The only thing Jiwon had to lean on was that Seo Gangwoo’s gauge showing on the pair Guide watch still appeared to be in the 70% range.
This was a level that could be considered the safe zone. Of course, he knew that Seo Gangwoo endured quite well even with a high gauge, but the pain from using abilities didn’t decrease.
On top of that, there hadn’t been lab test results saying he’d made a complete recovery after the rampage, so it was a situation where he always had to pay attention to his physical condition. He couldn’t help but worry.
Unlike other Espers, he didn’t even see effects from Guide substitute medicine…
The corners of Jiwon’s eyes drooped. He was also concerned about the gauge that had been stagnant at 60% all this time without going down any further.
C-could he be seriously injured? Could the dungeon gate rank measurement possibly have had an error?
Starting from small problems, all sorts of worst-case scenarios unfolded like clouds in Jiwon’s mind.
Eventually, he even went so far as to press his lips with his fork, tormenting them.
Just then, Do Hyeonuk, the Esper Team 1 team leader, entered Cafe Ellin. He was about to leave with the coffee he’d ordered without much thought when he hesitated, sensing an atmosphere in the cafe different from usual.
Looking around, the ability users in the cafe kept glancing sideways at one spot, reading the mood. Wondering if some high-ranking executive had shown up, Do Hyeonuk looked toward where they were glancing and finally discovered Jiwon in one corner, radiating darkness from his entire body. Even from a distance, it was clearly a different atmosphere than usual.
It was Jiwon who caught people’s attention with his characteristic lovely and sparkling atmosphere whenever he came to work at the Center. Where had Guide Kim Jiwon, who was becoming Center 1’s ace though he was a newcomer, full of vitality, gone—there sat a single kitten drenched in rain.
Somehow it felt like he should approach and do something for him.
Like he should go feed him something, pat his head and say it’s okay… In the unfamiliar situation, Do Hyeonuk stood awkwardly, having stopped while leaving.
Recently, Ellin had seen a significant increase in customers with Espers coming to see Jiwon, who had become a regular.
Even before, it was located in the middle of the lobby, a prime location among prime locations, so business was fairly good, but whereas most orders used to be takeout or space delivery, nowadays there were many in-store customers sitting at cafe tables to eat.
They were all a crowd jostling around to see Jiwon.
When leaving early with Seo Gangwoo, he’d take things to go, but when staying at the Center, they could see Jiwon eating there. Then if they were lucky, they’d exchange words, and he’d accept Guiding requests.
It was reason enough to become Center 1 Espers’ new hot place.
The Espers who had cheered inwardly when Jiwon entered the cafe today were flustered by Jiwon’s unexpectedly gloomy mood and were just watching cautiously with sidelong glances.
Geez, is he doing that after properly maintaining himself?
Do Hyeonuk shook his head at such Espers’ behavior finding it pathetic, but looking at Jiwon with storm clouds hanging over his head, it was also understandable.
He was a rare beauty with white, clear skin harmonizing well on a face so small it was amazing how eyes, nose, and mouth all fit, plus gentle speech and actions. He had charm that caught people’s attention.
On top of that, unbelievably diligent and even good-natured.
He consistently did matching rate tests, and from Guiding work for non-pair Espers that he didn’t have to do, to striving to get a field Guide license—his appearance working hard at everything was even admirable.
So it was natural that his popularity kept increasing.
It was fortunate that he’d formed a pair with S-rank Esper Seo Gangwoo early on. Otherwise, Espers wanting to form pair contracts would have clung to him and bothered him no end.
Though the appearance of Jiwon with a high matching rate for Seo Gangwoo was truly a stroke of tremendous luck, for Jiwon too, forming a pair with Seo Gangwoo immediately upon manifestation might have been a stroke of genius.
Though Guides could have up to 5 Espers as pairs, if that pair was S-rank Seo Gangwoo, the story was different.
Even if the Guide’s intention was prioritized in pair contracts, if it was a multiple contract, even if only formally, they had to go through a consensus process with existing Espers.
Since Esper Seo Gangwoo had already firmly taken his position first, other Espers couldn’t easily approach and only hovered around the periphery.
Everyone could be seen anxious with hope. Though they couldn’t even get close to Jiwon who had a formidable goalkeeper, interest hardly died down.
That interest peaked as Jiwon Guided high-gauge Espers that most Guides avoided every time he came to the Center.
Espers who faced life-threatening situations without Guides’ Guiding were practically subordinate to Guides, though they didn’t say it outright.
Espers with pairs had relatively better circumstances, but those without had to wait a long time to receive Guiding after returning from completing difficult missions.
Then on days when they used many abilities during missions, that wait increased several times over. Even though they were the ones who urgently needed Guiding, they became subjects of avoidance.
For Guides, Guiding high-gauge Espers was somewhat bothersome work. The stamina and energy consumed in calming rampaging waves was significant, and Guiding time also took long.
If the matching rate was also low, the time and effort required increased further.
On top of that, there could be the possibility of rampage and cases where Espers who couldn’t overcome the pain instinctively attempted reverse Guiding and forcibly pulled away energy.
Of course, reverse Guiding was prohibited at the Center, and because the severity of punishment was very strong, there were no Espers who intentionally tried reverse Guiding.
However, if it came to a threat to survival, such cases occurred according to instinct, though it was very rare.
For various reasons like these, Guides didn’t readily accept Guiding requests from high-gauge Espers.
For Guides, regardless of Espers’ circumstances, they were done once they met basic performance standards. So rather than high-gauge Espers with high risk, they selected only low-gauge Espers with low risk who could be Guided simply.
Though already in pain, enduring while waiting a long time for someone to accept Guiding made them feel miserable separately from the pain.
But at some point, even with high gauges, the wait didn’t lengthen.
It was since Jiwon came to the Center.
When returning after completing difficult missions, the fact that there was a Guide who could Guide them was great comfort to the Espers.
Currently, there were no Espers carelessly approaching Jiwon with pair purposes.
Some even said that Jiwon shouldn’t have any more pairs so he could Guide everyone evenly like now. But this too was something that might change with time.
And one more thing. Another popularity factor for Jiwon who had become the Center’s popular figure.
It was Jiwon’s dessert mukbang unfolding at Building A lobby, Cafe Ellin.
How happily he smiled brightly as if he’d gained the whole world with just one slice of cake.
Watching his white, soft-looking cheeks bulge out and move was just heartwarming and filling even without eating.
The sight of Jiwon rushing to the showcase and opening his mouth wide to look as soon as he entered the cafe was also a point not to be missed.
It was no secret that Ellin’s desserts were becoming more beautiful and fancy day by day thanks to Jiwon showing raw expressions and gestures of genuine emotion every time he came.
That had recently spread rumors even among Guides, and several Guides who rarely came out of their private rooms could be spotted.
Pretending not to, but when Jiwon took each bite, they swallowed saliva and placed orders, clearly watching Jiwon’s mukbang in real-time for anyone to see.
Like that, Jiwon, who was becoming the number one figure in Center 1’s dessert mukbang world, was making a gloomy expression even with his beloved strawberry cake in front of him, so everyone was whispering among themselves with disappointment, worry, and curiosity.
They were mostly familiar faces, so when they discovered Do Hyeonuk looking at them as if dumbfounded, they were sending signals with hand gestures, foot gestures, and even chin gestures to find out what was going on.
Geez, really.
Though Do Hyeonuk shook his head, in the end, he turned his steps that were about to leave and approached Jiwon.
“Ahem, well who do we have here, our Center 1 ace, Guide Kim Jiwon-nim.”
“Hello. Team Leader Do.”
Jiwon turned his head toward the direction of the suddenly heard voice. He smiled slightly at the word ace then answered listlessly right away.
“But is something wrong? Your face doesn’t look good. Where did Guide Kim Jiwon who smiled brightly at strawberry cake go? You’re not sick somewhere, are you?”
Thinking this was no ordinary matter at Jiwon’s appearance still not perking up, Do Hyeonuk pulled out the opposite chair and took a seat.
“It’s okay to sit for a moment, right?”
“Of course.”
Jiwon smiled small at Do Hyeonuk who boldly asked after already sitting down.
“Hmm. What’s wrong? You don’t have to say if you don’t want to.”
“It’s not that.”
The ability users in the cafe perked up their ears.
The owner of Ellin and patissier, who was developing new desserts day by day while watching Jiwon eat deliciously, also poked their head out toward the store.
