4: The Artist’s Declaration
Wow, he’s annoying. He’s incredibly annoying.
As I walked toward the kitchen, I had to deal with Kiel constantly watching me, a burdened Lily, and servants who kept peeking at me—either because of Kiel or because they overheard our conversation. This atmosphere is so stressful!
I followed Lily, then abruptly stopped and turned to face Kiel.
“I think that’s enough for your suspicion to be gone.”
“…What? No. It’s not gone. If anything, it makes me more suspicious that you’re not the sister I knew. Who are you?”
Kiel stared blankly for a moment, his eyes meeting mine. He answered a beat too late, his face flushing crimson.
He didn’t seem truly embarrassed. It felt more like he was struggling to show anger. But I couldn’t laugh at Kiel’s reaction. It showed how sharp he was, noticing that Celia had changed. Though, it would be strange if he hadn’t noticed.
When I couldn’t speak easily, that unpleasant, arrogant smile slowly crept onto his face.
“My Lady has lost her memory!”
Before I could say anything, Lily chirped like a chick, shouting as she inserted herself between Kiel and me. At Lily’s words, Kiel let out a confused “Huh?” and slowly blinked his eyes.
A long, silent moment passed in the hallway. In this quiet, I glanced nervously at Lily and Kiel. Should I say something? But what do I have to be afraid of?
I cleared my throat and gave Kiel a sharp look.
“I can barely remember who I am, so I don’t have the energy to worry about you too. My head hurts, and I’m hungry.”
“Why worry? Just act like you usually do.”
“What, you want me to endure insults and eat trashy food?”
“You remember that quite well.”
“You know I just experienced that moment ago.”
“Shouldn’t you be grateful we haven’t kicked you out?”
“Why would I be kicked out?”
Kiel laughed mockingly at my question. He pushed Lily aside and stepped closer to me.
“Tsk!”
He bent his head down, pretending to be a caring brother, and met my eyes.
“Why? Because you’re not part of our family. Don’t you see the difference between you and me?”
Kiel smiled warmly and tapped his own hair. When my gaze went to his hair, he straightened up, as if he didn’t have time to show off his look.
“We’re different. You’re not a blood relative of the Ebennein family. We could ignore it when you were little. But if your hair color is still like that even as an adult, isn’t that the end of it? Look at you now, too! You used magic to completely fix your face!”
Kiel, his face now brimming with confidence, poked my shoulder hard with his index finger, once, twice.
“What Mage raised you? You certainly became good at magic.”
“…Didn’t our parents adopt me anyway? Why are you always taking your anger out on me?”
“Why am I taking it out on you? It’s obvious. It’s because you’re tactless, refusing to leave this mansion on your own. When are you going to get out?”
His cheerful expression instantly dropped, and he stared at me with empty eyes, making me flinch unconsciously.
‘If I back down now, I’m finished.’
At the sentence that flashed through my mind, I clenched my fist hard, then slowly relaxed my hand. I met his eerie gaze directly. When his pink eyes slightly wavered, I didn’t miss the chance. I lifted the corner of my mouth into a triumphant smile.
“When will I leave? I plan on getting you kicked out before me. Is that okay? Do you even have any skills, Brother? I have makeup skills that are mistaken for high-level magic. And you? Reading letters? Isn’t our Lily more competent than that?”
“What is wrong with you? If you’re going crazy, do it quietly! That’s makeup? Don’t make me laugh! You obviously used some kind of magic.”
“Do you really think so? Lily saw me doing my makeup. Shall we ask Lily? Did I mutter any spells or draw any magic circles? Lily, did I use magic?”
Both Kiel and I instantly turned our attention to Lily.
Despite the pressure, Lily forced her eyes open and quickly shook her head.
“My Lady only used the cosmetics she already owned! She did not use any magic at all. Furthermore, My Lady would collapse immediately if she tried to use mana!”
‘What? I’m that weak? I’ve never heard or seen that! Why didn’t you tell me, Lily!’
I stared at Lily, briefly stunned. However, Lily looked back at me with eyes that said, Don’t worry, I’ll be your witness. That’s not the point, Lily!
I quickly recovered and faced Kiel with a deadpan expression.
“Will you believe me now?”
Kiel continued to mouth words, still unconvinced by Lily’s statement, then furrowed his brow again.
“Do you think knowing how to do that ‘makeup,’ or whatever it is, gives you an advantage? After all, Mages control all the power related to appearance and things like that. What can you possibly do?”
“What can I possibly do?”
I took a deep breath, then let out a short, sharp exhale. I shoved Kiel’s chest hard with my palm. Kiel raised his head sharply, glaring at me as if asking, How dare you push me?
“What are you…!”
“I can become the Empire’s best makeup artist. And if our parents acknowledge me, you’ll naturally be forgotten, won’t you?” I cut off Kiel’s words, spoke my mind, and took a step toward him. I saw Kiel flinch and struggle to maintain eye contact with me.
“Makeu… what?”
“Now that all your questions are answered, shouldn’t you leave? If you read one more letter right now and follow me, you won’t be pushed aside by me, will you?”
Even though Kiel was stuttering, I confidently spat out everything that welled up inside me. Satisfied by the feeling of relief, I turned around, took Lily, and continued walking toward the kitchen. I thought I heard some noise behind me, but it was probably just a waste of my time to listen.
The walk to the kitchen after leaving Kiel was peaceful.
Whether Kiel’s pride was wounded or he was genuinely anxious, he didn’t follow us. Thanks to that, all the annoying stares disappeared. Lily, too, stopped being nervous and guided me with a confident expression, shoulders straight like a winner. The servants we passed were desperately avoiding eye contact, as if they were trying not to meet our gaze at all.
I guess causing a ruckus is the only way to make my life comfortable? Maybe for the first time, I’ll appreciate being a nuisance?
…No. Being a nuisance is still too much.
Lost in thought, Lily stopped. I stopped with her and looked at the large door.
Creeeeak.
As the door opened, several servants were inside, eating and laughing. They were eating warm food, while they had given me only cold food.
The sight made me feel strangely emotional. Since I hadn’t eaten, the smell of delicious food made a sudden impulse well up, but I calmly remained standing.
Lily pressed her hands together firmly and spoke with a determined expression.
“Excuse me, we’d like to take some sandwiches.”
“Huh?”
The servants immediately turned their attention to the voice. They briefly exchanged glances, then chuckled.
“Is that for the Lady? Why should we make it?”
“Why not?”
“You haven’t eaten lunch, have you? Did you not like our food?”
Are all these people children?
I watched the situation, then stepped next to Lily.
“If someone asks for food, shouldn’t you just give it to them and complain later? Why are you trying to start an argument?”
The servants shifted their gaze from Lily to me. They all looked at me with wide eyes, clearly surprised. Silence fell over the kitchen, so I sighed deeply and uttered one more remark.
“And I didn’t eat that food because it wasn’t food. What kind of servants serve their master completely cold food?”
“W-Who are you to interfere with us?”
Their voices held fear mixed with annoyance. But their gaze was different from the scornful look I had felt before. They seemed to act boldly only when they thought I was the “real” Celia. They’re acting so impolitely to someone who might not be Celia. This is a Count’s family. They aren’t even a Duke’s family, so why are they so arrogant?
I looked around the room, then nodded my head.
“Do you really need to know who I am? If it gets out that the noble treatment here is this awful, I think you’ll all be fired. No? Your training is clearly lacking.”
At my words, eyes darted around the kitchen. One young man, clearly nervous, squeezed his eyes shut.
“Make it for them. Please wait a moment.”
The kitchen was soon filled with the sound of food being prepared. I listened to the sounds and secretly patted Lily’s back.
I felt strange. The emotion I felt was definitely not happiness. It was a kind of sadness.
Even though I wasn’t the original Celia, the fact that I could so easily stop the harassment directed at her with just a little makeup hurt my heart. In my original world, many people were stressed because others criticized their appearance. They changed themselves according to others’ standards to be considered beautiful.
I always believed that makeup was one way to enhance one’s own individuality. Yet, for most people, it was a defense mechanism—something they did to avoid being criticized by others.
And even here, it seemed I had to do it to be treated like a human, to be acknowledged by others.
I want to change this.
If I can do it in this world where I don’t even have proper cosmetics, can I really change things? If I truly become the Empire’s best makeup artist, can I spread the message that makeup should be something people do for their own happiness, not for others?
