Chapter 221 – Caught! You Bastard

“Put vinegar and salt in a 2 to 1 ratio and add them to the soy milk. And if you stir too much, the tofu won’t clump, so… Uh?! Se-jun?!”

While Kim Mi-ran was teaching Se-jun how to make tofu, Se-jun and Cuengi disappeared from the mirror, cutting off the conversation.

“I still have more to say…”

Kim Mi-ran had a regretful expression.

At that moment,

“Ah!”

Recalling something, she hurriedly opened the front door and came outside.

And,

“Flamie!”

She spoke to the apple tree planted in the middle of the flower bed, which had been there since they moved in.

Then,

-Yes, Master’s mother. Did you call?!

The apple tree replied.

Not long after Flamie rooted in the basement of the house to protect Se-jun’s family,

“Sigh… Se-jun only had Hunter Han Tae-jun convey that he is doing well, but why isn’t he coming out of the tower… Is he eating well?”

She heard Kim Mi-ran’s voice worrying about Se-jun while watering the flower bed.

‘Master’s mother is worrying about Master, so I should do something!’

So, to ease Kim Mi-ran’s worries, Flamie connected her own roots with the roots of the apple tree in the flower bed,

-Um… Hello, Master’s mother. I am Flamie.

She spoke to Kim Mi-ran through the apple tree, occasionally delivering news of Se-jun to reassure the family who worried about him.

However,

“Hohoho. Se-jun has a girlfriend?! And an incredible beauty at that?!”

“Really?! With just a word from Se-jun, the monsters in the tower pretend to die?”

“He ate ramen not long ago? The tower has everything it needs.”

In trying to ease their worries, she eased them a bit too much. Because Flamie only talked about the good things that happened to Se-jun, Se-jun’s family stopped worrying about him much.

Thanks to that, Kim Mi-ran did not worry too much even after seeing Se-jun for the first time in nearly a year.

Furthermore, since the surrounding environment seen through the mirror was a fully reclaimed wasteland filled with crops like corn and cherry tomatoes, the place where Se-jun stayed looked like an ordinary, peaceful countryside.

Thus, back to the present.

“Flamie, our conversation got cut off while I was talking to Se-jun, so could I ask you something?”

Kim Mi-ran, who could not satisfy her curiosity because the conversation with Se-jun was cut off in the middle, asked Flamie.

-Yes! Ask me anything!

“How does our Se-jun manage his skin?”

-Yes?! Skin care?

“Yes. Se-jun’s skin looked so good!”

Kim Mi-ran was curious about Se-jun’s skin care method, which had become much better than before he entered the tower. The blemishes on his face had disappeared, his skin tone had brightened, and a faint glow emanated from it.

Moreover, his facial features felt somewhat more defined. Se-jun did not notice the change well because he saw his own face every day, but Se-jun’s face, which received Theo’s massages, was truly becoming handsome.

-Ah! That was because of Theo, Master’s right hand…

Flamie, who was briefly puzzled by Kim Mi-ran’s question, explained the reason why Se-jun’s skin had improved.

“So, Se-jun’s skin improved because he received kneading from a cat named Theo that Se-jun raises?!”

-Yes!

“Se-jun is lucky. Getting kneading too… I’m really envious.”

Kim Mi-ran was simply envious of her son, who even had his skin improve while receiving cat kneading.

“Come to think of it, I didn’t see Theo. I should ask Se-jun to show me Theo later.”

Kim Mi-ran felt regretful for not seeing Theo.

“Oh my! Look at my head!”

Suddenly remembering that she had left soybean paste stew on the stove, Kim Mi-ran hurriedly ran to the kitchen.

-Sigh. I am glad that Master’s mother did not mention me to Master.

Flamie was relieved that Se-jun had not found out that her roots stretched all the way here.

***

“Grandfather, I’m here!”

Aileen arrived at the Black Dragon’s domain, opening the portal to the administrator area.

“Kahahahaha! Has our granddaughter come?!”

“Grandfather, what about the items?”

Aileen spoke of business first to Kaiser, who welcomed her.

Aileen had handed over the Samyangju to Kaiser while warning him that it was absolutely not free. Kaiser, following Aileen’s request, gave the Samyangju to the black dragons and received their scales in return.

“There they are. This time, too, I received three scales engraved with the Dragon Skin magic per cup of Samyangju. Kuhaha. How is that?”

Kaiser pointed to the towering pile of black scales received as the price for the Samyangju, as if boasting.

Yesterday at lunch, when the Samyangju that Se-jun had made in 300 jars a week ago was completed, 3,333 bottles of Samyangju were delivered to each dragon clan, and yesterday all dragons tried drinking at least one cup of Samyangju.

And because of the good taste of Samyangju and its effect of clearing the head, it instantly became the favorite drink of the dragons, where there might be a dragon who had not drunk a single cup, but there could not be a dragon who had drunk only one cup.

Thanks to that, the black dragons offered their scales engraved with the Dragon Skin magic without any complaints at Kaiser’s words to pay the price. In fact, they even went so far as to offer more scales in exchange for more alcohol.

“Thank you, Grandfather. Then, I’ll go!”

Aileen packed the piled-up scales and hurriedly turned her steps toward the portal.

“Huh?! You’re leaving already?”

“Yes. Because I have a lot of work to do!”

Leaving the regretful Kaiser behind, Aileen hurriedly returned to the administrator area.

And,

“Hehehe. Se-jun will like it, right?”

Aileen delivered the black dragon scales received from Kaiser to Se-jun.

***

Slurp.

[The tower administrator said this was received as the price for the Samyangju.]

Aileen spoke to Se-jun, who was drinking morning coffee after eating breakfast.

And,

Thud!

Roughly 80,000 black dragon scales appeared in front of Se-jun.

“Aileen, thank you.”

Se-jun put the black dragon scales received from Aileen into the subdimensional warehouse. Although it was more than necessary, having many was not bad since a single dragon scale could help survive a life-threatening crisis once.

When he exited the warehouse after putting the black dragon scales into the subdimensional warehouse,

Kkueng!

[Dad, Cuengi will go check on the herbs-da-yo!]

Cuengi hurriedly tried to go to the western forest.

“Cuengi, you should pack snacks.”

Se-jun spoke as he looked at Cuengi’s flat snack pouch, but,

Kkueng! Kkueng!

[No-da-yo! It is fine-da-yo!]

Incredibly, Cuengi rejected the food and quickly headed toward the western forest.

“That guy Cuengi is somewhat suspicious.”

“What is suspicious, meow?”

When Se-jun spoke while watching Cuengi rapidly moving away, Theo asked in curiosity.

“I mean Cuengi. Lately, he doesn’t even fill his snack pouch and returns late in the evening.”

From the day after they made and ate tofu five days ago, Cuengi did not ask Se-jun for food. Furthermore, even when he returned in the evening, he did not eat, but played around Se-jun before going to sleep.

‘Is he sick by any chance?’

At first, he worried if he was sick, but Cuengi was too full of energy for that to be the case.

“If so… there is only one thing left.”

“What is it, meow?!”

“Vice President Theo, to think you don’t even know that. How can you be called the assistant of the great detective Sherlock Se-jun, Theotson?”

“Meow?! What is Theotson, meow?”

Theo was puzzled by Se-jun’s sudden roleplay. He did not know what was what, meow!

“There is such a thing. So, are you not going to be my assistant?!”

“I will do it, meow! I am Chairman Park’s right hand and assistant, meow!”

Although he did not know what it was, Theo, who always wanted to be on Se-jun’s side, said he would do it unconditionally.

“Good. I will let it slide this time, considering Theotson’s enthusiasm.”

“Thank you, meow! I will work hard from now on, meow!”

“Good! That’s exactly the attitude! Theotson!”

Se-jun was satisfied with Theo’s proactive attitude.

And,

“Theotson, listen carefully. Considering the amount Cuengi eats, it makes no sense that he hasn’t eaten anything. Right?”

Se-jun continued his reasoning.

“That is true, meow! It makes no sense for Cuengi to starve, meow!”

Theo enthusiastically agreed with Se-jun’s words.

“Which means…”

“Which means? What is it, meow? I am so curious, meow! Please tell me quickly, meow!”

“Cuengi is eating something delicious all by himself! Huhut! How is it?! The reasoning of the great detective Sherlock Se-jun?”

Se-jun spoke in a boastful voice at Theo’s attitude of urging him, saying he was dying of curiosity.

And,

“Golden Bat! Go and bring Iona.”

He called the Golden Bat and had him bring Iona, who was at the Black Parkae Magic Tower.

Finally, the time had come to hold Cuengi accountable for his crime, which could not be questioned before due to having only suspicion and no physical evidence.

‘That rascal Cuengi must have eaten delicious things by himself and given me only tasteless things.’

Se-jun intended to tail Cuengi and raid the scene where he was eating delicious food alone.

That was why he had the Golden Bat bring Iona. In order to approach the scene without being caught by Cuengi’s excellent sense of smell, Iona’s wind magic was necessary.

He also considered moving underground, but Cuengi had learned how to detect enemies moving underground from Pink Fur during the previous battle with the Corrupted Ents.

Kkueng! Kkueng!

[Something is on the ground-da-yo! I will hit it first-da-yo!]

If Cuengi found it suspicious and struck the ground once with his front paw… it would be too dangerous.

After a while,

“Kyu-kyu-kyu. Lord Se-jun, did you call?”

The Golden Bat and Iona flew over.

“Welcome, Iona. From now on, we are going to tail Cuengi secretly, so please hide our smell with wind magic.”

“Kyu-kyu-kyu. Tailing?! That sounds fun. Leave it to me!”

Iona showed interest at the mention of tailing and actively cooperated.

“Puhuhut. Even if Iona hides our smell, the one assisting the great detective Sherlock Se-jun is me, the great assistant Theotson, meow!”

Theo, immersed in the roleplay, clung to Se-jun’s knee and shouted confidently. He finally got a sense of what Chairman Park wanted, meow!

“Good! Let’s set off!”

Se-jun set off for the western forest with Theo, Iona, and the Golden Bat to catch Cuengi at the scene of the crime.

***

The western forest.

Kkueng!

[I have arrived-da-yo!]

Arriving at the place where giant trees encroached by kudzu stood without even eating breakfast properly, Cuengi hurriedly began to sniff.

And,

Kkuhehehe. Kkueng!

[Hehehe. I smell honey here-da-yo!]

Crunch.

Cuengi, who found the desired smell, drove his front paw into the tree trunk and pulled out a blue kudzu root,

Kkueng!

[I found a honey-tasting herb-da-yo!]

Munch, munch.

He ate it deliciously.

Kkueng!

[It is delicious-da-yo!]

Doomchit, doomchit.

Cuengi shook his butt and danced to the sweet juice flowing out as he chewed the kudzu root.

After finding and eating several of those honey-tasting kudzu roots,

Sniff, sniff.

Cuengi began to search for a new kudzu root.

At that moment,

Kkueng!

[I smell bitterness here-da-yo!]

Crunch!

Cuengi, who caught the bitter smell, drove his front paw into the tree and pulled out a red kudzu root.

Kkueng!

[This is for Dad-da-yo!]

Cuengi quickly put the red kudzu root into his snack pouch.

***

“Caught you! You rascal!”

Se-jun spoke as he watched Cuengi’s misdeed of eating the blue kudzu roots and putting the red kudzu roots in his bag through the Clairvoyance magic cast by Iona.

Just as Se-jun had expected, Cuengi had eaten the delicious ones himself and given only the bitter-tasting herbs to Se-jun.

What was even more cheeky was that Cuengi was harvesting the blue kudzu roots and the red kudzu roots in a ratio of about nine to one. Even though the ratio of delicious kudzu roots was overwhelmingly high, he did not give Se-jun even a single root to try.

‘You rascal Cuengi! You clearly had delicious things, yet you gave me only bitterness!’

Se-jun, furious at Cuengi’s cheekiness, quietly approached him.

And,

“Caught you! You bastard!”

Kkueng?

Se-jun grabbed the scruff of Cuengi, who was eagerly eating the blue kudzu root.