Countess Youngae’s Money-Sweeping Makeup Shop - Chapter 7

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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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7

After walking for about 5 minutes following Felix, we arrived at the village.

“Wow.”

Without realizing it, I let out an exclamation like a child who had come to an amusement park.

Opening my eyes wide and looking around, the village was truly an array of buildings you’d see in an adventure game.

Compared to Korea, the buildings here were relatively low, which gave me a strange feeling.

It was fascinating, but wherever I went, the thought that this was a world from a book gave me an odd sensation.

Oh right.

This wasn’t the time to be admiring things.

I stopped looking around and stared up at Felix intently.

“Do you know where the art supply shop is?”

“It’s over there for now, but what’s with the brushes and dyes you’ve been looking for since earlier?”

“This is also preparation for proving my abilities.”

Felix pointed to a building with a bewildered expression.

That building looked really old.

Even from a distance, you could tell it had aged with time.

But that was actually good.

It would be perfect if the shop owner was also old.

Because that would mean they’d been running the art supply shop for a long time and knew a lot about art materials.

I immediately headed toward the art supply shop.

As I walked without saying anything, Felix hurriedly followed behind me, looking surprised.

“Ria, slow down a bit!”

***

Ding-a-ling.

“Welcome.”

Along with the clear sound of a bell, a middle-aged man’s voice could be heard.

I turned my gaze toward that sound.

There was a middle-aged man organizing art supplies.

I glanced at the man briefly, then looked around.

Since it would be awkward to just ask and leave right away, I looked around for brushes I could use.

The art supply shop was small but well-stocked.

Brushes of various sizes, paints of different colors, canvases, ink, and so on.

It didn’t look much different from a modern art supply shop.

Felix, who was a step behind, entered quite noisily.

“Ria, what if we got separated because you went ahead without me?”

His loud voice filled the art supply shop and drew both my and the middle-aged man’s attention at once.

Felix looked around nervously, then cleared his throat and approached me.

Then he bowed his head, covered my ear with the back of his hand, and whispered quietly.

“So are you really not going to tell me why we came here?”

I only rolled my eyes slightly to glance at Felix sideways.

After letting out a deep sigh, I continued speaking gently.

“I’m here to buy things I need for makeup.”

“But why did you come here? Are you planning to put paint on your face?”

I lightly ignored Felix, who kept chattering and talking to me from the side, and examined the brushes.

Since brushes surprisingly determine the quality of makeup.

Ones to use as lip brushes, for blusher, powder, eyeliner…

“Why are you buying so many brushes? Aren’t they all the same?”

“They’re different.”

“They are different!”

Huh?

Who just spoke at the same time as me…?

I turned my head to look at the person who had spoken simultaneously with me from beside me.

The middle-aged man, who I had assumed was the shop owner, was looking at me and Felix with an “oops” expression.

“Ahem, I’m sorry for suddenly butting in. Is there something you’re looking for?”

Looking embarrassed, the man covered his mouth with one hand and cleared his throat, then gave an awkward smile.

This is a chance to ask!

I looked at the man while tightly gripping the brush.

“Hello. I’ve been wanting to ask you something. Do you happen to know about dyes?”

“Pardon? Dyes, you mean?”

“Yes. Among the dyes used in paints, I’m looking for dyes made from plants, so I was wondering what colors are available.”

The man thought about my words for a moment, then went to a shelf in the corner and brought out a wooden box.

“Usually everyone looks for paints, so I don’t display them separately, but I do have dyes. Small quantities, though. Would you like to see them if that’s alright?”

“Yes, of course!”

I approached the counter desk and looked at the dyes the man was showing me.

There were more colors than I expected.

Red and yellow, orange, green and blue, and so on…

Almost every color was there.

This should be enough, right?

“But they’re a bit pricey. I keep them mostly as collector’s items.”

The man looked at me with a worried expression.

Ah.

Come to think of it, I didn’t bring any money.

Unfortunately, I’ll have to come back tomorrow to buy them.

The village didn’t feel that far away anyway.

I was sighing regretfully when…

“But may I ask why you need these things?”

“Pardon?”

The man’s eyes swept over everything from the brushes I was holding to the dyes.

Though no words followed, he had an expression as if he wanted to hear something.

Did he hear our conversation earlier?

Is he interested in makeup?

I paused for a moment, then gave a business smile.

“I want to research makeup.”

“Makeup, you say. Don’t you not need these current materials for makeup?”

“Rather than current makeup methods, I want to do makeup that suits me.”

“Is there such a makeup method? I’ve always only seen the usual things, so it’s hard for me to imagine.”

“Yes, of course.”

I took off the hat I had been wearing.

The man’s eyes widened when he saw my face.

Silence fell over the art supply shop.

But that silence didn’t feel negative.

The man, who had been moving his lips, soon closed them as if he had made a decision and smiled.

“If you need them, you can take them today and pay me later.”

“Pardon? I could just run away with these, you know.”

“Are you going to run away?”

“Oh, no.”

“I don’t know much about makeup. But I feel like you, miss, will bring wonderful changes to the art of makeup.”

At the man’s words, I blinked.

You said the dyes were expensive, but is it okay to just give them away like this?

Before I could even say “But still,” the man, as if reading my mind, put the dyes in a paper bag and handed them to me.

“I believe that the most regrettable future in the world is one where a genius cannot change it due to lack of money. You can pay me after you succeed in the future.”

I stared at the paper bag, then looked at the young man.

The young man shrugged as if asking whether I wasn’t going to take it.

I hesitantly reached out my hand, carefully placed the brushes in the paper bag, and held it preciously in my arms.

“Still, I’ll bring the money soon. If I can’t come, I’ll send someone to deliver it! This kind of thing needs to be settled properly. If you tell me the price, I’ll bring it.”

I put my hat back on and smiled brightly, but my heart spread a sensation like waves rippling inside.

My heart pounded as various expectations about a future that hadn’t yet occurred flashed through my mind.

All because of one word from the art supply shop owner.

Having somewhat calmed my emotions, I bowed to the young man and took steps to leave the art supply shop.

“Hey, be careful…!”

Thud.

At the same time I heard Felix’s voice, I bumped into something.

It was rather soft to be a wall or door.

When I opened my eyes to check, it seemed I had bumped into a person.

I couldn’t properly identify who it was because of my hat.

All I could see were black pants, a dark navy cloak, and what appeared to be a wolf emblem embedded on the chest.

“I’m, sorry…”

Before I could confirm any other features, that person passed by me and walked into the art supply shop.

When that person moved away, I could see the door in front of me.

I shouldn’t stay in front of the door for long.

Seeing the door, I followed it out of the art supply shop without checking on the other person.

***

Felix, who had followed me out, was clutching his heart and breathing heavily only after the door closed.

“Haah, haah, hah…”

“Why are you suddenly acting like that?”

“Why am I acting like this! The person you just bumped into was Jesuert Yeongseok. I really couldn’t breathe because of the atmosphere, but you came out just fine?”

“Jesu… what? Jetsuit?”

“Are you crazy?”

Felix quickly covered my mouth and looked around.

By the time I saw sweat dripping from his forehead, Felix’s hand fell away from my mouth.

“Jesuert Yeongseok. Do you know what could happen if you mispronounce a ducal family name? You can’t just carelessly call it whatever.”

Huh? That sounds familiar somehow?

I touched my chin and pondered for a moment, but since no hint immediately came to mind, I gave up thinking about it.

If it’s important, I’ll remember it later anyway.

For now, since I bought what I needed, I should help Felix with his shopping…

“Buy honey! Sweet honey for sale!”

Oh, they sell honey here too.

…Honey?!

You mean honey that’s good for soothing and moisturizing?

As soon as that thought occurred to me, I headed toward that shop.

Naturally assuming that Felix would follow.

“…Huh.”

Why did I naturally assume Felix would follow?

While examining the honey, I sighed because it wasn’t the acacia honey I had in mind, and checked if Felix had followed.

But when I looked around, Felix had already disappeared.

“Haha, well this is…”

If I had a cell phone, it would be fine since we could meet up later, but there are no cell phones here!

Going back doesn’t seem like a good idea either, in case we miss each other.

Should I just go straight for now?

If I keep going straight, I’ll probably come across a park or something.

Just standing still on a street like this would be a nuisance too.

I clenched my fist and walked along the road.

The village was selling a really wide variety of things.

From food to various accessories, weapons, and clothes.

While looking around, I stopped abruptly in front of one shop.

‘Sichel Clothing Store’

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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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