Chapter 18: Acquiring the Beekeeping Skill

TL: Hanguk

Sejun made up his mind.

He would make this place his home!

With that determination, Sejun grilled the remaining piranhas for Theo.

Crackle. Crackle.

Watching the blazing fire, he thought.

‘What do I need to live well?’

He didn’t think of using the tower coins that appeared since he believed he would eventually leave this place. He thought that hunters would come to rescue him if he just waited a little longer.

So, he didn’t increase anything except for the crops and cave family.

However, now that he decided to settle down here, he thought he needed to fix the inconveniences he had experienced one by one and explore the surroundings of the cave.

“Theo, are there any monsters near the cave?”

“There aren’t any nearby!”

As Sejun’s mood brightened, Theo answered cheerfully.

“But there are some farther away!”

“What kind of monsters are they?”

“Crimson Giant Bears.”

“Crimson Giant Bears?”

For some reason, he thought of the red-furred monster that tried to attack the cave during the third Blue Moon.

“It’s a really scary creature. It glares at me every time I pass by.”

Theo said, shivering.

Going out of the cave was still dangerous.

“But the situation will change in about a month.”

Sejun looked at the 732 rapidly growing cherry tomato trees and felt a sense of pride.

Soon, thousands of flowers would bloom on the cherry tomato trees. As more flowers bloom, the queen poison bee will lay more eggs, and the number of poison bees will increase dramatically.

“If that happens...”

If he can the increased number of poison bees patrol around the cave, he might be able to create a safe zone where monsters couldn’t approach.

“And if I have the poison bees lift me using a rope made of green onion leaves...”

Sejun thought of a ways to leave the cave.

Fortunately, the magical cherry tomatoes had broken down the fat, so he didn’t have any belly fat.

“Theo, this time...”

Sejun gave Theo a few instructions before he left for another trade.

“Got it! Just trust me!”

Theo took on the big mission and went down the tower again.

*****

On the 153rd day of being stranded, the morning came again after Theo left yesterday.

“Yawn.”

Sejun yawned as he woke up from his sleep, which was unusual for him. He hadn’t slept well due to his troubled mind.

Squeak!

Chirp!

Cheep!

Peep!

The rabbits came out of the burrow in a line, greeting him in the morning.

“Yeah. Good morning.”

Buzz buzz.

The poison bees also came out of their hive and started their morning routine. The sound of their wings was more energetic than yesterday. Their size was now almost indistinguishable from adult poison bees.

“They’ve grown up.”

The poisonous honeybee truly lived up to the saying that they grew and developed rapidly each day.

Sejun had breakfast with the rabbits and started his daily routine.

Tap. Tap.

As Sejun was harvesting cherry tomatoes as usual,

[You’ve harvested a ripe Magical Cherry Tomato.]

[Your job experience increases very slightly.]

[Harvesting Lv. 2 proficiency increases very slightly.]

[You’ve gained 12 experience points.]

“Is this one a plus grade too?”

Sejun looked at the cherry tomato with different experience points. He had already harvested 5 plus-grade cherry tomatoes today.

[Magical Cherry Tomato]

A cherry tomato grown inside the tower, providing ample nutrients and delicious taste.

Upon consumption, it breaks down 10g of fat in your body, increasing your magic power by 0.1 for 10 minutes.

The effect can be stacked up to 10 times within an hour.

When a non-awakener consumes it, it breaks down 10g of fat and invigorates their body.

Cultivator: Tower Farmer Park Sejun

Expiration Date: 45 days

Grade: E+

The only difference when a + is added to the grade is an extended shelf life.

However, if you think about it differently, the extended shelf life of crops is a significant advantage.

“It can be stored for a longer time.”

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Sejun popped a cherry tomato into his mouth.

Juicy.

The sour and sweet juice filled his mouth.

“Uhm. Good.”

It wasn’t the tasteless flavor he used to experience from store-bought cherry tomatoes. Now realizing the delicious taste of self-grown and harvested cherry tomatoes after 27 years, he couldn’t help but feel regretful.

Peep!

Seeing Sejun eating something by himself, the black rabbit rushed over and pointed at itself with its paw. Me too!

“Alright, let’s take a break for a moment!”

[The Tower’s administrator agrees and scrapes off the remaining juice stuck to the cup and puts it in their mouth.]

Sejun resumed harvesting cherry tomatoes.

***

[You have obtained 1mL of honey from the cherry tomato flower.]

[Beekeeping Lv. 1 proficiency has slightly increased.]

[You have obtained 1mL of honey from the cherry tomato flower.]

[Beekeeping Lv. 1 proficiency has slightly increased.]

...

..

.

A message appeared every time the honeybees put honey into the water bottle that Sejun had stabilized with soil so it wouldn’t fall over.

“You’re doing well.”

Sejun looked at the message with a proud expression.

At that moment,

Buzz buzz.

Five new baby honeybees appeared from the beehive. Perhaps due to the skill effect, the baby honeybees did not take out their stingers even though they were seeing Sejun for the first time.

And then,

Whirr whirr.

Buzz buzz.

The baby honeybees began to suck honey following the adult honeybees. As a result, the honey production increased by about 20mL.

Though only a little bit at a time, the situation in the cave was gradually getting better.

While Sejun was watching the baby honeybees working hard to suck honey,

Squeak!!

Squeal!!

Boing! Boing!

Excited rabbits gathered in the carrot field and called Sejun. The reason for the rabbits to be excited in the carrot field was obvious. It was the carrots.

“Are they already ripe?”

When Sejun went to the carrot field, several carrots seemed ready to be picked as they revealed their orange bodies above the soil. Finally, it was time to harvest the carrots.

Squeak!

Squeal!

Boing!

The rabbits looked at Sejun, blowing out hot breaths. With intense gazes, the rabbits were saying, “We are ready! We’re prepared to eat!”

“Alright.”

With a tug, Sejun grabbed the carrot stem and pulled it upward, and the orange carrot came out smoothly. This time, the carrot was thinner than the one harvested during the Blue Moon. Still, with a thickness of about three fingers, it was an excellent carrot.

[You have harvested the Agility Carrot.]

[Job experience has slightly increased.]

[Harvesting Lv. 2 proficiency has very slightly increased.]

[You have obtained 10 experience points.]

Sejun checked the carrot’s options.

[Agility Carrot]

A carrot grown inside the tower that is delicious due to fully absorbing nutrients.

Upon consumption, it breaks down 10g of fat in the body and increases agility by 0.1 for 10 minutes.

The effect can be stacked up to 10 times within an hour.

When non-awakeners consume it, it breaks down 10g of fat and improves eyesight.

Cultivator: Tower Farmer Park Sejun

Expiration date: 30 days

Grade: E

“Alright.”

Having checked the options, Sejun handed the carrot to the rabbits.

Wiggle wiggle.

The rabbits shook their heads and urged Sejun to eat. They had eaten the Blue Moon infused carrots first, and they seemed to feel sorry for eating this one first as well.

However,

Drip. Drip. Drip.

As they drooled...

“Eat first. I can eat later.”

When Sejun urged them again,

Squeak!

Squeal!

Boing!

The rabbits collectively bowed in gratitude and took the carrots from Sejun’s hand.

Was this really something to bow for?

Sejun hurriedly picked more carrots and handed them out to each rabbit.

Munch munch.

The rabbits started eating the carrots they held in their arms eagerly. The taste of the carrots must have been delightful, as smiles never left the rabbits’ faces.

Sejun, too, watched the happy rabbits, rinsed a carrot in water to remove the dirt, and took a bite.

Crunch.

With a refreshing sound, the unique flavor of carrots spread in his mouth.

And then,

Munch. Munch.

The sweetness that came out with every bite was so delicious.

Boing?

The black rabbit held its carrot and sat next to Sejun, pressing his plump belly against Sejun’s side, as if asking “Is it delicious?”.

“Yes.”

Sejun gave a thumbs-up in response.

On the 153rd day of being stranded, they were able to eat carrots every day.

*****

TL: I’ll try to translate one more, but there’s no guarantee.