Farming Druid - Chapter 86



Only Noblemtl

086. You reap what you sow.

I took out the jar that was left in a corner of the old house and placed it on the kitchen counter.

Dalkarang-

The lid was opened and a cotton cloth was seen covering the entrance to the kimchi jar.

As I lightly walked across the cotton swab, a sour yet sweet smell tickled my nose.

I put a ladle in and scooped up the liquid inside the jar.

I poured the liquid from the ladle into the pitcher and the cotton cloth that I had prepared in advance to use as a strainer.

Slurp slurp slurp

A translucent liquid that is filtered and drips down from a cotton swab.

It was alcohol.

The liquor in the glass jug was poured into a flask.

It smelled good.

A tree that doesn’t like alcohol tried brewing alcohol for the first time.

When making alcohol using yeast in the old way, the alcohol that floated to the top was called ‘takju’ and the alcohol below that was called ‘makgeolli’.

Takju boasted a clear and clean taste.

The tree looked after the table for the grandmother.

He poured a full bottle of takju (rice wine) and placed it on top, and along with a new bowl, he placed the freshly baked pajeon (green onion pancake) on the table and placed it in front of the grandmother.

“Oh. Now I get to drink with my grandson. That’s good. That’s good.”

After a brief exclamation, the grandmother

After pouring alcohol into the bowl in a hearty manner.

He drank his alcohol without even breathing.

Percussion –

After putting down the bowl, the old woman opened her mouth, wiping the alcohol off her lips with the back of her hand.

“Wow. How long has it been since I had this takju? Is this something my grandson made?”

Grandma’s expression looked happy.

The tree that had scratched the ball opened its mouth, slightly hesitating.

“Yes―. I made it after watching it on YouTube, but I don’t know if it tastes good or not… It just came out today.”

At the tree’s words, the grandmother took another sip of the bowl.

Zuuuk―

After drinking alcohol.

He tore a piece of pajeon, dipped it in soy sauce, and clapped his hands.

Clap clap clap―

“Wow— our grandson is good at making pancakes… … It’s delicious. It’s really delicious. Should I open a pancake restaurant?”

Grandma seemed to be in a good mood.

“More than that. Where have you been all this time…?”

At the tree’s question, the grandmother scratched her cheek.

“Ah―. That’s right.”

* * *

The grandmother’s expression as she calmly told the story of what had happened looked a little sad.

At some point while managing nature

It is said that the screams of plants and animals continued to be heard.

People are destroying the forests.

Golf courses sprouting up like mushrooms.

A grandmother who heard the lamentations and tears of animals who lost their homes because of the golf course.

There is no place to house the animals.

It is said that he used his own power to transport plants and animals to other worlds.

If anyone heard this, they’d think it was crazy.

It was the same for me too.

Just the fact that you can talk to animals makes you think you might need to consult a psychiatrist.

He said that he helped the relocated animals settle in well there.

“In the meantime, I thought it would be nice if our grandson could help his grandmother with her work. Even though it’s not perfect… … I thought it would be nice if he could do his job as a guardian.”

After Grandma drank again.

He continued speaking.

“That’s why I called only my grandson’s spirit to me and held a succession ceremony.”

“Are you only calling the soul?”

“Do you remember that underwater place before?”

“Ah―. Yes… … I also saw that Grandma looked different than she does now.”

The grandmother nodded after hearing the tree’s story.

The chopsticks headed towards the pajeon.

“I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve had food.”

The tree’s eyes widened at the grandmother’s muttering.

“You don’t even eat there?”

“Huh? No. I will eat it… … .”

Grandma grumbled quietly and then closed her mouth.

Then he looked up at the tree and asked a question with an excited expression.

“How about caring for animals?”

The tree thinks for a moment at the grandmother’s question.

He chewed on a piece of green onion and opened his mouth.

“At first, I wondered what was going on… … but it was strange to see them following me and calling me ‘Guardian.’ I didn’t really like animals, but at some point my mind changed. Well… … things like riding a wild boar or being carried by a dolphin were interesting, strange, and fun. But… … .”

“however?”

“At some point… … should I say the boundary was ambiguous? I can’t explain it well, but I felt sorry.”

The expression on the grandmother’s face as she listened changed.

“Humans are also animals. We are here now through evolution, but we are no different from them.”

“That’s true.”

“What we call ‘guardians of nature’ or ‘agents of nature’ is to keep a proper line against the reckless development of humans that destroys nature and kills plants and animals.”

I found my grandmother’s explanation a little difficult.

I opened my mouth because I felt it was grandiose.

“But, if it is the indiscriminate development of humans… … .”

“Well—there must be many. And, recently, many kinds of plants and animals have gone extinct due to human hands.”

“yes?”

The tree flinched for a moment at the weight of the word extinction.

The grandmother continued talking.

“Among them, there was a flower called the blue daffodil, one of the underwater plants, unknown to humans.”

“Blue daffodils?”

“Yes, it was a flower that lived deep in the ocean, and it was a plant that had never been discovered by humans. However, it recently became extinct, and only this one seed remains.”

The grandmother spread out her palms.

There were transparent seeds with a deep sea color.

“It looks like a jewel.”

“Yes, this flower is a flower that purifies the ocean in the deep sea and creates oxygen. It is a plant that emits blue light even though it is not exposed to light.”

While listening to my grandmother.

I remembered why I showed him the seeds of the extinct flower.

no way?

“Are you telling me to sprout this seed and grow it?”

Grandma’s eyes drew a line.

Ah, that’s right.

“Tree, you are still only half a guardian. Do you understand?”

The tree shook its head.

Grandma smiled as she looked at the tree’s expression.

“Take this seed.”

The tree received a seed from its grandmother.

Despite its small size, the seeds felt quite heavy in the palm of my hand.

The grandmother spoke while watching the tree’s reaction.

“The second ‘seed’ of the Guardian’s Succession Test, sprout with your own strength.”

“?!”

Grandma drank all the remaining makgeolli.

I got up from my seat.

My grandmother had a strong scent of the sea.

The old woman, looking out into the yard, muttered.

“A typhoon is coming. Many people will experience the greatness of nature once again.”

I suddenly wondered.

“Grandma―. Is our field okay?”

The grandmother smiled at the tree’s question.

“It’s okay. And where did this Byam go without even guarding the house?”

“yes?”

“A snake. Did you think that snake was just a snake?”

The tree shook its head.

It’s a snake that shrinks its body, so that’s impossible.

“I know you hate him, but don’t hate him too much. He’s been reflecting on himself a lot since he scared you when you were little.”

“Uh— I guess it can’t be helped because it’s trauma?”

“… … .”

The grandmother simply smiled at the tree’s firm tone.

“Now, tell me your story, tree.”

The tree began to talk to his grandmother, leaning back on the beanbag sofa.

* * *

That evening.

Outside, the rain was falling nonstop.

It was nice to hear the sound of rain falling on the roof tiles.

My grandmother was dozing off on the sofa, looking outside.

He said he’s been doing a lot of work lately.

So much so that I don’t even have time to sleep.

I understood why my grandmother was leaving on the pretext of going on a trip.

I also completely understood that he was coming home for a vacation.

One thing I don’t understand.

I took out the seeds I had put in my pocket.

“The idea that sprouting this seed is a test of succession is… … .”

Grandma handed over the seeds and told him to think about it on his own.

He said that since it was his first break in a while, he just wanted to rest comfortably.

Dalgrak-

In the kitchen of my old house, I cooked rice in a cauldron and made soybean paste stew with radish greens that my grandmother loved.

After that.

After cutting the remaining green onion pancake.

I made some side dishes and placed them on the table in the small room in the old house.

It was a rainy day, so I lit a fire in the small fireplace to help remove some of the moisture. After I finished preparing the meal,

I woke up my grandmother who was dozing off in the living room of the main building.

“Grandma―. Eat.”

“Huh? Oh. Is it that time already?”

Grandma woke up with a groggy face and looked at the table.

“The meal isn’t ready… … .”

“I set it up in my old house.”

“Huh? Old house?”

“Yes. I made some soybean paste stew that Grandma likes.”

Grandma’s expression brightened in an instant.

It was a tree with such a beautiful appearance and a smile that it gave the illusion of brightening up the surroundings.

Grandfather and grandson sitting across from each other at the dining table in the old house.

Grandma looked around the table and exclaimed in admiration.

“Did the tree make all this?”

“yes.”

“That’s amazing… … You made and ate all of this while living alone?”

“No – I had such a bad headache in Seoul that I just ate something quick and went to bed right after work. I came here and started making them one by one while watching YouTube.”

“Really? Oh my – it looks delicious. Let me see.”

Grandma picked up a side dish with her chopsticks, making a clicking sound.

Egg rolls and steamed eggs made from eggs laid by a couple of chickens that don’t cry.

And the simple japchae that I learned when Chef Kang Si-hoo of [SeeYou] came.

A variety of side dishes made with vegetables and steamed clams made with clams gifted by our friends at the sea. And a soybean paste stew with radish.

My grandmother really enjoyed the freshly cooked rice she made.

My grandmother smiled when she saw the pearls in the steamed clams.

“Your sea friends must have been very grateful to you. An oyster with a pearl this size must have grown deep in the sea.”

“I didn’t do it alone. My friend Han-eum knows, right?”

“I know. Didn’t I see you once in Seoul? I often came to visit you when you were sick.”

“Han-eum helped that friend. He treated the injured sea friends and the friends who lived behind him and sent them to the wildlife protection center to receive further treatment.”

“Well done.”

A word of praise from my grandmother.

I started to feel something fuzzy in my chest.

“Tree, just keep doing that. If you have any trouble… … talk to the snake. It will take care of it.”

The tree put down the spoon and looked at the grandmother.

“Grandma. There were traps and a lot of nooses laid behind me. I reported it to the broadcast and found out when they were removing the traps.”

The tree told the grandmother about Dong-A Land.

As the story ends.

“Jo Gyu-seop still hasn’t come to his senses. He got beaten up so badly once.”

“Yes? Are you Jo Gyu-seop?”

“He must be the president or chairman of Dong-A Land. 20 years ago. When he was young. He was the guy who ordered the poaching of elephants in Africa to extract ivory and process it to sell it to high-ranking government officials.”

I thought I misheard.

I didn’t know that my grandmother and the president of Dong-A Land knew each other.

“… … .”

“I guess there’s nothing you can do about the blood in that family. That’s why that girl, Jo Yoon-jung, died this time?”

“Uh- yes. I heard that it was death by asphyxiation.”

“You reap what you sow.”

Grandma’s expression was like a cold iceberg.

“Tree. Do you understand the word ‘cause and effect’?”