Seeds of Betrayal, Seeds of Growth

In the car returning to city hall, Kim Seonyeong spoke.

“Do you really think he’ll come over?”

“He won’t give in easily.

But if something happens, it will at least give him a reason.”

“I see.”

Seonyeong understood what he meant.

He planned to create a situation that would make Park Garam reconsider.

It might not be moral, but for both of them, the city was the priority.

If a few sacrifices were required to protect the city, they would accept it.

“But there is still a problem.

Lee Jaehun will never let someone like that go.”

“Of course.

He’s the one who tried every method possible just to keep a flowerpot alive.

Yet in the recent photo, the pot looked healthy.

Unless the elixir’s effect kicked in extremely late, he must have received help from the farmer.”

“That means he’ll cling even harder, doesn’t it?”

“I have a solution for that.

We recently obtained an item from dealings with another city.”

“You mean Yggdrasil’s Branch.”

“Yes.”

Yggdrasil’s Branch encourages the growth of plants within a 100-meter radius.

For its grade, the ability was underwhelming.

The crops grew well within that 100-meter radius, but that was all.

Even if it helped plants, the range was too small.

It wasn’t enough to feed a whole city.

“A potted plant counts as a plant, so it will work.

It’s more efficient than dragging around a person.”

“True.

He would do anything for that flowerpot.”

Only then did Seonyeong nod in understanding.

“With a few additions, that should be enough.”

Geonwoo spoke confidently.

“So that is not the urgent matter right now.

What time is our guest arriving?”

“Around four.”

“We have plenty of time.”

“I’ve ordered everything to be prepared thoroughly.”

“Well done.

This is extremely important.

We’re beyond the era where a city can survive alone.

The quality of our alliances will matter greatly.”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Choi Geonwoo arrived at city hall around three.

He changed clothes and prepared to greet the upcoming guest.

The person scheduled to arrive at four was the mayor of Hyunmu, a city a few kilometers away from Haetae.

If Haetae’s strength was food production, Hyunmu’s was minerals.

“To be precise, not just minerals.”

Hyunmu was also famous as a city of awakened individuals.

They had stricter rank classifications than most cities and valued strength above all.

There, strength was law.

Ordinary people could never rise above laborers.

“That bothers me.

If strength is law, isn’t that basically a lawless city?”

“I understand.

But minerals are important.

They have several massive mines.

If we could trade for some of those resources, our city would advance much further.”

“That’s true…”

Despite her concerns, Seonyeong said no more.

What he said was correct.

A developing city needed vast resources.

But Haetae had no good mines nearby.

They had to import everything.

That had been a growing problem— until Hyunmu reached out first.

If Haetae were a smaller city, they might have refused.

Hyunmu had absorbed smaller cities before.

But Haetae was one of the major cities with many rankers.

Even if Hyunmu had many awakened, true power lay in the number of rankers.

“This is when the Haechi Guild proves useful.”

They had been lenient with Lee Jaehun for this reason.

Now it was time to collect.

“We’ll test the waters today.”

The real alliance talks would begin when Lee Jaehun returned from the tower.

Just in case Hyunmu tried anything rash.

“It’s time.”

“Shall we go?”

Choi Geonwoo rose calmly and headed to receive his guest.

“You’ve arrived.”

The man standing by the window turned around.

He was handsome, but something about him was snake-like.

He examined Geonwoo briefly before smiling and approaching.

“Pleasure to meet you.

I’m Seo Taeju, mayor of Hyunmu.”

“I’m Choi Geonwoo, mayor of Haetae.”

“We saw each other at the city meeting before, but you look younger than I expected.”

“I actually am young.

But that’s not what matters.

Ability is what matters.”

Times had changed.

In the past, age gave advantage to mayors.

Not anymore.

Charisma and strength were required now.

Reputation alone could no longer protect a city.

“True.

At least we’re in similar positions, so we should get along well.”

“May I ask your age?”

“Early thirties.”

“Me too.”

“Well then, perhaps we might even become friends.”

They smiled warmly at each other.

“I’m sorry!”

That evening, after the meeting with Choi Geonwoo, Garam— wearing his usual farmer clothes— was tending to his crops when Kang Jungbae arrived.

The moment Jungbae saw him, he bowed deeply.

“I didn’t know things would turn out like that.

It’s no excuse, but I truly didn’t know.

Apologizing won’t fix anything, but I had to do it anyway.

If you want anything, anything at all, I’ll do it.

Just forgive Deokpal.”

He no longer resembled the old Kang Jungbae at all.

“You look thin.”

“Huh?

What?”

“Your cheeks are sunken.

And your beard’s a mess.”

“R-Really…”

Jungbae touched his cheek.

He had lost a lot of weight from drinking without eating.

His once-round belly was gone.

His clothes hung loosely.

“Uncle, you said you had a daughter?”

“Deokpal told you, I guess.”

“Her death anniversary?”

“It passed.

But don’t pity me.

This whole thing is my fault.

If there’s anything I can do, just say it.”

“Forget it.

What good is being angry over something already done?”

“Garam.”

“Ugh, don’t be weird.

If you’re really sorry, just help me work.

There’s a mountain of things to do.”

He pointed at the expanded fields.

They had harvested and replanted, so there was much more to tend.

“Do you want anything else?”

“No.

Work yourself to death to make up for it.”

“Alright.

What should I start with?”

Jungbae seemed genuinely determined.

He went to the tool shed and grabbed several implements.

“Then take this.”

Garam handed him a brush.

“The flowers will bloom soon.

Help with pollination.”

“Got it.”

Jungbae immediately began working.

“Is that enough?”

Deokpal appeared quietly and asked cautiously.

“Enough.”

“You could be angrier.”

How could Garam be angrier at a man who bought a toy thinking of his dead daughter?

What did Deokpal think he was?

Garam narrowed his eyes and glared at him.

“If you have time to think about that, get to work.”

He handed Deokpal a brush as well.

“Don’t forget— gentle movements.”

“No one is gentler than me.”

Deokpal shrugged and went to the field.

With both of them working hard, Garam had more breathing room.

With the free moment, he sat in a corner and took out the small box.

The gift from Choi Geonwoo— he had forgotten to tell Jung Jinyoung about it.

“Should I tell her today…?”

He considered it, but imagining the worst-case scenario made him hesitate.

His relationship with Lee Jaehun had improved, but originally, he had been dragged here by force.

Who knew how things would change in the future?

“I’ll hold onto it for a while.”

A rabbit digs several escape holes just in case.

He needed one too.

“Choi Geonwoo doesn’t seem trustworthy, but…”

It was better than having nothing.

He put the box back in his pocket and stood up to return to work— when suddenly a system message appeared.

[Level Up!

You have reached Level 10.

A new skill has been unlocked.

Cute Honeybee Lv.1: Honeybees that help with pollination are a blessing.

From now on, honeybees will assist with pollination.

The number increases as the level rises.

Please raise them with love.]