Chapter 2: Good Deed Points

This is driving me crazy.

Sixteen…

No, maybe fifteen.

Looking at her youthful reflection in the bowl of porridge, So Yeonhee let out a deep sigh.

Seriously… what kind of absurd situation is this?

She had died, only to wake up in a younger body.

Not just her—even her entire family had returned as well.

But there was one important difference…

“Yeonsu. What year is it now?”

“The Byeongo Year.”

“No, not that.”

“The sixteenth year of Geonheung. Unni… are you sure you didn’t hit your head?”

“I-I think so. Probably.”

This wasn’t Earth.

Nor was it the twenty-first century.

It was the sixteenth year of Geonheung—the sixteenth year since the great twenty-seventh Emperor of the Daejin Empire had ascended the throne.

Just yesterday she had been an ordinary citizen, equal before the law.

Today she was a mere subject who had to bow before an emperor.

Well, since she’d been transported into another world with an ancient setting, that couldn’t be helped.

But that wasn’t the biggest problem.

Ju Hajin, you bastard! You again?!

What kind of cursed fate was this?

Even in this world, Ju Hajin had become the mortal enemy of the So family.

Once again, he had framed her father with false accusations and brought the family to ruin.

On the day of her grandmother’s birthday banquet…

The Eighth Prince, Ju Woojin, had come to House So to offer his congratulations.

During the celebration, he suddenly died.

Immediately afterward, the Fourth Prince, Ju Hajin, together with Noble Consort Yeon and the powerful maternal clan backing him, accused the So family of murdering a member of the imperial family.

They claimed that Great General So Jin had secretly embezzled military provisions.

When the Eighth Prince discovered the crime, So Jin had supposedly killed him to destroy the evidence.

That’s complete nonsense!

This is obviously because he held a grudge over that wooden box and forced a false accusation onto us!

In truth, So Yeonhee had been the disciple of a renowned scholar.

An unusual privilege for a woman, she had studied the Confucian classics.

She was so talented that her master, who cherished her greatly, had even gifted her a precious treasure.

She had never imagined it would catch the eye of the Fourth Prince.

“Lady So.”

“If you sell me that wooden box, I’ll pay you thirty strings of gold.”

“Your Highness, the Fourth Prince.”

“There are things in this world that cannot be bought with noble status or even mountains of gold.”

“To me, this wooden box is one of them.”

Who would willingly sell a treasured gift from their teacher just because someone suddenly demanded it?

But for a prince who had been born as the emperor’s son…

Who had bowed his head to a woman for the very first time…

The humiliation was unbearable.

There was no way he could let it go without harboring resentment.

So Jin repeatedly pleaded his innocence.

In the end…

He was still branded a criminal.

As a result, So Yeonhee and her family became criminals overnight and were exiled to the remote mountain village of Mangok.

How deeply she had blamed herself.

That was why, at only fifteen years old, So Yeonhee had secretly eaten poisonous mushrooms and chosen death.

Hah… Just wait.

I’m not letting that bastard get away with this.

Grinding her teeth, So Yeonhee’s hands trembled with rage.

She might currently be an exile in this backwater village…

But one day, she would repay every grievance.

Not only today’s.

Even the hatred carried over from her previous life.

Of course…

First she had to survive Ju Hajin and the Yeon clan’s schemes.

“Hurry up and eat.”

“The porridge’s getting cold.”

“Mother worked really hard to get that egg.”

So Yeonsu pouted slightly.

The savory aroma filled the room.

But that wasn’t what mattered.

“How’s Mother?”

“She’s healthy, right?”

“What about Father and Grandmother?”

“They’re not sick anywhere, are they?”

“The one who almost died after eating poisonous mushrooms was you.”

“So why are you worrying about everyone else?”

“Of course they’re all healthy.”

“And don’t go picking up random things to eat anymore.”

“What are you, the village puppy?”

Yeonsu scolded her with a frown.

So Yeonhee smiled awkwardly and nodded.

Thank goodness… none of them are sick yet.

When she’d first seen them earlier, they had all looked painfully thin.

She had feared they were seriously ill.

If they were merely malnourished…

Then there was hope.

Proper nutrition alone could restore their health.

The problem is… we can barely afford our next meal.

After all their property had been confiscated, the So family had arrived in Mangok Village with almost nothing.

Thanks to the village chief’s kindness, they had received this old thatched cottage and a few mu of woodland.

Her maternal relatives had also secretly given them a few pieces of jewelry.

But that was all.

Until now, they had survived by selling those valuables for food.

Now…

Even that had reached its limit.

Forget revenge.

Right now, I’m worried about our next meal.

As she sighed heavily, So Yeonwoo, who had been quietly sitting nearby, cautiously spoke.

“…Big Sister.”

“You didn’t eat those poisonous mushrooms on purpose…”

“Did you?”

“What?”

“You weren’t… trying to die?”

…Sharp kid.

Still, So Yeonhee immediately shook her head.

“Of course not.”

“Who would deliberately eat poisonous mushrooms?”

“It was just an accident.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

Only after hearing her firm answer several times did his expression soften.

He let out a sigh of relief and pressed a hand against his chest.

“T-That’s good.”

“I…”

“I thought it was because of me.”

“What?”

“I thought…”

“You hated me.”

“I thought you made that choice because of me.”

His unexpected confession left So Yeonhee speechless.

She couldn’t even imagine why he would think such a thing.

“That’s impossible.”

“Why would I hate you?”

“But because of me…”

“Grandmother treated you badly.”

“I said something I shouldn’t have…”

Unable to continue, So Yeonwoo bit his tiny lips tightly.

Then he sniffled and wiped away his tears.

Seeing her younger brother blaming himself through tears…

A forgotten memory suddenly resurfaced.

“Grandmother.”

“It feels like Mother always loves Big Sister the most.”

“That’s only because your sister is so mature.”

“But you’re still the eldest grandson of House So.”

“No matter how talented Yeonhee is…”

“She’s still a girl.”

“It’ll be your responsibility to carry on the family line.”

Grandmother had probably spoken without thinking.

But those casual words had left deep scars on both So Yeonhee and So Yeonwoo.

Afraid that her precious eldest grandson might lose confidence…

Grandmother had forced So Yeonhee to stop her studies.

After that incident…

The relationship between the siblings had rapidly grown distant.

Poor Yeonsu, caught in the middle, had naturally spent her days walking on eggshells.

That happened so long ago…

And he’s still blaming himself for it.

Smiling faintly, So Yeonhee gently pinched his cheek.

“You silly boy.”

“Do you think I’d hate you over something so small?”

Of course…

She couldn’t say Grandmother’s favoritism hadn’t hurt.

But that was simply how people thought in this era.

Even in the twenty-first century, people still cling to the idea of preferring sons.

How much worse would it be in ancient times?

Besides…

She had finally regained the family she had lost after suffering through all those tragedies and deaths.

She didn’t have time to hate them.

Only to cherish them.

“Enough worrying.”

“Let’s share the porridge.”

“It has a precious egg in it.”

“It’d be a waste for me to eat it alone.”

After all…

Food was the best way to comfort a crying child.

Scooping up a spoonful of egg porridge, So Yeonhee fed it into her younger brother’s mouth.

At that exact moment—

Ding!

A clear notification rang out.

A translucent window suddenly appeared before her eyes.

[Minor Good Deed Achieved: You gave up your own portion for your family.]

[3 Points have been earned.]

[Current Points: 3]

“…Huh?”

What was that?

She blinked.

The notification disappeared.

But her confusion only grew.

Did I imagine it?

Let’s try again.

She scooped up another spoonful and fed Yeonwoo once more.

Nothing happened.

So this time…

She offered a spoonful to her younger sister, Yeonsu.

[Minor Good Deed Achieved: You gave up your own portion for your family.]

[3 Points have been earned.]

[Current Points: 6]

Three more points.

…!!!

Despite her confusion, one thing became clear.

Could it be…

Did I just obtain some incredible ability?

W-What do I do now?

Should I say, “Status Window”?

Remembering the opening scenes of the web novels she’d once read, So Yeonhee quietly muttered every cliché command she could think of.

Then, almost absentmindedly, she whispered,

“Shop Window.”

Flash!

A brilliant white light burst forth.

A square, opaque holographic window suddenly appeared before her.

“…Huh?”

What is this…?

Isn’t this basically Coupang?