Chapter 33
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Synergy in the Greenhouse
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As soon as he confirmed the greenhouse was complete, the next thing Seong-hyeok did was search for seeds on the Exchange.
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[Akir Honey Apple Seed (★+)] x 5,346 - Lowest Price 10 Coins ~ 12 Coins
* Seller: Farmer Choi Chun-sik, Gathering Master, Division...
* Category: Consumable
* When planted in the ground, will grow into an Akir Honey Apple Tree that bears flowers and fruit after a certain period. (The grade of the mature tree is affected by the growth period.)
※ Growth Period: 2 days (Growth period can be accelerated through additional effects.)
※ Flowering Period: 5 days (Growth period and grade can be accelerated through additional effects.)
* Description: A ★+ grade Akir Honey Apple Seed native to the dimension 'Akir'. After its growth period, it will mature into an Akir Honey Apple Tree.
[Beryl Almond Seed (★★-)] x 2,342 - Lowest Price 20 Coins ~ 26 Coins
* Seller: Farmer Choi Chun-sik, Gathering Master...
* Category: Consumable
* When planted in the ground, will grow into a Beryl Almond Tree that bears flowers and fruit after a certain period. (The grade of the mature tree is affected by the growth period.)
※ Growth Period: 3 days (Growth period can be accelerated through additional effects.)
※ Flowering Period: 8 days (Growth period and grade can be accelerated through additional effects.)
* Description: A ★★- grade Beryl Almond Seed native to the dimension 'Beryl'. After its growth period, it will mature into a Beryl Almond Tree.
[Sunlight Melon (★★)] x 1,552 - Lowest Price 18 Coins ~ 22 Coins
* Seller: Farmer Choi Chun-sik, Red Duck Bae...
* Category: Consumable
* When planted in the ground, will grow into a Sunlight Melon that blooms and bears fruit. (The grade of the mature plant is affected by the growth period.)
※ Growth Period: 4 days (Growth period can be accelerated through additional effects.)
* Description: A ★★ grade Sunlight Melon native to the dimension 'Jeriah'. After its growth period, it will mature into a Sunlight Melon.
...
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"There's a surprising number of varieties."
In this bizarre world.
Was it because a fair amount of time had passed since the Chapter #1 update, when natural vegetation began to appear?
The Exchange had a considerable number of crops listed that could be used for food, and the variety of seeds was also quite large.
"Well, they don't cost much."
Unlike the precious honey products that only Seong-hyeok, the Honeybee Guardian, could obtain, these seeds were priced quite low despite their decent grades.
It made sense. In the case of these crops, you could always grow more by recycling the seeds from what you ate, and there was no premium from having a monopoly.
"This is definitely worth the investment."
Coins Held: 472,488
In his current situation, a considerable amount of coins was accumulating with each passing day.
Having a lot of coins was certainly a good thing, but failing to use them in a timely manner was not a wise decision.
As they say, when it's time to invest, you should invest decisively.
"Oh my, thank you so much for all your help, Seong-hyeok."
"It's nothing. I'm doing it because I have something to gain, too."
"You're so refreshingly honest. I'll do my best to produce results that meet your expectations."
"I'll be counting on you, then."
After all, Yeon Su-hee possessed the 4-star unique class, Origin of Abundance, the highest grade on his beekeeping farm next to his own.
Her true value lay not only in cooking but also in her remarkable abilities when it came to farming.
* Origin of Abundance: Increases the rate of great success when harvesting crops.
* Fertile Land: Increases the fertility of the land within a 5km radius, boosting crop growth speed.
He had learned about the class specializations of the Origin of Abundance through sharing before.
Setting aside the Origin of Abundance skill that activated during harvest, the immediately usable 'Fertile Land' skill visibly accelerated the crops' growth speed as soon as the seeds were planted.
Add to that the synergistic effects of the Gillight Plywood Greenhouse and the beehives, and it was like giving wings to a tiger!
*Bzzzz— Bzzzzzz—♩*
"Oh, hello there, little cuties."
Furthermore, her farming activities had a small but noticeable effect on the behavior of the bees on the farm.
As had been said time and again, the most crucial reason bees had established themselves as beneficial insects with a huge impact on humanity was this.
It was because they helped flowers and crops reproduce through pollination, carrying pollen from one to another.
And naturally, for that activity, the flowers of the apple trees, almond trees, and melons...
All of these became important mediums for the bees to obtain high-quality nectar, a rich source of nutrients.
[Ruby Gem Worker Bee (★★) has collected honey. Current Honey Status: 31.981%]
[Ruby Gem Worker Bee (★★) has collected honey. Current Honey Status: 32.022%]
[Peridot Worker Bee (★★) has collected honey. Current Honey Status: 45.632%]
...
Creating a source of flowers right here, so they didn't have to travel far to collect honey.
Moreover, as mentioned before, bees were by no means plunderers who stole honey from flowers.
The flowers and crops existing in nature.
It was a symbiotic relationship, a virtuous cycle intimately connected with the beekeeping farm and the crops Yeon Su-hee was raising.
The bees did not get their high-quality honey from the crop flowers for free.
[Ruby Gem Worker Bee (★★) has come into contact with the natural flora, Akir Honey Apple Tree Flower (★★). Growth is accelerated, and nutrients are slightly increased.]
[Ruby Gem Worker Bee (★★) has come into contact with the natural flora, Akir Honey Apple Tree Flower (★★). Growth is accelerated, and nutrients are slightly increased.]
[Ruby Gem Worker Bee (★★) has come into contact with the natural flora, Beryl Almond Tree Flower (★★+). Growth is accelerated, and nutrients are slightly increased.]
...
"Oh my goodness, you're killing me. Could you be any cuter?"
The bees, wiggling their plump bottoms and twitching their legs as they buried their heads in the flowers as if to be devoured.
When these little guys, with pollen stuck all over their bodies and in their pollen baskets, came into contact with the flowers, the 'natural pollination' that occurred made the resulting crops unbelievably fresh and their sweet juices even more delectable.
"I can totally see why you're so into bees, Seong-hyeok. I think I'm going to become a complete captive to their charm myself."
"Right?"
"I agree, hyung-nim. The bees protect our lives and even provide bee venom. It makes building traps so much more satisfying."
"Seong-hyeok oppa. Can't I please, please just touch a bee's butt once?"
"...You need to stop. Even the bees are scared of you now."
In the ecosystem of bees, symbiosis with nature is never a simple concept like 1+1 = 2.
The beehives filled up faster, and the crops grew healthier—it was a benefit that multiplied, far beyond a simple two-for-one deal!
Moreover, working consistently with the residents, who had been somewhat awkward strangers at first, and frequently chatting about the bees naturally led to a closer-knit community.
And was that all?
The influence of the bees' diligent pollination and the continuous farming.
On top of that, her 4-star unique class already provided a huge bonus to farming.
A great change came to Yeon Su-hee, the Origin of Abundance.
"Seong-hyeok! I think it's thanks to the bees' help, but a new class specialization has opened up!"
The unlocking of a class specialization, one of the crucial hidden pieces in this bizarre world.
The new power Yeon Su-hee gained was obtained by working alongside the bees, and as such, its effect was not to be underestimated.
[Player Yeon Su-hee (Mom's Home Cooking - Level 16) has revealed her class specialization.]
* Abundant Natural Pollination: Further increases the quality of the final product for crops that have undergone special natural pollination.
A power worthy of the name of a 4-star unique class, Origin of Abundance.
Combined with the nutrient boost from the bees, one could only imagine how high the quality of the finished crops would be.
"Congratulations, Su-hee."
"Thank you. It's all thanks to the bees. Thanks, you guys!"
*Bzzz—*
*Bzzzz— Bzzzzzz—*
The bees responded to Su-hee's thanks with a chic dance, wiggling their bottoms as if to say it was nothing.
Really, for such small and cute creatures, they were so dependable, providing countless benefits to humans.
This was why it was impossible not to fall for them.
[An Akir Honey Apple (★★) has grown on the Akir Honey Apple Tree (★★).]
[An Akir Honey Apple (★★) has grown on the Akir Honey Apple Tree (★★).]
[An Akir Honey Apple (★★) has grown on the Akir Honey Apple Tree (★★).]
...
[Crops are ready for harvest!]
"The fruit looks very plump just by looking at it."
"Hoho. That's all thanks to the bees."
And finally, the Akir Honey Apple Tree, a harmony of the bees' natural pollination and the Origin of Abundance's power, bore the fruits of their diligent labor.
* * * * *
The organic growth through the bees' natural pollination and the effects of the Origin of Abundance's class specialization.
The Akir Honey Apple born from the combination of these factors was, of course, of a higher grade and showed a distinct difference from the 'ordinary' honey apples listed on the Exchange.
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[Akir Honey Apple (★+)]
* Category: Consumable, Ingredient
* Upon consumption, satisfies hunger and thirst, and recovers 50 HP and MP.
* Description: A ★+ grade Akir Honey Apple native to the dimension 'Akir'. The sweet, honey-like juice filling it has a very refreshing taste. Consumption provides a moderate amount of satiety and quenches thirst.
※ Upon consumption or use, there is an 8% chance to obtain a fully usable Akir Honey Apple Seed (★+).
[Akir Honey Apple (★★)]
* Category: Consumable, Ingredient
* Upon consumption, satisfies hunger and thirst, and recovers 130 HP and MP.
* Description: A ★★ grade Akir Honey Apple native to the dimension 'Akir'. Thanks to continuous natural pollination by bees, it is brimming with sweet, honey-like juice. Consumption provides a moderate amount of satiety and quenches thirst.
※ Upon consumption or use, there is an 85% chance to obtain a fully usable Akir Honey Apple Seed (★+).
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Just a visual inspection revealed a one-star grade difference, and the additional effects were also substantial.
The simple 80-point increase in recovery effects was one thing, but what was more important was, of course, the recycling of seeds.
"An 85% chance means we can recycle the seeds about eight times out of ten."
"Yes. Thanks to that, we probably won't need to buy any more seeds."
8% and 85%.
A tenfold increase in seed usability.
One might consider this a minor detail, but as they say, every little bit adds up.
Having a surplus of seeds would be a great help to the farm in many ways.
To put it bluntly, they could use as many as they needed and simply sell off the excess.
"And please, try one. I had a bite, and it's just like the description says. It's packed with juice."
"Is that so? Well then..."
*Crunch—*