Chapter 118 – Eating Boiled Pork and Gaining Talent

Kke-ek?

At Se-jun’s words to stop, the Mushroom Ants who were harvesting the mushrooms stopped.

“Don’t pick them, because I will pick the mushrooms for you.”

Kke-ek!

The Mushroom Ants began to line up toward Se-jun.

“Ah, not right now, but in a little bit. I have to eat breakfast.”

Kke-ek…

The Mushroom Ants became downcast at Se-jun’s words.

“But what do you guys eat?”

Kke-ek?

At Se-jun’s question, one Mushroom Ant pointed at the pile of cherry tomato branches stacked next to the field and repeatedly pointed at its own mouth.

“Ah, you’re asking if you can eat that?”

Kke-ek!

At Se-jun’s words, the Mushroom Ant nodded its antennae.

“Of course you can eat it. Eat all of it.”

Those cherry tomato branches were pruned by the rabbits so that the nutrients of the cherry tomatoes wouldn’t go elsewhere, and because there were too many and they were difficult to dispose of, he was thankful if they ate them.

Kke-ek! Kke-ek!

The Mushroom Ants ran toward the cherry tomato branches, getting excited at Se-jun’s words. It was fortunate that there was something the Mushroom Ants liked.

“Then, shall we eat breakfast quickly and harvest!”

When Se-jun went near the kitchen to eat the boiled pork,

“Wow! The smell is killer.”

As the Fire Carrot Wine simmered along with the meat, a delicious sweet aroma vibrated even outside the kitchen. Just by smelling it, he could tell that the boiled pork was cooked properly.

At that moment,

Kkueng!

Cuengi, who was guarding the kitchen entrance while waiting only for Se-jun to arrive, called Se-jun. It seems the cooking is almost done, kkueng!

“I got it.”

When Se-jun entered the kitchen, the rabbits sat in a circle around the pot where the boiled pork was boiling, clasping their hands and staring only at the pot as if reciting a spell.

Kkueng!

Cuengi grabbed Se-jun’s pants and led him in front of the pot, standing at the very front of the rabbits to stare at the pot. Everyone was focusing their entire attention on the boiled pork.

Except for the two dragons, who could not smell.

Drip.

-Give it to me now. It’s my turn.

The two dragon statues shook the bottle that had contained the Fire Carrot Wine, alternately drinking the alcohol drop by drop. He didn’t know what they were doing with that great magic.

“Is it done?”

When Se-jun opened the pot lid, thick steam rose to the point where he couldn’t see in front of him. And as the steam escaped, the figure of the brilliant milky-white meat half-submerged in water came into view.

Perhaps the Fire Carrots had completely melted, as they were not visible.

‘It’s complete.’

Just as Se-jun was about to take out the boiled pork,

[You have achieved the achievement of making the Greedy and Hot Wild Boar Boiled Pork for the first time in the tower.]

[The recipe for Greedy and Hot Wild Boar Boiled Pork is registered in Cooking Lv. 4.]

[The proficiency of Cooking Lv. 4 increases greatly.]

[The proficiency of Cooking Lv. 4 is filled, and its level increases.]

A message appeared indicating that the dish was completed.

“Let’s see.”

Se-jun lifted the boiled pork and checked the options.

[Greedy and Hot Wild Boar Boiled Pork]

With skillful cooking ability, wild boar meat, Detoxifying Green Onion, and Fire Carrot Wine were put together and boiled for a long time, making the meat moist and soft.

All the fire energy of the Fire Carrot Wine has been concentrated in the wild boar meat.

The greed remaining in the wild boar meat minimizes the loss of nutrients.

Upon consumption, it greatly increases Fire attribute affinity and burns away waste products from the body.

The Detoxifying Green Onion reduces the side effect conditions of the Fire Carrot Wine by half.

If Magic is 50 or below, as a side effect, the physical body cannot handle the fire energy, and the fire energy will burn the body along with it.

Cook: Tower Farmer Park Se-jun

Expiration Date: 100 days

Grade: B+

“Oh!”

By making it into boiled pork, the effect of the Fire Carrot Wine was maintained while the side effects were reduced by half. It was welcome news.

Slice.

Se-jun hurriedly took out the chunk of meat and cut a piece of meat with his dagger. The plump meat was cut smoothly without resistance.

Pop.

Se-jun put the cut meat into his mouth.

Melt.

Gulp.

“Oh!”

No words were needed. He had barely chewed a few times, but it just melted. He felt so sorry that there was no wrapping cabbage, Kimchi, and salted shrimp to eat with the boiled pork.

Kkueng?

Behind him, Cuengi and the rabbits were drooling, wondering what it tasted like.

“Here you go.”

Se-jun quickly cut the boiled pork into sizes easy for the animals to eat and gave it to them.

Kkueng!

Squeak!

Ppya!

The animals began to eat the boiled pork greedily.

“Golden Bat, slice this.”

(Yes!)

Meanwhile, Se-jun had the Golden Bat shred the green onions thinly and made a simple seasoning using red pepper powder, soy sauce, salt, and honey. Then, he mixed the seasoning with the shredded green onions the Golden Bat had sliced, completing the seasoned green onions.

“Now, shall I try it?”

Chop. Chop.

Se-jun sliced about ten pieces of boiled pork, placed them on his plate, put seasoned green onions on a piece of boiled pork, and put it in his mouth.

“Mmm. This is it. This is the one.”

It was good earlier too, but eating it with the seasoned green onions made it even more delicious as the crunchy texture and flavor became rich. It also caught the greasiness, so the aftertaste was refreshing.

Kkueng?

Cuengi quickly followed what Se-jun was eating, placed seasoned green onions on the boiled pork, and put it in his mouth. The only thing he had failed at after mimicking what Se-jun ate until now was coffee.

‘Dad said that becomes delicious once I become an adult, kkueng.’

Although he couldn’t understand why it became delicious only when he became an adult, he accepted it since it was his dad’s words.

Kkueng!

This time was also a success as expected. Cuengi, who discovered a new world of taste through the combination of seasoned green onions and boiled pork, shouted in excitement.

And seeing Cuengi’s reaction, the other rabbits also began to show interest.

“You guys.”

Se-jun smiled warmly as he watched those animals. He felt good because they ate the food he made deliciously.

“Aileen, you try it too.”

Se-jun sent the bowl containing the boiled pork and seasoned green onions to Aileen.

A moment later,

[The Tower Administrator is shocked, saying she has never eaten such soft meat before.]

“Eat it together with the seasoned green onions next to it. That way, it’s more delicious.”

[The Tower Administrator says you are definitely a genius at cooking.]

“No. Not to that extent…”

Se-jun felt embarrassed by Aileen’s praise. And honestly, Aileen’s cooking skills were below average. But he could not bring himself to say that.

While Se-jun was sharing the boiled pork with everyone like that,

Steam. Steam.

Steam began to rise from the bodies of the rabbits one by one.

“Ugh!”

Along with a foul smell.

“It smells! Go wash quickly!”

Se-jun said it even more fussily on purpose. It was revenge for them avoiding him previously, saying he had poop breath. Se-jun was one who held a grudge for a very long time.

Squeak!

Ppya!

The rabbits ran to the fountain in a hurry, flustered.

At that moment,

[You have consumed the Greedy and Hot Wild Boar Boiled Pork.]

[Your Fire attribute affinity increases.]

[Talent: Fire Mastery blossoms.]

[Burns away and discharges waste products from your body.]

Steam. Steam.

Steam began to rise from Se-jun’s body as well.

“Meow! Chairman Park smells like poop again, meow!”

Theo hurriedly pulled out nose plugs from his bundle and blocked his nose. It was an item he had prepared in anticipation of a situation like the previous one.

Kku-ek!

Cuengi screamed while blocking his nose with his front paws. Dad smells like poop, kkueng!

“Ugh!”

Se-jun also hurried to the fountain. It was a smell coming from his own body, but it was truly terrible.

Splash.

When Se-jun entered the fountain, the rabbits’ eyes were not good. It was a look of reproach, questioning why he had nagged them when he was going to enter this way anyway.

“Sorry…”

A moment later,

Kkueng!

Splash.

Cuengi also entered the fountain while emitting a foul odor.

Kkueng.

[I’m sorry, kkueng.]

Cuengi, who had embarrassed Se-jun by saying he smelled, massaged Se-jun’s shoulders as a sign of apology.

The kitchen where everyone left like that.

-Shall we just have a taste?

-Shall we?

The two dragons remaining in the kitchen took the boiled pork. The seasoned green onions too.

***

Shake.

“Ah. Refreshing.”

Se-jun said, shaking off water from his body. He had unintentionally ended up taking a group bath with the animals.

Kkueng!

Ppya!

All the animals were shaking the water off their bodies with refreshed expressions, perhaps because the waste products had disappeared from their bodies.

However,

“This is uncomfortable, meow!”

Theo, who had no need to enter the water, grumbled as he diligently shook off the moisture. It was Theo who had been dragged into the water together while clinging to Se-jun’s lap.

“Pfft. Representative Theo, you were completely relying on your fur. You look really ugly.”

Unaware of Theo’s annoyance, Se-jun laughed at Theo, who had become unsightly from being wet.

“Meow… I am not ugly, meow…”

Theo immediately lost his spirit at Se-jun’s words.

“Sorry. It was a joke. How cool is our Representative Theo.”

When Se-jun picked Theo up and shook the water out of his fur himself to lift the spirits of the dejected Theo,

“Puhuhu. I know it too, meow! I am the coolest cat in the world, meow!”

Theo, immediately becoming triumphant, boasted loudly. It was truly a confidence like a reed.

At that moment,

(Se-jun, I will dry your hair for you!)

The Golden Bat hovered around Se-jun’s head, diligently moving its wings to create wind.

Flutter. Flutter.

Although the wind was weak and was not of much help.

(Pant, pant. How is it?)

“Oh! It’s cool.”

Se-jun told a white lie for the Golden Bat, who was flapping its wings to the point of running out of breath for him. His heart, on the contrary, warmed up.

“Now, let’s work!”

Se-jun, who had fully dried Theo’s fur, massaged the shoulders of the Golden Bat who was exhausted from flapping its wings, and went to find the Mushroom Ants.

[You have harvested an Oyster Mushroom.]

[There are 42,871 times left until the completion of the job quest.]

[Your job experience increases very slightly.]

[The proficiency of Harvesting Lv. 5 increases very slightly.]

[You have gained 1 experience point.]

“Now, next.”

Kke-ek.

At Se-jun’s words, the ant that finished harvesting left, and another ant behind it showed its back so that it would be easy for Se-jun to harvest. Since Se-jun stayed still and the Mushroom Ants moved on their own, harvesting was easy.

Kke-ek.

Kke-ek.

Kke-ek.

In addition, the Mushroom Ants even classified the mushrooms picked by Se-jun according to their condition and type.

From king oyster mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, to reishi mushrooms, the types of mushrooms growing on the backs of the Mushroom Ants were truly numerous.

Although it was slightly regrettable that the mushrooms had no item effects, it was sufficiently satisfying since he could use the Harvesting skill and even eat the mushrooms.

“Nice.”

Thanks to that, Se-jun focused only on harvesting.

As he harvested like that, lunchtime drew near.

“Cuengi, bring some dried green onion leaves and branches.”

Kkueng!

At Se-jun’s instruction, Cuengi, who had been lying on the ground staring blankly at the sky, sprang up.

Telling him to bring dried green onion leaves and branches meant lighting a fire, and that soon meant cooking food.

Kkueng!

Cuengi hurried and ran out, and

(Brother Cuengi, I will help too!)

The Golden Bat flew after Cuengi.

At that moment,

Kkueng!

Pour.

The gigantified Cuengi laid down a massive amount of dried green onion leaves and branches. I brought them, kkueng!

(I brought one too!)

Flutter. Flutter.

The Golden Bat also brought a thin branch following Cuengi.

“Well done.”

Se-jun stacked the branches well and put dried green onion leaves in between them so that the fire would catch well.

And,

Snap.

Whoosh.

Se-jun snapped his fingers to create a small flame the size of a 50-won coin. It was thanks to the newly obtained Talent: Fire Mastery.

[Talent: Fire Mastery]

-A talent that allows you to use fire more skillfully.

-You can generate a flame by snapping your fingers.

It was not a power to be used in combat, but just being able to generate a flame was of great help in real life.

When Se-jun lit the thin branch the Golden Bat had brought with the flame on his finger and put it into the firewood pile,

Whoosh.

The fire caught on the firewood strongly.

And,

Thud.

Se-jun pulled out the fire ant’s back plate from the subspace warehouse. Today’s lunch menu was grilled mushrooms. The back plate of the fire ant was flat, so it was perfect as a grill.

Sizzle.

As the mushrooms were grilled and their aroma spread around, the rabbits came over on their own.

Squeak!

Kke-ek!

At first, the rabbits and the Mushroom Ants were wary of each other, but workers recognized workers. The rabbits and the Mushroom Ants became close quickly.