Translated by Demonic Dog
Read it only at utoon.net
===================
Chapter 16 – Harvesting Carrots
“The price went up?”
“Yes, meow!”
“How much is it?”
“0.07… Tower Coins, meow!”
Theo spoke carefully while reading the humans’ expressions. His timid personality couldn’t be helped.
Theo’s cautious behavior turned into pity for the hunters through a cat correction filter, and the hunters easily accepted the rise in the price of the magical cherry tomatoes.
‘It makes sense to raise the price.’
‘Even when he sold them last time, he sold them cheap, so his expression wasn’t good.’
‘Look at that blank face. He must be taking a loss.’
‘At that level, it must be a reasonable price.’
Theo’s naive appearance and racial traits rather gave the hunters a favorable impression and trust.
“Alright. I will buy 200.”
Kim Dong-sik said, handing over 14 Tower Coins. Although his original plan was to buy only 100, his wife had also approached him quietly when he entered the tower and requested some for herself.
‘Honey, daughter, trust only me!’
The money Kim Dong-sik had now was 200 Tower Coins. It was an amount of money that could buy even 1,000 magical cherry tomatoes.
Since the expiration date of the magical cherry tomatoes was 30 days, it was only this much; if there were no expiration date, Kim Dong-sik would have bought them all for his wife and daughter. Of course, the thoughts of other hunters were no different.
“Huh?! 500 for me.”
“200 for me!”
“400 for me too!”
As Kim Dong-sik stole the lead, Jessica and the other hunters also quickly handed over money and began to state the quantities they wanted to buy.
And,
“It’s sold out, meow. All 1,500 magical cherry tomatoes brought today are sold, meow!”
The hunter who called for the last 400 could only buy 250.
“When will you come next time?”
At Kim Dong-sik’s question, the hunters’ attention focused on Theo. Because they wanted to trade next time as well.
In particular, the hunters who were unable to trade this time focused even more. Since they couldn’t buy this time, they had to buy next time.
“Will you wait here next time too, meow?”
“Yeah.”
“Then it will be in about ten days, meow.”
To become a mid-tier traveling merchant before getting caught by Se-jun, he had no time to rest.
“Alright. Then see you in ten days.”
Once the leader Kim Dong-sik finished speaking, several female hunters approached.
“Kitty, can we take a photo together?”
“My name is not Kitty, it’s Theo, meow.”
“Ah. Your name is Theo. Theo, can we take a photo together? If we take it, I will give you this.”
The female hunters held out a squishy pouch.
“What is that, meow?”
“It’s called Churu, you tear it open like this and lick it.”
“Is that so, meow? It smells good, meow.”
Like that, Theo was able to take photos with the female hunters and receive Churu.
***
The 149th day of distress.
“Hum, hum, hum.”
Today as well, Se-jun was harvesting cherry tomatoes after eating breakfast, humming a tune.
[You have harvested a well-ripened Magical Cherry Tomato.]
[Your job experience increases very minutely.]
[Your proficiency in Harvesting Lv. 2 increases very minutely.]
[You have obtained 10 experience points.]
…
..
.
Shhhhh.
The sound of the white rabbits watering the crops and
Pyak!
Squeak!
the Black Rabbit’s wall-hitting sound, together with Se-jun’s humming, pushed away the silence of the cave.
At that moment,
Buzz, buzz.
a strange sound began to be heard.
“Huh?”
Squeak?
Pyah?
Pyak?
Not only Se-jun but also the other rabbits were puzzled by the unfamiliar sound and looked at the place where the sound came from.
The beehive of the poison honeybee, which they had been worried about because she had stayed indoors for the past few days. From that place, ten bees about the size of a thumb were flying around the hive.
[Baby Poison Honeybee]
“You were raising babies.”
Only then could Se-jun understand the reason why the poison honeybee had not come out of her home.
After a moment,
Buzz, buzz.
the poison honeybee also came out of the beehive. Although there was no big difference in size from before, her body became slightly more colorful and her abdomen grew plump.
And,
[Queen Poison Honeybee]
her name had changed.
Buzz, buzz.
Buzz, buzz.
When the Queen Poison Honeybee flew to Se-jun’s side, the baby poison honeybees also followed to escort the queen.
However, the purpose of the baby poison honeybees was to protect their queen.
Shring!
Seeing Se-jun, the baby poison honeybees drew out their poison stingers.
“Huh?!”
Squeak?!
Pyak?!
When Se-jun and the rabbits were startled by the baby poison honeybees’ actions,
Buzz! Buzz!
the Queen Poison Honeybee stopped, flapped her wings strongly, and began to scold the baby poison honeybees.
Fortunately, due to the queen’s training, the baby poison honeybees realized Se-jun was not an enemy and retracted their stingers.
And,
Rub, rub.
after the Queen Poison Honeybee rubbed her body against Se-jun to show friendliness and began to suck nectar,
Buzz, buzz.
Rub, rub, rub.
the baby poison honeybees also followed the Queen Poison Honeybee, rubbing their bodies against Se-jun to show friendliness, and sucked nectar from the cherry tomato flowers following the queen.
Like that, Se-jun’s cave family grew.
***
The next morning.
“Heave-ho!”
Se-jun stood up vigorously and walked to the cave wall where the dates were recorded.
And,
Scratch.
he added a stroke to complete the third line.
||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| |||||
||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| |||||
||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| |||||
“It has already been 150 days.”
Se-jun stared anew at the time marked on the wall. Although it was only one stroke added compared to yesterday, it felt different.
If in the past he had felt hopeless every time a stroke was added, lately he felt proud of himself for surviving a day here every time he drew a stroke.
It was thanks to the rapidly growing crops and the rabbits and bees that kept him from being lonely. The tower administrator was also of some help.
“Se-jun Park, you are doing well.”
Se-jun said as if pledging to himself. It was not just self-consolation. Se-jun was truly doing well. The 48 Tower Coins in his hand proved it.
He earned money even under the adverse condition of being trapped in the cave. An amount equivalent to 48 million won if he went outside. It was more than the money Se-jun had earned by working for a year at a company.
He had earned this money in just a few days, and another 48 Tower Coins would gather in a few days. After coming here, the situation was getting better day by day.
‘As I live, a breakthrough will happen someday.’
While Se-jun was strengthening his resolve like that,
Buzz, buzz.
The diligent baby poison honeybees woke up and approached Se-jun.
“Did you sleep well?”
Rub, rub.
The baby poison honeybees substituted their response by rubbing their plump bodies. Those that could not rub against Se-jun’s face rubbed their bodies against Se-jun’s hand.
“Cute things.”
Only a day had passed, but the baby poison honeybees grew to about the thickness of three fingers. It was to the extent of wondering how they could grow so much just by eating nectar.
Buzz, buzz.
The baby poison honeybees stamped their clock-in on Se-jun and went to suck nectar. The Queen Poison Honeybee, after confirming yesterday that the babies sucked nectar well, entered the hive and did not come out.
It seemed she was laying eggs again.
After a moment,
Squeak!
Pyah!
Pyak!
The rabbits came out of the burrow and gave Se-jun a vigorous morning greeting.
“Yeah. Hello!”
Another day began energetically.
Today, Se-jun had another task added in the afternoon besides harvesting cherry tomatoes.
That was teaching the Black Rabbit swimming.
The Black Rabbit, who became able to hunt piranhas alone a few days ago, leveled up once more yesterday, became arrogant, walked into the pond by himself, and almost died sinking under the water.
The Black Rabbit did not know that he was someone who couldn’t swim.
If Se-jun, thinking it was strange that it was too quiet, had been even slightly late in going to the pond, the Black Rabbit would have almost been devoured by the piranhas.
So, Se-jun decided to teach the Black Rabbit swimming.
Having eaten lunch like that, the Black Rabbit stood in front of the small pond with green onion leaf earmuffs, which Se-jun had made to prepare for the Blue Moon, plugged in his ears.
“Are you ready?”
Pyak!
The Black Rabbit answered vigorously.
“Now then, let’s start with kicking first.”
Se-jun gently held the Black Rabbit’s body and submerged it halfway in the water.
“Now, straighten your body and kick.”
Pyak!
Splash, splash.
At Se-jun’s instruction, the Black Rabbit kicked the water diligently.
“Hey! It’s splashing everywhere. You have to kick underwater.”
Pyak!
The Black Rabbit corrected his kicking right away at Se-jun’s words.
And as Se-jun let go gently,
Splash.
the Black Rabbit moved forward rapidly. He quickly reached the end of the small pond.
“You’re good. Now let’s try breathing.”
After a moment,
Splash, splash.
The Black Rabbit mastered Se-jun’s swimming class and swam around leisurely in the small pond.
Having mastered swimming in a single day, the Black Rabbit began to hunt piranhas while swimming the next day.
And the sixth Blue Moon approached.
The rabbits entered their burrow early and closed the entrance, and the poison honeybees also entered their hive and blocked the entrance.
It seemed the small monsters avoided the Blue Moon in this way.
[The tower administrator requests that you give her just one crop imbued with the energy of the Blue Moon if any are produced this time.]
“Alright.”
Since there were no threats lately and her tone was not rude as before, Se-jun readily gave permission.
And as the date changed to the 152nd day of distress, the Blue Moon began, and blue light came down through the cave’s ceiling hole.
Preparing earmuffs and cherry tomatoes in case of a monster’s roar, Se-jun held his breath and watched from the corner of the cave to see if there were any changes in the crops.
How much time had passed?
Rustle.
Blue light began to form on five cherry tomato trees. Five magical cherry tomatoes imbued with the energy of the Blue Moon were being completed.
“Wow.”
Se-jun stared blankly at the mysterious and beautiful sight. And around the time the energy of the Blue Moon began to be imbued into the cherry tomatoes,
Rustle.
a blue light formed on one carrot stem.
“Huh?! There is still a lot of time left to harvest the carrots though?”
Even when he dug up a carrot a few days ago, the carrot was still only the size of a finger.
“I should dig it up later.”
Se-jun fell fast asleep, waiting only for the Blue Moon to end.
***
Slap! Slap!
Se-jun woke up after a long time to the husband rabbit’s smart slaps.
“Mmm.”
When Se-jun opened his eyes,
Squeak!
Pyah!
Pyak!
the rabbits were in a state of fuss.
“What’s wrong?”
The Black Rabbit urged Se-jun, who was rubbing his eyes.
“Wait a minute, let me just write the date.”
Drawing a line on the cave wall with a piranha spine, Se-jun started the morning of the 152nd day of distress.
And he went to the place the rabbits were leading.
“Ah!”
There was a carrot shyly showing its blue top above the soil.
Squeak!
Pyak!
Pyak!
Drooling, the rabbits urged him to quickly harvest the carrot. They seemed to want to taste it quickly.
“Alright.”
Pluck.
As Se-jun grabbed the carrot stem and pulled upward, the blue carrot came out easily. The carrot was as thick as a tumbler.
Squeak!
Pyak!
Pyak!
The rabbits got excited at the giant size of the carrot.
[You have harvested an Agility Carrot imbued with the energy of the Blue Moon.]
[Your job experience increases significantly.]
[Your proficiency in Harvesting Lv. 2 increases significantly.]
[You have obtained 70 experience points.]
“Agility Carrot?”
Se-jun checked the carrot held in his hand.
[Agility Carrot Imbued with the Energy of the Blue Moon]
A carrot grown inside the tower, which tasted delicious as it had absorbed sufficient nutrients.
With the energy of the Blue Moon added, the taste became even better.
Upon consumption, agility permanently increased by 0.05.
Grower: Tower Farmer Se-jun Park
Expiration date: 45 days
Grade: E+
The grade was E+. It seemed that thanks to harvesting a crop of a good grade, he obtained 70 experience points instead of 50.
“Here. Eat it deliciously.”
Se-jun yielded the carrot to the rabbits.
Although he was curious about the taste, he decided to aim for next time. The rabbits that had helped with farming were fully worthy of it.
Crunch.
Squeak!!!
Pyah!!!
Pyak!!!
The rabbits screamed with joy after tasting the carrot.
Plop, plop.
In the meantime, Se-jun harvested the Magical Cherry Tomatoes imbued with the energy of the Blue Moon.
Five blue cherry tomatoes.
“Here. Take it.”
Se-jun handed one blue cherry tomato to the tower administrator.
[You have completed the quest.]
It seemed the previous quest was completed.
[The tower administrator is grateful.]
“If you’re grateful, give me another skill later.”
[The tower administrator says she thinks she will be able to give it to you soon.]
“What is she able to give soon?”
Se-jun bit into one of the harvested blue cherry tomatoes, putting it in his mouth in wonder.
Crunch.
“Ugh.”
It exploded. It exploded! The sweet and sour taste set off fireworks in Se-jun’s mouth.
[You have consumed a Magical Cherry Tomato imbued with the energy of the Blue Moon.]
[Your magic power permanently increases by 0.05.]
Se-jun focused on the taste, ignoring the message.
Crunch.
He put the remaining blue cherry tomatoes into his mouth one by one. The cherry tomatoes disappeared in an instant.
When afternoon came,
“I’m back, meow!”
Theo, who succeeded in his second sell-out, returned.