Deadline Is Raining in the Status Window - Chapter 47

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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After a brief moment of dizziness faded, I beheld the Serpent King’s Tower in an entirely new light—one devoid of that acrid stench. Well, there was a scent, but rather than the foul reek I’d grown accustomed to, it was the warm, toasted aroma of sesame oil.
“Your Majesty, the Serpent Queen!”
“What? The Serpent Queen already arrived?!”
“Evan. Welcome home.”
“I’m not the Serpent Queen.”
I corrected the improper address first, then debated whether to comment on Gerth’s appearance. The man was already covered head to toe in white—his hair, his skin—yet he’d wrapped a white headscarf around his head and tied a white apron at his waist, spatula in hand. What truly startled me, however, was that the hand holding the spatula had been replaced with machinery.
“Gerth. Why is your right arm like that?”
“I cut it off.”
“Why?”
“Because it grows back.”
The explanation made no sense whatsoever, and I lamented my insufficient cultivation for not understanding the Serpent King’s language even now. But my attention was drawn to the Spider Woman, who was mixing something by hand with practiced motions.
That was… wasn’t that…!
“That’s japchae!”
“This is stir-fried sweet potato noodles with vegetables, miss.”
“That’s exactly what japchae is!”
In my excitement, I reached out to grab some with my bare hand, but Hubert swatted my hand away and reminded me to wash up first. Such an uncompromising neat freak. I’d be quick about it—just save my portion!
“Don’t worry, Evan. This meal is made to celebrate your return.”
“I love you, Gerth.”
In this moment, I felt I could spend a lifetime by his side—until my very last breath. As I spoke my genuine sentiment, Gerth dropped his spatula with a clang, and Hubert let out a triumphant cry. A man who cooks well earns extra points, he proclaimed, his tail fluttering excitedly as I made my way to find the bathroom. Though I was startled by how the Serpent King’s Tower bathroom resembled a luxury department store restroom, that wasn’t my priority right now.
“Japchae! Japchae, japchae!”
As I aggressively scooped up the japchae and ate it, Hubert brought chopsticks, reminding me that one should use utensils when eating.
I felt tears welling up. I had japchae in my mouth, a red-eyed white fox woman from a poorly-written fantasy novel in a book was holding chopsticks, and over there, a Tiger Man was carefully bringing over a steamer basket, presenting me with freshly steamed dumplings.
“I’m not sure if it suits your palate, Evan, but in our Serpent King’s Tower, we prepare this dish when there’s something auspicious to celebrate.”
“The young fox lady couldn’t eat wheat flour, so the Serpent King went through quite a bit of trouble.”
“These ravioli-like ones have potato starch wrappers. Inside are vegetables and meat.”
I know—those are potato dumplings. Wait, is that buckwheat noodles in the chilled broth? Pyongyang cold noodles? This food is completely North Korean style. What? Did you all actually come from the North?
“It’s so delicious, so delicious, sob, it’s so delicious.”
Unable to hold back my tears any longer, I shoved food into my mouth, and the Serpent King’s Tower inhabitants, flustered, brought over a brass bowl filled with some liquid. They urged me to drink it down, saying my throat must be blocked, so I did—and my mouth was flooded with the exquisite, refreshing taste of dongchimi broth.
“I want to live here. I want to live here forever.”
“I appreciate the sentiment, Evan, but you’re still a minor.”
“Minors can’t live here?”
“It’s generally not preferred.”
Then I’ll grow up quickly and come back. As I spoke with determination, the inhabitants warmly welcomed my words, and I vowed to myself that I would work here. I’d planned to find employment in the Capital after graduating from the Academy, but with japchae and cold noodles here, I couldn’t possibly go anywhere else.
From their reaction, it seemed even pure humans could work at the Serpent King’s Tower, and judging by how Gerth had sent spending money to Titi before, he seemed quite wealthy. I’d have to negotiate well when I start working later. If I become a powerful mage, maybe they’ll let me manage an entire floor. As a manager, I’d earn a decent salary too.
You author bastard, you’re just a Korean after all, aren’t you? Thank goodness. To find the taste of home in this place. No wonder Gerth only brought ancestral ritual food in his lunchbox at first.
“Let me help! Tell me anything, Gerth!”
“No, it’s fine. Just rest.”
“No, I want to help! I really want to help!”
“I’ve tasted the food you made. I want Evan to eat something delicious.”
So that means I’m a culinary disaster? But if I’m not the one tasting it, that should be fine, right? I can handle chopping vegetables and meat.
“Evan is forbidden from entering the kitchen. It brings bad luck.”
“….”
So my sandwich really was terribly tasteless, huh. With such a forceful declaration, I can’t even argue back.
“My apologies, Evan. My father is extremely particular about cooking.”
“That’s the truth, Your Highness! I spent fifty years just learning to wash rice, and only then did I finally get to work with fire!”
“I am not Your Highness.”
But wait, Tiger Man, what did you just say? Rice? You’re telling me there’s rice here?
“We cultivate rice paddies on the rooftop. Would you like to watch while we prepare the food, Your Highness?”
“I’d love to!”
I took the hand of the Spider Woman who introduced herself as Lakne and headed toward the rooftop. The Serpent King’s Tower was larger on the inside than it appeared from outside, but I never imagined the rooftop—where the sky was visible—would be this expansive.
“How is the tower wider than what we see from outside?”
“Ahem, our tower is quite remarkable, isn’t it?”
This Spider Woman has every right to be proud. It’s a space that inspires more science fiction wonder than fantasy amazement. Is Gerth actually an alien with some kind of relative dimensional space-time device?
“From here to there is the ancient rice variety that the Serpent King first brought, and from there is Gold Queen, and that lush green area far off is barley.”
There’s even a diverse selection of rice varieties—glutinous rice and mixed grains included. I heard earlier that Hubert can’t eat wheat flour, right? Did Gerth develop all these different varieties because of that? Gerth really does dote on his son immensely. With such a precious child being raised so carefully, I shouldn’t be careless either. Even if there’s reason to be upset, I’ll hold back three times.
“Gerth really loves Hubert a lot, doesn’t he?”
“Of course! He’s practically the other half of the Serpent King.”
Hmm…, I heard there’s no woman willing to marry him. This might be the problem. With a father who adores his son this much, it could naturally cause reluctance in potential partners.
“It will take more time, so let me show you around from the first floor. We’ll bring Hubert along too.”
The woman laughed cheerfully, saying that since the Serpent King’s Tower was completed, Hubert had been eager to show me around. She descended from the top floor all the way down to the first floor, holding the Fox and White One in her many arms.
With so many arms and the ability to create spider silk, such feats are possible. I should be careful not to offend this person either.
As I entered the lobby with the group, neatly arranged pamphlets caught my eye. As I picked one up and read its contents, Hubert straightened his shoulders and began the tour. He explained that the entrance, being a place of frequent traffic, was designed with cleanliness in mind, and as one ascended to higher floors where fewer people ventured, the focus shifted to creating atmosphere.
Indeed, once we passed the middle floors, the walls were either pitch black, pure white, or covered in geometric patterns—every floor looked like the kind of place where a mid-boss would suddenly appear.
“Hmm?”
Is this floor some kind of treasure hall? There were so many expensive-looking items—ceramics painted with blue pigment, beautiful decorative swords—that I asked what this place was for. The answer came back that it was a spoils storage room.
Ordinary adventurers don’t have much to offer, so there’s little to gain from them. Most of the items here are from dragon-kin who came to pick fights with the Serpent King or from the Dragon King, who was thoroughly defeated and left these as compensation for his life.
“Gerth is incredibly strong, isn’t he?”
“Of course! If Father sets his mind to it, even the Dragon King is just a handful!”
I didn’t know that. I thought the Four Demon Kings would be evenly matched in power, but Gerth overwhelmingly surpasses the Dragon King? You really can’t judge a person by just one aspect. I thought his gentle personality meant he was far removed from fighting.
“….”
I feel like I just discovered something, but I’d rather pretend I didn’t see it. Yet I couldn’t help but ask. Why is the burlap sack I used to wear hanging in this spoils exhibition? Why is my fork here, and why is the low-grade magic stone I kept as a memento after it split into a star shape being spotlit?
“Hubert.”
“Yes?”
“Why are my belongings here?”
“Oh, that!”
Gerth’s fox son smiled warmly and held up the burlap sack I used to wear, explaining kindly.
“Evan, you have a younger sibling, don’t you?”
“Ah, that’s right.”
“It’s an item that Titi left as collateral.”
“….”
“Honestly, even when I offered to simply lend it to her, she insisted on leaving collateral instead. She’s quite principled—just like Evan.”
Wait a moment. I’m going to kill that bastard Titi and be right back.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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