Isshin was being followed by 24 people who were slumping, trying to keep up with him. Some of them were even using their swords and spears as crutches as the mice had dug holes in their legs.
They slowly climbed the stairs and were greeted by 25 neatly arranged tables full of small boxes, brushes, and wigs. There were some bandages too!
"Makeup? Is that for impersonation class?" Some of the girls immediately recognized what was in the box and started muttering.
Isshin closed the door to the basement and announced, "Your instructor is standing right there! Make sure to learn everything."
He put the lamp on the ground and walked out of the hall. The students on the other hand looked at the beautiful man standing on the platform of the hall.
Most of the girls and even some boys blushed looking at the beauty of the man.
"Wow."
"I don't care if he is a man."
"H-hey. Stop being a creep."
Mutterings about the man's beauty spread among the trainees in the group.
The man looked at the trainees and smiled, almost giving a heart attack to yet another group of trainees.
"Are you done admiring my beauty yet?" The man's expression invoked a feeling of desire in most of them! His voice was even more charming than they expected!
"You, my little cabbages can stand in front of a table each now!" Most of the students unconsciously followed the beautiful man's command.
Like the trainees, the man also had a similar table installed in front of him. The man then took a piece of cloth from the table and gently dipped it in a clear liquid that looked too viscous to be water.
His next actions broke the hearts of many trainees! He rubbed the now wet cloth in 'his' face, only to reveal a woman of average beauty!
The previously charmed trainees' hearts were in turmoil! Why did this ugly woman replace the charming and beautiful man?! They needed him back!
"Surprised?" The woman, who was still wearing the man's clothes spoke still in the same voice.
"The show has just started, my cabbages." Her voice changed from the previous seductive and charming to the current cold and feminine.
She pulled tightly pulled her hair, making some trainees brace for her scream. But the hair was successfully pulled to reveal beautiful and long curly blonde hair!
The woman was wearing a wig!
"This is what I will be teaching you in the impersonation class. Those who are tired may sit on the ground." Immediately after she said that all of the trainees, even Ivar, sat on the ground. Their tables were of lower height than that of the women so it was easier that way too.
"Good. Now that you are relaxed. Let me tell you, this is but some basic stuff I will be teaching you. There are other things like copying the personality and thinking styles of people by observing them that I will be teaching but I don't expect all of you to learn those. For now, you will be learning about makeup." The woman voiced.
She continued, her voice still cold, "Today, you will apply makeup on yourself to enhance your appearance, I won't instruct you today as it will give me a good idea of your abilities. You may also ask your peers for help."
With that said, the woman sat cross-legged on the raised platform and lowered the height of her table to make it comfortable to reach. She once again started applying makeup on herself and said, "Don't try to copy me. I am doing something else."
Ivar looked at the box of mysteries in front of him. He knew nothing about applying makeup! In fact, most of the people from poor families don't know about it. After all, makeup is a luxury.
Ivar looked at other people, all of the men were like him. All confused. Some girls had started experimenting with applying the powders on their faces but their inexperience could be seen from the result.
But there was one girl who was better than the rest. She had steady hands as she looked at the mirror carefully and used various brushes to apply the powders and creams on her face.
Ivar had kind of expected her to know about makeup. That was the reason he looked for Aira among the crowd. Even in the caravan, Aira used to apply makeup although Ivar had turned a blind eye to it at that time.
Ivar walked towards Aira, his hands empty. His lackeys who were nearby looked and whispered among each other.
"Is the boss going to confess to her? As expected of our boss!"
Ivar ignored the remarks. He would teach them a lesson later.
"Aira, Can you teach me to apply makeup?" Aira looked to her sides, only to see Ivar with a slightly red but confident face walking toward her. It certainly was a pleasant sight.
The tips of Aira's lips unconsciously went further away, which made Ivar's heart flutter, as she replied to Ivar, "Why don't you bring your box here and we can do it together."
"Oh yeah! I will" Ivar hurriedly replied, making sure not to look at her face for too long, and got his box at Aira's table.
He sat to the left side of Aira and put his box on the edge there. Aira looked at the box and said, "Why don't I teach you by applying it to you first? I will help, right?"
Ivar simply nodded.
Ivar opened the box and said, "Before that, can you tell me the names?"
Aira tilted her head, questioning "Names of the items?"
"Yeah."
Aira put one of her fingers in her chin, slightly jolting with realization, "Oh yeah! I guess you don't know their name huh."
She pulled Ivar's head closer and said. "Now listen carefully. This is called mirr-"
"I know that!"
"Haha. Ok ok. So this powder is called…" Aira started explaining the makeup kit to Ivar and the uses of each powder.
After almost making her throat dry, she continued, "Phew. Now that It is finished. I will start applying on you!"
"Do I get to look?" Knowing Aira, Ivar carefully asked the question. She was the one deciding if he learned it or not. He needed to get everything out of the demon sect. That's why he joined it.
Aira thoughtfully put her hand on her chin and contemplated, "Hmm… Now that I think again. I will apply first without you seeing it. After you get the surprise, I will explain to you the process and powders applied there!"
"Okay." Ivar had already realized the mischievous look on Aira's face. But he still let her do it. It wouldn't be too bad right?
"Great! Now… keep your head still and…" Aira moved close to Ivar and started picking up some cream to apply to his face.
Ivar kept looking at Aira's face throughout the process. He could see her barely holding back her smile and almost choking on her breath a few times.
Realizing her intentions, a few drops of sweat rolled down his forehead before Aira mercilessly cleaned them off.
After a while, Aira put all her brushes down and said, "Yeah… I think it's done. Although, something fells off…"
Ivar quickly interrupted her and said "Is it done!? Let me check the mirror."
Just as Ivar extended his hand towards the mirror, he was stopped by Aira who said, "Ah ha! I remember now!"
She picked up a black pencil from the box and started writing near Ivar's eyes. What was she doing?
"Now you can use your mirror." Aira smiled and enthusiastically passed the mirror to Ivar.
Ivar suspiciously looked at Aira's face.
"What? See for yourself!"
Ivar sighed and pulled up the mirror toward his face. The mirror revealed a… exceptionally beautiful woman!
Ivar tiled his head and so did the 'woman' in the reflection.
"Huh?"
"Pfffft."