Chapter 48: Obtaining the Cooking Skill

Chapter 48: Obtaining the Cooking Skill

[Farmer: Top Farmer Park Sejun]

When Theo became a mid-level wandering merchant, the information of the farmer who cultivated the D-grade magic cherry tomatoes was displayed.

"Who is Top Farmer Park Sejun?"

"His name sounds Korean?"

"More importantly, there was a job called Top Farmer?"

People from various countries, sent by hunters and tycoons, started heading to Korea to gather information about Sejun.

In the office of the Korean Awakened Association, the room was empty except for a desk and a table, and it was as cold as a freezer.

At the head of the table, a muscular old man in his 60s with white hair sat bare-chested, his bare feet on a 1-meter thick ice slab, glaring at a man.

Squeak.

His feet were so hot that the ice was melting in this cold place.

"Dongsik, I won't beat around the bush. Tell me everything you know."

Association President Han Taejun said to his youngest disciple, the leader of Phoenix Guild's 5th team, Kim Dongsik.

"Master, what do you mean?"

Kim Dongsik, wearing a thick padded jacket, exhaled a white breath and asked.

"I heard you visited Park Sejun's house twice."

"Oh, that was..."

"Have you ever met Park Sejun?"

Han Taejun asked with a serious expression.

"No, I haven't. I only met him through Theo, the wandering merchant cat..."

Kim Dongsik explained in detail to Han Taejun what he knew, not hiding anything.

If he did, he would end up almost dead at Han Taejun's hands. At 40, he couldn't afford to be beaten like that.

Although his master Han Taejun was now retired due to the curse of fire and had to keep his body cold, he was an incredible monster who had unofficially reached the 52nd floor of the tower.

When Sejun said he had reached the 40th floor, Kim Dongsik believed Theo easily because he had already seen his master, Han Taejun, the unparalleled genius.

"That's what happened. Good. Dongsik, protect Park Sejun's family."

Association President Han Taejun wanted to prevent the possibility of the magic cherry tomato producer, who was receiving global attention, leaving the country due to family issues.

"Huh?"

"Why? What? You already know him, so it's not a problem, right? Any complaints?"

"No... No."

He had some, but he couldn't say them.

"Don't worry. I'll have your senior disciples take turns."

Thus, by Han Taejun's unilateral decision, Kim Dongsik was assigned to protect Sejun's family.

***

Kwaang-!

Fortunately, since the Blue Moon appeared, Eileen, as promised, came out to protect the fields on the ground.

"Thank goodness."

Sejun, watching Eileen flying in the sky under the Blue Moon, felt relieved and looked at the crops.

After some time,

Sss.

A green aura began to form over the cherry tomato, potato, and sweet potato fields.

"Huh?!"

Then he remembered. It was time to harvest the sweet potatoes.

"My goodness! How could I forget the sweet potatoes!"

Sejun blamed himself for his forgetfulness and checked the crops with the Blue Moon's aura.

13 cherry tomatoes, 3 potatoes, and 7 sweet potatoes had the Blue Moon's aura.

Sejun quickly memorized the locations of the crops before the aura fully settled.

When the green aura completely seeped into the crops, he started harvesting the potatoes and sweet potatoes, which were hidden in the ground and not visible.

"Was it here?"

Sejun went to the location he had memorized and pulled the potato stem.

Thud.

Among the potatoes hanging from the stem, one green potato was visible.

He pulled two more potato stems and obtained 3 power potatoes with the Blue Moon's aura. Then he hurried to the sweet potato field.

And

Thud.

He dug up 7 power sweet potatoes with the Blue Moon's aura.

Finally, while harvesting the magic cherry tomatoes with the Blue Moon's aura,

[The tower's manager is proud of seeing your performance.]

"Of course, I saw it. Now, quickly create a quest and take these."

Sejun offered 5 green cherry tomatoes, 1 potato, and 1 sweet potato. Eileen hadn't even asked, but he wanted her to actively block the Blue Moon in the future.

And

[The tower's manager thanks you.]

[The tower's manager loudly claims that the Blue Moon will be his responsibility from now on.]

Eileen didn't disappoint Sejun's expectations.

[The tower's manager shyly asks for the potatoes and sweet potatoes to be cooked.]

Eileen, feeling embarrassed about making additional requests, spoke cautiously.

"I'll do it."

Sejun, having experienced Eileen's disaster-level cooking skills, agreed without hesitation. He wondered if it could even be called cooking, but he didn't want to see Eileen's sad message if she burned the potatoes and sweet potatoes.

He was going to make boiled potatoes and roasted sweet potatoes anyway, so it wasn't much work.

While the boiled potatoes and roasted sweet potatoes were being prepared, Sejun examined the options of a magic cherry tomato with the Blue Moon's aura.

[Cherry Tomato with the Blue Moon's Aura]

A cherry tomato grown inside the tower, rich in nutrients and delicious.

The taste is enhanced by the Blue Moon's aura.

Cultivated by an experienced farmer, the taste and efficiency are improved.

When consumed, magic power permanently increases by 0.3.

Cultivator: Top Farmer Park Sejun

Expiry Date: 120 days

Grade: C

"Magic power increases by 0.3."

Until now, the stat increase between the Blue Moon's aura crops and regular crops was consistently double, but from C-grade onwards, the efficiency of the Blue Moon's aura crops was better, making the difference less than double.

"I should eat 4 first."

He needed to prepare to eat the core of the giant electric eel by increasing his magic power to over 10, even though he didn't need to eat them immediately to gather food outside the pond.

Sejun put a cherry tomato in his mouth and chewed.

Crunch.

Squish!

The juicy, sweet and sour juice burst out as the smooth skin split. The C-grade cherry tomato with the Blue Moon's aura had a richer taste.

"Mmm. Delicious."

[Cherry Tomato with the Blue Moon's Aura consumed.]

[Magic power permanently increased by 0.3.]

Before the taste faded, Sejun put another green cherry tomato in his mouth.

Crunch.

[Cherry Tomato with the Blue Moon's Aura consumed.]

[Magic power permanently increased by 0.3.]

After eating 4 green cherry tomatoes, Sejun finally increased his magic power to over 10, precisely 10.25.

When the boiled potatoes and roasted sweet potatoes were ready, Sejun sent 5 cherry tomatoes, 1 boiled potato, and 1 roasted sweet potato to Eileen to complete the quest.

Then, Sejun peeled the green skin of the boiled potato.

"Huff. Huff."

Sejun blew to cool the potato quickly. He planned to eat all the potatoes with the Blue Moon's aura and destroy the evidence while no one was around.

"I wish I had sugar."

Although eating the potato with salt was good, he missed sugar even more.

At that moment,

"Ah!"

He remembered he didn't have sugar, but he had something better. Organic honey collected by bees from the cherry tomato flowers he had grown.

Sejun quickly brought a glass jar of honey, opened the lid, and poured it into a bowl.

Glug. Glug.

Unlike when he gave honey to Gweongi, the jar tilted smoothly.

And

Plop.

Sejun dipped the boiled potato deeply into the bowl of honey and put it in his mouth. The honey-coated potato entered his mouth.

"Hmm. Ahh."

Sejun blew to cool the hot potato and chewed. As he chewed, the honey, which had turned liquid due to the heat, seeped into the fluffy potato, creating a harmonious taste.

Swallow.

"..."

No other words were needed. This was the perfect combination.

[Power Potato with the Blue Moon's Aura consumed.]

[Magic power permanently increased by 0.3.]

When he finished eating the boiled potato,

[You have achieved the achievement of recreating the forgotten dish, Honey Potato.]

"Is this a forgotten dish?"

Just dipping the boiled potato in honey?

***

Eileen ate the 5 magic cherry tomatoes with the Blue Moon's aura at once.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

She focused on her slow, weak, but steady dragon heart. This time, her body had adapted, and she didn't faint.

"Thump. Thump. Thump."

Eileen felt the beating of her dragon heart and swallowed the boiled potato and roasted sweet potato in order.

"Aww."

The potato and sweet potato disappeared quickly. As she savored the taste, she felt a bit disappointed.

"Huh?"

Beyond the crystal ball, the clever human dipped the boiled potato in something.

And

[You have achieved the achievement of recreating the forgotten dish, Honey Potato.]

Eileen nodded. To recreate a delicious dish... indeed, he was a clever human.

"Since you did something clever, I should reward you."

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

Eileen's heart beat stronger. This time, it was a different heartbeat, not her dragon heart.

"Clever human, accept the quest!"

Eileen, blinded by the honey potato, didn't notice.

***

[The tower's manager nods at your excellent achievement.]

[A quest has been issued.]

[Quest: Treat the tower's manager with Honey Potato.]

Reward: 1 job skill

Refusal: If you refuse, I'll be disappointed, but I won't show it!

"What?"

If you refuse, I'll be disappointed, but I won't show it? Then why even offer the quest...

"Can I just make it with regular potatoes?"

There was no reason to refuse since he was getting a skill after a long time, and it wasn't difficult.

[The tower's manager nods vigorously, acknowledging his own shame.]

Sejun peeled the boiled potatoes in the pot and put 5 of them in the bowl of honey.

"Here."

The bowl in Sejun's hand disappeared completely.

And

[Quest completed.]

[As a reward for completing the quest, you have obtained a special job skill - Cooking Lv. 1.]

He obtained a new skill.

"Cooking?"

[A recipe for Honey Potato is registered in the special job skill - Cooking Lv. 1.]

"Recipe?"

Sejun checked the cooking skill.

[Special job skill - Cooking Lv. 1]

- The taste and effects of dishes made with ingredients from the tower are slightly improved.

- Registered recipes: 1

"Slightly improved?"

Sejun peeled the green skin of the boiled potato and dipped it in honey again.

[Honey Potato with the Blue Moon's Aura completed.]

[The proficiency of Cooking Lv. 1 has slightly increased.]

[The taste and effects of Honey Potato with the Blue Moon's Aura are slightly improved due to Cooking Lv. 1.]

[Honey Potato with the Blue Moon's Aura]

A power potato with the Blue Moon's aura, boiled and coated with honey.

The taste is sweet and smooth due to the harmony of the boiled potato and honey.

The taste is slightly improved.

When consumed, strength permanently increases by 0.3. (The increase in magic power is too small to be displayed due to Cooking Lv. 1.)

Cook: Top Farmer Park Sejun

Expiry Date: 1 day

Grade: C

"I can't make it in advance and eat it later."

The expiry date was one day, and the increase in strength was almost unchanged. Sejun decided to be satisfied with the improved taste.

"Should I try it?"

Sejun put the completed Honey Potato in his mouth.

And

Swallow.

He buried the green potato skin in the cherry tomato field, completely erasing the evidence of eating the power potato with the Blue Moon's aura.

Day 212 of the ordeal. Sejun's 8th Blue Moon passed very peacefully.