Chapter 60

Lunch hour in the Central District was usually a time of long waits. The sheer number of people bustling around made the short lunch break quite inconvenient.

‘Why don’t the Imperial Palace staff just eat at the palace?!’

Limon, a self-proclaimed dessert critic, grumbled upon spotting the mark that identified someone as an Imperial Palace employee.

He been standing in the long line for so long. It seemed like today he would have to settle for anything quick and simple, so he turned toward a secluded corner.

Thud—! Thud—! Thud—!

That was when it happened. A loud noise assaulted his ears. At the same time, a savory aroma wafted through the air, teasing his nose.

“What’s that sound?”

“Where’s this delicious smell coming from?”

Drawn by the noise and the aroma, people began moving toward the source.

When they arrived, they witnessed something bizarre.

In front of a shop with a clear view of the interior, two burly men were swinging large mallets.

Thud—! Thud—! Thud—

On a square stone slab, a white lump was being mercilessly pounded. As the mallet passed over it, a person crouched in the middle dipped their hands into a bucket of water and kneaded the mass.

“Oh my goodness! What if they hurt themselves doing that?!”

The actions were so rough and swift that onlookers frowned, thinking it might be some strange form of t*rture.

“But why…?”

The more they pounded the white mass, the more the savory aroma spread. People couldn’t take their eyes off the scene, swallowing their saliva as it pooled in their mouths.

“What on earth are they doing?”

Limon was hungry. He desperately wanted to fill his empty stomach but was too curious about the strange activity to leave.

“It’s done!”

The man crouching in the middle suddenly stood up and shouted. The white mass, which had been pounded almost to the point of t*rture, stretched out in his hands.

“Goodness, is that cheese?”

The crowd observed with great interest.

The man then buried the pounded mass in a yellow powder until no trace of white remained. He cut it into bite-sized pieces.

“Free samples! Please try one!”

“What is this?”

“This is called injeolmi.”

“Injeolmi?”

It was something they had never seen or heard of before. But the savory aroma made it impossible to resist.

Swallowing his saliva, Limon picked up a piece of injeolmi skewered on a thin wooden stick and popped it into his mouth.

“This, this is amazing!”

It was warm, soft, and melted in his mouth.

It had the chewy texture of cheese, but unlike cheese, which hardened the more you chewed, this remained tender. The flavor was nutty and savory, with a delightful umami taste that made him crave more.

“What’s this nutty coating?”

“That’s a powder made from ground soybeans.”

“And the dough?”

“The dough is made by steaming rice and pounding it.”

“Rice?”

Limon was astonished to hear such an unfamiliar recipe.

“But is it okay to just reveal all this?”

He felt awkward after asking, as the staff readily shared all the details. Meanwhile, the surrounding crowd was eavesdropping on their conversation.

Limon worried he might have made a mistake, but the staff member simply smiled warmly.

“Yes, our boss instructed us to tell customers everything about this rice cake if they’re curious. Since it’s an unfamiliar food, people might avoid it if they don’t know the ingredients.”

Oh my gosh, how can you be so wise!

Indeed, it would be hard to try something new without knowing what it was made of.

The staff member explained that the boss had even posted a list of ingredients used in the desserts inside the shop, making it easier for curious customers to see.

‘That’s some serious confidence.’

Did they reveal everything because they knew it was difficult to replicate the taste?

Limon couldn’t quite figure it out.

In any case, the sight of the men pounding rice cakes had succeeded in drawing a crowd.

“Purchases can be made by lining up here!”

Hearing this, those who had sampled the rice cakes began forming a line.

The shop’s sign wasn’t written in the Empire’s language, nor in an ancient script, but in an unfamiliar language that clearly read: <Rice Cake Shop>.

—

As soon as they entered the shop, a cool chill enveloped their bodies. People, exhausted from the heat, were startled as they looked around.

“My goodness, how many magic stones did they pour into this place…?”

“The owner must be rich.”

While whispering among themselves, the people quickly found seats, feeling refreshed by the cool air.

“So, they say the shop sign reads ‘Rice Cake Shop,’ right?”

“Yeah, but is that writing or some kind of drawing?”

People began discussing the shop’s peculiar sign as soon as they sat down.

A shop name should ideally be simple and memorable, but this was Shaterian’s one and only quirk. Fortunately, the product was so innovative that it wasn’t a major issue.

“More than anything, isn’t the packaging so luxurious? Especially this emblem. The rabbit here is making rice cakes, right?”

Another noteworthy detail. Shaterian had insisted on embroidering an emblem on the packaging cloth to make it more memorable. After all, people remember images better than words.

The cloth used for packaging was a glossy, bright red fabric embroidered with a green-threaded rabbit pounding rice cakes with a mallet. The luxurious packaging left a strong impression.

“Whoever thought of using cloth for packaging is brilliant. And the fact that they’ll refund money based on the condition of the returned cloth? How clever is that?”

Initially, Nelasion had opposed the use of cloth packaging, citing high production costs.

Shaterian agreed but couldn’t bring herself to abandon the elegant packaging.

That’s when she came up with the concept of a ‘deposit.’

Since the cloth wasn’t particularly useful elsewhere, offering a refund would likely increase the return rate.

Moreover, they introduced a loyalty program: for every cloth returned, customers would receive a stamp, and collecting ten stamps would earn them a free rice cake set.

Refunds and free rice cakes? A frenzy to collect cloths was inevitable.

Meanwhile, a group of noble ladies managed to secure seats on the first floor.

“It’s so cool and refreshing here.”

“I thought it might be noisy since the first floor is also where sales happen, but it’s surprisingly quiet.”

“This place has been so popular lately, hasn’t it?”

“I can see why. The atmosphere is so elegant and delightful.”

“But I don’t know anything on this menu…”

One lady blushed slightly as she showed the menu to another.

“Rice cake sticks, flat rice cakes, injeolmi, and glutinous rice cakes… All the desserts are unfamiliar.”

“But the descriptions are very detailed. It says they’re made with rice, and if you like sweet flavors, you can add honey or sugar for dipping.”

“Oh my, there’s an opening event where you can choose either honey or sugar for free.”

“Let’s order one of each and try them! And for drinks… let’s get two glasses of the recommended sikhye.”

“Sounds good.”

The noble ladies, eager to try something new, looked forward to their order with excitement and a faint blush on their cheeks.

When the desserts and drinks arrived, the ladies were full of admiration.

“They’re delicious even on their own, but dipping them in honey makes them even better!”

“The taste is so different when dipped in sugar versus honey.”

“This sikhye drink has grains of rice at the bottom. How do they make juice out of rice?”

“I’ll have to take some home as a gift for my parents.”

“I’ll get some for my grandmother. She’ll love it since it’s not too sweet.”

The ladies giggled, calling themselves dutiful daughters.

While laughter filled the shop, those waiting in line outside grew increasingly anxious. The real issue wasn’t the blazing sun.

“What if it sells out before I get my turn?”

“Oh no! The person in front just bought four sets!”

“Can you believe this? This is my second day in line!”

The rice cakes were limited to just 300 sets per day. Naturally, those waiting in line were on edge.

“Seriously, with so many people wanting to buy, how does it make sense to sell only this much in a day?”

“Exactly. Does the owner even want to do business or not?”

Despite their complaints, no one dared leave the line. They vigilantly guarded their spots, glancing around nervously.

They were desperate. After all, limited quantities always heightened desire.

‘Good. Everything’s going according to plan.’

As expected, the prediction was accurate. Tired of overly sweet desserts, the Empire’s citizens flocked to this nutty, savory alternative.

This craze wouldn’t last forever, but…

As the days grew hotter, people naturally craved something colder.

The sales of rice cakes began to decline, but sales of chilled sikhye soared in proportion.

“It’s the perfect time to launch a new menu.”

Instead of frowning over the dropping sales, Shaterian smiled brightly, as if welcoming the blazing sun.

The Kentri Empire’s summers were short but brutally hot. As the heat reached its peak, Shaterian had already prepared a new menu to match the season.

Something that immediately came to mind when thinking of summer.