They Told Me to Build Good Karma by Selling Side Dishes - Chapter 65

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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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65. Delivery (2)

***

Shin Yeop-baek stood suspended in mid-air, surveying the shop below. His posture was unnaturally composed, as though he were perfectly at home in such a position.

“Still the same, I see~?”

Hae-tae curled into a ball within Ji-gu’s arms, the two of them conversing quietly.

Seeing the Divine Being stirred a memory—one worn thin by the passage of ages.

Those days when protector and protected coexisted side by side. I never imagined they’d still be living like that.

Then it happened.

– Shin Yeop-baek.

An artificial vibration resonated in Shin Yeop-baek’s ear. Without even turning his head, he responded with perfect composure.

“Yes, Lee Yeo-ui~?”
– Did you deliver the ingredients successfully?
“Of course.”
– And there were no problems during the process…?

At Lee Yeo-ui’s hesitant tone, Shin Yeop-baek let out a soft laugh.

“Problems? It was perfectly peaceful.”

Then Lee Yeo-ui pressed sharply.

– Yet our records show the Divine Being made a significant intervention?
“That was….”

Shin Yeop-baek fell silent. His attention had been caught by Hae-tae gazing at Ji-gu with the briefest of smiles inside the shop.

“…It must be because the Divine Being opened their heart to humans, wouldn’t you say?”

Even after finishing his words, Shin Yeop-baek didn’t lower his gaze for a long while.

– Refrain from unnecessary provocation, Shin Yeop-baek.
“That can’t be. I said I wouldn’t, so I didn’t become a delivery person, did I~?”
– Still, the Seon-eop Shop remains within the Company’s sphere of control.

Control—isn’t that a word humans use when dealing with something greater than themselves?

“Control, you say….”

Shin Yeop-baek murmured the word softly, as if speaking to himself.

“That’s quite a convenient word, isn’t it~?”

It’s only used when one wishes to believe they’re controlling others while unable to control themselves. Shin Yeop-baek knew the weight of that word far too well.

“Truly… a sinister word, isn’t it? Even the GS Company has become a human company.”
– ….
“Don’t worry. I have no intention of touching Seon-eop. That would be… crossing the line, wouldn’t it?”

Shin Yeop-baek deliberately pronounced his final words slowly.

– Shin Yeop-baek!
“Ah, that’s right. Lee Yeo-ui. I have a question for you.”

Shin Yeop-baek spoke to Lee Yeo-ui as if making casual conversation.

“Have you checked the recent records of side dish order customers?”
– What do you mean?
“It seems the orders distributed across each region are clustering unusually toward Ji-gu~?”

The faint sound of keyboard keys came through, as if Lee Yeo-ui was genuinely opening the records again.

– It’s just that some patterns are like that.
“What’s the cause?”
– …Why are you asking that?
“The cause already exists before classification, so I was just asking out of curiosity.”
– You’re taking the joke too far.

Lee Yeo-ui had grown frightened. I was curious what that fear meant, but I decided to back off here. If I asked any further, a counterattack would come my way.

“Understood. Let’s end the jokes here.”
– Come back quickly. The punishment isn’t over yet.
“You mean there’s a delivery…”

The artificial communication cut off.

“You certainly do explain things at length.”

Shin Yeop-baek lightly tapped the air with his fingertip. At that moment, a thin crack-like fissure appeared at the Divine Being’s feet—a gap that only they could pass through, where reality and the Divine Being’s domain intersected.

The crack opened subtly, as if breathing. From within it emanated a flow of time different from human time—slow, deep, and like a world from which there was no return once entered.

Leaning my body toward that gap, I cast one last glance inside the shop.

“Still guarding, are you?”

This world always, ever, rolled toward their side. Very carefully.

“That’s why it’s fun. The world turns this way, doesn’t it~?”

I laughed and murmured in a voice no one could hear. Then I slipped away, disappearing between the boundary’s fissure.

***

I rested my hand on Hae-tae’s armpit, cradling it gently as I asked.

“How do you two know each other?”

Hae-tae lifted its head slightly and answered.

“We’ve met before, meow.”
“For something good?”
“Of course it was for something bad, meow.”

So that’s why Hae-tae was wary of Shin Yeop-baek. I slowly stroked Hae-tae’s back, feeling the tension that hadn’t yet dissipated.

A glutton who was lazy and spent most of the day sleeping—I’d never seen such a fierce and savage expression on his face before. It was a face entirely different from his usual leisurely demeanor.

‘And that creature was trying to protect me….’

For just a moment, the image of a tiger flashed through my mind.

“There was something unpleasant about his gaze, meow.”
“What? No, that wasn’t my expression at all.”

I naturally shifted my gaze to the ingredients in the Kitchen, as if the tense atmosphere from moments ago was nothing at all.

“So what kind of bad thing did you meet him over?”

Hae-tae’s body flinched slightly.

“…He killed humans, meow.”
“Humans? Why?”
“I don’t know, meow.”
“Oh, I see…?”

And I’d acted so carelessly in front of such a being….

‘I made a good impression, didn’t I?’

“Because he killed hundreds of people, he’s being punished by not becoming a dragon, meow.”
“That’s… frightening….”

‘He wasn’t like that when we were leaving notes together.’

Playful tone, neat handwriting, meticulous deliveries. Which side was the real one?

As if recounting an old tale, Hae-tae stretched and answered.

“But there must be a reason, meow. I just don’t know what it is, meow.”
“There must be a reason?”

Hae-tae’s voice grew quieter.

“But it was an era when the relationship between humans and Divine Beings wasn’t yet clear, meow. When I heard that an entire village had vanished, I went to see for myself, and there was blood smeared all across the mountains, meow.”
“…!”
“But I felt rage and madness, meow. Only human breath had been extinguished with such precision, meow.”

Hae-tae’s brow furrowed as if those memories were still vivid.

“Strangely, after that, I never killed humans again, meow. The Divine Beings never told me, but… I’ve been thinking something happened back then, meow.”
“So you’re being punished. Unable to become a dragon….”

I was stroking Hae-tae when a sudden thought made me pause.

“Are you alright, Hae-tae?”
“Meow?”

Hae-tae lifted his lowered head to look at me.

“You went to that place where you killed hundreds, didn’t you?”
“…I’ve encountered dead humans often enough until now, so it’s fine, meow.”

It didn’t sound fine at all. Time passing doesn’t erase memories.

“But you’ll keep meeting them, won’t you? Are you sure you’re alright?”
“…Something happened back then, and I haven’t encountered them since, so I’m not sure, meow.”

But one thing was certain. There was no avoiding it. This was an existence I would have to face steadily from now on.

“Then, that’s all there is to it.”
“What is, meow?”
“It’s simple. I’ll protect you, and you’ll protect me. How’s that?”
“…!”

It wasn’t fearlessness. It was a resolve to endure willingly, as long as I was with Hae-tae.

Hae-tae didn’t answer. Instead, a slow, gentle swish of his tail spoke for him.

“When that Shin Yeop-baek delivery person came by earlier, I kept thinking you’d show up. If I hadn’t, I would’ve run away by now.”
“…Why did you hold on?”
“Because I thought you were coming.”

‘It was also around mealtime.’

Sometimes, like Pavlov’s dog, the most pragmatic reasons became the strongest faith. That’s why I wasn’t afraid. I firmly believed that Hae-tae would definitely come.

“It was faith?”
“Yeah.”

Hae-tae’s tail swayed gently, as if pleased.

“Still, protecting you isn’t easy.”
“That’s why we have to help each other!”

At those words, Hae-tae closed their eyes and nestled deeper into my arms.

“…Then I won’t run away either.”
“What?”

I laughed a little incredulously and asked.

“What about eating? Aren’t you hungry?”

Hae-tae kept their eyes closed, curling up more tightly in my arms.

“I need to… use my strength to sleep….”
“Then how long do you need to sleep?”
“…At least half a day straight….”

It seemed Hae-tae had exerted considerable power for my sake. I held them closer, cradling them more tenderly.

“Alright then, sleep more.”

***

“Another day wrapped up.”

After the last customer left, I dampened a dish towel and began wiping down the counter, erasing the traces of side dish preparation. The floor received one pass with the broom, then another with the mop.

I tied up the garbage bag from the shop and set it by the door, then switched off the lights one by one.

Now it was time to pull down the shutter one final time and tidy up the storefront.

“Grandmother Hyang-suk! You’re still working?”
“Oh…!”

I paused mid-shutter and lifted my head. A figure stood beneath the streetlight in front of the shop—a neat jacket, a paper bag clutched in hand. The light illuminated her face clearly.

“Yun Ga-rin?”
“You remember me!”

She stepped closer and took my hand.

“Of course I do. You’re the daughter of the owner at the Siblings’ Lunch Box Shop, aren’t you?”
“Yes! That’s right!”
“Did you come to buy some side dishes?”
“No, that’s not why I came.”
“Then…? You want to get close to me?”

At that, Yun Ga-rin laughed loudly.

“Oh, that would be nice. I’d be honored to get close to you. But I have a different purpose.”
“A different purpose?”

I raised an eyebrow.

“I want you.”

…Why does she want me? Yun Ga-rin straightened her posture and handed me the paper bag—as if offering a bribe.

“I…”

Yun Ga-rin drew a deep breath, as if carefully choosing her words.

“I work at the Happiness Welfare Center in this neighborhood.”
“Oh, I know!”
“We primarily handle side dish distribution at the Happiness Welfare Center. You’re aware of that, right?”
“Yes… I’m aware.”

I’d occasionally gone on weekends to prepare side dishes there.

“Now that I’m taking over the elderly welfare operations, I want to make the side dish distribution a regular program rather than a one-time thing.”
“Don’t tell me. Is that why you wanted me?”
“Yes.”

Yun Ga-rin tightened her grip on the paper bag and finally broached the main topic.

“Would you be able to accept bulk lunch box orders from Hyang-suk’s Side Dish Shop?”

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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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