I Only Baked Bread, but I Was Mistaken for the Best - Chapter 139

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

Chapter 139. Bamboo and Ginger (1)
“Truly, this is a peculiar and bewildering space beyond all comprehension. Though I, who have wandered the realm and endured countless trials, stand before you, I confess this is my first encounter with a place so utterly devoid of reason and logic.”
These were the first words Yong-jin uttered upon arriving at the Witch’s Cottage, having narrowly escaped the shadows that ravenously devoured their victims.
And well he might.
Who in this world could lay eyes upon a house constructed entirely of candy?
“To witness with these very eyes a sight that belongs only to ancient tales and folklore! Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine such a thing! Truly, it defies all belief!”
“Please, have a seat.”
“My gratitude to you.”
As I guided him to a nearby chair, Yong-jin examined the confections and pastries that composed it before cautiously settling into it.
Perhaps it was the unexpected softness and stability that impressed him.
After releasing a gasp of wonder, he collected himself and posed a question to me.
“So then, what is this ingenious stratagem you speak of to break through this perilous situation? We cannot simply stand idle, so if you possess a means to overcome this crisis, I implore you to share it at once.”
“I’m going to bake bread.”
“Do you refer to that Western contraption you mentioned earlier, the one called a ‘croissant’?”
“Ah, you said you knew about it?”
“Indeed. I am familiar with that peculiar and delightfully fragrant pastry from the Western lands—the one shaped like a crescent moon with its distinctive layered texture.”
His manner of speech remains something I never quite grow accustomed to.
Yet the fact that he described the croissant with mention of its crescent shape and layered texture suggests he understands it quite well.
A croissant.
A type of pastry made by folding butter generously between flour dough and rolling it repeatedly—in French, the word means crescent moon.
With its distinctive crispy texture and rich buttery aroma, it is a bread beloved by people across the entire world.
“But for what reason do you intend to bake it?”
“You’ll understand if you wait and see. Could you give me a moment?”
“Hmm… very well.”
Yong-jin’s expression betrayed his confusion, and he adjusted his hat accordingly.
Leaving him behind, I returned to the kitchen and began removing my helmet, which was made of hardtack.
“That one seems unaware of the Owner’s identity.”
“Yeah, it does seem that way.”
“How is that possible? Didn’t he claim to be an S-rank Hunter? Someone of that status should surely know the Owner’s true nature.”
Noir’s suspicion was one I shared.
Even now, there are numerous individuals I know of who have encountered Yeon-gi and regard her with caution.
First, there is the Hunter Kim Ri-a, who belongs to the Hunter’s Association.
And then the S-rank Hunters I have encountered.
Even among just these, the existence known as “Yeon-gi” would be recognized by Hunters as an unknown entity within the Gates.
“And there’s no way such information wouldn’t have been shared.”
“Yes. One of humanity’s strengths is the ability to cooperate. Meow.”
Of course, even if kept secret for public safety, those in high positions ought to know of it.
And if Yong-jin truly is an S-rank Hunter as he claims, he should certainly know of my existence.
“It’s one of two things. Either he’s lying about being an S-rank Hunter, or he knows about me but is pretending not to.”
“Will you help him regardless?”
“I’m going to trust the prophecy.”
Though vague, the prophecy had never given me false information until now.
I could only hope it would be the same this time.
“The only person here I could call a connection is that man.”
“I’ve heard S-rank Hunters are famous, but I’ve never seen anyone like that before, Owner.”
“That may be true, but….”
Since this wasn’t something I could solve alone right now, I had no choice but to gamble on this.
“If what you said about mana flow being blocked is true, this will be the perfect remedy.”
“Meow? This… this is!”
“Kyuu! Kyuu kyuu!”
The moment I pulled it out, Chohong, who had been quiet until now, threw a fit over the object.
Gora also widened her eyes, staring intently at the ingredient in my hands.
“Where on earth did you find something like this! Owner! Meow!”
“Where did I find it? In the warehouse, of course.”
Even Noir, the Familier who had served witches for generations, was so startled that she questioned me about it….
[Nine-Yang Blood Ginger]
▷ A blood-red ginger infused with the essence of the sun, grown in fertile soil touched by volcanic geothermal heat and enduring nine droughts. When the skin is peeled away, the flesh inside glows not golden but a brilliant crimson like roaring flames, and it radiates such intense yang energy that warmth can be felt upon touch—a treasure among treasures.
▷ Effects
① Yang-Steel Breakthrough: Upon consumption, explosive fire energy erupts from the dantian, heating the blood vessels intensely and immediately restoring blocked mana pathways.
​
“When I first saw this, I had no idea what to use it for.”
In truth, finding this magnificent ginger in the warehouse was quite a long time ago.
But even after pondering its use consistently all this time, I couldn’t pinpoint what it was for.
“Since it supposedly unblocks mana pathways, but I don’t even know what that is.”
I didn’t use mana, so how could I know what mana pathways were, or that they could become blocked?
Because of this, I diligently studied through papers that had nothing to do with my fate, but still hadn’t grasped it.
Moreover, there was another reason I hadn’t been able to use this.
“I remember now! Owner! This was brought by a senior witch from way, way, way back….”
“Right. It must have been brought by a senior witch from the distant past.”
“That’s right! A witch who collected rare medicinal materials from the East! She used most of them, but couldn’t use this one because it was too dangerous.”
“There was no choice in the matter.”
Because the description of this peculiar Nine-Yang Blood Ginger had one more line written on it.
A terrifying line at that.
▷ Warning: This material possesses extreme yang energy. Upon consumption, it may ignite.
That word “ignite” wasn’t some clumsy metaphor.
It meant literally catching fire.
How do I know that?
“I ran some experiments….”
“Meow? You didn’t actually feed it to someone, did you! Owner!”
“I tried feeding it to an insect. But even that proved meaningless.”
I had once attempted an experiment with a single fly I’d caught while running the Bakery.
The moment that creature approached the Nine-Sun Meridian Ginger, its front legs ignited, burning away in a brilliant whoosh before it could get any closer.
“It seems the yang energy was simply too overwhelming for it to withstand.”
“Indeed. The Previous—”
“The Previous Witch.”
“I understand. The Previous Witch herself encountered difficulties because of that very property. Meow.”
“So I found another method. Chohong? Would you prepare it for me?”
“Kyuuuu!”
Upon hearing my request, Chohong urged Gora along and fluttered off somewhere with a soft flutter of wings.
When the two returned moments later, they were struggling to carry something between them.
“Kyuuuu!”
“Gora, gora!”
“Thank you for your effort.”
What they had brought was none other than a single stalk of bamboo.
Yet it possessed a color and appearance unlike ordinary bamboo.
[Eternal Azure-Scale Bamboo
▷ A blue-scaled bamboo that grows naturally on cliff edges where the frigid winds and snow of the Northern Sea intersect with the midday sun.
Its stem bears a bark resembling dragon scales, and beneath moonlight it emanates a subtle jade-green radiance.
Each bamboo leaf carries a cool essence as if honed into a fine blade.
▷ Effects
① Clear Heart, Renew Bone: When its fragrance is inhaled, cold energy penetrates to the marrow, forcibly expelling stagnant mana.
“The effect is precisely what we need, and it should harmonize beautifully with the Nine-Sun Meridian Ginger.”
True to its name as bamboo aged ten thousand years, the Eternal Azure-Scale Bamboo possessed effects that were nothing short of extraordinary.
Of course, its side effects were equally formidable.
Merely inhaling its fragrance caused one’s fingertips and toes to grow numb with cold.
But combined with the Nine-Sun Meridian Ginger, the side effects would cancel each other out, creating a synergistic effect.
“Let’s attempt to create it.”
“Meow. It feels like I’m watching a ritual, yet I cannot fathom how a croissant could possibly be made from such ingredients, Owner.”
“It’s an experimental attempt on my part as well… but no matter how I think about it, a croissant is the only form that truly suits the effect I’m envisioning.”
A croissant with hundreds of delicate layers stacked upon one another.
I felt that only with the rich, buttery sensation that fat imparts could the sincerity I desired be properly infused into it.
“First, I need to handle the foundational work.”
There were preliminary steps necessary to create this special croissant… most importantly, I needed to prepare a Nine-Sun Meridian Ginger preserve.
“Though the method will be identical to making ginger preserve.”
I selected Nine-Sun Meridian Ginger with plump, well-developed nodes and carefully peeled away the outer skin with a knife, then washed it thoroughly in clean water.
The soil had to be completely removed for the preserve to achieve a clear, luminous hue.
“Next, I’ll need to grate it.”
“Don’t most people slice it instead?”
“I intend to grate it.”
Slicing would certainly be more convenient.
And afterward, the workload would decrease.
But the real problem was that I’d obviously fail to capture ginger’s distinctive pungent flavor.
I brought the prepared ginger along with a pear and grated them on a grater.
Then I let it sit to allow the starch to settle, and carefully poured off only the clear liquid from the top.
“Next, I’ll add honey and whole Cinnamon….”
It had been a long time since I’d used the Witch’s Oven.
I simmered it gently over low heat, and when it reduced to about half its original volume and turned a deep amber color, I lowered the flame further.
Throughout the process, I made sure not to forget to stir constantly.
“It’s become sticky, Owner.”
“Then it’s finished.”
Normally, this would need to age for about two days for the sharp taste to fade and the subtle sweetness to emerge, but that didn’t seem necessary.
When I tasted it lightly, the pungent sensation combined with sufficiently strong sweetness made it already quite appealing as it was.
“Next, I need to make mugwort leaf powder.”
The preparation process wasn’t over yet.
I plucked the leaves from the Fatsia japonica, shook off the dust, and rinsed them in water mixed with vinegar and salt to clean away any residue.
Then I went through the kill-green process by steaming them in a steamer for about 30 seconds.
“Kill-green? You mean killing the green?”
“If you just dry them normally, the color turns yellowish and the aroma dissipates. The aroma is an important ingredient.”
After steaming, I immediately rinsed them in cold water to preserve the jade-like color.
After that, they’d normally need to be dried for a long time in a cool, shaded place with good ventilation….
“But with the Witch’s Oven, there’s no need for that.”
The oven that perfectly dried the mugwort leaves with just a brief operation.
When I touched it with my hand, it crackled softly and crumbled lightly, showing it was dried sufficiently well.
“Now I’ll grind it finely and sift it through a sieve two or three times….”
A glass jar filled with finely ground mugwort leaf powder in a clear, delicate green color.
The thought of using this mugwort powder that sparkled and shimmered with a green aura whenever shaken filled me with anticipation.
“It really is beautiful.”
“Indeed, Owner. It appears to be very well processed. Meow.”
“Truly so! How clear and transparent that color is—it resembles the bluish sentiment that permeates the vast sky itself. Gazing upon it, one’s spirit becomes distant and hazy, for its essence is so cool and noble that both my eyes sting with its purity. I never imagined I would encounter such pristine light in this strange space.”
“Huh?”
When I turned around at hearing a voice I shouldn’t have been hearing, I saw Yong-jin with his hat tilted back, his eyes fixed on the mugwort powder.
I looked at him as if to ask why he was here when I’d told him to wait, and he tilted his head with a confused expression.
“How could one call oneself a Taoist if one shows no interest when the inner energy of such a rare spiritual treasure vibrates throughout heaven and earth?”
“But still, I did ask you to wait….”
“Alas! What is this, then!”
Now Yong-jin was making a fuss over the ginger and pear syrup I’d just made.
There was absolutely no way I could cook alone in this situation.
What could I do about it?
The one who was disappointed now was me.
“Then would you just watch from the side?”
“I… are you truly certain? Such a rare opportunity! Thank you so much!”
Without anyone asking, he pulled a chair from beside him and sat down with an air of quiet propriety.
I watched him for a moment, then suppressed the sigh threatening to escape and scooped golden flour into a bowl.
“Let’s make the dough. Gora, will you help?”
“Gora!”
With my dependable ally patting his chest enthusiastically, I began preparing the croissant dough.
I didn’t know it then.
That Yong-jin, standing behind me, had begun observing the baking process with sharp, calculating eyes—a far cry from his demeanor moments before.

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