Chapter 45 – Showing the Majesty of the Great Black Dragon

Due to Theo’s arrival, Se-jun’s dinner was pushed back. It was because of the wolves Theo brought.

“Theo, why did you bring these wolves?”

“I will make these wolves pay the price for targeting my life-nyan! But I don’t know how much I should receive-nyan! Chairman Park, please decide-nyan!”

Theo pulled out the contract stamped with the wolves’ paw prints and said as he handed it to Se-jun.

“Ah. That’s not hard.”

Se-jun wrote the compensation amount Theo would receive on the contract without difficulty.

“10,000 Tower Coins.”

“Oh! Is my life worth that much-nyan?!”

Theo was touched by Se-jun’s words. To think Se-jun valued his life so highly.

“Of course. Because you are Representative Director Theo, who is in charge of our farm’s distribution.”

‘Puhuhut. As expected, Park Se-jun cannot do without me-nyan!’

At Se-jun’s words, Theo hurriedly turned his bundle inside out. It was because his term as Representative Theo only had about a month left.

Thud, thud.

From the bundle, the money received from the transactions, the glass jars Se-jun ordered as an errand, and the seasonings and coffee mixes received for taking photos poured out. Because he had taken many photos this time, it was an amount that would last about 30 hours.

“…2,870 Tower Coins?”

“Now, how many hours as Representative Theo are added-nyan?”

Theo asked Se-jun, who was counting the Tower Coins, in a voice full of expectations. Since it was the highest sales ever, his expectations were high.

“From now on, there are no additional hours as Representative Theo.”

“What do you mean-nyan?!”

Theo was greatly shocked by Se-jun’s words. To think he would not give Representative Theo time passes!

“Could it be that you are trying to kick me out-nyan?! Chairman Park, you are bad-nyan! I work well-nyan!”

Cling.

Theo cried out sorrowfully and clung to Se-jun’s leg. Kicking me out?! What about my lap?! He had to be with Park Se-jun’s lap.

Without being with Park Se-jun’s lap, he was just a trivial cat wandering merchant. The thought of working as a wandering merchant alone again made his future look bleak.

Dejectedly.

Saddened, Theo’s ears drooped.

However… it was Theo’s misunderstanding.

“What are you talking about? Why would I kick out a capable wandering merchant like you, Theo? I meant that you will be Representative Theo permanently, so you won’t need Representative Theo time passes anymore.”

“…!”

“I will formally appoint you, Theo, as the representative in charge of our farm’s distribution. Here is your incentive.”

Se-jun handed 145 Tower Coins to Theo.

“Th… Thank you-nyan! I will work harder from now on-nyan!”

Theo shouted, wiping the tears that had trickled onto Se-jun’s leg.

“And to celebrate your promotion to Representative Theo, I will let you be President Theo for a day today.”

“Pr… President Theo?! That’s somehow attractive-nyan!!!”

Although he had just become Representative Theo, Theo found himself more attracted to the word ‘President’.

‘I will become President Theo-nyan!’

Theo, who was looking at a higher place as soon as he was promoted to Representative Theo.

“But what is this smell-nyan? It smells delicious-nyan!”

Theo, the ambitious cat dreaming of greater power, sniffed the air. As expected of a fish lover, there was no way Theo would miss the smell of grilled eel.

“Let’s handle the rest tomorrow and eat dinner first.”

Se-jun, who had not eaten dinner, was also hungry. Se-jun tightly bound the front and back paws of the unconscious wolves with a green onion leaf rope.

And

“Tell Woo Chun-sam and Woo Chun-sa not to go back today and guard the wolves here. Tell them I will give them a late-night snack and breakfast tomorrow instead.”

Leaving the two behind also had the purpose of going together tomorrow to receive compensation from the Bull Demon King.

“Understood-nyan! Leave it to President Theo-nyan!”

Theo shouted and conveyed Se-jun’s words to the Black Minotaurs,

Moo!

Moo!

Woo Chun-sam and Woo Chun-sa accepted Se-jun’s proposal, making cries of joy. There was no reason to refuse when he kept giving them food.

“Good. Now let’s eat. You guys eat the green onion leaves piled in the green onion field.”

Moo.

Moo.

Woo Chun-sam and Woo Chun-sa moved to the green onion field with the wolves on their shoulders, and Se-jun and Theo also went down to the cave to eat dinner.

Squeak!

Pyah!

Pyak!

The rabbits, who had been holding back their hunger waiting only for Se-jun to arrive, urged him to come quickly.

“Sorry. You waited long, right? Let’s eat the green onion of detoxification first.”

Munch, munch.

Se-jun, Theo, and the rabbits ate one grilled green onion of detoxification each. There might still be poison left in the eel.

“You finished eating it all, right? Then eat deliciously.”

As soon as Se-jun’s word ‘eat’ ended, the rabbits hurriedly began to eat the eel.

“Theo, wait just a moment.”

Se-jun placed unseasoned grilled eel on the fire for Theo.

“Understood-nyan. Slurp. I can wait-nyan!”

Theo, entranced by the ecstatic appearance of the cooking eel, replied while wiping his drool.

Having eaten the green onion of detoxification, Se-jun picked up a piece of grilled eel seasoned with salt. The skin was crispy, and the flesh was glossy and golden brown.

“It cooked well and tastes delicious.”

Se-jun put the well-cooked grilled eel in his mouth.

[You have consumed the flesh of the poisoned Giant Electric Eel.]

[A microscopic amount of poison remains in the flesh of the Giant Electric Eel.]

[You are poisoned by E-grade paralysis poison.]

[Detoxified.]

[You are poisoned by E-grade acid poison.]

[Detoxified.]

E-grade?

Se-jun, who ate the D+-grade green onion of detoxification, felt relieved upon seeing the messages. Then, closing his eyes, he savored the taste of the eel in earnest.

Crisp.

The eel’s skin crumbled crisply, the salty taste of the salt sprinkled on the skin first awakening the taste buds on his tongue, and then the eel flesh swam vigorously between Se-jun’s teeth, giving a chewy texture.

And

Chew, chew.

The more he chewed, the savory and rich, clean taste of the eel occupied his mouth.

Pop.

Se-jun hurriedly picked up another piece of grilled eel and put it in his mouth. He did not want to interrupt this flow of savory and clean taste.

While turning Theo’s grilled eel so it would not burn, Se-jun ate the salted grilled eel from time to time, and Theo’s grilled eel was fully cooked.

“Now, eat deliciously.”

“I will eat well-nyan! Whew! Whew!”

Theo blew hard to make the grilled eel cool down quickly. Since Theo had a cat tongue, it seemed he would have to cool it down for a long time to eat it.

In the meantime,

Sprinkle.

Se-jun took a pinch of pepper and sprinkled it on the grilled eel he would eat. Although the salted grilled eel was delicious, Se-jun needed pepper to reduce the greasiness of the eel.

Having eaten their fill of grilled eel like that, Se-jun and the animals.

“Ah, I can’t eat anymore…”

“I’m full-nyan…”

Squeak…

Pyah…

Pyak…

The lips of everyone who filled their stomachs with eel were shiny with grease.

“Let’s eat dessert.”

Eating sweet and sour cherry tomatoes as dessert to soothe their greasy stomachs, everyone who felt fatigued hurriedly went to bed.

And

Smack, smack.

The sounds of the rabbits and Theo licking their grease-slicked fur around their mouths while sleeping were heard all night.

***

Elka, who had regained consciousness only to be knocked out several times, quietly opened his eyes.

“……”

Zzz.

Zzz.

In front of him, he saw two Black Minotaurs nodding off.

‘I must escape now!’

Chew, chew.

Elka carefully chewed and cut the rope binding his feet.

And just as he was about to hastily wake his companions and flee,

Kuaaaaah!!!

A giant shadow loomed over them.

***

The next morning.

Kuaaaaah!!!

Yip!

Yelp!

The mother Crimson Giant Bear’s roar and the wolves’ shrieks woke Se-jun from his sleep.

“What is it?”

When Se-jun hastily went up to the surface,

Kuuung.

The mother Crimson Giant Bear was subduing two wolves with both front paws, and

Kkueeeng!

one wolf was subdued by Kkueng, who climbed onto its back and choked its neck. They were a mother and cub of overwhelming physicality.

“What is this about?”

Moo…

Moo…

Woo Chun-sam and Woo Chun-sa, who let the wolves slip away, approached scratching their heads.

“They say they dozed off for a moment-nyan.”

Theo, clinging to Se-jun’s lap, replied. It seemed the Crimson Giant Bear mother and cub caught the wolves when they tried to cut the ropes and escape while the two were asleep.

Kkueng?!

Kkueng stared at the wolves, drooling. Can I eat them?!

“No.”

He had to receive the price for Theo’s life from the wolves.

Kkueng…

When Se-jun told him not to eat the prey he had hunted, Kkueng was greatly disappointed. I was the one who caught it…

“Instead, let’s eat grilled eel, Kkueng.”

Kkueng!

At Se-jun’s word ‘eat’, Kkueng’s head turned rapidly. Food!

Se-jun told the rabbits to bring the leftover grilled eel from yesterday, and Kkueng began to eat the grilled eel deliciously.

And

Staring blankly.

Se-jun felt a sting on the back of his head. It seemed he would have to prepare eel for the mother Crimson Giant Bear to eat for lunch too.

Thud. Thud.

The mother Crimson Giant Bear hurriedly went out for patrol to return by lunch, and the rabbits, Theo, Kkueng, and the Black Minotaurs surrounded the wolves.

“You guys attacked our Representative Theo?”

“We are sorry! Great Black Dragon! We did not know that cat wandering merchant was the subordinate of the Great Black Dragon! Please appease your anger with just my life, the chief of the Silver Wolf tribe!”

At Se-jun’s question, Elka, who misunderstood Se-jun’s identity, shouted while prostrating himself.

The reason he casually gave orders to the monsters of the 99th floor of the tower, and monsters that should fight each other got along friendly. Elka thought that would be impossible unless the existence before him was the Great Black Dragon.

‘Great Black Dragon?’

When Se-jun was about to refute that he was not,

[The tower administrator says she will specially forgive you for impersonating the Great Black Dragon.]

[A quest has occurred.]

[Quest: Show the majesty of the Great Black Dragon to the wolves of the Silver Wolf tribe.]

Reward: Aileen was pleased

On Refusal: Aileen was disappointed!

[The tower administrator cheers you on to hurry up and show the majesty of the Great Black Dragon.]

Aileen, who had not yet stepped forward as the Great Black Dragon, wanted to feel proxy satisfaction through Se-jun.

“What do you mean-nyan? Our Chairman Park is… Ugh!”

Se-jun hurriedly covered Theo’s mouth.

Since he would have to benefit from Aileen sooner or later, he could not disappoint Aileen. Although they had become close, relationships surprisingly start to fall apart from small disappointments.

Se-jun decided to do the quest. And Se-jun was not foolish enough to throw away an opportunity when the tower administrator gave him the chance to impersonate her.

“Yes. Since you know, you must also understand how great your crime is for interfering with my work, the Great Black Dragon.”

“Great Black Dragon! We are truly sorry. We really did not know.”

“A crime is not a crime only when committed knowingly. Even if you did not know, a crime is still a crime. However, I will specially give you a chance to be forgiven for your crime.”

Se-jun said, holding out the contract.

“The price for targeting our Representative Theo’s life is 10,000 Tower Coins. If you pay this money, I will forgive you.”

“What? 10,000 Tower Coins?! Th… that much money…”

“If you don’t have it, pay with your body-nyan!”

Theo, who was grasping the situation from behind, quickly shouted. I really wanted to try saying this-nyan! Theo had thought Se-jun looked so cool when he said those words to Woo Chun-sam.

“With our bodies?!”

At Theo’s words to pay with their bodies as much as 10,000 Tower Coins, Elka’s mind grew complicated. The request with Grid was post-paid, and there was no particular disadvantage even if they cancelled the contract.

But while he paid the money with his body, the young wolves of the tribe back in the village…

“Th… Great Black Dragon. I dare to request. All of our tribe members will pay the money. Instead, please just make sure we do not starve to death!”

Elka looking at the crops growing in the fields, thought that if they worked under Se-jun, they would not starve to death.

“Good. From now on, President Theo will manage you.”

“You guys must listen to me well from now on-nyan!”

At Se-jun’s words, Theo barked at the wolves. Even without this, Theo had been wondering what was good about becoming President.

What can I do if I become President Theo-nyan? I have already conquered Park Se-jun’s lap. There is nothing more I want-nyan.

But

‘Puhuhut. If I become President, I get subordinates-nyan!’

Theo rejoiced at having his own subordinates.

“Understood. Following the command of the Great Black Dragon, we will follow President Theo. Thank you so much, Great Black Dragon!”

[The quest has been completed.]

[The tower administrator is greatly pleased that the Great Black Dragon was praised.]

Se-jun built up the status of the Great Black Dragon and expanded his power by taking in the entire Silver Wolf tribe.