Farming in the Tower Alone [EN]: Chapter 30

“Grrr. Grrr. Grrr.”

Eileen hummed, popping ten magic cherry tomatoes into her mouth at once and chewing. These tomatoes were a gift from the human.

Crunch. Smack.

She used to need dozens to taste them, but now that the cherry tomatoes were D-grade, the flavor was richer. She could enjoy it with just ten.

Eileen closed her eyes as she chewed the cherry tomatoes. The sweet and juicy flavor burst in her mouth. ‘Mmm,’ she hummed happily, savoring each bite of the magic fruit.

Thud.

“Huh?!”

Eileen was startled by a vibration in her chest.

“My dragon heart…”

It was faint, a tiny pulse lasting less than a second. But Eileen knew it right away. She had never felt such a pulse in her 200 years.

Eileen’s dragon heart, which had never beaten, moved on its own. It absorbed mana.

It was like a tiny drop of water on very dry ground. The mana went into her heart and disappeared quickly.

But Eileen could feel it. Something had changed in her dragon heart. And it was because of the cherry tomatoes.

To feel it more, Eileen shoved twenty D-grade magic cherry tomatoes into her mouth.

Crunch. Smack. Gulp.

She chewed and swallowed, focusing on her dragon heart.

A moment later,

Thud.

Again, her dragon heart moved briefly, absorbing mana.

The human’s crops… she thought they were just delicious. But they could also heal her dragon heart.

“Huh?! Wait a minute, Eileen thought. It’s been ten years since my last seizure. Shouldn’t I have had another one by now?”

Eileen lived in the Black Tower’s management space. It was filled with mana, much more than anywhere else. So, she got mana just by breathing, even without her heart beating.

But there were limits. About every ten years, Eileen had seizures because she didn’t have enough mana.

And each time, the seizures came a few days sooner.

Yet, it had been ten years and several days since her last seizure, and she hadn’t had one.

“From now on, I will protect the humans! They are not just delicious-food makers. They are special. They can make my heart beat!”

Eileen Fritani, the great Black Dragon, age 200, had finally found something she wanted to protect.

Eileen looked into the crystal ball to see what the human was doing.

“No! He’s using unappraised items again while I’m not there! It’s dangerous! Humans really can’t do without me.”

Eileen woke Sejun, who was napping.

The Tower Administrator’s voice came again. [Please appraise the straw hat first.]

“Umm…”

Sejun woke up because of the Tower Administrator’s message.

[The Tower’s Administrator is angry. Why are you wearing an unappraised item again?]

[Something terrible could happen if you use unappraised items carelessly! Didn’t I tell you that?]

“Huh?! This was an item?”

Sejun put Theo on his lap and took off the straw hat. It was just a simple straw hat, like farmers wear in the fields.

[Farmer’s Straw Hat]

???

Usage Restriction: Lv. 20, Strength 20 or higher, Stamina 20 or higher

Creator: Private

Grade: D

Skill: [Blessing of the Earth Lv. 1]

[Blessing of the Earth Lv. 1]

Bestows a weak Blessing of the Earth upon the entire owned farmland.

The recovery of intelligence is slightly increased.

“Wow.”

It was a slight increase in intelligence, but there was no limit to the size of the farmland.

“It would be a really good item if it weren’t for the usage restrictions…”

Lv. 20 with Strength and Stamina 20 or higher meant he couldn’t use it at level 20.

Sejun was sad. He couldn’t use the straw hat’s skill because of the restrictions.

[Please appraise the straw hat first.]

“Okay. Give me the quest.”

[A quest has been generated.]

[Quest: Send the unappraised straw hat to the Tower Administrator.]

Reward: None.

Refusal: Cannot appraise.

[An additional quest has been generated.]

[Quest: Promise to give the Tower Administrator crops imbued with the energy of the Blue Moon during the next Blue Moon.]

Reward: Appraised straw hat

Refusal: Cannot receive the straw hat.

“Crops imbued with the energy of the Blue Moon?”

[It is absolutely necessary!]

“Okay.”

Sejun agreed. He would harvest more crops in the future. He didn’t need to be stingy.

“Now, appraise it for me.”

The straw hat disappeared from Sejun’s hand.

[The quest has been completed.]

[The Tower Administrator uses the appraisal skill on the Farmer’s Straw Hat.]

[The Tower Administrator is pleased to see the appraised item.]

That was strange. Why was the Tower Administrator so pleased?

[Congratulations! It is an amazing item!]

[Now, promise to give Eileen Fritani crops imbued with the energy of the Blue Moon during the next Blue Moon.]

“Eileen Fritani?”

[I am letting you know my name. Consider it an honor!]

“What’s with the name…”

Sejun said nonchalantly.

[This is a great honor!]

“Yes, it is an honor to know Eileen Fritani’s name.”

Sejun flattered Eileen to get the straw hat quickly.

[I am satisfied.]

[Promise quickly!]

“I, Park Sejun, promise to give Eileen Fritani crops imbued with the energy of the Blue Moon when I harvest them during the next Blue Moon.”

[This is your first promise with me!]

‘First promise?’

The Tower Administrator spoke meaningfully.

Sejun felt something was strange, but focused on the straw hat. It appeared before him.

Thud.

Sejun caught the straw hat as it was about to fall.

[The quest has been completed.]

[As a reward, you have acquired the appraised straw hat – Relic: Saint Patrick’s Straw Hat of the Earth.]

“Relic? Sejun read the word again. Relic! What was a Relic?”

A named item with the word ‘Relic’ attached. It was the first time Sejun had heard of a relic.

Sejun checked the straw hat’s options.

[Relic: Saint Patrick’s Straw Hat of the Earth]

This is the straw hat that Farmer Patrick wore. He was called the Saint of the Earth because he saved many starving people through farming.

It is one of only 10 relics in the Black Tower.

The restrictions on relics are lifted based on the wearer’s job grade.

Usage Restriction: Those with farming-related jobs

Creator: Patrick

Grade: Undetermined

Skill: [Blessing of the Earth Lv. 1]

“There are only 10 in the tower?!”

Sejun was amazed and checked the straw hat’s options.

The level and stat restrictions disappeared. Instead, there was a restriction of ‘those with farming-related jobs.’

As a Tower Farmer, Sejun liked this.

The grade was undetermined. Maybe it changed when worn, based on the wearer’s job grade.

There were no changes to the skill. But new skills might appear when the item’s grade changed.

Sejun put on the straw hat.

[Relic: Saint Patrick’s Straw Hat of the Earth confirms the wearer’s job and grade.]

[Tower Farmer (D) has been confirmed.]

[The grade of Relic: Saint Patrick’s Straw Hat of the Earth increases to D.]

As Sejun thought, the item grade followed the wearer’s job grade.

[The E-grade restriction is lifted.]

[The restriction on Skill – Blessing of the Earth Lv. 2 is lifted.]

[Skill – Farmer’s Physique Lv. 1 is unlocked.]

[The D-grade restriction is lifted.]

[The restriction on Skill – Blessing of the Earth Lv. 3 is lifted.]

[The restriction on Skill – Farmer’s Physique Lv. 2 is lifted.]

[Skill – Invocation of a Bountiful Harvest Lv. 1 is unlocked.]

“Ooh!”

There were only 10 relics in the tower, and the item options were amazing.

Sejun checked Blessing of the Earth and the new skills.

[Blessing of the Earth Lv. 3]

Bestows a slightly stronger Blessing of the Earth upon the entire owned farmland.

The recovery of intelligence is slightly faster.

[Farmer’s Physique Lv. 2]

A farmer’s physique must always be strong.

All stats increase by 3.

[Invocation of a Bountiful Harvest Lv. 1]

With a very low probability, a bountiful harvest will occur on a portion of the owned farmland for one week. (Maximum 100 square feet)

When a bountiful harvest occurs, the yield increases by 50%.

Theo’s paw was golden. This draw was a success!

“Good job! CEO Theo.”

Sejun touched Theo’s paw.

“Mnya… Park Sejun, offer me Churu…”

Theo mumbled in his sleep.

“Alright. I’ll give you as much as you want.”

Sejun opened a Churu and put it to Theo’s mouth.

Smack. Smack. Smack.

“Delicious mnya…”

Theo licked the Churu even while sleeping.

When Theo finished, Sejun got up.

“Want to sleep more mnya…”

Squeak… Grumble…

The little ones were fussy as Sejun got up.

“Hey, get up quickly!”

Work had piled up. Sejun woke Theo, the black rabbit, and the baby bear.

“Give me Churu mnya! I didn’t eat it properly earlier mnya!”

Theo demanded Churu.

“CEO Theo, didn’t you just eat Churu?”

“What are you saying mnya? Are you making fun of me mnya?!”

Theo sounded wronged.

“I clearly ate it in my dream mnya!”

Theo felt wronged. He had eaten it in his dream, but Park Sejun said he ate it in reality.

“Okay, here.”

Sejun opened a new Churu for Theo and went down to the cave for farming.

Theo followed Sejun and took his place. If he stayed on the ground, the baby bear might steal his Churu.

Chomp chomp chomp.

Theo ate the Churu. It wasn’t as good as eating it on Park Sejun’s lap, but Churu was still delicious mnya.

Theo ate and enjoyed a peaceful time.

“Whew. Done.”

Thanks to the Farmer’s Physique skill, all stats increased by 3. Sejun cut down all the Pi Pahar without getting tired and at a fast pace.

Then he went to the cherry tomato field and

Scritch.

He cut the cherry tomato branches and focused on harvesting.

[You have harvested 4 ripe magic cherry tomatoes simultaneously.]

[Job experience slightly increases.]

[Proficiency in Harvesting Lv. 4 slightly increases.]

[Due to the effect of Proficiency Increase Lv. 1, the proficiency of Harvesting Lv. 4 increases by an additional 5%.]

[You have gained 80 experience.]

At that moment,

“Huh?!”

Suddenly, a warm, golden light fell on the cherry tomato field. It felt like sunshine, but brighter and magical.

[Invocation of a Bountiful Harvest Lv. 1 is activated.]

[A bountiful harvest occurs on 30 square feet of the magic cherry tomato field.]

[The yield will increase by 50% for the next week.]

A bountiful harvest had come to Sejun’s cherry tomato field.