Chapter 71: Do Androids Pray for Cybernetic Heaven? (1)

I decided to accept Sophia’s invitation to her art exhibition.

Of course, I had been quite busy lately, juggling management classes and church affairs, but that’s precisely why I needed some time off.

The timely invitation provided a suitable pretext for a break.

I was also personally very curious to see what kind of paintings the girl, whose sight had been restored, would create.

‘Of course, Sophia is still just a freshman, so I shouldn’t expect anything too grandiose.’

Although the invited exhibition was hosted by an art school, which made it sound grand, it was fundamentally a student artwork exhibition.

I myself didn’t know much about art.

This outing was more about meeting a welcome acquaintance after a long time and getting some fresh air.

Therefore, no special preparations were needed.

I thought just a slightly formal outfit would suffice.

But I never dreamed… that choosing those clothes would be this arduous.

ST said to me.

“For this outing, this dress seems appropriate.”

On the hanger she presented, hung a black halter-neck evening dress that clearly exposed the shoulder line.

“Lady Eve, you have an overall bright tone.

The contrast between your sparkling silver hair, pristine white skin, and this black dress will maximize your elegance.

Considering the formality of the venue, this is a reasonable choice.”

However, there was another voice interrupting her logical explanation.

It was Yoanna, holding another outfit.

“No! This suits Unni better!”

(TL: Unni is a Korean honorific used by younger females to address older females, often implying closeness like a sister.)

On the hanger she held out was a sky-blue, off-shoulder one-piece dress.

“No matter if it’s an art gallery invitation, it’s still just a student exhibition, right?

As long as it’s somewhat neat, that should be enough.

And if so, we should choose a style that best accentuates Eve unni’s natural charm!

Purity! Innocence! Girliness!

To make those strengths stand out even more, a pastel color like this is perfect!”

“……”

Listening to such an argument, I felt my mind going blank.

What was this situation?

The whole affair began with the dilemma of choosing an outfit to wear to the exhibition.

‘If it were up to me, I’d just wear whatever, but… since I’m going as an invited guest, I should observe proper etiquette.’

Given the nature of an exhibition, a somewhat formal and neat attire seemed appropriate.

But there was a problem.

I had almost no knowledge of such fashion.

I had no idea what to combine or how to wear it to look decent.

So, after much deliberation, I decided to ask for help from others.

For that reason, I had only intended to borrow the opinions of the two closest to me…

“No matter how I think about it, this dress suits Unni better!”

“I do not concur.”

Would you believe they’ve been fighting… no, discussing this topic for an hour already?

Though it was about me, I had somehow been pushed out of the center and could only sigh.

I didn’t understand why what I wore was so important that neither of them would budge an inch.

‘I just asked… I didn’t expect it to turn into such a mess.’

Yoanna was one thing, but why had ST become so intense about this?

She was always so mature, cool-headed, and trustworthy.

But right now, she was acting completely unlike her usual self.

She was often like this, especially when her opinion clashed with Yoanna’s.

She would display an unusual stubbornness, refusing to yield.

Thanks to that, I, caught in the middle, was the only one feeling dizzy.

In the seemingly endless argument, I finally grabbed both of them and said.

“Hoo… I’ll just choose one of them by rock-paper-scissors.”

Yoanna immediately protested.

“Wait a minute! Eve unni, then I’m at a disadvantage!”

“Huh?”

I tilted my head inadvertently.

How could there be an advantage or disadvantage in rock-paper-scissors?

It was the world’s most perfectly balanced game, known throughout all ages and places.

But upon further reflection… Yoanna was actually right.

Considering ST’s agility and reflexes, she could literally see her opponent’s move and still react in time.

So I asked her again.

“I’m sorry, but ST, could you play rock-paper-scissors blindfolded?”

But the reply was unexpected.

“Then will you cover my eyes yourself, Lady Eve?”

“Huh?”

I tilted my head slightly at the somewhat puzzling words, but since it wasn’t a difficult request, I agreed.

“Well… alright.”

As I reached out to cover ST’s eyes, I realized something was a bit awkward.

Due to our considerable height difference, using only one hand made the posture uncomfortable.

My hand itself was small, so it didn’t even cover her eyes properly.

And if I were to use both hands, I would have to stand directly between them.

“……”

After a moment’s thought, a good idea came to me, and I gently moved behind ST.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

This way, I intended to cover her eyes from behind.

However, since ST was tall, as I stretched out my hands, it resulted in a posture where I seemed to be hugging her from behind.

The moment my tilted upper body gently touched her back, was it my imagination that her shoulders trembled slightly?

Yoanna, who was watching, grew restless and finally voiced her complaint.

“W-W-Wait a minute! That’s cheating! That’s a foul!”

“Did you not desire this first, Miss Yoanna?”

“No, that and this are different stories!”

The two began to bicker again over an incomprehensible topic.

Normally, I would have stopped them, but after over an hour of this, I was exhausted too.

So I sighed and suddenly shouted.

“Let’s just get this over with quickly. Rock, paper, scissors!”

“………”

“……”

When I peeked at the result, the match seemed to have been decided in an instant.

The winner… was ST.

“It can’t be…..”

Yoanna sank to the floor with a look of despair.

ST remained expressionless, but was it just my imagination, or did she look vaguely smug?

In any case, the decision was made.

I thought it was a relief that it was resolved relatively cleanly.

However, I had forgotten one thing all this time.

The real ordeal remaining for me hadn’t even begun.

And so, I ended up with the women’s evening dress, handed to me in a daze.

After sending the two outside, I was left alone in the office, staring blankly at what was in my hand.

“……”

Something felt off.

There was nothing wrong with the outfit itself.

It was a dress made of luxurious fabric, with an elegant and sophisticated design.

Yes, it looked incredibly beautiful.

But that didn’t mean I wanted to wear it myself.

I thought I had gotten quite used to women’s clothes by now, but this was a completely different category.

School uniforms, dresses… I really didn’t know why they were doing this to me.

I let out a small sigh.

Somehow, I felt like I had been completely drawn into their scheme.

Originally, I had planned to just wear a simple shirt.

But watching their argument drag on for over an hour, I had unconsciously grown tired and acquiesced to this whole situation.

“…….”

I idly poked the dress on the hanger.

The elegantly swaying hemline still felt awkward and uncomfortable.

‘Haah, it’s already decided, so there’s no helping it, I guess.’

I quietly stood in front of the mirror.

And reluctantly, I carefully lifted the hem of the dress.

---

Creaak-

Through the slightly ajar office door, a head of silver hair peeked out.

Blue eyes hesitated, as if observing the situation.

“Umm….”

The two women waiting outside eventually found themselves unknowingly gasping.

It was because the girl, her face slightly flushed with embarrassment, finally opened the door and revealed her full appearance.

Her usual youthful freshness was gone, and in its place, a distinctly elegant feminine aura emanated.

A luxurious black halter-neck dress contrasted sharply with her brilliant silver hair.

Although she wore a shawl covering her shoulders, the neckline, pristine white back, and delicate collarbones that peeked out with every movement stimulated a peculiar kind of imagination.

Beneath the hemline that covered above her knees, her white thighs and slender ankles were as smooth as marble sculptures.

Their gazes were naturally drawn to her shapely legs, elegantly elongated by mid-heel pumps.

“S-So… how is it?”

She asked cautiously, but the two women couldn’t utter a word.

“…….”

“…….”

Silence flowed for a long while.

Just as her face was about to crumple in distress at their lack of response, Yoanna barely managed to close her gaping mouth.

Swallowing the saliva that almost dripped, the girl murmured to ST beside her, her face dazed.

“….This time, I admit I was wrong.”

ST, too, her eyes still fixed on the sight before her, silently nodded.

As if their fierce argument from moments ago had been a lie, the two had reached a strange consensus.

Only one girl, oblivious to the reason, tilted her head in confusion.

“…..?”

---

Since Sophia had sent several tickets, the two naturally accompanied me on today’s outing.

“Eve unni! I think it’s over there! Let’s hurry!”

“Yoanna, don’t get too far ahead.”

It was as if we had all come out for a leisurely trip.

‘How long has it been since I’ve wandered around so carefreely?’

It truly felt like I was out playing with friends after a long time.

And it was quite similar in reality.

The weather, the scenery, everything was perfect.

Except… for this awkward outfit.

“Ugh…..”

I habitually pressed down on the hem of my dress as it fluttered in the wind.

I was walking carefully, trying to find the address on the invitation.

Finally, something came into view.

Amidst the dense forest of buildings, a campus with an antiquated brick building, as if from a different era.

‘Is that the Omega Detroit City Art Academy?’

The Renaissance-style architecture, standing alone amidst glass buildings and concrete apartments, was very unique.

Rather than feeling old, it gave an impression of antiquity.

That was natural, of course.

It must have been intentionally built that way.

Art in this era was like that.

From the moment AI surpassed human artists in visual interpretation, expression, and all other aspects, the art world began to search for new values.

As a result, art for humans, art that only humans could create, became the artistic value most highly praised by the era.

That old-style building, which could only be seen in times without computers, AI, or machines, seemed to speak to their aspirations.

In front of the campus entrance, a girl was waiting for us.

She soon spotted us and waved her hand with a bright smile.

“Eve unni! It’s been a while! Thank you for coming!”

Sophia, smiling with great vivacity.

The girl’s eyes were still shining, clear and beautiful.