Chapter 226 – Should I Not Have Fed Him

“Uhaam!”

When Se-jun, who woke up in the morning, came outside, threw his arms up, and stretched lazily,

“Nyaaang!”

Kkueng!

Theo and Cuengi also threw their arms up and stretched on both sides of Se-jun, following him.

“Ugh… I’m hungry.”

Although he had eaten his fill of the crab stew yesterday, Se-jun had already completely digested it.

“Guys, let’s eat breakfast quickly.”

“Understood, meow!”

Kkueng!

[That is a good idea-da-yo!]

At Se-jun’s words, Theo and Cuengi clung to Se-jun’s legs.

And,

Stir, stir.

He added rice flour to the remaining crab stew broth from yesterday and boiled it to make crab stew porridge. It was not because he was lazy… it was because it would be a waste to throw away food. It was absolutely not because he wanted his body to be comfortable.

“Guys, it’s delicious, right?”

Kkueng!

Squeak!

Ukki!

At Se-jun’s question, the animals nodded their heads vigorously and answered.

“I should eat too.”

Se-jun, who received an all-pass in the animals’ taste evaluation, also began to eat the crab stew porridge in earnest.

“Hoo, hoo.”

Slurp.

When he blew on the hot porridge to cool it down and put it in his mouth,

“Mmm…”

The flavor of the sea rushed into his mouth, filling it.

Gulp.

“Ah, good!”

As the hot porridge went down into his stomach, a warm energy spread from his belly, delivering heat to the parts that had not yet woken up from sleep and waking them.

Scrape, scrape.

Like that, he scraped and ate even the bits stuck to the crab shell cleanly,

“Ice Cube.”

While Se-jun made a cold iced Americano and was drinking his morning coffee,

Bzzz!

[Lord Se-jun, hello!]

A Poison Honeybee flew to Se-jun, sat on Se-jun’s shoulder to greet him, and,

Rub, rub.

Rubbed its body against Se-jun’s face.

“Yes. What is the matter?”

Bzzz!

[Our Great Queen wants to see Lord Se-jun!]

“The Great Queen?”

Since Se-jun’s visit to the Great Poison Honeybee Queen’s hive in the past, there had been exchanges between Se-jun’s Poison Honeybees and the wild Poison Honeybees, but because the Great Poison Honeybee Queen had never sought Se-jun directly like this, Se-jun asked in wonder.

Bzzz! Bzzz!

[Yes! The Great Queen said she has something to deliver to Lord Se-jun!]

“Really?”

In any case, Se-jun, who was planning to tame a Poison Honeybee Queen as his Beekeeping level had recently risen.

“Guys, let’s go.”

Se-jun woke up Theo and Cuengi, who were sleeping beside him, and moved toward the Great Poison Honeybee Queen’s hive to the east.

***

Kaiser and Kellion, who came out of the Silver Dragon’s domain.

Flap, flap.

“Since we met, shall we drink alcohol over there before going?”

“Should we?”

The two, who were flying to their respective domains, landed on a floating island of moderate size in between and polymorphed.

Although they usually drank together clinking glasses via statues, it could not compare to drinking alcohol face-to-face like this.

Clink.

“Keuh. Good! How much I held back, wanting to say that Se-jun made this.”

“Kuhuhu. I know, I almost said it too.”

The two began to drink alcohol, clinking golden cups filled with Samyangju. The cup, made of gold but simple in shape, matched well with the transparent Samyangju inside.

“Kahahahaha. As expected, Se-jun’s roasted sweet potato is the best side dish for alcohol.”

Kaiser, who gulped down a cup of cold alcohol, took a bite of the steaming roasted sweet potato.

Because Kaiser had personally cast preservation magic on each of the thousands of roasted sweet potatoes received from Se-jun in the past, the roasted sweet potatoes kept maintaining their best, freshly-roasted state.

“Here. Let’s make sure only we drink Samyangju in the future too. Cheers!”

“Indeed. Cheers!”

When the two, who had emptied several bottles of alcohol like that, clinked their cups, thinking of drinking Samyangju by themselves in the future too,

“What do you mean by that? And where did you get all that Samyangju?!”

Red Dragon Ramter, who had followed them out of worry for Kaiser, asked while looking at the dozens of alcohol bottles taken out around them.

Gulp.

At the strong scent of Samyangju wafting from all directions, Ramter drooled without realizing it.

“Uh?! Ramter?! Ah. This isn’t Samyangju.”

“Yeah. That’s right! This is soju!”

The two, surprised by Ramter’s appearance, were startled and made excuses, but,

“Don’t lie. The scent of Samyangju is filling the air.”

Ramter did not believe them at all.

Sniff.

“It comes from here too.”

Ramter put his nose to the mouth of an empty alcohol bottle rolling on the ground, sniffed, and was completely convinced. These bastards know the source of the Samyangju!

And,

“If you guys don’t tell me where you got the Samyangju, I will tell the other dragons everything I saw and heard here.”

Ramter threatened the two.

“Sigh. Alright. In return, swear that you will never tell the other dragons.”

Kaiser, thinking it was difficult to hide, demanded Ramter make an oath for the secret of the Samyangju. Sharing the Samyangju among three was at least a better choice than sharing it among nine.

“Alright. I, in the name of the great Red Dragon Ramter Jahir, swear that I will never tell the other dragons about what I heard in this place right now. Done? Now, tell me quickly where you obtained the Samyangju.”

Ramter, who wanted to know the source of the Samyangju, made the oath at once and asked while looking at Kaiser. It was because as they conversed, he realized that Kaiser was the influential one leading the conversation.

“Good. Actually, it is our Black Tower’s…”

Kaiser told Ramter that the being who made the Samyangju was the tower farmer of the Black Tower.

“What?! This was made by the tower farmer of the Black Tower?!”

“Yes.”

“No way… We’ve run up a huge debt to the tower farmer of your Black Tower. Ah! You have the Essence of Fire, right?! Give me that.”

Ramter decided to give a gift to the tower farmer of the Black Tower to whom they were indebted. Of course, there was also the intention to make a good first impression in order to receive Samyangju in the future.

“Ramter, there is something you must keep in mind. The tower farmer of our Black Tower is incredibly weak, so if you think by common standards, a disaster will happen! Got it?”

Knowing that Se-jun had barely survived dying several times, Kaiser earnestly requested Ramter.

“Really? If you say it to that extent, he must be extremely weak? Understood.”

Ramter was adjusting the power of the Essence of Fire to the level of Udon, the Red Tower Farmer, but at the words that he was weak, he adjusted it to half of Udon’s level. Because in his opinion, his own tower farmer was also extremely weak.

‘This should be enough, right?’

Ramter greatly reduced the power of the Essence of Fire and handed it to Kaiser.

However,

“What is this?! Ramter, are you trying to assassinate our Se-jun while pretending to give a gift, you bastard?!”

Kaiser grew angry upon receiving the gift. The tower farmer of the Black Tower was far weaker than Ramter thought.

“No… did I know your tower farmer was that weak?”

“What are you doing?! Reduce it by one-tenth from here!”

“Alright…”

Ramter was merely receiving scoldings for trying to give a gift.

***

When he arrived in front of the giant mountain where the Great Poison Honeybee Queen’s hive was located, the crops Se-jun had planted when he came in the past had grown and were bearing fruit.

Bzzz, bzzz.

The sound of the Poison Honeybees’ wings sucking nectar from flowers blooming on the crops was heard from all directions.

“I’ll harvest some of this before going in.”

Bzzz.

[Yes!]

Just like a sparrow cannot pass by a mill, when Se-jun saw the well-ripened crops, he could not simply pass by.

Slice.

Se-jun harvested the cherry tomatoes, cutting the cherry tomato branches while holding the Scythe of Freshness.

[You have harvested 6 Magical Cherry Tomatoes.]

[Job experience points increase slightly.]

[The proficiency of Harvesting Lv. 7 increases slightly.]

[Due to the cold effect imbued in the Scythe of Freshness, the expiration date of the harvested crops increases by 5 days.]

[You have obtained 300 experience points.]

After harvesting crops such as cherry tomatoes, corn, and carrots like that, Se-jun went into the cave and arrived at the giant room where the Great Poison Honeybee Queen was.

Bzzz! Bzzz!

[Lord Se-jun, welcome! It has been a long time!]

The Great Poison Honeybee Queen welcomed Se-jun.

“Yes. It has been a long time. You’ve been well too, right?”

Bzzz! Bzzz!

[Of course! I am so happy lately because I can eat delicious honey!]

The Poison Honeybee Queen answered and drew a heart. She seemed to really like it.

“But didn’t you say you have something to give me?”

Bzzz! Bzzz!

[Oh, my head! Just a moment!]

At Se-jun’s words, the Great Poison Honeybee Queen hurriedly brought something out from a small hole.

Bzzz! Bzzz!

[This is the first one I made! Although it is still lacking, I want to give it to Lord Se-jun!]

Thud.

The Great Poison Honeybee Queen handed five transparent-colored honey jellies to Se-jun.

“Thank you.”

Se-jun examined the honey jelly he received in detail.

[Imperfect Platinum Royal Jelly]

[Made by the Great Poison Honeybee Queen refining and refining various types of honey jelly over a long period using a secret method passed down from generation to generation.]

[The royal jelly is not complete because a few types of flowers serving as ingredients are lacking.]

[Refining the honey jelly has enhanced its taste and nutrition.]

[Upon consumption, all stats increase by 30.]

[Upon consumption, forcibly awakens one latent talent.]

[Expiration Date: 100 years]

[Grade: A+]

“Oh! This is amazing!”

Even though ‘Imperfect’ was attached to its name, options to increase all stats by thirty and forcibly awaken one talent were attached.

“Here, you guys eat too.”

Se-jun distributed one to each of Theo, Cuengi, and the Golden Bat, and,

Gulp.

Se-jun put the Imperfect Platinum Royal Jelly in his mouth.

Swoosh.

As soon as he put the royal jelly in his mouth, it dissolved smoothly, and Se-jun felt as if he was in the middle of a flower garden. The floral scent was that strong.

While Se-jun was intoxicated by the floral scent,

Gulp.

[You have consumed the Imperfect Platinum Royal Jelly.]

[All stats increase by 30.]

[Forcibly awakens a latent talent.]

A weak light began to emanate from Se-jun’s body.

And,

[Talent: Insignificant Presence has been awakened.]

One of Se-jun’s latent talents was awakened.

“……”

Se-jun, who saw the name of the talent, lost his words at the rising irritation. This is too much! Even if I am insignificant, giving this openly as a talent?!

Se-jun checked the talent first. Holding onto a faint hope.

However,

[Talent: Insignificant Presence]

[-This is a talent that only beings with low presence can possess.]

[-When with other beings, you are noticed the latest.]

[-Enemies look down on you.]

The details of the talent were not much different from Se-jun’s expectation.

At that moment,

Kkueng!

[Hehehe. It is delicious-da-yo!]

(It is delicious!)

Se-jun saw Cuengi and the Golden Bat swallowing the royal jelly.

“What kind of talents did you guys obtain?”

Se-jun hurriedly asked the two. Wishing, ‘Please let it be worse than mine!’

However,

Kkueng! Kkueng!

[Cuengi obtained the talent called Gluttony-da-yo! It is a talent where I become stronger the more food I eat-da-yo!]

(Squeak, squeak. I have the talent ‘Grasping’. It is a talent where I do not easily let go of what I grab with my feet.)

The two awakened talents far better than Se-jun’s.

“Vice President Theo, what about you?”

Se-jun asked Theo, his last hope. Although the result was obvious anyway, it was human nature to want to check.

“Meow?! I did not awaken a talent, meow…”

“What?! You did not awaken a talent?”

“That is right, meow…”

Theo answered in a gloomy voice to Se-jun’s question.

“Really? It’s okay. A talent might not awaken. Cheer up! Vice President Theo, do you want to eat Churu?”

Se-jun took out a Churu to comfort Theo.

Then,

“I would love to, meow! Stroke my belly too, meow!”

Theo immediately lay flat on Se-jun’s lap.

Chomp, chomp, chomp.

While Theo was eating the Churu deliciously while receiving Se-jun’s strokes like that,

Sniff, sniff.

Kkueng!

[I smell the delicious scent of what we just ate here-da-yo!]

When Cuengi brought his head to Theo’s bundle and began to sniff hard,

“……”

Theo’s body froze.

And,

Kkueng!

[I found it-da-yo!]

Cuengi pulled out the royal jelly from Theo’s bundle.

“What? You didn’t eat it?”

Se-jun interrogated Theo while looking at him. This bastard! Deceiving me?!

“I am sorry, meow… I did so because I didn’t want to eat it, meow…”

Theo spoke while watching Se-jun’s reaction. Theo, who did not eat unless it was grilled fish or Churu, had hidden the royal jelly in his bundle because he did not want to eat it.

“Eat it quickly.”

“Understood, meow!”

Gulp.

Theo forced himself to swallow the royal jelly in front of Se-jun.

And,

Flash!

Golden light exploded from Theo’s body.

‘Did I feed him for nothing?’

Se-jun, who had forced Theo to eat the royal jelly, regretted it too late.