Chapter 137 – Becoming the Vice President

In front of the lost and found warehouse on the 75th floor of the tower.

“Taru-nim, I am here.”

A guard with a crocodile head approached the lost and found warehouse to change shifts.

“Leken, there is still an hour left until shift change, but you have arrived already.”

“Kyakyakyak. I came a bit early because I thought you might be tired, Taru-nim. I also brought some alcohol and snacks here, so take them back and enjoy them.”

“Oh! You shouldn’t have… You are truly polite and diligent. Unlike the young people these days…”

“Kyakyakyak. Thank you. Then go in and rest quickly.”

“Yes. Over. But there is something unusual today.”

“Something unusual?”

“Yes. A wandering merchant came to draw items from the lost and found warehouse for the first time in a long while.”

As Taru spoke, he carefully observed Leken’s expression. And as Taru expected, Leken’s face crumpled up.

‘As expected, he had something he was aiming for here.’

Taru smiled bitterly. In the Wandering Merchant Association, guarding the lost and found warehouse was close to an unimportant post that no one applied for. So everyone was reluctant to work here.

Thanks to that, when Taru worked here 150 years ago through the influence of the Wandering Merchant Association President Mason, none of the association’s guards complained. Rather, everyone welcomed him.

And the first existence to voluntarily apply to guard the lost and found warehouse in 140 years since Taru was Leken.

Leken acted diligently and politely, but Taru’s experience coming from his years told him that Leken had come aiming for something in the lost and found warehouse.

But Taru did not care much. He only wanted to rest in this quiet place.

“S-So, what did they take?”

“Well… two documents and a farming tool shaped like a stick?”

“A f-farming tool?!”

Leken’s complexion changed at the mention of a farming tool.

‘Hmm… So he was aiming for the farming tool.’

“Then, good work.”

Taru left Leken behind and departed.

‘He will quit soon.’

Thinking that Leken would quit soon, Taru returned to his quarters, ate the food and drank the alcohol Leken had given him, and went to bed.

‘Thinking about it, that cat fellow is truly bold. Without even knowing who I am.’

Lying in bed, Taru recalled Theo, who had bargained fearlessly in front of him.

‘Hahaha. Would he be scared if he knew I used to be quite a big deal in the past?’

Taru was an existence who was once the boss of the 97th floor of the tower. Although he had no intention of saying it, he smiled as he imagined Theo trembling upon learning his identity.

However, Theo was far more fearless than Taru thought. If there was a trade to make, Theo was one who could bargain without hesitation even in front of the Bull Demon King.

Of course, at the foundation of that fearlessness was his strong trust in Se-jun.

***

“Theo, you came back quickly?”

“Puhuhut. Of course, meow! I am fast because I am competent, meow!”

Theo, who became completely arrogant, spoke while climbing onto Se-jun’s lap.

“What is it? Why are you so arrogant today of all days?”

“Puhuhut. There is a reason for everything, meow! Look at this, meow!”

Theo, who wanted to show off to Se-jun quickly, hurriedly pulled out the golden plaque.

“Oh! What is this?”

“It’s the golden plaque proving that I am a top-tier wandering merchant, meow! I am a top-tier wandering merchant now, meow!”

“Representative Theo, that’s amazing.”

“Puhuhut. Of course, meow! So make me Vice President Theo now, meow!”

Theo wanted to become the second-in-command following Se-jun. To do that, he had to become the vice president.

But,

“That won’t do.”

Se-jun rejected in an instant.

“Why, meow?! Even though I am a top-tier wandering merchant, I can’t be Vice President Theo, meow?”

“Of course. Do you think becoming a vice president is that easy?”

“Then what do I have to do to become Vice President Theo, meow?”

“Become the best wandering merchant in the tower. Then I will formally make you Vice President Theo.”

“Understood, meow! I will become the best wandering merchant and become Vice President Theo, meow!”

Theo received motivation after a long time and was overflowing with drive. That did not mean, however, that Theo would wait to become Vice President Theo until he became the best wandering merchant in the tower.

“I brought something Chairman Park would like, meow! So make me Vice President Theo for a few days, meow!”

Theo bargained with Se-jun.

“Is that so? I will decide after looking at the gift first.”

Although Theo’s brought items were 100% trustworthy, Se-jun deliberately left some room. From the moment Theo proposed the bargain, Theo and he were competing.

‘Still, since I taught him, I can’t lose.’

“Puhuhut. Here! These are land deeds, meow!”

Theo, overflowing with confidence, handed Se-jun two leather scroll documents.

“Oh! You found two land deeds?!”

Se-jun, excited, checked the land deeds. Which floors’ land deeds were they? He was really looking forward to it.

However,

[Leather Document]

???

Grade: E

[Leather Document]

???

Grade: D

They were unidentified items. Still, since they had the same shape as land deeds, neither Se-jun nor Theo doubted that they were land deeds.

“Puhuhut. Am I Vice President Theo now, meow?”

Theo spoke with a smirk.

“……Still, I have to check to the end.”

Feeling like he was losing to Theo, Se-jun stalled for time first.

“Check all you want, meow! Puhuhut. In any case, Chairman Park has no choice but to make me Vice President Theo, meow!”

Confident that he would become Vice President Theo, Theo spoke boastfully.

‘Ugh… How annoying. I hate him.’

Although he wanted to get back at Theo, it was so advantageous to Theo that he could not refute him at all right now.

At that moment,

Kkueng!

[Big brother, is there no gift for me?]

Cuengi sparkled his eyes while looking at Theo. A gift for me too!

“Meow?! A gift for Cuengi, you say, meow? Of course there is, meow!”

Originally there was none, but since he had the land deeds anyway, the position of Vice President Theo was secured. To maintain his prestige as the eldest brother, Theo decided to give Cuengi the stick with iron attached to the end that he had brought out from the lost and found warehouse.

Kkueng!

[Thank you, big brother!]

“Puhuhut. So Cuengi, make sure to listen to me from now on, meow!”

Kkueng!

At Theo’s words, Cuengi nodded his head vigorously and stretched out his hand. Gift quickly!

But,

Kkueng! Kkueng!

[Cuengi has a stick too! It would be good if Dad used this!]

Cuengi tossed the stick given by Theo to Se-jun. In the end, the stick found its original owner. Se-jun checked the stick.

[Hoe]

???

Use Restriction: Lv. 10, Strength 10 or higher

Creator: Private

Grade: E

“A hoe?”

It was a farming tool called a hoe, with a slightly bent and wide piece of iron attached to the end of the stick.

“Thank you, Cuengi.”

“Meow?! I was the one who gave that stick, meow!”

“What do you mean? I received it from Cuengi.”

“How can it be like that, meow?!”

“It is indeed like that!”

While Se-jun was bickering with Theo in that way,

Kkueng!

[Now Dad and I have matching sticks!]

Cuengi was happy that he had a matching stick with Se-jun.

And,

“You are cheap, meow! Quickly check the land deeds and make me Vice President Theo, meow!”

In the end, the sulking Theo urged Se-jun.

“Okay. Aileen, please appraise these items.”

[The tower administrator tells you to leave it to her.]

Along with Aileen’s words, the documents and the hoe in Se-jun’s hands disappeared.

A moment later.

[The tower administrator says she has finished the appraisal.]

“How is it? Are they land deeds?”

“They must be, meow!”

[The tower administrator says both documents are indeed land deeds.]

“What?! Really?!”

“Puhuhut! I am Vice President Theo now, meow!”

Se-jun was disappointed and Theo smiled broadly.

However,

[The tower administrator says but it’s strange.]

“Strange? What is?”

[The tower administrator says these land deeds are not the land deeds of the Black Tower.]

“What?! They are not the land deeds of the Black Tower?”

“Meow?!”

The corners of Se-jun’s mouth, who was bent on beating Theo, went up. Conversely, the corners of Theo’s mouth went down by just as much.

[The tower administrator tells you to check them first.]

Two documents were placed in Se-jun’s hands.

[You have acquired the land deed for the 43rd floor of the White Tower.]

[You have acquired the land deed for the 74th floor of the Blue Tower.]

“Ah… What a pity…”

“Meow?! Even if it’s from another tower, it is still a land deed, meow! Make me Vice President Theo, meow!”

Sensing something ominous in Se-jun’s voice, Theo hurriedly shouted.

“No. Only the land deeds of the Black Tower have the effect of trade.”

“Meow?! How can it be like that, meow?!”

“Hehehe. Of course it is here. It’s up to the chairman.”

“You are cheap, meow!”

For the first time in a long while, Se-jun asserted his authority and suppressed the high-flying Theo.

“Aileen, but why aren’t you giving me the hoe?”

[The tower administrator is troubled, saying it is not an item registered in the tower, so it could not be completely appraised.]

“Huh?! It’s not an item registered in the tower?”

[The tower administrator says she asked her grandfather, and since there is no danger, you should just use it for now.]

The hoe appeared in Se-jun’s hand.

[You have acquired