Farming in the Tower Alone [EN]: Chapter 62

“Stamp it!” Theo insisted, tapping the contract with his paw. “Nyaa!”

“Ho ho. How can you just thrust a blank contract at me like that?” Han Tae-jun asked with amusement.

“Hey, human! I said I’d repay my debt, nyaa. So, you have to stamp it, nyaa!” Theo insisted, his eyes gleaming.

Theo was clearly being stubborn, but he was also strangely convincing.

“Then let’s do this,” Han Tae-jun proposed, a smile playing on his lips.

“What, nyaa?” Theo tilted his head, curious.

“I’ll grant you three favors,” Han Tae-jun declared.

“Three favors, nyaa?” Theo repeated, considering the offer.

Theo quickly scribbled Han Tae-jun’s words onto the contract.

-The second party will grant the first party 5 favors.

[First Party: Theo]

[Second Party: Han Tae-jun]

“Now stamp it, nyaa!” Theo demanded.

Theo wrote a ‘5’ that looked suspiciously like a ‘3’.

However, Han Tae-jun chuckled, “Hoh ho ho. This won’t do, will it?”

His opponent was the Chairman of the Awakened Association, who signed dozens of documents a day. Changing a 3 to a 5 was too obvious to fool him. Han Tae-jun amended the contract Theo had written.

-The second party will grant the first party 3 favors.

-The first party cannot ask the second party for unreasonable favors.

-The second party can refuse the first party’s favors 3 times.

“Good, nyaa!” Theo said.

Theo had to hurry to the 99th floor of the tower, so he decided to end the contract there. The contract with Han Tae-jun wasn’t originally planned anyway. Even if he gave in a little, it was okay.

Stamp.

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

“Ho ho ho,” Han Tae-jun chuckled, receiving the contract. Theo had changed the 3 back to a 5 in the meantime.

‘Such a cheeky cat,’ Han Tae-jun thought.

But he didn’t feel bad at all. When he looked at Theo, he felt like spoiling him.

Han Tae-jun was increasingly falling for Theo’s charm. Despite his powerful appearance, he had a weakness for cute things.

‘This must be fate,’ he mused.

Stamp.

Han Tae-jun stamped the contract without amending it.

“Good, nyaa! Now grant me my favor, nyaa!” Theo exclaimed.

“Already?” Han Tae-jun raised an eyebrow.

“That’s right, nyaa!” Theo confirmed.

“What is it?” Han Tae-jun asked, curious.

“There are some humans on the 38th floor of the tower… not very good ones. They have a contract with *me*! Make them as strong as you, old human, nyaa!” Theo demanded.

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

“Of course. I am quite competent. Alright,” Han Tae-jun readily agreed, pleased with Theo’s recognition.

“These are them, nyaa.” Theo handed over the contract with the names of the five hunters written on it.

“Jang Lin?” Han Tae-jun found a familiar name on the contract. It was a name he had heard while working as the Chairman of the Awakened Association.

‘Could it be the Black Wolf Gang if there are five of them?’ he wondered.

The Black Wolf Gang, led by Jang Lin, was a gang of thieves who stole money from hunters, and they were being closely watched because there was no evidence yet.

“What about these guys?” Han Tae-jun inquired.

“They’re attacking me and repaying their debt for my life, nyaa!” Theo explained.

“Alright. Leave it to me. I’ll make them competent humans,” Han Tae-jun assured.

“Okay. Then see you later, nyaa!” Theo said goodbye to Han Tae-jun and hurried up to the 99th floor of the tower.

After Theo left, Han Tae-jun went to find his first disciple.

“Si-hyuk, let’s go to the 38th floor of the tower,” Han Tae-jun said.

“Yes?” Si-hyuk responded.

“Ho ho ho. There are some fellows who need to be led down the right path,” Han Tae-jun chuckled.

That’s how the fate of the Black Wolf Gang was decided.

While Theo hurried to the 99th floor, far below him on a lower level, Se-jun was enjoying a peaceful afternoon.

“Ah, I’m full,” Se-jun sighed contentedly, patting his stomach. The Red Locust soup had been delicious. Around him, the other animals mirrored his satisfaction.

Krooong!

In particular, the mother Crimson Giant Bear was satisfied with the fullness of her belly after a long time and went out on patrol to digest.

“We’ll go down now,” Se-jun said.

The silver wolves moved the blade leaves and the remaining Red Locust soup into a small pot, loaded it onto a cart, and went down the tower.

“Let’s start with the dishes,” Se-jun said.

Scritch scritch.

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

After the animals ate one or two more bowls each, there wasn’t much soup left.

“Aileen will be sulky if this happens…” Se-jun muttered.

“Ah!” A new dish for Aileen came to mind.

That’s why he gave the remaining soup to the wolves and started making new soup.

Fortunately, there was a lot of Red Locust meat that the wolves had prepared, so all he had to do was add the ingredients and boil it.

“Now I need to drink coffee,” Se-jun said.

Se-jun, who had made new Red Locust soup, brewed coffee to drink while resting and went outside.

Ppyak…

Kkueng…

The black rabbit and Kkueng came to Se-jun to take a nap.

Ppyarorong.

Kkurorong.

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

“Making dark clouds,” Se-jun murmured.

Se-jun put his head on Kkueng’s fluffy belly and made shade with dark clouds. These days, his skill wasn’t improving by just moving the dark clouds, so he was trying something else.

Se-jun thought about creating a new dark cloud on top of Kkueng’s head by separating a part of the dark cloud.

Billow billow.

The black smoke from the main dark cloud created a new dark cloud, scattered, and merged back into the main body.

“It’s still not working,” Se-jun sighed.

While Se-jun was trying to separate the dark clouds,

[The proficiency of >Making Dark Clouds> slightly increases.]

The skill proficiency increased little by little. Even though he failed to separate the dark clouds, it wasn’t difficult because the proficiency increased rapidly.

At that time,

[The administrator of the tower says they want to try the soup made with Red Locust too.]

[The administrator of the tower asks where their soup is.]

[The administrator of the tower hastily wipes the saliva from their mouth.]

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

“That’s… I’m still boiling it?” Se-jun responded.

[The administrator of the tower says that they woke up the mother bear and Uma King to help, but it’s too much.]

[The administrator of the tower is upset, saying how could you do this to them.]

[The administrator of the tower is sad that you are treating them coldly.]

“That’s not it! Aileen, I was making soup just for you,” Se-jun explained.

[……]

Aileen had been strangely quiet lately, her responses becoming less frequent.

Se-jun played with the dark clouds throughout his break time and started his afternoon work.

There was nothing special about the afternoon work either. Harvesting cherry tomatoes, cutting green onion leaves, and dividing green onions to plant. But the field had become wider, so the afternoon was all gone with just that.

While Se-jun was working, the soup was completed.

“Shall we take a look?” Se-jun wondered.

When Se-jun opened the lid,

[You have achieved the achievement of creating the first combat ration – Red Locust Cherry Tomato Soup in the tower.]

[The recipe for combat ration – Red Locust Cherry Tomato Soup is registered in Cooking Lv. 3.]

[The proficiency of Cooking Lv. 3 greatly increases.]

“As expected…” Se-jun smiled as he checked the options for the dish.

Instead of potatoes, he added cherry tomatoes for Aileen, who prefers magic cherry tomatoes, and as expected, magic power increased instead of strength.

“Aileen, take the soup,” Se-jun called out.

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

[Tower Farmer Park Se-jun says he is making soup just for Aileen.]

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

“Soup just for me?” she repeated, pondering Se-jun’s words.

“Khee hee hee! What~! This commendable human~” Aileen giggled.

“Khee hee. There’s nothing he can’t say!”

“Khee hee…”

Aileen couldn’t talk to Se-jun for a long time because of the silly laughter that kept coming out.

When Aileen calmed down,

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

“The commendable human has completed my soup!” Aileen exclaimed.

Thud.

Aileen hurriedly took out her huge rice bowl and gave Se-jun a quest. The rice bowl was almost the size of a kiddie pool.

A moment later, Aileen’s rice bowl was filled with red soup. Se-jun gave Aileen all the soup in three large pots for Aileen’s proper serving.

“Wow!” Aileen exclaimed.

The scent of cherry tomatoes coming in through her nose stimulated Aileen’s appetite.

Slurp.

Aileen held up her rice bowl and drank the soup.

Gulp. Gulp.

“Kraaah! It’s delicious, but… it’s hot,” Aileen exclaimed.

“Khee hee hee. Such a hot human,” Aileen giggled.

Aileen’s mood improved again when she thought that the heat of the soup was Se-jun’s heart thinking of her contained in the soup.

When Aileen put down her rice bowl after finishing the soup in one shot,

[You have consumed the proper amount of combat ration – Red Locust Cherry Tomato Soup.]

[Magic power increases by 7.1 for 30 minutes.]

[Fullness is maintained for 3 hours.]

Magic power greatly increased.

“Commendable human…” Aileen murmured, impressed by Se-jun’s cooking.

Thud. Thump. Thud. Thump.

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

Ba-dump! Ba-dump!

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

“I should give the commendable human a reward,” Aileen decided.

Aileen, who was in a good mood, decided to give Se-jun a new reward. With her accumulated magic power and Se-jun’s contribution, she thought she could give a decent reward. Of course, Se-jun’s contribution was overwhelmingly large.

Ppyak?!

Kkueng?!

The black rabbit and Kkueng protested to Se-jun, looking at the empty pot. What about our soup?!

The scent of the soup spread everywhere, so the black rabbit and Kkueng, 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,” Se-jun promised.

Ppyak!

Kkueng!

When Se-jun was promising to the black rabbit and Kkueng, even hooking his little finger to appease them,

[A quest has occurred.]

[Quest: Serve Aileen dried sweet potatoes.]

Reward: 1 talent blossoms.

Rejection: Hmph! It’s only a loss for you if you refuse!

“No…” Se-jun started to say, about to get angry at Aileen for asking for dried sweet potatoes when he was already troubled because of the soup.

“Huh?” Se-jun rubbed his eyes and checked the reward for the quest.

“1 talent blossoms? Here it is! Lady Aileen!” Se-jun’s attitude changed in an instant.

The blossoming of talent is really difficult. To give such a talent blossoming as a reward!

Se-jun offered a whole basket full of dried sweet potatoes.

[The quest has been completed.]

[As a quest completion reward, 1 talent will be blossomed]

[Talent: Landlord awakens.]

“Landlord?” Se-jun looked at the newly blossomed talent.

[Talent: Landlord]

-This is an acquired talent that only farmers with large farms can have.

-You can designate up to 30 tenant farmers.

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

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

“1% of the reward?” Se-jun wondered. The explanation was ambiguous.

“I can just try it out in times like this,” Se-jun decided.

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

[Two tenant farmers have been designated.]

“Black rabbit, Kkueng, go and pick cherry tomatoes,” Se-jun instructed.

Ppyak!

Kkueng!

At Se-jun’s instruction, the black rabbit and Kkueng ran off to pick cherry tomatoes.

After a while,

[The tenant farmer has harvested 5 cherry tomatoes using Harvest Lv. 4.]

[The landlord receives 1% of the reward.]

[The landlord’s job experience slightly increases.]

[The proficiency of the landlord’s Harvest Lv. 4 slightly increases.]

[The landlord’s experience increases by 1.5.]

Messages began to appear as the black rabbit and Kkueng harvested cherry tomatoes.

“Ah,” Se-jun realized.

Seeing the message, Se-jun could understand what the 1% reward was.

“It’s 1% of what I get when I use the skill directly,” Se-jun said.

This way, even when the field becomes wider and he can’t harvest directly, he can get a little bit of job experience through rewards.

It won’t be of much help now, but it was a talent that would be of great help later when the land becomes wider.

‘The talent grows as the farm gets bigger, right?’ Se-jun thought.

It’s a battle of numbers now! Determined, Se-jun planted cherry tomato seeds until the first light of dawn touched the horizon.

But the next dawn, crunch. Crunch.

The small twig scouts bypassed to the east and trampled on the cherry tomato field where Se-jun had planted the seeds, attacking again.