Chapter 14 : A Tiger in the Den

‘I remember now! This bastard is…’

Laika was one of the main villains in the comic.

And not just any villain—he was one of the worst, the kind that dragged Gyodam City, which could barely survive by screaming “Somebody help me,” into absolute hell.

He was the third-generation heir of a chaebol family that ran a large corporation.

Then why did he choose the path of a villain despite all his wealth?

The problem was that the corporation he inherited was a weapons manufacturer.

It had many subsidiaries, but the most profitable were the firearms and personal defense companies, and the private security system installation business.

‘Right, the reason they incited conflict all over the world, including in Gyodam City, was to sell weapons. I couldn’t remember it clearly before, but thanks to this bastard, I got back an important memory.’

After identifying Laika’s true identity, the headache disappeared.

Iris, eyes wide open, pinched her nose to stop a potential nosebleed, her eyes sparkling.

‘As long as this guy is around, peace will never come to Gyodam City. I have to defeat him. Or at least give him such a beating that he can’t play villain anymore… but not now. Later. Much, much later.’

If you’ve drawn your sword, you ought to slice a radish or two.

A hero’s duty is to take down villains who threaten the city’s peace. But…

A bead of sweat rolled down Iris’s back.

It was no different from running into the final boss with a beginner’s wooden sword.

If she had known his identity earlier, she would’ve avoided meeting Laika until she got stronger.

Why was she facing such an ordeal?

She cursed her own memory for forgetting what she had read in the comic.

But there was nothing to do now.

She was already in the tiger’s den.

She tried to back away, but Laika’s suspicious gaze made her force a stiff smile.

‘Weird girl.’

In reality, it had only been a brief moment since Iris had regained her memory from the passive skill’s blow.

Laika glanced at the script she brought and held out his hand.

Her dramatic shift in expressions didn’t faze him.

People who met him for the first time usually reacted with shock and admiration like that.

“Give it here.”

“Ah, yes.”

Iris handed over the script, trying hard not to let her hands shake.

Laika snatched it like a predator catching its prey.

Though his speech was polite, his gestures were rough.

As expected from one of the worst villains in the comic.

‘What the… He talks politely, but acts like… Wait? He doesn’t know I’m a hero. Is there a way to check his status screen?’

Thinking about it, there was no need to be so scared.

Laika didn’t know she was a hero.

And no matter how messed up Gyodam City was, would someone really pull a knife in a crowded area—his workplace, no less?

Even digging through her fuzzy memories, she couldn’t recall an episode like that in the comic.

‘Laika… What was his deal again… Wait, I remember.’

Iris quickly worked her brain, afraid the passive skill might hit her again.

She remembered.

Laika, being an actor with a public image to maintain, had no record of harming civilians on set.

At least, not in the version of the comic she had read.

That must have been the right answer, since the invisible punch that usually smacked her head didn’t come.

With her confidence growing, Iris’s eyes sparkled greedily.

If she circled behind the sofa, pretending to offer a shoulder massage, she might be able to use her “back-slap” skill.

Just as she was thinking that, Laika’s eyes narrowed.

He scanned her up and down, let out a scoffing laugh, and gave a knowing look.

“Ugh, I’m so sick of this.”

“Huh? What do you mean…”

Why the sudden informal speech?

Sick of what?

As she replayed his words, Iris felt uncomfortable.

She must have given off the wrong vibe while loitering around trying to get a peek at his status screen.

Considering he was a handsome actor, he had probably been pestered by obsessive fans countless times.

Still, misunderstanding her felt unfair.

She wanted to argue but froze instead.

She felt a creepy sensation like a bug crawling up between her legs.

‘What the hell? Don’t tell me—’

She didn’t need to lift her skirt to know.

The cursed chastity belt was starting to emerge on its own.

If Laika saw it, she was finished.

If he discovered she was an ability user, who knew what a villain like him would do.

Iris gritted her teeth and pinched the belt through her skirt.

As Iris remained restless but didn’t make a move to leave the waiting room, one of Laika’s thick eyebrows lifted.

Even though he’d just said something unpleasant, she wasn’t leaving?

She must be one of those die-hard fans.

‘So annoying. If this wasn’t a filming location, I’d just deal with her right here… Sigh, not here. Gotta endure. Reputation, image, appearances…’

Too many eyes were watching, and she was just a temp staffer.

If he touched her, it would be a mess to cover up.

His father was a member of the National Assembly.

Despite secretly wanting a violent, hellish world more than anyone, he perfectly maintained the image of a peace-loving politician.

With a third-term election approaching, any scandal from his son could cause big trouble.

There were still plenty of bills that needed to be sneakily passed for the company’s profit.

His father’s gain was his gain.

Eventually, everything would be his.

With that in mind, Laika gave a dazzling actor’s smile.

One of those smiles that made people forget all the rude things he’d just done and instantly feel fond of him.

“What do you want? An autograph? A photo?”

“Ugh… Just… just a moment. Whew…”

Look at that fake smile.

Keeping up appearances, huh?

Iris shivered from both Laika’s hypocrisy and the chastity belt trying to sneak out again.

She was grateful it helped awaken her ability, but if it showed itself now, they were both dead.

Luckily, her inner plea seemed to work, and the chastity belt went quiet.

Iris, with a forced smile, slowly approached Laika, who looked at her like she was weird.

“If it’s okay… Could I get a photo instead of an autograph?”

“Sure, why not. How should I take it?”

Laika readily agreed.

The thought that his father’s election win would directly boost his future inheritance made even fake kindness come naturally.

Maybe she’d get to use her back-slap skill sooner than expected.

Trying not to huff with excitement, Iris sat on the sofa.

Her plan was to snap a photo next to Laika while secretly using the chastity belt’s scan skill.

‘Nice! The stage is set. Now, chastity belt, scan his back like a pro!’

Laika had been about to just stand and snap a photo, but flinched in surprise when Iris sat right next to him.

Up close, she had a surprisingly cute face.

At first glance, her thick glasses made her look ordinary, but now he could see her long eyelashes and big, doll-like eyes.

Coming from a privileged background and being handsome himself, Laika had seen more than enough beautiful women—celebrities, models, influencers.

And after becoming an actor, he’d been constantly surrounded by women called the most beautiful in the country.

But something about this girl was different. Maybe it was the glasses?

The unexpected charm intrigued him.

Just moments ago, he’d been thinking of snapping a quick photo and sending her off.

But now he’d changed his mind.

He glanced at the staff badge around Iris’s neck and memorized her name.

Then he struck a pose, hoping he’d get to see her around during the shoot.

As Iris leaned in close, he could feel her body and instinctively turned his head.

“What the— Why so close…?”

“Say cheese!”

Iris smiled at the phone camera and leaned into him.

Laika started to say something but stayed still, the touch of her body not unpleasant.

He decided to let it slide since she was cute.

They took a few shots with soft click click sounds, but Iris kept messing up the photos—her hand trembling, or her expression looking off.

Now that the chastity belt had the perfect setup, it wasn’t even reacting.

‘Scan him! Come on, you idiot! Why aren’t you doing anything?!’