Chapter 73: It's time Now!
TL: Hanguk
Day 245 of being stranded.
While Sejun was harvesting cherry tomatoes,
[Seed Shop is now open.]
[Your Seed Shop level is Ordinary.]
[Four types of seeds to be sold today are randomly displayed.]
[At your current grade, you can purchase as many seeds as you want within the limit of 5 Tower coins.]
The Seed Shop opened, and the seeds available for purchase today were displayed.
[50 Black Bean Seeds - 5 Tower Coins]
[100 Radish Seeds - 1 Tower Coin]
[25 Sweet Pumpkin Seeds - 5 Tower Coins]
[500 Onion Seeds - 5 Tower Coins]
"What?!"
The prices of the seeds had risen significantly since the last time he had seen them.
Previously, 100 radish seeds were definitely 0.1 Tower Coins, but now the price had increased tenfold to 1 Tower Coin for 100 seeds.
"Is this because of the increase in food prices?"
The wolves brought various news from the 67th floor of the tower. One of them was that food prices in the tower were skyrocketing due to the Red Locusts.
At first, it didn't make sense. The Red Locusts caused an abundance of food, so how could that lead to an increase in prices?
But it made sense when he thought about a few months from now. Even if plants start growing now, it will take several months before they can be eaten.
But currently, the 67th floor of the tower was practically a wasteland. This meant that an entire floor of the tower had completely stopped food production.
Furthermore, the news of the Red Locusts had caused other floors of the tower that had experienced a great famine a hundred years ago to hoard food in large quantities. Moreover, the price of food had sharply risen as the landowner of the 55th floor, the largest granary of the Black Tower, Grid, did not release the food.
Remembering how the wolves wagged their tails and looked at him with admiration, he felt proud.
"But what should I buy?"
Sejun was considering the seeds. The price was tricky. If he bought two, it would inevitably exceed 5 Tower Coins, so he could only buy one.
"Hmm..."
After much deliberation, Sejun decided to buy onions. Onions remove the bad smell and provide sweetness, making them suitable for most dishes.
And recently, due to limited ingredients, the rabbits had been scorning his cooking. But he felt that with these onions, he could restore his pride.
"Heh, I'll show those rabbit bastards what real taste is."
Sejun purchased the onions, speaking like a villain.
[You have purchased 500 Onion Seeds.]
[A total of 5 Tower Coins have been deducted from Mr. Park Sejun's Seed Bank account.]
[You have earned 50 seed Shop loyalty points.]
[You now have a total of 106 seed Shop loyalty points.]
Ching!
A small leather pouch filled with onion seeds appeared in Sejun's hand.
[Thank you for using the Seed Shop.]
[You can use Seed Shop Lv. 2 again after 30 days.]
Sejun planted the 500 onion seeds in the remaining field in the cave and started harvesting cherry tomatoes again.
Then,
[The Tower's administrator asks what conversation you had with their grandfather and father..]
For the first time since the Blue Moon, Aileen initiated a conversation.
***
"Kwaah! I slept well!"
Aileen, who had been roaring and working hard during the Blue Moon, slept soundly for a few days due to the aftereffects of the Dragon Heart's rampage and woke up stretching energetically.
"I slept too much. What's that interesting human doing? Summon crystal orb."
To look at Sejun, Aileen summoned her crystal orb.
[You have over 1000 unread notifications.]
[Please manage your notifications.]
"Again, huh?"
The notifications piled up in the crystal orb for days, obstructing Aileen's view.
Aileen quickly scrolled through the notifications. A few of them were in red, but she figured they were notifications from the 67th floor of the tower.
With the notifications cleared and the crystal orb clean, Aileen looked through the farm to find Sejun. The farm had expanded so much that she had to search like this now.
“It has expanded more in just a few days.”
As Aileen was scanning the farm to find Sejun,
"Huh?!"
She saw Cuengi, swinging a branch. The branch was not ordinary, as it shrank and expanded.
"What's that?"
When Aileen asked Cuengi,
[The Crimson Giant Honeybear says it's a corrupt ent's branch that absorbed the energy of the Blue Moon.]
"A Corrupted Ent that absorbed the energy of the Blue Moon?! It's an extremely strong creature. Where did that come from?"
[The Crimson Giant Honeybear proudly says that Daddy gave it.]
"The interesting human?"
It was clear that something had happened while she was asleep.
Aileen asked the Crimson Giant Honeybear mother for more details,
"What? The statue of the fountain moved?!"
"They said they were my grandfather and father?!"
She found out that her grandfather and father had spoken to Sejun through the black dragon statue.
"What did you talk about with my grandfather and father?"
[Tower Farmer Park Sejun says that Aileen's father and grandfather asked him to continue taking good care of Aileen and help manage the tower.]
"They asked him to take good care of me?!"
Aileen was surprised by Sejun's words. They asked him to take care of her?!
"Did I get permission to get married?"
[Tower Farmer Park Sejun vehemently denies it by waving his hand.]
[Tower Farmer Park Sejun quickly corrects his words, saying that asking him to take good care of her meant to continue helping with Aileen's Dragonheart treatment in the future.]
However,
"Khihihi. Then just wait for exactly 300 years."
Aileen didn't look at Sejun's message as she was indulging in her own imagination.
***
When he arrived at the 75th floor of the tower following Theo, Oren remembered what his father had said before he left Granier Village. He mentioned that the entire Black Wolf tribe would stay in the village for about a month to hunt something, starting in 5 days.
'It was due to a request from the Wizard's Association.'
The Black Wolf tribe mercenaries were beings from the 89th floor of the tower. They were stronger wolves than the Silver Wolf tribe on the 85th floor. That's why he suggested to Theo to go to Granier Village.
"Oren thought that hiring just three Black Wolf tribe members would be enough to suppress Theo and the Silver Wolf tribe wolves, and snatch the contract.
'And once I snatch the contract...'
He planned to use the contract nullification potion at home to invalidate the contract.
'When that time comes, Theo, I won't leave you alone!'
While Oren was vowing revenge, Theo and his party arrived at the entrance of the Granier village.
"I will go home first to deliver the news to my father and prepare to welcome Representative Theo."
"Sounds good, meow!"
Upon hearing that Oren would prepare to welcome him, Theo happily agreed.
Grrr.
Elka watched Oren rush home and quietly growled. It seemed Theo hadn't noticed yet, but Oren's schemes were clearly visible to Elka.
Throughout the journey to Granier village, watching Oren glare at Theo, it was more amazing that Theo didn’t notice.
However, Elka stayed silent. In fact, he was thankful if Oren plotted something.
'Then I can get more money for his life.'
Elka, influenced by Sejun and Theo, connected everything to money.
But
"Kyoot Kyoot Kyoot."
Iona hummed as she watched Oren walk away, making Elka a little uneasy.
Then,
"Let's go, meow!"
Theo confidently entered the village. Almost a year after his fleeing from the village at night, it was a homecoming for Theo.
However, seeing a lifeless village, unlike when he left, Theo was puzzled.
"Why is everyone like this, meow?"
The cats looked emaciated as if they had starved for days, and they seemed to lack energy. Most of them responded lukewarmly or not at all to seeing Theo. He couldn't announce his glorious return to the village like this.
"What, meow? Why do the cats lack energy, meow? Intern Jeff, what happened to the Granier village, meow?!"
Theo grabbed Jeff's collar and asked.
"Well... that's... it wasn’t like this when I left..."
From the looks of Jeff and other cats, they seemed to have no idea. Instead, their eyes showed anxiety and worry. It was because of their families.
"Go home and find out what's happening, meow!"
Theo, who had become soft-hearted, sent the interns home.
"Thank you, Representative Theo!"
"If you run away, I will double the contract period, meow!"
"Yes!"
"And take this too, meow."
Theo took out grilled fish from his bag and distributed it to the interns.
"Thank you!"
The cats gratefully and quickly ran home at Theo's consideration.
And then Theo entered his favorite grilled fish shop.
"Welcome...Theo, meow?"
"Boss, it’s been a while, meow. But why is the village like this, meow?"
Theo asked the fish shop owner. Asking the interns to find out what happened was just an excuse. He was a tsundere cat, Theo.
"Recently, frog-like monsters have appeared in Zenka Lake, so we can't even get a glimpse of the fish, meow."
"Frog-like monsters, meow?"
"That's right, meow. So all the village cats are starving now, meow."
According to the grilled fish shop owner, about 70% of the fish that the cats in Granier village eat came from Zenka Lake. But a week ago, the Progs, frog-like monsters, appeared and now no fish can be caught.
"For now, eat this, meow."
Theo had a few instances where he got fish from the grilled fish shop owner when he was out of money. Wishing to repay this kindness, he handed over 50 grilled fish and then stepped outside.
"Let's head to Oren's house first, meow!"
Theo took the remaining party members and headed to Oren's house.
***
"Father!"
"Oren! Why are you so late?!"
Oren's father, Izrael, greeted Oren and asked.
"Well..."
Oren twisted the story of being deceived by Skaram to hide his wrongdoing. He said that he was threatened by Theo, who took all his money and made him sign a contract to work for him for ten thousand days.
"What?! Theo hired Silver Wolf tribe mercenaries to threaten you and make you sign a contract?!"
"Yes. Theo will be here soon. Please ask the Black Wolf tribe to help get the contract back from Theo."
"Alright! Just trust me! Actually, we are hosting Hegel, the chief of the Black Wolf tribe, at our home. If I ask him, he'll help us."
With that, Izrael led Oren to the room where Hegel was staying.
"Fine. I can handle three members of the Silver Wolf tribe alone."
Hegel, who had been indebted during his stay here, willingly agreed to Izrael's request.
Then,
"Oren! Where are you, meow?!"
Theo arrived at Oren's house.
"I have a good idea. If you act after I've taken action, Hegel, you will be able to suppress them more comfortably."
"There's no need for that...but fine."
Hegel was a bit reluctant at Oren's confident words but as Oren was the son of his host, he agreed for the time being.
"Let's go."
"Understood."
Hegel followed Izrael and Oren towards where Theo's party was.
And then,
"Everyone, don't move! Or this hamster dies! Hegel, It's time now!"
As Oren approached Theo, he suddenly grabbed Iona, who was on Elka's head, threatened her with his claw, and shouted at Hegel.
'Hey! You crazy guy!'
Hegel was taken aback to see Oren threatening Iona, the chairman of the Wizard's Association and his employer, with his claw.
*****
TL Notes:
To check the difference between onions and green onions, you can search on Google. They are different: green onions have a slender white base that gradually transitions into long green stalks, while onions develop the large bulb that we are familiar with.
*****
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