Chapter 272 – Something Feels Ominous

Buzz.

[Lord Se-jun, welcome.]

When Se-jun arrived at the Seventh Poison Honeybee Queen’s room following the guide of the poison honeybee, the Seventh Poison Honeybee Queen welcomed Se-jun.

“Yes. Nice to meet you. But what is it that you want to give me?”

Buzz.

[Just a moment.]

At Se-jun’s question, the Seventh Poison Honeybee Queen brought out a golden honey jelly from a small hole in the wall,

Plop.

And dropped it onto Se-jun’s palm. It was royal jelly of a different color from last time.

[Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency]

Not only the color but also the name was different.

“Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency?”

Se-jun examined the Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency in detail.

[Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency]

It is refined and made from various types of honey jellies by the Seventh Poison Honeybee Queen using a secret method passed down from generation to generation.

It is sweet because it is made of honey.

Upon consumption, one of the four major stats increases by 30.

Upon consumption, the skill proficiency of one of the acquired skills increases significantly.

Expiration date: 100 years

Grade: A+

“Oh! This is good.”

While Se-jun was examining the Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency,

Plop. Plop.

The Seventh Poison Honeybee Queen kept bringing out honey jellies and dropping them onto Se-jun’s palm. There was not just one honey jelly.

Thanks to that, a total of 10 golden honey jellies piled up on Se-jun’s palm.

And,

“Hehehe. I should eat only 5 of these here.”

Since no one was around right now, Se-jun decided to monopolize 5 out of the 10 by himself.

‘I’ll increase my stats here to narrow the gap with the kids a little.’

Having such an incredibly trivial thought, Se-jun formulated a plan on how to eat the Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency.

However,

‘I’ll pretend I didn’t eat the rest, and give one to me, one to Theo, one to Cuengi, one to the Golden Bat… Huh?!’

There was a loophole in the plan.

“Golden Bat?”

Just in case, Se-jun quickly touched his back and called the Golden Bat. Since the Golden Bat had no presence, there were many times Se-jun did not realize even when it was clinging to his back.

Fortunately, nothing was felt on his back, and the Golden Bat’s reply could not be heard. It seemed it had followed Cuengi to the western forest.

“Whew.”

Thanks to that, Se-jun sighed in relief,

Yum.

And put the Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency into his mouth.

[You have consumed the Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency.]

[Your mana increases by 30.]

[The proficiency of Farmer’s Warm Touch Lv. 4 increases significantly.]

[The proficiency of Farmer’s Warm Touch Lv. 4 is filled, and its level increases.

The first Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency increased his mana by 30, and by raising the skill proficiency of Farmer’s Warm Touch, raised the skill’s level.

Yum.

[You have consumed the Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency.]

[Your mana increases by 30.]

[The proficiency of Farmer’s Warm Touch Lv. 5 increases significantly.]

The second Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency he ate consecutively also increased his mana and the skill proficiency of Farmer’s Warm Touch.

Although both the stats and skills were clearly random, for some reason, the exact same stat and skill increased both times. Well… that could happen twice.

Yum.

[You have consumed the Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency.]

[Your mana increases by 30.]

[The proficiency of Farmer’s Warm Touch Lv. 5 increases significantly.]

“Again?!”

This time too, his mana and the skill proficiency of Farmer’s Warm Touch went up again. Se-jun felt as if he were possessed by something.

Yum.

Yum.

“How could this be… even until the end…”

The probability of consuming the Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency and having both mana, one of the four stats, and the skill proficiency of Farmer’s Warm Touch, one of the sixteen skills, increase at the same time was 1 in 64.

The probability of the same result occurring five times in a row like that was approximately one in 1.1 billion.

Se-jun achieved the feat of increasing his mana and the proficiency of the skill Farmer’s Warm Touch five times in a row, breaking through such an incredibly slim probability.

Thanks to that, Se-jun’s mana increased by 150, and he raised the level of the skill Farmer’s Warm Touch by three, reaching level 7.

“Something feels ominous…”

From this huge coincidence, Se-jun felt a sinister intention of the world to raise only specific stats and skills just to work him to the bone.

“No way. It wouldn’t be, right? Who am I to…”

Since even he thought he had gone too far, Se-jun put his discomfort behind him,

“I’ll be going.”

Buzz. Buzz.

[Yes. Goodbye.]

He said goodbye to the Seventh Poison Honeybee Queen and returned to the farm.

***

The 89th floor of the Purple Tower.

[Huh? Is this the Purple Tower too?]

Creak. Creak.

Flamie took root on a new floor of the Purple Tower.

Ribbit. Ribbit.

Although the surroundings were full of colorful poison frogs with a size of 3 to 5 meters,

[Heheh. I will work hard for Master to secure the land deed!]

Creak. Creak.

Flamie did not care and began to stretch her roots around.

Chomp. Chomp.

The poison frogs rushed and put them into their mouths when they saw Flamie’s moving roots. It was due to their instinct of recognizing moving things as prey.

However, Flamie’s giant roots were not of a size they could eat,

Ribbit…

The poison frogs were pierced by Flamie’s roots and died. There was no need to use magic to burn them. Since they would become nutrients for the roots just like that.

[It would be nice if I could give this experience to Master…]

While Flamie felt regretful for not being able to give the experience obtained from defeating the poison frogs to Se-jun,

Creak. Creak.

Flamie’s roots kept stretching out, attracting the poison frogs, and the poison frogs died after swallowing Flamie’s roots.

While Flamie was stretching her roots without hesitation like that,

[Found it!]

Flamie discovered the farm on the 89th floor of the tower.

[Hello, everyone. I am Flamie.]

When Flamie greeted the plants on the farm,

[Lady Flamie… please… help… us.]

The plants on the farm, suffering from the surrounding poison, requested help from Flamie.

[I understand. Just hold on for a moment. Hah!]

Creak. Creak.

Flamie wrapped the farm with her roots to block the poison from entering, and purified the farm’s soil by using the Purification Flame, the ability of her first leaf.

[Thank… you… Lady Flamie.]

The plants expressed their gratitude to Flamie.

And,

Plop.

This time too, the land deed of the 89th floor of the tower dropped in front of Flamie.

[Great. With this, I’ve acquired the third land deed of the Purple Tower!]

Flamie protected the plants on the farm and stretched her roots around.

At that time,

“Huh?! What is this plant?”

Veronica, the tower farmer of the Purple Tower who was examining the tower in search of plants that could grow in the poison-filled land, discovered Flamie.

“Seeing it grown so big, it seems like a tree that grows well here too. But where are the seeds? Should I cut the roots and try planting them first?”

Schwing.

When Veronica drew a dagger and fearlessly tried to cut Flamie’s roots,

[How dare you! How dare you try to lay a hand on my body?! My body belongs to Master!]

Rumble. Rumble.

Flamie, who got angry at a strange part, moved her giant roots and surrounded Veronica.

“Pl… please spare me…”

Veronica, overwhelmed by Flamie’s giant roots, barely squeezed out the words.

[Okay. I will spare you. In return, work on the farm.]

“Yes?!”

To think they were making her work, when she could be considered the number one person in the Purple Tower, excluding the dragons of the Purple Tower?

However,

[I said, come and work.]

“Yes!”

She could not disobey Flamie’s words, which sounded as if she would constrict her to death with her roots at any moment.

And,

[How can you prune like that?! Our Master is extremely good at it, so why are you so bad at it, Veronica?!]

“I… I am sorry.”

She had to endure Flamie’s nagging, which was half boasting about Se-jun and half scolding.

Just like that, Veronica, the tower farmer of the Purple Tower, began to learn farming from Flamie.

***

Rumble.

“I’m a bit hungry.”

On the way back to the farm riding Toryong-i.

Yum.

Feeling a bit peckish, Se-jun ate the meat given by Aileen.

[You have consumed a piece of Aileen’s Healthier Fist Meat.]

[The effect is activated only when all of the food is consumed.]

499 pieces remaining.]

While he was walking and filling his stomach like that,

Dadadada.

Kkueng!

[Dad, where did you go-da-yo?!]

Cuengi could be seen running fast from afar. Having returned from gathering herbs, Cuengi came directly in search of Se-jun’s scent when Se-jun was not at the farm.

“Toryong-i, go inside for a moment.”

-Yes.

When Toryong-i went into the ground,

Cling.

Cuengi, who arrived just in time, clung to Se-jun’s leg.

Kkueng!

[Cuengi worried about Dad-da-yo!]

“Sorry. I had to drop by the poison honeybees.”

Pat.

Yum.

Se-jun patted Cuengi’s head clinging to his leg with his left hand and popped the Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency into Cuengi’s mouth with his right hand.

Kkueng?! Kkueng!

[What is this-da-yo?! It’s incredibly delicious-da-yo!]

Cuengi, who ate something sweet, quickly felt better.

Upon consuming the Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency, Cuengi’s Strength increased by 30, and the skill proficiency of one of his skills went up, increasing its skill level.

The name of the skill that leveled up was Release Murderous Intent.

Gooo…

Kkueng!

Cuengi quickly stopped the skill while tensing his body. No way-da-yo! Dad will die-da-yo!

Thanks to Cuengi’s quick action, Se-jun saved his life,

“Here. Golden Bat, you eat one too.”

Unaware that he had almost died just now, Se-jun called the Golden Bat and gave it the Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency.

Yum.

(Bat-bat. It’s delicious.)

The Golden Bat, coming out from Cuengi’s back, ate the Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency and rejoiced.

And,

“Huh?!”

Faded.

The Golden Bat disappeared in front of Se-jun’s eyes.

The proficiency of the Golden Bat’s Camouflage skill went up, increasing its level, and now it could camouflage itself in midair like this.

Just as he fed one Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency each to Cuengi and the Golden Bat and was about to move to the farm again,

“This?!”

Sensing something approaching, Se-jun quickly covered his face with both hands. It was to prevent fur from entering his mouth.

Flop.

At the same time, a yellow bundle of fur rushed at Se-jun’s face.

“Chairman Park! I have returned, meow!”

It was Theo.

Flap. Flap.

Ppiyot! Ppiyot!

[Hello! Ppiyot-i has come too!]

Ppiyot-i flew around Theo frantically, letting them know that he had come too.

‘Ah. I didn’t think of Ppiyot-i.’

Thanks to that, Se-jun realized that he was short of one Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency.

Se-jun’s plan was for Theo, Cuengi, the Golden Bat, Iona, and himself to eat the five remaining Royal Jellies of Golden Proficiency after he ate his fill.

Se-jun had not thought of the newcomer, Ppiyot-i.

‘It can’t be helped.’

Se-jun decided to yield his Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency to Ppiyot-i.

“Vice President Theo, did you have a good trip?”

Se-jun asked, covering his mouth with his right hand and grabbing the scruff of Theo’s neck with his left hand to pull him away from his face.

“It was so…”

Yum.

Se-jun quickly popped the Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency into the mouth of the answering Theo. Since he was a fellow who wouldn’t eat anything other than fish and Churu, this kind of surprise feeding was necessary.

“Nyan?! Nyan! Chairman Park, what is this, meow?!”

Sure enough, Theo got annoyed first when something other than fish and Churu entered his mouth.

Meanwhile, the Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency quickly melted and disappeared in Theo’s mouth.

“Chairman Park, you are too much, meow! How could you give me something that is not fish or Churu…”

Pat.

When Se-jun brought the annoyed Theo onto his lap,

“Nyaaang…”

Theo clung to his lap and became quiet.

“Now, only one is left.”

Se-jun said, looking at Ppiyot-i.

Ppiyot?

Like that, Se-jun fed the Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency to Ppiyot-i as well.

However, for Theo and Ppiyot-i, only their stats and skill proficiency increased, and there were no major changes.

“Theo, keep the last remaining one and give it to Iona.”

“Understood, meow!”

When Se-jun handed the last remaining Royal Jelly of Golden Proficiency to Theo and was about to start for the farm,

Stare.

Cuengi stared at Se-jun with suspicious eyes. There was no way Dad wouldn’t eat it himself!

Considering Se-jun’s behavior up until now, it was a very reasonable suspicion.

Sniff, sniff.

Cuengi climbed up Se-jun’s body and began to sniff around Se-jun’s mouth.

“Cuengi, what’s wrong?”

Se-jun was calm at Cuengi’s behavior.

‘Hehehe. Anticipating this, I already rinsed my mouth cleanly before coming.’

Se-jun had already destroyed the evidence.

However,

Kkueng! Kkueng!

[Dad’s mana increased greatly in just a few hours-da-yo! It’s very, very suspicious-da-yo!]

He might have hidden the smell, but he couldn’t hide the change in his body. Food Detective Cunan apprehended the habitual secret eater again today.