Chapter 194: Is This the Land of Bunsik? (2) "But did she really feel that way to you?"
"At first she seemed aloof, but her manner of speaking is extremely polite, so that was surprising. No, more than anything, who would've thought she could speak our language that fluently?"
The salon owner marveled again as she watched Fedora chatting with the customer next to her who was in the middle of getting a perm.
"Look, it's not just me—the customer over there doesn't even know how to react. It's that kind of vibe. Like you can't just casually approach her."
"Is that so...."
Standing up from his chair, Lee Jinseo folded his arms and studied Fedora closely.
Now that I think about it, I felt something like that the first time I met Your Eminence too. It's just that it's been two years since then, so I've gotten used to it.
Judging only by her looks, she was the kind of sharp-featured beauty who seemed like she wouldn't even touch bunsik, but in reality, her true self was a regular at the food truck who loved spicy tteokbokki more than anyone.
Lee Jinseo had watched her many times—sweating buckets as she finished his special tteokbokki to the very end, then chugging a CoolXrs with a blissful smile—so the salon owner's description of her being "hard to approach" felt awkward.
And lately, since he'd only seen her in comfortable workout clothes, she felt even more familiar.
"…So you're saying her grandfather is the dean of a prestigious foreign university, right?"
"Yes, that's what I heard."
"Nobility, a beauty, and a smart family too! That's incredible!"
Since the salon owner kept grilling him about Fedora, Lee Jinseo explained in terms of Korea rather than the Francia Continent.
If you really think about it, the mage tower over there would be similar to a university here… so it's not a lie. Well, not exactly.
"Anyway, since she's a guest you brought, I'm going to show my skills properly for the first time in a while! Just trust this lady!"
The salon owner, who had known Lee Jinseo since he was a kid, saw him bring a woman for the first time—and not only a beauty but a foreign guest—and she burned with motivation, declaring she'd use every bit of her skill.
But once she actually started cutting, her expression was tense, the exact opposite of her confident words.
It wasn't because Fedora was a foreign guest she'd never dealt with before, or because she turned out to be high-status.
She had said Fedora's hair texture was rough, but when she actually tried to cut that long, beautiful silver hair, fear surged up—fear that one mistake might ruin a work of art.
Maybe that was why. She didn't chatter with the customer like she usually did. She kept her mouth shut and focused solely on the cut.
Even the other customers and the salon staff kept their mouths shut as they watched Fedora's hairstyle change, and time passed in silence.
"It's astonishing..."
Looking into the mirror, Fedora admired the result the owner—who had run a salon for over thirty years—had produced with her full skill.
The long hair itself had been kept, but it had been styled with a neat part, creating a pure, delicate image—enough to amaze not only Fedora but everyone watching.
"Sister, you're truly an exceptionally skilled hairdresser! You could even be called a master artisan. As expected, you're someone Lee Jinseo would recommend!"
"Oh my, you're flattering me too much. It's not like that—I've just been working with hair for a long time."
At Fedora's sincere admiration, the owner's expression naturally softened.
"Hold on, a strand of hair was stuck right here?"
The owner lifted her fingers to remove the strand stuck to the middle of Fedora's cheek.
"Look at this skin… it's so smooth. You must use only high-end cosmetics."
"I don't wear makeup."
"Oh my goodness! You mean this is your bare face? Really?"
At that, the owner and the other hairdressers crowded around Fedora, and even the waiting customers stood up. After examining Fedora's skin, they looked utterly dazed.
"Excuse me for just a moment, ma'am."
One of the staff asked permission, then lightly swept a finger across Fedora's face.
Just as Fedora said, not a trace of cosmetics came off.
"It's real..."
The staff thrust out her right index finger—completely clean—so the gathered customers could see.
"They say Western skin is worse than ours, but this is the exact opposite."
"If her face without makeup is already this insane, then if she actually puts makeup on… I can't even imagine."
They stared at Fedora with faces full of disbelief.
"Then would it be alright if I asked you sisters to do my makeup? It would be my first makeup."
At Fedora's casual mention that it would be her first makeup, the eyes of the owner and every salon employee changed instantly.
"Kids, you heard that, right?"
"Yes!"
"Yes! It's her first makeup!"
"Let's really show what we can do."
After finishing her cut at the salon, Fedora walked side by side with Lee Jinseo through the downtown streets.
Passersby of all ages and genders turned their heads, stopped, and stared at Fedora.
She really is beautiful.
Lee Jinseo smiled lightly as he watched her now-even-more beautiful profile.
With makeup she didn't usually wear, her beauty shone even more. And after changing into the outfit the salon owner gave her, even her figure—usually hidden under her vestments—was revealed, capturing everyone's attention.
The clothes the salon owner gifted Fedora were a white dress the owner had worn when she was younger, and strangely enough, it fit Fedora perfectly.
"J-Jinseo-nim. I feel like people keep staring at me… is it my imagination?"
Feeling anxious, Fedora walked pressed close to Lee Jinseo's side.
"Is it because I'm wearing clothes that are too revealing?"
"No. That kind of outfit is considered modest, so you don't need to worry."
"Oh dear… when I watched actors wearing things like this, I really wanted to wear it..."
Through movies and dramas, Fedora had seen plenty of what people wore in Korea, so the dress she was wearing didn't feel that unfamiliar.
And since she was flexible enough to accept even actors in rather bold outfits as simply a cultural difference, she took it without hesitation when the salon owner pulled out the dress and urged her to try it on.
But seeing clothes on someone else and wearing them yourself were completely different matters.
Fedora had looked at the pure white dress and happily put it on, thinking it was the same color as the Order's vestments she usually wore. Up until she left the salon to loud cheers from the staff and customers, there had been no problem at all.
The problem started after she left the salon and began walking on the street. When more people stared at her than she expected, she didn't know what to do from embarrassment.
"But you were fine when you rode the food truck and did the parade on the Francia Continent, weren't you?"
"T-that time, I was wrapped up tightly in vestments..."
"Just walk confidently. In Korea, no one says anything over that length."
Even though Lee Jinseo repeatedly said it was fine, Fedora kept trying to tug the hem of her dress down.
Even though the hem was long enough to reach her knees.
"My toes are exposed, so it's very embarrassing."
Looking down at the white heeled sandals she was wearing for the first time, her face flushed slightly.
"This is Korea. If you're really uncomfortable, we'll go into a clothing store and buy something. Until then, even if it's hard, please bear with it."
"…Alright."
Fedora put on a determined expression and started walking confidently.
Striding forward like she was saying, Stare if you want, she then spotted a clothing store and stopped at the entrance.
But instead of going in to buy clothes, she glared at the mirror beyond the display window and furrowed her brow.
"I don't like it."
"So you really do need new clothes?"
"That's not it. I've felt this for a while, but the food you make or buy is too delicious—that's the problem."
"Huh? Why are you suddenly talking about bunsik...."
"So I gained weight. Before, it didn't show as much, but wearing clothes like this makes it obvious. A body like this is practically a symbol of sloth, which the Order forbids."
It was good that she'd shaken off her embarrassment, but Fedora's expression—having discovered a problem in a different direction—was more serious than ever.
"That's… what you call gaining weight?"
Lee Jinseo raised his voice without realizing it.
At that moment, the women who had been staring blankly at Fedora's face quickly swept their eyes over her body, then all frowned and smacked their lips.
"Why are they looking at me like that?"
"Hmm… it's nothing. Actually, I was worried too, since you've been staying at my place and only eating without moving. Before weight, I was concerned about your health."
"Since I've realized my laziness, this won't do. If there's a method, I want to lose weight somehow."
"Then that place will be suitable."
Right on cue, Lee Jinseo saw the sign he was looking for and raised his hand to point at it.
"Arnold Health Club"
"Do you want to try going in?"
"Huff, huff..."
Running on the treadmill, Fedora's body became completely drenched in sweat as she breathed raggedly.
"It's hard, right?"
Running on the treadmill beside her, Lee Jinseo pressed the button and increased the speed.
At first he ran at the same speed to match her pace, but since she started so slowly, it didn't feel like exercising at all, so he had no choice but to raise it.
"No. Rather… I'm happy."
"You like losing weight that much?"
At Lee Jinseo's question, Fedora shook her head, and the sweat droplets clinging to the ends of her hair scattered in all directions.
"That's not it. It's because I now know I can do ascetic training like this."
"What?"
At such an unexpected answer, Lee Jinseo looked at Fedora with a dumbfounded expression.
"Lee Jinseo, I never realized your country… huff… preferred ascetic training this much… huff..."
"Don't push yourself too hard."
"Just one more minute… no, just ten seconds… more..."
Breathing harshly, Fedora couldn't even make it past ten minutes before she had to get off the treadmill.
Gulp, gulp.
After downing the sports drink Lee Jinseo handed her in one go, her face looked fresher than ever.
"Whew… now I can finally live."
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, no problem. Rather, I'm happy. I had forgotten that pushing the body cruelly to its limits like this is one of the traditional forms of ascetic training, and thanks to this, I remembered."
Fedora pointed toward the men who were struggling as they lifted barbells and dumbbells.
"Look. The sight of practitioners who keep up their ascetic training even with faces full of pain. Isn't it truly admirable?"
"Ah, um..."
"And you have to pay money to enter here, right? To willingly choose ascetic training even while spending personal funds—I almost want to grant everyone who comes to this 'health club' the qualifications of a believer of the Heirem Order."
"In a different sense, the people here probably are doing ascetic training. That's true."
"Right? I'm right, aren't I?"
"Only in a different sense."
When Fedora, a foreigner, entered the health club, the members who had been working out intensely turned their eyes toward her.
But it was only for a moment. Most of them didn't care what she did and focused only on training their own bodies.
No matter what kind of beauty appeared, the ascetic training of those who had devoted everything to fitness continued.
Still, that waterproof performance is incredible. Even with sweat running like that, her makeup is holding up perfectly.
Lee Jinseo felt relieved as he looked at Fedora's perfectly intact makeup.
She would definitely suggest going to eat spicy food.
Then her face would obviously end up drenched in sweat, so Lee Jinseo had asked the salon owner to do her makeup waterproof, and it turned out to be an excellent choice.
"I've rested enough, so I want to begin the next ascetic training."
Not satisfied with running alone, Fedora spotted an empty bench press station and quickly lay back with her shoulders against it.
"How much joy this ascetic training will give me… I'm truly looking forward to it."
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