NOVEL NEXT Chapter 22
A pretty and handsome appearance is like a blessing.
Right away, you can easily win someone’s favor. No one escapes the allure of sight, which occupies such a major part of human senses.
If the face is pretty, then every action looks somehow beautiful. A pretty face seems to radiate a good fragrance. When the face is pretty, the voice sounds pleasant too.
This means one becomes subject to what is known as “beautification.” Even if two people, identical in everything else, perform the same action, their evaluations and reactions would be worlds apart.
Since ancient times, humans have sought beauty. Just look at the art and folklore passed down through ages to see this truth.
Like the story of the lawyer who failed to defend a beautiful prostitute, then tore her clothes to expose her nakedness and secured her acquittal—a story still regarded as a perfect piece of art, much like the Venus statue.
Contrarily, records show that the great philosopher Socrates was so unattractive that people mocked him as a monster. Perhaps his looks played a role in his teachings not gaining wider recognition.
Had Socrates been a handsome young philosopher, I believe there would have been far more statues and stories about him.
In short, it seems that ugly people are deemed unworthy of teaching… Not my opinion, mind you—just a guess about how those in his time thought, ignoring his knowledge and wisdom based on his appearance.
Sad, but unavoidable. The pursuit of beauty is almost human instinct.
Even in an age filled with intellectuals and adherence to common moral norms, people are subtly ranked by appearance. Although it’s not openly acknowledged, pretty and handsome individuals receive favoritism.
Pretty and handsome people are loved. This is an unchanging truth that defies time.
It’s a fact I was already aware of, not something I needed to remind myself of.
After all, those stories belonged to others, completely unrelated to me.
It felt like hearing tales from another world or, at times, like a monk confronting an unreasonable truth, merely clicking my tongue in disapproval.
Yeah, I would have thought so back then. It used to be so…
And that’s why I suddenly started on a lengthy monologue about appearances. What used to be other people’s stories have now become my own.
Long ramblings aside, here’s the gist:
Among the characters in the game, Camilla was always ranked high in appearance, being a stunning character.
I had become that Camilla.
So, I am pretty.
“…Huh?”
“One, one plus one! Get one more!”
I had never experienced anything like it,
to receive such obvious kindness.
*
It was morning. Well, it was around 10 AM. It was a bit embarrassing to call it morning considering the late hour.
“Ugh….”
I typically got up and carried on during such late mornings.
Today was no different.
Or so I thought.
“…My stomach feels weird.”
Today was an unusually unpleasant morning.
My stomach was slightly queasy, and my head had a light ache; I had gone through these symptoms a few times.
“Hangover…?”
Yes, it was a hangover.
There was no denying the feeling of a hangover.
I mean, how much did I drink to have a hangover?
It was just four cans of imported beer, after all.
…Thinking back, I had drunk quite a bit. Camilla’s stomach was definitely not small.
But that was just in quantity; I hadn’t actually consumed that much alcohol.
Wasn’t beer just a drink that makes you feel good, not even really alcohol? It was ridiculous to have a hangover from drinking a slightly alcoholic barley beverage.
In the first place, my body wasn’t really that good at handling alcohol, but I hadn’t had any issues after drinking a bottle of soju, so I never expected this situation.
“Ugh….”
I staggered out of bed.
I needed something warm to settle my stomach.
Like ramen or something. Why did I crave noodles now, when I usually didn’t eat them much?
Okay, it was more about the broth than the noodles, to be honest. Should I just boil the broth without the noodles?
While rummaging through the cupboard, I thought about it.
“Nothing?”
But my plan quickly fell apart. It seemed I was completely out of ramen. Whenever you really needed something, it was always gone.
That left me with only one option.
“Ugh….”
Going out sounded like a hassle.
But my hungry stomach was crying out for food right now, and there was nothing at home.
Delivery… would take too long, and I had spent more than expected yesterday, making it a financial burden too.
There was a larger expense, so financially, it was a bit of a burden.
I figured spending about the cost of ramen should be just right. Financially and in terms of heating up my stomach, there was really nothing better.
In other words, it meant I had to go out eventually.
I set my sights on the nearby convenience store, which was about a 5-minute walk away, not too far.
As I got up from my seat, the warm blanket tempted me to stay just a bit longer, but I shook my head gradually.
I had learned from long experience that if I didn’t act right away, I’d just end up dawdling.
“What should I wear to go out…?”
It was practically my first outing since becoming this body, but I wasn’t too concerned about my outfit.
I wasn’t going anywhere special, just down to the convenience store in front of the house; who dresses up for that?
Wearing something casual and dragging on slippers was the national rule.
The reason I was hesitating was a bit different.
It’s a little embarrassing to say, but the problem lay in my changed body shape.
So, the clothes I used to wear casually for outings… they’re a bit tight now.
It’s not that they didn’t fit; being petite, it shouldn’t be a problem.
But still, the clothes I used to wear as a guy didn’t magically shrink.
Besides, Camilla clearly had a body that was leaner and more toned than average.
Though there were some parts that developed a little unrealistically, like a game character.
What’s there to hide? Those specific parts included the chest, hips, and thighs—basically the whole lower body.
I had inherited a body that, according to the setting for Camilla’s stunning appearance, could only be viewed ideally by both men and women.
Because of that, more than a few times when entering the bathroom, I found myself staring blankly into the mirror. One of the reasons my shower times got longer too.
Anyway… for those reasons, I had no choice but to put on a spontaneous fashion show in front of a closet that barely had any clothes.
I figured I really should buy some new clothes. Who knew having clothes that fit your shape would be such a hassle?
Since it was just a light outing, I decided to throw on whatever fit decently and head out quickly.
And so the look was determined.
“Hmm…”
A baggy hoodie with a hood and sweatpants it would be.
Honestly, this wasn’t very comfortable either, but at least it won’t burst from the hips or chest.
In fact, the size fit just right, giving a more fashionable vibe. Though I usually prefer a looser fit, I guess I should be satisfied with this for now.
Pulling the large hood of the hoodie over my head and dragging on my slippers, I stepped out onto the street.
I threw on a huge hat and dragged my slippers as I stepped outside.
Dressed like a half-jobless person, my face still managed to shine in the distance, oh so far away.
*
“So, it’s a buy one, get one free…?”
With a hoodie that was way too big for me, I asked if I had understood it right.
The man in front of me froze for a moment, face awkward, then relaxed.
Just a fleeting moment.
If it weren’t for Camilla’s body, I would never have noticed the subtle muscle twitch on his face.
Having caught that, I started to grasp how the situation was unfolding.
“Ah, uh, yes! That’s right! We’re having a buy one, get one free event starting today! You can take one more!”
“But there’s no tag on the promotional item…”
“Well, it starts today. Yeah, I’ve been busy and haven’t put it up yet, hehe…”
That was what the man said.
The 800-won onigiri I picked up is now part of the buy one, get one deal, so grab a similar product next to it.
It makes sense; if you buy one, you get another for free.
On the surface, it didn’t seem all that strange, but I had already seen something.
Like that awkward face from earlier.
And it was the same now. His face was all red, eyes darting from mine to the ground and back.
Very obvious reactions.
I didn’t not understand his feelings…
But having figured it all out, I thought it might be a bit wrong to just snatch it up like that.
I merely gave him a slightly awkward smile.
“Whoa…!”
The moment he saw me, the man suddenly clutched his chest and let out a groan.
Come on, is it really that extreme? If you react like that, it makes me a little embarrassed.
Anyway, besides that, accepting this felt a bit off.
Some might say it’s just 800 won, but the angel inside me vigorously shook its head, saying that’s not okay either.
Just as I was about to open my mouth to decline…
“This is—”
“Ah, ah! I, um, have an urgent matter! Enjoy your meal!”
The man suddenly sprang up from his seat, rattled off his words like a machine gun, and bolted out of the convenience store.
Well, what was that…? What just happened…?
I muttered quietly in the convenience store, as if a storm had just passed through.
“No, you need to pay before leaving…”