BCGWR Chapter 27 Part 1

Broken Jar 15

“Huh?”

At first glance, it looked like an ordinary silk ribbon, but Han Ji-su, recognizing it as an item immediately, used a skill.

[Using Appraisal Skill (A)]

As the skill activated, a bluish window popped up. Below it, new text began to appear in a stream.

The pink ribbon cherished by a short-eared, adorable rabbit.

Rank: S

Defense +5%

Mana +30

When using defensive skills, duration increased by +30 seconds

Skill cooldown reduced by 15%

One of thousands of ribbons made by a great wizard who adores the short-eared, fragile rabbit.

However, the short-eared rabbit, playing frantically in the garden, ended up losing the ribbon.

Fortunately, the short-eared rabbit has many other ribbons, so it probably won’t bother looking for this one.

Finders keepers.

However, be careful! Once worn, it cannot be given to anyone else! (Bound on wear)

“……!!!”

After checking the item’s properties, Han Ji-su reflexively shot up to a sitting position.

A dungeon was a fierce place where situations could flip like a hand in a matter of seconds based on a skill’s duration. But this wasn’t just 10 seconds, it was a whopping,

‘An additional 30 seconds to defensive skill duration……!! And it reduces cooldown by 15%?!’

It was an incredibly good item for Toto, whose main strength was S-rank shield skills. Not just for Toto, but any defensive Esper couldn’t help but covet it. Furthermore, as an item bound to the wearer, once Toto put it on, no one could take it, eliminating worries about accidents targeting the item.

“My goodness, Toto! Where did you get this?”

It was practically a rhetorical question, but Toto faithfully pointed to the door with his small paw.

“Squeak!”

Han Ji-su immediately got up, placed Toto on his palm, and left the room. Stepping into the living room, he saw Jung Ha-jin, who had naturally taken over the kitchen just like yesterday.

“Han Ji-su Guide. Did you sleep comfortably?”

Placing freshly washed and prepared fruit on the table, he spotted Han Ji-su and greeted him first with an expressionless face. Han Ji-su unconsciously nodded with a bewildered expression and returned the greeting.

“Yes, I slept well. Jung Ha-jin Esper, did you sleep well too?”

“Yes. I slept well too.”

“That’s a relief. Oh, actually, about this ribbon…”

As Han Ji-su approached and extended his hand, Toto, who was standing on his palm, suddenly puffed out his chest and struck a proud pose. Jung Ha-jin gently stroked Toto’s head and spoke.

“It’s an auxiliary item that was in my Inventory. I thought it would suit Toto, so I gave it to him as a gift.”

“Oh, um… Yes, thank you. But it’s too good an item to just receive as a gift… I should give you another item in return…”

“It’s fine, as it’s an item I received from my Patron. Besides, I don’t have any defensive skills other than passive ones, so I have no use for it.”

“Still…! I can’t just accept such a significant item.”

As Han Ji-su spoke cautiously, he gave a small nod and said in a softer voice,

“Then, how about granting me a favor?”

“……? A favor?”

“Yes.”

“……Uh… If it’s something I can do, then of course…”

As Han Ji-su answered readily without much thought, Jung Ha-jin’s sharp-looking eyes softened slightly. He didn’t exactly smile, but his naturally stern demeanor made his handsome face appear even more striking with just that subtle change.

Han Ji-su, meeting his softened gaze, placed Toto on the table and asked,

“What kind of favor is it?”

Just as he was thinking that if it was an unreasonable request, he would have to offset it with an S-rank item he possessed, Jung Ha-jin extended his left arm.

“I would like to request Guiding.”

Upon hearing the Guiding request, Han Ji-su reflexively grabbed his wrist and checked the display of his black-colored watch.

“……It’s 47%. I didn’t have a chance to check yesterday, so I didn’t see it, but what was it?”

“It was 68%.”

“……What? That was quite high, wasn’t it?”

“Yes. I had just cleared a dungeon, so the number was a bit high.”

“……So it dropped this much in just that short time?”

“Yes.”

“……!!”

From the moment he met Jung Ha-jin yesterday until just before taking his medicine and falling asleep, Han Ji-su had been doing Radiating Guiding all day, but he hadn’t held his hand or had any other physical contact, nor had he guided him with focus.

Han Ji-su was currently unable to control his Guiding, so he naturally assumed it wouldn’t have decreased much, but the deviation was unexpectedly large. Blinking in surprise at the number, Han Ji-su spoke as if something had just occurred to him.

“……Kim Hyun-ah told me there’s a skill that absorbs Guiding. Is it thanks to that skill?”

In response to the question, Jung Ha-jin shook his head slightly and, pulling out a chair at the dining table, said,

“No, it’s not that. It seems Han Ji-su Guide and I have a good Matching Rate. It might be good to measure it later.”

“……!”

If it truly was solely due to their Matching Rate with no other reasons, then their compatibility would clearly be at least 90% or higher. Han Ji-su, bewildered, unconsciously sat in the chair he had pulled out for him.

Instead of sitting down immediately, Jung Ha-jin brought two plates from the sink, placed one in front of Han Ji-su, one at his own seat, and then sat opposite him.

Han Ji-su, momentarily lost in thought about the Matching Rate, instinctively checked the contents of the plate. It was a salad topped with various fresh vegetables, tomatoes, boiled eggs, and silken tofu. Moreover, the dressing was oriental, just as Han Ji-su liked.

“……Oh…….”

On the fruit plate placed between them were bite-sized pieces of melon and peeled tangerines. Han Ji-su, having surveyed the entire menu combination, parted his lips for a moment. But instead of saying something, he awkwardly offered a hesitant greeting.

“Thank you for preparing breakfast as well… I’ll eat well.”

“Yes. I also bought low-sugar cereal. Please have the salad first, then the cereal.”

“……Yes…….”