carriage?”
“You’d wait 2 hours for that?”
“Yes.”
Even after saying it himself, he found it absurd.
The sun hadn’t even set yet, but he was scared to go alone.
But since no other excuse came to mind, he quietly kept his mouth shut.
Sillia, who looked somewhat languid, stared at Ricardo for a moment then nodded.
“Alright. If it’s okay with you, could you help with the settlement?”
“Understood.”
Though he felt bewildered by Sillia’s easy agreement, he pretended to be calm and started the settlement.
Ricardo, unaware of his current facial expression, kept his head down pretending to be busy.
Because he thought he probably had a strange expression.
Even in that situation, he perfectly completed the settlement and slowly walked to the 2nd floor, briefly capturing Sillia’s image in his eyes.
‘She looked tired earlier.’
Seeing Sillia teaching makeup to Helena, a smile spread on its own.
It seemed she forgot her fatigue when doing what she loved.
Though bittersweet, he felt good seeing Sillia’s smiling face.
He became curious about what kind of expression Sillia would show during the carriage ride back.
Of course, just walking quietly together would be good too.
However, if he had a wish, it would be fine if she didn’t sparkle, but he hoped she would talk about today’s difficulties as if shaking them off.
***
It was unexpected.
He had some speculation that Ricardo would sell fairly well, but he didn’t know he’d be so good at recommendations.
“Do you think this color would suit me? I want to buy this set.”
“Rather than buying just this set alone, how about buying this set together too? I think it would suit you better if used with this color that’s not in that set.”
“Jesuert Youngsik, what do you think would suit me?”
“This set would suit you well.”
The words he blurted out after serious consideration were all correct.
Seeing that he couldn’t recognize my makeup well but was good at recommendations, I could understand why he was in charge of cosmetics sales in the original story.
Still, thinking about it, Ricardo these days seemed to recognize made-up faces to some extent.
Sometimes he even noticed differences from previous makeup.
It was truly remarkable progress.
“Sillia?”
“Ah, sorry. Wow! Your eyeliner drawing skills have improved tremendously compared to last time!”
“Really? Hehe, the practice was worth it.”
“I think we can stop here for today. Tomorrow I’ll teach you how to create clear, defined eyelashes that require concentration.”
“I was really curious about that. Good. You worked hard today too, Sillia.”
“Helena worked hard too.”
I organized the cosmetics, handed them over in a pouch bag, and said goodbye to Helena as she left the shop.
After confirming she had returned by carriage, I pressed firmly on my temples.
As soon as the makeup class ended, fatigue rushed over me immediately.
I wanted to close the door right away and go to the carriage, but I couldn’t just lock Ricardo in the shop and leave…
Wait, should I lock him in? Should I lock him so he can’t escape and just leave?
My dazed mind couldn’t think properly.
I asked Lili, who was beside me, to handle the remaining closing tasks, gave up on the idea of locking him in, and went up to the 2nd floor.
The 2nd floor was quiet.
Well, since he was alone, that was natural.
I approached Ricardo, who seemed to be quietly looking out the window.
“It’s all finished. Let’s slowly go…”
My words stopped.
Perhaps because the work was difficult, Ricardo was sitting on the sofa, asleep.
I should wake him up quickly so we could go, but his peaceful sleeping appearance seemed like something rarely seen.
After all, Ricardo was always either expressionless or showing only flustered expressions.
I stood quietly beside him, watching the scene.
Dark blue hair was spread across the sofa.
His still eyelids and the lips touching them caught my eye.
The small breathing sounds seemed to tickle my heart.
Was he tired enough to faint?
Will he even come tomorrow at this rate?
I was worried he might have collapsed from being sick.
Tomorrow would be incredibly difficult without Ricardo.
Even as I thought that, I felt gratitude mixed with guilt.
Being a young master, Ricardo might have done sword training and such, but wouldn’t he have never done this kind of labor?
I felt like I had unnecessarily dragged him into this and made someone else’s precious son suffer.
Of course, it was something he had volunteered for.
I bent down to match eye level with the sleeping Ricardo.
You have to come tomorrow, Ricardo. You understand, right?
That’s when it happened.
His eyelids trembled slightly.
Then with a nasal sound, his tightly closed eyelids slowly lifted.
“Uh…”
Golden eyes met mine.
Light gradually entered his hazy focus, and I was reflected in them.
His eyes blinked a few times, and Ricardo’s pupils shook.
“Sil, Ria…”
Was he startled? Calling me by name.
I straightened up and looked down at Ricardo.
“It’s finished. Let’s close the shop and go back now.”
“Ah… It’s already that time? I apologize for making you wait, Yeongae.”
“There’s nothing to apologize for. If you don’t find someone tomorrow and just disappear without a word, then that would be something to apologize for!”
When I grinned broadly, Ricardo looked up at me, then soon smiled faintly and got up.
“Yes, understood. Let’s hurry down. I’ll be waiting.”
After nodding, I went down the staircase first, and Ricardo followed me down.
I brought Lili, who had finished closing up, and we left the shop that had been so demanding, locking the door.
I raised my head to look up at the shop once.
I lived earnestly today too.
Good job, Sillia!
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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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