Switch Mode
The site is under review. For old posts, you can visit old.darkmtl(dot)com.

Chapter 200

Rumors that Starlight Food was building a massive grape farm sent shockwaves through grape farms across the country.

Citizens who loved grapes cheered and welcomed Starlight Food’s entry into grape farming. After all, every product Starlight Food had cultivated so far was exceptionally delicious. Sure, the prices were a bit steep, but it was manageable.

However, grape farms nationwide were panicking like their feet were on fire. It was inevitable. They could become unemployed overnight. No one would listen if you told them they’d be jobless by morning.

Meanwhile, the government took a lukewarm stance. Since they’d get criticized no matter what, they decided to play it safe. If they sided with the citizens, grape farmers would curse them. If they told Starlight Food to stop growing grapes, the citizens would curse them.

And since grapes aren’t a staple crop like rice, the government couldn’t legally stop Starlight Food from growing them. Starlight Food was operating entirely within the law, so if the government tried to intervene, they could face lawsuits. The risk-averse civil servants had no reason to take such a gamble.

In the midst of this chaos, the Agricultural Cooperatives had no choice but to step in as mediators. In Korea, anything related to crops couldn’t escape the watchful eyes of the Agricultural Cooperatives.

Kim Sehee met with the head of the Agricultural and Rural Support Division from the Agricultural Cooperatives Central Association. It was a proposal from the Cooperatives, but she decided to meet anyway to gauge the situation. After all, she held the upper hand.

“We’re grateful for Starlight Food’s entry into agriculture,” the division head said, offering a polite but empty compliment.

Kim Sehee smiled and nodded. As the division head said, Starlight Food’s entry into agriculture had brought many benefits. In fact, Starlight Food didn’t rely on domestic sales—it could thrive on exports alone.

They were practically selling out. Their rice had already established a foothold in Japan, capturing about 10% of the market. Considering Japan’s annual rice consumption, 10% was a significant achievement. Starlight Rice had managed to grab that share in a short time.

Their green tea was also competitive enough to sell overseas if they had enough supply. As for cherry tomatoes, they had already secured production. Cherry tomatoes, which yield a lot of fruit, were being supplied not only to the military but also exported abroad. They were perfect as high-calorie substitutes for hunters.

The division head wiped his sweat with a handkerchief, studying Kim Sehee’s expression. Her face was unreadable. It had been a while since he was on the receiving end of such a negotiation.

“So? This isn’t a communist country. If I want to grow and sell grapes, it’s not really the Agricultural Cooperatives’ place to intervene, is it?” Kim Sehee said coolly.

The division head realized this negotiation wouldn’t be easy. As Kim Sehee pointed out, there was no way to stop her from growing grapes. It wasn’t like Starlight Food was doing anything illegal—they were operating entirely within the law.

“Boss, please reconsider. Grape farms across the country are on the verge of collapse. Having tasted Starlight Grapes, I can say that no other grape can compete.”

“Then they’ll just have to go under. They’ll still get subsidies if they close, right? And they can always switch to growing other crops.”

“Well, that’s…”

The division head, who had come to mediate after hearing the grape farmers’ pleas, found himself at a loss for words. Nothing Kim Sehee said was wrong.

In the end, the division head could only leave with his tail between his legs. And behind Kim Sehee stood the Starlight Guild, a colossal entity that couldn’t be pressured politically or countered with other tactics. It was a giant dinosaur.

Domestic grape farms had no choice but to accept the arrival of this massive predator. There was no way to stop it or resist. This unstoppable force was about to dominate the domestic grape market.

———————————————-

I was mindlessly staring at the TV. I finally understood why it was called the “idiot box.” There was nothing better than just zoning out in front of it. But if I kept wasting time like this, summer vacation would be over before I knew it. I quickly shook my head, trying to break free from the idiot box’s grasp.

“Yawn!”

I stretched and decided to go outside. After all, nothing beats hanging out with people to pass the time.

There was nothing to do. I think I understand why aunties spend all day chatting at cafes. There was nothing to pass the time with.

So, I slipped into slippers at the entrance and stepped out into the hallway. The hallway lights were shining. But since it was way past quitting time, the hallway had a creepy vibe. It was summer, and seeing the empty hallway made me feel like a ghost might pop out.

It was like all the conditions you’d see in a horror movie were perfectly set. I quickly dashed through the hallway. If I ran even a little slower, it felt like a ghost would grab the back of my neck. When I finally reached the office, I could finally catch my breath. Maru was sitting on a chair in the office.

“Hana? What’s up?”

Maru asked, as if she didn’t know why I came to the office. I didn’t really have a reason either, so I couldn’t think of anything to say. At times like this, the best move was to just run into Maru’s arms.

I charged into Maru’s embrace. She put the cross-stitch she was working on down on the desk and hugged me back. I looked up at Maru and asked,

“Maru, what are you making?”

“Hmm… I’m making a cross-stitch!”

A newbie already slacking off! I tried to give Maru a stern look and scold her for her rookie attitude, but it didn’t seem like it would work. There wasn’t much to do anyway, and she was staying late to take care of me.

The reason she couldn’t go home at night and had to guard the office alone was because of me. So, I didn’t say much and just sat on Maru’s lap. Sitting on her lap, I could see the desk in front of us.

On the monitor, there was a NewTube video titled “How to Make Cross-Stitch,” and Maru was diligently working on her cross-stitch. Come to think of it, wasn’t Maru scared being alone? I sometimes get scared in my room too. Thankfully, being in the room wasn’t as scary as being in the hallway.

Maybe it’s because it’s a room where you sleep, wash, and live. I handed the cross-stitch back to Maru because I wanted to see her work on it. Maru reached out her hands in front of me and started making the cross-stitch with enthusiasm. I couldn’t take my eyes off the magical scene.

Just a few movements of her hands, and a beautiful rose was blooming on the cross-stitch. I cheered at Maru’s skill. With that level of talent, she could easily win a competition.

“Wow, Maru, you’re really good at cross-stitch!”

At my compliment, Maru gently patted my head and said,

“Yeah, it’s been a hobby since I was little.”

Cross-stitch as a hobby! Maru’s hobbies were oddly old-fashioned. Of course, I didn’t say this out loud because I didn’t know what might happen if I did, so I just swallowed the thought.

“I’m making this cross-stitch for Hana!”

A cross-stitch for me? That made my heart flutter and got me really excited. Maru pulled out a cushion from somewhere and said,

“I’m going to turn this cross-stitch into a pretty cushion! So Hana can use it.”

Hmm… If she put that cross-stitch on the cushion, it would turn into a really stylish cushion. And cushions are super useful. You can use them as a pillow when you sleep or lean on them while watching TV.

At least it’s more useful than Lumi’s transformation set. Not that Lumi’s transformation set is bad, but it’s not really helpful in daily life.

I chattered away while watching Maru make the cross-stitch. Seeing the cross-stitch being made so beautifully made me want to talk a lot. Maru, who probably got bored of silently working on the cross-stitch, enthusiastically responded to my chatter.

Talking with Maru always made me feel so comfortable and at ease.

Became a Health Boosting Elf

Became a Health Boosting Elf

I Became a Healthy Elf, 몸에 좋은 엘프가 되었다.
Score 7.6
Status: Ongoing Type: Author: Artist: Released: 2023 Native Language: Korean
It seems like I’ve become something similar to an elf.

Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Options

not work with dark mode
Reset