Chapter 272: Something Feels Ominous...

Solo Farming In The Tower

Wiiing.

[Welcome, Sejun~nim.]

Following the guide of the Poisonous Queen Bee, Sejun arrived at the room of the Poisonous Queen Bee. The Poisonous Queen Bee welcomed Sejun.

“Uh, good to see you. But what do you have for me?”

Wiiing.

[Just a moment.]

In response to Sejun’s question, the Poisonous Queen Bee took out a golden honey jelly from a small hole in the wall and

Plop.

placed it on Sejun’s palm. It was a royal jelly of a different color from the last time.

[Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly]

Not only was the color different, but the name was different as well.

“Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly?”

Sejun examined the Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly closely.

[Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly]

→ Made from various types of honey jelly, refined through a secret method passed down through generations by the Poisonous Queen Bee.

→ Sweet as it is made of honey.

→ Consuming it increases one of the four stats by 30.

→ Consumption greatly increases the proficiency of one of the acquired skills.

→ Shelf life: 100 years

→ Grade: A+

“Oh! This is good.”

While Sejun was examining the Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly,

Plop. Plop.

the Poisonous Queen Bee kept taking out more honey jellies and placing them on Sejun’s palm. There was more than one honey jelly.

Thanks to that, a total of 10 golden honey jellies were stacked on Sejun’s palm.

And then,

“Hehehe. I should eat only 5 of these now.”

Sejun decided to hog 5 out of the 10 jellies all to himself when no one was around.

‘I’ll use this to slightly close the gap with the others.’

Having such thoughts, Sejun strategized on how to consume the Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly.

However,

‘I’ll pretend I didn’t eat the other 5 and give one to myself, one to Theo, one to Cuengi, one to the golden bat… Huh?!’

There was a flaw in his plan.

“Golden bat?”

Sejun, feeling a bit anxious, hurriedly reached behind his back calling for the golden bat. The golden bat often went unnoticed even when clinging to his back.

Fortunately, he didn’t feel anything on his back nor heard a response from the golden bat. It seemed likely that it had followed Cuengi to the western forest.

“Phew.”

Relieved, Sejun breathed out and then,

Nom.

consumed the Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly.

[You have consumed a Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly.]

[Your magic power has increased by 30.]

[Your proficiency of Farmer’s Warm Touch Lv. 4 has greatly increased.]

[Your proficiency of Farmer’s Warm Touch Lv. 4 has been filled, and the level has increased.]

The first Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly increased his magic power by 30 and raised the skill proficiency of Farmer’s Warm Touch, leveling up the skill.

Nom.

[You have consumed the Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly.]

[Your magic power has increased by 30.]

[Your proficiency of Farmer’s Warm Touch Lv. 5 has greatly increased.]

The second Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly consumed also increased his magic power and the skill proficiency of Farmer’s Warm Touch.

Surely, both the stat and the skill were random, but somehow, the same stat and skill were raised both times. Well… it can happen twice.

Nom.

[You have consumed the Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly.]

[Your magic power has increased by 30.]

[Your proficiency of Farmer’s Warm Touch Lv. 5 has greatly increased.]

“Again?!”

Once again, both his magic power and the proficiency of Farmer’s Warm Touch were increased. Sejun felt as if he was under some sort of spell.

And then,

Nom.

Nom.

“To think… until the last one…”

The probability of both the magic power among the four stats and the Farmer’s Warm Touch among the 16 skills being raised simultaneously was 1 in 64.

The chance of this happening five consecutive times was roughly 1 in 1.1 billion.

Sejun managed to beat those incredibly slim odds, raising the proficiency of the Farmer’s Warm Touch skill and his magic power five times in a row.

Thanks to this, Sejun’s magic power increased by 150, and the level of Farmer’s Warm Touch skill went up by 3 levels, reaching level 7.

“Something feels ominous…”

Sejun felt as if this incredible coincidence was the world’s malevolent intent trying to exploit him by only increasing specific stats and skills.

“Ah, that can’t be it. Why would it be me…?”

Thinking it was too far-fetched, Sejun pushed aside his unease and said,

“I’ll be going now.”

Wiiing. Wiiing.

[Yes. Take care.]

After saying goodbye to the Poisonous Queen Bee, he returned to the farm.

***

Purple Tower, 89th floor.

[Oh? This is the Purple Tower too?]

Crackle. Crackle.

Flamie had rooted itself in a new floor of the Purple Tower.

Croak. Croak.

The area was full of poison frogs, ranging from 3 to 5 meters in size and in various vibrant colors, but

[Hehe. I’ll work hard for my master and secure the land deed!]

Crackle. Crackle.

Flamie started spreading its roots without care.

Gulp. Gulp.

The poison frogs, seeing Flamie’s moving roots, rushed to put them in their mouths, instinctively perceiving anything that moves as prey.

However, Flamie’s massive roots were not of a size they could eat, and

Croak…

The poison frogs died impaled on Flamie’s roots. There was no need to use magic to burn them. They would simply become nutrients for the roots.

[If only I could give this experience to my master…]

While Flamie was regretful it couldn’t give the experience points from killing the poison frogs to Sejun,

Crackle. Crackle.

Flamie’s roots continued to extend, luring the poison frogs, who then died trying to swallow the roots.

During this relentless growth,

[I found it!]

Flamie discovered the farm on the 89th floor of the tower.

[Hello, everyone. I’m Flamie.]

As Flamie greeted the plants on the farm,

[Flamie… please… help… us.]

The farm’s plants, suffering from the surrounding poison, asked Flamie for help.

[Got it. Just hold on. Yaap!]

Crackle. Crackle.

Flamie wrapped its roots around the farm, blocking the poison from entering, and used its first leaf’s ability, the Flame of Purification, to purify the land of the farm.

[Thank you… Flamie…]

The plants expressed their gratitude to Flamie.

And then,

Plop.

Once again, the land deed for the 89th floor of the tower fell in front of Flamie.

[Great. This makes three Purple Tower land deeds I’ve acquired!]

Flamie protected the farm’s plants and continued to spread its roots.

Then,

“What?! What is this plant?”

Veronica, the tower farmer of the Purple Tower, who was looking for plants that could grow in poison-filled land, discovered Flamie.

“Seeing how big it’s grown, it seems like a tree that thrives here too. But where are its seeds? Maybe I should cut a root and try planting it?”

Swoosh.

When Veronica, fearless, drew a dagger to cut Flamie’s root,

[How dare! How dare you try to touch my body?! My body belongs to my master!]

Rumble. Rumble.

Angered, Flamie moved its massive roots to surround Veronica.

“Please… spare me…”

Overwhelmed by Flamie’s giant roots, Veronica barely managed to speak.

[Alright. I’ll spare you. But in return, work on the farm.]

“What?!”

To think she, who could be considered the top person in the Purple Tower aside from the dragons, was being asked to work?

But,

[Come and work.]

“Yes!”

She couldn’t defy Flamie, who seemed ready to crush her with its roots at any moment.

And then,

[How can you prune like that?! Our master is incredibly good at it, why are you so bad, Veronica?!]

“I’m… sorry.”

Veronica had to endure a mix of bragging about Sejun and half-scolding from Flamie.

That’s how Veronica, the tower farmer of the Purple Tower, began to learn farming from Flamie.

***

Rumble.

“I’m a bit hungry?”

On the way back to the farm, riding on Toryong.

Nom.

Feeling a bit peckish, Sejun ate the meat given by Aileen.

[You have consumed a piece of Aileen’s Healthier Meatball.]

[You must eat all the pieces to gain the full effect.]

[499 pieces remaining.]

As he was filling his stomach,

Dadada.

Krueng!

[Where did you go, Dad?!]

Cuengi, who had returned from gathering herbs and not finding Sejun at the farm, quickly ran towards him, following his scent from afar.

“Toryong, go underground for a bit.”

-Yes.

As Toryong went into the ground,

Slap.

Just then, Cuengi arrived and clung to Sejun’s leg.

Krueng!

[Cuengi was worried about Dad!]

“Sorry. I went to see the poisonous bees for a bit.”

Pat. Pat.

Nom.

While Sejun was patting Cuengi, who clung to his leg, with his left hand, he fed a Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly into Cuengi’s mouth with his right hand.

Krueng?! Krueng!

[What is this?! It’s incredibly delicious!]

Cuengi, having eaten something sweet, quickly became happy.

After eating the Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly, Cuengi’s strength increased by 30, and one of its skills increased in proficiency, leading to a skill level up.

The name of the leveled-up skill was Intimidation.

Grrr…

Krueng!

Cuengi quickly focused and stopped using the skill. Can’t use it here! Dad will die!

Thanks to Cuengi’s quick action, Sejun’s life was saved, and

“Let’s give some to the golden bat as well.”

Unaware he had just narrowly escaped death again, Sejun called for the golden bat and gave it a Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly.

Nom.

(Pip-pip. Delicious.)

The golden bat, emerging from Cuengi’s back, happily ate the Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly.

And then,

“Huh?!”

Swoosh.

The golden bat disappeared right before Sejun’s eyes.

The proficiency of the golden bat’s camouflage skill increased, leveling up, and now it was able to camouflage even in thin air.

Just as Sejun was about to move back to the farm after feeding Cuengi and the golden bat each a Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly,

“What’s this?!”

Feeling something approaching, Sejun quickly covered his face with his hands to prevent fur from entering his mouth.

Plop.

At the same time, a yellow furball rushed towards Sejun’s face.

“Chairman Park! I’m back, meow!”

It was Theo.

Flap. Flap.

Piyo! Piyo!

[Hello! Piyot is here too!]

Piyot was frantically flying around Theo, announcing its arrival.

‘Ah. I forgot about Piyot.’

This realization made Sejun aware that he was one Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly short.

Sejun’s plan was to consume the remaining 5 Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly himself, and give them to Theo, Cuengi, the golden bat, Iona, and himself.

He hadn’t considered the new member, Piyot.

‘Can’t be helped.’

Sejun decided to give his share of the Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly to Piyot.

“Vice Chairman Theo, did you have a good trip?”

Sejun covered his mouth with his right hand and grabbed Theo’s scruff with his left hand, detaching him from his face, before asking,

“Yes…”

Nom.

As Theo answered, Sejun quickly stuffed a Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly into his mouth. Since Theo wouldn’t eat anything other than fish or Churu, this kind of surprise feeding was necessary.

“Meow?! Meow! Chairman Park, what’s this, meow?!”

As expected, Theo started to get annoyed the moment something other than fish or Churu entered his mouth.

Meanwhile, the Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly quickly melted and disappeared in Theo’s mouth.

“Chairman Park, that’s too much, meow! How could you give me something other than fish and Churu…”

Snap.

Sejun brought the grumbling Theo onto his lap,

“Meow…”

Theo quieted down while being cradled on Sejun’s knees.

“Now, there’s only one left.”

Sejun said, looking at Piyot.

Piyo?

And so, Sejun also fed Piyot the Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly.

However, Theo and Piyot only experienced increases in stats and skill proficiency without any significant changes.

“Theo, give the last remaining one to Iona.”

“Got it, meow!”

As Sejun handed the last Skill-Enhancing Golden Royal Jelly to Theo and was about to head towards the farm,

Boom.

Cuengi looked at Sejun with suspicious eyes. Dad wouldn’t just not eat any himself!

Given Sejun’s actions so far, it was a perfectly reasonable suspicion.

Sniff sniff.

Cuengi climbed up Sejun’s body and began to sniff around his mouth.

“Why, Cuengi?”

Sejun remained calm in the face of Cuengi’s actions.

‘Hehehe. Knowing this would happen, I’ve already rinsed my mouth clean.’

Sejun had already eliminated any evidence.

However,

Krueng! Krueng!

[Dad’s magic power has increased significantly in just a few hours! Very, very suspicious!]

While the smell could be hidden, the changes in the body could not. Detective Cunan has once again apprehended a habitual sneak eater today.

*****

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