They Told Me to Build Good Karma by Selling Side Dishes - Chapter 101

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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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101. Stir-Fried Burdock Root Greens (6)

The stir-fried burdock root greens infused with perilla powder looked appetizing just to behold.

‘Making burdock strips is difficult, sure.’

But preparing them as a side dish is incredibly simple.

“Grandmother, can’t you come inside?”
“I won’t be able to just yet, meow.”

I transferred the stir-fried burdock root greens to another bowl and held out chopsticks and the dish to Grandmother.

“Here.”

Fake Grandmother picked up the chopsticks.

“Stir it first before eating.”
“Stir it first, Ji-gu?”
“Yes.”

Fake Grandmother placed it in her mouth and chewed for a long time, unhurried.

“….”

Doesn’t it taste good? Yet something entirely different spilled from her lips than I’d anticipated.

“Ji-gu. Are you happy?”
“Me?”
“Ji-gu. Are you happy?”

Such an unexpected question… So I asked back.

“You mean me?”
“Ji-gu, are you happy?”

I was left speechless. It was an awkwardly difficult question.

“…I’m not sure.”
“You’re not happy?”
“…I still don’t know.”
“Even so.”

I brushed the perilla powder from the corners of Fake Grandmother’s mouth as I spoke.

“Right now, it’s fine.”

Fake Grandmother picked up the entire bowl and consumed its contents with such fervor it was almost inhuman. Only after she’d emptied every last drop from the dish did Fake Grandmother slowly lift her head.

“Ji-gu, thank you. Now.”

I hastily grabbed Fake Grandmother’s arm.

“Where are you going?”
“Now.”

Why did I want to tell her not to go?

‘Am I losing my mind…?’

Perhaps I was. But I had those brief moments—someone making miso soup in the morning, eating together, being by my side. And yet, despite everything….

The warmth in Grandmother’s Room, the meal we’d just shared, the undeniable fact that a corner of my heart had grown warm.

‘I can’t deny it.’

“Ji-gu.”

I clenched my jaw. Fake Grandmother gently covered my hand with hers, soothing the grip I held.

“Yes.”

Only then did I compose myself and ask Fake Grandmother a question.

“Why did you come wearing my grandmother’s face?”
“….”

It would have been better if those without memories or recollections had come instead….

“But I won’t hold on any longer.”

I released my grip on Fake Grandmother’s arm.

“Ji-gu. Cook with happiness.”

This was… Grandmother. Fake Grandmother’s eyes sparkled as if infused with vitality. Just moments ago, they’d been hollow and vacant. This wasn’t Fake Grandmother at all.

“Grandmother?”

It was the real Grandmother.

“Freely. Don’t forget that.”
“Grandmother? Is it really you?”

My voice trembled slightly as I asked, searching for confirmation. Before the question even finished leaving my lips, Grandmother’s hand touched my cheek. She stroked it gently, tenderly.

“Ji-gu.”
“Yes, yes. Grandmother.”

I nodded vigorously, as though unwilling to miss a single word she spoke.

“I’m so glad you’re cooking. I’m grateful I can see you like this, even now.”
“Yes.”

Before she passed, she’d said she wished to see me cooking. That’s why I’d promised to show her when I left the hospital.

“Am I… making you proud?”
“Of course. Whose granddaughter are you?”

I lifted the corners of my trembling lips into a smile, my eyes crinkling with warmth. I held tight to this moment, unwilling to let its warmth fade.

“I’m sorry. I should have shown you my cooking more often.”

What was that supposed to mean?

‘Should I have refused?’

In that moment, the Fake Grandmother’s form fractured as though invisible cracks were spreading across her.

“You know, Grandmother. I’m working hard, aren’t I?”

I continued speaking as I watched the Grandmother’s face fade away.

“I’ll work hard at the Side Dish Shop so you won’t be ashamed of me. And.”

I called out toward the Grandmother’s form, now barely a trace.

“…I miss you.”

So very much.

All the light that had sustained the Grandmother’s appearance vanished. I collapsed onto the ground and caught my breath. The warmth of her hand that had been in mine was gone too.

“Ah….”

Since this morning, it felt as though a vast hollow had opened in my chest.

“It’s alright, meow.”

Hae-tae approached and gently patted my arm.

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

I’ve experienced so many farewells already.

And what remained in that place was a white fox. Fur brighter than snow, a body reminiscent of moonlight. It had more than one tail.

“So it was you.”

The fox stood upon the ground. The fox approached with a sly demeanor.

– Hyang-suk repaid her debt.
“What debt did Grandmother owe?”
– That Divine Being would know. I used to steal side dishes from this shop frequently and run away.

Hae-tae spoke from behind.

“You stole money too, meow.”
– That’s true.

The white fox’s eyes gleamed with quiet intensity.

– Hyang-suk said this.
“What did Grandmother say?”
– At the end, she said she hoped to meet you while holding onto her own imagination.

Her own imagination….

“So everything you did to me…”
– Those weren’t actions I chose of my own will. They were actions I was drawn to perform by Hyang-suk’s essence.

A hollow laugh escaped my lips.

– And there was one last thing Hyang-suk wanted to say.
“What was it?”

What could it be.

– She said to live while reviving the true essence of cooking.
“Hah….”

Until the very end. Grandmother. only thought of me. I wish she’d said something else.

“What’s your name?”

The white fox looked up at me.

– My name is Nok-gu Hwa-ho.
“Nok-gu Hwa-ho?”
– I’ll come by the shop to eat some side dishes next time.

I reached out and stroked Nok-gu Hwa-ho’s head. Soft white fur brushed gently across my palm.

“You can steal money too, but at least tell me before you take it.”
– That’s not stealing.

Nok-gu Hwa-ho lowered her head and turned her body lightly. I understood that movement meant goodbye.

– The seasoned burdock root greens were delicious. Grandmother Hyang-suk would have said the same.
“Yeah… Thank you for teaching me.”

Nok-gu Hwa-ho’s eyes curved briefly as if smiling. Then she vanished like light through the Backyard. It was a quiet farewell. White feathers lay scattered on the ground.

‘White feathers.’

That was truly something precious.

“I didn’t know Grandmother Hyang-suk left this behind, meow.”
“I didn’t know either.”

I picked up the blanket from the floor, brushing off what had fallen on it. At the same time, I lifted Hae-tae and held her in my arms.

“Are you really okay, meow?”
“…What.”

I wiped the sweat from my face with my hand and answered.

“I’m used to goodbyes.”

I went back inside the Side Dish Shop and turned on the lights.

Wind seeped through the crack in the Back Door. It moved purposefully across the shop, heading toward the praise sticker board.

A transparent white paw became visible. The paw remained still for a moment, then touched the praise sticker board.

Tap.

A single sticker depicting seasoned burdock root greens was placed. The wind lingered no longer and disappeared.

[You have obtained Karma Points. The detailed shop information has been unlocked.]

A detailed information window unlocked.

‘Unlocked!’

The shop’s detailed information window expanded completely.

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[Ji-gu]
– Local Community Reputation: 190 (Stories of Hyang-suk’s Side Dish Shop are circulating among customers through word of mouth.)
– Divine Being Reputation: 95 (Divine Beings are coming with interesting proposals.)
– Karma Points: 19 (Reward unlock conditions not met)
[Business Status]
Today’s Customer Count: 40/92
Regular Customers: 200
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My gaze froze on the Divine Being Reputation section as I reviewed the detailed information window.

“Huh?”
“What’s wrong, meow?”

Hae-tae lifted his head from the counter to look at me, his eyes half-closed.

“Divine Beings are coming with interesting proposals?”
“Proposals, you say, meow?”
“Yeah. Proposals.”

I peered at the detailed information window again. I hadn’t misread it.

“Divine Beings actually come with proposals?”
“They do come by very occasionally, meow.”

I closed the detailed information window and rolled my eyes.

“When will they arrive…”

Before I could finish speaking, another gust of wind swept through with a whoosh! My hair flew upward into the air. I stepped back slightly while gripping Hae-tae firmly.

“This… is…”

The massive gust of wind gradually solidified into a human form, looming over me as if to crush me beneath its weight.

“It’s a Divine Being, meow.”
“What?”
“A familiar scent, meow….”

Hae-tae wrapped her tail around my arm, glaring warily.

“What’s going on, meow?”

A mouth appeared on the transparent face that had nothing else.

[One who cooks.]

In an instant, everything in the shop fell silent as if time itself had stopped. I clutched Hae-tae tightly, trembling with fear.

“Huh?”

That was all I could manage to say. What could I do when I was this terrified?

[Lift your head and look.]

It was a command. Why was I being commanded? I swallowed hard and slowly raised my head. Something went *pop* above what could be called its head.

“Pop?”
“Meow?”

The sound and the situation didn’t match at all.

‘Is this some kind of joke?’

A small window labeled [More] appeared above the massive wind creature’s head. It was a familiar shape. Far too familiar.

“Why is there a [More] button floating above the Divine Being’s head?”
“What are you saying, meow?”
“There’s a [More] button!”

This bizarre situation—what was this? I hurriedly checked the [More] button.

[Customer Status – More Details]
Name: sd df jj
Recommendation: Spring Vegetable Tempura Skewers with Broth
Status: I hope Divine Being loses to Ji-gu…! (ง ื▿ ื)ว
Reward: Karma ‘5’ Points

‘Wait, hold on.’

Not only did a “More Details” window appear above Divine Being’s head, but when I checked the status….

“Divine Being hopes Ji-gu loses…?”
“Meow?”
“Are you messing with me?”

I said that, but I instinctively stepped back. The other party was a Divine Being. It was terrifying.

[Isn’t it amusing?]

The colossal mass of wind trembled violently. It was laughing. The pressure of the wind pressed down on me, and my breath caught for a moment.

“H-hey…!”

When I cried out, the massive wind entity finally stopped laughing.

[Oh, I nearly killed you.]
“…Can a Divine Being kill humans so easily?”

Hae-tae gripped my arm tightly, her claws digging slightly into my skin as she tensed protectively.

[There’s nothing I cannot do.]
“…!”
[Because I am divine.]

No hesitation, no excuses. It was the absolute truth.

“Stop it, meow.”

When Hae-tae spoke carefully, the colossal mass of wind suddenly lowered its gaze toward her.

“This isn’t your altar or your territory, meow.”

Hae-tae stepped forward.

“If you came only to inform me, then do that and leave, meow!”

The pressure of the wind eased slightly. I could breathe again. I coughed softly and held Hae-tae tightly so they wouldn’t be taken from me.

[So it’s Divine Being.]
“Hmph, meow.”

Hae-tae snorted in displeasure.

[I came only to inform you, truly.]
“….”
[I harbor no intention to harm.]

No. There was an intention to harm.

‘The Divine Being is lying.’

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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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