They Told Me to Build Good Karma by Selling Side Dishes - Chapter 7

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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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7. Opening (1)

-Wake up! You have to wake up! You’re South Korea’s hero!

My eyes snapped open at the alarm announcing 5 a.m.

“The first day…!”

I bolted upright and rushed to the sink, frantically splashing water on my face to shake off the remnants of sleep.

I quickly changed clothes and headed to the living room, offering a greeting to Grandmother Hyang-suk’s portrait on the wall.

“Grandmother, I’m heading out!”

The moment I arrived at the Side Dish Shop, I made for the Back Door. I tied the black apron I’d received from yesterday’s customer snugly around my waist.

“Hah!”

I gave a sharp shout and drew in a deep breath. The apron had been freshly laundered, and the warm scent of fabric softener naturally calmed my nerves.

‘Alright! Let’s begin.’

As I stepped into the Dimensional Space, the fresh, verdant scent of grass greeted me—a fragrance I’d grown accustomed to by now.

The gray stone statue of the cat remained motionless, suggesting Hae-tae was still asleep. I crouched quietly before the Vegetable Garden and checked the “First Day Menu!” I’d organized in my smartphone’s notes app the night before.

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1. Bean Sprout Seasoning
2. Radish Shreds
3. Seasoned Fatsia OR Fatsia Seasoning
4. Zucchini Stir-fry
5. Braised Soy Sauce
+ Salad Sandwich
==========

Since it was my first day, I crafted a menu centered around the most fundamental and universally beloved side dishes.

“What are you doing?”
“Oh, when did you get here?”
“I’ve been here for a while.”

Hae-tae tapped my knee lightly with his tail, though I hadn’t noticed when he’d arrived.

“Perfect timing. Don’t you grow bean sprouts in the Dimensional Space?”
“Follow me.”

Hae-tae began walking slowly toward the far end of the Vegetable Garden, and I carefully followed behind him.

“…Here?”

We’d arrived at a corner of the Vegetable Garden that wasn’t particularly conspicuous. There, lined up in a row, were suspicious-looking black containers.

“These are the containers where I’ve planted the bean sprouts.”

When Hae-tae lightly tapped one of the black containers with his paw, something jade-green and glistening with dewdrops like a precious stone tumbled out and rolled away.

“Gasp—a frog?!”

I stumbled backward in surprise. Looking more closely, I saw tiny tree frogs, each no larger than a fingernail, sitting contentedly huddled together. They gazed up at me with their beady black eyes, utterly adorable.

“…Are those frogs what grow the bean sprouts?”
“That’s right. They eat the bean sprout husks and moss.”

Hae-tae nodded briefly.

“Can they talk like you?”
“They can’t speak.”
“I see…. They’d be adorable if they could talk.”

The frogs puffed out their round cheeks as if saying something, croaking rhythmically.

“You can take the bean sprouts now.”
“Got it!”

I pulled on the gloves I’d stashed in my apron pocket and swept away the black cloth draped over the container. A crisp, clean water scent wafted up, revealing plump, brilliantly white bean sprouts that gleamed in the light.

– Croak!
– Croak croak…!

The frogs gazed at me with pride in their accomplishment, puffing out their chests and thumping them repeatedly—their eyes sparkling with an almost burdensome eagerness.

“Wow, wow! They look incredibly fresh! You all did an amazing job raising them.”

The moment I offered my praise, the creatures erupted in harmonious croaks, their voices layering together in delight.

‘…They’re adorable.’

The largest of them suddenly bounded forward and leaped right in front of me.

“Huh? Hae-tae, what’s this one doing?”
“They’re curious about what delicious dish their carefully nurtured bean sprouts will become. They’re asking you to make something tasty with them.”

As if confirming Hae-tae’s words, the small frog nodded vigorously and thumped its chest a couple more times with its front legs.

“What kind of dish should I make~?”

Hae-tae gave me a slight glare at my playful tone, then raised a plump front paw and flashed its claws meaningfully.

“Stop joking around and start harvesting them!”

I quickly plucked several handfuls of bean sprouts. Each time, status windows appeared before my eyes without pause.

[Delicious Bean Sprouts (A)]
[Bean Sprouts Kissed by Dawn Dew (S)]
[Delicious Bean Sprouts (A)]

‘Not a single B-grade among them.’

Just how premium were these?

“Frogs, you all are truly the best!”

At my words, the frogs began hopping excitedly, gathering in a line before me.

“Why are they gathering so eagerly like this?”
“It’s been a while since anyone came to harvest bean sprouts. So I’m asking them to visit often.”
“That’s adorable…”

The frogs, as if their task was complete, returned to their places—some climbing up the walls of the container, others burrowing back into the bean sprouts.

“But you’re only going to sell basic side dishes?”
“I don’t even know the neighborhood customers’ preferences yet. It wouldn’t be right to just throw everything out there haphazardly.”

Carelessly displaying a random assortment of side dishes could backfire entirely.

It was better to observe the customers’ reactions first, then gradually expand the menu with the most popular items.

“But what’s this salad sandwich thing?”
“You saw what I wrote?”
“Your smartphone fell on the floor. I couldn’t help but see it.”

I felt embarrassed and scratched the back of my neck awkwardly.

“Actually, I was thinking about trying to make salad sandwiches, but I was uncertain whether to go through with it.”

I wanted to sell the salad sandwiches Grandmother Hyang-suk used to make for me. They were simple to prepare, after all.

“The fact that you’re asking this question tells me you want to eat salad sandwiches.”
“That’s not it!”
“Sure it isn’t.”

I chuckled softly and headed back to the Vegetable Garden. One by one, I harvested the crops I needed for the side dishes.

Now I just needed to pull up the radishes…

“Why are there so many radishes in the Vegetable Garden!?”

Seeing all the different varieties of radishes spread throughout the Vegetable Garden, I couldn’t help but gasp.

“Can you really grow all of these?”
“In the Vegetable Garden, any crop can be cultivated. That’s how all the other crops are grown.”

I stared at the radishes for a long moment, utterly bewildered.

While different varieties are typically cultivated depending on the season, I never imagined this place would stock so many different types.

I was meticulously browsing through the radish varieties when I spotted a label for Japanese radish.

It had an elongated, slender shape and was commonly used for pickled radish.

“They have Japanese radish too.”
“That’s the hardest one to cultivate, meow.”
“This variety is almost exclusively for factory supply.”

It was all the more fascinating because it was a radish variety rarely seen by ordinary consumers. But my admiration ended there.

I actually selected a Korean radish for the side dishes and pulled it out with a pop.

But then.

“What kind of radish is this sturdy?”

It was thicker and longer than my forearm. It was nearly twice the size.

[Exquisite-Tasting Korean Radish (A)]

Such a magnificent, high-quality radish rated only as Grade A? Insane. The thought of cooking with such ingredients made my mouth water.

“Aren’t you going to cook, meow?”

Only then did Hae-tae’s words snap me back to reality. I quickly pulled out a few more and rushed back to the shop.

***

“Right then!”

I dumped the crops I’d harvested from the Vegetable Garden into the sink one by one. Under the flowing water, the vegetables came alive, each displaying their vibrant colors with refreshing vitality.

I lifted my head to check the wall clock.

‘Six in the morning.’

“I should be able to take orders now, right?”

He said he’d contact me first, yet there’s been nothing but silence. And I don’t have time for this either!

I pulled out a notepad from the counter drawer, its surface shimmering with a silvery, scale-like pattern. The iridescent finish—reminiscent of fish skin—brushed against my fingertips.

“The ingredients I need….”

Fortunately, the seasonings were sufficient.

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Peeled quail eggs 5kg
Chicken eggs 3 dozen
Peeled garlic 2kg
Beef fan steak 400g
Beef chuck steak 600g
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I hastily scribbled the list and tucked the notepad into the lower compartment of the refrigerator.

“This should do it, right?”

Anxious that something might explode, I stepped back a meter to verify.

Bang bang bang bang!—

This time, instead of hands, came the sound of something being kicked roughly. Then the lower door slid open.

I bent forward stealthily to peer inside.

‘There it is.’

The moment I reached for the groceries stored deep within, translucent windows cascaded into view.

[Freshly Laid Special Quail Egg (S)]
[Freshly Laid Special Chicken Egg (S)]
[Special Garlic for Immunity (S)]
[Delicious 1++ Beef Special Fan Steak (S)]
[1++ Beef Special Chuck Steak (S)]

“…All of them are S-grade?”

Each and every item gleamed with such flawless perfection that it hurt to look at them. They were, without question, premium-grade ingredients. Yet no matter how I thought about it, something felt off.

‘There’s no way she’d hand these over so easily.’

Nothing in this world is free, and especially not when the other party appears to be something other than human.

As I pondered this, the image of Lee Ju-taek’s bright smile came to mind.

Recalling how he’d spoken warmly of Grandmother Hyang-suk alongside that seemingly pleasant expression, I found myself thinking there couldn’t be anything too sinister afoot.

Lost in thought like that, something suddenly caught my eye at the bottom of the refrigerator.

It was a memo scrawled in red ballpoint pen—something oddly unsettling about it.

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Excuse me?
Six in the morning?
What kind of manners are those?
==========

…Oh. Six in the morning was pushing it, then.

I wrote back earnestly, letter by letter, with complete sincerity.

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Yes, I’m Grandmother Hyang-suk’s granddaughter.
I won’t do it again next time.
==========

Less than three seconds passed.

Bang bang bang bang!—

The door flew open and the memo scattered into the air.

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Haha
Delivery hours are from 8 AM to 8 PM.
I’ll contact you through the memo then
And the Company will reach out to you soon
Just wait and don’t be surprised, lol
Oh, and one more thing
Since it’s the first day the Side Dish Shop opened, I only gave you an S-grade rating?
Don’t expect much next time
==========

‘Since it’s the first day the Side Dish Shop opened…’

I understood, but what was with that presumptuous tone?

Still, I was in the wrong. I’d be respectful.

==========
Understood
==========

I gazed at the neat circle drawn in the memo and smiled with satisfaction. I added a note at the bottom and dusted off my palms.

‘Now let’s make the side dishes.’

Time was running short.

***

10 AM.

The dim twilight of dawn had completely faded, and by the time sunlight poured through the windows, all preparations were complete.

From trimming vegetables to cooking the side dishes—five hours of relentless work had yielded this result.

‘With this, today’s business preparations are done…’

Looking at the display shelves brimming with side dishes, I felt a sense of accomplishment, yet I couldn’t help but worry whether customers would come, given that the Side Dish Shop had been closed for quite some time.

“Why does the Side Dish Shop have tables and chairs, meow?”

At the familiar voice, I turned my head to see Hae-tae padding through the shop entrance on his front paws.

“Oh, Hae-tae’s here.”
“Came for food, meow.”

His confident attitude made me laugh.

“What do you want to eat?”
“Salad sandwich, meow!”
“I haven’t made that yet, though?”
“Didn’t you say you’d make it, meow!”
“I didn’t have time, okay!”
“Make it quick, meow! I’m starving, meow!”

Before I knew it, Hae-tae had climbed onto my back and claimed my shoulders as his territory. As he raked his front paws through my hair, I finally threw up my hands in surrender.

“Fine, fine! I’ll make it! I’ll make it!”

I pulled out a small, round morning roll from the refrigerator instead of sandwich bread.

“Not sandwich bread, meow?”
“Right. Grandmother always made these for me when I went to school—quick and easy. And they’re so delicious!”

They were firmer than sandwich bread, which meant the salad filling wouldn’t make them soggy—something I’d always appreciated.

I drizzled a little cooking oil into a frying pan and waited for it to heat.

“No butter, meow?”
“Nope. Grandmother’s sandwiches are all about that subtle, clean flavor, you know? Just wait and see.”

Once the pan was lightly heated, I placed the roll on it.

“Meeeoooowww~?!”

The savory aroma that rose from the toasting bread clearly stirred Hae-tae’s appetite.

“While we’ve got a moment!”

First, I added mayonnaise, ketchup, and a touch of sugar, mixing them together to create a sweet and tangy sauce.

As I retrieved the cabbage and carrots I’d washed earlier, a status window materialized before me.

[Cabbage Infused with Earth’s Essence (S)]
[Delicious Carrot (A)]

“Oh…?”

As I marveled at the status window, one particular phrase captured my attention. The S-rank peppers also bore a name suggesting they were infused with the sun’s essence.

‘Then could this one also…? Tip!’

The moment I mentally cried out, the window shimmered and appeared.

[Ingredient TIP!]
Target Species: Human
Consumption Method: All dishes made with cabbage
Effect: Sugar content reduced by 100% upon consumption

“Wait a minute.”

Sugar content reduced by 100%?

“That’s a zero-sugar salad sandwich!”

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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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