Chapter 16: The Makeup Artist
When the young girl saw Night Lan, she seemed surprised and tried to say something, but couldn’t quite manage it.
Night Lan stood up with a blank mind, forgetting what she was supposed to say.
They stared at each other for a while before Night Lan finally remembered what to say.
“Uh… Hi?”
Hearing that soft greeting, the girl’s body trembled slightly. She cautiously asked, “Excuse me… Are you a noble? Why are you here? The performance starts tonight. If you want to watch it, you can come back later.”
“Oh? Thank you for the information.”
Night Lan’s eyes lit up. Suddenly, she realized that communication really was the best way to get info.
Now she knew there was gonna be a show tonight.
So she could come back in the evening.
She could chill in the little cabin till then without any problems.
But the problem was, this era had no internet or modern tech, making it really hard to k*ll time.
Rather than rotting away in the cabin, she decided to explore around a bit.
Actually, waiting until night wasn’t so bad since time was running out anyway.
While Night Star Lan was lost in thought, the girl spoke again.
“Excuse me… Are you a noble?”
She had asked this earlier, but Night Lan had subconsciously ignored it.
This time, however, Night Lan paid attention.
“Nope, I’m just a cute person.”
“Phew! Gave me a scare. I thought you were a noble. If you talk wrong, they might think you’re being disrespectful. Nobles are super scary…”
Knowing the girl wasn’t a noble, the young girl seemed relieved.
Then, naturally, the girl introduced herself.
“Hi, I’m Night Sakura Mirror. I’m a makeup artist. I do all the stage makeup. What brings you here tonight?”
“I’m here to see the show.”
“The show starts later tonight.”
“Then I’ll wait.”
Night Lan started daydreaming. Not really paying attention to the conversation.
Then, Night Sakura Mirror suddenly asked, “Are you sure you’re not a noble?”
She seemed genuinely curious.
“Nope. Just a normal person,” Night Lan replied, without annoyance.
“But your vibe doesn’t seem like a normal person. You seem more like a noble. Only they have extra time to spend watching shows.”
“So maybe I like watching them?” Night Lan tilted her head sideways.
This made Night Sakura Mirror pause.
“Yeah, liking something can really simplify things. If you truly like the show, nothing will stop you.”
“Yep, that makes sense,” Night Lan agreed.
Once she decides on something, nothing stops her.
Then Night Sakura Mirror carefully said, “Can I ask you a favor?”
“What? What is it?”
Night Lan wasn’t keen on agreeing.
The girl was a stranger.
Even if she looked nice and approachable.
Night Lan wasn’t some giddy loli who couldn’t refuse any pretty girl’s request.
Her cautious and level-headed nature came from deep within her soul.
She generally rejected strangers’ requests.
Because she didn’t know them well enough.
At least a solid eight-tenths familiarity was needed before even considering.
So she listened to what the girl requested.
“Can I do your makeup?”
“Huh? Why?”
Night Lan was stunned.
She hadn’t expected that kind of request.
And Night Sakura Mirror explained.
“Because you’re cute. I want to make you even cuter. More makeup can help achieve that. From where I stand, you look natural. Your aura and looks are quite striking. My hobby is makeup. It’s incredibly satisfying to work on someone beautiful and cute. That’s my reason.”
“Uh huh~”
Night Lan felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment.
If she didn’t have principle, she’d have agreed.
“Cough cough, sorry, but because I’m so cute, I can’t hand over my face to someone I just met. We haven’t built initial trust yet, so it won’t work.”
Hearing Night Lan’s response, Night Sakura Mirror seemed disappointed but didn’t push it.
“Sorry, I should’ve known better.”
“That’s fine, it’s good you understand.”
Then, Night Lan thought of something and asked, “Do you know about the Rising Sun Theatre Group?”
Yes, Night Lan wanted to find out about the group.
Having met someone she could talk to normally, she had to ask.
But her question caught Night Sakura Mirror off guard.
“Rising Sun Theatre Group? Sure, it’s a small group performing tonight. Their leader is a fun old man. Tonight I’ll be doing their makeup. Plus, I’ve been doing their makeup long enough, I’m practically a semi-official member.”
“Wow!”
Night Lan’s eyes brightened. She realized this theater thing was the right choice!
Since the girl knew the Rising Sun Group, she could ask lots of questions.
“I’m actually a fan of the Rising Sun Theatre. I love their performances. Can you tell me more?”
“Is that so? Rare to find fans of the Rising Sun Group. Most who come are nobles killing time. Even if the show is amazing, it’s just a minor distraction to them. Fast forgotten once newer stuff comes along. I don’t remember many people like you, coming to the theater way ahead of time.”
“But really? That bad?”
Night Lan vaguely remembered she came to witness the glory of the Rising Sun Group. It shouldn’t be so bleak.
Maybe the group had no popularity during this period?
Nodding, Night Sakura Mirror explained, “We’re not yet mainstream. Many regular folk ignore stage shows. Mostly a pastime for the rich. Sometimes not even appreciated. That’s the reality.”
“Oh snap…?”
Seems it’s more complicated than Night Lan imagined.
Perhaps she picked an awkward time?
Suddenly, she didn’t know what to say.
But if she’s coming anyway, no stopping her tonight.
“I guess where are the group members now?”
“Most are resting at a nearby pub. To build energy for tonight’s show. Soon I’ll join them to do the makeup.”
“Can you take me to see them from afar?”
Night Lan wasn’t ready for direct contact.
A quick glimpse would be fine.
After all, it was just curiosity getting the better of her.
