Chapter 10
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: A Dream House for the Queen
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The addition of the Ruby Gem Scout Bees and Ruby Gem Honey Pot Bees.
The efforts of these two superior species, the elites of the bee world, brought about a very positive change for Seong-hyeok's farm.
[Ruby Gem Scout Bee (★+) is attempting to scout.]
Normally, the worker bees would have collected honey from flowers they discovered while moving about rather inefficiently.
But thanks to the scout bees' systematic reconnaissance, that was no longer necessary.
[A flower has been discovered!]
[A flower has been discovered!]
[A cluster of flowers has been discovered!]
…
Notifications chimed in from all the places the scouts had gone.
Simultaneously, the locations were imprinted in Seong-hyeok's mind.
What happened next was simple.
“I know you’re busy laying eggs, but I need a little favor, my little queen.”
[The Honeybee Guardian's job specialization, Bee Link, is activated.]
[Transmitting your thoughts to the Ruby Gem Queen Bee (★★).]
Seong-hyeok relayed the information from the scout bees directly to the queen bee through ‘Bee Link.’
Bzzzz— Bzzzzzzz—
[Ruby Gem Queen Bee (★★) uses the skill, Queen's Pheromone (Lv.2).]
[20 Mana consumed.]
[A command is transmitted to the bees of the colony within the domain.]
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[Queen's Pheromone (Lv.2)]
* Classification: Skill
* Mana Cost: 20
* Effect (Active): Issues a command to the bees of the colony located within a 2km radius. (Cooldown: 10 minutes)
* Description: Emits the queen bee's unique pheromone to issue commands to the bees belonging to the colony. As the level increases, commands can be issued over a wider radius.
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Then, the queen bee relayed that information to all the bees in the colony, pinpointing the exact location.
It was a structure just like a military chain of command.
Moreover, unlike humans, bees were altruistic and rational creatures that would willingly lay down their lives for the good of the colony.
True to their reputation for diligence, second only to ants, they showed no signs of complaint or laziness. They formed a swarm and began the long flight to the location pinpointed by the scout bees.
“Such cute little butts, no matter how many times I see them.”
The Honey Pot Bees and tens of thousands of worker bees flew in unison, wiggling their fluffy behinds to a steady rhythm as if they were dancing.
If he really wanted to, he could, with a little exaggeration, watch them all day long. But unfortunately, Seong-hyeok didn't have that kind of time.
[The Guardian's Extra-Large Acorn Beehive (★+) has reached 80% honey capacity.]
[The Guardian's Extra-Large Fir Beehive (★+) has reached 83% honey capacity.]
[The Guardian's Extra-Large Thornwood Log Beehive (★★) has reached 90% honey capacity.]
…
[Honey is ready for harvest!]
As the number of bees and beehives increased, he found himself with no time to rest, constantly running around with sweat beading on his forehead.
But even so, the broad smile never left Seong-hyeok's face.
“Alright, alright, I’m coming before it overflows!”
For better or worse, Seong-hyeok had lived his life for bees.
For him, this was an opportunity to harvest honey and meet more and more diverse species of bees.
[Great Success in Gathering!]
[You have acquired 143 Ruby Gem Honey (★).]
[Great Success in Beeswax Candle Crafting! The Honeybee Guardian's blessing is engraved on the beeswax candle.]
[Guardian's Ruby Gem Beeswax Candle (★+) has been crafted.]
…
[You have leveled up. You have gained 5 stat points.]
“Now that’s a sweet reward.”
And above all, there was the satisfaction that came from creating various processed goods based on his own research.
Thanks to this, far from feeling the pain of labor, Seong-hyeok was overjoyed by the immediate rewards.
* * * * *
Securing the locations of flower clusters.
Once they knew exactly where to go, the speed at which the hives filled with honey increased, becoming more efficient than before.
“At this rate, flowers will be blooming all over the place soon.”
Bees are by no means plunderers who steal honey from flowers.
In exchange for collecting a portion of the nectar, they facilitate a virtuous cycle through pollination. They were, in a way, flowers themselves.
No, in the long run, they had a symbiotic relationship, existing in harmony with nature itself.
With so many bees constantly flying back and forth, spreading pollen, could there be any better guardians of nature?
[Ruby Gem Worker Bee (★) has brought back honey. Current honey level: 14.366%]
[Ruby Gem Worker Bee (★) has brought back honey. Current honey level: 14.392%]
[Ruby Gem Honey Pot Bee (★+) has brought back honey. Current honey level: 14.854%]
…
And all the while, these adorable bees meticulously took care of their own family.
“Seeing this, I’d say the evolution was a success.”
Thinking back, it was no exaggeration to say that the evolution of their wings and pollen basket organs was quite successful.
Not only could they prepare for threats in advance, but their increased flight speed also meant the honey in the hives matured more efficiently.
Furthermore, the scout bees didn't just discover enemies and flowers.
[Natural Flora, Fold Stone (★-), has been discovered!]
[Natural Flora, Whale-ne Cotyledon (★-), has been discovered!]
[A bundle of Natural Flora, Sirbong Potato (★-), has been discovered!]
[A cluster of Natural Flora, Feldarran Natural Moss (★+), has been discovered!]
…
Even now, notifications chimed in from time to time while he was busy with his beekeeping.
These were the Natural Flora, one of the items added in the #1 Chapter update.
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[Fold Stone (★-)] X 22
* Classification: Material
* Description: A common ★- grade Fold Stone from the dimension ‘Geoseok Jidran.’ It is quite light but exceptionally hard, making it seem rather useful for throwing.
[Whale-ne Cotyledon (★-)] X 14
* Classification: Consumable, Material
* Satiety is restored upon consumption. However, consuming it raw will result in a high chance of stomachache.
* Description: A ★- grade Whale-ne Cotyledon native to the dimension ‘Deltaria.’ It is always covered in cool dew, and consuming it restores a significant amount of satiety. However, due to its unique toxins, it will cause a stomachache unless steamed or grilled.
[Sirbong Potato (★-)] X 22
* Classification: Consumable, Material
* Restores satiety and 20 health upon consumption.
* Description: A ★- grade Sirbong Potato native to the dimension ‘Pepperis.’ It tastes terrible, but consuming it restores a significant amount of satiety.
※ Upon consumption or use, there is a 10% chance to obtain a fully usable Sirbong Seed Potato (★-).
[Feldarran Natural Moss (★+)] X 8
* Classification: Consumable, Material
* Health decreases by 30 over 10 seconds upon consumption. Causes an intense thirst for 10 minutes.
* Description: A ★+ grade Feldarran Natural Moss native to the dimension ‘Grandel.’ It contains a low-level toxin and causes a burning sensation in the stomach along with intense thirst upon consumption.
…
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Truthfully, looking at their effects, many of these plants had rather bizarre properties. But what was that saying about unearned income?
These were items he obtained for free in the process of gathering honey.
What's more, some of them were suitable as materials for beehives, and even if an item was completely useless to Seong-hyeok, he could just sell it on the marketplace.
[The ‘Whale-ne Cotyledon (★-)’ you listed on the marketplace has been sold.]
[You have acquired 2 coins after a 20% fee.] X 14
[The ‘Feldarran Natural Moss (★+)’ you listed on the marketplace has been sold.]
[You have acquired 5 coins after a 20% fee.] X 8
“Huh? These actually sold.”
Perhaps the world was indeed wide, and every player had a different use for things.
There were oddballs who would buy even plants with peculiar effects.
Through his honey business, Seong-hyeok had become something of a merchant prince, holding over 40,000 coins. But no matter how much money you have, its value never really diminishes.
“Well, since I’ve made some easy money, shall we do a little shopping?”
When Seong-hyeok went shopping, he wasn't looking for food, weapons, or consumables.
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[Jeratus Wood (★+)] X 232 - Lowest Price 13 coins ~ 25 coins
[Ironite Wood (★+)] X 322 - Lowest Price 13 coins ~ 22 coins
…
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It was a dream house of the bees, by the bees, for the bees.
He was looking for decent wood to serve as the main material for his beehives.
Seong-hyeok had already experienced crafting a beehive from ‘Thornwood (★+)’ since the introduction of Natural Flora.
“Diligence and effort are important, but good materials are just as crucial.”
This was the home where his adorable children would live; he didn't want to use cheap materials.
It wasn't as if Seong-hyeok was short on coin. If he put his mind to it, he could easily secure funds through beekeeping and processing.
“Hmm. The 2-star woods aren’t bad, but I feel like there might be something better if I look around.”
When one goes shopping, it’s only right to seek out the best.
After some thought, Seong-hyeok clicked on the marketplace's search function.
[Would you like to use the marketplace search function? YES / NO]
※ Each search costs 1 coin as a fee.
“Tsk. Well, I’m the one who needs it, what can I do.”
Sure, browsing the marketplace manually was an option, but to save time, 1 coin was a cheap price to pay.
Without a moment's hesitation, Seong-hyeok selected YES and searched for wood.
[Search complete. A total of 1,523 items are currently listed. Would you like to proceed to the detailed search function by star (★) rating? YES / NO]
※ Each detailed search attempt costs 2 coins.
“...Seriously, they’re relentless.”
He’d felt it ever since the marketplace and community boards were created, but the operators of this game…
If nothing else, their ability to drain coins was absolutely vicious.
“Just in case, should I check the highest grade first?”
The 5-star grade was known to be the highest among the Natural Flora.
[Detailed search complete. There are no listings for 5-star wood.]
“Right, it’s unlikely a 5-star item would be on the marketplace at this point.”
It was a 5-star Natural Flora, after all.
Even if someone found one, it would be more profitable to keep it for personal use rather than list it on the marketplace.
Losing coins like they were being snatched was a shame, but Seong-hyeok continued his search.
[Detailed search complete. There are no listings for 4-star wood.]
[Detailed search complete. There are no listings for 3-star wood.]
Following 5-star, there were no listings for 4-star or 3-star either.
“Tsk. I just wasted my coins for nothing.”
6 coins was the price of one Guardian's Ruby Gem Honey Tea.
He had been happy about the free money from the Natural Flora, but it seemed that coins earned without much effort disappeared just as quickly.
“But there has to be 2-star stuff, right?”
A whopping 1,523 listings.
Believing they couldn't all be 1-star, Seong-hyeok paid an additional 2 coins and initiated a detailed search for 2-star items.
[Detailed search complete. A total of 34 listings for 2-star wood have been found.]
“I guess the one-star difference is huge.”
Only 34 out of 1,523 items were 2-star.
Clicking his tongue in amazement, Seong-hyeok checked the contents of the listings.
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[Steel Lyrium Wood (★★-)] X 16 - Lowest Price 120 coins ~ 175 coins
* Sellers: LOTT, Paunchy…
* Classification: Material
* Description: A common ★★- grade Steel Lyrium Wood from the dimension ‘Geoseok Jidran.’ It boasts an extremely heavy weight, and its hardness makes it difficult to process for anyone without considerable skill.
[Blood Jade Wood (★★)] X 11 - Lowest Price 200 coins ~ 330 coins
* Sellers: WhereDidItGo, OneBite…
* Classification: Material
* Description: A ★★ grade Blood Jade Wood from the dimension ‘Blood Realm.’ Simply touching it inflicts a blood curse, making it difficult to process.
[Sturdy Gilite Plywood (★★+)] X 7 - 550 coins
* Seller: Wood Hunter
* Classification: Material
* Description: A ★★+ grade Gilite Plywood with the keyword ‘Sturdy’ engraved on it, processed by a skilled carpenter from Gilite Wood imbued with a light spirit. It always emits a bright light, invigorating its surroundings, and can even assist nearby plants with photosynthesis.
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“Whoa. This is amazing for 2-star, isn’t it?”
All the 2-star woods seemed to have a high degree of difficulty when it came to processing, but a little health loss was no big deal for Seong-hyeok, who had a mountain of honey as a health recovery item.
The prices were all over the place and on the expensive side due to the scarcity of listings, but that didn't matter either.
And above all, one particular 2-star wood caught Seong-hyeok's eye.
“A 2-star+ plywood… This… I have to buy this!”
An item called Gilite Plywood that had already been processed once and even had the keyword ‘Sturdy’ engraved on it.
An overwhelming urge to buy washed over Seong-hyeok, and without hesitation, he bought up every last piece of 2-star wood.
[You have purchased 16 ‘Steel Lyrium Wood (★★-)’.]
[2,457 coins have been spent.]
[You have purchased 11 ‘Blood Jade Wood (★★)’.]
[3,133 coins have been spent.]
[You have purchased 7 ‘Sturdy Gilite Plywood (★★+)’.]
[3,850 coins have been spent.]
It was a significant expense just for materials.
But Seong-hyeok had no regrets.
After all, coins were easy to earn through beekeeping.
“Just you wait. Daddy’s going to build you an amazing house!”
For a long while now, Seong-hyeok’s mind had been completely filled with thoughts of building a dream house for his queen with the wood he had just acquired.