Chapter 606. "So, I Have to Work Again?!"

 

The Administrator's Zone in the Black Tower.

[Queen Dalkomi the Demigod Honeybee sulks as she tells Eileen that the non-combat deities mistakenly thought she was Sejun-nim’s partner.]

After returning from her tour of the Seed Shop Headquarters, Dalkomi confided to Eileen about the non-combat deities' misdeeds.

"What?! They thought you and Sejun were…?"

How dare those non-combat deities pair Dalkomi with our Sejun!

Furious, Eileen’s energy surged.

Whoooosh.

The formidable aura around Eileen radiated outward, and—

"Phew… eek!"

Ace, who had been playing nearby, turned pale with fright.

[Queen Dalkomi the Demigod Honeybee explains that she corrected their misunderstanding, clarifying that Eileen is Sejun-nim’s true girlfriend.]

“Got it. Thanks for letting me know.”

Eileen’s mood eased a little at Dalkomi’s words.

Thud.

Several dragons entered the administrator’s zone, each cradling baby dragons in their arms.

"Eileen, we’re here!"

"Hello!"

“It’s been a while!”

The moment the baby dragons were set down, they ran to Eileen, greeting her excitedly.

“Welcome, everyone! You must’ve had a long journey.”

With a polite bow, Eileen also greeted the adult dragons.

In most cases, baby dragons are doted on by adults, so there’s no need to go to such lengths for formal greetings, but—

Hehe, this will all build my reputation and help Sejun later on!

Eileen was courteous to the adult dragons, keeping Sejun in mind. She had picked up some of this formality from him.

"Come now. It’s Eileen who’s been working hard, not us."

"That’s right. I hear the Dragon Market is busier than ever these days."

“Thankfully, my brothers and sisters come by to help sometimes.”

“Hehe. Is that your way of telling us to visit more often?”

“Hehe, did I get caught?”

“Haha, alright, we’ll visit more often.”

"Well then, we’ll go chat with Elizabeth, so call us if you need anything.”

“Yes.”

With friendly smiles, the adult dragons left to see Elizabeth after finishing their conversation with Eileen.

In the meantime—

"Huh?! What’s wrong with Ace?"

Garlic noticed Ace, who was revving up for a good cry.

"Sniff! I was so scared!"

Ace burst into tears.

“Ace, don’t cry. We’ll play with you!”

“Right, stop crying, and let’s play with Sylvia.”

“What are you talking about?! Ace should obviously play with big brother Poby!”

The baby dragons tried to comfort Ace.

“Phew. What are we going to play?”

Ace asked, a smile creeping back onto his face.

“Superhero landing?”

“Hide-and-seek?”

When the baby dragons suggested games Eileen had taught them—

"Phew. Let’s play something even more fun!"

“Something more fun?”

"Phew! Yes! Let’s play farming!"

“Huh?!”

“What?!”

Ace smiled brightly, pulling out a shovel.

And then—

“I tried it with my brother-in-law, and it’s fun!”

“Really?”

“So this is the game that Tower Farmer Park Sejun plays?”

Intrigued by the idea of playing a game made popular by Sejun, the social center of the dragons, the baby dragons quickly became interested.

 

Black Tower, 99th Floor.

“That’s strange. I’m definitely stronger…”

Whirr.

Squeak.

Sejun, watching the honeybees and mushroom ants pass by, wore a gloomy expression.

Despite his significantly increased stats, the honeybees were still faster, and the mushroom ants were still stronger than him.

“Why?”

I know I got stronger!

Doubt crept into Sejun’s mind about his progress.

I should go see the Bull King and have him test me for old times’ sake.

Sejun stood up, determined to visit the Bull King.

“Nya?! Chairman Park, where are you going?”

Squeak?

Squeak?

Theo, Kuengi, and Kamangi stood up, curious.

"To see the Bull King."

“Hehe. Let’s go!”

Squeak!

Squeak!

With that, Sejun and his companions set off to find the Bull King.

Moo.

[Sejun-nim lasts 2 minutes and 50 seconds with two fingers.]

The Bull King reported Sejun’s combat duration.

However—

“What? 2 minutes and 50 seconds?”

Sejun was stunned.

It was 10 seconds less than before?!

Because his endurance with the Bull King’s fingers had decreased, Sejun was shaken.

While Sejun had been growing, the 99th-floor residents hadn’t been idle either.

And the main cause of the 99th floor’s power inflation was—

[Hehe. Don’t worry, Sejun-nim. Keep taking the supplements I give you, and you’ll last for 5 minutes next time!]

“Thanks.”

Flame comforted Sejun, offering more supplements.

Not only the honeybees and mushroom ants but also other entities in the Tower absorbed Flame’s power to support her stay here.

Of course, beings with more potential, like the Bull King and Pinkfur, had achieved the greatest growth, taking multiple lower-grade supplements from Flame.

However, the Sacred Flame’s blessing from the Immortal Apple, which Sejun had eaten, was not included in those supplements.

That blessing was something Flame had specifically prepared for Sejun alone.

Despite growing immensely—

“So, I’m the weakest again…”

As everyone around him grew stronger, Sejun realized he had fallen to the bottom once more, so he sulked as he headed back home.

And then—

“Agh. When you’re feeling down, you have to eat something spicy.”

After sweating it out with spicy tteokbokki loaded with gochujang and green chili peppers—

“Haa. That’s refreshing.”

Sejun’s mood improved instantly.

Squeak!

[Since Dad ate something spicy today, here’s some sweet chocolate milk!]

In a delightful twist, Kuengi thoughtfully brought chocolate milk instead of coffee.

“Hehe. Thanks.”

Slurp.

With that, Sejun’s spirits soared back to peak levels, as though he’d never been down at all.

As he sipped his chocolate milk and relaxed with his companions, Sejun called out to Eileen.

“Eileen, did you enjoy the tteokbokki?”

In response—

[The Tower Administrator says that only Sylvia and I eat spicy food, while Ace and the others stick to soy sauce tteokbokki.]

[The Tower Administrator says it’s frustrating that her brothers don’t understand the joy of spicy tteokbokki.]

Hearing Eileen’s reply, Sejun realized that other baby dragons were visiting her, so he prepared extra tteokbokki and sent it her way, with two flavors: spicy and soy sauce.

“Well, that happens.”

[The Tower Administrator thinks tteokbokki would sell well on the Dragon Market.]

“Think so?”

Well, making it isn’t difficult. With my cooking skill, I can whip it out in no time.

As Sejun and Eileen continued chatting—

Squeak… squeak…

Kamangi started whimpering, having encountered Corruption again while apologizing to the souls.

He’s working so hard.

Watching Kamangi as he diligently continued his apologies, Sejun patted his belly.

A moment later—

Squeak!

[Master! Give me roasted sweet potato chips!]

Kamangi, now fully conscious, urgently requested roasted sweet potato chips.

“All right.”

Normally, Sejun would’ve teased Kamangi, asking if he’d “deposited” any sweet potato chips, but today, he didn’t.

Kamangi seemed particularly anxious. Although he didn’t appear to have done anything wrong, he was clearly uneasy.

Crunch, crunch, crunch.

Without his usual humor, Kamangi devoured the roasted sweet potato chips, then—

Bloop.

He held onto the world’s energy once more and fell asleep.

Off to apologize to the souls again.

Why is he doing that?

Sejun looked at Kamangi with concern.

This wasn’t his usual behavior. It was as if he were being chased by something, pushing himself to hurry.

“If I just leave this, something doesn’t feel right… Vice Chairman Theo, could you help me?”

“Hehe. Great Hybrid Chairman Park, what do you need help with?! I, Vice Chairman Theo, will do it all!”

Excited at Sejun’s request, Theo asked.

“Take me into Kamangi’s inner world.”

“Hehe. Got it!”

Super-sized Chairman Park No. 2, please help!

Theo placed his paws on Sejun’s forehead and Kamangi’s head, reaching out to the Super-sized Chairman Park No. 2 in his inner world.

In Theo’s inner world, empty since Super-sized Chairman Park transformed into Santa Sejun at Christmas, massive energy from the black dragons still lingered.

Hehe. I can use all this power to quickly grow Chairman Park No. 2!

Using his talent, <Energy Inhaler>, Theo absorbed the remaining energy of the great dragons.

As a result, Chairman Park No. 2 rapidly grew into Super-sized Chairman Park No. 2 upon birth.

Grooo.

Purr.

Bloop.

…

…

.

As Sejun, Theo, and Kamangi’s family slept—

Squeak?

Kuengi, noticing, placed his paws on the heads of a passing honeybee and mushroom ant, imitating Theo’s actions.

 

Kamangi’s inner world.

“I’m sorry. Here’s a gift of apology.”

"I’m sorry.”

Kamangi and his underlings handed roasted sweet potato chips to the souls as they apologized, seeking forgiveness.

But—

“I’ve apologized, haven’t I? Can’t you forgive me now?”

Why won’t you forgive me already?!

Growing impatient, Kamangi started to feel angry at the souls for not forgiving him.

Naturally, his frustration began to show.

“Can’t… forgive…”

The more Kamangi displayed this attitude, the redder the souls’ eyes grew, refusing to forgive him.

And—

“Grrr.”

Kamangi grew more anxious, further fueling the vicious cycle.

As the vicious cycle continued, Kamangi’s unease grew larger and larger.

If I keep being a burden, I’ll be abandoned again! Master will betray me!

It was his fear of being betrayed by Sejun, whom he trusted.

The seeds of distrust planted by Corruption had taken root in Kamangi’s trauma.

Then—

Thud!

“Kamangi, is that how you apologize?!”

“Exactly! Apologize properly, nya!”

Sejun and Theo, who had been watching from the shoulder of Super-sized Chairman Park No. 2, shouted out.

“Huh?! Master! That is…”

Kamangi, flustered by Sejun’s sudden appearance, tried to explain.

“I knew this would happen!”

“Me too, nya! I totally knew it!”

“Vice Chairman Theo, slice some of this for me.”

“Hehe. Will do!”

Sejun and Theo, who had climbed down from Super-sized Chairman Park No. 2, quickly prepared roasted sweet potato chips.

“I know our Kamangi made mistakes, but he’s still learning how to apologize. Take these and please forgive him, okay?”

Sejun offered the roasted sweet potato chips to the souls.

Since it was an inner world, he could produce sweet potatoes at will, and he quickly whipped up roasted sweet potato chips.

“Hehe. Forgive Kamangi! Or else I’ll put a stamp…”

“Hey!”

Theo tried to stamp the souls but got snagged by Sejun and hung from his knee, obediently quiet.

“Nya nya nya.”

Of course, this position was preferable to Theo anyway.

As Sejun diligently handed out roasted sweet potato chips to the souls—

“Forgiveness is yours to give… I shouldn’t force you… I’m truly sorry.”

“I’m sorry…”

Following Sejun’s lead, Kamangi’s family also sincerely apologized to the souls.

Fortunately, the redness in the souls’ eyes gradually cleared, and—

“I… forgive you.”

Some of the souls began forgiving Kamangi’s family.

Although much slower than before, having Sejun by his side soothed Kamangi’s impatience, allowing him to sincerely apologize.

Given Kamangi’s previous attitude, it was a relief that any souls were forgiving them at all.

Swoosh.

This time, the red energy escaping from the souls disappeared the moment it reached Sejun’s gaze.

Thanks to this, they didn’t encounter any Corruption, and Sejun and his companions peacefully continued their apologies.

"…yo!"

"Hm?"

Squeak!

[Dad, it’s time to wake up!]

Sejun came to his senses at Kuengi’s call.

“...?”

Why is it so bright around me?

He was sure it had been dark when he closed his eyes, but now it was bright.

Squeak!

[Dad, it’s morning!]

“Is it already morning?”

Squeak!

[That’s right!]

Sejun had spent the entire night handing out roasted sweet potato chips in Kamangi’s inner world.

So, I have to work again?!

And thus began another new day for Sejun.