Chapter 6: A Bath Fit for a Boss

Rumble!

The water was still flowing well.

The pipes hadn't disappeared; they had been absorbed into the house.

"……How did this happen?"

As he stood there dazed, Toto answered with his characteristic indifference.

[Hot water is available as well, so please try turning it on.]

"Hot water, you say……?"

The hot water tank in his house had died a long time ago.

In the studio apartments where the rent was the only thing expensive, they called it hot water as long as your hands didn't freeze.

Ko Nam-tae cautiously turned the handle toward the hot water side with trembling hands.

Whoosh!

The gushing water emitted a thick cloud of steam.

Basking in the hot steam, Ko Nam-tae felt himself melting as well.

"Boss……. This is actually pretty good……."

The hot water completely transformed Ko Nam-tae’s mood.

He finished his work quickly and headed straight for the bathroom.

Steam was rising from the bathtub that had previously only been taking up space.

"Uwaa……!"

The moment he soaked his body, a rough groan characteristic of a middle-aged man burst out of him.

It didn't matter since no one was listening.

Actually, even if someone was listening, what did it matter?

Just soaking in a warm bathtub was nothing short of heaven.

[Boss’s Bathtub - Fatigue Recovery: Rapidly relieves physical and mental fatigue upon bathing.]

[Mana Charging Speed +100%, Mana Recovery Speed x2.]

[Wound Regeneration +50%]

[Immediately removes all status ailments upon bathing - Poison, Bleeding, Burn, Freeze, etc.]

The system window displayed the bathtub's functions, but Ko Nam-tae simply kept his eyes closed.

Toto kept his mouth shut.

These were functions that didn't matter even if he didn't know about them right now.

Ko Nam-tae was going to soak in the bathtub every day anyway.

Opening his eyes after a while, Ko Nam-tae tilted his head as he looked at the old marble bathtub.

'I clearly remember this bathtub having fifty thousand and three cracks in it…….'

Of course, it wasn't literally 'fifty thousand,' he was just repeating his father’s old saying.

Wasn't it basic for a son to add about three more to the count?

Regardless, the bathtub that used to be like that was now clean without a single crack.

This was the same for his entire house.

Everything in the house had returned to a brand-new state, leaving behind only the patina of time.

Even the towels, which had been on the verge of having holes, had transformed to be thicker than when he first bought them.

After finishing his luxurious bath, Ko Nam-tae prepared dinner.

The gas stove, which had become a hollow shell, was fixed by simply putting in a few logs of firewood.

This was the majesty of skills and mana firewood.

The reason he revived the gas stove was to boil water.

He had bought a few things when he returned home.

A few bowls of instant rice, a few cups of ramen, and a bag of packaged kimchi.

……But that was all.

"If I had known it would be like this, I would have bought a lot more……."

Toto replied to his lament.

[Earth’s food has no mana, so it is of no help to the Boss.]

"Humans eat food for the taste, not just for mana."

Above all, the kimchi.

This was a food that could not be replaced, no matter how delicious grilled crayfish or earthworms were.

Ko Nam-tae made serious plans as he tore open the packaging.

"I need to make kimchi soon……."

However, the moment he took a bite of the kimchi, he realized the problem.

"Ah, I don't have any seasonings."

"Right, no salt either!"

The absence of kimchi was a huge hole in his diet.

To the point that he resented himself for only buying a single bag of kimchi, if nothing else.

After finishing his meal of grilled earthworm and precious kimchi, he fell back into serious thought.

"Toto, is it possible to bring things in instead of just sending them out?"

[It will be possible once the Boss’s domain becomes a bit larger.]

"What do I need to do to grow the domain?"

[The domain will naturally expand if you utilize the Boss’s stats to the fullest.]

"Why do you have to say 'farm well' in such a difficult way?"

"Don't worry."

"I'm going to work hard."

He had to increase his influence anyway.

He purposely didn't ask how much his influence had to grow for him to return home.

Even if Toto told him, he wouldn't be able to gauge it, and he felt like he would lose energy if the goal seemed too far away.

He would find out as he went along.

In any case, the current primary goal was making kimchi.

'If I can send things out and bring things in…… could I perhaps trade too?'

The first person who came to mind was Kim Gu-bok.

If he could connect with him again, it would be worth requesting a trade.

Since Ko Nam-tae had a narrow social circle, he didn't even think of anyone else.

'I wonder if he quit the company.'

'I don't have anyone to trust other than that older man…….'

His thoughts ended there.

The pillow seemed to give off the scent of sunlight and grass.

The moment his head touched it, his consciousness plummeted.

A faint light flowed out from the pillow and blanket, enveloping Ko Nam-tae.

The second night of Ko Nam-tae’s peaceful sleep.

In the fields, crops were rising at a frightening pace.

It was thanks to the growth cheat key, earthworm manure.

The first to grow were four corn stalks.

The corn, which grew twice the height of a person, bore as many as four fruits each.

This was the cheat key plus the first skill privilege of the Boss.

The fruits ripened fully overnight.

Thieves are bound to flock to well-grown crops.

A small shadow crossed the stream in the middle of the night.

Crops grown with the Boss’s authority emitted a lethal fragrance.

The scent, which was far too intense, even took away the reason of small spiritual creatures.

The bridge Ko Nam-tae had built to cross the stream easily became the thief's path.

Squeak, squeak!

'It smells so, so good!'

The small beast was very hungry.

In the nest, its starving pups were wasting away.

It was because of those dreadful earthworms.

But then, the earthworms had suddenly all run away at once.

This moment, when the earthworms had emptied the meadow, was the perfect opportunity to get food.

The small beast, having gained courage, smelled the scent of corn as soon as it came above ground.

The small beast was instantly enchanted by the explosive fragrance that paralyzed its reason.

As soon as it crossed the bridge, it immediately clung to a corn stalk.

The creature snapped off a corn cob larger than its own torso and ran off with it on its back.

Wobble, wobble.

The moment it crossed the bridge was the most dangerous, but fortunately, even the crayfish were quiet.

The small beast dashed across the meadow…… and arrived at the nest.

There was only one corn cob, but it was large enough for the whole family to dive in at once.

Squeak, squeak, squeak!

'Delicious, so deliciouuuus!'

The shared sentiment filled the burrow.

The giant corn disappeared without a trace in an instant.

But the joy of filling their bellies was short-lived.

The moment the corn disappeared, they all had to look into the air simultaneously.

[You have taken the Boss’s first harvest.]

[Stamina and Intelligence will increase.]

[You have taken unauthorized crops.]

[A penalty will be given.]

[Forced transport in progress.]

[Please fulfill the Boss’s penalty.]

The next morning.

"Yaaaawn……!"

Ko Nam-tae, who came out to the yard while yawning, witnessed a strange sight.

Two creatures about the size of his forearm, and seven small ones the size of a fist.

Nine white weasels were standing with their front paws raised as if they were being punished.

It was a bizarre yet absurd…… and incredibly cute sight.

However, if one looked closely, the creatures were terrified, unable to move as if they were possessed.

"……What on earth are they?"

At those words, the weasels flinched as they looked at him.

[They are the thieves who stole the Boss’s first harvest.]

"Thieves?"

Then, the tallest weasel trembled and prostrated itself on the spot.

As if it could understand him.

'……It makes it look like I'm abusing kids.'

Seeing them shivering in fear made him feel uneasy.

However, it was likely true that they had committed theft.

The creature's eyes looked exactly like his childhood dog Yamdori’s eyes when he was gauging his reaction after causing trouble.

When he stared intently at them, a status window appeared.

[100th Floor Father White Weasel - Digging, Fruit Gathering.]

[100th Floor Mother White Weasel - Scouting, Hunting.]

[100th Floor Baby White Weasels 1~7; Learning the parents’ skills.]

[Took the Boss’s unauthorized crop - Corn x1]

[A corresponding price can be extracted.]

[Indefinite]

Indefinite?

For just one corn?

Ko Nam-tae’s brow furrowed automatically.

Because of that, the body of the creature that was watching him trembled even more violently.

He felt it was too much to demand a price from creatures like that.

But then.

[Digging, Fruit Gathering, Scouting, Hunting.]

The abilities of the creatures displayed in the status window sparkled exceptionally bright.

'……Ha, well now.'

Ko Nam-tae clicked his tongue inwardly.

The timing couldn't be more exquisite.

It was as if necessary workers had appeared at the exact moment they were needed.

Ko Nam-tae glanced sideways at Toto.

"……Toto, you purposely let them steal it, didn't you?"

[There were no devices in place to prevent theft.]

That was also true…… but it was still suspicious.

No, it looked blatantly suspicious.

……Whatever.

"You're saying I should use them as labor?"

[You may do as the Boss pleases.]

[You can simply send them out, or you can take their lives.]

'Kill them over one corn?'

'That's ridiculous!'

While Ko Nam-tae glared at Toto, the creatures at his feet were shaking like aspen leaves.

'Please spare us!'

Ko Nam-tae slowly lowered his body and spoke.

"I won't kill you."

"Don't worry."

Then, the father weasel looked at him with pitch-black eyes.

Its skinny body and its restless bottom and tail were pitiful and cute.

"How do such small and weak things live on the 100th floor of the Labyrinth?"

[You should not view them as being the same as the weasels living on Earth.]

[They are respectable monsters that possess as much mana as their traits suggest.]

[However, they are very rare individuals to find on the 100th floor.]

It meant they would surely die if he sent them out.

They had probably crossed the stream because they were on the verge of starving to death.

'You're quite sly, Toto.'

Ko Nam-tae smirked as if giving in.

In any case, accepting them was a good thing for the creatures as well.

Since a safe life would be provided for a fair price.

……They were cute, too.

"Alright, can you guys work well?"

Squeak, squeak, squeak!

'Please give us any task!'

The creature was so solemn that Ko Nam-tae spoke even more lightly on purpose.

"From now on, you guys assist with the farming and stand guard."

"I'm going to do quite a bit of farming in the future."

"I'd like you to help with the farming and keep watch."

Squeak, squeak, squeak!

'I will protect the crops with my life!'

"Don't put your life on the line."

Only then did Ko Nam-tae realize something strange.

'……Why can I communicate with them?'

At that moment, a system message appeared.

[You have obtained farming assistants.]

[Pet registration is possible.]

[The pet's shield is infinite within the Boss’s domain.]

[Would you like to register the pets?]

It was a welcome message.

He had been worried that the crayfish might target the weasels.

"Alright, I'll register them."

However, registration didn't happen immediately.

[They must be named to be registered as pets.]

'Names? ……There are nine of them?'

Ko Nam-tae agonized over it for a long time before shouting.

"Since you're white, let's go with Ha-Eul!"

[Is the 'Eul' from the 'Alpha-Beta' hierarchy?]

"That's right."

"You're quick, aren't you, Toto?"

[…….]

"How about you, Ha-Eul?"

Squeak, squeak!

The creature just looked happy, its eyes sparkling brightly.

[Registering Ha-Eul, Ha-Byeong, Ha-Jeong…… Ha-Gye as pets!]

Instantly, a cluster of light rose above the heads of the nine weasels.

It was a mana shower.

The bodies of the creatures, which had been stiff with tension, relaxed, and their eyes sparkled even more.

However, it was the opposite for Ko Nam-tae.

The sky began to spin.