Farming in the Tower Alone [EN]: Chapter 421

“Aren’t you going to speak up?! Huh?!”

“Bakejang, I was mistaken, nyaang!”

For the crime of speaking late despite knowing a solution, Theo had his cheeks pinched and stretched by Sejun, a punishment like pulling on sticky candy.

Thanks to that, Sejun experienced both punishment and healing at the same time.

“Vice Chairman Theo, so what is it that you’re drawn to?”

He asked what Theo’s forepaw was drawn to, and

“It’s this, nyaang!”

Theo pointed to his bundle again.

“Yes, I know it’s in the bundle. So what about it is making you feel drawn?”

“Nyaang? Not *inside* it! I like the bundle itself, nyaang!”

“Huh?”

What does that mean?

As Sejun was wondering,

“Try holding this,” Theo said, offering the bundle to Rune.

“Pardon?” Rune was surprised, but he reached out and placed his hand on Theo’s bundle.

···!

The moment Rune touched it, he felt a coolness, like a gentle electric shock, flow through his fingertips. It wasn’t painful, but it woke up his mind, making everything clearer and sharper.

At the same time, something came to mind.

I think I know who I am!

It wasn’t clear enough to explain in words, and everything felt hazy, but Rune was able to understand one thing about his true form.

I had dark brown fur!

Srrr.

“Huh?!”

Sejun noticed that Rune’s blue baboon fur was turning the color of dark brown sugar.

What is it?

I know it’s because of Theo’s bundle… but is it a good thing?

As Sejun watched Rune,

“Thank you so much! Thanks to you, I found out that my original fur color is brown!”

Rune smiled brightly and thanked Sejun and Theo. A wave of relief washed over him. Just knowing this small thing felt like a huge step forward. He seemed genuinely happy just to know his fur color.

However,

“Nyaang…”

Theo was greatly disappointed as he looked at Rune.

Even the person involved is happy, so why?

“I can’t get a paw print, nyaang… My perfect plan! He hasn’t turned back to his *real* form yet, nyaang…”

Because Rune hadn’t returned to his original form.

Our tenacious Vice Chairman Theo still hadn’t given up on his plan to get Rune’s paw print and make him his slave.

As Rune, having thanked them both, took his hand off the bundle,

Srrr.

Rune’s fur instantly turned back to its original color, blue.

Huh?!

Rune knew in his mind that his fur color was brown, but he had a strange experience where his body didn’t.

It was like knowing how to walk but not having legs.

Ah…

Rune was disappointed with a sense of distant loss.

As Theo and Rune were disappointed for different reasons,

What made Rune change?

Sejun carefully examined the description of Theo’s bundle, ‘The Wandering Merchant’s Bundle Traversing Nine Towers’.

The ability to move to other towers wouldn’t matter…

Sejun thought for a moment.

“Then is it the materials?”

He looked at the five materials that went into making Theo’s bundle.

The Great Black Dragon’s Scale, a Branch of the World Tree, Red Bone, the Staff of Disaster, and a Phoenix Tail Feather.

One of these might have been the material that changed Rune’s color just now.

It wouldn’t be the Great Black Dragon’s Scale…

If it were, Kaiser would have given it to him with an arrogant expression.

Red Bone, the Staff of Disaster, and the Phoenix Tail Feather wouldn’t have much to do with finding Rune’s appearance…

“Then is it a Branch of the World Tree?”

“Pardon?! A Branch of the World Tree?! Did you perhaps make this bundle with a Branch of the World Tree?! Do you know where the World Tree is?!”

Rune, excited by Sejun’s mumbling, bombarded him with questions.

Before Rune was captured here, the key ingredient in the potion recipe he developed to return to his original form was a Branch of the World Tree.

The World Tree’s incredible restorative power.

Rune thought it would help him find his appearance.

In fact, the reason his fur color changed when he touched Theo’s bundle a little while ago was thanks to the Branch of the World Tree.

“The World Tree? Of course, I know it. It’s right there.”

Sejun pointed to the grape vine, Podori. Its leaves were a deep green, and bunches of grapes hung heavy and ripe, almost glowing in the dim light.

“Pardon? That’s just a grape vine, though?”

Rune looked at Podori, whom Sejun was pointing at, with a bewildered expression.

“Yes. It’s a grape vine and a World Tree.”

“…Pardon?!”

Rune was shocked by Sejun’s words.

The 10-volume encyclopedia of the World Tree that he had read clearly stated that growing a World Tree was incredibly difficult.

World Trees were sensitive, requiring attention to the soil, water, air, and even sunlight, and their personalities were also very picky.

So, obtaining fruit from them was unimaginable…

But the grape vine in front of him… had so many luscious grapes hanging from it.

It’s just growing well?

It didn’t seem picky at all.

Originally, the personalities of World Trees were more picky than what was written in books.

Podori also wanted to be picky with Sejun, but with Bulkkot watching with fierce eyes, he couldn’t even imagine being annoyed.

And Bulssak, who had grown up under Bulkkot’s care since he was young, grew into a World Tree who didn’t know what complaining was at all.

Of course, Sausage was also scheduled to grow up like that soon.

As Rune was confused by the disconnect between the World Tree he had learned about in books and the World Tree in reality,

“I’ll just take a few branches.”

[Yes! Of course!]

Sejun approached Podori and cut off a few branches.

And

The World Tree gives its branches that easily?!

Rune was shocked again when he saw that.

In the World Tree Encyclopedia, the part about obtaining a Branch of the World Tree alone took up almost three volumes.

The book clearly stated that in order to obtain a Branch of the World Tree, you had to befriend the World Tree by matching its mood for about 10 years,

And after putting in effort for about 20 years, you would have a chance to obtain one branch…

But Sejun cut off the World Tree’s branches so easily. Five of them, at that.

One of two things.

Either the book was wrong, or Sejun in front of him was incredibly close to the World Tree.

Of course, the book couldn’t be wrong. The World Tree Encyclopedia was written by the great sage Wikiss.

Then the remaining conclusion is one.

Mr. Sejun has been building a friendship with the World Tree for hundreds of years.

As Rune looked at Sejun with respect,

“Podori, thank you.”

[Yes! Goodbye!]

Sejun, having cut off five branches of Podori in the meantime, thanked Podori and returned.

However, Rune’s eyes, which had been looking at Sejun with respect, turned sour when he heard the name of the World Tree.

Did he just name the World Tree ‘Podori’ because it’s a grape vine?!

Because of Sejun’s naming skills.

At this time, Rune couldn’t even imagine that he would be the next victim.

“Here. Hold it.”

Sejun handed Podori’s branch to Rune, and

“Yes.”

Rune carefully grabbed the branch.

Then,

···!!!

This time, an electrifying coolness, so intense that his fingertips tingled, flowed in from the Branch of the World Tree.

The power of the Branch of the World Tree, which had lost much of its properties as it became a material for the bundle, was worlds apart from the freshly cut Branch of the World Tree.

A clear image of Rune’s true form was drawn in his mind, and

Twitch.

Rune’s body began to shrink, his blue fur fading to a warm brown, and his limbs reshaping into the small paws of a hamster. Rune transformed into a brown hamster the size of a palm.

Rune was originally from the Hamster race, the same race as Iona.

“How could this be…?”

He had transformed thousands of times, but he couldn’t find his original form…

As Rune held the Branch of the World Tree tightly in his right hand and touched his body with his left hand, he was overcome with emotion,

“Puhuhut. As expected, Chairman Park is great, nyaang!”

There was one more being here who was moved.

I can’t miss the opportunity Chairman Park gave me, nyaang!

Theo hurriedly took out the contract.

“Mr. Sejun, thank you! Thanks to you, I found my appearance! I won’t forget this favor! I will serve Mr. Sejun for the rest of my life!”

“Puhuhut. Then put your paw print on it, nyaang!”

Stamp.

He got Rune’s paw print, who was greeting Sejun.

I did it, nyaang!

Theo looked at the contract with a rewarding look.

[You have one slave.]

[Due to the effect of >Title: King of Slaves>, all stats increase by 0.01.]

Thanks to that, Sejun’s stats also increased.

A little later,

“Puhuhut. What is Rune good at, nyaang?! Quick, tell me! Nyaang!”

Theo asked Rune, who was standing in front of Sejun.

“I’m good at stealing, escaping, and infiltrating!”

Rune answered Theo’s question diligently, holding the Branch of the World Tree tightly with both hands, like an applicant taking an entrance exam.

Rune thought that he had to prove his worth here in order to continue holding the Branch of the World Tree.

Of course, Sejun had no intention of doing that at all, but for Rune, who had lived a harsh world alone, that was natural.

Rune’s answer was worthy of a master thief.

······

No one showed any interest in Rune’s answer.

This is a disaster!

“I know a lot about transformation magic and can write in 100 different handwriting styles! And I can also make simple magic equipment!”

Rune, feeling desperate, hurriedly started blurting out everything he could do, hoping that something would catch their attention.

And

“Oh. You can also make magic equipment?”

“Yes! I made these too!”

When Sejun showed interest in magic equipment, Rune hurriedly took out the equipment he had made from his vest and showed it to him.

However,

“Is this all you have?”

None of the magic equipment Rune made caught Sejun’s attention. Most of them were equipment for escaping secret rooms.

“Can’t you make equipment that can use really strong recovery magic, or really strong defense magic, or withstand really strong energy around you?”

If I knew how to make that, I wouldn’t have been caught by Mr. Sejun!

“I’m lacking in magic skills…”

Rune swallowed the thoughts that were rising to his throat and gave a rational answer.

“Well, it’s okay. You can improve your magic skills from now on. Iona will kindly teach you well.”

Sejun was thinking of sending Rune to Iona.

“Pardon? Are you perhaps talking about Iona, the president of the Magic Association, Ms. Iona?”

“Yeah. That’s right.”

I don’t think I’ll be okay…

As Rune was suddenly flustered by the fact that he would be learning magic from Iona,

“Okay. Now, there’s a really important thing left. Everyone, listen carefully.”

Sejun opened his mouth with a serious expression.

“Tell me, nyaang!”

Kkweang!

[I’ll listen carefully!]

Kkihihit. Kking! Kking!

[Hehe. Good judgment! Wise Blackie will judge… yo!]

Blackie had been quiet during the naming discussion, but now his eyes widened, and he looked almost angry. Blackie, who had forgotten that Theo and Kkweang were there, spoke arrogantly, then quickly added ‘yo’ at the end, noticing their gazes.

As everyone’s attention was focused on Sejun,

“Rune has also found his original form, so shouldn’t we give him a name that suits that form? I’ve decided on a few names, so tell me which one is good.”

Sejun got to the point. Rune was the name of a criminal. Now that he had found a new appearance, he needed a new name.

That’s how Sejun’s naming agency opened.

“Black Snow, Black Sugar, Black Ham, Blackster, choose one of these.”

Sejun created four names inspired by the brown sugar hamster.

“Puhuhut. What does Chairman Park like, nyaang?”

“I actually like Blackster.”

“Puhuhut. Then I also vote for Blackster, nyaang!”

Theo hurriedly raised his forepaw and shouted in response to Sejun’s answer. Of course. Sejun was the best namer in the Black Tower that Theo knew.

“Um… I think the name Rune is okay too…”

Rune hurriedly voiced his opinion, but

Kkweang!

[Then Kkweang also votes for Blackster, yo!]

It was buried by Kkweang’s shout. Of course, the best namer Kkweang knew was also Sejun.

“Okay. It’s more than a majority. Blackster is the winner! Blackster, let’s do well in the future.”

Sejun held out his pinky finger to Blackster, and

“…Yes…”

Blackster, whose name had been changed from Rune, grabbed Sejun’s pinky finger with both hands with a dark expression.

At the same time, he looked at Blackie and asked for help.

Please say something.

Judging by the fact that he didn’t use his vote, he thought that Blackie agreed with him that Sejun’s naming skills were terrible.

However,

Thump! Thump!

Kking! Kking!

[Blackster, I can’t forgive you! It’s cooler than my name, Blackie!]

Blackie was in front