Chapter 62 – Blooming Talent

“Stamp your paw print, meow!”

“Haha. What am I supposed to do if you just recklessly hold out a blank contract like that?”

“Old human. You said you would pay back the favor, meow. That’s why you have to stamp your print, meow!”

Clearly, Theo was making an unreasonable demand, but it had a strange persuasiveness.

“Then let’s do this.”

As the standoff dragged on, Han Tae-jun made a new proposal.

“What is it, meow?”

“I will grant three of your requests.”

“Three requests, you say, meow?”

Theo began to write the content Han Tae-jun spoke on the contract.

-The party of the second part shall grant five requests of the party of the first part.

[Party of the First Part: Theo]

[Party of the Second Part: Han Tae-jun]

“Now, stamp it, meow!”

Theo wrote down 5, which looked similar to 3.

However,

“Hahaha. This won’t do.”

The opponent was the president of the Korean Awakened Association, who signed dozens of documents every day. Changing 3 to 5 was such a shallow trick that he couldn’t help but see through it even if he wanted to be fooled. Han Tae-jun revised the contents of the contract written by Theo.

-The party of the second part shall grant three requests of the party of the first part.

-The party of the first part cannot make unreasonable requests of the party of the second part.

-The party of the second part can reject the requests of the party of the first part three times.

“Fine, meow!”

Theo had to quickly head up to the 99th floor of the tower, so he decided to end the contract at this. The contract with Han Tae-jun was not in his original plan anyway. Even if he conceded a little, it was not a loss at all.

Thump.

Theo stamped his paw print on the contract and handed it to Han Tae-jun.

“Hahaha.”

Han Tae-jun, who received the contract, burst into a hearty laugh. In that short moment, Theo had changed 3 back to 5.

‘What a bold cat.’

However, he did not feel bad at all. Watching Theo somehow made him want to spoil him.

Han Tae-jun was gradually falling for Theo’s charm. Contrary to his appearance, he had a weak spot for cute things.

‘This must be fate too.’

Thump.

Han Tae-jun stamped his seal without correcting the contract.

“Good, meow! Now, grant my request, meow!”

“Already?”

“Yes, meow!”

“What is it?”

“There are incompetent humans contractually bound to me on the 38th floor of the tower, meow! Make those humans as competent as you, old human, meow.”

Theo decided to leave the five hunters on the 38th floor of the tower, who couldn’t even earn much money, to Han Tae-jun.

“Indeed, I am competent. Fine.”

Han Tae-jun, whose mood was lifted by Theo’s acknowledgment, readily accepted.

“These are the ones, meow.”

Theo handed over a contract with the names of the five hunters written on it.

“Jang Rin?”

Han Tae-jun discovered a familiar name on the contract. It was a name he had heard while working as the president of the Awakened Association.

‘Could the five of them be the Black Wolf Band?’

The Black Wolf Band, led by Jang Rin, was a bandit group that stole hunters’ money, but because there was no evidence yet, they were under close observation.

“What about these guys?”

“They attacked me, so they are paying back my life value, meow!”

“Alright. Leave them to me. I will make them into competent humans.”

“Understood. Then see you later, meow!”

Theo said goodbye to Han Tae-jun and hurried up to the 99th floor of the tower.

And once Theo left, Han Tae-jun visited his first disciple.

“Si-hyeok. Let’s go to the 38th floor of the tower.”

“Pardon?”

“Hahaha. There are guys who need to be led to the right path.”

Thus, the fate of the Black Wolf Band was decided.

***

“Ah, I’m full.”

Se-jun wore a satisfied expression after eating the Red Locust Soup. The same went for the other animals.

Kuwerng!

Particularly, the Mother Crimson Giant Bear, satisfied with the satiety filling her stomach for the first time in a while, went out to patrol to digest the food.

“We will head down now.”

The Silver Wolves transferred the Blade Leaves and the remaining Red Locust Soup into a small pot, loaded them onto the cart, and went down the tower.

“Shall I start with the dishes first?”

Scrub scrub.

Se-jun began to wipe the large pot clean with a green onion leaf. It was to make a new soup for Aileen to eat.

After the animals ate one or two more bowls, there was not much soup left.

“At this rate, Aileen will pout…”

While Se-jun was lost in thought,

“Ah!”

A new dish for Aileen popped into his head.

That was why he gave the remaining soup to the wolves and began making a new soup.

Fortunately, since there was plenty of Red Locust meat that the wolves had prepared, he only had to put in the ingredients and boil them.

“Now I should drink coffee.”

After making the new Red Locust soup, Se-jun took the coffee he would drink while resting and came outside.

Ppyak…

Cueng…

The black rabbit and Cuengi approached Se-jun to take a nap.

And,

Ppyarorong.

Kkurorong.

They took over Se-jun’s lap and back and began to nap.

“Create Dark Clouds.”

Se-jun rested his head on Cuengi’s fluffy belly and made shade with a dark cloud. Lately, the proficiency did not rise just by moving the dark cloud, so he was trying something else.

Se-jun thought of detaching a part of the dark cloud to create a new dark cloud over Cuengi’s head.

Puff puff.

The black smoke coming out of the main body’s dark cloud dispersed while creating a new dark cloud, then merged back into the main body.

“As expected, it didn’t work well.”

While Se-jun tried to separate the dark cloud like that,

[The proficiency of increased slightly.]

The skill proficiency rose little by little. Even if he failed to separate the dark cloud, it was not hard because of the proficiency that rose rapidly.

At that moment,

[The Tower Administrator says she also wants to try the soup made from Red Locusts.]

[The Tower Administrator asks where her soup is.]

[The Tower Administrator quickly wipes the drool pooling in her mouth.]

As Se-jun expected, Aileen began to search for the Red Locust soup.

“Well… it’s still boiling?”

[The Tower Administrator says it’s too much since she even woke up Mother Bear and the Bull Demon King to help you.]

[The Tower Administrator is upset, asking how you can do this to her.]

[The Tower Administrator feels neglected, saying you are giving her the cold shoulder.]

“That’s not it! Aileen, I was making a soup just for you.”

[……]

Lately, Aileen suddenly had many instances where she fell silent.

Se-jun played around with the dark cloud during his entire rest time, then started his afternoon work.

There was nothing special about the afternoon work either. Harvesting cherry tomatoes, cutting green onion leaves, and separating and planting green onions. However, because the fields had widened, the afternoon was completely spent just on these.

While Se-jun worked like that, the soup was completed.

“Shall I take a look?”

When Se-jun opened the lid,

[You have achieved the accomplishment of being the first in the tower to make Combat Rations – Red Locust Cherry Tomato Soup.]

[The recipe for Combat Rations – Red Locust Cherry Tomato Soup was registered to Cooking Lv. 3.]

[The proficiency of Cooking Lv. 3 increased significantly.]

“As expected…”

Se-jun smiled after checking the options of the dish.

For Aileen, who preferred Magical Cherry Tomatoes, he put in cherry tomatoes instead of potatoes, and as expected, magic power rose instead of strength.

“Aileen, take the soup.”

Se-jun called Aileen.

***

[Tower Farmer Park Se-jun says that’s not it.]

[Tower Farmer Park Se-jun says Aileen, I am making a soup just for you.]

At Se-jun’s sudden confession (?), Aileen was startled and took her hands off the crystal ball.

And,

“A soup just for me?”

She began to chew over Se-jun’s words.

“Khehehe! What~! This commendable human~”

“Khehe. There is nothing he can’t say!”

“Khehe…”

Aileen could not talk to Se-jun for a long time because of the laughter that came out self-consciously.

When Aileen calmed her mind like that,

[Tower Farmer Park Se-jun says Aileen, take the soup.]

“The commendable human finished my soup!”

Thud.

Aileen quickly brought out her huge rice bowl and gave Se-jun a quest. The rice bowl was almost the size of a children’s pool.

A moment later.

Aileen’s rice bowl was filled with red soup. Se-jun gave all the soup contained in the three large pots to Aileen for her serving size.

“Wow!”

The aroma of cherry tomatoes entering through her nose stimulated Aileen’s appetite.

Slurp.

Aileen lifted the rice bowl and drank the soup.

Gulp. Gulp.

“Kyaaa! It’s delicious… but hot.”

However,

“Khehehe. He is a warm human.”

Thinking that the heat of the soup was Se-jun’s heart thinking of her, Aileen’s mood became good again.

When Aileen, who drank the soup in one shot like that, put down the rice bowl,

[You have consumed a full serving of Combat Rations – Red Locust Cherry Tomato Soup.]

[Magic power increases by 7.1 for 30 minutes.]

[Satiety was maintained for 3 hours.]

Her magic power rose significantly.

“Commendable human…”

While Aileen was moved by Se-jun’s cooking,

Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

The Dragon Heart began to beat stronger and faster than before.

Pit-a-pat.

Her heart beat no less than that, but Aileen, who focused on the beating of the Dragon Heart, thought that was also the beating of the Dragon Heart.

“I must give a reward to the commendable human.”

Aileen, who felt good, decided to give a new reward to Se-jun. With her magic power accumulated so far and Se-jun’s contribution point, she thought she could give a decent reward. Of course, Se-jun’s contribution point was overwhelmingly high.

***

Ppyak?!

Cueng?!

The black rabbit and Cuengi protested to Se-jun while looking at the empty pot. Where was their soup?!

Because the smell of soup had spread everywhere, the black rabbit and Cuengi, who thought they would eat soup for dinner too, were greatly disappointed when grilled fish and steamed potatoes came out for dinner.

“I’ll make it for you tomorrow.”

Ppyak!

Cueng!

While Se-jun was making a promise by even linking pinky fingers to soothe the black rabbit and Cuengi,

[A quest occurred.]

[Quest: Serve Dried Roasted Sweet Potato Strips to Aileen.]

Reward: Awakening 1 talent.

Upon rejection: Hmph! If you reject it, it would be only your loss!

“No…”

Se-jun, who was about to get angry at Aileen for asking for dried roasted sweet potato strips when he was in a very difficult spot because of the soup.

“Huh?”

Se-jun rubbed his eyes and checked the reward of the quest.

“Awakening 1 talent? Here it is! Lady Aileen!”

Se-jun’s attitude changed in an instant. Awakening a talent was really difficult. To give such a talent awakening as a reward!

Se-jun offered a whole basket full of dried roasted sweet potato strips.

And,

[You have completed the quest.]

[As a quest completion reward, 1 talent was awakened.]

[Talent: Landlord awakened.]

“Landlord?”

Se-jun examined the newly awakened talent.

[Talent: Landlord]

-This was an acquired talent that only a farmer with a large farm could possess.

-You can designate up to 30 tenant farmers.

-The tenant farmers can use the landlord’s job skills. (If a tenant farmer uses the landlord’s skill, the landlord receives a 1% reward.)

-The talent grows as the size of the farm increases.

“1% reward?”

The explanation was vague.

“In times like this, I just have to try it myself.”

Se-jun designated the black rabbit and Cuengi as tenant farmers.

[You have designated two tenant farmers.]

“Black rabbit, Cuengi, go and pick cherry tomatoes.”

Ppyak!

Cueng!

At Se-jun’s command, the black rabbit and Cuengi ran to pick cherry tomatoes.

And a moment later,

[A tenant farmer used Harvesting Lv. 4 to harvest 5 cherry tomatoes.]

[The Landlord receives a 1% reward.]

[The Landlord’s job experience increases minutely.]

[The proficiency of the Landlord’s Harvesting Lv. 4 increases minutely.]

[The Landlord’s experience increases by 1.5.]

…

..

.

As the black rabbit and Cuengi harvested cherry tomatoes, messages began to appear.

“Ah.”

Looking at the messages, Se-jun could know what the 1% reward was.

“It was 1% of what I would get if I used the skill directly.”

In this way, even when he could not harvest directly because the fields widened, he would be able to obtain a little bit of job experience and other things through rewards.

Although it wouldn’t be of much help now, it was a talent that would be of great help later when the land widened.

‘It said the talent grows as the size of the farm increases, right?’

We’ll win with quantity! Se-jun diligently planted cherry tomato seeds until he went to sleep.

However, at dawn the next day,

Crunch. Crunch.

Small-sized Branch Scouts bypassed to the east and invaded again, trampling the cherry tomato field where Se-jun had sown seeds.