Philiana invited me to an event in town.
Everyone’s eyes were sparkling at the many booths, but I wonder what kind of event it was. The items on display were… mainly cosmetics. Lipstick, things to put on your face. I’m not knowledgeable about these things at all, so I don’t really know, but perhaps that’s why there were so many women. As if everyone noticed that, I could see their excitement suddenly drop.
“Huh? I thought it was food? Piyo, I thought it was food!”
“Me too. Haa, let’s go somewhere else.”
Just as Piyo and Nina turned to leave, a voice called out from a nearby booth. A beautiful woman dressed like someone from a department store was smiling, holding her company’s brand of cosmetics. With so many girls around, there was no way she would let them escape easily.
“Hello, would you like to try our new color?”
“No, we’re not really interested in that kind of thing.”
Nina waved her hand lightly and tried to move away. In contrast to her, Philiana’s eyes sparkled. She looked like a child who had found a beautiful gemstone.
“Is this lipstick?”
“Yes, please try it. In addition to our conventional products, we’ve added finer colors that blend more easily with various skin tones.”
Philiana, looking at the samples handed to her, suddenly raised her face as if she remembered something.
“Ah, I, I don’t really use these kinds of things, so…”
She hurriedly tried to hand it back, her face blushing. The shop staff pushed Philiana’s hand back, saying, “That’s not true.”
“It’s a color that’s not too flashy for everyday use. Cream pink would suit you.”
“F-for everyday use? Um, I don’t think that kind of thing suits me. It’s too good for me. People who dress up more should use it. I usually hold a sword…”
Philiana bashfully declined in a rush of words. But the shop staff only tilted her head slightly, seeming not to understand why she was so negative.
“A sword? Then are you an escort? How wonderful! Is makeup forbidden?”
“N-no, um…”
It seemed she was mistaken for a security guard, like a Guard Wing. Perhaps they have them in Centaur too. Philiana, looking troubled, replied “No” in a small voice.
“Then please, please do. Oh, you don’t have to buy anything. The theme of this event is to find a new you, so our goal is for customers to enjoy something different from their usual,”
Was that the theme? I came without knowing anything. As she said that, the shop staff quickly applied lipstick to Philiana’s lips. The subtly colored, soft pink created just the right amount of allure. I was surprised at how much her impression changed just by applying lipstick. And the person most surprised was Philiana herself. She looked in the mirror, her eyes wide.
“How is it? You have a gentle atmosphere, so pastel colors suit you better than strong ones.”
“Eh, ah, yes, it’s certainly different.”
Philiana, who had likely never worn lipstick before, looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled happily.
