Chapter 421 – I Can’t Forgive You

“You should have told me quickly! Huh?!”

“Chairman Park, I made a mistake, meow!”

As a price for telling him late even though there was a way, Theo had to undergo the glutinous rice cake punishment of having his cheek fat grabbed and stretched by Se-jun.

Thanks to that, Se-jun achieved retribution and healing at the same time.

“Vice President Theo, so what is it that attracts you?”

He asked what Theo’s front paw was attracted to,

“It’s this, meow!”

Theo pointed to his bundle again.

“Right. I know it’s in the bundle. So what is the thing you feel attracted to?”

“Meow? It’s not inside the bundle, meow! I’m attracted to this bundle, meow!”

“Huh?”

What did that mean?

While Se-jun was wondering,

“Grab this, meow!”

“Yes?”

Theo handed his bundle to Rune, and Rune placed his hand on Theo’s bundle in spite of himself.

…!

The moment he placed his hand on the bundle, Rune felt his mind clear and refresh along with a slight tingling coolness flowing through his fingertips.

At the same time, something came to mind.

‘I think I know who I am!’

Although it was not clear enough to explain in words, and everything felt hazy, Rune could know one of the characteristics of his original form.

‘I had dark brown fur!’

Slowly.

“Huh?!”

Se-jun discovered that the fur of Rune, who had transformed into a blue-furred baboon, was changing to the color of brown sugar.

What was this?

He knew it was because of Theo’s bundle… but was it a good thing?

While Se-jun was watching Rune,

“Thank you so much! Thanks to you, I know that my original fur color was brown!”

Rune smiled brightly and expressed his gratitude to Se-jun and Theo. It seemed he was happy just to have learned his fur color.

However,

“Meow…”

Looking at Rune, Theo was greatly disappointed.

The person involved was happy, so why?

“I can’t stamp, meow…”

It was because Rune had not returned to his original form.

Our persistent Vice President Theo still had not given up the thought of getting Rune’s handprint to make him a slave.

When Rune, who had expressed his gratitude to the two of them, took his hand off the bundle,

Slowly.

Rune’s fur turned back to its original color, blue, in an instant.

Huh?!

Rune had a strange experience where he knew in his head that his fur color was brown, but it was not present on his body.

It was similar to knowing how to walk but having no legs.

Ah…

Rune was disappointed by a profound sense of loss.

While Theo and Rune were disappointed for different reasons like that,

‘What made Rune change?’

Se-jun examined the description of Theo’s bundle, ‘The Great Merchant’s Bundle that Wanders the Nine Towers’, in detail.

The ability to move to other towers wouldn’t be related…

Se-jun, who was thinking for a moment,

“Then, is it the materials?”

He examined the five materials used to make Theo’s bundle.

The scale of the Great Black Dragon, the branch of the World Tree, red bone, the staff of calamity, and the tail feather of the Phoenix.

Among these, there might be a material that just changed Rune’s color.

‘It wouldn’t be the scale of the Great Black Dragon…’

If it were, Kaiser would have readily given it with an arrogant expression.

Red bone, the staff of calamity, and the tail feather of the Phoenix also wouldn’t have a great relation to finding Rune’s appearance…

“Then, is it the branch of the World Tree?”

“Yes?! The branch of the World Tree?! By any chance, was this bundle made with the branch of the World Tree?! Do you know where the World Tree is?”

Excited by Se-jun’s soliloquy, Rune showered him with questions.

Before Rune was captured and brought here, the key ingredient of the potion recipe he developed to return to his original appearance was precisely the branch of the World Tree.

The tremendous restoration power possessed by the branch of the World Tree.

Rune thought that would be helpful in finding his appearance.

In fact, the changing of his fur color when he touched Theo’s bundle a moment ago was also thanks to the branch of the World Tree.

“The World Tree? Of course I know. It’s right there.”

Se-jun pointed to Podori, the World Tree.

“Yes? That is just a grape vine, though?”

Rune was puzzled as he looked at Podori, whom Se-jun pointed to.

“Yes. It’s a grape vine, and also the World Tree.”

“…Yes?!”

Rune was shocked by Se-jun’s words.

In the 10-volume World Tree Encyclopedia he read, it was stated that growing the World Tree was extremely difficult.

This was because the World Tree was sensitive, so there were too many things to care about, including the soil, water, air, and sunlight, and its personality was also fastidious.

Therefore, it was said that obtaining fruit was unimaginable…

However, the grape vine in front of him… had clusters of delicious-looking grapes hanging abundantly.

It just grew well, though?

It didn’t look picky at all.

Originally, the personalities of the World Trees were more fastidious than what was written in the books.

Podori also wanted to act fastidiously toward Se-jun, but since Flamie was watching with wide-open eyes, irritation could not even be dared to be imagined.

And Bulssak-i, who had grown up under Flamie’s care since childhood, grew up into a World Tree that did not know any complaints at all.

Of course, Sausage was scheduled to grow up like that soon as well.

While Rune was confused like that by the discrepancy between the World Tree he learned from books and the reality of the World Tree,

“I’ll take a few of your branches.”

[Yes! Of course!]

Se-jun approached Podori and cut a few branches.

And,

‘The World Tree is giving its branches so easily?!’

Seeing that, Rune was shocked again.

In the World Tree Encyclopedia, the part for obtaining the branches of the World Tree alone amounted to almost 3 volumes.

In the book, it clearly stated that in order to obtain a branch of the World Tree, one had to humor the World Tree for about 10 years to become close,

And then devote care for about 20 years before getting an opportunity to obtain a single branch…

However, Se-jun cut the branches of the World Tree so easily. And 5 of them at that.

It was one of two things.

Either the book was wrong, or Se-jun in front of him was extremely close to the World Tree.

Of course, there was no way the book was wrong. Because the World Tree Encyclopedia was written by a great sage named Wikis.

Then there was only one conclusion left.

‘Se-jun-nim has built a friendship with the World Tree for hundreds of years.’

While Rune looked at Se-jun with respect,

“Podori, thank you.”

[Yes! Goodbye!]

Meanwhile, Se-jun, who had cut 5 branches of Podori, expressed his gratitude to Podori and returned.

However, the look in Rune’s eyes, who was looking at Se-jun with respect, turned cold upon hearing the name of the World Tree.

‘Did he just name the World Tree “Podori” because it’s a grape vine?!’

It was because of Se-jun’s naming skills.

Rune, at this time, did not imagine in the slightest that he would be the next victim.

“Za. Grab it.”

As Se-jun handed the branch of Podori to Rune,

“Yes.”

Rune cautiously grabbed the branch.

Then,

…!!!

This time, a tingling coolness that made his fingertips numb flowed in from the branch of the World Tree.

The power of the World Tree branch that had lost much of its character as it became the material of the bundle was worlds apart from the branch of the World Tree that had just been cut.

A clear image of his original form was drawn in Rune’s mind, and

Wiggle.

Rune’s appearance began to transform into the shape that came to mind.

Rune’s body grew smaller and smaller. Rune transformed into a brown hamster the size of a palm.

It turned out that Rune was originally of the hamster tribe, the same race as Iona.

“How…?”

Even though he transformed thousands of times, he could not find his original appearance…

While Rune held the branch of the World Tree tightly in his right hand and touched his body with his left hand in emotion,

“Puhuhut. As expected, Chairman Park is great, meow!”

There was one more entity who was moved here.

‘I can’t miss the opportunity Chairman Park gave me, meow!’

Theo quickly took out a contract,

“Se-jun-nim, thank you! Thanks to you, I found my appearance! I won’t forget this favor! I will serve Se-jun-nim for the rest of my life!”

“Puhuhut. Then stamp it, meow!”

Press.

He obtained the handprint of Rune, who was greeting Se-jun.

‘I did it, meow!’

Theo looked at the contract with rewarding eyes.

[You have taken 1 slave under your command.]

[Due to the effect of , all stats increase by 0.01.]

Thanks to that, Se-jun’s stats also rose.

After a while,

“Puhuhut. What can Rune do well, meow?! Tell me quickly, meow!”

Theo asked Rune, who stood in front of Se-jun.

“I am good at stealing, escaping, and breaking in!”

At Theo’s question, Rune, holding the branch of the World Tree tightly with both hands, answered diligently like a candidate taking a job interview.

Rune thought he had to prove his value here so that he could continue to keep the branch of the World Tree.

Of course, Se-jun had no such intention at all, but to Rune, who had lived in a harsh world alone, that was natural.

An answer worthy of a great thief.

However,

……

No one showed interest in Rune’s answer.

‘This is bad!’

“I know a lot about transformation magic, and I can write in a hundred different handwritings! Also, I can create simple magic equipment!”

Rune, whose heart became urgent, quickly began to blabber about what he could do with the thought that anything would work.

And,

“Oh. You can make magic equipment too?”

“Yes! I made these too!”

When Se-jun showed interest in magic equipment, Rune quickly took out the equipment he made from his vest to show him.

However,

“Is this all you have?”

Among the magic equipment Rune made, there was nothing that caught Se-jun’s attention. This was because most of them were equipment for escaping locked rooms.

“Can’t you make equipment that can use extremely strong recovery magic, or extremely strong defensive magic, or withstand extremely strong surrounding energy well?”

‘If I knew how to make such things, I wouldn’t have been caught by Se-jun-nim!’

“Because my magic skills are lacking…”

Rune swallowed the thoughts that rose to his throat and gave a rational answer.

“Well, it’s okay. You can build up your magic skills from now on anyway. Iona will teach you kindly and well.”

Se-jun was planning to send Rune to Iona.

“Yes? By any chance, is the Iona Se-jun-nim is speaking of Iona-nim, the President of the Mage Association?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

‘I don’t think I’ll be okay, though…’

When Rune was flustered at suddenly having to learn magic from Iona,

“Now. There is a really important task left. Everyone, listen carefully.”

Se-jun spoke with a serious expression.

“Speak, meow!”

Cuengi!

[I will listen carefully, yo!]

Kkihihit. Kking! Kking!

[Heh. That’s a good judgment! The wise Kkamang-i-nim will judge it… yo!]

Kkamang-i, who forgot that Theo and Cuengi were there, spoke arrogantly, but then, scanning the two’s expressions, quickly added ‘yo’ at the end.

Once everyone’s attention was focused on Se-jun like that,

“Since Rune has found his original appearance, shouldn’t we give him a name that suits that appearance? I have decided on a few names, so tell me which one is good.”

Se-jun brought up the main topic. Rune was a criminal’s name. Since he found a new appearance, he needed a new name.

Thus, the Se-jun Naming Center opened.

“Heukseol, Heuktang, Heukhaem, Blackster. Choose one among these.”

Se-jun created four names inspired by the brown sugar hamster.

“Puhuhut. Which one does Chairman Park like, meow?”

“I actually like Blackster.”

“Puhuhut. Then I also vote for Blackster, meow!”

At Se-jun’s answer, Theo quickly raised his front paw and shouted. It was natural. Because Se-jun was the best namer in the Black Tower that Theo knew.

“Excuse me… I think the name Rune is also fine…”

Rune quickly expressed his opinion, but

Cuengi!

[Then Cuengi also votes for Blackster, yo!]

It was drowned out by Cuengi’s shout. Naturally, the best namer Cuengi knew was also Se-jun.

“Good. Since it’s a majority, Blackster is chosen! Blackster, let’s do well in the future.”

As Se-jun extended his pinky finger to Blackster,

“…Yes…”

Blackster, whose name had been changed from Rune, held Se-jun’s pinky finger with both hands with a dark expression.

At the same time, he looked at Kkamang-i with his eyes, asking for help.

‘Please say something.’

Seeing that Kkamang-i did not cast a vote, Blackster thought Kkamang-i shared the same opinion that Se-jun’s naming skills were terrible.

However,

Thud! Thud!

Kking! Kking!

[Blackster, I can’t forgive you! It is cooler than my name, Kkamang-i!]

Kkamang-i was pounding the ground with his front paws, feeling frustrated.