Chapter 106: It’s all a lie that Jina has no talent for broadcasting

After sending Seo-ah and Ye-rin ahead.

Jina and Hyo-in walked along the corridor leading to the presentation hall.

“Did you sleep well today?”

“…Actually, I didn’t sleep well yesterday either.”

“For someone like that, your expression looks fine today?”

“Ahaha…”

Yesterday too, thanks to Seo-ah’s consideration, she slept with Jina.

Naturally, she spent the night practically wide awake.

‘It’s really fortunate Seo-ah only booked one room… No, wait!’

Although she was tired, her heart was full of excitement.

Perhaps this was why she wasn’t feeling very nervous even before the presentation.

“Still, thinking that Jina unnie will be by my side on stage gives me a lot of reassurance.”

“To be precise, it won’t be me, but my ‘avatar’ next to you.”

At Jina’s languid voice, Hyo-in let out a put- laugh.

“What does it matter? Even if it’s an avatar, unnie is still unnie.”

---

Long before the presentation began, the hall was already packed with an audience.

“If we had come a little later, we might not have even gotten seats.”

“I know, right? The presentation I saw yesterday didn’t seem this crowded…”

Whispering voices seeped into Seo-ah’s ears, who barely managed to sit in the very back row.

“Jinha Na? Is this person’s paper that amazing?”

“My friends at Archive worship her like some kind of god, saying she’s the hottest researcher in 3D avatar generation algorithms these days.”

She hadn’t intended to eavesdrop, but hearing a familiar name, she couldn’t help but listen to people’s conversations.

“This friend, just looking at the paper, it makes sense. To think that humanoid type avatars can all be perfectly rigged… It’s incredibly innovative.”

“This, isn’t this an exaggeration of the research results?”

“Probably not. The paper Jina published two years ago on animation-style avatars was also of amazing quality.”

“Do you guys know? Nise Live KR’s goddess! The one who designed Kamishiro Rei’s solo concert stage is Jina!”

“Whoa, whoa. Don’t get excited, nerd.”

“But you saw it too!”

“…Of course, I can’t deny it was a good stage. Oh- My great fairy!!”

Seo-ah’s eyes, quietly eavesdropping on the conversation, gradually widened.

Now she saw that everyone here was waiting for Jina’s presentation.

Of course, she already knew Jina was an amazing person, but.

“…I didn’t realize she was someone receiving global attention.”

A faint smile spread across Seo-ah’s face as she muttered softly.

It was an emotion she herself couldn’t understand.

The person who just joked around beside her, planned content, and exchanged affectionate words.

At this moment, feeling so immense and distant…

Felt a little unfamiliar.

At that moment, the preceding presentation ended, and the audience’s applause echoed.

Then, the moment the host called Jina’s name.

The murmuring stopped, and a tense atmosphere began to fill the hall.

The stage became busy.

A special screen was laid on the floor, and a beam projector was installed on the ceiling.

At that sight, Seo-ah and Ye-rin, feeling unnecessarily nervous, swallowed hard.

“It looks like they’re setting up a concert stage.”

“I know, right? Jina unnie, what on earth did she prepare?”

Soon, all preparations were complete.

The lights in the hall dimmed.

Seo-ah unknowingly clenched her hands tightly.

Ttogak ttogak-

The sound of heels is light.

What appeared from where everyone’s gaze was directed.

Was none other than JINA, an avatar that looked exactly like Jina.

“…!”

Surprised voices erupted from various places at the avatar’s natural walk.

Even before she had greeted anyone.

Just by appearing.

She had proven the effectiveness and innovativeness of the paper.

In the end, showing once is better than saying a hundred times.

Among the astonished people, Seo-ah unknowingly gasped heup-.

It was an avatar she had seen countless times, so she thought it was familiar.

But today, it looked completely different.

Its presence and charisma are overwhelming.

Even standing alone before hundreds of audience members.

Her unwavering, languid smile was incredibly intense.

“Hello, I’m Jina.”

Jina, standing in the center of the stage, bowed lightly and then continued speaking naturally.

“Originally, my creator, my master, should be presenting instead… but since my master is too nervous, I am greeting you on her behalf.”

Light laughter spread through the hall.

The somewhat stiff atmosphere instantly loosened.

Indeed, a Jina-like beginning.

“I apologize to everyone on her behalf, and today’s presentation will be conducted by me, Jina, and…”

Before she could finish her sentence.

The avatar instantly shrank with a faint effect.

Standing on the stage, facing the audience, was.

“…And me, Mina!”

None other than MINA, the avatar created for Soyul.

Her voice had also changed to a bright and cute voice.

Soyul’s voice, recorded separately beforehand, had been trained into the AI with Rosy’s help.

“On behalf of my master, I will proceed with Jina unnie!”

The adorable performance filled the hall with explosive cheers and applause. Someone even whistled.

At this moment, everyone present was certain.

---

Afterwards, the presentation began in earnest.

The content was one thing, but the natural transformation and movement of the avatar captivated people’s attention.

When in Jina’s form, she showed calm and static movements, meticulously pointing out the core of the paper.

When changing to Mina’s form, she bounced around, cheerfully explaining parts that could otherwise be boring.

Not just a simple academic presentation.

It felt like watching a performance.

The audience held their breath, focusing solely on the presentation.

One of them was Seo-ah.

The presentation, which engrossed even her, who was no different from an ordinary person, left her completely mesmerized.

Suddenly, the words Jina often used, ‘I have no talent for broadcasting,’ came to mind.

“What… It was a lie.”

‘She seems more faithful to RP than anyone else.’

‘How can that be considered having no talent?’

Indeed, Jina is a special person.

“Waaah…!”

Here, next to Seo-ah, is one more person thinking similarly.

Ye-rin’s eyes, looking at the stage, sparkled.

Jina’s presence was so immense that her heart swelled.

At first, it was just admiration.

But now, she began to feel something more.

‘Someday, I too… will do such research…!’

Before she knew it, a grand goal had clearly taken root in Ye-rin’s heart.

It was the moment the poor chick decided to become a lifelong s*ave to the research world.

All of this is because of Jina.

Soon the presentation ended. It felt like less than a minute had passed.

As soon as Jina expressed her thanks, the hall was filled with thunderous applause and cheers.

Simultaneously, hands went up from various places.

That’s how keen the interest in Jina’s paper was.

“I have a question about the technology applied for the natural transition between avatars!”

“Looking at the Mina model, the human body structure ratio seems different from photorealistic avatars, how did you set the weight values for this?”

“Are there any services on the market where this technology has been applied? If not yet, do you have plans to sell the technology?!”

Even to somewhat tricky-looking questions, Jina calmly continued her answers with a relaxed smile, as if it were nothing.

Occasionally, she transformed into Mina’s form, whining cutely and briefly cutting off questions.

“Sorry, everyone~ Time is limited, so I can’t take many questions! And please send inquiries about business or technology partnerships via email~!”

At the cute, nasal voice unbefitting a conference hall, the venue once again became a sea of laughter.

Most of the people present were parents with sons or daughters, so they couldn’t help but soften at the cuteness.

Nevertheless, she not only filled the Q&A time internally set by the conference but even went over by a few minutes.

That’s how high the interest in Jina’s paper was.

Also, coincidentally, one of the co-first authors of the next paper in line was already on stage.

“Then, I’ll introduce the next presenter!”

Finally, Mina smiled brightly and snatched the host’s lines.

Of course, this too was a pre-arranged performance.

“Actually, my master has one more person, and that’s the next presenter, Hyo-in! Everyone, a big round of applause, please!”

Like a big-name corporate streamer hosting all their viewers over to another friendly streamer’s channel.

Jina passed on the heat focused on her entirely to Hyo-in.

---

With loud applause, Hyo-in walked up to the stage.

Her steps towards the center of the stage are heavy.

How is she feeling right now?

…Honestly, not that great.

Of course, the increased attention from the audience is welcome, but…

‘Jina unnie, isn’t this really too much?!’

‘If you give such an amazing presentation right before me.’

‘What am I, who’s presenting right after, supposed to do…!’