In the dressing room, deep within the interior of the establishment, numerous gorgeous ladies were encircling a young lady. Mercedes got bombarded by numerous pieces of advice and was forced to wear makeup for the first time.
It wasn't a great time for Mercedes, but it was sure that her teachers were having a good time.
'Why are they treating me like this. I'm not a doll.' Mercedes quietly thought to herself as the gorgeous ladies surrounding her dispersed. Mercedes went through a full overhaul in mere minutes. While she was fat, the ladies managed to make her beautiful.
Her appearance was different than before. Mercedes had long-braided brunette hair. Her sapphire-like irises were enfolded by her slick eyelashes. Her lips were supple and pinkish-red. Finally, her body became somewhat normal.
Though, she didn't feel that her lumps of meat had disappeared. They were still attached to her body, so what had happened to them? Was there some magic from the gorgeous ladies involved?
"It's easy to manipulate the depth perception of others. You only need some clothes, accessories, and skills." A lady holding brush uttered with pride and determination.
'I have said this before. But the gorgeous ladies in this establishment aren't just beautiful. Each of them has valuable talents of their own.' Mercedes thought while glancing at her teachers.
Each and every one of them was gazing at her with a proud smile on their faces. Mercedes stood up from her chair and looked directly at her teachers with confidence in her eyes. It wasn't the time to be afraid, but the time to become a hostess.
"I'll do my best." Mercedes walked out of the dressing room while her teachers waved their hands as goodbyes.
"Take care, Mercedes."
"Just do the things we have taught you."
"You can do it, Mercedes."
"Conquer them, Mercedes."
The teachers felt like a parent who was about to be left behind by their precious child. Their kid was finally entering the world as an independent being. And the only thing they needed to do was support Mercedes as teachers.
Meanwhile, Mercedes walked through the wooden hallway. While she was confident after standing up from the chair in the dressing room. Now that she was alone, she couldn't help but feel chills echoing throughout her spine.
Even with their advice, Mercedes still couldn't avoid the fear of failure. It was understandable as she understood that she wasn't the disappointment that she thought she was. Mercedes was a human who had people to disappoint.
And she didn't want to disappoint any of them.
'Mercedes, remember the words of Astarte. Bravery doesn't emerge because of having no fear. It comes along when one faces their fears.' Mercedes increased her morale as she arrived at the end of the hallway.
She stood before a door that separated herself and the entertainment hub.
Mercedes's heart was wildly beating as goosebumps made her skin tremble. She took deep breaths as her eyes looked at the doorknob with an unfocused gaze. None of her muscles were willing to move.
Despite having a high attribute of spirit, there were deep-seated fears that never faded from Mercedes's heart. And she must face them alone. Otherwise, she will never be able to move on.
"I need to step forward."
Uttering such words, Mercedes turned the doorknob and walked through the opened door. She was met with the sight of numerous customers having a good time. Other hostesses were serving them with smiles and were having fun together.
After entering the battlefield, she was confused as to what her duty was. Should she start talking to other customers? Or should she stand at the side and wait for someone to talk to her? Anyhow, Mercedes's questions swiftly disappeared after she was called.
"Hey, newbie. Take this tray and deliver it to 06."
In instinct, Mercedes took the tray and was now left with it. She glances around to find the one with the number 06. It took time, but she found the one with the number. She gazes at him from afar and can't help but think to herself.
'An old man? I guess even old people want to have fun.'
Mercedes walked towards the old man with the number. As she arrived before him, she placed the tray on his table and said. "Here's your order, Sir." She had a smile on her face, which made the old man wildly open his eyes.
"Are you a newbie of this establishment?" The old man questioned which Mercedes humbly replied. "I am a newbie, Sir. The duchess took care of me while I was lost on the streets."
"*Sigh...* Oh, I see... It is fortunate that the duchess manages to find you. The street is a dangerous place where you could be sold as a slave in mere days." The old man had a saddened expression on his face.
"Is there something wrong, Sir?" Mercedes politely asked as she was curious about the old man's expression. He seems to be a rich noble, though, for a noble, he's quite depressed.
"There's nothing wrong, young lady. It is just that... I felt unsatisfied after seeing the reactions of my children when they heard about my old age. They weren't saddened. From the looks of it, they consider me as a weight on their shoulders."
"I understand that I have never been a good father to them. I know that I deserve such treatment. Though, I can't help but be saddened about it."
"To be honest, I don't know why I'm talking about my problems to a young lady."
Hearing the problems of customers was among the main jobs of a hostess. It was also their duty to give useful advice using the ways of communication. So Mercedes was presented with the first hurdle of the temporary-hostess test.
Will she be able to answer or give advice to the old man with a family problem? Or will she ignore it and pretend she never heard of it. Perhaps, she could say that she's a young one that doesn't know anything. However, Mercedes was different,
A challenge was a challenge.
Mercedes took a deep breath and answered the old man with a soft tone.
"You might have been a problematic father, Sir. Although, I am sure that you have a reason for it."
The old man's eyes glimmered slightly upon hearing her soft-spoken words. He couldn't help but chuckle while staring at Mercedes. It had been a while since he had heard such words from a child.
"I worked hard so that we won't be able to go through poverty ever again. I was fearful of it and what it could do to my family. I wanted my family to be far from it as possible. I don't want to hear my children asking for food." The old man calmly explained after chuckling.
"Then, do you regret what you have done?" Mercedes questioned with a smile as the old man smirked and replied. "No, I don't regret what I have done. I'll do it again and again."
"Well, aren't you a bad father, but... You are also a good one."
"Good fathers don't want to see their children suffer under the hands of hunger and money. Even if they thought of you as a bad one. You have done your best as a father. Remember that." Mercedes graciously uttered.
"You're quite adept in language, kid. It's hard to believe that you are from the streets. Do you come from a noble family, perhaps?" The old man couldn't believe the words of Mercedes. It was like talking to an adult woman with an ample amount of life experience.
"I am a humble commoner with no connections to noble families. I learn such things from my respectable teachers who have used their precious time to teach me." Mercedes took the compliment well in a modest manner.
"I see... It seems that they have taught a good disciple."
"Thank you for accompanying an old man like me, young lady. You have a good future ahead of you in Apate. You're fated to rise high. I hope to see you when you stand tall." The old man drank his glass and stood up.
He wore his hat and held his cane. There was a relieved smile plastered on his face as he slowly headed out of the establishment. The old man looks back at Mercedes and waves his hand.
The corners of Mercedes's lips rose while thinking about how she handled her first customer. Mercedes couldn't help but be a little proud about it. She turned her gaze back at the establishment and noticed that she had completed her mission.
Meanwhile, a distance away from Mercedes were numerous figures staring at her from afar. They were none other than Mercedes's teachers, who had come to observe how well their student was doing.
Mercedes was given a mission to handle one customer. There were many easy customers who simply needed accommodation and accompany. But Mercedes's teachers were impressed with their student's boldness.
"I can't believe she picked the old man."
"Fortunately, she wasn't yelled at by that old man."
"Maybe he's merciful to the young ones."
"It all went well since the old man left with a smile on his face."
"My student is really a genius."
The last words of a lady made others freeze on the spot. They turned their gaze toward her as they looked at her with scrutiny.
"What do you mean, your student?"
"She's my student."
"No, she's mine."
"I taught her most of her skills. So wouldn't that make her my student?"
The gorgeous ladies began fighting about whose student Mercedes was. On the other hand, Mercedes walked through the wooden hallway and noticed a notification ring in her mind.
She stops and glances forward as a digital interface materializes before her.