Chapter 178 – Making Soju

“Is Ajax doing well?”

Having eaten breakfast, Se-jun checked if Ajax was doing the work he had directed properly.

[Current tasks directed to Ajax Mamuve, the Tower Farmer of the White Tower]

-Elixir: Planting Cherry Tomato Seeds Containing Powerful Mana (50,000/100,000)

-Elixir: Harvesting Cherry Tomatoes Containing Powerful Mana (3,920/28,000)

Planting seeds had been newly added to the tasks directed to Ajax.

Upon learning that eating elixir-grade cherry tomatoes was useless, Se-jun left only a portion and harvested seeds from 3,000 elixir-grade cherry tomatoes to obtain 100,000 seeds.

Then, he used inter-tower transport to send the seeds to Ajax and ordered him to plant them. Of course, he sent them cash on delivery, and Ajax paid the 1,000,000 Tower Coins.

It would be convenient to let Ajax plant the harvested elixir-grade cherry tomatoes directly without such a cumbersome process, but that would violate the monopoly cultivation rights. The seeds had to be handed over with Se-jun’s permission to plant them.

Although it was a bit bothersome, he had no complaints because he could firmly protect the monopoly cultivation rights instead.

“You are doing well.”

Seeing that Ajax was performing the work properly without slacking off, Se-jun said with a satisfied look. Looking at the harvest yield, it seemed like he would have to use the inter-tower transport again in a little while.

Of course, it was not that he had no complaints. He did not like Ajax’s slow working speed, but since Ajax was at least following instructions, he could not impose a penalty, nor was it a breach of contract.

However, it was a bit much to call him over and scold him… Instead, he planned to ask Aileen to have a little talk (?) with Ajax when the opportunity arose later.

After checking Ajax’s work, Se-jun headed to the brewery. It was to make the new alcohol he had promised Kaiser and give him ten bottles.

Upon arriving at the brewery,

Ukki!

Ukki!

the monkeys, who were just about to start working, welcomed Se-jun.

“You have the finished makgeolli stored, right?”

Ukki!

At Se-jun’s question, the monkeys pointed to the giant glass bottles containing the finished makgeolli.

“Good. Pour it in here.”

Ukki!

With the help of the monkeys, Se-jun took out a giant pot, filled it with makgeolli, and covered it with the lid.

Yum.

[You have consumed a Bursting Strength Yellow Bean.]

[The Strength stat increases by 100% for 1 minute.]

[The Strength stat has increased by 33.]

Squeeze. Squeeze.

Using the strength that had increased after eating the yellow bean, Se-jun firmly pressed down on the connection between the pot and the lid with his hands, sealing it so that steam would not leak.

And

stab.

he poked a hole in the center of the lid and connected a U-shaped tube. The tube was made by Cuengi stretching the back shield of a fire ant just enough not to tear it, then rolling it as thinly as possible.

Because Se-jun had demanded many details while making this, ten bottles of honey went into Cuengi’s snack pouch in the process of soothing the annoyed Cuengi.

After inserting the tube into the pot lid and filling the gaps with rice dough, Se-jun placed the pot on the brazier and began to boil it. The fire was kept strong only at first, and then reduced to low after the boiling sound was heard.

After some time had passed,

Drip. Drip.

liquid began to drip one by one from the end of the tube, and a strong aroma of alcohol spread around. Se-jun was distilling the alcohol to make soju.

Sniff, sniff.

Cueng!

[Big brother, there is the smell of an adult!]

Cuengi, who was playing with Theo at the entrance of the brewery, said as he sniffed strongly with his nose. Theo was playing with him for Cuengi, who could not enter the brewery.

Of course, it was not of Theo’s own free will; Se-jun had dropped Theo off at the entrance and entered.

“Do you mean the smell of alcohol, meow?”

Theo said as he groomed himself.

Cueng! Cueng!

[Yes! Cuengi wants to try it too!]

Cuengi also answered while licking his own body, following his big brother. Although he lost his balance and fell over once in a while.

“Puhuhut. Cuengi cannot do that yet, meow! Alcohol is something only adults can drink, meow!”

Theo answered boastfully.

Cueng…

[I’m envious…]

Cuengi looked at such a Theo with envy,

“Puhuhut. Shall I have a drink, meow!”

Under Cuengi’s gaze, Theo went into the brewery, brought out a bottle of alcohol that he usually did not even touch because it was bitter, and drank it straight from the bottle. Originally, he had only intended to show a cool drinking posture and finish, but…

Cueng!

[Big brother, I envy you! Adults are so cool!]

Gulp. Gulp.

under Cuengi’s admiring gaze, he ended up getting excited and drank the whole bottle. The high-proof soju that Se-jun had just finished distilling.

“Belch, meow! How is it, meow? Puhuhut. Am I cool, meow?! But the ground is moving, meow! Stay still, meow!”

Theo, who was heavily drunk, got angry at the ground and staggered toward Cuengi.

Cueng?

[Big brother, are you okay?]

Cuengi asked in a worried voice, looking at the staggering Theo.

“Puhuhut. Of course I am okay…”

Theo did not usually drink alcohol well, nor could he drink it well. But since he had gulped down a whole bottle of soju that had even been distilled in one shot, there was no way he could be fine.

Thud.

Theo collapsed to the floor.

Kweeeeng!

[Dad, big brother is dead!]

Cuengi hurriedly called out to Se-jun in distress from the entrance of the brewery.

***

Flutter. Flutter.

The white dragon statue flew in front of the black dragon statue.

-Kellion, how did the matter you went for go?

-I found as many as five fragments of the Apostle of Destruction.

-What?! Five?! Was yours a Hydra too?

-No. The one that invaded our tower was the 11th Seat, Violet, the Crystal Giant of Ruin.

-Not only the Hydra, but even Violet… The situation is more serious than I thought.

Perhaps the Apostles of Destruction had already penetrated all the towers.

-It would be better to inform the other dragons. Violet said so. That their goal is to destroy the tower.

-The destruction of the tower? Why on earth?

Kaiser wondered. The existence of the tower did not affect the battle with the Apostles of Destruction at all. The only beings who could fight the Apostles of Destruction were the dragons.

Even if the tower were destroyed, although it would hurt their pride for failing to protect the tower, the dragons would suffer no damage at all.

Yet, even though it was a small amount of energy, the Apostles of Destruction were sending fragments to the towers, which would not affect the battle during the Black Moon at all, even at the cost of losing their own energy.

-I think there must be another reason…

At that moment,

-Huh?! What is this smell?

Kellion suddenly turned his gaze, chasing the scent that wafted in.

-A smell?

Kaiser’s black dragon statue supported vision and hearing, but it did not support other senses.

-There is a strong smell of alcohol. It is from the brewery.

In contrast, the dragon statue made by Kellion, being a vessel to hold his soul, was crafted with great care, allowing him to perceive all five senses.

-The smell of alcohol?!

Flutter. Flutter.

Kaiser quickly flew to the brewery,

-Kaiser, let’s go together!

and Kellion followed behind him.

***

“Sigh. If you can’t even drink well, why did you drink all of it?”

Se-jun took Theo, who fell asleep after drinking alcohol, to the bedroom and laid him on the bed.

“Cuengi, watch over him and call me if anything happens.”

Cueng! Cueng?

[Got it! Big brother is not going to die, is he?]

Cuengi asked with anxious eyes.

“Yes. It’s okay. He will be fine after some time passes.”

Se-jun replied and headed back to the brewery.

-Oh! Se-jun!

-What kind of alcohol is this?

When he went to the brewery, Kaiser and Kellion were opening the bottle containing soju and drinking it.

“That was the soju I was going to give to Lord Kaiser…”

-What?!

At Se-jun’s words, Kaiser quickly snatched the bottle Kellion was holding.

-Tsk! How stingy!

-What do you mean cheap?! Didn’t you hear our Se-jun?! He said it’s my soju!

Kaiser answered while hugging the bottle containing soju. His determination to never give it up seemed firm.

-Se-jun, make me some soju too!

In the end, Kellion asked Se-jun to make soju. If he hadn’t tasted it at all, it might have been different, but after drinking a few glasses of soju, Kellion fell deeply in love with its taste.

Soju tasted completely different from makgeolli. A clean, rich, and deep taste. If the alcohol content were a bit higher, it seemed like it could eventually compete with the Fire Carrot Wine.

“Making soju isn’t hard, but… the price is…”

-One Dragon Tooth Soldier for ten bottles of soju!

One Dragon Tooth Soldier was traded for 1,000 bottles of makgeolli. However, with 1,000 bottles of makgeolli, 300 bottles of distilled liquor could be made. It was a decent price. No, it was a massive rip-off.

However,

“Hmm… I will think about it if it’s two Dragon Tooth Soldiers for ten bottles of soju. In return, I will give you ten bottles of soju today!”

Se-jun was not satisfied and called for double.

-Good!

Kellion, who wanted to drink soju quickly, immediately handed over two Dragon Tooth Soldiers.

“Just a moment.”

Se-jun filled a new pot with makgeolli.

“Lord Kellion, please seal this for me just once.”

This time, instead of eating the Bursting Strength Yellow Bean, he asked Kellion.

-Seal.

Kellion simply sealed the pot, and Se-jun inserted the U-shaped tube that he had made as a backup into the pot sealed by Kellion, and repeated the same process to start making soju.

“Please take care of this place for a moment.”

Ukki!

Ukki!

Having confirmed that the alcohol was distilling properly, Se-jun left the brewery to the monkeys and moved to the kitchen.

And,

“Open warehouse.”

Clank.

Se-jun ladled some tuna fish porridge from the large pot that he had kept hidden from Cuengi in the subspace warehouse into a small pot and began to heat it on the brazier.

Chop chop chop.

Se-jun also finely chopped and added detoxifying green onion and elixir-grade cherry tomato into the tuna fish porridge. This was to prevent Theo, who would not eat anything other than grilled fish and Churu, from noticing.

The detoxifying green onion was added to detoxify the alcohol, and the elixir-grade cherry tomato was for nourishment.

“Done.”

When Se-jun went to the bedroom with the completed tuna fish porridge,

“Ugh, meow! My head hurts so much, meow… Am I… dying, meow?”

Theo, clutching his head, said weakly with a pale face.

Kweeeeng!

[Big brother, you must not die!]

Cuengi cried and held Theo’s front paw.

“Cuengi, I’m sorry, meow. I think this is as far as I go, meow… If I die, please take care of Chairman Park’s lap, meow…”

The two of them were filming a melodrama.

“That’s just a hangover.”

Se-jun said, sitting next to Theo.

“I knew it was a fatal disease, meow!”

It’s a hangover, you dummy… Theo seemed convinced that he was going to die.

“Here. Eat this quickly! You have to eat this to get better.”

To prevent Theo from having useless thoughts, Se-jun quickly scooped up the tuna fish porridge with a spoon and brought it in front of Theo.

“I don’t have an appetite… meow?”

Chomp. Chomp. Chomp.

Fortunately, perhaps because the green onion and the elixir-grade cherry tomato were finely chopped and added, Theo ate it deliciously.

A moment later,

“Puhuhut! My disease is cured, meow! As expected, Chairman Park is amazing, meow!”

Having detoxified the alcohol thanks to the detoxifying green onion, Theo stood up with an energetic look and clung to Se-jun’s lap again.

Cueng!

[Big brother, thank goodness!]

Cuengi rejoiced to see the healthy Theo. And Cuengi resolved that he would never drink alcohol even when he became an adult. If one drank alcohol, one would get a fatal disease called a hangover! Theo was a good example for Cuengi.

After curing Theo’s hangover like that, Se-jun made soju again.

The next morning.

“Chairman Park, I’ll be back soon, meow!”

Se-jun sent Theo down quickly so that he would not cause trouble.

And,

“Taru, it’s been a long time, meow!”

Theo naturally headed to the lost and found warehouse on the 75th floor of the tower.

“Why did you come again?”

Taru spoke as bluntly as possible, but could not completely hide his joy. Because it was less boring when Theo came.

“Are you a fool, meow?! Of course I came to do the draw, meow! Here is 1,000 Tower Coins, meow!”

Theo confidently held out the money. Puhuhut. I will bring something great to Chairman Park and be praised, meow!

Theo smiled and entered the lost and found warehouse.