Just how many times did he do it? Iris wondered if Abellus had kept going even after she lost consciousness.
“Ugh… What was it again….”
Iris gripped her waist, frowning. Her last memory was wailing and groaning under Abellus’s relentless assault.
Even raising her arm a little made her whole body ache as if she’d been rolled up in a mat and beaten.
She barely managed to lift her heavy head and check the clock on the side table.
‘It’s five o’clock. It can’t be five in the evening, so it must be morning.’
How many times did they have sex?
She figured she could find out by opening the message window for the past notifications.
Just intending to check, she opened it—and recoiled in shock.
Congratulations. You have successfully received semen. You can steal one of Abellus’s levels or skills.
Choose now! The Skill Theft is valid for three days.
Congratulations. You have successfully….
‘There are six messages? No wonder my body feels like it’s falling apart. Damn.’
In other words, she could steal Abellus’s abilities six times. She decided to take the skill she coveted most first.
<Wondrous Perception>. It supposedly allows you to see the true nature of things.
Even after reading the description, she wasn’t sure exactly what kind of skill it was, but it sounded pretty good.
At the very least, it seemed impressive.
As soon as she decided, a message popped up.
You have acquired Abellus’s <Wondrous Perception>. Abellus’s skill is gone, and Chastity Belt Hanger gains the skill.
Because it was forcibly taken and is not suitable, the skill will be adapted for the Chastity Belt….
‘Ah! Give me a break!’
Just from the word ‘Perception,’ it was obvious this was a skill used with the eyes, so why was it being forced onto the Chastity Belt?
Was she going to have eyes popping out from between her legs every time she looked at someone?
As Iris glared in disgust, the message blurred and then the latter part changed.
The System, which had delighted in teasing Iris with ridiculous skills, now seemed to listen to her after a few months of living together.
…Not necessary. <Wondrous Perception> is obtained as is.
Since it’s a stolen skill, if you use it within three days, it will become yours permanently.
‘Phew, yeah. That’s more like it.’
A smile curled on Iris’s lips as she let out a relieved sigh.
She didn’t have time to leisurely choose the rest—she had to steal the necklace before Abellus came back.
It would be best to make the rest of her choices carefully at home to avoid regrets.
After turning off the System, she hesitantly got out of bed.
That’s when she realized, to her surprise, that her body felt clean and refreshed.
‘He couldn’t have dragged me, unconscious, to the shower, right? Did he wipe me down with a wet cloth?
Unexpectedly, he’s got some bedside manners.
Or maybe it just looked pitiful to see me passed out filthy… No, maybe it was disgusting to him….’
Would Abellus really be the type to feel sorry for someone else?
It was probably more that he thought she looked dirty and wanted to clean her up.
He didn’t care while enjoying himself, but once post-nut clarity set in, he’d notice the mess left on his partner’s body.
She doubted he was displaying ordinary manners like a normal man.
When she flicked the light switch by the bed, the room filled with brightness.
Turning around absently, Iris’s eyes went wide.
The bed, which should’ve been filthy, was perfectly clean.
Abellus must have changed the sheets and cleaned her up while she was asleep.
In some ways, it was unexpectedly diligent, and in others, it suited him.
After all, many psychopaths were known to have obsessive cleanliness.
‘His lab wasn’t exactly spotless, so maybe not a full-blown germophobe. Still, the white lab coat he always wore was clean, so he must have a tidy side.’
Looking at the floor, Iris saw none of Abellus’s clothes.
Apparently, he’d dressed and gone somewhere.
When she lifted the blanket, the shirt she’d worn last night was lying crumpled on the sheets like a rag.
The idea of leaving the room naked made her uneasy, so she wondered if she should at least throw that on.
Then she noticed her own clothes, neatly packaged in plastic and placed on the sofa.
Abellus must have gone to the Laundry Room to get them and brought them here.
For a Villain, he was at least diligent—something worth emulating, Iris thought, as she quickly put on her freshly laundered clothes.
Then she moved to her bracelet and summoned <Fit in the Pocket>, which was now functioning properly, and took out a Magic Potion.
One bottle wasn’t enough; she chugged a second before her aching body finally regained some energy.
Not wanting to leave any traces, she tossed the empty bottles back into <Fit in the Pocket>.
Just to be sure, she scanned the room once more and then cautiously opened the door.
Seeing the desk and sofa of the Lab Director’s Office outside, she let out a breath of relief.
‘He must have gone out. I don’t know when he’ll return, so I need to steal the necklace fast.’
Moving as quietly as possible, Iris crept toward where the Statue of the Knight stood.
The place was empty, but nerves made her movements naturally sneaky, like a thief.
Standing before the statue, she took a deep breath she’d been holding and carefully examined the necklace.
She hadn’t gotten a good look before, but now she noticed the necklace had the same pattern as her bracelet and ring.
The red Diamond set in the center of the choker necklace had a strange, alluring effect just by looking at it.
It didn’t do anything, yet she felt as if she were being seduced.
‘The moment I steal this, it’s goodbye with Abellus. If I mess up, I might even become a Wanted Criminal…’
Only Iris knew that Abellus was a Villain; the world did not.
So if she stole the necklace, she wouldn’t be seen as a righteous Hero who took down a Villain, but rather as a petty thief caught stealing a necklace—and possibly hauled off by the police.
She had no way to prove their crimes, but just submitting CCTV footage showing the necklace missing after her visit would be enough evidence.
The moment that thought occurred, the sense of justice filling her mind shrank, replaced by anxiety.
‘Why didn’t I think of this before? Laika didn’t report me to the Police Station, but there’s nothing stopping Abellus from doing so.’
If she became a Wanted Criminal and had to live on the run, would she even be able to have a normal life as a citizen, let alone as a Hero?
Realizing this made her feel woefully unprepared.
Even if she obtained this necklace—which she suspected to be a sacred relic—it wouldn’t instantly bring peace to Gyodam City.
To deliver justice, she needed to move freely through the city, but what if she became a criminal?
In the worst case, she might end up spending her life in Prison.
The necklace alone looked expensive enough to cause all kinds of trouble.
‘Why didn’t Laika report it to the police? Did he just not think of it? Or was he too embarrassed?’
With Laika, either was possible. He was, after all, the type of person who would push a woman he liked off a railing without hesitation.
If he had thought of calling the police, he probably would have chosen to lock her up in jail and visit frequently instead.
While lost in these idle thoughts, the door suddenly swung open.
She’d been so deep in her head that she didn’t even hear someone approaching the Lab Director’s Office.
Iris, her shoulders hunched, froze in front of the statue, unable to even think of running away.
‘It’s okay. I haven’t stolen it yet. I haven’t even touched it. I can just say I was looking at it.’
The sound of footsteps approaching slowly felt as ominous as a judge pronouncing a death sentence.
The sound of shoes stopped behind her.
The silence was terrifying. The moment she swallowed hard, a cool voice whispered by her ear.
“Iris, you’re up early?”
“Ah, yes. Um, did you… clean my body while I was sleeping?”
Iris forced a smile as she turned around.
Abellus, who had been expressionless, lifted the corners of his mouth into a smile as soon as Iris raised her head.
But perhaps because she’d just been scheming to steal from him, that smile didn’t look pleasant to her at all.
It looked less like pure friendliness, and more like something dangerous lurked beneath.
Abellus was still in his training clothes, perhaps because it wasn’t time for work yet.
Maybe it was the outfit, but he looked younger than usual—though that didn’t make him seem any more approachable.
With anyone else, maybe, but with Abellus, it was as if a criminal had gone out in casual clothes to scout for victims.
‘Don’t tell me… now that he’s gotten everything he wanted from me, he’s changed into comfortable clothes to finish me off.’