Chapter 374: Theo~nim, Can I Have Just 100 Hits...?

Goblin?

Seeing Orik rubbing his palms together and laughing slyly, Sejun instinctively stepped back and took a defensive stance.

Hearing that sly laugh made him wary, thinking, 'Is this sneaky creature trying to make me his slave?!'

However,

"Keke. Master, what's the matter? Has Slave No. 5 done something to displease you?"

Seeing Sejun's defensive stance, Orik became flustered and rubbed his palms even more fervently. Did I mess up my first impression?

'What's going on?'

Sejun looked at Orik with puzzlement. This was the first time he encountered a being who so readily accepted being his slave.

At that moment,

Kking?! Kking!

'Hey! Who are you?! Since you're here, you should show your belly and greet the noble Fenrir~nim!'

Fenrir, who was in the sling bag, barked fiercely at the newcomer Orik.

And then,

'For a sunfish to step up to protect me... I'll let this one slide.'

Sejun, misunderstanding Fenrir's intentions in barking at Orik, allowed Fenrir to avoid Ophelia's punishment of roasted sweet potato snacks.

While various misunderstandings were unfolding,

'What's that smell?!'

A delicious scent wafted into Orik's nose, who was still rubbing his palms fervently. It was the smell of the potato soup Sejun had prepared for dinner.

Gulp.

Without realizing it, Orik swallowed his saliva and looked towards the kitchen, from where the scent was emanating. It had been a long time since he had smelled something this delicious.

Ever since the land of the Brown Tower started to decay, he had been grateful to fill his stomach with whatever food was available.

But... such a delicious smell! He couldn't resist! If he could just have a bite, he'd have no other wishes.

"Keke... Master, can I have some food?"

So, he rubbed his palms together even more slyly, with utmost sincerity.

A while later.

Slurp.

"Keke. Master, you must be a culinary genius!"

[Your soul feels fulfilled from the overflowing praise.]

[Mental Strength increases by 1.]

Slurp.

"Keke. I've never had such delicious food in my entire life!"

[Your soul feels fulfilled from the overflowing praise.]

[Mental Strength increases by 1.]

Slurp.

"Keke. I bet there isn't anyone in all nine towers who can cook better than you, Master."

[Your soul feels fulfilled from the overflowing praise.]

[Mental Strength increases by 1.]

Orik kept praising Sejun while drinking the potato soup.

Initially wary because of Orik's sly smile and actions, Sejun realized, Orik, you were a good guy after all.

'I judged you too quickly by your appearance.'

Feeding him resulted in an increase in Mental Strength, making Orik a Mental Strength vending machine.

"Hehe. Orik, do you want more?"

Reflecting on his mistake, Sejun offered more potato soup to the Mental Strength vending machine... no, Orik.

However,

"Keke. Master, it's alright. I get full even with a small amount of food."

Orik, cluelessly trying to appeal that he was a high-efficiency slave who could eat little and work a lot.

The capacity of the Mental Strength vending machine was too small.

Then it's time to switch tactics!

"Let's have some dessert now."

Even when you eat a full meal, there's always a separate stomach for dessert.

"Keke. Oh! This fruit called watermelon is really sweet and delicious!"

[Your soul feels fulfilled from the overflowing praise.]

[Mental Strength increases by 1.]

Thanks to that, Sejun was able to raise his mental strength by 1 more while receiving Orik's high praise.

"Keke. Now I really can't eat anymore."

After eating two slices of watermelon, the Mental Strength vending machine Orik exceeded his capacity and lay on the floor with his belly exposed.

And then,

Kihihit. Kking! Kking!

'Hehe. Fine! I'll accept your greeting!'

Fenrir climbed onto Orik's belly, lifted his head, and showed who was higher in the hierarchy.

And so, after the meal ended,

"Keke. By the way... Sejun~nim, how much did Grave~nim sell me for?"

Orik asked Sejun. Although he had been sold into slavery, Orik was curious about his worth.

However,

"Huh? Grave~nim didn't sell you. You became a slave because you planted my crops."

"...What?"

"I had just asked Grave~nim to take a look, but you planted them..."

Orik had never been sold. He was simply unlucky.

And then,

'Damn it!'

Bearing the brunt of this misfortune alone, Orik despaired at Sejun's answer.

As soon as he became a slave, Orik had cursed Grave with all sorts of profanities, blaming him for selling him out.

He even wrote it on the 99th floor of the tower for Grave to see clearly, so now if he ever returned to the Brown Tower, he would be greeted with a breath attack.

"Th-then... Sejun~nim, you won't send me back to the Brown Tower, right? Keke. After all, I am your Slave No. 5."

Orik looked at Sejun with a sly smile and desperate eyes, but

"No. You have to plant the kidney beans that Grave~nim is buying from me, you know?"

Orik was destined to return to the Brown Tower.

"Go back and wait there while eating this. Orik, return."

"Oh... but I can't..."

Sejun gave Orik the remaining watermelon and sent him back to the Brown Tower.

After Orik left like that,

Kueng!

[Dad, good night!]

Cuengi said goodbye to Sejun and went to sleep with Pink-fur.

"Alright, guys, time to sleep."

Sejun also took Black Rabbit, Ajax, and Fenrir to bed.

"Then..."

Gulp.

Sejun ate medicinal mugwort and fainted, falling asleep. His lifespan was extended by 3 months again today.

***

The grand mansion of the Daemon family.

"Da...Dave, is it true that our Uren got back 100 billion Tower Coins from 'Told and the guys'?"

Uren's mother, Hamie, asked Dave, who reported Uren's information, in a voice full of disbelief.

"Yes, Hamie~nim, I personally confirmed it. And on the way here, I heard a rumor that Young Master Uren got back 300 billion Tower Coins from the gray skunk Siron."

"Oh! Finally, our Uren..."

Hamie's eyes filled with tears at Dave's words.

At that moment,

"But there's a rumor that a subordinate of the Great Black Dragon is by Young Master Uren's side."

Dave reported new information.

"A subordinate of the Great Black Dragon?"

"Yes. He is known as Theo Park, the Golden Cat who has recently gained fame in the Black Tower these days. He's also called the Slave King."

"Hmmm. Dave, please continue to follow Uren for now. And also gather information about this Theo Park as well."

"Understood, Hamie~nim. Then I will take my leave now!"

After Dave left,

"Yuto~! Our Uren..."

Hamie hurried to find her husband to share the good news.

***

53rd floor of the Black Tower.

"Uren, is this the right place, meow?"

Theo asked in a voice full of annoyance, thinking they had hit a dead end.

"Yes. I'm sure it's around here, but..."

Uren looked back and forth between Theo and the map, speaking with uncertainty.

The map he bought from the information trader clearly stated that Lizaen, who borrowed his money, was here, but there was nothing around.

"Meow! This won't do, meow! I'll find it myself, meow!"

Theo placed his front paw on the ground and focused all his senses.

And then...

'Chairman Park, help me, meow!'

With a sincere heart, he requested help from Sejun.

At that moment,

Whoosh.

A breeze blew, moving Theo's whiskers westward.

"Puhuhut. Chairman Park said it's that way, meow! Follow me, meow!"

Theo hurriedly ran west, and the others, clueless, followed him.

'Chairman Park, help me!'

Theo continued to seek Sejun's help as he moved in the directions of northwest, southeast.

They arrived back at the place Uren had initially indicated on the map. They had come full circle, returning to the original location.

Unaware of this,

'Chairman Park, help me, meow!'

Theo once again sought help from Sejun.

At that moment,

Whoosh.

Luckily, a breeze blew from top to bottom, causing his whiskers to point towards the ground. The map was accurate. It just failed to indicate that it was underground.

"It's here, meow!"

Theo shouted, pointing downwards, and then

"Meow!"

He pressed his paw firmly against the ground.

Then,

Rumble.

The immense strength transmitted from Theo's paw permeated the ground, causing it to collapse.

It was the secret move of Vice Chairman Theo, called Meow-Press Fist, created while pressing against Sejun's face.

Piyo!

[Theo~nim, there's a passageway here!]

"As expected of Theo~nim!"

Piyot and Uren shouted, looking at the hole revealed by the collapsed ground.

"Puhuhut. As expected of Chairman Park, meow!"

Theo praised Sejun as he entered the passageway connected to Lizaen's secret hideout.

***

"That fool said he couldn't lend me a large sum because he didn't trust me. Do you know what I told him?"

"No."

The newly hired hostess shook her head while filling Lizaen's glass to the brim.

"I told him if he didn't trust me, he could keep my tail as collateral and lend me the money."

"What? Your tail? But even if our tails get cut off, they grow back..."

"Exactly. But he didn't know that. Hahaha."

As Lizaen was boasting about how he made a fortune,

Rumble.

The ground shook.

"What's going on? Hey, go find out what's happening."

"Yes!"

Lizaen commanded the mercenaries he had hired at a high price.

A moment later,

Thud! Thud!

There was a sound of something soft being hit, and then,

"Puhuhut. Found it, meow!"

A yellow cat entered.

Swish.

Following the cat, a snow-white bird with a bundle of papers in its beak entered, and

"Theo~nim, that's Lizaen!"

Lastly, Uren, the fool who had made him rich, entered.

"Uren?"

"Yes! You scoundrel! Why did you deceive me?!"

Uren shouted angrily at Lizaen.

"Hahaha! What are you talking about? It's the fool's fault for being deceived, not mine for deceiving."

Lizaen sneered at Uren.

"Hey, cat, think it over. I don't know how much that fool is paying you, but you'd make a lot more by just robbing him."

He then tried to tempt Theo to steal Uren's money.

Lizaen had a lot of money and valued his life, so he only hired strong mercenaries. However, this cat had easily dealt with the mercenaries.

'There's no chance of winning by force...'

So, he tried to sow discord between Theo and Uren.

But,

"Shut up, meow!"

That was a very wrong choice.

Whack!

Theo quickly knocked out Lizaen, who was trying to shake his resolve. That was close, meow! It was the whisper of the devil, meow!

As Lizaen fainted,

Piyo!

[Theo~nim, the stamp is done!]

Piyot pressed Lizaen's thumb onto the contract.

Meanwhile,

"Um... Theo~nim, can I have just 100 hits...?"

"Puhuhut. 10 billion Tower Coins, meow!"

"Yes!"

Uren handed the money to Theo and

"You scoundrel! It's your fault for deceiving me, not mine for being deceived!"

Whack. Whack.

He hit Lizaen. Uren seemed to be gradually showing signs of breaking away from being a sucker.

"Puhuhut. Now let's find the money, meow!"

Theo wandered around Lizaen's hideout, searching for the secret vault and opened it.

However,

"There are only 2.1 trillion Tower Coins, meow!"

Lizaen had already spent 2.2 trillion Tower Coins.

Smack!

Theo woke Lizaen up and asked about the whereabouts of the money.

"Haha! I spent it all on having fun. I had a blast thanks to you."

Lizaen sneered, saying he had spent it all on entertainment.

There was no way to recover the money Uren had lent him.

However,

"Meow..."

After a moment of contemplation, Theo soon found a way to get the money back. As always.

"Puhuhut. That looks good, meow!"

Theo smiled broadly, looking at Lizaen's teeth made of brown gemstones. There seemed to be at least 30 of them.

Puhuhut. Chairman Park will like this!

Theo beamed at the thought of making Sejun happy.

*****