"Cough! Cough! Cough!"

Shea patted her flat chest plate. Honestly, Abel’s words had genuinely startled her.

Why did he suddenly like her—no, Lico?

This needed clarification. Maybe she wouldn’t have to return the ring after all?

"Shea, are you really that shocked?"

"Of course! You just arrived in this backwater town. You’ve barely met her. How could you suddenly like her?"

Utterly baffled, Shea pressed Abel for answers.

After a brief hesitation, Abel declared:

"I adore her flowing silver-white hair, those sky-blue pupils shimmering in the night, and that flawless, delicate figure—she’s absolutely my type."

"..."

Shea was speechless. No one had ever praised her so earnestly... but why was he complimenting her *transformed* self?

And what the hell was a "delicate jade-like figure"?

Her pre-transformation body was identical!

So her black-haired self was flat-chested, but her white-haired self was "perfect"?

Biting back the urge to rant, Shea finally snapped:

"You’re just lusting after her body. Get off your high horse."

"Hmph. Shea, you’ll never understand the allure of silver-white hair. And what’s wrong with a man speaking his heart?"

Abel lifted his chin proudly, utterly unrepentant under her glare.

"So, I’m going to catch Phantom Thief Lico!"

Shea’s eye twitched. She felt oddly like she’d been confessed to—and simultaneously cuckolded by herself.

"She stole your Spatial Ring. You’re just going to forgive her and chase her?"

"Chase her?" Abel scratched his head, confused. "No, I mean *catch* her. Not *pursue* her. I’ll get the ring back, of course—but that doesn’t stop me from liking her."

So his "catch" was literal!

This guy was impossible to reason with. Still, Shea couldn’t resist dousing his enthusiasm:

"Abel, listen. Phantom Thief Lico might not like you back. Even if you catch her, if she’d rather die than submit... you won’t force yourself on her, right?"

Shea waved a hand wearily. As Lico herself, she knew her own mind better than anyone.

"..."

Abel fell silent at her question.

"..."

Shea waited. His prolonged silence made her freeze.

"ABEEL! YOU PERVERT! YOU WERE ACTUALLY THINKING ABOUT TAKING HER BY FORCE?!" she shrieked.

"No! I wasn’t thinking that at all!"

Abel denied it fiercely—though for a split second last night, when Lico hung bound by ropes... he’d nearly lost control.

Just recalling her trussed-up form made blood rush to his nose.

The memory was... vivid.

Watching Abel’s dreamy expression, Shea shuddered. She swore: ABSOLUTELY NOT! She could NEVER let this Hunter catch her!

If he did, it wouldn’t end with just a spanking. She’d be thoroughly taken advantage of.

"Ahem. Shea, let me explain—I’m no pervert," Abel coughed, flustered by her wary glare. "I’d rather win a girl’s heart with my charm."

Shea snorted. "You don’t even know Lico. What do you know about her heart? What if she’s just a common thief?"

*If you can’t even win over my normal self, dreaming of my transformed self is pure fantasy.*

But Abel remained serene:

"I believe Lico is a noble thief, above petty greed. She steals to help the poor—just like her saintly appearance. She’d rather steal than bow to nobles for a handful of coins..."

His praise flowed like a river, leaving Lico herself utterly lost for words.

*Holy crap, "saintly appearance"? Holy crap, "savior of the poor"?*

"...So I’m certain Lico’s a wonderful girl. Totally unlike you, greedy Lucky Cat!"

The compliment was flawless—until that last jab.

Shea rated his speech 8.8/10. The remaining 1.2 points? Pure bewilderment.

"Yeah, yeah. Even if you praise Lico like that, she’s a ghost. How will you win her heart?"

"Well..."

Abel hadn’t actually planned that far. He just knew he’d catch her next time... then maybe ask her to dinner?

*Sounds more like a last meal before execution.*

Shea had a point. Catching Lico was one thing—building a connection was another.

"Shea, any ideas?"

Shea stared. *Seriously? You’re unprepared, and why should I help someone court my other self?*

Then an idea struck: Last night’s loot hadn’t covered her debts. If Abel "supported" her financially...

"Well... no girl can resist gold. Bring ten thousand gold coins. If you’re not desperate for the ring back, she might agree to dinner..."

"Tch." Abel smirked. "Lico would never stoop for mere coins."

"..."

*She absolutely would!* Shea bit her tongue. Exposing herself now would be disastrous.

"Just carry ten thousand gold. Test it when you see her."

"Shea, I’ll bet you—Lico won’t accept charity. When I meet her, I’ll record proof. She’s too noble for that."

Watching Abel’s unwavering confidence, Shea sighed. *Where does this blind faith come from? One meeting, and he worships my transformed self?*

*I’m just a thief trying to pay off debts!*

And why—WHY—was her black-haired self "Lucky Cat," while her white-haired self was "noble"?

*Is this guy seriously... a hair-color fetishist? A WHITE-HAIRED FETISHIST?!*