Chapter 44

Chapter 44

“Uum?”

Ara who was on the back rubbed her eyes and got up.

Anyway she detects food smell amazingly.

“Awake?”

“Uung. Slept well aaaaahm.”

Ara who yawned and stretched soon discovered the eggplants and cucumbers piled in the storage.

“Uh! Eggplants! Cucumbers!”

“Yeah.”

Because she had been watching even before harvesting Ara also knew eggplants and cucumbers. But never tasted so always curious about that taste and finally able to taste.

‘Seeing piled like this the amount is more than expected.’

Did the slimes not eat?

Casually checking eyes one guy eating cucumber looked at me with eyes of what are you looking at.

“Ate. But still many remained.”

Good, good.

Cucumbers or eggplants also have to tell Jaeseong quickly.

Before that first shall I examine the crop’s effect.

[Eggplant imbued with mana LV.1]

Faint mana is contained.

Upon intake, for 7 seconds the level of a random ability rises by 1.

[Cucumber imbued with mana LV.1]

Faint mana is contained.

Upon intake, resolves dehydration symptoms and temporarily doesn’t feel thirst. Permanently skin beauty rises faintly.

All-time effects.

First in the case of eggplant no help to ordinary people but to awakeners an ability that seems quite worth researching.

And cucumber.

“Skin beauty...”

Can become pretty.

Just by eating.

Because an item beyond imagination came out the head stiffened for a moment. Honestly the cucumber’s intuitive effect was more intense than the eggplant with a unique effect.

“No! Both are amazing right. Temporarily blinded.”

Anyway both were crops I cultivated and harvested. Worrying how to utilize this and benefit me was first.

“Lee Gyuseong Gyuseong, can I eat?”

Ara dripped saliva in the state on the back.

Feeling the shoulder becoming wet and casually looking back she couldn’t take her gaze off the slimes deliciously eating cucumbers and eggplants.

“Yeah. For now eat and think.”

Effect is effect but taste is also important.

But cucumber and eggplant... Honestly crops I wonder if can be that delicious.

Eggplant only ate cooked and cucumber well...

‘If eating I’ll know.’

Putting Ara down from the back I held cucumber and eggplant in each hand. First chewed the cucumber familiar to eat raw.

Crunch!

First a refreshing feeling pierced the inside of the mouth.

Soon a pleasant texture followed.

Crunch! Crunch!

‘Compared to other crops quite ordinary.’

But the more chewing a subtle scent rose and along with the crunchy texture felt extremely addictive.

Casually looking beside Ara holding eggplant and cucumber in both hands like me was neatly chewing and eating.

“Our Ara already pretty but will become prettier.”

“I’m becoming pretty!”

The appearance of the cucumber in the mouth popping while speaking was also cute.

Like that eating one cucumber fully this time looked at the eggplant.

“Eggplant... have to eat cooked right.”

Seeing the soft eggplant compared to cucumber I thought at least have to grill. The slimes seem eating well without much thought but I was a bit uncomfortable.

Ultimately leaving Ara and the slimes I prepared the brazier Bokkeum spit out.

Roughly lighting fire and slightly cooking the eggplant stuck on a stick the kids showed interest.

“If eating like that more delicious?”

“Well? Want to try?”

“Yeah!”

Hmm, this again not grilling only eggplant all day?

I cooked the soft eggplant turning around.

Because a vegetable with much moisture so the flavor gathers to the center as much as possible.

“Pouring heart and soul one...”

I was grilling two using both hands.

First what me and Ara will eat, and the slimes also seeming expecting so it seemed I have to grill only this and quickly grill more.

“This degree done?”

Probably if Jaeseong he would have grilled more perfectly but I don’t know cooking well so did moderately.

“Hot so eat carefully...”

Without knowing I advised but no need for that. What Ara’s mouth is composed of invincible to heat or cold.

That’s why she can eat anything up.

“Hoo, hoo~!”

But Ara who listens well even though no need to cool forcibly blew breath hard. But whether the act of blowing breath itself was awkward she inflated her cheeks fully and blew awkwardly.

‘If Seona sees she’d go crazy.’

Ara who showed all-time cuteness soon opened her mouth largely and ate the eggplant. Then held her cheeks and made a happy smile.

“Uum~!”

Me who was neglecting the eggplant distracted by Ara also blew hoho and carefully bit the end.

“Hot, hot.”

The rich moisture the eggplant was holding burst out and revealed the original flavor. And unlike expected rather than soft a chewy texture.

“Uum!”

I seemed to know why Ara exclaimed.

Probably if just ate raw the moisture wouldn’t explode to this degree but because grilled the flavor became much deeper and the texture or moisture feeling felt enjoyable.

Honestly comparing only by taste is eggplant a bit superior to cucumber?

‘Cucumber with crunchy and refreshing taste, eggplant with this moisture feeling and deep flavor.’

Completely different feeling so there might be preference difference but a taste without likes or dislikes.

And now not made into cooking but just eating but if going through Jaeseong’s hands materials that expectations of becoming much more delicious.

“Lee Gyuseong Gyuseong, grill more!”

“Okay.”

I expected but ultimately today seemed to spend the day grilling eggplant. Ara while waiting for the eggplant to grill was crunching cucumber.

“Delicious!”

“Fortunate that to liking. Our Ara will really become a beauty.”

“Already a beauty!”

“Yeah. I also this opportunity become a handsome man.”

Crunch!

* * *

Some building located in Gangnam, Seoul.

This was the place where the Iron Blood Guild competing for the top even in the Republic of Korea was located.

Around always full of people, and as if informing that status often high fame awakeners showed appearances.

Click! Click!

“Hey, today Moon Changju didn’t come?”

“Hasn’t been visible for several days. Still since cleared a grade 6 dungeon a while ago probably resting.”

“Ooh! There Lee Arin! Quickly take a photo!”

To the extent paparazzi always sticking and taking photos in front of the guild building existed the Iron Blood Guild enjoying prosperity.

But the representative of the Iron Blood Guild Baek Taeseop was holding worry with one problem.

Knock knock.

“Representative, may I enter?”

“Come in.”

Baek Taeseop who was in the representative exclusive office was an old man with white hair. In active days he came as a support type awakener in his own way but now only pouring effort into guild management.

Creak-

“Representative, here is the report you mentioned before.”

“Yeah, good work.”

“And there is one more news. Contact just came that the antidote requested before failed again.”

“Haa... Understood.”

As if not expecting from the beginning Baek Taeseop sighed and nodded.

Already failing for over 10 years so half in a state of giving up.

“Put a request to another company. No, continue maintaining the existing too.”

Still Baek Taeseop absolutely couldn’t give up.

As representative, as father too.

Baek Seunghyeon, his son and once a genius awakener who received everyone’s attention was still prolonging life in the medical institution inside the guild.

“Understood, representative. But if so you’ll have to sell a certain part of the guild’s shares...”

Every year spending a considerable amount researching a treatment to detoxify the stinginess poison but days without progress.

Because Baek Taeseop’s secretary also knew that fact he sent a worried gaze.

“Sell. That mere guild shares.”

Baek Taeseop was regretting.

From the beginning it wasn’t that he regarded the guild’s shares lightly. Rather he regarded this Iron Blood Guild more precious than his life.

That’s why he made a bad move.

To increase the guild’s influence he sent son Baek Seunghyeon to the stinginess dungeon.

An unreasonable judgment.

Baek Seunghyeon was an outstanding supporter but only a grade 7 awakener. Such him going to a grade 9 dungeon was the same as preparing for death.

‘Seunghyeon...’

And Baek Taeseop who only thought of the guild all his life when his son returned poisoned, only then could realize what was most precious to himself.

But his realization was already too late.

His son was already in critical condition and now the state worsened more and 1 year was passing unable to wake from coma.

“...Understood.”

“Now stop and go out. Tired.”

Even until the secretary went out Baek Taeseop who maintained the appearance of iron blood soon left alone muttered monologue.

“The guild made together with you. Now seems I have to step down from the position not long.”

Baek Taeseop’s wife who left the world and not in the place was an awakener same as him. And the guild the two made is the current Iron Blood Guild.

That’s why he was obsessed with the guild.

Because he didn’t want to feel the empty place of the wife who ultimately left the world giving birth to son Baek Seunghyeon inside the dungeon.

At the same time he had resented the son.

But why didn’t he know at the time that he was ultimately the fruit of love Baek Taeseop and his wife created.

“I really didn’t know the really precious thing wasn’t this hollow guild. Please don’t forgive such me.”

Hot tears flowed over Baek Taeseop’s cheeks.

To him who belatedly realized what preciousness is what remained was only the son. If even that leaves the world Baek Taeseop had no confidence to endure.

Then it was.

Knock knock knock!

“Kr hmm! Who?”

“Urgent news to inform has arrived, representative!”

Baek Taeseop hurriedly wiped the tears and grabbed the form solemnly again.

“Come in.”

“Sorry amid being tired. There is urgent news...”

“Tell.”

“Contact came from Choi Yeongseong who was the former research director of Ara Hongryeon.”

“Ara Hongryeon?”

In the past a place upheld as the Republic of Korea’s first guild but now a place barely entering 5th or not.

Even that alone was amazing among over a hundred guilds but compared to the symbolism a regrettable result.

“Choi Yeongseong side suddenly brought out a story about the antidote.”

“What?!”

Baek Taeseop stood up from the spot.

But temporarily calming himself he asked coldly.

“Why suddenly? What relation with the antidote...”

“Choi Yeongseong’s wife is awakener Kim Siyoung. Kim Siyoung also participated in the stinginess dungeon...”

“Ah! Kim Siyoung was Choi Yeongseong’s wife. The antidote story can come out.”

Baek Taeseop who recalled the information temporarily forgotten nodded.

“So. What does the guy say?”

“Says he wants to meet once.”

“Hmm.”

It wasn’t that there was no exchange with Ara Hongryeon.

With Ara Hongryeon side’s executives they were close to the extent of having formed a team together even before the guild was created.

“Come to think of it didn’t contact at all. Too busy until now.”

As it was a moment feeling skepticism about guild operation recently. The thought that meeting familiar faces after a long time and exchanging greetings wouldn’t be bad came.

“Contact Choi Yeongseong. Say let’s meet at Ara Hongryeon Guild.”

“Understood. I’ll confirm the empty schedule and match to that time.”

“Thank you.”

Though contact came because of the antidote he didn’t have big expectations. Just accepted as exchanging this and that stories among people with the same pain Baek Taeseop.

Baek Taeseop who didn’t know the fact that Kim Siyoung was already completely cured.