Farming In The Tower Alone [EN]: Chapter 12

Suddenly, a sign appeared in front of Sejun, shimmering as if made of light: ‘The Seed Shop is now open!’ Below it, three types of seeds floated into view, each with a label showing its name and price. Sejun noticed a message: ‘You can only buy seeds once at your current rank.’ He looked at the seeds available today: Watermelon, Butternut Squash, and Waxy Corn.

Sejun’s eyes widened at the prices. These seeds were much more expensive than before! He checked his Top Coins – only 0.9 left. ‘Oh no,’ he thought, ‘At these prices, I can only afford the waxy corn. What will I do next time?’

Sejun sighed. How could he get more Top Coins? He knew of three ways hunters usually earned them in the Tower. First, the big reward for finishing a floor – but that was impossible for him right now. Second, selling monster parts. That was the main way for most hunters. Third, quest rewards, which were always a gamble. But for him, stuck in this cave…

Crunch, crunch. The rabbits munched happily on dried piranha bones, left out in the sun. Sejun had even tried one. They were surprisingly good! Crunchy at first, then a deep, rich taste came out as you chewed. It was easy to get hooked on them.

So, after buying the seeds, Sejun tried asking the Tower Administrator for Top Coins as a reward. [The Tower’s administrator says: Top Coins? What are those? But… I might give you something when you are bigger.] Sejun blinked. Bigger? What did that even mean? ‘The Administrator doesn’t know Top Coins? That’s impossible!’ he thought. ‘And ‘when I grow up’? How long would that take?’ He asked aloud, trying to stay calm, ‘How old are you?’ [The Tower’s administrator says: That’s a secret, little sprout.] ‘Little sprout?’ Sejun’s eye twitched. ‘Okay, then how many years until I’m… bigger?’ [The Tower’s administrator says: Oh, maybe… three hundred years?] Sejun stared at the message. ‘Three hundred years?! Are you serious?! So, I’m supposed to write down all the coins I’m owed and tell my great-great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren to collect them?! And it’s not like I’m even thinking about having kids right now!’

Sejun got angry and stormed off, and then ran away again. They disappear when it’s difficult to answer like this. So, Sejun gave up on earning Top Coins here.

‘Hmph. Thinking about it makes me angry again.’

Sejun calmed down his excitement and looked at the seeds in the seed shop again.

The only thing he could buy was corn.

‘Corn isn’t bad either.’

It’s delicious whether steamed or grilled. Plus, you can grind the kernels into flour and make something similar to bread.

‘Tss…’

Just imagining eating steamed corn made Sejun’s mouth water. The taste you know is always scarier.

‘Alright! Waxy corn it is!’

Sejun bought the waxy corn.

[You have purchased 200 waxy corn seeds.]

[0.5 Top Coins have been deducted from Seed Bank Park Sejun’s account.]

[You have earned 5 Seed Shop mileage points.]

[Thank you for using the Seed Shop.]

[You can use Seed Shop Lv. 1 again in 30 days.]

A leather pouch containing 200 waxy corn kernels appeared in Sejun’s hand. As expected, the pouch was the most luxurious.

Sejun opened the luxurious leather pouch and poured it into his hand.

Swish.

The plump-looking waxy corn kernels poured out.

Squeak!

The rabbits saw the glistening waxy corn kernels and ran to the field.

And they began to till the field on top of the field where they had planted the green onion seeds harvested from the green onion flowers in the morning. It was an unspoken pressure to plant quickly.

[The Tower’s administrator is excited.]

[The Tower’s administrator urges you to plant quickly.]

‘I’m going to plant them even if you don’t tell me to.’

They don’t give rewards but ask for a lot. Sejun hated the Tower’s administrator, but they were also the only one he could have a proper conversation with.

Sejun walked to the freshly tilled field, the leather pouch of corn seeds in his hand. He carefully took out the plump, pale yellow kernels. As he pressed the first seed into the soft earth, a message appeared: [You have planted waxy corn seeds.] Another message followed: [Due to Seed Sowing Lv. 2, the seeds are more likely to grow.] And then: [Seed Sowing Lv. 2 skill is improving, just a little.] Sejun smiled. He had planted so many seeds by now, his hands moved quickly and surely. Soon, the small field was full of corn seeds. With a ‘swish’ sound, the father rabbit and child rabbit arrived, each carrying a tiny watering can. They took their places, one rabbit per row, and began to water the newly planted seeds with serious faces. Before the stars filled the cave opening, the corn was planted and watered, ready to grow.

Thanks to that, he was able to go to bed on time without staying up all night.

Peep! Peep! Peep! The black rabbit, small but determined, swung his tiny hammer against the cave wall. Each ‘peep’ was followed by a thud as the hammer hit the stone. The wall didn’t even scratch, but the black rabbit kept going, brow furrowed in concentration. He wanted to be strong, to protect his family. Then, a familiar ‘whirr!’ filled the air. The poison honeybee arrived, buzzing a little louder than usual. ‘Buzz buzz,’ it greeted Sejun, rubbing its fuzzy body against his cheek as he picked ripe cherry tomatoes. ‘Welcome,’ Sejun chuckled softly. The honeybee settled on a nearby flower, its long tongue dipping into the sweet nectar.

Squeak! The wife rabbit rustled dried green onion leaves, coaxing the fire to life. Soon, the smoky smell of cooking fish filled the cave, making Sejun’s stomach rumble. ‘Black Rabbit!’ Sejun called. ‘Squeak!’ The black rabbit zoomed over, hammer held high. ‘Hunting time!’ Sejun announced. ‘Squeak!’ The black rabbit puffed out his chest and raced towards the pond, hammer bouncing. He struck a heroic pose at the water’s edge, urging Sejun to hurry. ‘Alright, alright, I’m coming,’ Sejun chuckled. He held up a flaming torch and waved it over the dark water. *Splash!* A piranha leaped, jaws snapping. *Hop! Peep!* With a practiced swing, the black rabbit’s hammer connected perfectly. The piranha flew through the air and landed with a *thud* on the ground, away from the pond. He even managed to land gracefully himself! Sejun clapped loudly. ‘Well done, Black Rabbit! Perfect landing!’ ‘Squeak!’ The black rabbit beamed, chest puffed even further. Thanks to his hunting skills, they had grilled fish for lunch – and plenty of it. Everyone ate until they could eat no more. The rabbits lay in a furry heap, bellies round. ‘Ah, I’m stuffed,’ Sejun sighed, putting down his last piece of fish. Just then, *drip… drip… drip…* Something wet landed on his hand. ‘What was that?’ Sejun jumped, looking up quickly, ready for anything. ‘Huh?’ He stared at the hole in the cave ceiling. Peering down at him, eyes wide and fixed on the grilled fish, was… a cat. A cat with fur the color of sunshine, and strings of drool hanging from its whiskers.

Squeak! Squeak!’ The rabbits scattered, diving back into the safety of the cave. *Hop! Hop! Squeak!* The black rabbit, now a brave warrior, scrambled onto Sejun’s shoulder, tiny hammer raised, ready to defend. *Whirr!* The poison honeybee, wings buzzing angrily, unsheathed its sharp stinger, pointing it menacingly at the cat. ‘Wait! Wait, everyone, calm down!’ the cat cried, waving its paws frantically. ‘I’m not a… a food thief! I didn’t come to steal your fish!’ It seemed to just notice Sejun and the others, having been completely focused on the smell of grilled fish. ‘Then why are you here?’ Sejun asked, still a bit wary. ‘Are you… by any chance… customer Park Sejun?’ the cat asked, tilting its head. ‘Yeah, I’m Park Sejun. Why?’ With a sudden burst of energy, the cat leaped from the hole, spinning three times in the air before landing perfectly on its paws. ‘Greetings!’ it announced in a loud, clear voice, kneeling on one knee and placing a paw dramatically on its chest. ‘I am Theo, the wandering merchant!’ ‘A wandering merchant?’ Sejun stared, surprised. He’d heard stories of them in the Tower, but a *cat* merchant? ‘Yes!’ Theo said, puffing out his chest. ‘I heard a new face had joined the Seed Shop, so I came to welcome you and offer my wares!’ But as he spoke, Theo’s eyes kept darting back to the grilled fish. The delicious smell seemed to be pulling him closer. ‘Theo! Focus!’ he seemed to scold himself in his head, shaking his head slightly. But then, a loud *grumble* came from his stomach, betraying him. ‘Oh! Oh, excuse me!’ Theo stammered, blushing slightly. ‘Please forgive my rudeness!’ He looked truly embarrassed. ‘It’s okay,’ Sejun said, a smile starting to form. ‘If you’re hungry, we have plenty of leftover fish. Would you like some?’ ‘Oh, no, no, I couldn’t…’ Theo started to refuse, then his stomach rumbled again, louder this time. ‘Well… maybe just one?’ he asked hesitantly. Sejun nodded, and Theo carefully picked up a grilled fish, bringing it to his mouth. *Melt.* It was gone in an instant. ‘Oh… it’s… it’s amazing!’ Theo exclaimed, his eyes wide with delight. And then… his memory seemed to vanish. When he blinked back to awareness, he was surrounded by fish bones. Five grilled fish worth of fish bones. He had eaten them all. The rabbits and the honeybee stared at him with wide, pitying eyes. But Sejun was just grinning. ‘Well then, Theo,’ Sejun said, his eyes twinkling. ‘Shall we talk business? First, about the price of those fish…’

So, Theo, still blushing, agreed to pay 0.5 Top Coins for the fish. He had started his business day by *giving* money, not taking it! ‘I have to sell something!’ Theo thought, trying to regain his merchant pride. He puffed out his chest again and spread out the items from his travel bag with a flourish. ‘Ta-da! Behold! Fresh goods, straight from other floors of the Tower!’ Sejun examined the items. [Tumbler – 5 Top Coins] [Mini Fan – 3 Top Coins] [Portable Hand Warmer – 5 Top Coins] ‘Are these… from outside the Tower?’ Sejun asked, recognizing the strange objects. ‘Exactly!’ Theo beamed. ‘This tumbler is amazing! It has… preservation magic! Put hot drinks in, they stay hot! Cold drinks, they stay cold! Incredible, right?’ ‘And this!’ Theo grabbed a small fan. ‘This mini fan has… wind magic! Just flick this switch, and instant breeze! Perfect for hot days in the Tower!’ Sejun watched Theo’s enthusiastic sales pitch, a thoughtful look on his face. *Is he really this clueless?* Sejun wondered. *Or is he just a really good actor?* But looking into Theo’s bright, honest eyes, Sejun couldn’t see any trickery. Theo truly believed these were magical items. *He’s not just a sucker,* Sejun realized, *he’s a complete innocent.* A slow smile spread across Sejun’s face. *This could be very interesting.* ‘Theo,’ Sejun said, leaning forward slightly, ‘You know… instead of just selling to me… how about we… work together?’ Sejun proposed a partnership, a plan already forming in his mind.