"This is the advantage of being a Nephilim."
Dunkirk was sorting through a jumble of photos in a box, pulling out a particularly cute picture of an evening gown and placing it in front of Turing.
"Transform into whatever you want to be."
"Become the person you want to be."
Dunkirk paused for a moment, neatly organizing the scattered photos into stacks, and then picked up one of the stacks, seemingly looking for a specific photo.
Turing sat beside Dunkirk, curious and puzzled, watching as Dunkirk flipped through the photos one by one.
Among them were the desolate and eerie research facility, the horrifying containment chambers, but more prominently, lovely girls, flower fields stretching as far as the eye could see, fragrant tobacco gardens, and an emerald lake atop a cloud-capped mountain.
【Why is it so…】
【How can she face her past so nonchalantly?】
Turning his face slightly, stealing glances at Dunkirk's subtly smiling face, Turing couldn't detect any fluctuations in Dunkirk's expression.
It was as if... as if she wasn’t reminiscing about her own past.
"Perhaps your story didn't have a good beginning, Tucoco."
"In that aspect, we are no different."
"But that shouldn't stop you from pursuing what you desire."
Gradually, Dunkirk found the photo she was looking for – different views of the same dress.
Arranging them in sequence, Dunkirk put away the rest of the pictures.
"What's important is what you choose, Tucoco."
"If you stare at your painful, terrifying past, you'll become a monster."
Almost casually, Dunkirk took out a photo depicting an angel riot from her pocket and showed it to Turing – the chaotic angels fluttering wildly, eventually subdued by the laboratory wizards' combined efforts.
"But if you focus on the sweet and beautiful aspects of your life, you'll become lovely yourself."
Pointing lightly at the photo of the adorable skirt on the ground, Dunkirk spoke.
Then, she put them away again, leaving only the pictures of the dress.
"Now, let me teach you about evening gowns."
"The better you understand something, the more successful you'll be at conjuring it up."
"Otherwise, without enough details, the backdrop is easily exposed."
"Your lack of imagination is a weakness, Tucoco."
"Let's start from the basics."
"Stare at the three views of this skirt in the photo, try to extend your body..."
"Imagine its silky texture right at your fingertips, as if it would crumble with just a gentle squeeze."
---
"So, are you technically naked now?"
"Your clothes are essentially a part of your body."
Merka sat in the carriage, looking somewhat amusedly at Turing beside her.
"Yeah... you could say that."
"Oh, the air brushing against the clothes makes you feel odd, like a phantom."
"I'm so annoyed, I was totally fooled by Dunkirk Sister this time. I'll never try to change clothes by myself and wear them again."
"Isn't it cute? I think it's quite nice."
Although Merka couldn't see the true situation, from what he knew, it was the first time Turing wore a backless evening gown.
"Not good - not good at all."
"There will be so many people at the banquet that some physical contact is inevitable."
"It would be fine if there was a layer of clothes in between, but now it's like I'm practically naked."
"Then I'll have to be extra awkward."
Merka smiled subtly, indicating his understanding.
"It's all right, I'll hold your hand at the time, so that kind of thing won't happen."
"By the way, Turing, you haven't been invited to the banquet. Can you sneak in?"
Merka voiced his concern.
"I'll just use the backdrop to slip in directly."
"If someone realizes I've sneaked in and asks where I came from, I'll just drop Maria's name."
"If all else fails, I'll just use aside to erase his memory."
Turing said calmly, her method always so straightforward and simple.
"Does that mean you still need to disguise yourself with a backdrop at tonight's banquet?"
The bumpy carriage shook Merka's uneasy heart. He had a feeling that something unexpected might happen at tonight's party.
