While bathing in Violet's spacious bathroom, Liu Shu was quite curious. After all, her Avatar didn't really get dirty, and whenever she did after rolling around with her lovers, she would use her own roots and sap to just cleanse herself.
Seeing so many new and interesting products like gels, shampoos, and other items, she decided to try them. "What is this for, baby?"
The Lignified House spoke softly. "This one, you use it for the skin. It's called gel, and while it can also be used on hair, it can damage it a little due to its oil-cleansing properties. Natural hair oil is usually needed to keep the hair fresh. For that, shampoo's characteristics shine through."
Liu Shu nodded, picking the wooden bottles and tilting them over, spilling a large amount. "Is this enough?"
The Lignified House chuckled. "Usually, half a palm is enough, Mom."
"So little?" Liu Shu nodded. "Did you know about this, Big Sister Fortuna?"
Fortuna spoke with a faint smile. "I didn't. I usually don't really focus on these things."
While checking the products and smearing them on herself, Liu Shu asked her. "What do you usually do during the day?"
Fortuna hummed in thought. "Let's see… I use a large part of my consciousness to check on my children. Your children usually take care of them well enough in terms of basic needs, so I focus more on helping or playing with them during their free time."
"Hehe. How many babies have you and Eila had?"
Fortuna answered happily. "We've had 21 babies! 18 from me, and 3 from Eila. Among them, there are 18 dryads and 3 Sylvans."
"Oh? You give birth to dryads?" Liu Shu asked, her hands clumsily spreading the gel on her body.
"I do! They are very adorable. Still, Eila is sometimes a bit worried. After all, dryads do grow as trees at first. Their humanoid forms develop later, and are intrinsically tied down to their main bodies."
Slightly confused, she asked. "What is Eila worried about, then?"
Fortuna spoke with a helpless sigh. "She is worried that if Ceperet is destroyed, we won't be able to protect them properly."
Liu Shu was speechless. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. 'So much for trusting me, I guess?'
Still, she understood that worries sometimes came out of the blue. So, she didn't take it to heart.
"Hehe… Hm? What is this thing?"
When the Lignified Tree saw the stiff object in Liu Shu's hands, she stretched a root and snatched it away. "Ahem. That's a toy Violet uses when bored. Don't worry about it."
"A toy?" Liu Shu looked at the strangely shaped object flying away and nodded. Looking around, she noticed that her baby was snatching away a few other ones!
'Well, they are Violet's, so it's normal for Baby to take care of them.'
"A comb! Does Violet comb her hair in the shower?"
"Naturally not. Wet hair and a comb do not really go hand in hand, haha. This is something Violet uses to clean crumbs and chunks from her hair."
"Crumbs and chunks? Is she that fierce of an eater?"
The Lignified Tree answered with a peculiar tone. "...Sometimes, yes."
Violet called Liu Shu. "Little Beauty, are you done?"
Liu Shu quickly used water to rinse herself and walked out, pushing the door open with a smile. "Yes, I am ready!"
Violet looked down and then looked away. "Little Beauty, are you trying something with Big Sister? I will tell you, I have very little resistance to cute girls like you."
"Trying something?"
Liu Shu tilted her head when Fortuna coughed. "Liu Shu, you forgot your clothes."
"Ah." Looking down, Liu Shu sighed. "I am really not accustomed to wearing them. Where did you leave them, Violet?"
Violet pointed inside the bathroom at the side while looking away. She remembered the warning the Little Beauty had given her before, so she was doing her best not to look! 'Still, calling her "Little" might have been a mistake. For such a short girl, she really packs a punch! She might be bigger than me proportionally!'
While wearing the underwear, Liu Shu frowned, confused. "Didn't Violet say that they would be comfortable? Why does it feel so tight still?"
The Lignified House looked around the building and soon found a bra that was not used and would fit Liu Shu's proportions perfectly.
"Try this one, Mom. Violet misjudged your size by almost two cups, haha."
Liu Shu changed to the new pair of black underwear, and when she did, she was surprised. "Oh! So snuggy and comfy. It feels like when Tempestria hugs and fondles them gently."
"..."
Collectively deciding to ignore the last comment, Violet decided to pull Liu Shu in front of the large mirror where she kept most of her makeup materials.
Looking at the rows of bottles, Liu Shu's purple eyes became a bit dizzy. "So many things!"
Violet laughed, reaching out. "Have you never used makeup, Little Beauty?"
Seeing Violet reach for the moisturizer, Liu Shu shook her head. "I haven't."
This was a bit of a surprise, but also not so much. Makeup was not really a big thing in their society. Natural appearance was greatly appreciated. Still, even when most said "natural," there were still some very basic methods to make the skin look much better without wearing layers.
Feeling Violet's fingers on her face, Liu Shu blinked, curious. "Moisturizer… right?"
Moving with practiced ease, Violet smiled. "This helps with helping your face feel fresh, while also not suffocating your skin. Makeup, after all, is a layer. Without proper care, it's very easy to hurt it. It needs to breathe."
Violet chuckled. "Your cheeks feel so squishy. Heavens, you probably have some of, if not the best, skin I've ever seen."
Liu Shu smiled. While she was a World Tree, sincere praise for her Avatar's beauty was something she naturally appreciated.
"Yes," Violet said sincerely. "Your skin is also very smooth. Sigh, truly, comparing oneself to others is sometimes quite a hit."
Liu Shu laughed, and Violet smiled as well.
"Now, let's get a bit of foundation."
Reaching for a small wooden base, Violet used her finger to scoop a little bit and poke Liu Shu's cheeks, forehead, nose, and chin. When Violet squeezed her cheeks, Liu Shu closed one of her eyes, keeping the other open with curiosity.
"We get a brush to even it out now…"
"Hehe… It tickles a bit."
Violet chuckled, but her eyes were focused. She was honestly feeling quite happy right now. It was rare for such a soft and tender moment in her life. 'Hm… While I do like my work, perhaps I could change to a makeup artist?'
Honestly, meeting with Liu Shu had changed her outlook on some things. Just Liu Shu's pure and innocent aura stirred her slightly sore heart a little bit.
"Alright, with the foundation done, we now apply concealer…" Violet paused, and Liu Shu blinked, curious. "What's wrong?"
"Hm…" Violet tilted her head. "Honestly, concealer is usually placed to hide those very tiny imperfections, but…"
Liu Shu's face was just perfect. She honestly didn't see a reason to use it. Liu Shu blinked. "But what?"
"Nothing. Let's skip it." Violet chuckled. She reached out for the setting powder, and with a brush, she evenly applied it to Liu Shu's face.
"Close your eyes for a moment, love."
Liu Shu hummed, closing her eyes. Violet sighed. 'Such long eyelashes. Should I enhance her purity, or give her a new seductive look?'
Thinking on how that man approached the Little Beauty before, she shook her head. 'I'll make you look so innocent and pure that others will be unable to bear marring your whiteness!'
So, after setting the powder down, Violet spoke gently. "I will now use a few delicate things. I need you to not move your head or blink too much, alright?"
Liu Shu nodded, her violet eyes shining.
Moving in front of Liu Shu, Violet leaned down with a serious face and picked up the eyebrow pencils she had. 'While her eyebrows are also spotless, I can give them a touch of extra softness. Curiously, this Little Beauty has a faint, mature, and gentle charm that harmonizes with her adorableness. My objective is to erase all that and leave behind pure softness and cuteness!'
"Alright, done. Now, let's do the eyes. Open them for me, love."
Liu Shu looked at Violet and opened her already big eyes. Violet, once more, couldn't help but sigh in her head.
"...You are quite close."
Violet smiled faintly. "I have to be. I don't want to mess it up now, do I?"
"Mhm…"
"Stay still."
"I am not moving…"
Violet smiled. "Don't blink…"
Liu Shu followed her orders, but soon, her eyes began tearing up.
Violet paused, her thumb gently brushing the corner of Liu Shu's eye. "Hey… don't cry on me now."
"I'm not crying!" Liu Shu protested softly. "It just… stings a little."
"…That's still crying."
Hearing her soft whines was truly irresistible, making Violet want to tease her. 'Sigh, if Big Sister House had not told me to be careful and not have any ideas, I might've wanted to glomp this Little Beauty for myself.'
She felt a bit jealous of whoever would get her in the future.
"Alright, eyes done." Violet felt quite satisfied.
Liu Shu couldn't see herself, as Violet was standing in front of her.
"A few more steps, and we are done."
"Even more?"
Liu Shu's eyes widened, and with her new makeup, it made Violet's cheeks blush a little bit. 'Heavens, I've done a really good job. My heart is jumping like an excited little deer.'
"Yes, a few more steps. We have to apply a little bit of highlighter and blush."
Liu Shu sighed and lamented. "So many steps to change the face."
Violet gently knocked her head. "Highlight! Not change. As a lady, you naturally have the right to look prettier!"
Liu Shu chuckled. Violet continued to work on her face for a few more minutes, and after she was done, she smiled.
"Alright, last steps, the lips."
"Lips?" Liu Shu tilted her head, curiosity in her eyes. "What can be perfected on the lips?"
"Shush, don't talk."
Violet grabbed her chin, her other hand holding lip gloss. As she gently applied it, she marveled again. 'Such softness… How perfect can this little beauty be?'
The process was slow, making Liu Shu blink a few times, showing expectation.
When Violet was done, she couldn't help but pause for a second, marveling.
"Violet?"
Her call snapped her out of her daze, and Violet smiled gently. "We are done. Now… Look at yourself."
She stepped aside, and Liu Shu looked at the self reflected in the mirror. Her eyes widened faintly. "...Wow."
She turned her head, blinked her perfect lashes, and glanced at her overall face.
Violet looked at her from the side and smiled. "How is it? Pretty?"
"Mhm." Liu Shu smiled brightly, making her transformed face glow like a white-blooming rose. "Very pretty!"