Chapter 65. Making Peace.

Chapter 65. Making Peace.

55th Floor of the Tower.

Where the palace of the former kingdom of rabbits, Red Ribbon, once stood, a massive mansion now stood in its place.

Inside the room where the mansion's owner resided.

In a room adorned with all sorts of expensive items, a giant wild boar was seated.

"Have you still not found my straw hat?"

"No, I'm sorry. We haven't heard from the Silver Wolves we entrusted the task to yet."

The wild boar's subordinate answered Grid, the landlord.

"Never mind. It can be found slowly."

Patrick, the Saint of the Earth, had a powerful sealing magic on his straw hat, so it would be impossible to identify the straw hat with ordinary detection magic.

"There's something more important now. The food supplies are well-stocked, right?"

"Yes. Since receiving your instructions, no food has left the premises."

"Kukukuk. Finally, after 100 years, the opportunity has come again."

After 100 years, the Red Locusts have reappeared in the tower. Grid believed this event would be an opportunity for another leap, just like when he obtained the 55th floor of the tower 100 years ago.

So he deliberately blocked the supply of food to drive up prices and waited for chaos to ensue in the tower.

***

The apple seed sent its roots deeper and deeper to survive the intense heat. It felt a cold current from below and followed it, eventually reaching the 99th floor of the tower where groundwater flowed.

The apple tree, having absorbed enough water to withstand the heat, waited for the day it would receive sunlight and sprout new buds.

One day.

[...?!]

As the apple tree began to absorb heat, it gained consciousness.

And

[Master! There's a flame here!]

Flame, the apple tree that had absorbed fire and awakened its flame attribute, called out to Sejun, who had planted it. However, Sejun couldn't hear Flame's cries.

[Flame won't give up!!!]

Thinking of the day it would see light, Flame continued to grow its roots without giving up, and soon the apple tree's roots had grown so large that even the fallen ents coveted them.

Currently, Flame's roots are restrained to avoid damaging Sejun's crops. The sprout Sejun sees is just a tiny part of the massive apple tree.

***

The apple seed that Sejun received from a colleague and ate on the second day of the disaster. After planting the seed, he had completely forgotten about it due to the rapid growth of the giant leaves and other crops.

[Wow! It's light!]

Seeing the sprout of the apple tree marveling at the light, Sejun felt very guilty. Moreover, he had even committed the atrocity of lighting a fire above the seed.

'What have I done to this cute sprout?'

"Is there anything you need?"

Wanting to do something for it, Sejun asked the sprout.

[No! What Flame needed most was Master and light, and now I have both!]

"Ugh. This little guy..."

The sprout's charming words moved Sejun.

"But your name is Flame?"

[Yes! My name is Flame! I'm so happy that Master called my name!!!]

"Flame?"

It was a name that didn't fit the apple tree at all.

At that moment,

Whoosh.

A pea-sized flame appeared on the part where Flame's sprout split.

"Really? Flame, can you control fire?"

[Of course! I'm the apple tree of flame!]

Flame proudly said and made several more flames, moving them playfully.

"Amazing."

[Hehehe. If you need anything, just say so!]

Whoosh.

Excited by Sejun's praise, Flame's flame grew to the size of a fist for a moment before shrinking.

"Can you start a fire here?"

Sejun, who had gathered leaves and branches for his wife, the rabbit, asked Flame.

[Yes!]

With Flame's spirited cry, a pea-sized flame fell onto the firewood.

Whoosh.

The small flame quickly spread, burning the branches and leaves into a large fire.

"Good job."

[Hehehe.]

Sejun spent time asking Flame various questions and praising it.

After about an hour,

Crack.

Flame had grown by about 5 cm.

[Master! I've grown!]

As it started receiving sunlight, Flame finally began to grow upward.

"Right. Our Flame is doing great."

[Hehehe. Thank you! Flame will grow quickly and help Master!]

"Right."

Although he didn't know what kind of help, Sejun didn't want to dampen Flame's spirited voice.

Sejun kept the apple tree sprout company until lunchtime.

And

"Our farm has a new friend. Her name is Flame."

While eating lunch, Sejun introduced the apple tree sprout to the animals, especially warning Gweun not to eat it.

On the 238th day of the disaster, an apple tree was added to Sejun's farm. Or rather, discovered.

The next morning.

Crunch. Crunch.

The branch scouts invaded Sejun's farm again.

"How dare they target our Flame!"

Sejun was furious, now knowing why the fallen ents were attacking this place. What do they want to do with this little (?) one?!

"Everyone, attack!"

Roar!

Gweun!

Crack!

The animals rushed out and destroyed the branch scouts, and Sejun attacked the branch scouts with a torch and dagger.

With the strength from Chef's soup, Sejun's attacks, which had increased by 7.1, were now powerful enough to damage the large branch scouts with limbs.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Although the weapons were short and the damage low, it required multiple attacks...

After disposing of the branch scouts, Sejun went back to bed.

At that moment,

Thud!

Something climbed onto Sejun's stomach.

"What is it?"

"I'm back, nya!"

Theo answered confidently.

"You just got back?"

"Yes, nya! I made a lot of money this time, nya!"

"Alright. Let's talk in the morning."

"Understood, nya!"

Sejun closed his eyes, and Theo checked if there was anything wrong with Sejun's knee before climbing onto his stomach and closing his eyes.

Purr.

Gurgle.

Theo felt a sense of security from the rise and fall of Sejun's stomach as he breathed and fell asleep comfortably.

***

"Ugh"

Sejun woke up between morning and noon.

"Huh? Where did he go?"

Theo was already up and not in the bedroom.

"Let's clean up first."

As Sejun went down to the cave,

"Flame, if you need anything, tell me, nya. Theo will solve it for you, nya."

Theo was talking to the new arrival, Flame.

However,

"Nya! I don't like Flame, nya! Don't come close, nya! Anyway, take good care of me, nya!"

Theo, who seemed to have had a bad conversation, shouted while running out of the cave to avoid Flame's flames.

"Ha ha ha."

Thanks to Theo's big laugh in the morning, Sejun laughed heartily.

After marking the date and washing his face as part of his morning routine, Sejun approached Flame, who had grown to his knee.

"Good morning."

[Good morning, Master!]

Flame answered with a spirited voice.

"But why did you fight with Theo?"

[Master... I'm sorry. But Theo kept trying to give me grilled fish that I can't eat...]

Flame answered cautiously, thinking she might be scolded.

"...I'm sorry."

After following Sejun for so long, to offer grilled fish to a tree...

Sejun pondered what to do with this clueless cat as he went up to the ground.

At that moment,

"President Park!"

Theo, who had been waiting for Sejun to come up, ran over and called out to him.

And

Thud.

Sticking to Sejun's knee, Theo began to complain about his grievances.

"Scold Flame, nya! She's been tormenting me, nya!"

Thud.

Sejun grabbed Theo by the scruff of the neck and looked him in the eye.

"Why, nya?"

"You gave Flame grilled fish, right?"

"Yes, nya. I wanted to be friends with Flame, so I gave her my favorite grilled fish, nya!"

Theo, who had tried to do well, answered with a 'I don't know anything' face.

"How can a tree eat grilled fish?"

"Really?! I didn't know that, nya! President Park, you're amazing, nya!"

Theo, who learned something new from Sejun, wagged his tail and looked at Sejun with admiration.

"Phew. Go and apologize."

Sejun, whose heart softened by Theo's eyes, stopped the scolding he was about to give and went down to the cave to reconcile Flame and Theo.

"I'm sorry, nya. I won't give you grilled fish anymore, nya."

After reconciling the two, Sejun received a report on the results of Theo's latest trade.

"Phew. Don't be surprised, nya. I made a lot of money from this trade, nya!"

Theo, with a proud expression, started to take out the money from his bag on Sejun's knee.

Rustle.

Rustle.

There was so much money that he had to take it out several times.

"A total of 224,600 tower coins, nya!"

"220,000?!"

Sejun was surprised. He knew that the giant leeks were expensive, but this was an astronomical amount. There must be some unknown effect.

"Great job, Theo. Here's your incentive. Save it well."

Sejun gave Theo nearly 10%, 20,000 tower coins.

"Understood, nya! And here are the things I bought and some coffee and seasonings, nya."

Theo spilled out the items from his bag.

At that moment,

"Huh? What are these contracts?"

Sejun asked, looking at the two contracts that had come out of the bag.

"Oh! Those are..."

Theo explained about the five hunters he had made pay 10,000 tower coins each for attacking him and a contract with Han Tae-joon.

"Han Tae-joon?!"

Sejun was surprised to hear Han Tae-joon's name. The strongest hunter in Korea, a name no one interested in Awakeners in Korea could miss.

"President Theo! Amazing! To get a contract that allows you to ask Han Tae-joon for five favors! Great! I'm so proud! From now on, Theo, one month!"

"Phew. Really, nya?! President Park, I want to eat churu, nya!"

Theo, brimming with confidence from Sejun's praise, spoke confidently.

"Sure. If our President Theo wants churu, I'll give it to him."

Sejun tore open a churu and offered it to Theo.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

Theo eagerly licked the churu while talking.

"And there are some people I need to scold, nya!"

Theo explained about the group he had met in the shop area.

"What?! How dare they torment our President Theo?!"

"Yes, nya!!! President Park, show them hell, nya!"

Theo thought there was no one as good as Sejun at exacting revenge.

"Got it! They're going to the 99th floor to find the King of Horses? Leave it to me."

Sejun had a good idea from Theo's words.

'They said nine shuttles carrying bags are coming up?'

Oren and his gang have become the targets of the evil entity.

***

Somewhere along the merchant passage connecting the 90th floor to the 99th floor of the tower.

"Why is it suddenly so cold?"

"Maybe it's because we're hungry?"

Oren and the cats, who were climbing to the 99th floor hoping for a quick fortune, shivered at the sudden chill.