Chapter Text
- “Kohaku, listen...” - black, uneven lines branched out like cracks in splintered pottery around her eyes. Her clumped, crumpled, elongated eyelashes looked like hairy spider legs. The entire orbital area and the contour of her nose were dark blue, generously smeared with grotesque shadows that created the impression of sunken eyes and the beginning of corpse spots. Bright red lipstick was generously and chaotically applied around her mouth, staining her teeth and looking like freshly drunk blood. The clumsily applied makeup smudged across her bangs and hair, like baked-on, sticky dirt. The girl's eyes were wide open and pleased with themselves, shining with a slight hint of madness and satisfaction with the work she had done.
The sight of it alone was enough to make one shudder, as if a corpse had risen from the ground after rotting away to taste the blood and flesh of the living. To top it all off, as if in mockery, there was a barely recognizable smudged little “heart” under her right eye.
...It didn't look like an attractive image for a “cutie contest,” but rather like excellent makeup for Halloween or some kind of war paint to intimidate enemies before battle.
Senku strongly doubted that the village of Ishigami practiced either the former or the latter.
He could only watch helplessly as Kohaku's appearance had a terrifying effect on everyone around her. ...This would definitely haunt people in their nightmares.
- “What if Kohaku-chan doesn't pass this cutie contest after all...?” - Gen asked in a trembling voice, thinking it would be a disaster. Asagiri, watching Kohaku's unsuspecting, terrifying face, felt that their chances of success were critically low.
- “Yeah, we need a backup participant,” - Senku said with noticeable uncertainty in his voice. This could definitely turn into a problem. If Kohaku wasn't chosen for the harem, their plan to find platinum would be doomed to failure. - “The only option we have left is Suika, but she's too young, it won't work,” - Senku's head was already aching from all the possible options of what to do if Kohaku couldn't get in after all. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. This is a ten billion percent problem...
- “Leave it to me!” - a loud exclamation interrupted the despair that had begun to hang in the air. Senku looked at the girl who had shouted this with confidence. Amaryllis clenched her fists resolutely, looking at him, the leader of their operation. Her eyes sparkled with determination. - “I'll fix everything, Senku.”
- “...Go ahead,” - Ishigami exhaled, placing hands on his waist. A slight smile of relief appeared on his face.
He had no data, but he had a feeling it would work.
It was permission. It was trust.
Amaryllis, looking at the reaction of the most surprising stranger, felt a strange fire in her chest. Was it her determination? For so many years, paying no attention to anything else, she had tirelessly prepared herself to enter the harem, honing her image, character, and presentation to perfection, so much so that determination had become her the second name.
However, this was the first time she had felt this unusual feeling inside.
Was it a feeling of support...? All this time, stepping onto her path of revenge, she had actually always been alone. She didn't think she would experience it ever since...
She looked at all these strange contraptions that this man had been able to make from the most ordinary, unremarkable things. And she knew what she had to do. Her eyes reflected a bright light.
She would not fail.
It was a success.
Kohaku's transformation at Amaryllis's hands surprised everyone around her. Senku himself was delighted with the effect.
Makeup truly works magic.
Suika jumped around excitedly until Soyuz could gather the strength to look Kohaku in the eye, unaccustomed to her appearance.
Kohaku's softened features resembled the calmness of Ruri, recognized as the most beautiful girl in the village of Ishigami, and her skillfully chosen outfit, matching the delicate pink wildflowers, only enhanced the feeling of vibrant, blossoming beauty.
Amaryllis' hands moved as if on their own. She had previously tried some natural dyes to accentuate certain features of her appearance, but nothing had ever produced such a wonderful effect.
Amazing.
That was the only thing she could think of. Each subsequent stroke she applied with this “scientific cosmetics” made her involuntarily think about who had created these absolutely amazing things.
The elastic brushes, which did not lose their shape when applying the products, danced in her hands and were so easy to use. The durable but malleable coloring agents added shade and texture to the face, which she blended with her fingertips as needed. The pleasant smell of fresh fruit, which should have quickly dissipated with the flow of air, stubbornly remained where it was applied, not fading for a moment.
The one who was amazing...
- “You have talent, Amaryllis,” - Senku couldn't help but note. With Amaryllis's help, their chances of success had increased exponentially. He visibly relaxed his shoulders. The problem was almost solved.
- “'Scientific cosmetics' are amazing,” – Amaryllis said, mesmerized. This transformation... No, the whole process, starting with the change of all the ingredients she had known all her life into something completely different, was the most stunning event since she first saw the effect of the petrifying weapon. Before, she would have called this miracle magic, but now... Amaryllis' gaze lingered involuntarily on the young man, who was completely immune to her charms. Science, right?.. - “Maybe with its help, it will work...” - she muttered softly. Even with her years of training, Amaryllis was never sure that her plan for revenge would be successful. It had always been a suicidal attempt, a reckless endeavor fueled by memories of her friends' frozen stone faces, her despair, fear, helplessness, and injustice, which had burrowed under her skin on that fateful day and forced her to move forward alone.
...Until she stumbled upon them. The face of this man from their first meeting reappeared in her mind, completely non-threatening. However, he was the most persistent of all those who called themselves men. The leader of the “scientific” realm.
And under his leadership, her plan began to seem more real to her than it had in all the years before.
And they need any chance they can get.
The beautiful brunette's eyes flashed with a dangerous light that made all the guys around her break out in a cold sweat. Some kind of bad feeling...
- “We need more candidates for the harem, right?” - Amaryllis asked loudly, standing with her back to them, while images of all possible “victims” continued to flash through her mind, and she quickly decided what she could do with them. She was almost powerless against the one called Soyuz, but the rest...
That blond guy, Ginro, was supposed to be a warrior, according to the others, but he was only wiry, with a small face and big eyes. If you added a few touches and emphasized his harmlessness... Not a bad candidate.
The man with two-toned hair, Gen, had expressive face and an ambiguous, androgynous appearance, and he seemed to easily change the intonation of his voice. If she softened his facial features and made the corners of his eyes brighter... A good candidate.
And the last one...
Amaryllis quickly turned around, and the man with green hair tips came into her field of vision.
All her conscious life, she didn't care what those who could protect and help her looked like, those she could rely on in case of trouble. The fact that they turned out to be muscular men was only a necessary consequence. Giving compliments that melted their hearts was even easier than pretending to be a nice girl with a clear, innocent soul all these years.
However, this man was objectively weak. Weaker than all the men who were on the island and who had arrived with him. Perhaps even weaker than her. ...So why did she find his figure so reliable?
She smiled.
And so pleasing to the eye?
Clear, neat features, a sharp and thin chin, attractive eyes with raised corners, a bright and memorable gaze. Perhaps he was more beautiful than any of the men she had ever complimented.
Was it true that the more “scientific” people were, the more attractive they were?
- “We have to at least try,” - said Amaryllis, standing fully in front of the guys, warming up her hands. Her fingertips were almost itching to transform what she considered beautiful to her taste. - “I didn't know what else would suit Kohaku, so I brought a lo-ot of dresses. There's enough for everyone,” - she said in a sweet voice, clapping her hands, but the expression on her face could only be described as sinister. - “Come here one at a time~,” - she said as she slowly approached them with a makeup kit. Senku thought with resignation that in less than a day, he had managed to create two monsters with makeup that would haunt people's nightmares.
...But it had to be done to increase their chances of success. Rationality always prevailed in him.
- "…Okay. Start with me," - Senku raised his hand slightly, surrendering first. They all had the same fate waiting for them anyway... There was no point in delaying the inevitable.
Soyuz's eyes filled with tears as he looked at Senku as if he were a savior, as if the man were witnessing a truly great sacrifice.
A drop of sweat was still running down Gen's temple, but he couldn't help but watch with interest what was about to happen to their leader. The stage makeup they used to put on him in the old days was even brighter and more provocative, so he wasn't actually shy about makeup. It's just not every day that someone wants to send you to the enemy camp's harem... But certain thoughts aroused a burning curiosity in him, as if he were standing in front of Pandora's box. However, seeing Senku-chan in this guise...
Ginro crawled as far away as possible, behind the backs of all the guys, trying to become as inconspicuous as possible. To be made up like a girl? And then given away to the harem? No way! However, the edge of his ear caught Senku's initiative, and Ginro couldn't help but stand still, not knowing... whether to run away or stay and watch. The makeup had worked some kind of magic, even on the hopeless Kohaku, if it was Senku... He was so lost in thought that he completely forgot that he had wanted to run away a second ago.
Amaryllis' brown eyes flashed brightly, as if Senku had given her permission to do much more than just paint his face. Senku began to regret his decision a little, but effectiveness was higher on his list of priorities.
...A little makeup wouldn't hurt him, right?
- “Close your eyes, but don't squint too hard,” - Amaryllis knew this from the moment she saw him, but up close it seemed even more obvious. He was beautiful. His features were refined and symmetrical. His skin was smooth and soft, and it felt nice under her fingertips as she carefully blended the matching pink eyeshadow onto his eyelids. His eyelashes fluttered gently as he tried not to close his eyes too tightly, and this slight flutter seemed to Amaryllis more appealing than all the attempts of the island men to impress her with their muscles. She carefully took a thin brush to emphasize the corners of his eyes with a neat line, making them even more expressive. His natural features were so mesmerizing that it transcended gender.
...If Senku were really a girl, they wouldn't even need makeup to push him into the harem.
- “Okay,” - Senku said quietly so as not to disturb her work. The scents of fruit oils danced softly in his nose as Amaryllis' fingers continued to touch his face. Now she was applying something with a wide, fluffy brush. Powder? His thoughts were interrupted by a touch on his lower lip that made him flinch slightly. Lipstick...
The tip of her finger slowly rubbed pink dye onto his thin lips, giving them a seductive shine. Amaryllis couldn't tell if her fingers had turned pink from the sight or if they were just smeared with too much makeup.
Looking at the results of her hard work, she couldn't help but feel a slight sense of pride and accomplishment. It was as if a delicate, enchanting flower had blossomed under her hands and bloomed even more magnificently. Even she, the most beautiful woman in her village, could hardly take her eyes off it.
Her work had turned out too well.
Amaryllis bit her lip. Who else but her knew that beauty was not only a blessing? Being too beautiful could also bring many problems...
Perhaps she was just thinking too much. Creators tend to praise the results of their work, right? Maybe she was just too overweening. There was only one way to find out...
- “Come on, who's next?” - that high-pitched girl's voice sounded like an execution announcement to the other guys.
- “Ten billion percents it won't work,” - beads of sweat dripped down his temples in tension. Senku's usually spiky hair was tied back in two low ponytails, which was very unusual for him. The dress didn't actually feel much different from his leather tunic, but it was more open at the top and decorated with a massive turquoise ornament in the style of the islanders. He wouldn't have had a problem with any of this... if it weren't for the padding on his chest that imitated a bust.
Senku couldn't say he had much pride, but this was definitely something that affected what little he had left. In a way, staying in a loincloth felt less compromising than what he was doing now.
It was strangely reassuring that he wasn't alone in this situation.
- “I can disguise my voice,” - said Gen in a high, mature female voice, looking surprisingly appropriate in a dress. He wore makeup that looked natural but vivid. Eyeliner and mascara visually made his sly, fox-like eyes wider and more sincere. Bright red lipstick drew the eye to the soft smile on his lips. So he asked Amaryllis to use foundation to change the appearance of his petrification line?.. Why did it look like a flower now?
Due to his theatrical past, Gen had no psychological qualms about dressing in the clothes of the opposite sex. The fleeting, playful smile on his face even made it seem like he enjoyed it. However, knowing the deceptive nature of this mentalist, it was impossible to say if that was really the case. And where did he get the women's handbag and hair clip?..
- “Impressive, Senku-chan?” - Asagiri asked in a deliberately charming voice and winked sweetly at the green-haired boy. Senku's face almost contorted, but Gen just laughed femininely. He really did look like a charming, stately girl.
- “You're so beautiful, Gen!” - Suika said joyfully, jumping around the mind mage. - “You look just like a girl!” - she praised sincerely with childlike spontaneity. However, if she were asked to choose the most beautiful “older sister,” she would choose without hesitation...
Her gaze involuntarily fell on their leader, whose face was still contorted in a grimace, but it did not make him repulsive. Can it be exactly what the adults in their village called... unintentionally attractive? Suika seemed to understand what the elders meant when they mentioned this word in conversation. Someone who could be dissatisfied with anything, but still remain charming, right?
- “Wow, it really is a woman's voice!” - Amaryllis said in surprise. She thought Gen would be able to speak higher, but to have such a natural woman's voice...! Was it strange that he seemed strangely experienced in this..? Perhaps some “scientific” people could do this? She looked thoughtfully at the “masterpieces” of her work, wondering if it could be that “scientific” people also did not need this?
- “Gen is quite distinguished and delicate, but too tall for a woman,” - Kohaku said regretfully, shaking her head. If you add the height of the platform shoes to his height, Gen would be even taller, and it would definitely be noticeable.
- “N-No, that's impossible...” - Soyuz muttered, nervous and embarrassed as never before in his life. He was sure he looked ridiculous. The fabric of the dress stretched over his muscles so tightly that it was almost ready to tear. The buns imitating a bust did not fit under the fabric and were ready to leave his body along with what was almost no longer a dress. The earrings were held on by a thread, and the pearl necklace squeezed his neck so that he could barely breathe.
- “Y-yes, it's impossible...” - they replied helplessly in unison, agreeing with this statement. ...There was no universe in which this would work, unless the entire enemy base suddenly went deaf and blind, mistaking even the disguised appearance of Soyuz for a girl.
They rushed to help him remove the remains of the restrictive outfit before the necklace finally suffocated him.
Only that remained was...
- “No-o-o, no way! No way!” - Ginro screamed loudly and desperately. Kohaku thought irritably that he was already screaming “like a girl” and didn't need any of Gen's magical voice-changing techniques. She grabbed his struggling leg and pulled him back.
- “Be a man, Ginro! We still need to save our petrified friends!” - Kohaku shouted sternly, restraining herself from hitting him. Be patient. We still need him alive.
- “No, no, no! How can I be a man in this dress, Kohaku-chan? No, definitely not! I'm out!” - he clung to the cave walls with his hands and looked as if he would run away at any moment if Kohaku wasn't holding him back.
- “Shut up and let's go. You're participating in the selection,” - the blonde dragged him along as tears rolled down Ginro's makeuped face. Senku wondered if the cosmetics he had made would be durable enough to withstand Ginro's flood of crocodile tears. He quickly turned away, not interested in how Kohaku would deal with the guy.
- “My voice will give us away ten billion percents, so also...” - Senku began, picking his ear.
- “If the problem is just your voice, I have something,” - Amaryllis interrupted, drawing everyone's attention.
- “What?” - Ginro asked, stopping his kicking for a second. Then he turned pale and dropped his hands to his lower body. - “No, don't!” - this time he began to truly fear for his manhood. And not just his own. The one who couldn't fake a woman's voice, but was most suited to it... - “Senku, ru-run, they'll do something terrible to you—!” - looking at their leader, who looked like the most beautiful and defenseless girl he had ever seen in his life, Ginro felt a strange, rare surge of desire to protect. He crawled towards him, but...
- “Idiot, she definitely doesn't mean what you think,” - Kohaku's fist hit the blond on the head, instantly having a calming effect. - “And even if she did mean that, you wouldn't need it anyway, Ginro,” - Kohaku said cruelly, already ready to deliver a second preventive blow to her fellow villager's empty blond head. Seeing him crawl towards Senku and knowing what usually goes on in Ginro's head, she didn't have a single good thought about this coward's intentions.
- “Take it easy on him, Kohaku-chan,” - Gen said in his usual voice, wedging himself between them and trying to separate the two. - “A beaten candidate won't be accepted into the harem...” - seeing that this did little to quell the girl's anger, he played his trump card. - “If, by some… incredible chance, you are not accepted into the harem, and Ginro-chan is beaten, who will protect Amaryllis-chan and Senku-chan inside?” - said the mentalist, and it had a magical effect, stopping Kohaku's second fist raised above boy’s head.
- “Why are you all so sure that I will definitely be accepted into the harem?” - Senku asked irritably, interrupting the argument and picking his ear. When he said this, everyone turned to him with a silent expression. Then, as if remembering who they were dealing with, they shook their heads in unison and smiled gently at him.
- “That's what I'm talking about,” - Gen said with a helpless smile. Kohaku's fervor instantly faded. She let go of Ginro, clenching her fists tighter, as if deciding to channel her energy into something more meaningful.
- “Yes, you're right,” - said the blonde decisively, her eyes burning with the fire of the task at hand.
- “So what something did you have, Amaryllis?” - ignoring the fact that no one had answered his question, Senku turned back to the islander.
- “Oh, yes, give me a second!” - said the girl and ran to her basket. After rummaging around in it, she pulled out an unusual-looking bright red tropical flower. - “In addition to everything Senku asked for, I took it in case its effect might be needed,” - she said awkwardly, pleased with her foresight.
- “What effect does it have, Amaryllis-chan?” - Gen asked with interest, though he already had an idea. He had never seen such a plant before, even though it was part of his job in the past to know the language of flowers. It was a truly beautiful flower.
Moreover, the more he looked at it, the more he felt that this color... Gen cautiously glanced at the green-haired young man standing right next to him. Those scarlet eyes shone brightly with curiosity, and Asagiri knew that this unusual plant had attracted the scientist's inquiring mind. Despite the makeup that further emphasized all his most beautiful features on the outside, Senku-chan always remained Senku-chan on the inside. Gen's heart skipped a beat involuntarily.
Senku also came close to the flower, eagerly examining the unusual plant from top to bottom. He focused on it with interest as his thoughts wandered to how much the flora had changed during the centuries they had been petrified. He was sure that this plant did not belong to any established taxonomic classification. But upon initial examination, this flower most closely resembled the Amaryllis genus. ...What a strange coincidence.
- “This is one of the rare flowers that grows on the island. It's a little difficult to get to,” - said Amaryllis, showing it to Senku standing in front of her. - “However, I often go collecting, and I know places where it can be found. It also has an unusual property. If you mix its petals with leaves, any voice becomes softer. It also works on men, making their voices sound like women's. Only a few gatherers in my village know this," - she explained, handing the flower to the green-haired man, who began to examine it closely, looking very happy. It was the first time Amaryllis had seen anyone show so much interest in a plant, but she found it strangely endearing before she could catch herself thinking that. She froze slightly.
- “Excellent work, Amaryllis!” - Ishigami praised the girl again. His eyes were shining brightly, and Amaryllis realized that she was staring at the boy for an indecently long time. She never allowed herself to do that when interacting with men. She usually used a completely different approach to attract them. But this time... She began to realize one thing. Her charms didn't work on him, but it seemed that his worked on her... perfectly. - “Let's go to the lab, and you can show me the technology used to make this voice-changing remedy,” - Senku called to the girl to follow him. From the outside, they looked like two beautiful young maidens admiring an equally beautiful rare flower, not conspirators preparing to overthrow the current government of the island, one of whom didn't even match “her” appearance.
When they reached the laboratory, Senku began to prepare the necessary instruments with familiar ease, while Amaryllis still watched with great curiosity at all kinds of astonishing transparent vessels of the most bizarre shapes. However, the boy's voice caught her attention when he called out to her:
- “Here, wipe your hands. You still have makeup on them,” - she caught the piece of cloth thrown to her. When Amaryllis lowered her head and looked more closely at her hands, she realized that they were still stained with the remains of “scientific cosmetics,” which turned out to be very stubborn. ...He noticed. Was she so absorbed that she didn't pay any attention to it? That's not like her. She always paid attention to how she looked and what she said.
Amaryllis slowly and carefully wiped her fingers and the backs of her hands while her thoughts wandered. Gradually, the clean tissue became dirty, stained with shades of ocher and pink, but her fingertips did not become any less blushing. She was worried that her face was the same.
Usually, she could control her embarrassed reaction to fit her image as a sweet and pure-hearted girl, but with this person... all her charm skills were futile.
The clinking of glassware in this unusual scientific space sounded clear and frequent, distracting her from the beating of her own heart.
- “Now, training~,” - Gen said cheerfully, clapping his hands. As someone who had been rejected from participating in the selection, he had managed to change back and wash off his makeup, becoming the familiar magician. - “Senku-chan, the image of a shy cutie, like Amaryllis-chan, definitely won't suit you,” - Asagiri noted knowledgeably, as if he regularly gave advice on such matters. - “But the image of a bold girl who is impossible to forget will definitely work,”- you always pull it off, Gen added silently.
- “Are you kidding, mentalist? What ‘a bold girl who is impossible to forget’?” - Senku asked irritably, picking his ear with his little finger. His gaze wandered somewhere off to the side. Gen's heart softened in his chest and was ready to melt. Senku-chan is so adorable when he's shy!
- “Let's practice! Imagine that the selection for the harem has already begun, and I am standing in front of you as one of the evaluators,” - Gen said and instantly changed his mood, now assessing the “girl” in front of him from head to toe. Senku immediately tensed under this gaze. It felt... strange, as if his skin was being licked.
- “But I've never—”
- "Come on, Senku-chan, this is the most effective way! This simulation will definitely help us predict how you will behave during the selection process and make the necessary adjustments right away. It will definitely increase the chances of success," - Gen said, returning to his usual self, making Senku mentally applaud him for the seamless transformation.
- “I feel like this is just your bad taste,” - Senku muttered discontentedly, but gave in to the pressure of such logical reasoning. They needed every chance they could get. ...Even this way. - "...Okay.”
- “I'm just worried about you, Senku-chan,” - Gen said sincerely, deciding to share his concerns. - “Also… I want to teach you to avoid ‘destructive’ behavior. It's dangerous in enemy territory,” - the mentalist said, uttering a phrase that Senku didn't understand.
- “I won't deliberately get myself into trouble,” - Senku parried this display of concern with a raised eyebrow. - “I'm not an idiot. If I'm exposed and killed there, the rest may remain petrified forever, and humanity will never be pulled out of its petrified state.”
And once again, you're thinking more about others than yourself. Gen pursed his lips. He wouldn't understand even if you held up a mirror and poked him in the face with it. Senku-chan doesn't care about people's appearances at all. And it was precisely this trait of him that Gen now considered the most dangerous in their current situation. ...Beauty can lead people to sin. And he was going to smooth things over as much as possible so that Senku-chan wouldn't be too attractive unconsciously.
If things went well, Kohaku (and Ginro) would be there to protect him, but it never hurts to have a backup plan.
Gen was filled with determination to take responsibility for their leader.
While preparations for the start of the selection process were underway, Ishigami looked around for someone who would remain outside, and he finally saw his tall figure.
- “Soyuz, come here,” - Senku called to the guy, and the man quickly approached him without a single question, accustomed to listening to their wise leader in everything. - “In case if I do get chosen,” - Senku said doubtfully, refraining from running his hand through his hair so as not to ruin his hairstyle. - “Listen carefully and remember. I'm going to explain our plan, the blueprints, and the equipment you'll need to make while we're away...” - Ishigami continued to explain, while Soyuz hung on his every word, concentrating as hard as he could so as not to let him down. Senku will entrust his work to me.
Knowing how hard the boy had worked for all of them, for their friends, for his native island, Soyuz could not help but give it his all.
The corner of his eye caught sight of their leader. Senku was wearing makeup and dressed just like a fragile girl, involuntarily causing a blush to appear on his cheeks.
But Soyuz, like everyone else on their team, knew how strong and reliable this little man really was. Even in this situation, where they were backed into a corner, their leader could always be relied upon. With him, it was always safe and even... warm. Like home, even far away from it.
The man forced himself to look away so he could better focus on his task. ...However, he would keep this moment in his memory forever.
After making all the additional preparations, they went to the “cutie contest.”