BCGWR Chapter 26 Part 2

The sky outside the window was clear, and clouds floated here and there.

It was a clear and blue sky, clear enough to be mistaken for an autumn sky, but the sunlight pouring in through the window was quite dazzling, so he couldn’t look at it for long.

Ji-su, squinting his eyes, confirmed that Toto was not in the room and curled up under the blanket.

Normally, he would have called Toto over, pretending to check if he was causing trouble alone, but thanks to the half-open door, he clearly knew where Toto was and what he was doing.

“If you stuff your cheeks that much, they might burst.”

“Squeak-!”

“There’s plenty here, so don’t be greedy and eat slowly.”

“Squeak!”

Curled up even more tightly, Ji-su focused on the sounds. He had noticed it yesterday too, but it was rare for Toto to approach another man first, so while he was glad they were getting along, he also felt a little curious.

‘Does he perhaps have some kind of communion skill?’

Since each Awakened individual possesses a wide variety of skills, it wasn’t impossible. Han Ji-su himself was B+-rank, but he had a capture-specific skill that allowed him to commune with monsters and attempt to tame them.

However, thinking back, Jung Ha-jin had said yesterday that it was rare for animals to approach him. If so, it probably meant Toto was voluntarily following him rather than it being a skill, which was quite strange.

Whatever the reason, the corners of Ji-su’s mouth subtly rose when he realized that Toto’s social skills hadn’t completely vanished. Then, still groggy from sleep, Ji-su listened to Toto and Jung Ha-jin’s conversation, continuing to focus on his hearing. There were no sounds of boiling or chopping vegetables like yesterday.

This time, to focus on his sense of smell, he subtly opened a breathing hole in his blanket and inhaled with a “Hoooh-.” There was no particular smell. He usually skipped breakfast or ate something light, so he had worried if a lavish meal like yesterday’s dinner might be prepared, but it didn’t seem like there was much, which was a relief and put his mind at ease.

‘I want to sleep more…’

In truth, the desire to avoid eating was stronger. Thinking it wouldn’t be bad to skip breakfast, fall back asleep, and wake up around the afternoon, he stirred slightly, and Jung Ha-jin’s voice was heard.

“Go wake up Guide Han Ji-su.”

“Squeak!”

It then became quiet for a moment, followed by tiny pitter-patter footsteps – Toto’s. Ji-su found the small, nimble footsteps cute and deliberately pretended to be asleep, holding his breath.

The footsteps stopped near the bed, and soon after, a ball of fur burrowed right under the blanket and scurried towards Ji-su’s face.

“Squeak-!”

“……”

“Squeak! Squeak!”

“……”

As Ji-su kept his eyes closed, Toto stood on his hind legs and pressed his front paws against Ji-su’s chin.

“Squeak-!”

“Hmm… Toto, are you here?”

“Squeak!”

Ji-su, who had been pretending to have just woken up, suddenly widened his eyes in surprise. Around Toto’s neck was a Pink Ribbon, neatly tied, which he hadn’t given him.