Chapter 343: Label Finally Goes To The Beauty Salon

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Riven stood a little farther back, arms crossed, watching the scene with a quiet smile. He had never seen Label look so unsure of herself, and at the same time so happy in that shy way of hers.

The mana from Elisa’s old necklace was warm against his chest, a constant reminder of the bonds that had grown around him.

It seemed this necklace had developed the ability to tell him how Elisa was right now. Warm meant she was happy and healthy, and right then the warmth felt steady and bright.

Natalie, who had come along with her friends for a break from all their training and her potion production job, leaned in from the side, whistling softly. "Wow, Label! If the potion sales keep going the way they are, you’re going to need a whole new wardrobe to match that face. Perhaps we could use you as the new face of the company, seeing how pretty you really are." She laughed under her breath and nudged Daniela’s chair lightly with her foot. "I’m serious, though. People would buy twice as many bottles if they saw the alchemist looking like this on the labels."

Label’s cheeks turned pink after hearing Natalie’s light remarks. "P-Please don’t tease me like that! I-I’d rather keep my identity a secret. If everyone knows I’m making those potions... they might send people against me. I’ve worked hard to stay under the radar, and I don’t want all that effort going to waste just because of some jokes."

"Not like I’d ever let anything happen to you," Riven said with furrowed eyebrows. He remembered the tragic past of Label, and even of the future he’d lived, where she died alone after being stabbed by a Yakuza. She never even got the chance to find out the true depth of her powers and how far they could grow and go. That memory still sat heavy with him, pushing him to watch over her more carefully now that things were different.

Hinata and Ren, who had come along mostly as additional bodyguards for Elisa and Label, exchanged impressed looks at how much Label had grown into her role.

"She’s really changed!" Hinata said. "Don’t you think, Ren?" She had also gone through some of the beauticians’ help herself, and she was trying to get a compliment from him all the time about how she looked now. But really, he wasn’t that type of guy who handed out praise easily, especially not in the middle of a job.

"Hm," Ren nodded, without saying anything else. He looked clearly bored and just focusing on his job as a bodyguard. Wearing casual everyday clothes compared to his ninja robes was a little annoying though, since he’d grown used to those robes over the years. The fabric felt different and less familiar against his skin. Although Hinata didn’t seem to mind it at all and was enjoying her more "normal" life, chatting lightly and checking her reflection whenever she could.

Even Vladimir, leaning against the wall with his usual scowl and a half-empty bottle of expensive wine, muttered under his breath, "Hah, is this how we’re wasting our time now...?" He whispered it almost so nobody could listen to him, but Riven did look back in his direction, catching the words clearly enough.

"Where did you even get that bottle of wine?" Riven asked, turning a bit more toward him while keeping an eye on the others.

"The staff around this place gave it to me, what about it?!" Vladimir said angrily, gripping the bottle a little tighter as if daring anyone to take it away.

But then, out of nowhere, the staff members of the salon ran toward him, surrounding him completely from every side.

"Ahh! You’re quite handsome, Sir Vladimir."

"Why don’t you let us fix you up a little?"

"Some of those scars could be easily covered with some mascara here and there..."

"Your long red hair is so wonderful! Can’t we wash it and give you a new hairstyle while we are at it?"

"You are in dire need of some manicure!"

They kept circling closer, hands already reaching for his sleeves and hair, chatting over one another like they had been waiting all day for someone like him to walk in.

"L-Let go of me!" Vladimir was suddenly swarmed by the beauticians. "Or else I’ll-"

"Go with them Vladimir, have fun," said Riven with a teasing smile, enjoying him suffer. He even gave a small wave as the group tightened around their new victim.

"Gaaaaahhh! B-Bastard!" Vladimir roared angrily as he was dragged away, still kicking a little even while the staff laughed and pulled him toward the back rooms.

The salon visit stretched into a full afternoon of shopping once they finally got him out. Elisa insisted on buying Label several elegant outfits, soft blouses, tailored pants, and a flowing dress in deep emerald that matched the necklace she had given Riven. She held each piece up against Label’s frame, nodding to herself and adding more to the growing pile without a second thought.

They picked up new clothes for Daniela and Carlos as well, simple things that still looked nice, and even forced a reluctant Riven into a couple of more formal shirts "for when we finally go to Beach City and have to look presentable", along with beach wear and other things. Elisa was fascinated by how he looked good in everything, tugging him from one rack to the next and making him try on item after item while she grinned.

"We’re buying this and this and this and this!" Elisa said while choosing several clothes to buy for Riven.

This time she was pampering her husband, buying him a bunch of stuff happily as she dreamed of how handsome he’d look on the beach.

She kept tossing more shirts and shorts into the cart, already picturing the whole group walking along the sand.

"Uwaha...! Can’t wait!" she cried to herself, practically bouncing as the total climbed higher.

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