Solo Farming In The Tower Chapter 5: The Green Cherry Tomato ripens
Previously on Solo Farming In The Tower...
Sejun clutched the flailing fish firmly in his grasp, as it thrashed about and gaped its mouth broadly to lunge at him, before snapping its jaws shut fiercely.
Snap! Snap!
The razor-sharp teeth collided, producing a piercing noise. With every clash, Sejun squeezed harder, terrified that a slip might cost him a finger.
Grasping the fish securely, Sejun dashed toward the area beneath the ceiling's opening where the flames burned. In the meantime, the once-vigorously battling fish started panting heavily, its form growing slack.
Arriving at the fire, Sejun gently positioned a lone green onion leaf on the floor. He delicately set the fish atop the leaf and draped another green onion leaf over it.
And then
Swoosh.
By ripping the green onion leaves down to finger-width strips for bindings, he enclosed the fish with two segments of the shredded leaves in a crisscross pattern, securing them with a knot.
"I hope this turns out incredibly flavorful."
Sejun cautiously set the fish, bundled in green onion leaves, right in the heart of the fire pit.
And then
"······"
He waited.
For an extended period, he observed.
Sniff sniff.
"Ah, the aroma is fantastic."
A lush, fatty fragrance blended with the ascending vapor and started permeating the cavern.
Memories of his youth surfaced. Whenever his mother readied a meal, the enticing odor from the kitchen would waft through and dominate the whole home.
Returning from school to a house infused with that scent, his spirits would soar if it signaled one of his beloved dishes. Even the anticipation before the meal brought joy in those days.
Gurgle.
A rumble shattered Sejun’s reverie. Though hunger gnawed at him, he resisted. He resolved to satisfy his hollow belly with a delectable treat.
Gurgle.
"Just endure a little more. I'll fill you with something truly tasty soon."
Sejun soothed his stomach and endured with patience. He bided his time until it was fully done.
And as the fragrance intensified and grew more profound
"I can't hold back anymore! This is unbearable!"
Sejun employed the stiff, parched green onion leaves to extract the leaf-wrapped grilled fish from the flames.
With care, he loosened the fastening that bound the green onion leaves.
Whoosh.
Upon untying the cord and peeling away the green onion leaves, an intense fishy bouquet intertwined with the green onion aroma dispersed widely.
"Wow!"
Sejun exclaimed in awe at the sight of the succulent, shiny fish.
Gulp.
Sejun bent the fish lengthwise, ripped off a chunk of jutting meat, and slipped it into his mouth.
"Um…!"
It was cooked to perfection. No trace of fishiness lingered, and the moment he bit down, the tender chewiness emerged, with a savory essence unfolding across his palate as he masticated further.
‘Incredible!!!’
Gobble gobble.
In a ravenous binge, Sejun consumed the entire fish.
"Huh, it's gone already?!"
Gazing at the skeleton of bones remaining from the fish, Sejun displayed a dejected look.
At that instant
Peep…
Peep…
A forlorn noise echoed from nearby. Sejun wasn't alone in his disappointment.
"Huh?"
Sejun turned toward the origin of the sound, finding the rabbit pair with forlorn faces as they eyed the leftover fish bones.
‘No way?!’
Impossible… rabbits devouring fish!
Yet upon reflection, the rabbit couple favored roasting and consuming the leaves just like Sejun did.
"Do you fellows consume meat as well?"
Sejun inquired.
Peep!
As though declaring their recent discovery, the rabbit couple both averted their gazes in unison. They appeared irritated that Sejun had polished it off solo.
"Apologies, I had no idea you guys ate meat too…"
Sejun rubbed his head sheepishly and rose to head to the pond. His plan was to snag a fish. The pond's fish population had grown since his previous observation.
"But from where do they keep arriving?"
While inspecting the pond via torchlight, Sejun spotted a hand-sized opening in one corner of the pond.
"Huh?"
Right then, a fish slipped inside through the gap.
"Ah, so they're entering via that opening."
Evidently drawn by the torch's glow. Sejun at last understood the source of the incoming fish.
Without thinking, Sejun drew the torch nearer to the pond for a better inspection.
Splash!
A fish leaped toward the torch, mouth agape.
"Huh?!"
Whoosh.
Sejun swiftly raised the torch to evade the fish.
Snap!
The fish chomped at empty space.
Splash.
The unsuccessful predator sank back into the depths.
"What's happening here?"
Sejun warily neared the torch to the surface once more.
Splash! Splash!
The fish surged upward to pursue the torch.
Whoosh.
Sejun hoisted the torch to dodge them.
Snap! Snap!
Splash. Splash.
Once again, the fish missed their quarry and retreated underwater.
"Aha."
Sejun comprehended the fish's trigger. They lunged whenever the torch danced close to the water, mistaking it for food.
With the method to provoke jumps now clear, capturing them proved straightforward.
Sejun jiggled the torch beside the pond.
Splash!
A fish bared its teeth and vaulted at the torch.
‘It's approaching!’
Sejun concentrated on the fish's trajectory. And as it crested its arc, beginning its descent,
‘Now!’
Thwack!
Sejun smacked the ascending fish with the torch, propelling it from the pond onto the dirt. The grounded fish convulsed in search of air.
During this,
Thwack! Thwack!
Sejun dispatched two additional fish to the ground.
Clutching the three fish that had ceased moving, he neared the fire pit.
Squeak!
Squeak-squeak!
The rabbit couple, as if their earlier sulk had vanished, cheered for Sejun and cast admiring looks his way.
"Ahem."
Sejun's posture grew prouder. In that instant, he sensed himself as a champion.
Squeak!
Squeak!
The male rabbit fetched some green onion leaves and offered to assist in the preparation.
Rustle. Rustle.
Beside them, the female rabbit shredded the green onion leaves into fine strips for ties.
"It's ready."
Sejun announced while setting the third fish into the flames. Merely wrapping in green onion leaves and binding was all that remained, allowing swift commencement of cooking.
And once more, they awaited with delight.
On the 11th day confined within the tower, Sejun alongside the rabbit couple sated their hunger with fish before retiring for the night.
Beep-beep-beep. Beep-beep-beep.
[June 19th, 6 a.m.]
It marked the dawn of the 41st day trapped in the tower.
"Time to start the day!"
Sejun arose and headed to the pond. Yet now, a fresh small pond adjoined the original one, absent previously.
To evade the fish's assaults, a slender spout-like flow connected beside the pond. From it, Sejun cleansed his face and drew water.
Splish! Splash!
After refreshing his face, Sejun proceeded to the field. There, orbiting Sejun’s chosen stone, green onions stood foremost, knee-high cherry tomato plants flanked the left, and sweet potato sprouts dotted the right.
At last, the anticipated sweet potato sprouts had emerged. Every crop planted by Sejun on the crisis's inaugural day had firmly established roots aloft.
"I'm so proud."
Plenty had transpired in the interim.
On the 32nd day of entrapment in the tower, another Blue Moon surfaced. Through this, Sejun discerned that the Blue Moon's rhythm on his level spanned 30 days.
And recently, within their den, Mrs. Rabbit birthed six offspring, expanding the family.
Peep! Peep!
Vibrant calls from the baby rabbits resounded from the burrow's depths, prompting Daddy Rabbit to diligently irrigate the green onion leaves.
"Breakfast preparations await."
Observing the bustling rabbit couple, Sejun yearned to lend a hand.
Snap! Snap!
He snapped off 10 green onion leaves for the fire, laying the remainder out to cure in the air.
Then, nearing the pond, he swayed the torch laterally above the water.
Splash! Splash!
The fish vaulted to chase the torch's gleam. Sejun countered by swinging the torch at them.
Thump!
Fortune smiled today with a single strike felling it.
Flutter, flutter.
He enshrouded two fish in green onion leaves, fastened them with stems, and placed them amid the flames.
Meanwhile, he retrieved the thoroughly roasted green onions and savored them.
"Warmth inside truly soothes."
Having relished the grilled green onions, Sejun tended to the crops with water and lingered in idle contemplation.
Sniff, sniff.
A tantalizing odor commenced to diffuse.
Tap. Tap.
As Sejun severed the bindings on the leaf-clad fish while pulling them from the fire, the male rabbit emerged from the burrow, staggering slightly.
"Rabbit!"
Sejun summoned Daddy Rabbit.
Peep…
The male rabbit appeared fatigued from child-rearing, his reply subdued.
"Divide this with your spouse."
Peep.
The touched male rabbit swiftly seized the fish and retreated into the burrow.
Nevertheless,
Peep!
Peep!
With the baby rabbits stirring awake, the rabbit couple could only partake in the fish after some delay.
Beep-beep. Beep-beep.
[June 19, 5:00 AM]
Marking the 50th day of the ordeal, the smartphone's final alarm chimed before it perished.
Thankfully, the rabbits roused exactly at 5 AM and slumbered by 7 PM. It appeared the ceaseless daylight wouldn't disrupt their schedule if aligned with the rabbits' routine.
"You served well."
Sejun stowed the deceased smartphone into his bag alongside the long-gone laptop.
At that juncture,
Peep!!
Peep!
The rabbit couple, now accustomed to parenthood, exited the burrow to offer greetings.
"Uh, good morning."
Swoosh.
Swish, swish.
While the male rabbit irrigated the crops using a watering can and the female rabbit harvested green onion leaves,
Thump!
Thump!
Sejun snared fish from the pond.
Then, bearing the captured fish, he advanced to the fire, bundling them in leaves before consigning to the blaze. The female rabbit withdrew the toasted green onions, artfully plated them on leaves, and presented them to Sejun prior to reentering the burrow with her mate.
They entered to ready the young ones' morning meal.
Munch. Munch.
While appeasing his appetite with the green onion,
"Huh?!"
Sejun detected a petite yellow blossom at the tip of a cherry tomato stem.
He recalled online knowledge: absent bees or breezes, pollination fails.
A soft draft stirred in the cave, yet Sejun opted to ensure success by delicately brushing the bloom with a fishbone.
‘Make it happen. Make it happen.’
With sincere intent, Sejun facilitated the flower's pollination.
*****
"Let’s get moving!"
Upon rising, Sejun made for the cave's stone barrier.
And
Swoosh.
Employing a fishbone, he carved a mark into the rock face.
Adjacent lay two upright strokes and ten horizontal ones above.
Sixty-one days had elapsed since his tower entrapment. He had tracked dates this way following the smartphone's demise.
‘Already 61 days…’
As Sejun's spirits dipped, the cavern stirred with activity.
Beep! Beep! Baby!
Dawn breaking, the baby rabbits trailed their parents out of the burrow sequentially.
Beep! Beep!
The rabbit couple extended morning salutations to Sejun and sought assistance.
"Alright. Let’s go."
Recently, Sejun had taken to minding the baby rabbits at times. It involved little, merely preventing ventures into peril.
As Sejun supervised the young rabbits, the male rabbit moistened the field, and the female readied leaves by slicing for the meal.
The babies remained calm when fed, ensuring a serene breakfast. Post-meal, the rabbit couple ushered their offspring back inside.
Sejun refreshed his face and visited the cherry tomato patch. It had transformed into a floral haven with blooms multiplying.
And Sejun subtly vibrated the cherry tomato-laden branches.
"Please work. Please work."
With blooms now too numerous for individual tending, he gently agitated the limbs while chanting his pollination incantation.
That’s when
"Huh?"
A minuscule green cherry tomato, tinier than a bean, manifested amid the shed petals.
On the 61st day ensnared in the tower, the verdant cherry tomato at last matured.
It preceded the Blue Moon by a single day.
Hello everyone, It’s my first time translating, so please let me know in the comments if you notice any mistakes in my translations. Also, I started translating after the comics came out, which are very well drawn, so please check them out too.
Comic link – https://realmscans.com/a160423/series/solo-farming-in-the-tower/