They Told Me to Build Good Karma by Selling Side Dishes - Chapter 99

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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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99. Stir-Fried Aralia Shoots (4)

I drew in a deep breath.

“So you’re telling me to choose….”
“That’s right, meow.”

But my fate was already sealed, wasn’t it? It was too early to give up.

“I’ll make it work.”
“That’s the spirit, meow!”

I tapped the enormous aralia shoots twice with my palm. The sound was surprisingly heavy, like striking wood.

“But how do I cut this?”
“I’ll handle it, meow.”
“How will you cut it?”

Hae-tae’s mouth curved into a smile.

“I can do it, meow.”

I was curious how she would manage it.

“Are you prepared, meow?”
“Yes! I’m ready.”

I clenched my fists, steeling my resolve. Though fear hadn’t entirely vanished.

“Will you move it for me?”
“The earthworms will move it for you, meow.”
“Like when they moved the cabbage before?”
“Exactly, meow!”

I could vividly recall the earthworms shifting and transporting things from the ground.

“I’ll move it, meow!”

As Hae-tae cried out, earthworms writhed beneath the soil. Soon the earth heaved in rhythmic waves as the worms surged upward before vanishing. Synchronizing their movements, they burrowed beneath the massive aralia plant.

“Climb on, meow!”
“Now?”
“It’ll be fun, meow!”

Hae-tae darted toward me and grabbed the scruff of my neck.

“Hae-tae?”
“Up we go, meow!”

Without hesitation, she hauled me onto the towering aralia plant. I gripped the edge and pulled myself up. It was larger than I’d expected—surprisingly stable. The leaves supported my feet firmly.

“You alright, meow?”
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
“Move, meow!”

The earthworms surged forward. The ground slid backward as if yielding. The earth split left and right like parting curtains, letting us pass through.

“Whoa! Super fast!”

I gripped my head, staring ahead. The aralia plant tilted forward, accelerating further. Wind pressure hammered my face. My ears felt muffled, and the landscape before me seemed to stretch and blur.

“Hold the leaves tight, meow!”
“Got it!”

I clung tightly to the aralia leaves.

“We’re arriving, meow!”

We burst into the Dimensional Space. The edges split like light, expanding to match the colossal size of the aralia plant.

“Now, meow!”

The earthworms undulated backward like a wave, then thrust the aralia plant forward. The massive plant launched into the air and whoosh—shot straight into the Dimensional Space.

“Wow…!”

In an instant, I was back where I started. The sound of cars moving and students passing by pierced my ears.

“…I really did come back.”

I exhaled a sigh of relief and steadied myself on the giant aralia shoot.

“That was clean, meow.”

It was remarkable how I’d slipped out of the Dimensional Space in one clean motion, as if I’d been ejected from a strike zone. The dizzying experience clung to my skin with no intention of letting go.

“Ji-gu, what are you doing?”
“…I made it safely.”
“Ji-gu made it safely?”

Safe might not be the right word. Right, I carefully climbed down from the enormous aralia shoot and dropped to the ground. My legs trembled.

Only then could I properly see the aralia shoot that had arrived in the center of the Backyard. The moment I saw it, I swallowed hard. The aralia shoot that had seemed relatively small in the Dimensional Space now revealed its true scale in the Backyard.

Just as appliances and furniture look different in a department store than when you actually bring them home.

‘Exactly….’

That was the situation.

“This is….”

Its size jutted out so prominently it seemed ready to breach the fence, and its leaves were large enough to block out the sunlight.

“It’s strange to see such a gigantic aralia shoot, the kind you’d see in the Tale of Heungbu and Nolbu….”

At least there was treasure inside it.

“Can I cut it now, meow?”
“Yes! You can cut it!”

Hae-tae stood up on the giant aralia shoot. Then she raised her front paws upward.

“I’m cutting it now, meow! Step back, meow!”

Following Hae-tae’s instructions, I grabbed Fake Grandmother’s wrist and stepped backward.

“Nyaaang!”

…Was that a cat beam?

I felt sunlight gathering at Hae-tae’s front paws. She raised her paws upward, then gave the enormous aralia shoot the gentlest, most delicate tap.

“You just touched it?”
“Wait and see, meow.”

Hae-tae spoke with excessive confidence.

“Ji-gu, be careful?”
“Be careful?”

Fake Grandmother shielded me protectively with her arm. Beyond it, I watched the enormous aralia shoot.

That’s when it happened.

Crack—

The sound began from above. A hairline fracture spread downward along the grain of the aralia shoot like ice splitting apart.

Finally, it split open, revealing the interior flesh. The flesh!

[Colossal Aralia Shoot Infused with Thrill (S)]

Only then did the status window appear.

“Thrill power?”

‘Ding!’

[Ingredient Tip!]
Target Race: ○… OR ■Noble
Consumption Method: Cut and eat regardless
Effect: 100% Immunity Enhancement

In the target race, only ‘ㅇ’ was visible and blurry. Anyway, since it has a good effect on immunity, it can be sold as a side dish.

“Right….”

I stared blankly at the interior of the massive bottle gourd greens.

“How am I going to process all of this?”

From a distance, I pondered how to slice it. The size was enormous, but bottle gourd greens were still bottle gourd greens. The real problem was the quantity.

Just then, Hae-tae descended from the massive bottle gourd greens and approached me.

“Split it up, meow.”
“Split it?”
“The crops that grow in our Dimensional Space have high freshness anyway, so it’s fine to take them outside, meow.”
“Is that okay?”
“Just cover it with cloth, meow.”

I could wrap the massive bottle gourd greens in plastic and leave it! As long as I blocked the winter wind, it would be fine. Storage wasn’t the problem.

“How much do you think we’ll get from this?”
“Ji-gu, a lot?”
“Seems like we’ll get a lot.”
“Ji-gu, a lot.”

I looked up at the massive bottle gourd greens again.

“Let’s start slicing.”

I needed to make seasoned bottle gourd greens for Fake Grandmother.

I had to peel the skin, scrape out the insides, slice them thinly or cut them into thick strips, and then dry them.

“Ji-gu, slicing?”
“Yeah, slice it. Can you do it?”
“Ji-gu slicing.”

Fake Grandmother moved her hands as if to say she could do it.

“Can she really do it?”
“She said she’d help.”

Hae-tae shook her head and leaped onto the wooden platform, curling herself into a tight ball.

“Hae-tae, come here.”

I retrieved her cushion from nearby and patted it invitingly.

“I don’t need it, but thanks.”
“Do you really need to say you don’t need it?”
“Yes.”

Hae-tae looked exhausted from her earlier exertion. She padded directly onto the cushion, curled up into a ball, and closed her eyes.

“If you need anything, just say so.”
“Mm-hmm!”

I headed into the kitchen and gathered a ladle for scraping, a knife, and a vegetable slicer.

“Ha ha ha.”

There were so many of them.

“Ji-gu, are you smiling?”
“Grandmother, wait here. Come when I call you.”
“Ji-gu, are you smiling?”

I flashed a deliberate smile at Fake Grandmother.

“You smiled, didn’t you?”
“Ji-gu. Yes.”

Before picking up the ladle, I examined the enormous bottle gourd from all angles. I pressed the ladle against its outer skin to test it.

‘They said bottle gourd is best when it’s tender and not hard.’

The ladle sank right in—the flesh was soft. Thick-skinned bottle gourds tend to be tough and difficult to eat.

Now it was time to scoop out the seeds from the gourd. Unlike a melon, the flesh inside wasn’t watery and soft.

So when I dug into it with a ladle, it made a crisp, crunching sound—like footsteps pressing into fresh snow.

Then the moist liquid inside spilled out slightly.

Pitter-patter-patter!

“Oh!”

Before I could dodge, droplets splattered across the floor and landed directly on me.

“Ji-gu, let me dry you off.”
“Oh, thank you, Grandmother.”

I wiped my face and body with the towel Fake Grandmother had given me while checking the bowl.

“We’re just getting started.”

I picked up the ladle again. This time, I scooped more boldly. The gourd flesh was soft enough that it didn’t matter—it gave way easily without much force.

Crunch—
Crunch-crunch—

Each time the ladle went in, the flesh came away cleanly and satisfyingly.

“Ji-gu, will you help me?”
“Hm?”
“Ji-gu, will you help me?”

Fake Grandmother picked up the ladle she’d left in the bowl and began scooping out the gourd flesh alongside me.

“Ha ha.”

I laughed softly and picked up the pace.

***

We scraped away almost everything. The same motion repeated over and over.

As a result, my face looked rather haggard. When customers asked why my complexion seemed so poor, I brushed it off by saying I’d exhausted myself cleaning the Backyard.

So much of it.
Really, so very much….

I shook my head as I gazed upon the vegetable scraps.

“You’ve worked hard, Grandmother.”
“Ji-gu, you’ve worked hard too.”

There was still more, but…. A smile bloomed naturally as I examined the inner layers of the aralia shoots. I could finally see the end in sight.

“Let me try slicing just one side.”

It needed to dry for at least a day. I set down the ladle and picked up my knife. Now the question was strength. I pressed the soft outer skin of the aralia shoots to test its firmness.

“Starting here.”

I positioned the blade’s edge and inserted it slightly along the perimeter. It split more cleanly than I’d expected. Grasping that end, I pulled slowly.

Pop!

One half of the aralia shoots fell to the floor with a heavy thud. The thickness was unmistakable.

This would taste delicious even eaten as is, wouldn’t it?

“Let me move it first.”

Muttering to myself, I lifted one half of the aralia shoots. It felt as though I were hoisting a log.

“I’ll peel the skin and bring it back.”
“Ji-gu, are you holding up?”
“Yes! I’ll hang in there and bring it back quickly!”

I entered the Kitchen and began dismantling the aralia shoots in earnest. Once I placed it on the table, its true size became apparent. I started by carefully slicing away the outer skin.

“Am I a carpenter…?”

Strangely, the blade’s edge produced a sound like scraping against hard wood. Rather than preparing vegetables, it felt as though I were working with raw materials.

Peeled skin fragments accumulated on the ground like wood shavings. Still, I found myself concentrating better than usual.

As I stripped away the rough exterior, the color beneath revealed its true nature. White. Pale flesh emerged from beneath the coarse surface.

“Time to slice.”

I transferred the peeled bottle gourd to the cutting board. I halved it lengthwise, then quartered it, slicing it all into uniform thickness. With each stroke of the knife, white cross-sections stacked neatly atop one another.

“I’m quite impressive, aren’t I?”

I moved the sliced gourd into a large colander and rinsed it once, shaking off the excess water.

“Ji-gu, are you finished?”
“Yeah, one batch is done.”

I brought out a cloth from the Kitchen and spread it neatly across the Wooden Platform. I moved Hae-tae’s head out of the way.

“What are you doing…?”

Hae-tae yawned and stretched awake.

“Now I’m drying the gourd.”
“Already?”
“Already? It’s evening now.”

Night had fallen without my noticing, and the sunlight had vanished.

“Time really does fly…”

I scattered the gourd pieces across the cloth so they wouldn’t overlap. Seeing this, Fake Grandmother clapped her hands.

“Ji-gu, it’s snow!”
“Snow?”
“Ji-gu! It’s snow!”

Snow? There was no snow falling from the sky.

“Ji-gu, it’s snow!”

The pieces of gourd in the basket apparently looked like snow to Fake Grandmother’s eyes.

“Is it snow?”
“Ji-gu, it’s snow!”

I grinned widely and lifted the basket high, scattering the gourd pieces across the cloth once more.

Patter-patter-patter—

Watching the gourd pieces fall onto the cloth, Fake Grandmother’s face brightened.

“Ji-gu, it’s snow…!”

Seeing Fake Grandmother delight like a child, I couldn’t help but smile.

“It’s snow. Real snow.”

I etched the scene into my memory and asked her.

“Should I make more snow?”
“Ji-gu, should we make more?”
“I can make plenty more. There’s a lot inside.”

Fake Grandmother’s eyes widened further, gleaming with anticipation. She moved her body toward the Kitchen as if eager to begin at once, but unable to enter, she gazed at me with a pitiful expression.

“I’ll bring them.”

I adjusted the edge of the cloth slightly and stepped toward the Kitchen.

“Don’t play with her like that.”
“It’s fun though.”

I entered the Kitchen and picked up the gourd.

“Why is it fun?”

Hae-tae asked. I paused while picking up the knife and the vegetable slicer.

‘I’m not sure.’

Watching Fake Grandmother savor it with such delight warmed my heart. Perhaps that’s why I felt so pleased.

“I like that it feels like something I’ll remember for a long time.”

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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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