Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Holy Blood (7)
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As everyone knew, Omega Detroit was a supermetropolis boasting a population that rivaled an entire nation.
Its immense scale was evident not just in the city proper—the suburban outskirts stretching beyond weren't some simple backwater neighborhood either.
From the 1st Block hugging the city limits in every cardinal direction, all the way out to the 20th Block, which was little more than wasteland. The districts sprawled out in neatly divided sections.
The closer the area to the city center, the higher the average income of its residents, and the more prosperous and bustling it appeared.
After all, plenty of people who couldn't afford the sky-high real estate prices downtown had been pushed out to the suburbs but still kept their jobs inside the city.
Naturally, neighborhoods like theirs were far more affluent than the slums. Even basic infrastructure—corporate shops, convenience facilities, and the like—was comparatively well-developed.
The 1st Block, bordering the absolute edge of downtown, was exactly that kind of place.
It stood out as the most upscale district in the outskirts, home to a significant number of Class-2 citizens and above who enjoyed unrestricted access to the city proper.
Thanks to them, the area's vibe felt almost like it was inside the city itself.
Roads were well-paved, streets spotless.
Shops lining the sidewalks displayed flashy merchandise behind gleaming floor-to-ceiling glass, drawing in passersby.
Not a scrap of trash tumbling along the main avenues, a far cry from the outskirts' rundown scenes.
No skyscrapers piercing the heavens, but plenty of buildings soaring well past ten stories.
The spot we'd entered was a fairly large, upscale shopping mall smack in the heart of the 1st Block's bustling district.
Inside, bright lights illuminated well-dressed mannequins and the latest trendy clothes crammed everywhere.
It buzzed with busy customers and staff, yet somehow maintained a clean, orderly feel.
And right there in the glittering middle of it all, I was walking in the most awkward, hunched-over posture imaginable.
'Why... why am I in this getup...?!'
This clumsy gait stemmed, as you can see, from my completely unfamiliar outfit.
A top that clung tightly, outlining every curve of my body.
A short, fluttering skirt in stark contrast.
And heels that forced my ankles up.
Head to toe, it embodied 'femininity' in every way.
Even my bare legs and neckline, usually hidden, were fully exposed.
Passersby pretended not to stare, but their sidelong glances felt blatantly obvious.
My face burned with embarrassment, hot enough to burst. The heat scorching my ears wouldn't fade.
'No matter how I look at it, isn't this skirt way too short?! And why does the top have to hug like this, with such a deep neckline...?!'
In truth, quite some time had passed since I'd fallen into this world, and I'd thought I'd come to accept the changes to my body. I'd even grown fairly accustomed to this feminine form.
But... I'd never once worn clothes that so blatantly emphasized feminine allure. My usual wardrobe was just plain T-shirts and comfy pants for ease of movement.
Of course, for church duties or leading services before the followers, I did wear the medieval-style 'Saintess's Robes' I'd arrived in. Those did have a certain feminine flair.
But that was just role-playing the 'Saintess' part...
It hadn't embarrassed me to death like this.
'No, putting an old guy like me in... in something like this—it's gotta be illegal or something?!'
The hem was shorter than usual top and bottom, so one wrong move and my navel—or worse, underwear—might flash.
I found myself hyper-aware of every motion. A strong gust of wind, a careless turn... everything would be on display.
My steps turned into a light, dainty sway, nothing like my usual stride.
And every time I noticed it, my face flushed hotter.
"........."
In stark contrast to my turmoil, a bubbly voice rang out from beside me once more.
"Eve sis! Next, over there! Let's check out that store!"
I turned to see a golden-haired girl with our arms tightly linked, eyes sparkling as she pointed here and there with her shopping-bag hand.
"Oh? That dress in the window looks cute too! Try it on after this one!"
Yoanna, beaming with excitement and not a hint of fatigue, dragged me to the next shop.
I followed like a marionette, utterly devoid of any will to resist.
"........."
What in the world was happening? Why had this ordeal befallen me?
My vision swam in a daze.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Here's what had gone down.
"The favor I want from you, Eve... is for you to do whatever I say today, no questions asked!"
Yoanna declared it firmly, as if refusing any refusal.
Her shadowed, hollow eyes—proof of the exhaustion from handling all the church work in my stead—left no room for turning her down. Overwhelmed by her intensity, I nodded weakly.
Yoanna smiled brightly, satisfied.
A smile that somehow felt ominous as she revealed her wish.
"First off, from now on, call me—"
She hesitated, then squeezed her eyes shut, cheeks flushing, and blurted it out.
"Sis! Let me call you Sis...!"
The unfamiliar term made my shoulders twitch involuntarily.
But compared to what I'd feared deep down...
'That's not so bad, right?'
I wasn't the one saying it; just being called that was manageable.
The kid using 'please' to close the distance felt kinda cute, even.
So I nodded again in agreement, and Yoanna pressed on.
"And second! When we talk from now on, drop the formal speech and talk casually to me, Eve sis!"
The new title felt awkward, but... honestly, not a big deal.
Social norms dictated polite speech with strangers or juniors out of respect.
It was so ingrained in me that I'd used it with everyone so far.
But with someone I'd built this much rapport with, casual talk shouldn't be weird.
"Uh, got it, Yoanna. Like this... okay?"
A bit stiff, sure, but I'd adapt quick.
Hearing my clumsy casual speech lit up Yoanna's face; she grinned ear to ear.
"Yup! And my last request... go on a date with me today!"
The first two had been so tame, I agreed without hesitation.
"Sure, let's do it."
I figured she was just worn out from work and wanted to hang out somewhere fun together.
I nodded without a second thought.
Completely oblivious to what awaited me.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "........."
And that's how things had come to this.
Unable to withstand Yoanna's insistence, I'd been dragged to the 1st Block for shopping.
No time to marvel at its pristine, sparkling glamour—opposite of the back alleys—as Yoanna pulled me straight into a clothing store deep in the mall.
By the time I snapped out of it, the basket overflowed with outfits far from my taste, in an utterly unexpected vibe.
All excessively feminine, and honestly a bit overwhelming to my eyes.
But Yoanna was a beauty who could pull off anything, so they'd suit her fine, I thought.
I complimented naturally.
"Yeah, all cute outfits. They'd look great on you, Yoanna."
But her response hit like a bolt from the blue.
"Huh? What're you talking about? These are all for you, Eve sis!"
"What?"
Panicking, I tried to stop her.
"W-Wait, Yoanna! I don't need new clothes! What I have is plenty!"
Yoanna scolded me like a spoiled child, stamping firmly.
"Not even close!"
Hands on hips, she continued.
"I've been dying to tell you this: Eve sis, aren't you way too oblivious to yourself?!"
"Uh, yeah?"
"Why do you always dress so weird? Honestly, half the stuff doesn't even fit right—it's all shabby and frustrating!"
I was pretty shocked.
'Was it that bad...? I thought it was just normal...'
Thinking back, even if I dressed like a bum, who'd dare critique the 'church leader'?
And even if they did, I'd never bothered hunting for women's clothes that actually fit this body.
Yoanna seemed to read my mind, doubling down firmly.
"Wasting the beauty bestowed by the Radiance is blasphemy! You promised to follow my lead today, right?"
At this point, resistance felt futile; I'd be dragged along.
'I said I'd grant any request, but I never imagined clothes like that...'
It was so out of left field, I kept protesting.
"Hold on! Calm down—this style's too... immodest for a cleric, don't you think? Religious folks should set an example with modesty..."
But even my final plea got shot down instantly.
"Huh? Our church doesn't have rules like that."
'Crap...!'
Right. From the start, when founding the church in this freewheeling near-future society, I'd skipped archaic scripture like 'women who believe must be chaste.'
Such notions didn't fly here and would only repel converts. Plus, in an era decades past real religion's extinction, stereotypes about 'clergy' had long faded.
"The followers are always saying they wish you'd dress up pretty for once. When I said I'd handle it today, they were thrilled!"
That crushed my last argument.
Dazed, I ended up clutching a few outfits Yoanna picked, shoved half-forcibly into the fitting room.
The door clicked shut solidly behind me.
Alone in the space.
The full-length mirror reflected my image crystal clear.
A girl's face with a lost, defeated expression.
"........."
The smooth fabric under my fingertips—typical of women's clothes—felt overwhelmingly burdensome now.