I Only Baked Bread, but I Was Mistaken for the Best - Chapter 101

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 101. The Power of Fate (2)
The anger and despair that had filled the practice kitchen moments before melted away like snow, replaced by an indescribable sense of relief and joy.
Olivier sprang from his chair and gazed out at the Seine River beyond the office window, breaking into a radiant smile.
“Seung-hyun! It really is you!”
– Chef, I apologize for calling so suddenly.
“Apologize for what! I’m just delighted to hear from you! You must be baking away as usual. Haha!”
– Of course.
He had no doubt whatsoever.
The Seung-hyun that Olivier remembered was not someone who would abandon baking, no matter what else might change.
Yet he sensed it.
In Seung-hyun’s voice, which had always brimmed with vitality and strength, there lingered a hint of darkness.
It was not the darkness of someone intent on harming others.
It was hesitation, and it was pain.
Olivier’s brow furrowed deeply.
How could such a talented individual—one capable of guiding the world’s bread toward greater heights—be suffering in this way?
“Something troubles you, doesn’t it? Seung-hyun?”
– You see right through me, Chef. Haha.
The story that emerged from Seung-hyun’s sheepish laughter was both remarkable and shocking.
Seung-hyun, who had once spoken of opening his own bakery in Korea, his homeland, had kept his word.
And quite successfully at that.
The Korean customers had welcomed his bread, crafted with such devotion, and had embraced it wholeheartedly.
Just as his name was beginning to spread through television broadcasts, it happened.
An uninvited pest had descended upon him.
– That’s how it came to be.
“….”
Olivier fell silent for a moment.
It was not because he lacked solutions.
His trembling fists proved otherwise.
This was fury.
How dare anyone do such a thing to someone who could be said to bake happiness itself?
As Olivier struggled to contain the emotions threatening to burst forth, Seung-hyun continued.
– So there’s something I’d like to ask for your help with.
“What is it! Just tell me! Would a word from me be enough to settle such a matter?”
As the director of the baking program at Le Cordon Bleu Paris campus, and as an individual who had won the French Baking Cup and earned renown across all of Europe for his bread, a single word from this master chef could certainly end such a problem.
But what Seung-hyun was asking for far exceeded Olivier’s expectations….
– There’s a variety show filming coming up soon. Would it be possible to hold it at the Le Cordon Bleu Paris campus?
“Hmm?”
– Ah, it’s a broadcast. If it wouldn’t be too much trouble.
Now, at last, the shape of that plan became clear.
Olivier smiled like a child who had rediscovered something fascinating, and gave his answer.
“Of course. The Blue Ribbon always welcomes you, Seung-hyun.”
After that, we exchanged many stories.
I found myself longing for the scent of Paris at dawn, or recalling the natural sourdough starter that Olivier had taught me, and other such things.
– I prepare the dough every dawn.
“That can’t be easy.”
– But it’s something I have to do.
My student was still fighting daily battles with the oven and the weather.
Just as I myself had done.
From the sound of Seung-hyun’s bashful laughter coming through the receiver, I could tell everything.
That he still hadn’t lost that fierce purity of his.
“Good… that’s all I need. I’ll have an email sent when broadcast-related schedules come up.”
– Thank you, Chef.
“What are you saying? I’m looking forward to tasting the breads made from Seung-hyun’s own recipes.”
– I won’t disappoint you.
After finishing the call, I sat in my chair and gazed at the certificates and trophies that filled one entire wall.
Physical proof of the achievements I had accumulated throughout my life.
But what good is all of that?
“For a baker, what matters most is heart and sincerity.”
Thinking of my student—or rather, what I should now call my colleague—Seung-hyun, who was walking his own path so brilliantly, I rose from my seat and opened the office door.
The students who were still tidying up the practice room startled and froze when they saw me.
Their expressions were still tinged with irritated fear.
I walked slowly toward them.
But my gaze was no longer as cold as before.
“Everyone, stop what you’re doing.”
I looked around at all the students.
“I just received a call from my student in Korea. A creature who baked bread here in this very place, using the exact same recipes as all of you. That creature is now baking bread every morning in a small neighborhood in Korea. People line up from dawn just to eat his bread, I’m told.”
Curiosity flickered in the students’ eyes.
“I asked that creature if he was doing well. Do you know what he answered?”
I paused for a moment, then spoke firmly to the students.
“He said he fights with the oven and the weather every day. This. This is what you lack.”
Just recalling Seung-hyun’s answer made my chest swell with emotion.
I was no longer alone.
In this humid practice room in Paris, I was not by myself.
My passion would continue through Seung-hyun on some street in Korea, and someday through another student in this very practice room.
“Soon, that friend will be visiting here. I want to show you all his hands, his eyes, and his actions.”
The Paris afternoon continued to deepen, and in the baking practice room of Le Cordon Bleu, a subtle but new current of change began to flow.
The eyes of several students were beginning to shine differently than before.
And Olivier, who had taught students for so long, could not help but notice it.
* * *
“Really? You’re from Le Cordon Bleu?”
“Brother, didn’t you know? There’s a reason Seung-hyun teaches baking so well!”
“Well… I know from tasting it myself, but… when did you start using those honorifics?”
“I originally asked for permission to call him Master, but he said that wouldn’t work, so…”
Even so, Young-gu finished by saying, “Still, I’m honored to call him Teacher!”
Ho-jeong, watching him, wore an expression of complete bewilderment.
And what was I doing?
“Aha ha…”
I simply remained in my seat, wearing an awkward smile.
I was currently in a conference room at TBS broadcasting station, where Junho, the overall PD of Delicious Food Street, worked.
The reason Ho-jung, Young-gu, Junho, and I had all gathered here was singular.
“Let’s talk about work. Just work. So our special episode has been prepared, PD?”
“Yes, that’s correct. If you look over here…”
The conversation progressed quickly.
This broadcast was a special episode of Delicious Food Street, which Junho PD produces.
“Initially, we were planning to air follow-up episodes of places we’d visited before.”
Junho continued speaking while adjusting his glasses.
It wasn’t a bad plan.
For places known as restaurants, there was the advantage of generating more viral content, and conversely, for shops that received Young-gu’s help, they could gain proof of rebirth along with new opportunities.
But…
“Hmm… it wasn’t bad, but…”
“It was definitely weak.”
From Ho-jung’s perspective, having led various broadcasts over many years, it didn’t seem particularly appealing.
“Now that YouTube has diversified, we can’t maintain the same approach as before. Viewers feel less fun and emotion from what they’ve already anticipated.”
From my perspective, having spent my whole life just baking bread, it was an idea I’d never considered.
But listening to it, it was truly sound reasoning.
How could one derive dopamine from something already known?
To create viewership from that, we’d have to resort to clichéd techniques.
“Now that viewers are tired of such clichés… I wanted to discuss this.”
“I thought the same way. That’s why I’m showing you this proposal.”
A plan written on paper.
Even without reading it, I already knew what it contained.
It had been planned from the moment I first called Junho.
“Le Cordon Bleu?”
“We’re really going there?”
I hadn’t expected to actually visit the place I’d just been talking about as something remarkable.
And there’s something else you didn’t know.
“And we’re planning to meet Seung-hyun’s mentor who is here.”
“Huh…”
“Additionally, we’ve completed recruiting several guests this time. Hani, who appeared with us before, and YouTuber Roro will be joining us as well.”
“So this is basically…”
By now, Junho and I—both quick to pick up on things—had made our intentions clear.
Why I was specifically appearing on this “special” broadcast at Le Cordon Bleu, my alma mater.
And why I needed to meet Chef Olivier, someone I could call my mentor.
Finally, why the guests coming were celebrities famous for being regulars at our bakery in the entertainment industry.
“Huh… if it’s this….”
“It should be more than enough to overturn everything that’s happened to Seung-hyun so far.”
Ho-jung and Young-gu both nodded in agreement.
All of this was to stop the baseless criticism spreading about our shop through the internet and social media.
Ho-jung and Young-gu had figured this out too, which is why they participated in the meeting more actively.
“It seems everyone thinks this is a good idea. So the filming schedule would be….”
“Ah. I think it would be better to proceed this way for that part….”
“Then I’ll prepare a new recipe to bring. I had promised Chef Olivier something anyway.”
“Whoa! You’re in personal contact with Chef Olivier!”
“No, that’s not….”
Though in the process, Young-gu’s excessive admiration for me seemed to have doubled.
* * *
In conclusion, the meeting ended successfully.
Though with only four weeks left until the broadcast date, the situation was quite tight in many ways.
At least from their perspective, that is.
“So I have to put up with this treatment for four whole weeks? Meow.”
As soon as I returned to the shop and told Noir about it, she asked while wagging her tail in worry.
“There’s no helping it. They said they arranged the schedule as quickly as possible.”
Unlike the usual delicious food show format, this special episode would apparently proceed as a documentary.
Junho had explained that in such cases, archive organization and interviews take up a large portion, so they usually allow for eight weeks or more of buffer time.
‘The planning and casting went smoothly without problems, but considering shooting, rough editing, comprehensive editing, and mastering, four weeks is what it will take.’
This was already a plan made under the assumption that all team members and cast would be completely exhausted.
“So we need to prepare countermeasures on our end too.”
“Meow. I suppose there’s no choice. Then is there a way? Let me say it again—if we have to endure this treatment for four weeks, it will be difficult. Owner.”
That’s also true.
Four weeks might seem short at first glance, but it’s actually longer than you’d think.
Our sales will be down by a total of twenty-eight days worth.
And that’s not all.
If we don’t take action during that time, the lies that have already spread will gain even stronger power.
“Then it’ll become uncontrollable, so we do need to take measures.”
“Your expression looks fine for something like that. Owner.”
“I have a method in mind.”
What I’ve prepared so far has been using the help of connections.
Then I should also use the power I possess.
“I’ll use the Witch’s power.”
“Meow? You’re going to use your power for yourself? Owner? Well, this time it’s for a justified reason so there’s no problem, but next time….”
“I’m being careful, so don’t worry.”
Given that this is the Witch’s power to alter and twist fate itself, I have no desire to pay a terrible price by using it for selfish gain.
“So I’m going to change direction a bit.”
“Change direction?”
“Yes. I’m going to bake bread that reveals lies.”
In other words, let’s call it the ‘Bread of Truth’.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————