They Told Me to Build Good Karma by Selling Side Dishes - Chapter 83

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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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83. Buckwheat Jelly Strips (7)

“Is the grain fine enough?”
“Well… it’s fine, but I need to grind it a few more times.”

I pinched the powder that had accumulated like sand between my fingers and rubbed it. It crumbled away smoothly. It appeared fine, yet I could still feel individual granules clinging to my skin. If I used it as is, the jelly would fall apart. So I had to grind it several more times.

Whirrrrr—

Gradually, buckwheat flour piled up beside the grinder like a small mountain. A nutty aroma began to permeate the Kitchen. It was the scent of buckwheat.

“Buckwheat smells wonderful.”

The Dokkaebi sniffed the air, inhaling deeply. I placed the sieve again and poured the flour through. This time, nothing caught. When I gave my wrist a gentle shake, the buckwheat flour descended like snow.

“It’s snow!”
“Snow!”
“It really is snow!”

At that moment, a status window appeared in the corner of my vision!

[Buckwheat Flour Infused with Dawn’s Light (S)]

And that too!

“S-rank!”

The buckwheat flour was truly as fine as snow. I could tell just by looking at it without even touching it. The Dokkaebi couldn’t tear his eyes away from the buckwheat flour piled like snow.

“Kkabbi?”
“When I ate buckwheat jelly strips often, I frequently saw buckwheat flour piled up like snow. I thought I’d never feel that sensation again….”
“Food is a vessel for memory, after all.”

The Dokkaebi looked at me with the playfulness gone from his face.

“Is that so?”
“That’s why I’ll make it delicious for you.”

I moved the bowl of flour to the counter.

“Let’s start with the buckwheat jelly.”

As I poured water into the buckwheat flour, it breathed and bubbled, spreading outward. I then passed it through a fine sieve. Only the fine particles fell through below, while the coarser bits remained on top.

Whoosh, whoosh.

I continued stirring, hoping the flour and water would blend into one.

“The buckwheat flour is so fine, meow.”
“Want to try some?”
“Meow!”

Hae-tae fearlessly extended his pink tongue, eager to taste the buckwheat jelly. I placed some on the back of my hand and offered it to him.

“Here.”

‘It probably only tastes nutty.’

After licking my hand, Hae-tae’s brow furrowed slightly.

“It’s just like watery liquid, meow.”
“Right? It hasn’t been seasoned yet, so that’s why.”

I placed a wok on the gas range and turned on the heat. Then I slowly poured in the water mixed with buckwheat flour and, over medium heat, stirred with a spatula, scraping from the bottom upward.

What began thin and mild gradually resisted the spatula. Then the buckwheat began to clump on its own.

This was when I retrieved the sea salt and perilla oil.

‘Time to add flavor.’

I sprinkled sea salt pinched between my fingers and drizzled perilla oil in a circle. The gradually thickening buckwheat became difficult to stir with the spatula.

‘About thirty minutes?’

The buckwheat had definitely thickened. It dragged heavily along the spatula. Each time I stirred, the wok bottom lifted briefly.

“Now’s the moment.”

I reduced the heat to the lowest setting. Lifting the spatula upright, I watched as the buckwheat jelly stretched slowly before dropping.

“It turned out well.”
“Did it come out right?”
“It should have turned out well, right?”

I turned off the heat completely and stirred for a long while, finishing off the residual warmth.

“Now we just need to let it cool.”

I brought over the mold roughly. Tilting the wok slightly to align with the mold—

Thunk.
Thwump.

The jelly made a heavy sound as it flowed out.

I swept away the bubbles that had formed on the surface with the spatula, and it settled smoothly. Placing the wok in the sink and gripping the mold, I applied gentle pressure. The jelly trembled slowly without scattering, maintaining its sticky texture.

“Is it done?”
“It hasn’t set yet, but is this much a success?”

It was easier than when I made acorn jelly.

“Just leave it like this for one to two hours.”
“We just wait then.”

The Dokkaebi approached and gazed endlessly at the jelly.

“What? Want to eat it?”
“I do want to eat it. But I’ll wait.”

Beside me, Hae-tae’s eyes widened.

“I want to eat it now, meow!”
“Wait.”
“Why, meow! It’ll taste good even if I eat it now, meow!”
“What Kkabbi wants is buckwheat jelly strips. Picture it—hot anchovy broth, topped with stir-fried kimchi, a sprinkle of egg strips, and then the crowning touch: a dusting of seaweed powder.”

Hae-tae’s throat bobbed up and down.

“Isn’t that better?”
“…meow.”
“Good things come to those who wait, you know.”

The Dokkaebi spoke as if agreeing with the truth of it.

“Just as Kkabbi says—the waiting itself is the flavor of aged jelly.”

I adjusted the cloth draped over the mold one more time and placed it in the Refrigerator. The jelly had left my hands now. What remained in the Kitchen was….

‘…I need to make more.’

I exhaled deeply, staring at the mountain of buckwheat flour piled before me. The flour itself was blameless. Blameless, yet somehow so abundant.

***

I’d done it.

‘I never made this much acorn jelly….’

With acorn jelly, I’d brought a reasonable amount, ground it into flour, and made the jelly. But buckwheat jelly—I’d made so much of it.

“Wow….”

I squeezed the final buckwheat jelly mold into a gap in the Refrigerator. They were stacked with barely a sliver of space between them.

“Am I really going to eat all of this….”

The words tumbled out unbidden. Beneath the white cloth, one mold, two molds, three molds hardening in neat rows…. I gave up counting.

“Tomorrow, I’m having a buckwheat jelly strips party.”

I leaned against the sink for a moment before dragging a chair over and sitting down. Too lazy to straighten my back, I hunched forward with my arms hanging limply at my sides.

“You’ve worked hard.”

The Dokkaebi had returned to his true form—until just moments ago, he’d been a cat.

“When did you get back?”
“I came to help.”

Without a word, the Dokkaebi rolled up his sleeves and turned on the water. I watched him move his hands mechanically, my eyes blinking slowly.

“At least you’ve lightened the load.”

The Dokkaebi rinsed the dishes and shook off the water before placing them on the shelf.

“What about Hae-tae?”
“Sleeping on the wooden platform.”
“On a cold night like this?”
“He does fine in cold places.”

I leaned back against the chair. When I shifted my gaze toward the wide-open back door, I could see Hae-tae curled up in a tight ball on the wooden platform, his tail wrapped around his nose.

“Once the buckwheat jelly strips are done… where will you go?”
“I don’t know.”
“If you have nowhere to go, you can stay here.”

I meant it sincerely. The Dokkaebi rested his hand on the sink and looked down at me.

“That’s good. Very good indeed.”

A smile spread slowly across the Dokkaebi’s face—an unguarded joy that needed no concealment.

“An offer like that… it’s been a very long time.”
“Hae-tae likes you too.”

Besides, it made no difference whether I was feeding one creature or two.

“I can provide for you.”
“…Wow.”

The Dokkaebi’s lips curved upward with unmistakable delight.

“When I’m busy with the Side Dish Shop, I thought it would be nice if you stayed beside Hae-tae….”
“…!”

But a suggestion was merely a suggestion.

“But that won’t work, will it?”

The Dokkaebi stepped forward in one stride and pulled me into an embrace. The grip was so suffocating that I felt stifled.

“Not yet, anyway.”
“…?!”
“Still, I’m happy. No one has ever asked me to stay beside them except that child….”
“…gasp!”
“Why aren’t you answering?”

My breath caught in my throat, heat flooding my face.

“Ah! Our Ji-gu must be lonely.”
“That’s not it….”
“Then?”
“You all live for such a long time.”
“Ah, that’s right.”

Only then did the Dokkaebi grasp the situation and step back. I exhaled my words.

“Still, stop by once in a while when you’re passing through.”
“Of course.”

I tilted my head slightly.

“Really?”
“Sure~.”

Beep beep—

The alarm I’d set on the Refrigerator chimed right on schedule.

“It’s cooled down.”
“Can I eat it now?”
“Yeah.”

I answered briefly and walked over to the Refrigerator, pulling open the door. I checked the buckwheat jelly that I’d placed inside first. The solidified buckwheat jelly had a smooth surface. It had set perfectly.

“Want to eat now? Should I wake Hae-tae?”
“No need to wake him.”

I wanted to ask why, but as I caught sight of the Dokkaebi’s smile, the question dissolved before I could voice it.

“So this is how it’s made.”
“You’ve never seen it before?”
“I’ve only ever seen buckwheat jelly that was already finished.”

I retrieved the primordial buckwheat jelly and closed the Refrigerator door. I inverted the mold onto the cutting board and turned out the jelly.

I wet the knife in water. The residual warmth on the blade needed to be rinsed away so it wouldn’t stick to the jelly.

“Now sit in the chair. I’ll serve it.”

I gestured toward the chair with my chin.

“Okay!”

The Dokkaebi gripped spoons in both hands, ready to wait. I smiled at the sight and began slicing the buckwheat jelly.

Thunk.
Thunk.
Thunk.

I cut the jelly into thin strands, preserving its texture. With each pass of the knife, the jelly fell onto the cutting board.

“The jelly looks cute, doesn’t it?”
“I think of jelly as the primordial buckwheat jelly.”

I rinsed the sliced jelly in cold water and placed it on a strainer, gently shaking away the excess water.

‘The seasoning is just right.’

I immediately poured the seasoning sauce into a small bowl.

“Are you leaving now? Get ready.”

I poured the steaming anchovy broth into the bowl and added the buckwheat jelly. I topped it with the kimchi I’d stir-fried earlier and the golden egg strips, then sprinkled seaweed powder and sesame seeds—

“It already looks delicious…?”
“It’ll taste good, won’t it? Come on, sit down.”

I moved the bowl to the table and placed my hands on my hips.

“First, try the buckwheat jelly on its own. Then stir it around with your chopsticks so the seasoning sauce and toppings blend into the broth.”
“Yeah, yeah.”

Kkabbi picked up a piece of buckwheat jelly first. After smelling it, he put it straight into his mouth.

“…!”

His expression didn’t change.

‘Does he like it?’

“…It’s savory, and as you chew, the buckwheat aroma rises with a subtle bitterness.”
“Does it taste good?”
“It’s delicious. Really.”

I picked up my chopsticks too. The jelly slipped across my tongue, followed by the seasoning clinging to it. It was a flavor you could appreciate without even chewing.

“Now mix it and eat.”

Kkabbi stirred without hesitation, mixing the buckwheat jelly infused with the gentle anchovy broth with the egg strips and stir-fried kimchi on a single spoon, then brought it to his mouth.

“Huh….”

Kkabbi let out a short sound and fell silent. His hand holding the spoon hung suspended in the air.

“What’s wrong?”
“…Was it always like this? I’ve forgotten because it’s been so long.”

I buried my face in the bowl and drank the buckwheat jelly strips broth.

“At first it goes down smoothly, but the buckwheat lingers afterward.”
“Lingers?”
“Yeah. It stays with you, keeps coming back to mind….”

The bitter, astringent flavor clung to the inside of my tongue before the umami of the anchovy broth would wash over it.

“It’s strange.”
“Hmm?”
“Strangely… it makes me happy.”
“Come by, and I’ll make it for you every day.”

The Dokkaebi drained even the broth that had settled at the bottom of the bowl.

“Thank you. I’ll remember this well.”

He pulled something from inside his pocket. It was paper—a note from the GS Company, different from the others….

‘Yoon-seul’s name is on it?’

“What is this?”
“A note. If an emergency or bad situation arises, just put it in the lower part of the Refrigerator anytime? I’ll come.”
“So it’s a way to contact the Dokkaebi?”

The Dokkaebi chuckled.

“Your mind works well, doesn’t it?”
“I’ve met so many Evil Spirits and Divine Beings by now….”

I could roughly guess what was happening.

“I should go now. I was planning to say goodbye to Hae-tae, but this isn’t much of a farewell.”
“You’re just leaving like this?”

The Dokkaebi looked down at Hae-tae sleeping on the wooden platform. His tail lay stretched out without the slightest movement.

“Too much trouble to wake him.”

The Dokkaebi’s form grew hazy as he finished speaking, his colors fading as though light were draining away.

“Ji-gu.”
“Hmm?”

The Dokkaebi called out to me.

“The buckwheat jelly strips, I mean. Next time, let’s eat them in summer.”

The Dokkaebi drew near and pressed a gentle warmth to my forehead—a fleeting kiss, brief and tender.

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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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