Chapter 10: The First Dungeon (6)
Chapter 10: The First Dungeon (6)
The sun was beginning to set by the time he stepped outside.
A faint orange hue was just starting to bleed into the blue of the sky.
Until now, Han Shin hadn't had many opportunities to go out like this. For starters, it had only been a month or two since his physical condition had improved enough to even consider leaving the house.
Furthermore, his older sister, Kang Yujin, tended to be overprotective. She had constantly dissuaded him whenever he expressed a desire to go out, rarely giving her permission. As a result, he had only been outside exactly three times.
Of those three times, one was a trip to the park, and the other two were to the large mart he was currently heading toward.
Fortunately, despite only having been out three times, he had a decent grasp of the local geography. Since he was heading somewhere he’d already been, he didn't anticipate any problems.
For Han Shin, the feeling was surreal.
Not long ago, during the height of a winter cold wave, he had traversed these same streets bundled up in layers, sitting in a wheelchair while being pushed by Yujin.
Walking on his own two legs now, it felt strange that the scenery remained the same.
Part of him wanted to take his time and leisurely soak in the surroundings, but now wasn't the time for that. He had to hurry and buy underwear and clothes for Grace.
Ugh... how am I going to explain this to Noona?
Naturally, one specific worry occupied his mind.
Since Kang Yujin was currently the sole breadwinner, the money Han Shin was using was technically hers. She had given him a card specifically so he could order food or buy things online if there was something he wanted while staying at home.
With no cash on hand, the card Yujin gave him was his only means of payment.
Still... it can't be helped. It would be even ruder to give her Noona’s old underwear and clothes... I'll worry about the explanation later.
Having no other choice, Han Shin pushed his worries aside and soon arrived at his destination: the large mart.
Without wasting a moment, he checked the directory and headed straight for the women's clothing section.
He picked out a white tracksuit, choosing a size that looked slightly large to ensure it would fit Grace comfortably even if it wasn't a perfect match. He figured there might be clothes that suited her better, but this was his first time buying women's clothing, and his priority was getting back quickly. A simple tracksuit was the safest bet.
He chose it thinking it would be fine for lounging at home and wouldn't look too strange if she had to step outside.
Okay... that’s one thing down...
Han Shin had cleared his first objective, but he immediately hit a wall.
The women's lingerie section.
Standing before rows of flashy women's underwear in every imaginable design, Han Shin found his feet glued to the floor.
He had never set foot in a lingerie section in his entire life. Having lived a life far removed from women, his sister was the only female he had ever been close to. Even though he had attended a co-ed school, he strangely never had much interaction with girls, and he had been caught up in his accident shortly after finishing his military service.
"Sigh..."
A heavy sigh escaped his lips.
However, steeling his resolve, he finally took a step forward. He couldn't help but worry that people would look at him strangely.
Let's just pick something quickly and get out of here.
Just as he was considering a plain set of white underwear...
"Welcome. May I help you find something?"
A shop assistant approached Han Shin with a smile.
"Ah... yes. Please."
Startled by the offer of help, Han Shin reflexively accepted her suggestion.
"Are you looking for a gift for your girlfriend?"
"Uh... yes."
At Han Shin's answer, a flicker of disappointment crossed the assistant's face.
She had been quite taken with Han Shin’s well-proportioned physique and his naturally handsome face, which didn't even need styling to stand out. While helping customers was part of her job, she had rushed over with a bit of personal interest mixed in.
Assuming that a man shopping alone for lingerie must be buying a gift, she had asked the question to confirm if he was single. Since he said it was for a girlfriend, she couldn't help but feel regret that he was already taken.
"Then how about this?"
Quickly pushing her personal feelings aside and returning to her professional role, the assistant recommended a rather expensive set. It was a black lace design, complete with a garter belt and ornate decorations.
Blushing as a conditioned reflex, Han Shin shook his head.
"Ah... that's a bit too... flashy, I think..."
The assistant began to wonder if he actually had a girlfriend, given his innocent, inexperienced reaction. However, since asking again would be rude, she selected a more modest design to suit his needs.
It was an ivory-colored set with delicate lace trim.
Thinking this was a safe and good choice, Han Shin quickly pointed to it.
"I'll take this one."
"Certainly. What size is your girlfriend?"
This was an incredibly difficult question for Han Shin.
He hadn't heard a size from Grace, and since he had never bought women's underwear before, he was clueless. He couldn't just shout out a random size.
However, Han Shin used his head. Having supported Grace earlier, laid her on the bed to nurse her, and being in close proximity to her when she woke up, his male instincts had given him a rough estimate of her size.
He racked his brain for a way to politely send the assistant away so he could check the tags himself.
"I'm sorry, but could I look around for a moment on my own to pick out a few more things?"
"Oh... yes, of course. Please call me if you need anything else."
"Yes, thank you."
Fickle customers were common. Compared to some, Han Shin was quite easy to deal with, as he was just looking for more items before the final packaging.
A short while later, Han Shin returned with the ivory set the assistant had recommended.
"I'll help you with the packaging."
The assistant felt a bit smug that he had chosen the set she suggested... but her face stiffened slightly when she saw the size.
75F.
Since she found Han Shin attractive, she had been inwardly curious about what kind of body his girlfriend had. But seeing the size, she was left speechless.
Ugh, so annoying! Of course a handsome guy like him would be dating a girl with a body like that!
Though she grumbled and complained internally, she saw Han Shin off with a professional sales smile.
"Thank you. Please come again."
"Yes, thank you. Have a good day."
Having cleared the biggest hurdle, Han Shin headed straight for the checkout. Fortunately, the line was short, and he was able to head home quickly.
I think I took longer than expected... Grace must be waiting...
Clutching the paper bag, Han Shin sprinted toward his house.
It had been so long since he had run like this that he couldn't even remember the last time, so he didn't feel tired at all. On the contrary, it felt refreshing and exhilarating, and he found himself running even faster.
The man who, until yesterday, couldn't even steady his own body or walk properly was gone.
"Huff... huff... whew..."
Having reached the front of his house in record time, Han Shin paused for a moment to catch his breath. Because he had sprinted the whole way, he had returned incredibly fast.
Before his injury, Han Shin had quite enjoyed exercising, so using his body like this after so long felt great.
After catching his breath in a matter of seconds, he entered the passcode on the door lock and opened the door.
"You have returned, Lord Han Shin."
By the time he got back, Grace had long since finished washing up and stepped out of the bathroom.
Unlike most women, Grace didn't spend much time bathing. During her days as a knight, she rarely had the luxury of time, so it had become a habit. Most of her hygiene needs had been handled through Cleanse Scrolls in her own world.
Because of this, her washing time was as short as a typical man's.
What Han Shin had overlooked was that as a follower of Tiamat, Grace could summon spare clothing whenever she wished. She had already changed into clean clothes.
Han Shin saw Grace wearing a fresh white T-shirt and safety shorts, identical in design to the ones that had been sweaty and soiled earlier.
Ah... I'm such an idiot...
Realizing he had made a needless trip based on a blind assumption, Han Shin cursed his own stupidity.
Right... if Grace didn't have clothes to change into, she probably would have said something when I told her to go wash up...
Looking back, it was obvious. Despite being told to wash up without being offered a change of clothes, Grace had gone in without a word and hadn't asked if there was anything for her to wear.
She hadn't been worried at all.
Han Shin admitted to himself that it was his mistake for not asking, simply because he was afraid of making her feel embarrassed.
"Lord Han Shin. May I ask why you went out?"
Grace felt she needed to get to know and become closer to Han Shin, the Proxy of Tiamat, as much as possible.
"Um... well, you see... I just assumed you wouldn't have any clothes or underwear to change into, so I went and bought some."
This was something Grace hadn't expected at all.
She felt a wave of guilt realizing that Han Shin had rushed out to buy clothes out of concern for her.
I should have mentioned it beforehand...
Strictly speaking, it wasn't Grace's fault at all; it was just Han Shin's wasted effort based on an assumption. Even so, Grace blamed herself for not being more considerate.
"...Lord Han Shin. May I wear those clothes?"
Grace asked tentatively if she could wear the clothes, not wanting Han Shin's trip to be in vain.
"Oh, of course. I bought them for you, after all."
"Then... I shall change into them immediately."
With a slightly flushed face, Grace quickly took the paper bag from Han Shin and went into his room.
A moment later, she emerged wearing the underwear and the white tracksuit Han Shin had bought. She looked ever so slightly nervous.
This was her first time receiving underwear and clothes as a gift from someone. Furthermore, as someone unfamiliar with Earth's culture, while the underwear wasn't much different from what she knew, wearing such comfortable, casual clothing was a first for her.
In her world, fabric of this texture was incredibly expensive and rare, so it felt novel to her.
"Lord Han Shin. Thank you."
"I'm just glad you like them, Grace."
Seeing Grace immediately put on the clothes to save him from embarrassment and even offer her thanks made Han Shin feel wonderful.
He couldn't hide his emotions, and they showed plainly on his face. Seeing him like that, a smile naturally formed on Grace's face as well.