Chapter 160: How Women Become Beautiful

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Lately, Sugar had been dreaming more often. It seemed to have started after the trials.

But the atmosphere of those dreams was so contradictory that Sugar felt like she was losing her mind.

Compared to the sticky, lust-filled nightmare from before, this one was so unsettling she didn’t even want to describe it.

A nightmare incomparable to the trials of the cult.

To summarize it simply—a dream where Sugar eventually ends up alone.

Waking up in tears from that sinking feeling left her hollow. She was sick of dreams. Frustrated, she took it out on her pillow.

Now wasn’t the time for this. She couldn’t afford to be trapped in the foam of a single night’s delusions. There was too much to think about.

Finding ingredients for the Saint’s Water.

Deciphering the Evil God’s message: “Break through the wall.”

And the whereabouts of the other heretic who had come to Steele that day.

She had heard that a sudden black serpent had swallowed them whole, then swallowed itself, vanishing without a trace.

What was that serpent’s master up to? Were they still on her side? A chill ran through her chest.

That woman had always been inscrutable.

And beyond that—there was so much more to do.

She had to uncover the cult’s plans and stop them, help her friends, bring back a friend’s family and protect people. Stay strong, keep pushing forward. Never stop thinking, keep making plans, keep moving and acting.

She had to.

…

Honestly.

Sometimes, she felt exhausted.

When she lay alone in the dark, feeling as if someone was watching, holding her breath and replaying it all in her mind.

There was too much holding onto the person called Sugar. Countless hands tangled around her, refusing to let go.

The fate she had carried since childhood, her damned constitution—it was all too heavy.

And yet, her strong sense of responsibility drove her to whip herself forward, only to be crushed under the weight.

She sank deeper, pulled into the mire. The more she struggled, the further her body was dragged down, the mud and water swallowing her ankles, then creeping up to her head.

She couldn’t breathe.

She thrashed.

Help me.

Even if she reached out, no one would grab her—

—I came to save you, Sugar.

“…”

Salvation reached her.

Words like magic.

When she stretched her hand toward the voice, a small, delicate hand eagerly clasped hers.

A slightly sweaty but determined hand. A hand warm with life.

Before she knew it, that hand had grown large enough to fully engulf hers, pulling her out of the swamp and into an embrace.

A comforting scent that calmed her heart. Arms holding her tight. The sound of a heartbeat thudding against her.

Everything was perfect.

All of this was Sugar’s world. The life built for her by him. Her story.

‘…I have to keep going.’

Strength returned on its own and she could breathe again.

Finishing her thoughts, Sugar quietly rose from the bed. Wiping away her tears, she smiled as usual—radiantly beautiful. A figure reminiscent of a fluttering spring breeze. The smile of the woman one man cherished most in this world.

The nightmare was over. Now was the time to act.

Today, too, she would march forward with courage.

***************

A letter had arrived.

Shaking off her gloom, she took a brisk shower, only to find a letter slipped through her window when she returned.

The sender was Professor Trace. She hadn’t checked the contents yet. Tucking the letter into her pocket, she headed toward the infirmary.

After storming out of the ward yesterday, facing him again felt awkward. Was it because her desires—no, not that!—had been exposed? Shame and fear made her hesitate about going today.

But since the professor had sent a letter, she had no choice but to visit, right?

It wasn’t just a casual greeting, was it?

Wouldn’t it be better to check it together?

Not that she needed an excuse to see him.

What a tangled mess of a girl.

For some reason, she was sweating. She dabbed her face with a handkerchief. The Holy City maintained a constant temperature year-round, so even summer should’ve been cool.

She hurried toward the infirmary but suddenly stopped. Since it was attached to the cathedral, it wasn’t far. She’d be there in no time.

“…”

Standing in front of the building, she looked up at the floor where Riley was.

After a long pause, she abruptly turned away. It wasn’t that she had changed her mind—she just wanted to prepare a little.

She didn’t know why she felt this way. Was it because of today’s nightmare? The lustful dream from before? The kiss? Or maybe that damned woman?

It had nothing to do with any of that!

With an unreadable expression, Sugar headed toward the commercial district instead. Despite being a religious city, it also served as a tourist hub—it had everything.

Glancing around as she walked, she entered a shop she had seen in passing before.

The moment she stepped in, a fragrance hit her—this was unmistakably a store for women.

“Welcome! Can I help you find something?”

“Ah, um, well. I-I just want to look around for a bit…”

“Of course. Let me know if you need anything.”

Stammering, she waved off the clerk. Places like this always made her stiffen.

‘A space for women!’, ‘A place full of women!’ Unused to such environments, she felt like a teenage girl nervously buying makeup or lingerie for the first time. She could brush off trends with disinterest, but when it came to herself, it was different.

Well, it was her first time doing this.

Had she ever cared about makeup before? She knew her face was pretty without it, and even if it weren’t, she wouldn’t have bothered. Maybe it was her past life’s influence or maybe she was just lazy.

Sugar’s makeup routine was as follows:

1. Apply toner after washing her face.
2. Apply lotion.
3. Look cute.

Three simple steps!

And yet, here she was, stepping into a cosmetics store for the first time. Following her lingerie venture, this was tremendous progress.

‘I’m just here for lip balm. My lips have been dry lately.’

Cool as she played it off in her mind, her movements were awkward. The shop’s bright lights, the dazzling array of products—just looking at them was overwhelming.

Sugar hunched her shoulders slightly as she stepped into the lip products aisle. Truthfully, she had no idea what she was looking at and ended up wandering aimlessly for a while.

‘Why are there so many…?’

Rows of sleek, black lipstick cases stood in perfect order.

Her gaze flicked away almost immediately, landing instead on the lip balms tucked in a corner. Some had color, some didn’t. She alternated between the two, agonizing over the choice for a long while.

But maybe neither suited her. She set them back down and glanced to the side—where her eyes had been subtly lingering this whole time.

The display beneath the lipsticks.

Glossy, shimmering lip glosses lined up in a dazzling array, gleaming like jewels, luring people in.

Except the promotional text was… questionable.

-A shine that beckons for kisses-

“W-w-wait, they can put slogans like this in the Holy City? Isn’t this too indecent?”

Her hands trembled slightly as she approached. She should probably report this to Ian, she thought.

But first, she needed to verify it herself.

She picked one up at random. The sheer variety of colors made her head spin.

‘Baby Pink… Coral Pink… Fuchsia Pink… Cherry Pink… What is this, a magic incantation…?’

Not all pinks were the same. At least the tube colors varied enough to tell them apart.

Darker shades, lighter ones. warm tones and cool tones. She could roughly grasp the differences.

“…”

She stared for a long time.

She wasn’t particularly wondering what color he might like.

Nor was she considering which one suited her.

“Do you like that one?”

“Eeek!”

“Hmm, you have such nice natural lip color that I think lighter shades would suit you better. I’d recommend this one, this one, and this one. Feel free to try them.”

Flustered, Sugar accepted the suggestions. Maybe because she’d been staring too long, the clerk had slipped over to offer advice before disappearing again.

Sugar looked down at the long, smooth glass tubes in her hand. Each one was a cute, undeniably girly shade of pink.

‘I wasn’t planning on buying anything…’

This was troublesome. She had only been inspecting them to confirm the inappropriate slogan—something that shouldn’t be allowed in the Holy City. That was all.

“…”

Dazedly, she twisted open the lip gloss. A sweet strawberry scent wafted out. Opening it further revealed a soft applicator brush coated in a viscous pink liquid.

Well, the clerk had gone out of their way to help. Trying it once wouldn’t hurt. She was here, after all. It was all part of the experience.

Holding the lip gloss, she stood in front of the mirror attached to the display.

‘Do I just apply it like lip balm…?’

She dabbed a bit onto her lower lip, then pressed her lips together.

“Ah…”

A glossy sheen quickly spread across her lips, shining like peach candy. The color wasn’t too bold, giving a natural look.

She pouted her lips, then shaped them into an “O.” Every little movement made her plump lips stand out even more, unbearably adorable.

“…”

Before she knew it, she was staring blankly at her reflection. She couldn’t tear her eyes away. Her lips looked like they were coated in sweet honey, the faint strawberry scent rising subtly. Like something tempting, a forbidden fruit.

-A shine that beckons for kisses-

Her heart pounded for some reason. Her cheeks flushed so deeply she didn’t need blush.

Who wouldn’t find her shyly fluttering lashes and soft, lowered brows utterly endearing?

Her dewy eyes sparkled with affection for just one person—could any gemstone shine brighter?

There’s no special secret to why women become beautiful. They just need to hold a single emotion in their heart.

Nothing is stronger, more beautiful, or deeper than a woman lost in that feeling.

“…Excuse me—”

Mustering her courage, she called out. She figured there was no harm in buying one of these. But just as she was about to summon the clerk—

“Ah, that’s not how you apply it.”

A scent she did not want to recognize.

The presence behind her, the sweet perfume mixing with the strawberry aroma—Sugar’s expression twisted instantly.

“Let me see for a second.”

“What are you—”

“Hold still.”

Natasha grabbed Sugar’s chin and tilted it up. Sugar was about to protest, but when a makeup sponge touched her lips, she froze.

Then, with surprising gentleness, Natasha wiped around her lips.

“The upper lip line. If it smudges, it looks weird. Be careful not to go past the corners. There, done.”

“…”

Looking in the mirror again, it did look better than before. Neater.

“…Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it. First time trying this, huh?”

“I’ve never worn makeup before…”

Sugar proudly—yet somehow bashfully—showed off her lovely face as she added,

“But you seem really skilled, Natasha. Impressive.”

The knight’s eyes twitched. Then, with a sigh, she grinned.

“Thanks for the compliment. Since we ran into each other, wanna grab tea? I’ll be done shopping soon.”

Sugar thought of the letter in her pocket. Of her family waiting at the infirmary.

Then she looked ahead. At the tall, sun-burned knight standing before her like a stubborn pole.

“Sure, why not?”

A little time wouldn’t hurt.