They Told Me to Build Good Karma by Selling Side Dishes - Chapter 5

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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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5. Hyang-suk’s Side Dish Shop (5)

I asked Hae-tae through the translucent tutorial completion window.

“What kind of kimchi should I make?”
“There aren’t that many types of kimchi, meow.”
“That’s true.”

‘Kimchi, huh….’

In that moment, oddly enough, a memory surfaced—the “melon kimchi” I’d once proposed as a new menu item at the Restaurant, only to have it rejected.

‘Melon kimchi… I’ve always wanted to try making it at least once.’

Noticing my eyes light up, Hae-tae shrank back slightly and spoke.

“No inedible foods, meow….”
“What, can you read minds now?”
“Your eyes looked a little scary, meow.”

My eyes? I glanced at my reflection in the shop mirror.

‘Oh….’

Staring back at me was my own face, one corner of my mouth already curled upward, grinning like a mad scientist on the verge of a new experiment.

“Ahem.”

I cleared my throat awkwardly and prepared to leave. It was time to grab the burlap sack filled with dried red peppers and head to the Mill.

But first.

‘I need to grab my wallet.’

“Where are you going, meow?”

Hae-tae blocked my path.

“I need to get my wallet. I have to go to the Mill.”

At my words, Hae-tae shook his head.

“There’s no need for that.”
“Huh?”

Hae-tae strutted confidently toward the burlap sack, as if to show me something.

‘What is he trying to do?’

I watched silently as Hae-tae went about his business.

The moment his plump paw lightly touched the peppers—

The dried peppers inside the burlap sack were suddenly engulfed in a soft golden light, transforming into finely ground powder in the blink of an eye.

Instead of the noise of the Mill’s machinery, a fragrant, peppery aroma bloomed in the air.

“…Is this even possible?”

I approached the bag of red pepper powder as if in a trance and checked it. The particles were evenly distributed and the color was vivid, as if crafted by a god.

[Red Pepper Powder Infused with Dragon’s Resilience (S)]

I dipped a finger into the powder and brought it to my tongue. A clean, pleasant heat bloomed across my palate.

‘This is top-tier quality.’

“The status window appeared for the red pepper powder?”
“Yeah, it did.”
“Then try calling out ‘tip’ in your mind while looking at the ingredient.”

Following Hae-tae’s instruction, I gazed at the finely ground pepper powder and called out silently.

‘Tip!?’

A different type of window suddenly flashed into view.

[Ingredient Tip!]
Target Species: Human
Consumption Method: All kimchi made with red chili powder
Effect: Stress reduced by 15% upon consumption

“This window is different from before, isn’t it?”

I asked while looking at Hae-tae.

“It’s a useful system for when you want to know the specific effects and applications of ingredients that display status windows from S-rank crops, meow.”
“Wow…! This is insane. Absolutely insane!”

I was at the point where I wanted to grab Hae-tae’s head and kiss it right then and there.

As if it were nothing, Hae-tae casually began washing his face with his soft tongue.

“Shall we make some kimchi now~?”
“What kind of kimchi will you make, meow?”

That glutton. The moment food crossed my mind, his eyes sparkled with anticipation. Hae-tae’s tongue lolled out as he drooled.

“First, I should head to the Vegetable Garden, right?”

I entered the Vegetable Garden, contemplating which kimchi to make.

“By the way, what kind of kimchi were you thinking about earlier? Your expression was quite amusing, meow.”
“I was thinking about trying melon kimchi.”
“…Why would you make melon kimchi, meow?”
“It’s actually quite delicious.”
“Meoooowww!”

Hae-tae let out a screech so intense his fur stood on end. I threw my hands up in surrender.

“Alright, alright, I won’t! Let’s just head to the Vegetable Garden together.”
“Hmph, meow.”

I carried the slightly sulking Hae-tae in my arms as I entered the Dimensional Space, lingering before the entrance to the Vegetable Garden.

“Green onion kimchi, napa cabbage kimchi, or Chinese chive kimchi—what’ll it be, meow?”
“Hmm….”
“And don’t you dare think up some weird kimchi recipe in that head of yours again, meow!”
“Come on, I wasn’t. Well, maybe a little.”

The ingredients from the Vegetable Garden were so fine that anything I harvested and turned into kimchi would taste delicious.

“Hmm… should I make green onion kimchi?”

It was the simplest option, and there was no better side dish to pair with instant noodles. The pungent bite and crisp texture of green onion kimchi perfectly cut through the richness of oily ramen.

“Green onion kimchi sounds great, meow!”

Hae-tae’s tail swished with approval, brushing against my cheek.

“Wrapping ramen in green onion kimchi—now that’s delicious, meow~.”
“A true connoisseur, meow.”
“A connoisseur?”

I tilted my head and looked down at Hae-tae.

“Where do you pick up these phrases?”
“I know everything, meow!”

…Sure, if you say so.

I set Hae-tae down on the ground and pulled work gloves from my apron pocket.

Green onions with plump, tender roots like Hae-tae’s were especially delicious, and every single one in the Vegetable Garden was premium quality.

Green onions were at their crispest and freshest just before winter preparation, making it the perfect time to harvest, but—

‘In this Dimensional Space, that doesn’t matter.’

The crops here maintained their perfect state regardless of season. I marveled at this as I grasped a bundle of green onions and pulled them up.

[Common Quality Green Onion (B)]

As I pulled up another green onion, another window appeared.

[Delicious Green Onion (A)]
[Green Onion Kissed by Heavenly Dew (S)]

As I harvested them one stalk at a time, a generous bundle suitable for making green onion kimchi had accumulated before me.

I brushed away the soil clinging to the green onions and suddenly noticed how exceptionally fresh the vegetables growing in this Dimensional Space were. The crops felt cool and firm, as if they’d been stored in a refrigerator.

“By the way, Hae-tae, do vegetables grown in this Dimensional Space stay fresh for a long time?”
“That’s right, vegetables stay fresh for ages.”
“How long?”
“Even vegetables harvested four days ago remain as vibrant as if they were just picked today.”

The more I saw, the more I coveted this space.

Now that I’d brushed all the soil from the green onions!

“Should we go make the green onion kimchi now?”
“Meow!”
“Let’s go!”

***

I opened the shop door wide to air it out, then headed straight to the Kitchen.

“Green onion kimchi is simple enough….”

I dumped the freshly harvested bundle of green onions into the sink and turned on the water. I gently rubbed the roots, washing away the soil.

After placing the cleaned green onions in a colander to drain, I retrieved the blender to prepare the seasoning paste—only then did I realize something.

“…Oh right! I don’t have any apples. What do I do?”

It would be nice to have an apple or pear for sweetness, but since this came up suddenly, I hadn’t prepared any.

I considered placing an order with the refrigerator, but since I only needed a couple, it seemed awkward to order just for that.

‘What could I use instead…?’

While I pondered briefly, a pear drink sitting in the corner of the shelf caught my eye.

‘This isn’t half bad either.’

Watching me work, Hae-tae let out a pleased purring sound—it seemed my improvisation had earned his approval.

I sliced the onions I’d pulled up alongside the green onions into large chunks, tossed them into the blender, and poured in the sweet pear juice. When I opened the fish sauce bottle, a briny, profound aroma wafted through the air.

‘Just one spoonful. This is my secret weapon for unleashing umami.’

Of course, if you enjoyed the fishy taste, you could add more; if you disliked it, you could skip it entirely. After all, flavor was most delicious when it matched your own palate.

“Oh! The glutinous rice paste!”

I’d almost forgotten.

After adding the glutinous rice paste, I ground all the ingredients together at once.

With a satisfying whirr, a nutty, spicy-sweet aroma bloomed throughout the kitchen.

Now came the crucial element: the sweetness of the green onion kimchi.

Other kimchis didn’t necessarily need sweetness. But green onion kimchi was different. It required that subtle sweetness to tame the green onions’ distinctive heat.

So I added plum syrup.

‘Since the juice is already providing some sweetness, this time I’ll use just a bit less than usual…!’

Now came the most important part—adding the S-rank red chili powder Hae-tae had made. The moment the crimson powder mixed into the seasoning, the color deepened entirely.

I dipped a spatula in and tasted it.

And then.

“Wow…!”

I couldn’t help but gasp in wonder.

“Is it tasty?”
“…Yes. It feels like my entire worldview has been shattered.”
“It’s that good.”

The seasoning was in an entirely different league from the scallion kimchi I’d always made before. The power of quality ingredients was truly remarkable.

I retrieved the scallions I’d already drained of excess moisture and trimmed the ends with scissors. Cutting the ends helps them wilt properly.

Now it was time to coat the scallions with the finished seasoning.

“Smack.”

At the sound from below, I lowered my head to find Hae-tae licking his lips.

“Hae-tae? Would you like me to make you one scallion kimchi?”

Hae-tae leaped up and settled himself primly on the counter. It was his silent way of saying yes.

I generously coated a single scallion with seasoning and rolled it up. As I held the glistening scallion kimchi before him, Hae-tae’s tail shot straight up in excitement.

“Here.”
“Meow!”

When Hae-tae opened his mouth slightly, I placed the scallion kimchi inside. He chewed silently for a long moment.

“What is it? Not tasty?”

‘Could it be too bland?’

Then Hae-tae began humming contentedly and wagged his tail broadly.

“It’s passable, meow!”
“Passable~?”

…Hmm?

I narrowed my eyes and studied Hae-tae’s expression carefully. The corners of his mouth were raised, and his eyes gleamed with unmistakable excitement.

‘By the look of it, “passable” clearly means….’

“So it’s delicious~?”
“No, it’s passable, meow!”

Hae-tae flatly refuted, as if denying the very suggestion.

“What if my face and tone of voice change?”

It seemed his pride was wounded when I admitted it tasted delicious. Well, at least it turned out well!

“Hmph, meow!”

I suppressed my laughter and placed all the remaining scallions into the basin, carefully mixing them with the seasoning.

With the scallion kimchi neatly packed into the container, I finished today’s work.

“Done! Done! Done!”

The moment I closed the container’s lid, a translucent window appeared with a sharp ding.

[Tutorial: 3. Completed kimchi using red chili powder.]
[Tutorial complete.]

I cheered at the tutorial window. Then a golden-hued window materialized before me.

[Reward: Premium Red Chili Powder Grinder x1]

“A grinder?”
“The mystical power I used earlier is contained within that grinder, meow. Use it well, meow.”

The moment Hae-tae finished speaking, a sleek grinder materialized in the corner of the kitchen, emanating a subtle glow.

[Radiant Grinder]
Grade: A
Description: A special grinder bestowed directly by the divine beast Hae-tae
– Grinds with such ferocity that it pulverizes even the soul of ingredients, perfectly preserving their true essence.

“This is insane. Absolutely insane!”

Hae-tae puffed out his chest proudly, displaying his dignified bearing.

“This is the best. The absolute best!”
“Meow!”
“Hae-tae, go rest. I’ll make something delicious for you!”
“Understood, meow.”

My steps felt light and buoyant as I moved through the kitchen. Beyond the window, darkness had already settled in—night had fallen without my noticing.

“Time has already slipped away like this….”

I murmured to myself as I rummaged through the lower drawers.

“What would pair well with this…. Ah, I can’t leave this out!”

I was just about to pull out two packages of black bean noodles.

“…Excuse me.”

An unfamiliar voice cut through the silence. A gaunt woman with slumped shoulders had entered the shop.

“Yes, what brings you in?”

I wiped my damp hands on my apron and stepped out from the kitchen.

“Ah… I came to buy some side dishes. The ones here….”

Something was hovering above the woman’s head.

A status window labeled [More Details].

‘More details?’

[Customer Status – More Details]
Name: Lee Hae-ra
Recommendation: Food that reduces stress levels
Status: I want to quit my job right now. I don’t want to do anything…. (⳻_⳺)
Reward: Karma ‘1’ Point

A pink window displaying the customer’s status materialized with a soft shimmer.

‘Karma Points?’

So that’s what it was.

Now I understood clearly what Grandmother had been doing all these years and what I needed to do, and what it truly meant to help a hundred people.

‘She recommends food that lowers stress levels?’

Didn’t I just make scallion kimchi with chili powder!

“Excuse me, proprietor?”
“Oh! Oh my, I’m so sorry. You’ve come to purchase some side dishes?”

She gazed at the empty refrigerator case, her expression growing visibly melancholic.

“Yes… but there aren’t any side dishes?”
“That’s right. I was in the middle of preparing to reopen the shop.”
“Then… I suppose I’ll be going….”

I caught Lee Hae-ra before she could turn away.

“Wait just a moment! If you don’t mind, I’ve just finished making some scallion kimchi—would you care to try a sample?”
“…Really? Scallion kimchi?”
“Yes. Since you’ve come all this way, I’d feel terrible if you left empty-handed.”
“I’m really fine, though….”

I flashed a radiant smile and pressed my case.

“You seem to live nearby—just give it a taste. If it doesn’t suit your palate, you don’t have to buy anything!”

Before she could refuse again, I hurried into the Kitchen and returned with a small plate of scallion kimchi.

As the pungent aroma of the spiced scallion kimchi wafted through the air, Lee Hae-ra’s throat bobbed up and down.

‘Just as I thought.’

The fragrance of food is the most potent weapon for capturing the appetite.

“Just try the scallion kimchi.”

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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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