Chapter 9

Chapter 9 - Unidentified Egg (2)

『 Translator – Divinity 』

(God of Rain and Sunlight): Before becoming a Constellation long ago, meaning, in my life before death, I have seen this phenomenon. An unidentified egg absorbing Orbs, I mean. Color appears on the previously colorless egg.

"Oh!"

Truly, red spots and blue spots appeared evenly on the egg.

(God of Rain and Sunlight): With eggs like that, you usually don't know what will come out. What's certain is that an insanely strong creature will emerge.

"...From this egg?"

(God of Rain and Sunlight): Yeah.

He told various stories. In his homeland, there were several eggs showing these characteristics, and formidable monsters hatched from all of them, he said. Starting with Dragons, Elementals possessing Elemental King-level power from birth, or things like Imugi, I mean.

(God of Rain and Sunlight): Usually, eggs like that eat Orbs too, and absorb everything that has mana. Because the personality or type of the monster to be born is determined while absorbing such mana.

For now, it seems a monster coming out of that egg is an established fact.

'Damn it, this makes it a bit scary.'

And I can't just throw away an item I obtained because I'm scared. For a moment, I considered sending the egg to the Constellations with the Offering skill, but that probably wouldn't work either. Because this is an action the Constellations wouldn't tolerate.

'Alright, since it has come to this.'

If something is born from the egg, let's raise it well!

Responsibility-free pleasure, I'll just think of it like that and try raising it diligently while I'm alive.

I took out one of the three remaining Golden Apples.

"You said it absorbs most food with mana, right?"

I brought the Golden Apple into contact with the egg.

Piiit—!

The air stirred greatly once, and then the apple vanished in an instant.

Seeing a golden spot appear on the egg, it seems to have absorbed well.

(Anonymous 1): Still, a creature born from an egg follows the first person it sees, thinking of them as a parent. It will listen to you well.

(God of Rain and Sunlight): Probably. I think you can just consider it like getting a strong pet, though of course, you'll have to train it well not to harm others.

"Hmm, I understand."

(Water God of Cheongha): If it's you, you'll do fine. No need to worry.

(Father of Crops): I'll provide some mana-filled food ingredients for the child to be born from the egg.

"...! Really?"

I wasn't one to miss an opportunity like this.

(Father of Crops): Ah damn it, I walked right into it. Wait, I'll rummage through the fields a bit.

I nodded and then held the egg.

"I'll turn the broadcast back on tomorrow. Please give it slowly. Slowly."

Speaking with a grin.

"Ah, you absolutely must keep your promise, since you're a Constellation. If you don't give it, I might not be able to broadcast tomorrow. My sense of disappointment will likely be so immense I won't be able to do anything."

(Water God of Cheongha): That won't do!

(Anonymous 1): If you don't sponsor Jinwoo tomorrow, I'm going to kill you all.

(God of Rain and Sunlight): Heoeo, to make such a threat. Crazy, absolutely crazy.

"Since you use the alias 'Father of Crops', you'll surely give loads of good things. I'll look forward to it."

Smiling brightly, I showed my capitalist smile to the system window.

(Father of Crops): Ah f*ck, I really walked into it....

Just like that, I turned off the broadcast and fell asleep.

* * *

The Constellation, Father of Crops, took a bite of the leftover Red Wolf steak as soon as the broadcast turned off.

The superb meaty aroma and flavor, even the occasionally chewy fascia. From the fun of chewing to the taste, a completely perfect steak. For him, who had only eaten crops his entire life, it was no different from a new world.

"Hoo... What should I give?"

Truthfully, sponsoring a large quantity of Coin is burdensome, but sponsoring crops isn't burdensome.

"Since that fellow set the stage, now that it's like this anyway, I should give something good."

Jinwoo had ended the broadcast full of expectation. Father of Crops, rather, thought of this as an opportunity.

'A human broadcasting to Constellations, this is something incredible. Right now, the Constellations don't really know, but once word-of-mouth spreads, all Constellations will watch Jinwoo's broadcast.'

In that case, the thought occurred: how about lavishing the abundant crops on Jinwoo and then forming a partnership? If I build trust with Jinwoo and sponsor buff-type food ingredient items to Jinwoo?

'Jinwoo promotes them to the Constellations in return for sponsorships.'

If it's promoted to the Constellations, they will all pay Coin to buy the crops.

Father of Crops curled the corners of his mouth up fully. Because it seemed he could earn a lot of money just by maintaining a good relationship with Jinwoo.

A farmer needs to sell their crops externally.

He, who also had an aptitude for business, selected high-quality crops to sponsor Jinwoo.

Forming a partnership with Jinwoo.

That was his grand plan.

* * *

The next morning.

As soon as I woke up, I went down to the nearby river and washed up roughly. This is the good thing about the countryside. If you go to the valleys or rivers around the mountains, the water is mostly clear. Compared to other places, there are very many first-grade water valleys, so perhaps my mind is at ease when washing.

After washing up, I went up to the cave and then opened the system window.

'I intended to start the broadcast right away, but....'

Since it was early morning and I was also curious about other Constellations' broadcasts, I briefly browsed the system window's—Broadcast tab.

'...What?'

Shocked after seeing the broadcast titles, I looked around. Because I was afraid someone might come up from behind and say, 'You watch this kind of stuff?'

To think those noble and powerful Constellations do such provocative broadcasts to attract viewers. Moreover, even Legend-grade Constellations, called legends literally, do broadcasts.

'Maybe I'll check one out.'

I am curious what kind of broadcasts Constellations do and how they amuse themselves.

I went in to watch the [Hero-grade Constellation's Swordsmanship Lecture]. My plan was not to watch much, maybe watch for about 10 minutes, then do my own broadcast.

A colossal man and a sword appearing on the system window. Next to it is a space where you can type chat messages.

'Is this the viewer's perspective?'

[Viewer Count: 100 people]

To me, with an average of four viewers, 100 people was an enormous number.

― So, a sword is, after all, a killing weapon. Technique is important, flashiness is important too. But in the end, you have to stab the vital spots and kill! Oh, newbie hi.

(Anonymous 102): Hello.

Since I was a human without an alias, I left a chat message anonymously.

― Right, are you a swordsman too?

(Anonymous 102): Yes.

I answered the Constellation's questions one by one.

Around the Hero-grade Constellation level, they gain completely different power from Common-grade Constellations. Even Common-grade Constellations far surpassed human limits; what about Hero-grade Constellations?

After lying to that Constellation that I was Common-grade, I listened to various pieces of advice.

― Haha, a polite Constellation, hard to see these days. I like you!

Having received sword advice and even praise from the Constellation, (God Who Died Embracing the Sword), I said I would come again next time and then left the broadcast.

'Indeed, quite useful.'

I thought being able to turn on the broadcast was a blessing, but the real blessing is being able to watch the Constellations' broadcasts.

Doesn't it mean I can learn cooking from a Constellation who surpassed human limits through cooking, or hear old stories from those Constellations seen only in myths?

I realized the viewer's heart.

'Just imagining it makes my heart flutter.'

It was the moment 'Watch other Constellations' broadcasts after my broadcast ends' was added to my daily routine.

After organizing my thoughts, I turned on the broadcast right away.

(Anonymous 1): First!

(God of Rain and Sunlight): 2nd.

(Father of Crops): 3rd. Not last place, at least.

(Water God of Cheongha): Damn it.

At that moment, Suho's grandfather came up to the cave.

"Grandfather-nim."

"Young man, this is nothing special. It's a gift to say thank you for looking after our kid yesterday. I hope you'll enjoy eating it."

"Haha, thank you. These are things I can't eat because I don't have them!"

After speaking politely, I looked in the basket, and it was truly full of things one can't eat because they don't have them. From expensive fruits to marbled beef.

I thought the saying about countryside generosity being good was a thing of the past, but it wasn't.

"Isn't this too much you've given?"

"This much is fine; they're things that will just rot if we save them anyway."

"Thank you, I will enjoy the meal."

I received an undeservedly generous gift.

When receiving such gifts, rather than going out of my way to return them, I tend to convey sincere gratitude and not refuse. Because that's easier for both the giver and the receiver.

(Anonymous 1): Try refusing us sometimes too, huh? Why do you keep extorting?

Lightly ignoring the chat.

"Come over for dinner later this evening. Suho seems to have really taken a liking to you."

"Understood. By any chance, should I bring some meat?"

"Meat is abundant at our house?"

"It's because I have a little leftover Red Wolf meat."

The grandfather's pupils doubled in size.

"You know how to butcher monsters?"

"Yes, because I have a related skill."

"Heoeo, then that would be great. I wanted to try it at least once."

"Understood."

For people who travel around like me, the most important thing is fresh and delicious food ingredients. My thought was to repay the fruit I received today with the Red Wolf meat.

After Suho's grandfather went down the mountain, I came into the cave and looked at the system window.

(Father of Crops): Jinwoo, are you free? I've been waiting.

"I'm free now. I was waiting too."

I smiled brightly. Actually, I was probably the one waiting most eagerly. Because I realized there's nothing as delicious as the crops grown by that Constellation. Besides, since they also have buff effects, I can't help but covet them.

― Will you accept?

Seeing the new function, I nodded inadvertently.

As soon as I accepted the whisper, only Father of Crops's chat began to appear in purple.

― Jinwoo, you see my chat, right? You reply by chat too.

― Yes, I see it.

I typed in the chat while gazing at the system window. Thinking of typing the chat with my inner thoughts, the desired sentence formed.

― Let's form a partnership.

He immediately continued to the main point. He spoke in detail, but to summarize concisely, it means he'll sponsor needed items in appropriate amounts daily, so please promote them occasionally to the viewers.

It's a win-win: good for me because I get as many buff-type food ingredient items as I want for free, and good for Father of Crops because his products get promoted.

― ...Sounds good?

After the conversation ended to some extent, he immediately sent me sponsored goods.

― I'll send this since I don't use it; it would be good to have the unidentified egg absorb it.

10 Golden Apples, an Orb of Wind, and 200 Coin were the advance payment.

Thus our secret deal concluded.

(Anonymous 1): What are you doing? Why do you keep spacing out?

"Esteemed Constellations, would you like to try a Golden Apple each?"

(God of Rain and Sunlight): Seems like there was some deal with that farmer fellow.

(Water God of Cheongha): Still, since it's free, well, I'd like to try eating one.

I immediately started my sales operation. Using the Offering skill, I handed one Golden Apple each to the three Constellations, and placed all seven remaining apples around the unidentified egg.

Since I could get more apples again if I ran out anyway, I could have the egg absorb them without worry.

Piit—!

Not long after the unidentified egg absorbed all seven Golden Apples and the Orb of Wind.

The egg gradually grew larger, and then green spots, red spots, blue spots, and golden spots spread out evenly.

Crack, cra-ack—!

Finally, the eggshell began to crack little by little.