Countess Youngae’s Money-Sweeping Makeup Shop - Chapter 89
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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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89
“Welcome.”
As soon as I entered the shop, Juber greeted me with a smile on her face.
Though there was still something chilling about her atmosphere, I smiled brightly following Juber’s lead.
“Hello, Marquis. Please take good care of me today!”
“Of course, I’ll make you the most beautiful in the world.”
While moving to my seat, I checked the people inside the shop.
There were still many people, and they still only looked at Juber with unfocused eyes.
And the existence called ‘Sillia Ebennain’ had become transparent, with no gazes directed toward me.
I felt nervous for no reason.
It felt like if I didn’t keep my wits about me, I would really disappear from this world.
Whew, I took a small deep breath and sat in the seat she guided me to.
Then she started what seemed like skincare, applying something like cream to my face.
I was already a bit annoyed by her doing this without washing her hands, but I pretended not to know anything and spoke with a bright smile.
“I should have come to greet you on the day you opened the shop, I’m sorry.”
“Sorry? I was very worried when I heard about the carriage accident. Yeongae is someone who brings new energy to our social circles.”
“Thank you for worrying about me. I’ll continue working hard to create new winds!”
“…Yes, I’ll look forward to it. I’m curious what kind of new wind you’ll create.”
“Really? Please look forward to it! I’ll have to work my brain even harder to meet your expectations, Marquis!”
Though there were many thorns in her words, I smiled even brighter and more widely as if to show off.
Haha, she’s being sarcastic.
Does she think someone with social experience like me wouldn’t notice?
When dealing with people like this, mixing innocence with the bright eyes of a madman was very effective.
When I stared intently at Juber in the mirror, she stopped trying to make conversation.
Soon she quietly opened what looked like powder compact and dabbed white powder on my face with a cushion…
Then she took out an eyeshadow palette, loaded the brush with lots of shadow, and applied it straight to my face…
Excuse me? Marquis? Aren’t you going to blend it?
While screaming internally, real pain suddenly surged up and this time I had to endure the scream with a smiling face.
My stomach felt strange.
Nauseous, then burning hot
Burning hot, then churning
Churning, then squeezing my organs tightly.
Somehow the pain felt stronger than last time, and the intensity seemed greater too.
I clasped my hands together and maintained my smile.
It would be troublesome if Juber became suspicious seeing my veins bulging.
Whew, I tried to breathe naturally through my small parted lips and swallowed the nausea.
It’s okay, it’s okay.
Brown eyeshadow really doesn’t suit my face, and I want to scream about this brick-colored lipstick, and pink blush on top of this, but it’s okay, it’s okay.
Focusing on the makeup made the pain a little less.
Instead, I was going crazy wanting to fix the makeup.
I tried to understand that Juber was a makeup beginner since you improve by trying different things, but still!
But how can you match everything to autumn warm tones and then suddenly switch to summer cool tone pink! What about harmony? Where did the harmony go!
I thought I absolutely had to prepare recommended combinations with people after this ordeal ended safely.
While internally tearing my hair out and giving advice, the makeup was finished before I knew it.
When Juber asked ‘How is it?’, I looked in the mirror.
It was exactly as Pebello had said.
My skin looked blotchy, and the color makeup didn’t suit my tone so badly I wondered if we were mortal enemies.
Color choice, okay, that can happen. But harmony, what about harmony!
Sentences piling up in my mouth.
While thinking I might collapse from anger before getting brainwashed, I swallowed those sentences.
After suppressing and hiding my bubbling emotions, I looked at Juber and sparkled my eyes like the brainwashed people.
“It’s truly beautiful! I’m amazed by your sense, Marquis. Could you visit our shop next time? I really want to do your makeup!”
I emphasized the word ‘really’ as I stood up from my seat.
Then the corners of smiling Juber’s mouth twitched.
“…Of course. I’ll definitely visit, Yeongae.”
When I went to the counter to pay, the employee refused payment saying it was free.
But I seriously said it wouldn’t be right to receive such beautiful makeup without paying the appropriate price, so the employee glanced at Juber and accepted the gold pouch.
‘Done.’
As soon as I thought the first step had ended safely, pain began rapidly rising from my toes upward with thump thump thump, as if it had been waiting.
My breath stopped for a moment and my legs wouldn’t move.
My spinning head and cold sweat flowing down my forehead made anxiety surge roughly.
If I stayed here any longer, I felt like I would really die.
I need to stay conscious.
I might explode the moment I lose consciousness.
Pressing my palm hard with my thumbnail, I grasped my fading consciousness and greeted Juber.
“Thank you for today, Mar, quis.”
“Yes, be careful going home. Please visit again next time. I’ll be waiting.”
Even the corners of my mouth, which could usually smile easily, felt too heavy.
Still, after forcing a smile, I moved my stone-like feet while feeling sharp heart pain.
Finally reaching the entrance and grasping the door handle, I heard a gentle voice from behind.
“Ebennain Yeongae, if things get difficult, come for consultation anytime. We’re in the same business, aren’t we?”
I never knew the words ‘come for consultation anytime’ could be so chilling.
Even when I was called by professors in college, it wasn’t this bad.
I forcibly turned my stiffly frozen neck.
Though it came with breaking pain as if I had turned something that shouldn’t be turned, I clenched my fists and squeezed out my last strength to smile at Juber.
Just before my legs gave out, I succeeded in opening the door and quickly left the shop to get into the carriage.
I roughly wiped off the makeup with a wet towel I had prepared, even though it would irritate my skin, then chewed and swallowed the medicine I had taken out of the glass bottle before coming.
My heart was pounding in my head and breathing was difficult.
Huff huff, even breathing deeply wasn’t enough oxygen, and when I coughed, nausea surged up, but it just left pain in my throat and went back down repeatedly.
Still, after taking the medicine, my body gradually became more comfortable.
When my breathing somewhat returned, I lowered my head to check the necklace.
The necklace was still glowing blue, so I wondered if evidence had been properly recorded.
Still, with this I had climbed to the top of a high mountain.
I took the carriage a bit further and got off at El’s shop.
After sending the carriage away with word that Ricardo would come pick me up, I changed clothes there and even put on a cloak to hide my identity.
Then I moved with El to the place where I was supposed to meet Lucian.
***
Perhaps because I was with El, as time passed my body became lighter and the pain completely disappeared.
From what El told me while moving, it seemed the dark magic had indeed become stronger than last time.
If it was about 1 before, today it was about 3 times stronger, so it had to be more difficult.
The training I endured with Lucian every morning, bearing the pain, had been worthwhile.
If not for that, by now I would have lost consciousness and exploded in the carriage…
I quickly erased the terrible thought from my head and entered the alley where we met Lucian and Ricardo.
In this ‘Great Brainwashing Liberation Operation’, Lucian and El were the main helpers, and Ricardo was backup to help in place of Lucian if he collapsed.
And this was the alley right behind Juber’s shop and a space created by Lucian.
Being here made us invisible to other people’s eyes.
Because we were precisely in a virtual space.
Even if discovered later, we could just say we were mages from the Magic Tower, which was perfect.
The downside of this plan was that this place was a magical space requiring a lot of Lucian’s mana.
Ricardo was there to cover for that, but the best method was for me to quickly accomplish things according to timing.
I can do this, right? No, I have to do this!
My heart was beating rapidly and my body tensed up.
Whew, as I exhaled, Lucian who had been watching me extended his hand.
“The necklace?”
Looking at his hand, I realized with an “oh right” and handed the necklace to Lucian.
“It stayed blue the whole time. I’m not sure if it worked properly.”
“That’s how it’s supposed to be. If it was obvious, why would they make something like this? What, announce that you’re on an undercover investigation? What an idiot for a boss.”
Tsk tsk, I got annoyed at Lucian clicking his tongue.
How much effort did I put in at that shop!
Still, as Lucian said, that answer would come out with just a little thought, so I couldn’t bring myself to say anything.
After just resolving my frustration with a sigh, I watched Lucian as he examined things here and there.
Soon his orange eyes sparkled, and the blue gem on the necklace changed to an orange light and began pouring out information.
Lucian, who had been scanning through the information, raised an eyebrow.
“…Well, look at this?”
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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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