Chapter 30 – A Good Harvest

“Kureung. Kureung. Kureung.”

Aileen hummed, put 10 Cherry Tomatoes of Mana given by the human into her mouth at once, and chewed them.

Pop.

Squirt.

In the past, she had to eat dozens at once to properly taste them, but lately, as the grade of the cherry tomatoes rose to D-grade, the flavor became richer, and she could taste them properly with only about ten.

While Aileen was happily eating and savoring the taste of the cherry tomatoes like that,

Thump.

“Huh?!”

Aileen was startled by the vibration felt in her chest.

“My dragon heart…”

It was a very weak and small beat lasting less than a second. However, because it was a beat she had never felt in the 200 years since she was born, Aileen noticed it immediately.

Aileen’s dragon heart, which had never beaten for 200 years, moved on its own for a very brief moment and absorbed mana.

Like a drop of water falling on ground cracked by drought, the mana dispersed and vanished quickly without a trace as soon as it was absorbed into the dragon heart.

However, Aileen could feel it clearly. That a change had occurred in her dragon heart. And the reason for that change was…

This time, to get a definitive feeling, Aileen put 20 D-grade Cherry Tomatoes of Mana into her mouth at once.

And,

Pop

Squirt.

Gulp.

She chewed and swallowed the cherry tomatoes deliciously, and focused on her dragon heart.

A moment later,

Thump.

As expected, this time too, the dragon heart moved on its own and absorbed mana, although it was brief.

The crops of the human she was chewing. She had thought they were only delicious… but it seemed they even had the ability to heal her dragon heart.

“Huh?! Come to think of it, the time for my seizure has already passed?”

Because the mana concentration in the administrator’s area of the Black Tower where Aileen was currently located was far higher than other places, even if Aileen’s dragon heart did not beat, her breathing alone supplied mana to her body.

However, even that had limits, and on a cycle of about ten years, Aileen suffered seizures due to mana deficiency.

And every time a seizure occurred, the cycle of seizures was decreasing by a few days.

Yet, although it had been ten years and a few more days since the last seizure occurred, a seizure had not occurred yet.

“I will protect the human in the future!”

The human had originally been precious because he gave her delicious things, but the human who could make her dragon heart beat was even more precious.

The great black dragon Aileen Pritani, age 200.

Finally, an existence she wanted to protect appeared.

Aileen peered into the crystal ball to check what the human was doing in a hurry.

And,

“What! Another unappraised item while I was gone! I told you it’s dangerous! As expected, the human can’t do without me.”

Aileen hurriedly woke up Se-jun, who was taking a nap.

***

[The administrator of the tower spoke… straw… appraise…]

“Mmm…”

It was because of the message from the administrator of the tower that Se-jun woke up.

[The administrator of the tower got angry, asking why he was wearing an unappraised item again.]

[The administrator of the tower spoke, asking if she had not told him that it could be trouble if he wore unappraised items carelessly.]

“Huh?! Was this an item?”

At the words of the administrator of the tower, Se-jun put down Theo, whom he was holding, onto his lap and hurriedly took off the straw hat to examine it. Because it looked so common, he had just thought it was a normal straw hat.

[Farmer’s Straw Hat]

???

Usage Restriction: Lv. 20, Strength 20 or higher, Stamina 20 or higher

Creator: Private

Grade: D

Skill: [Blessing of the Earth Lv. 1]

[Blessing of the Earth Lv. 1]

Bestows a weak blessing of the earth upon all owned farmland.

Recovery of soil fertility increases minutely.

“Wow.”

Although it was a minute increase in soil fertility, there was no limit to the size of the farmland.

“If only there were no usage restrictions, it would be a very good item…”

A requirement of Lv. 20 with Strength and Stamina of 20 or higher was equivalent to telling him not to wear it at level 20.

Se-jun, who was worried because of the wasteland on the surface, felt it was a great pity that he could not use the straw hat’s skill, Blessing of the Earth, due to the usage restrictions.

[The administrator of the tower spoke, suggesting they appraise the straw hat first.]

“Alright. Give me the quest.”

Still, since its function as a sunshade remained, Se-jun decided to have it appraised.

[A quest occurred.]

[Quest: Send the unappraised straw hat to the administrator of the tower.]

Reward: None.

On Refusal: Cannot appraise

[An additional quest occurred.]

[Quest: Promise to give crops containing the energy of the Blue Moon to the administrator of the tower during the next Blue Moon.]

Reward: Appraised straw hat

On Refusal: Cannot receive the straw hat

“Crops containing the energy of the Blue Moon?”

[The administrator of the tower spoke, saying that she absolutely needed it.]

“Alright.”

Se-jun accepted readily. In the future, he would be able to harvest more and better crops. There was no need to hoard them.

“Now, appraise it.”

The straw hat disappeared from Se-jun’s hand.

[You completed the quest.]

[The administrator of the tower used the Appraisal skill on the Farmer’s Straw Hat.]

[The administrator of the tower rejoiced upon seeing the appraised item.]

It was strange. Why was the administrator of the tower rejoicing?

[The administrator of the tower congratulated you, saying it was an amazing item.]

[The administrator of the tower spoke, telling him to promise to give crops containing the energy of the Blue Moon to Aileen Pritani during the next Blue Moon.]

“Aileen Pritani?”

[The administrator of the tower spoke arrogantly, telling him to consider it an honor since she was revealing her name.]

“What’s so great about a name…”

Se-jun said indifferently.

[The administrator of the tower got excited, stomping her feet on the floor, saying it was a great honor.]

“Yes. It is an honor that you let me know your name, Lady Aileen Pritani.”

Se-jun humored Aileen to quickly receive the straw hat.

[The administrator of the tower was satisfied.]

[The administrator of the tower spoke, urging him to promise quickly.]

“I, Park Se-jun, promise that when I harvest crops containing the energy of the Blue Moon during the next Blue Moon, I will give them to Aileen Pritani.”

[The administrator of the tower spoke, saying that this was the first promise between you and me.]

‘First promise?’

The administrator of the tower spoke meaningfully.

Se-jun felt something strange, but soon focused on the straw hat that appeared in front of his eyes.

Catch.

Se-jun hurriedly caught the straw hat that was about to fall.

[You completed the quest.]

[As a quest completion reward, you obtained the appraised straw hat – Relic: Straw Hat of Patrick, the Saint of the Earth.]

“Relic?”

Named equipment with the word Relic attached. Se-jun had also heard of the word Relic for the first time.

Se-jun checked the options of the straw hat.

[Relic: Straw Hat of Patrick, the Saint of the Earth]

This was the straw hat that the farmer Patrick, who was called the Saint of the Earth for saving many starving people through farming, always wore.

One of the relics of which only ten existed in the Black Tower.

The restrictions of a relic were unlocked according to the wearer’s job grade.

Usage Restriction: Those with farming-related jobs

Creator: Patrick

Grade: Undecided

Skill: [Blessing of the Earth Lv. 1]

“Only ten in the tower?!”

Se-jun checked the options of the straw hat, surprised by the immense rarity.

Instead of the level and stat restrictions that originally existed as usage limits disappearing, a restriction of ‘those with farming-related jobs’ was created.

For Se-jun, whose class was Tower Farmer, it was a welcome development.

Strangely, the grade was undecided. Considering the detail that its abilities grew according to the wearer’s job grade, it seemed to be determined when worn.

There was no change in the skill. However, when the grade of the item was determined, a new skill could appear.

Se-jun put on the straw hat with an excited heart.

[Relic: Straw Hat of Patrick, the Saint of the Earth checked the wearer’s job and grade.]

[Confirmed Tower Farmer (D).]

[The grade of Relic: Straw Hat of Patrick, the Saint of the Earth rose to D.]

As Se-jun expected, the item grade followed the wearer’s job grade.

[E-grade restrictions were unlocked.]

[The restriction of Skill – Blessing of the Earth Lv. 2 was unlocked.]

[Skill – Farmer’s Body Lv. 1 was opened.]

[D-grade restrictions were unlocked.]

[The restriction of Skill – Blessing of the Earth Lv. 3 was unlocked.]

[The restriction of Skill – Farmer’s Body Lv. 2 was unlocked.]

[Skill – Blessing of Good Harvest Lv. 1 was opened.]

“Ohh!”

They said it was a relic of which only ten existed in the tower, and the item options were indeed amazing.

Se-jun checked Blessing of the Earth and the newly unlocked skills.

[Blessing of the Earth Lv. 3]

Casts a slightly strong blessing of the earth upon all owned farmland.

Recovery of soil fertility increases slightly.

[Farmer’s Body Lv. 2]

A farmer’s body had to always be firm.

All stats increase by 3.

[Blessing of Good Harvest Lv. 1]

With a very low probability, a good harvest sets in for a week on a portion of owned farmland. (Maximum 100 pyeong)

When a good harvest sets in, the harvest yield increases by 50%.

As expected, Theo’s hand was a golden hand. This draw was also a great success!

“Good job! Representative Theo.”

Se-jun touched Theo’s front paw in excitement.

Then,

“Mmn-nyang… Park Se-jun, offer me Churu, meow…”

Theo muttered in his sleep.

“Sure. I will give you as much as you want.”

Se-jun, who was in a good mood, tore open a Churu and placed it against Theo’s mouth,

Chwap, chwap, chwap.

“It is delicious, meow…”

Theo licked the Churu diligently even while sleeping.

And once Theo finished eating the Churu, Se-jun stood up from his spot.

“I want to sleep more, meow…”

Pyaak…

Kkuueeng…

The fellows complained in their sleep when Se-jun got up.

“Come on, wake up quickly!”

Because he took a nap, the work was backed up. Se-jun hurriedly woke up Theo, the black rabbit, and the baby bear.

And,

“Give me Churu, meow! I couldn’t eat it properly earlier, meow!”

Theo, who was completely awake, demanded Churu from Se-jun.

“Representative Theo, didn’t you just eat Churu?”

“What are you talking about, meow? Are you teasing me, meow?!”

Theo spoke as if aggrieved at Se-jun’s response.

“I clearly ate it in my dream, meow!”

Theo was aggrieved. He had clearly eaten it in his dream, but Park Se-jun was insisting that he had eaten Churu in reality.

“Alright. Here.”

Se-jun opened and gave a new Churu to Theo, and went down to the cave for farming.

Theo also followed Se-jun down to the cave and took his spot on Se-jun’s designated seat. If he stayed on the surface, he might lose his precious Churu to the baby bear.

Chwap, chwap, chwap.

Theo began to eat the Churu diligently. Although it was not as tasty as eating it on Park Se-jun’s lap, Churu was indeed delicious, meow.

While Theo was spending a peaceful time eating Churu leisurely like that,

“Phew. Done.”

Thanks to the Farmer’s Body skill, all his stats increased by 3, allowing Se-jun to cut all the green onion leaves at a rapid speed without even getting tired.

And he went to the cherry tomato field,

Slash.

and focused intensely on harvesting while cutting the cherry tomato branches.

[You harvested 4 ripe Cherry Tomatoes of Mana at the same time.]

[Your job experience increased slightly.]

[The proficiency of Harvesting Lv. 4 increased slightly.]

[Due to the effect of Proficiency Boost Lv. 1, the proficiency of Harvesting Lv. 4 increased by an additional 5%.]

[You obtained 80 experience points.]

At that moment,

“Huh?!”

A golden energy settled on the surrounding ground.

And,

[Blessing of Good Harvest Lv. 1 was activated.]

[A good harvest set in on 30 pyeong of the Cherry Tomato of Mana field.]

[The harvest yield would increase by 50% for the next week.]

A good harvest came to Se-jun’s cherry tomato field.