Chapter 18: System Quest: Become a Beauty Model!
I might be stingy when it came to myself, but I didn’t want to hold back when it came to tipping the people who had helped me.
"Oh, my ... Young Madam, I can’t accept this." He immediately tried to hand the money back to me. "The Young Master already pays my wage generously."
No matter how many times I tried to insist, he refused every single time. In the end, I gave up and promised to treat him to coffee instead.
When I arrived back at the mansion, I saw Henry standing at the front door. His eyes widened slightly when he saw my new appearance, For a second, he just stood there in silence, completely forgetting to greet me until I spoke first.
"Good evening, Henry. I didn’t expect you to still be awake at this hour."
I glanced at my phone and saw that it was already 10 p.m.
Henry cleared his throat, quickly pulling himself back into his usual professional composure. "I couldn’t rest properly until I knew you had returned safely, Young Madam." He hesitated for a moment, then added with a faint smile, "The salon seems to have done a wonderful job."
I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face. "Yes! They really do have magic hands." Then, with a bit of hope in my voice, I asked, "Has Mr. Brixton returned yet?"
"Ah, the Young Master had to leave for a trip out of town tonight," Henry replied politely. "He’ll be back tomorrow."
I let out a soft sigh, feeling a little disappointed that I wouldn’t be able to show off my new hair to him. But I knew he was a busy man, so I didn’t let myself expect too much.
"Anyway, Henry, I have an appointment tomorrow at ten. Could you ask someone to wake me up at seven?"
Henry gave a short nod. "Of course, Young Madam."
After wishing him good night, I slipped back into my room. The staff at Rosélle Beauty had told me not to wear makeup for tomorrow’s audition, so I hadn’t bought any new products yet. Maybe I’d pick some up afterward.
I sighed. No matter how much I wanted to save money, there was no way to cut down on expenses for makeup and skincare, especially since Helcia barely owned anything to begin with.
I just hoped I’d land a good contract deal tomorrow.
The second my head touched the pillow, sleep claimed me. The day had been far too long, and my body had no patience left for anything else.
When I opened my eyes again, sunlight was already streaming through the curtains, and a firm knock came at my door.
"Young Madam, it’s already seven o’clock," a woman’s voice called from outside, probably a housemaid Henry had assigned to wake me up.
I sat up at once and padded to the door. "I’m awake now," I said with a smile. "Thank you for waking me."
The maid returned my smile. "Do you need help getting ready?"
I shook my head. "I’m good. Thank you for offering, though." Then I asked, "Has Mr. Brixton returned this morning?"
She shook her head. "No, Young Master hasn’t returned yet. Most likely he’ll be back this afternoon, or before dinner."
"Oh ... I see. He really is busy," I murmured.
"The Young Master is a very hardworking man, so you’ll find he rarely comes home," the housemaid reassured me. "But don’t worry, Young Madam. He has instructed us to take care of all your needs. If you need anything, just tell us."
I let out a soft sigh and nodded.
Good thing I only married him because of an arrangement. If I had married him for love, I’d probably be miserable barely seeing him at home or worse, nagging him to come back sooner.
"Your breakfast is ready in the dining room," the maid added. "Whenever you’re ready, you can head there."
I thanked her again before closing the door.
"Alright, let’s get ready," I muttered, stretching my arms above my head.
Since I’d asked the hairstylist to style my hair yesterday, I didn’t have to struggle with it this morning. Thankfully, the hair bonnet I’d bought worked perfectly, keeping my hairstyle intact even after a full night’s sleep.
Still, when I dug through my suitcase, my smile faded. "Why doesn’t she have any decent clothes?" I grumbled under my breath.
"Do you sell clothes in your market?" I asked the system, half-hopeful.
[Yes, Host. But please note that clothing in the system market is categorized as luxury-grade.]
I froze, blinking at the hologram panel that popped up in front of me. Rows upon rows of designer labels and couture dresses shimmered across the screen, each price tag higher than the last.
"These clothes are too expensive!" I hissed. "Don’t you have anything cheaper?"
[The system can show you the low-grade clothes section. But as a reminder, these clothes do not have any special effects, such as boosting your charm.]
"So ... normal clothes then," I muttered under my breath.
[Correct.]
"Whatever." I rolled my eyes and started scrolling through the cheaper section anyway.
Since the ad’s theme was all about youth, I focused on finding something casual, simple enough to look natural, but still neat enough to make me look presentable.
After a few minutes of scrolling, I finally stopped at a simple outfit: a pair of fitted jeans, a clean white blouse with puffed sleeves, and a light brown cardigan tied neatly at the front.
It wasn’t flashy, but it looked fresh, exactly the kind of vibe a young model for a cosmetics brand should have.
[Purchase confirmed. Deducting $40 from Host’s balance.]
I quickly dressed, slipped on a pair of flats, and checked myself in the mirror. The casual style matched perfectly with my newly dyed curls, making me look approachable yet polished.
With a deep breath, I grabbed my bag and stepped out of the room, ready to face whatever the day had in store.
After breakfast, and after telling Henry I might be home late, I left the mansion with the same driver who had taken me yesterday.
"Here you go, Young Madam," the driver, Silo, said as he stopped at the drop-off point. "I’ll be waiting in the parking lot. Just call me once you’re done."
I sighed, guilt tugging at me again. Poor Silo always had to sit around for hours while I disappeared inside.
"Thank you, Mr. Silo," I said softly before stepping out of the car.
[Ding! Ding!]
[A Random Quest!]
[Quest: Secure your first contract as an advertisement model with Rosélle Beauty.]
[Reward: $7,000]
[Time Limit: 1 day]
[Note: If you land a deal worth more than $15,000, the system will reward you with an extra bonus equal to half of your payment.]
My jaw dropped, speaking in my mind. ’Wait, what?! So if I get a $15,000 contract, you’re going to hand me another $7,500 on top of that?!’
[Correct, Host.]
I nearly choked on air. That kind of money was insane! The last time I’d done an ad as a rookie, I’d been paid a measly $1,500.
[But back then you really were a rookie, Host. Now you’re a veteran trapped in the body of a rookie.]
[The outcome will be completely different this time!]