They Told Me to Build Good Karma by Selling Side Dishes - Chapter 24

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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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24. The First Day Off (3)

***

A blissful day off.

“Sigh…”

I never imagined it would come to this.

‘I was too greedy. Far too greedy.’

I placed my hands on my hips and surveyed the Kitchen. After finishing the thorough cleaning of the Dimensional Space, I’d hauled a mountain of crops from the Vegetable Garden and set them down here.

My spirits had soared so high that I’d filled basket after basket, transforming the Kitchen into a fortress of fresh produce.

“Hehe…”

Still, the fragrance of those radiant S-rank crops made my mouth water involuntarily. I’d harvested them in a half-dazed state, nearly delirious with fatigue.

These S-rank crops were breathtakingly gorgeous.

I dragged over a red plastic chair and sat contemplating which side dishes to display on tomorrow’s shelves, gazing at my bounty.

Seaweed soup, braised dried pollack, stir-fried potato strips, seasoned dried radish greens with miso, garlic scapes with squid ink, crispy red pepper chips…

Then I noticed the water dropwort I’d harvested yesterday, drawn in by its fragrance, still remaining.

“Water dropwort is delicious seasoned, and it’s wonderful grilled alongside pork belly too…”

But grilling pork belly at this early hour seemed excessive. Why not try deep-fried water dropwort and lotus root with seasoning?

I rummaged through the drawers, searching for oil to fry the water dropwort and lotus root.

“There’s none!”

So I wrote down everything I needed so far.

==========
Oil
Tempura flour
Seaweed
==========

I placed the note in the lower section of the Refrigerator and closed the door. As always, I expected to hear that familiar tapping sound, but…

‘There’s really no sound?’

Puzzled by the silence, I opened the door again to find only the tempura flour and seaweed sitting there blankly—no oil.

‘Only the oil didn’t arrive?’

So I checked the note.

==========
We regret to inform you that current oil inventory has been depleted, and all supplies for this week are suspended.
We plan to restock in one week, so please take this into account for your use.
==========

“Ah, I see. Can’t be helped.”

If I couldn’t get oil from here, I’d just buy it from the Neighborhood mart. But beneath the notice, like a hidden card, there was another memo.

==========
Hahahahaha
What do you need it for? Boss?
==========

‘Is it… giving me one?’

Surprisingly quick response! I scribbled my reply eagerly.

==========
Oil needed! Absolutely essential!
I’m going to deep-fry water dropwort and lotus root
==========

With each word I jotted down, my stomach seemed to press against my spine. It had been growling incessantly since earlier.

‘I should have eaten while working…’

The moment I woke up, the crops in the basket caught my eye, so I’d skipped breakfast entirely.

===========
Water dropwort and lotus root tempura?
That sounds delicious
If I give you oil for free, will you share some with me?
===========

‘Hmm? So they want to taste it.’

I tilted my head in thought, then smiled.

===========
I’ll give you some
===========

The moment I slipped the note through, a soft thud echoed from inside the Refrigerator. As I opened the door, a fresh bottle of oil tumbled to the floor.

[Oil]

Just oil with no special grade—the kind I could use immediately to fry the water dropwort. Right now, it was more precious to me than gold.

“This is actually quite good oil.”

===========
That’s the oil we have at home
===========

‘So they gave me oil from their own home?’

I smiled and answered with the notepad.

===========
Thanks
Will make it delicious
===========

They say hunger sharpens a person’s reflexes.

First, I retrieved the lotus root and placed it on the cutting board. Thin, circular slices of lotus root stacked neatly atop the wooden surface.

I immediately submerged the freshly cut lotus root in a bowl brimming with cold water. The lotus root unfurled like delicate flower petals, turning white in the water.

‘I need to remove the starch so it crisps properly when fried.’

Beside it, water dropwort arranged in neat rows within a mixing bowl seemed ready, its elongated stems stretching as if awakening from slumber.

I grasped a handful of the water dropwort and shook off the moisture. Water droplets scattered from the tips of the verdant leaves.

I dipped the water dropwort into a thin batter made from flour and starch, stirring it gently.

“Is the oil ready?”

I coated a chopstick with batter and dropped it into the oil.

Sizzle!—

The oil’s surface erupted with vigorous bubbling, and a savory aroma rose into the air. I carefully placed the lotus root, evenly coated with batter, into the oil with a gentle splash.

Bubbles formed in each hole, dancing and churning. The batter on each circular cross-section puffed up like lace, unfurling beautifully.

I lifted out the golden-brown lotus root. Fresh from the oil, it gleamed with a crispy sheen.

Now came the seasoned water dropwort.

I picked up a spoon without hesitation and began preparing the seasoning.

A spoonful of dark soy sauce went in with a soft thud,
a spoonful of red chili powder scattered in smoothly,
a touch of fish sauce,
and when I added vinegar, a bright tangy aroma burst forth.

With the addition of plum extract and sugar, each stir of the spoon released a wave of sweet-tart fragrance. I wrapped the freshly fried lotus root around the seasoned water dropwort and popped it into my mouth.

“Mmm…!”

Over the crisp, crumbling texture of the lotus root, the sweet-tart water dropwort bloomed across my palate.

Like tiny fireworks bursting in succession, the snappy freshness and nutty richness intertwined, captivating my taste buds.

“Now this is living. What else could it be?”

I smiled contentedly and arranged the seasoned water dropwort and fried lotus root neatly in a clean bowl. Then I wrote an earnest note on a prepared notepad.

==========
The fried lotus root and seasoned water dropwort must be eaten together to taste good, so please don’t eat them separately
But a review is mandatory
==========

As soon as I sent the note, a reply arrived.

==========
I’ll eat it well.
==========

I placed the bowl on the lower shelf of the Refrigerator and nodded in satisfaction.

But in that moment.

From the black void, a long, unfamiliar hand with prominent veins suddenly thrust out.

“A hand?”

The hand flinched and froze, as if hearing my murmur.

“Take it.”

I spoke to it like I was commanding a puppy. At that, its fingers trembled and wavered as if uncertain what to do.

‘What’s wrong with it?’

Then its hand moved in a bowing motion, as if offering thanks.

“Enjoy your meal.”

With that, it snatched the entire bowl and vanished into the black void.

“Now I need to give some to Hae-tae….”

That’s when it happened.

The bowl it had just swallowed came flying back out of the black void with a soft pop.

“You finished it already?”

A hand emerged from the black void, nodding up and down in affirmation.

“…Well.”

It was proof of how deliciously it had eaten, after all.

‘I suppose there’s nothing wrong with that.’

I reached for the bowl to leave when I paused. The hand slowly flipped over, opening its palm wide to show me something.

“A memo…?”

There was a small memo written on the palm.

==========
Wal-wal
Rating: ★★★★★
The thin lotus root tempura paired with the sweet and tangy sauce mixed with water dropwort balanced the richness of the fried dish perfectly, and it was delicious^^. Boss.
==========

I chuckled at the five hand-drawn stars. The satisfaction contained in each star seemed to convey itself directly to me.

I didn’t send a reply. Instead, I grasped the hand suspended in the empty air firmly.

“I’m just glad you enjoyed it.”

As I whispered those words, the hand gave no response. It simply waited quietly for me to release it.

“I’m back, meow.”

At Hae-tae’s voice, the hand flinched in surprise and vanished swiftly into the dark opening.

I tilted my head at the lingering warmth that had faded from my palm. It was a hand extending from the Refrigerator, after all….

‘Does that even make sense?’

It didn’t.

“Hae-tae! I just held hands with the ingredient delivery person, meow?”
“The delivery person, meow?”
“Yeah. I held their hand, and it was warm like a human’s.”
“Why did you grab their hand in the first place, meow.”
“Just to say thanks for bringing the ingredients, meow?”

Hae-tae held out his mouth for me to wipe. I naturally retrieved a cat wipe and cleaned around his mouth.

“You’re warm too.”

Hae-tae, who had been watching me quietly, opened his mouth.

“There is, meow.”

Short and certain.

“Divine Beings are so identical to humans that they’re difficult to distinguish by appearance alone, meow. Their eyes, their mouths, their gait—all the same, meow. The only difference is that they’re hollow inside, meow.”
“…!”
“So if you ever sense that kind of Divine Being approaching, hide in the Dimensional Space without question, meow. Don’t explain, don’t try to verify. Just run, meow.”
“Y-yes. I understand….”

I realized that Divine Beings might be far more terrifying than I’d imagined.

‘I need to keep some distance.’

I pulled out the bowl from the lower shelf of the Refrigerator and placed it in the sink.

“Hae-tae, don’t you smell anything else? You should have caught the scent the moment you arrived?”

Hae-tae sniffed around, his eyes darting about, when suddenly they gleamed with recognition.

“…You cooked something!?”
“Now you smell it?”
“The portion was too small, so I couldn’t catch the scent.”

I arranged the seasoned water dropwort and fried lotus root on the bowl and showed him. Hae-tae’s tongue lolled out, drool streaming down as he thrashed about wildly.

“Give it to me quick!”

Raising his upper body, Hae-tae threw rapid-fire paw strikes with both hind legs.

“Alright, alright! I got it!”

Seeing his urgent demands, I set the bowl on the floor. The gluttonous cat immediately buried his face in it, sauce smearing around his mouth as he devoured the food.

‘He’s adorable.’

“You really do eat well.”
“Is that praise?”
“It is.”

In that moment, Hae-tae’s ears tilted slightly backward.

“Rain’s coming.”

I turned my gaze toward the window. Sure enough, rain that hadn’t been in the forecast was streaming down the glass pane in steady rivulets.

“There was no weather alert about rain.”

Weather’s capriciousness was always difficult to predict.

***

“Ugh…!”

After finishing all the side dishes for tomorrow’s display, my entire body felt as heavy and stiff as stone.

I was just untying my apron and stretching when it happened.

Boom!-

A deafening thunderclap echoed through the window.

“This feels like the opening of a horror movie….”

A quiet shop, the dead of night, a sudden downpour, thunder. The atmosphere was perfectly suited for a ghost to appear next in some cheap horror flick.

“Wait, don’t tell me…”

Just as I was about to head up to the Second Floor for the night.

Click.

The bottom of the Refrigerator suddenly swung open on its own.

“…!”

At the same time, the kitchen faucet turned on by itself, and soon water came pouring down like a waterfall.

But before fear of a ghost could grip me, one thought crystallized in my mind.

“…My water bill!”

My heart sank in terror, yet I rushed to grab the faucet and twisted it shut with all my strength.

I waited anxiously to see what would happen next.

“Huh…?”

Nothing happened. Absolutely nothing at all.

The water obediently stopped, and the shop fell silent once more.

But my relief was short-lived as a chilling sensation crept up my feet.

Water was pooling and spreading across the entire floor. If I’d waited much longer, it would have reached my ankles.

“Ah… this is a disaster.”

The thought of cleaning up all that water sent a chill down my spine.

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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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