Iris, blaming her nervousness on her chastity belt, followed her grandmother and sat down at the table.
Seated there were other grandmothers who had come up from the countryside.
Judging by their rosy cheeks, they seemed to be feeling the same way as Iris.
Soon, Iris’s grandmother said a short prayer and then picked up her spoon and chopsticks.
“Alright, everyone, please enjoy your meal.”
“Oh my, today’s food is quite good.”
The grandmothers chatted cheerfully as they ate.
Iris awkwardly smiled and picked up her utensils as well.
As she glanced around, she almost spat out her food.
Among the diners were handsome Enraka Church officials mixed in here and there.
‘Uncomfortably sharing a meal with the worshippers… How am I supposed to take my eyes off them like this?’
Iris took a bite here and glanced there, took another bite and glanced again, enduring the awkward meal until a small grandmother approached the table.
“Oh my, so this is Mary grandmother’s granddaughter? You must be Iris. How could you be so pretty? You look just like your grandmother.”
“Thank you. I hear that a lot.”
“My granddaughter takes after me—smart and pretty. Though not very strong, mind you.”
The grandmother wrapped her arm around Iris’s shoulder and gave a hearty laugh.
Iris flinched noticeably at the comment about lacking strength.
Maybe in the past, but not anymore. Since awakening her ability,
Iris possessed strength beyond that of ordinary people.
Even disregarding her Skills, her raw physical power alone was above average.
Including her Skills, she was tremendously strong.
If her grandmother knew she had recently knocked out a villain as big as a bandit, she’d be shocked.
Come to think of it, Iris had meant to confess her awakening to her grandmother but hadn’t yet.
‘I should tell her when we’re alone. I don’t want to keep it a secret from her, at least.’
Mouth twitching, Iris broke into a soft smile and joined the conversation.
“Haha, Grandma, I’ve gotten a lot stronger.”
“Nonsense, with arms that small, where’s the strength? If you want to survive in this world with a body that tiny, you’d better have a pistol.”
“Well, actually, I just…”
The small grandmother pointed at Iris’s arm, clicking her tongue, as Mary grandmother proudly brought up how she had bought Iris a pistol.
Then she went on and on, bragging about Iris as if there were no end to the stories.
Iris, embarrassed, poked at her food. Each time the grandmother boasted, the old ladies around nodded approvingly and glanced at Iris.
When the story turned to how sharp Iris had been as a baby—rolling over faster than other kids—the handsome Enraka Church official standing near the restaurant doorway announced loudly.
Even the announcer was strikingly handsome. Iris silently wished he had a superpower.
“Worship time is starting. Please gather in the chapel after finishing your meal.”
“Oh dear, we better hurry up. Eat quickly, Iris. Is that all you’re eating?”
“Haha, I’ll eat fast, Grandma.”
The grandmothers hastened their spoons, urging Iris along.
Iris’s previously dull eyes brightened, and she covertly glared at the official who seemed handsome enough to deceive people.
What bad guy reveals their true colors during mealtime? Using a handsome face to charm people—no way.
The meal was ordinary, but the worship would be different. It was finally time to enter the devil’s den.
“The Enraka Goddess declares, you are my servants.”
Iris entered the chapel with a flourish but gradually drifted to sleep during the Enraka Church High Priest’s sermon, which was nothing like a lullaby but just as soporific.
The High Priest was old and plain, so it was hard to concentrate, but Iris knew something truly wicked was bound to happen, so she had to stay alert.
She tried desperately to keep her eyes open, but boredom was unbeatable.
When she started shaking her head from side to side, a grandmother tapped her on the shoulder gently and whispered.
“Iris… Iris?”
“…Yes? Oh… I must have dozed off.”
Iris snapped awake and wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand.
She had drooled a little while napping. Her round eyes scanned the worshippers.
Aside from the half-and-half handsome and dull crowd in the dining hall, nothing remarkable.
The chapel was the same. In fact, it felt boringly normal because the handsome men from the restaurant were nowhere to be seen.
It was as if she were just attending an ordinary religious event, but something was clearly off.
Something evil was going on somewhere.
‘Wait, what’s that? That back of the head… could it be?’
Her brown eyes widened. As she shifted nervously, a grandmother lightly tapped her thigh, signaling her not to make a fuss.
Iris nodded slightly and stared intently at the back of the head.
Silver hair, broad shoulders, dressed not in a white robe but a black suit—it looked very much like that bastard Abellus, whom she had seen once before.
But the back alone wasn’t enough to be sure. Silver hair wasn’t common in Gyodam City, but not exactly unique either.
‘Turn around, turn around. Please don’t be Abellus.’
The silver-haired man suspected to be Abellus sat three rows ahead of her seat.
She hadn’t noticed before because he had entered quietly.
After a long, anxious stare, the silver-haired man finally turned sideways.
A glimpse of purple eyes behind silver-rimmed glasses made Iris’s eyes narrow.
‘It’s definitely Abellus. Birds of a feather flock together. An evil guy matching this evil place. Looks like the villains are having a meeting. Maybe he’s noticed me. Should I hide…? No, wait.’
Iris rolled her eyes. Abellus wouldn’t recognize her without her transformation outfit, just like Laika wouldn’t.
So there was no need to hide. Why not take this chance? Approach him first while he doesn’t know her and make contact. Then steal his Skill.
‘No, no. If I get too close, I’ll end up as a human model for experiments.’
Judging by the temper he’d shown earlier, she had to be cautious.
Still, there was something she could do today—secretly observe what Abellus does after worship ends.
While Iris glared at Abellus’s back, the High Priest finished his sermon.
No <Perception> triggered during the sermon. Maybe, aside from the Bald Priest with Bewitching Skill and the Enraka Church Leader’s Son, there were no other superpowered individuals in the Enraka Church?
Next came the hymn choir. The handsome priests from earlier appeared and began singing, drawing quiet gasps from the worshippers.
In the center was the blonde priest who had approached Iris’s grandmother so familiarly.
When the choral part ended, the solo began. The blonde priest sang a sweet Enraka Goddess hymn with a voice like an angel descended from the heavens. Then……
—–
<Perception> activates.
—–
‘Oh my, that person is a superpowered individual.’
White energy flowed from the priest’s mouth and spread around.
The worshippers’ faces brightened instantly. So did Iris’s.
The pure energy washed over her like standing in the heart of a verdant forest full of lush trees.
‘Oh, this isn’t bad. Somehow… a voice that makes you feel good. Addictive enough to want to keep listening. Like a drug… Wait, no. Don’t take it away…! Phew, it didn’t.’
Iris, who had tensed up as if the Headshot Skill would activate, let out a relieved breath.
Maybe because she fervently hoped it wouldn’t happen, or because the Skill only produced positive effects, the Pot didn’t break this time.
The Skill was perceptive enough to let her enjoy the hymn comfortably.
‘No wonder the worshippers don’t leave. They keep coming back just to hear the hymns. If any lose faith, the Bald Priest will reel them back in… As expected of Enraka Church. Truly one of the evil pillars of Gyodam City.’
The solo ended and the choir resumed. Iris kept a close eye on the blonde priest.
Handsome and a superpowered individual—perfect for testing out the Absorption Technique Thread.
He was a priest, so not easy to approach, though. Glancing over the pamphlet listing the event’s order, she found his name.
‘Lucael, huh. Just wait. This place is pretty close to home. Looks like I’ll be stopping by every weekend for a while.’
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