Chapter 139
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 139
Chapter Title: The Festival and the Golden Carriage
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The need to consume it without damage, its massive size, and so on.
The process of consuming the Dragon Heart was blooming with various difficulties.
“Whew, I guess I’ll have to put this off for later.”
Thinking that one wrong move could cause problems, Seong-hyeok let out a regretful sigh and gave up on consuming it for now.
“If I keep looking, I’m sure I’ll find a way.”
From monsters to items completely incomprehensible by modern society’s standards.
In this bizarre world where all sorts of things appeared, there had to be a way to eat a massive consumable without damaging it.
Of course, not being able to use a legendary-grade treasure right away was a shame, but that didn't mean there were no other gains from the spoils.
*Clang— Clang— Claaaaang—!!!*
After receiving another byproduct from hunting the Red Dragon Porleyreun, the sound of hammering echoed relentlessly from the smithy where he was holed up.
As expected of blacksmiths who had handled countless ores, their skills were more than reliable.
Furthermore, after the Red Dragon hunt was over.
Seong-hyeok had something else quite important to do besides sorting through the spoils.
“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”
After enduring a crisis, a bountiful fruit is bound to ripen.
What Seong-hyeok gained from the dragon raid wasn't just the spoils.
“Hahaha, waiting for you, Honeybee, who made the greatest contribution to the dragon raid, is no problem at all.”
“On the contrary, I don’t know what to do with myself, being invited to this festival.”
“I’m just grateful that you’ve allowed me to see such a beautiful sight.”
Then and now, the world is not a place one can live in alone.
Especially for someone like Seong-hyeok, whose main source of income was selling processed honey products, a rather powerful whale…
No, building connections with valuable customers is essential.
* * * * *
For Seong-hyeok, the Honeybee Guardian, the bee farm was his most important base, and also what could be called his weakness.
Its interior to others.
Showing it to people from other countries, no less, was in some ways a very risky move, but there was a reason Seong-hyeok made this choice.
*Buzzzzz~*
*Buzzzzzzzzzzz~!*
*Bzz-bzz-bzz—!!!*
Not just one or two.
Now, a massive swarm of fifteen million honeybees.
To some, they might just be tiny insects, but wasn't it said that when numbers gather, they become strength?
The sight of so many honeybees clustered together was so overwhelming that their mere movement felt intimidating!
And was that all?
Thanks to a steady supply of minerals and an ample number of blacksmiths, the honeybees were all clad in brilliant armor, not to mention the gigantic legion commanders mixed in among them.
Due to these various factors, the gathered people came to understand why Honeybee had opened up a space that could have been his weakness to them.
“So all of Honeybee’s power was here.”
“Ha, haha… I’m truly at a loss for words.”
It was the perfect environment to get turned into a pincushion and die if you charged in recklessly.
In the face of such overwhelming power and numbers, even the most hot-headed person couldn't help but be intimidated.
“Another reason to stay on friendly terms.”
But that didn't mean they had any reason to become enemies with the honeybees now.
This gathering was, strictly speaking, an invitation from Seong-hyeok to those who had joined him after the dragon raid.
In other words, as long as they didn't act hostile, the fifteen-million-strong honeybee legion could become their allies. Nothing could be more reassuring.
Besides, what were the honeybees?
Weren't they clever creatures who could exercise collective intelligence and discern the general emotions of lifeforms directed at them?
*Buzzzzzzzzz~*
*Buzzz~*
“Oh, hello?”
“Wow. You guys are so cute!”
“I can't take my eyes off their butts.”
They were beings who showed endless aggression to enemies, but on the other hand, were endlessly affectionate to friendly targets.
Was it because this was maximized by their plump butts and adorable appearance?
Some of the people who had been terrified just moments ago were now completely captivated by the honeybees' charm.
‘Well, it looks like I don’t even need to step in.’
The honeybees were taking care of welcoming the guests on their own.
Conversations could wait for the festival anyway.
“Then I guess I’ll get to my own work.”
Another calling that existed for Seong-hyeok, who wasn't just a beekeeper: the Mad Inquirer.
[Red Dragon Porleyreun's Blood (★★★★★+)]
A smile formed on Seong-hyeok's lips, along with the dragon's blood, which was well worth researching as a processed honey product.
* * * * *
Does the surrounding environment influence people?
The honeybees flying about with their butts fluttering, and the residents of the bee farm moving just as busily.
And that atmosphere naturally spread to the people.
“I feel like I’m committing a sin just by standing around doing nothing.”
“Ugh, what is this place? It encourages work way too much.”
“I didn’t get a notification. Is this some kind of game effect?”
A feeling that their bodies would start itching if they didn't do something.
Unable to bear the sight of labor happening all around them, they rolled up their sleeves.
“We’ll help too.”
“Oh, no. You’re guests, please rest.”
“No. Please, give us something we can do.”
“In that case… could you move these things over there?”
“With pleasure!”
A land of labor that makes even the laziest person work.
Of course, they lacked the knack for the work since they hadn't done it much, but they weren't the type to be daunted by that.
“Hmm? This is actually quite fun.”
“It’s rewarding and nice.”
Though a drop in the ocean compared to Seong-hyeok, they were still rankers who belonged to the world's top class.
Not only did they move the luggage quickly based on the superior stats they had built up,
“Are the monsters here always this strong?”
“The experience gain here is no joke, better than most hunting grounds.”
“They say good things come in small packages. These little guys are quite something.”
Was it thanks to them personally taking on the role of dealing with monsters approaching the farm in coordination with the honeybees?
With more hands available, the preparation time gradually picked up speed.
Especially as Yeon Su-hee and Lee Yeon-bun, who could be said to be top-class when it came to cooking, began to complete the dishes one by one, the atmosphere of the bee farm changed in an instant.
“…Whew! This is amazing.”
“This is enough to drive a man crazy.”
The fragrant aroma wafting from there tickled the tips of their noses.
Wasn't it said that nothing is as sweet as a meal after hard work?
*Grumble— Growl—*
The hunger they had momentarily forgotten due to the devilish labor.
With everyone's stomachs, young and old, male and female, rumbling and demanding food, it was obvious where their gazes would turn.
Honeybee, the host of this festival and the owner of the bee farm.
“Looks like everyone has perfectly adapted to the local environment.”
Seong-hyeok's bee farm, where the basic principle was 'he who does not work, neither shall he eat'.
These people who, even if only for a day, had blended in and joined them here.
Their gazes, looking at him with pleading eyes.
Seong-hyeok wasn't so dense as to not know what they wanted.
“Let’s cast aside trivialities like ‘turning today’s crisis into an opportunity’ and just eat and enjoy ourselves to the fullest.”
Food and drinks mixed with honey,
And even the synchronized dance of the honeybees to delight the eyes.
A place full of things to enjoy, as long as you handled your given tasks well.
A festival in the land of labor was always a welcome event.
* * * * *
Once ignited, the atmosphere of a festival doesn't easily die down.
Besides, was this any ordinary festival?
Not just Easterners and Westerners.
It was a rather global festival scene, with even the forest races, classified as monsters, joining in.
A meeting of those who could never easily mix, like water and oil, but if a link existed to make them blend, it wasn't a problem.
The World Tree, a massive, sprawling tree that had now become the symbol of the bee farm and granted numerous benefits.
Added to that were the Treasure-grade Solar Flower and the Celestial Peach Tree, coming together to form one giant stage.
It went without saying that they weren't the type to let a prepared feast go to waste.
*Buzzz~*
*Buzzzzzing~*
As if knowing it was their stage, the seven queens left their hives and flew swiftly into the sky.
The next act of these queens, who boasted even more brilliant butt colors than the other honeybees, was obvious.
[The Star Sapphire Queen Bee (★★★★+) uses the skill, Queen's Pheromone (Lv.17).]
[The Imperial Topaz Queen Bee (★★★★★) uses the skill, Queen's Pheromone (Lv.23).]
[The Diamond Geumgang Queen Bee (★★★★★) uses the skill, Queen's Pheromone (Lv.20).]
…
A summons for the actors to appear on the prepared stage.
To play when it's time to play and work hard when it's time to work—that was the honeybee way of life.
At the queens' call, the honeybees flew into the sky as if they had been waiting, showing off seven brilliant colors.
“Truly beautiful.”
“…My goodness.”
“To think there could be a spectacle that surpasses the aurora I saw on the snowy mountains.”
The massive swarm of honeybees flying swiftly, as if weaving through the stage.
Moreover, in the darkness of the night sky, the colors of the honeybees' butts painting the scene would appear like a display of blooming stars.
The people of the world witnessing this spectacle for the first time might be watching with their mouths agape, but the way to enjoy it wasn't just by looking.
“Kyah! This mead tastes great!”
“This is it!”
Everyone has their own way of enjoying things.
The existing residents, who had witnessed the synchronized dance several times and were used to it.
They gulped down mead, using the magnificent spectacle of the beautiful dance as their side dish.
“This is what I live for, really.”
“Sometimes, even though the world has become like this, it feels more worth living, you know?”
“Sometimes? I feel that way every day.”
“Gahaha! They’re really no different from fairies!”
The honeybees, who protected the territory, provided honey, and now generously gave them sustenance that could be enjoyed by mouth and eye.
The charm of a jack-of-all-trades, lacking in nothing.
If they weren't the fairies of the forest, then who could be?
‘As long as I live, I will definitely keep you safe.’
A value so great that investing a lifetime in protecting the honeybees would not be a waste at all.
Did some other guys know this as well?
[Special Situation, conditions for the Giant Waning Moon Golden Carriage have been met. -> The Giant Waning Moon Golden Carriage has identified commercial value, ???-grade perception]
“…!”
A single notification appeared for Seong-hyeok, who was watching the honeybees.
Seong-hyeok didn't let his guard down as he checked the potentially important news.
______________________________
[Giant Waning Moon Golden Carriage]
* Classification: Special Situation
* Scope of Application: Master of the Honeybees and Their Kin
* Effect: Ignores movement restrictions once. However, some abilities will be downgraded due to a power disparity.
* Description: The Golden Goblins of the Giant Waning Moon Golden Carriage have discovered a value they commercially recognize. They will emerge through the gap created by your perception.
※ The Golden Goblins who have discovered an outstanding gem are friendly towards you. However, do not underestimate their power.
※ The Golden Goblins leading the Waning Moon Golden Carriage are aware of Machelti's presence.
______________________________
“Huh?”
In a situation where his guard was raised to the maximum, what was this?
[The Transcendent Being, Zion the Patient, bites his lip in regret.]
[The Transcendent Being, Insect Queen Ninetito, laments, "I should have made a merchant caravan too."]
[The Transcendent Being, Great Golden Goblin Lord Machelti, dances with joy at the thought of finally catching a whale.]
One of the original Transcendent Beings who had followed Seong-hyeok until now.
At the appearance of a lifeform related to Machelti, the corners of Seong-hyeok's mouth lifted.