Conquering OtherWorld Starts With a Game

Photography was not a ty at Marley Commercial Street, which boasted a studio capable of not only black and white but also color images for double the price.

Yet, the technique that transformed Madam Anita into a beauty, so different from her real self, and made her resemble a person straight out of a painting was unheard of by the ladies.

Madam Wiley's mistress, usually fond of lengthy conversations, quickly grew impatient with Anita's boasts about the realism of her photos and hurried into the shop, eager to learn more. The other ladies seemed to share the sentiment.

The storefront of 063 Prant Street was small, leading through a narrow hallway just wide enough for a carriage and a set of double doors into a larger hall hidden inside.

A robust man in a servant's attire, resembling a dignified family's guard, stood in the vestibule. As the ladies entered from the street, he bowed slightly and pushed open the wooden doors for them.

Upon entering the hall, the ladies gasped.

The shop, slightly more spacious than their own living rooms, wasn't decorated with extreme luxury but was undeniably "professional."

Directly opposite the entrance were two rows of steel clothing racks laden with various styles of dresses (essentially rented wedding gowns and Lolita dresses from a photo studio).

To the left were several brightly lit booths, each adorned with different backdrops (reminiscent of photography studios at comic conventions).

On the right were a series of makeup tables (borrowed from a salon) and large display cabinets filled with exquisite glass containers (holding cosmetics) and various luxurious jewelry pieces (rented from jewelry stores).

The ladies, who prided themselves on living a life close to that of the nobility, failed to recognize most of the room's furnishings, leaving even Madam Wylie's mistress a bit more reserved than usual…Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on novelenglish.net . Fir(e).nᴇt

"Good day, ladies." A stunningly beautiful woman in a full-length gown stepped out from behind the dress rack, bowing slightly. "Welcome to Perfect Dream Portrait Studio. I'm Vivian."

"Good day," the ladies responded, nodding politely while scanning Vivian's face.

Had they not seen the transformed Anita, they would have been astounded by Vivian's beauty. Now, they all wondered the same thing: had this woman also undergone that miraculous transformation?

Vivian, evidently well-versed in social etiquette, warmly invited the ladies and their maids to the sitting area, serving them delicacies and tea in elegant glassware and engaging in casual conversation about the weather.

The custom of the nobility was to be slow, elegant, and ceremonious; Vivian knew better than to jump straight to business with these middle-class women, who aspired to nobility. Her leisurely approach, in fact, earned her their favor.

After enough time had passed, Vivian finally introduced the philosophy of Perfect Studio, speaking eloquently about how "every woman possesses a divine beauty bestowed by the gods, often obscured by life's hardships." Her words, though somewhat cliché, resonated with the ideals of her audience.

After all, who would openly admit to relying on makeup to transform their appearance?

Next up was Perfect Dream Portrait Studio's tactful approach, promising to capture and immortalize the true essence of a woman's beauty. With that explained, Vivian invited the ladies to experience it for themselves.

As Madam Wylie's mistress sat before the makeup table, her mind was filled with expectations of being transformed back into her most beautiful self. The makeup artists, draped in full-length black cloaks, wearing exaggerated masquerade masks, and hands covered with leather gloves, presented an eerie sight, but the ladies were too preoccupied with their own reflections to notice…

Madam Wylie, not being a part of this experience, was initially frightened by the mysterious appearance of the "makeup artists" and let out a shriek.

"Please remain calm, Madam Housekeeper," Vivian said, her smile unwavering. "At Perfect Dream Photo Studio, our 'makeup artists' are not to be touched or spoken to. Please respect our rules."

"Wylie," her mistress chided.

Madam Wylie quickly covered her mouth and lowered her head.

Vivian bowed formally to the "makeup artists," her respect evident. "Please begin."

Her reverence toward the artists influenced the awaiting ladies, who sat up straighter in anticipation.

Next, throughout the "restoration" process, directed by hand gestures from the "makeup artists," Vivian would instruct the ladies when to open and close their eyes. Both the ladies being transformed and the onlooking housekeepers and maids were left with their mouths agape in amazement…

If, for example, the Kenyan-born Hal exhibited features of Slavic and Latin American heritage—fair skin, broad facial bones, and thicker hair—then these Rhine people resembled a mix of Central Asian and Aryan races—narrower facial bones, prominent upper skulls, and somewhat sunken eye sockets.

People with deep-set eyes, prominent brow bones, along with small and concentrated facial features, were well-suited for heavy makeup—a fact known to anyone with a bit of makeup knowledge.

Several among the casual players, who had enough idle time to gain "Friendly" status with the Undead Merchant Association, had quite some makeup skills.

Blossoming Strokes, for example, was not only a writer but also a fan of Hanfu and Lolita fashion. Then there was also a "Runaway Goldfish," a cosplayer often seen at comic conventions.

There were also two healer players, "Super Nice," a beauty blogger in real life, and "Flipped Fish," who streamed makeup tutorials.

These female players, who normally found no use for their makeup skills in the game, were now thrilled to be able to showcase their talents during this quest.

Blossoming Strokes, assigned to Madam Wylie's mistress, began by removing the layer of caked powder from her face. Next was applying toner and primer, concealing freckles, and applying foundation in two shades before blending them with a sponge. With skilled hands capable of both writing and painting, Blossoming Strokes transformed the lady, who only had the merit of well-proportioned features, into a runway model in just 40 minutes.

With the makeover complete, Blossoming Strokes, thrilled with the result, quickly snapped a couple of screenshots and then proceeded to style the lady's hair. Her expertise in Lolita fashion made her exceptionally skilled at hair styling.

Before she was done, the lady sitting in the high-backed chair and gazing at her own radiant reflection in the mirror was nearly moved to tears by her transformation. Madam Wylie, watching by the side, had her mouth agape as well.

After arranging the lady's hair and adorning jewelry that complemented her gown, Blossoming Strokes clapped her hands together. "All done!"

The lady, absorbed in her own beauty, hadn't noticed the "clacking" sounds made by Blossoming Strokes. Vivian, however, was visibly nervous about this and quickly stepped in to smooth things over.

"Mrs. Griff, our makeup artist says your features are excellent, and she feels honored to have restored your beauty."

Blossoming Strokes cast a puzzled look at Vivian, wondering what this NPC was going on about. She clearly hadn't said anything like that.

Vivian, brought in by the youngster Brook, was aware of the true identities of these "makeup artists" and didn't dare meet Blossoming Strokes' gaze. She quickly ushered Mrs. Griff, Madam Wylie's mistress, to the photography studio on the other side.

The photographers… were players, too.

Phantom, a wealthy second-generation, and Orange Cat, an unskilled whale player, happened to have photography skills.

Mrs. Griff, basking in her newfound beauty, happily chose the most expensive package, priced at 8.8 gold coins for a complete set of "portrait photos." The other ladies, though not as lavish as Mrs. Griff, also selected packages priced in gold coins—each including a two-meter tall, full-color, half-body portrait to hang in their living rooms for showing off.

Three hours later (OtherWorld time), the ladies left the studio with their heavy makeup still intact and A4-sized half-body portraits in hand, discussing which gatherings to attend and flaunt their "restored beauty" while it was still intact.

In the back room, Brook counted the over 20 gold coins Vivian had brought in and clicked his tongue. "Who knew that money can be made by making people look pretty and printing it?"

"For women, the idea of preserving their beauty forever is tempting," Zhao Zhenzhen said with a smile.

Zhao Zhenzhen's ingenious approach was inspired during her perusal of Indahl's daily newspaper, from which she gathered intelligence about this world.

It was clear that the world's magical technology wasn't lacking behind Earth's and, in some aspects, even surpassed it.

For instance, the magical steam-powered vehicles, a specialty of the Kenyan Empire frequently advertised in the Indahl Daily, showcased compact steam engines that defied Earth's physical norms. These devices, fueled by coal gas rather than petrol or diesel, could generate 100 horsepower while being compact enough to fit in the standard-sized cabin of a steam vehicle. Remarkably, the entire unit, including the engine and gas storage, weighed less than 150kg.

On Earth, the primary reason for the transition from steam to internal combustion engines was the low thermal efficiency of steam engines, which peaked at just over 20%. In terms of power output for the same volume, steam engines couldn't compare to their fuel-based counterparts.

By 2018, 100-horsepower fuel engines were commonplace on Earth and not particularly awe-inspiring. In contrast, even the most advanced steam engines built by enthusiasts using modern technology were significantly larger and couldn't challenge the dominance of internal combustion engines.

From these observations, Zhao Zhenzhen concluded that the magical technology of this world surpassed Earth in certain areas, particularly in engine thermal efficiency and material science.

This revelation was precisely why Zhao Zhenzhen was so determined to visit Indahl, a major city. She wished to get a closer look at these magical steam-powered vehicles, something impossible to find in Weisshem.