“Ajax, good job. Go in and rest.”
“Okay!”
Following Sejun’s words, Ajax went back to sleep.
And so, Sejun was left alone.
Clank.
Sejun opened the void storage,
Click.
and opened the Golden Box of Abundance, taking out all the black beans without leaving a single one behind.
And then,
“Will this work?”
Sejun held an Enhancing Elixir with a tense expression.
Sejun planned to enhance the black beans with the Enhancing Elixir.
Click.
He placed the black beans on the ground,
Pop.
opened the bottle of Enhancing Elixir,
Drip.
and carefully dropped a single drop.
Swoosh.
The black beans quickly absorbed the Enhancing Elixir.
“Did it work?”
Click.
Sejun examined the black beans with a tense expression.
“What?! No…”
Sejun’s face stiffened as he checked the black beans.
The enhancement that took place was on the expiration date. It went from 150 days to 200 days.
“Chairman Park, your face is all sour, meow!”
Press, press.
Theo, who had been watching Sejun, massaged his face.
Thanks to that, Sejun’s mood somewhat improved.
“Alright! Let’s try once more!”
“Puhuhut. That’s the spirit, meow!”
Drip.
With Theo’s encouragement, Sejun dropped another Enhancing Elixir onto the black beans and checked again.
[Transcendence Black Beans(+2)]
…
..
.
→ When consumed, the Transcendence Black Bean transcends all levels, activating the effects of the Strength Yellow Bean, Stamina Red Bean, Agility Green Bean, and Magical Blue Bean, with 400% effectiveness.
→ This bean will not sprout when planted.
→ Enhanced 2 times with the Enhancing Elixir.
→ Cultivator: Tower Farmer Park Sejun
→ Expiration date: 200 days
→ Grade: A
“Oh! It worked!”
Thanks to Theo’s encouragement and massage, fortunately, the desired enhancement was achieved this time.
The effectiveness went from 300% to 400%.
“Good.”
Click.
Sejun put the enhanced +2 black beans back into the Golden Box of Abundance and came outside.
A little while later,
“Here. Take this.”
Sejun handed a leather pouch to the departing Black Rabbit.
Ppyak?
[Uncle, what’s this?]
Rattle, rattle.
The Black Rabbit asked while shaking the leather pouch.
“They’re training walnuts.”
Ppyak?! Ppyak!
[Really?! Thank you!]
The Black Rabbit was moved by Sejun’s unexpected gift.
The Training Walnuts were absolutely necessary for strengthening the national power of the Red Ribbon Kingdom.
“Then, take care. I’ll send more when I harvest them next time.”
Ppyak! Ppyak!
[Yes! Thank you!]
Beep!
[I’ll be going now!]
Ppi!
[Goodbye!]
“I’ll see you off. Toryong!”
When Sejun called for Toryong,
Swoosh.
“Chairman Park, I’ll stay here, meow! I have things to take care of, meow!”
Theo jumped off Sejun’s lap.
“Is that so? Alright.”
Sejun alone put the rabbits on Toryong’s head and escorted them to the entrance of the 99th floor of the tower.
As Sejun left his place,
Zzzt.
Theo and Ajax glared at each other.
“I’m Chairman Park’s right hand, meow! I rank higher, meow!”
“No! I’m Sejun hyung-nim’s brother, so I’m higher!”
Theo and Ajax were in a hierarchy dispute.
Then,
Kueng?
[Where did dad go?]
Cuengi, who had stayed up late playing with Sejun and overslept, sluggishly approached looking for Sejun.
And then,
“Cuengi, good you’re here, meow! Between us, who’s right below Chairman Park, meow?!”
“Yeah! Cuengi, you tell us! Which one of us is the second-in-command?!”
The two asked Cuengi who the second-in-command of the farm was.
However, the two were under a misconception.
Kuehehehe. Kueng! Kueng!
[Hehehe. You two don’t need to fight! Because after Dad, it’s Cuengi!]
Cuengi also considered himself the second-in-command.
Due to this, what was a two-way fight over hierarchy turned into a three-way fight as Cuengi joined in,
“No, meow! I, Vice Chairman Theo, am next in the hierarchy after Chairman Park, meow!”
“No! I’m Sejun hyung-nim’s little brother, so I’m the second-in-command!!
Kueng! Kueng!
[No! After Dad, it’s Cuengi!]
Thus, the argument among the three continued until Sejun returned.
***
On the way back to the farm after seeing off the rabbits.
Kugugung.
Sejun was sitting absent-mindedly on Toryong’s head.
Then,
“Aileen, does the Black Dragon govern the attribute of darkness?”
Sejun, curious, asked Aileen.
Sejun had learned while harvesting the sunflower seeds that each of the nine races governed one attribute.
The opposite of light is darkness.
Sejun thought that if the White Dragon has the power of light, then the Black Dragon must have the power of darkness.
[The tower’s administrator says that is correct.]
“Ah, right. But what kind of power is darkness?”
Sejun, unable to imagine what the power of darkness entailed, asked.
However,
[The tower’s administrator says that the power of darkness had already vanished by the time she was born, so she doesn’t know much about it either.]
[The tower’s administrator apologizes for not being able to answer.]
Aileen had never experienced the power of darkness.
“Ah… No, I’m sorry.”
Sejun quickly apologized.
And then,
……
The atmosphere turned awkward.
‘I shouldn’t have asked…’
Sejun blamed himself for his recklessness.
“But isn’t there a way to find the power of darkness for Aileen?”
He had found the power of light for the White Dragon with the sunflower.
Then, if he could find a crop that held the power of darkness…
“I might be able to find the power of darkness for Aileen, right? Ah!”
At that moment, an idea flashed through Sejun’s mind. Could it be…?
Clank.
Sejun hurriedly took out a book from the void storage. It was the Experienced Farmer’s Plant Encyclopedia.
And then,
Sararak.
He flipped through the book to find the page he wanted.
<Locations Where Sweet Potatoes Grow>
[Power Sweet Potato – 99th floor of the Tower, 55th floor of the Tower]
[Golden Sweet Potato – 99th floor of the Tower, 55th floor of the Tower]
[Night Sweet Potato – 70th floor of the Tower]
The page used to test the encyclopedia.
“Night Sweet Potato.”
He had a hunch that it might be related to the power of darkness.
“Okay. First, I need to get the land deed for the Tower’s 70th floor.”
Sejun decided to first visit the Tower’s 70th floor.
And then,
Shuk. Shuk. Shuk.
He wrote down the names of the crops he wanted in the encyclopedia.
<Locations Where Wheat Grows>
Not in the Black Tower.
<Locations Where Barley Grows>
Not in the Black Tower.
<Locations Where Cherries Grow>
Not in the Black Tower.
…
..
.
Though many were not found in the Black Tower,
<Locations Where Lemons Grow>
[Magical Lemon – 72nd floor of the Tower]
<Locations Where Pears Grow>
[Pear of Strength and Stamina – 81st floor of the Tower]
Fortunately, two were found.
So, when Sejun used 50 pages of the Plant Encyclopedia on crops he wanted or thought of,
-Master, we have arrived.
Toryong announced their arrival at the farm.
“Okay, thanks.”
Swoosh.
Click.
After sliding off Toryong’s head and landing on the ground,
“I’m hungry. Need to eat breakfast quickly.”
he hurried to the cooking area.
And then,
“Huh? Guys, what are you doing?”
Sejun found Theo, Cuengi, and Ajax facing off in front of the cooking area.
“Chairman Park, you’re here, meow! Which one of us is the second-in-command, meow? Puhuhut. Of course, it’s me, Vice Chairman Theo, without a doubt, meow!”
“No, it’s me, isn’t it, Sejun hyung-nim?!”
Kueng! Kueng!
[No! It’s Cuengi!]
Upon seeing Sejun, the three clung to his legs, whining that they were the second-in-command.
“Calm down. Let’s eat first.”
Click.
As Sejun picked up Theo and placed him on his lap,
“Puhuhut. Give me some Churu, meow!”
“Then shall we do that?”
Kueng!
[Good idea!]
The three quickly calmed down.
“Stay quiet while I cook.”
“Got it, meow!”
“Yes! Hyung-nim!”
Kueng!
[Cuengi will sit quietly!]
Upon Sejun’s words, the three went into waiting mode, eagerly anticipating the end of Sejun’s cooking.
While the three waited,
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Sejun quickly cracked 100 egg fruits into a bowl and
Rapidly. Rapidly.
stirred rapidly to remove the eggs’ stickiness.
Sizzle.
He then poured the beaten eggs into a preheated black pot over low heat and
Stir. Stir.
stirred to make scrambled eggs.
“It’s done.”
The scrambled eggs were piled high on the plate due to their large quantity.
Sejun then poured the remaining tomato paste from making pizza over it.
The dish was completed.
“Hehehe. Volcano Scrambled Eggs are ready.”
Sejun said with a laugh.
“Guys, try this!”
Thump.
Sejun confidently placed the plate on the table.
And then,
“As expected from Sejun hyung-nim! I’ll continue to follow you as my hyung-nim!”
Kueng!
[Dad is truly a genius in cooking!]
Ajax and Cuengi, impressed by the taste of the Volcano Scrambled Eggs, ate enthusiastically.
“Here. Vice Chairman, you eat too.”
“Puhuhut. I will enjoy it, meow!”
Chop. Chop. Chop.
After confirming that the two were enjoying their meal, Sejun gave Theo some Churu and
Yum.
tasted his cooking. The combination of eggs and ketchup was bound to be delicious.
“Hehehe. Tasty. Should we have french fries for lunch?”
Thinking of ketchup naturally led him to think of french fries.
“Then we’ll need oil…”
Sejun pondered how to make oil.
“But, it feels like I’m forgetting something?”
Just as Sejun tried to remember what he had forgotten,
Kking! Kking?!
‘Hey! Are you guys eating without me?!’
Fenrir, whom Sejun had forgotten, appeared.
Feeling left out upon waking up to find himself alone in bed, Fenrir had come looking for Sejun.
Kkingcha. Kkingcha.
Struggling to hang on, Fenrir managed to climb over the threshold into the kitchen.
Thud. Thud.
Click.
Fenrir sat in front of Sejun, staring intently at the food he was eating. That looks delicious! Give me some too!
Drip. Drip.
Drooling.
“Blackie, do you want some of this? Here.”
Sejun handed Fenrir a piece of scrambled egg without tomato paste,
Chomp. Chomp. Chomp.
Fenrir ate eagerly. Keeheehee. Delicious!
After finishing what was in Sejun’s hand,
Kking! Kking!
‘Give me more! There’s plenty over there!’
Fenrir alternated between looking at Sejun and the plate piled with scrambled eggs on the table, then attempted to jump towards the plate.
Thump!
Fenrir’s hind legs lifted about 2cm off the ground before falling back down. The jump was significantly short.
But,
Kking!
‘I want to eat!’
Thump, thump, thump.
The persistent wolf, Fenrir, continued to jump, aiming for the food,
“Pff. Blackie, let’s eat this.”
After laughing enough at Fenrir, Sejun filled a bowl with scrambled eggs and gave it to him.
Chomp. Chomp. Chomp.
Kking! Kking!
‘This is really soft! Delicious!’
This was the third thing Fenrir had eaten since entering the Black Tower, following the sweet potato jerky and black royal jelly.
Blackie was utterly taken by the taste of the eggs.
Gulp!
After eating his fill,
Nod. Nod.
Fenrir leaned against Sejun’s foot and dozed off.
Click.
Sejun picked up Fenrir and put him in his pocket.
And then,
“I’ll have to use this as Blackie’s food bowl from now on.”
Sejun engraved ‘Blackie’ on the bowl Fenrir had used.
Thus, Fenrir owned his first personal item in the Black Tower.
After the meal,
“Vice Chairman Theo, go down to the lower floors for a bit.”
“Meow?! Do I have to go, meow?!”
“No choice. I need the land deed for the 70th floor of the tower.”
Sejun explained that it was necessary to find the power of darkness for Aileen.
He also asked Theo to look for the land deeds for the 72nd and 81st floors if he saw them.
“Puhuhut. Is that all, meow?! Just leave it to me, meow! Piyot, let’s go, meow!”
Piyo!
[Yes!]
Theo set off on the road with Piyot, following Sejun’s request.
“Cuengi, you’re going to look for herbs, right?”
Kueng!
[Yes!]
“Here’s your lunch box.”
Sejun packed the leftover food that Theo had bought from the restaurant into Cuengi’s lunchbox.
Kueng!
[Dad, I’ll be back!]
With that, Cuengi also left for the western forest.
“Phew. All set off.”
Sejun sighed with relief after sending the three off.
“Ajax, help me harvest the green onions.”
“Okay! Sejun hyung-nim!”
Sejun and Ajax went to the green onion field to harvest S-grade Detoxifying Green Onions.
“Just like this, you pull it out.”
Swoosh.
Sejun demonstrated,
“Okay!”
Swoosh.
Ajax also harvested the green onions as Sejun had taught him.
An hour later.
“Ajax, drink this.”
Sejun handed Ajax some honey water with ice floating in it.
“Thank you, hyung-nim!”
As soon as Ajax received the honey water from Sejun,
Gulp. Gulp.
he quickly drank it down and
“Wow! Delicious!”
looked at Sejun with proud expression. As expected, you’re worthy of being my hyung!
“Now, let’s go harvest the cherry tomatoes.”
“Okay! Hyung-nim!”
Ajax’s respect for Sejun increased by 5 thanks to the honey water.
*****
