"To Be The Best Makeup Artist"

What...is this..?" Cecily blinked at the sudden appearance of a pink transparent panel in front of her eyes. 

[Hello, do you want to become the best makeup artist in your era?] 

That was the words written on the panel. 

Cecily blinked for the second time. She rubbed her sky-blue eyes and yawned. 

I must be dreaming. Is this a dream? I thought I woke up already. 

The girl ruffled her pure black hair as she turned her body to the right side, still laying on her comfortable bed. 

Yeah, this must be a dream. 

Cecily closed her eyes again as the sunlight shone upon her fair skin. Her long eyelashes trembled while the girl inhaled and exhaled, slowly went back to sleep. 

The soft breeze blew through the wind, caressing the young girl's straight long hair. The smell of wood and soil lingered around the square dorm room. 

Ah...so peaceful…

And a single noise crushed the peace. 

TING! 

[Do you want to be the best makeup artist in your era?] 

This time, the message pierced Cecily's mind and projected itself straight to her brain. 

"Ha!" Cecily abruptly opened her eyes. She instantly raised her body and stared blankly at the same pink transparent board. 

What...what the heck? 

"What is this?!" Cecily yelled out loud. She punched the board in front of her eyes, yet her fists just hit nothing but air. 

! 

The heck? Is this an illusion? Am I still dreaming? 

Cecily clenched her fists tightly. She inhaled and exhaled before slowly pinching her cheek. 

THROB. 

"Aww!!" The girl wailed in pain as she rolled around her bed. Her cute rabbit pyjamas she was wearing, was now crumpled by her rash action. 

It hurts!! 

"This isn't a dream, then??" Cecily slapped her cheek, and once the throbbing pain assaulted her, only then she believed it wasn't a dream. 

"It...is really not a dream…" Cecily laid down on the bed as she looked up at the creamy, girlish ceiling. 

Unfortunately, the pink floating board blocked her eyesight. 

...this thing is still here!! 

Cecily broke in a cold sweat. She shuddered for no reason. 

What is this? What's going on? Why is there a board?? And I can't even touch it!! Is this a curse?! 

Am I inside an experimental laboratory or something?? 

"Ha...ha…" Cecily bit her lower lips. Her chest moved up and down as she tried to control her ragged breathing. The silent room was soon filled with only her breathing noise. 

Just...what's going on…? 

Cecily closed her eyes. 

Let's remember what happens before this damn thing pops out. 

Cecily started to recall her memories. 

Last night...I went to the café with the gang. Then, I went back home at 10… 

That's it? There's nothing suspicious. 

Cecily furrowed her neatly shaped eyebrows. The girl slowly opened her eyes again, and the light coming outside of her room shone upon her eyes– 

The colour of the clear sky. 

"...heck," Cecily murmured as her eyes didn't move from the pink board in front of her. 

[Do you want to become the best makeup artist in your era?] 

"Well, yes. But how does this board know?" Cecily cursed out loud. The girl kicked the air as she spread her arms. 

Becoming the best makeup artist in this era? Of course! That had been my dream ever since I was a child. 

Cecily couldn't help but let out a long sigh. 

"What's going on...I just woke up, and this weird board just popped out. What does it want me to do– " 

The panel in front of Cecily suddenly changed. The previous words disappeared, replaced with new ones. 

[We can help you to be the best makeup artist in your era.] 

! 

"What??" Cecily rose up in shock. The girl sat with her legs wide open as well as her mouth. 

Wait, wait, this board...did this board just react to my mind?? 

"Are you...a devil?" Cecily whispered in a shaky voice. She shot daggers at the panel while hugging herself. The girl even snatched the nearby white blanket and wrapped her body with it. 

"Right, you must be a devil. You want to offer a contract to me. I know this. I have seen this a lot in novels and dramas." Cecily started to blabber nonsense.

Unfortunately, it wasn't nonsense.  

[Devil? What's with that old thing? Let's say...I am a system wanting to lend help to fellow dreamers?] 

The damn board replied to Cecily's words. It was as if someone controlled the panel somewhere. 

"...fck. This is so shady." Cecily hit her forehead and looked up. Yet the panel followed her eyesight, not even leaving her alone. 

Wow. What a persistent board. It seems intelligent. Is this the futuristic era? But isn't it the year 2020 today? 

It's 1'st December 2020, for God sake. There's no way in hell someone can make this kind of board– 

[Are you comparing me to a mere board? Wow. As expected of the primitive.] 

The board trembled as if snorting in disdain. 

...yeah. Fck it. 

"Primitive?! Then you, this unknown existence who stalks me and follows me to my dorm when I'm alone, what are you?! A great being?!" Cecily wanted to punch the board, but knowing it wouldn't work, she held back. 

Okay, calm down, calm down. This must be God's retribution for leaving my parents back in the village to go to the city just to pursue my dream. 

"....speak. What's your business with me, oh, the great being from God-knows-where?" Cecily squinted her eyes as she started to interrogate the board. 

If I don't know anything about this board's origin and goal, and why it suddenly appears in front of me…

Then I only need to find out! 

[Is your head a mere decoration? I repeated my intention three times.] 

The board shook, and it slowly turned red. 

It's as if the board is angry. 

"Haha. Yeah. Okay, I want to be the best makeup artist in this era. Satisfied?" Cecily laid down to the bed, still wrapped in her blanket. 

The girl looked tough outside, yet inside, she almost peed herself. 

Oh God, someone, anyone, HELP!! 

To be continued….