I Only Baked Bread, but I Was Mistaken for the Best - Chapter 28

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 28. The Dragon’s Claw and Cheese (2)
“You have a good idea?”
“Yes. Well, there are two things….”
“Two things?”
At this point, Ye-seul couldn’t help but listen.
A devoted fan of her videos was stepping forward to help, and on top of that, she claimed to have two solutions to offer.
“Can you help me?”
“Of course! First, one is to focus on the narrative.”
“By narrative, you mean….”
“Rather than simply focusing on eating, pay more attention to where and with whom you’re eating.”
Haeryang’s suggestion was quite revolutionary.
It wasn’t just about showing the act of eating, but creating an additional story around that action.
“For example, you could visit a restaurant in an alley and listen to the owner’s story. Or you could invite a special guest, which could also work.”
“Hmm… certainly….”
After hearing Haeryang’s words, Ye-seul tilted her head and fell into thought.
She must have thought it was the optimal approach for producing long-term content.
But despite her contemplation, her choice was clear.
“That doesn’t feel right. It would feel like I’m making money off those people’s stories….”
“I had a feeling you’d say that. Based on my analysis, that’s what I sensed.”
“What?”
“Oh! I mean… the impression I got from all the videos I’ve watched so far was like that….”
“But you said there was another method. Could I hear about it?”
“The other one requires help from our Owner.”
“Me?”
“Meow?”
At this sudden turn in the conversation, both Noir and I widened our eyes in surprise.
What could I possibly help with?
“Looking at Roro’s videos with the highest view counts, in order they are 1.32 million, 1.18 million, and 970 thousand views, and they’re all videos featuring the Owner’s bread.”
“You’ve memorized all of that?”
“That… well… I have a good memory anyway… Anyway!”
The videos that had recorded particularly high view counts on Ye-seul’s channel were all related to my bread.
And specifically, they were about newly released bread.
So the suggestion was to focus more prominently on this aspect.
“Of course, this would only be a temporary measure. If you choose this method, you’ll need to establish a direction that introduces menus from various other shops, not just the bakery, going forward.”
“But since that’s impossible right now, you’re suggesting we use bread from the bakery that’s already being preferred?”
“Yes! Exactly! If that works out, your YouTube channel’s growth will be guaranteed! However….”
Two heads turned toward me in unison.
The reason they couldn’t speak to me until now was obvious.
They were simply making a one-sided request for my help.
But the moment I heard that plan, I also recalled something important.
“As I listened, a rather decent idea came to mind.”
“Oh… but are you sure? You’ve already become so busy…. I’m worried I’m only receiving help without giving anything back….”
“Not at all. I think it will be helpful for me too. Could you wait about a week? I’ll need that much time to develop a new menu as well.”
“It’ll only take a week? No… ah… um… yes! Thank you so much!”
At that moment, the crimson thread connecting me to Ye-seul grew thicker.
* * *
“In the end, I forgot about it and never did sell the coffee.”
“What on earth are you thinking? Owner?”
“Are you asking about the new menu?”
“That’s not it! Did you really just accept it after seeing the fate strengthen, thinking it was right? I’ve told you before—fate is unpredictable! Even if it seems to grow stronger now, it could snap at any moment!”
Noir spat out a hiss and unleashed a barrage of nagging at me.
It was only because Haeryang clocked out when closing time came; otherwise, I would’ve become famous as a rapping cat.
Of course, I hadn’t proceeded so thoughtlessly with this plan.
“Not at all. I have a plan.”
“What kind of plan, Owner?”
“I’m going to make bread that will really catch people’s attention. Bread that can also be connected to a new beverage.”
“If you’ve developed some illness where you can’t speak unless you say everything at once, tell me. Owner. I’ll even lick it better for you.”
With a displeased expression, Noir twitched his whiskers and settled into a loaf position in front of me.
Finally, he was ready to listen.
“I’m going to make spicy bread.”
“Spicy… what did you say?”
“Yeah. I’m going to make spicy bread. The kind where one bite makes your mouth feel like it’s on fire.”
“Does that even make sense! Owner! Kyaaaaaaack!”
“Uaaaack!”
Before I could finish speaking, Noir leaped onto my face and unleashed a barrage of cat punches.
“I’ve lived this long, but spicy bread? That’s the first I’ve heard of it! Have you lost your mind!”
“No! That’s just because your way of thinking is too old-fashioned! Why wouldn’t spicy bread exist!”
But I felt wronged too.
Noir’s belief that spicy bread doesn’t exist probably stemmed from his self-proclaimed French origins.
If you just look at other countries for a moment, there are so many spicy breads.
Among Hungary’s traditional breads, there are those made with paprika and chili peppers for color and a spicy taste.
What about Indian paratha or naan?
Both of these have methods where spicy seasonings are added inside or on top of the dough before baking.
“And these days, breads using gochujang or blue peppers are being developed quite regularly.”
“Even if that’s true, what you’re trying to make now isn’t spicy bread—it’s something meant to cause pain! That’s not happiness, that’s torture! Did you really lose your original purpose trying to make money!”
“No! Just listen to the whole thing first! Please!”
As I forcibly pulled Noir from my face, the creature writhed in my grasp.
Taking that opportunity, I quickly opened my mouth.
“Spicy bread that catches attention! And a beverage that neutralizes that spicy taste! If we use both together, it works perfectly!”
“Huh? Explain it in more detail. Owner.”
Bread.
What is bread?
By definition, it’s food made by mixing flour with water, salt, yeast, and baking powder, then baking or steaming it.
Which means that as long as I stick to these basic principles, anything falls within the realm of bread.
“And these days, bread with a clear concept is trending.”
Like bread loaded with cheese so excessively it’s almost explosive.
Or bread with chocolate coating on the outside, chocolate in the dough itself, and thick chocolate cream filling inside.
I simply categorized this as ‘spicy flavor’.
“It’s not something that doesn’t exist, after all.”
For example, a company recently released a collaboration product—bread made with blazing hot chicken sauce.
And several imitations followed after that.
Here, I’ll be leaning more heavily into the spicy flavor.
“I understand that much. But didn’t you say bread conveys happiness? Spicy is pain.”
“That’s exactly why we need to develop a new beverage.”
“We haven’t even properly sold the Potion Americano yet, and you’re already talking about this?”
“Americano doesn’t pair well with spicy food.”
Besides, the Americano is currently bundled as a set with Salt Bread, recognized by the status window as such.
If that’s the case, developing a new beverage would be advantageous for this project.
“I see. So how do you plan to implement this spicy flavor?”
“I’ve been preparing something. Follow me.”
I stood up and headed to the Witch’s Cottage, then made my way to the Kitchen Garden.
The crops I’d planted seeds for not long ago were already sprouting green shoots and growing stems.
I touched one of them with my hand and spoke.
“I’ll use this.”
“This is….”
[Taegohua: A red pepper shaped like a dragon’s claw. If consumed carelessly, one might experience the pain of a dragon stirring inside one’s mouth—caution advised!]
Unlike other peppers, the Taegohua had grown with sturdy branches, and small peppers were now forming at its tips.
Once those turned red, I could harvest them.
And it just so happened that 24 hours had passed.
[Growth is complete! Please proceed with harvesting!]
“Perfect. Should I try eating one?”
“No… that… Owner? Wouldn’t it be better to reconsider?”
“Hm? Why? I need to taste it to figure out how to use it.”
“That… no…. Do as you wish… Owner…. But let it be known that I clearly warned you….”
Leaving Noir to shuffle backward hesitantly, I plucked one of the plump Taegohua peppers.
A curved pepper about 5 centimeters long, colored in vivid crimson.
It really did look like some creature’s claw.
I sniffed it, but detected no spicy aroma, which made me uneasy.
“Well, I need to taste it anyway. Here goes.”
Since the pepper was small, it didn’t fill my mouth.
What I felt instead was a refreshing sensation paired with a sharp, tangy bite.
It was undoubtedly a delicious pepper, but honestly, it fell short of my expectations.
Could the name really have come from its appearance alone?
But the status window hadn’t indicated anything like that, had it?
“This really is spicy, isn’t it….”
My thoughts came to a halt about three seconds after I bit into the pepper.
The landscape before my eyes melted into a crimson haze.
Tens of thousands of scorching needles rained down inside my brain.
I had only bitten into a single pepper, yet the sensation of an actual dragon’s flames coiling within my mouth and ravaging every nerve cell as they traveled down my throat—it was a fantasy so vivid that….
Wait?
This isn’t a fantasy.
Help me.
A cry for help rose to the tip of my lips, but my mouth wouldn’t move.
I’m terrified.
What is this?
No, yes, yes? No, maybe. I don’t know. I’m scared. I’m afraid. Help me. Help me help me help me.
“It’s so spicy! Spicy! Spicy! Spicy! Spicy!”
“Didn’t I warn you clearly? Owner. Who eats Taegohua right after putting it in their mouth like that….”
“It’s so spicy! Spicy! Spicy! Spicy!”
The instinct to survive consumed my entire body.
I looked around with bloodshot eyes, but tears blurred my vision so badly I couldn’t see properly.
Through the pain of having shoved a fireball into my mouth, I barely spotted a watering can.
And the water inside it.
There was no hesitation.
“Glugglugglug.”
“Drinking water—no, guzzling it won’t solve….”
“Argh! It’s still so spicy! Spicy!”
“…the problem, Owner.”
“When will this finally get better!”
I was going absolutely mad.
The status window had never lied before.
This was truly a horrific pain, as if a raging dragon were thrashing about inside my mouth.
“But it tastes delicious! What is this!”
“Isn’t that just how it feels because the extreme spiciness has made your head fuzzy, Owner?”
“No! I’m certain!”
Along with a strangely sticky sweetness came a sourness as well.
And on top of that, an umami I’d never experienced before.
The only problem was that it was far more devastatingly spicy than I’d anticipated.
“That’s the issue. What do I do?”
“What do you mean what do you do? Isn’t it getting better now, Owner?”
“Wait, how is that spiciness even tolerable… huh?”
The pain vanished without a trace.
Staring blankly at Noir as the sensation faded with bewildering ease, the creature continued speaking.
“That’s the characteristic of Taegohua. Extraordinarily spicy, but the pain never lasts beyond a minute. It ends cleanly. That’s why many witches have tried to utilize it until now, but failed.”
Such a conveniently pragmatic spiciness.
So it’s like jalapeño—peppery but with a clean finish—except the effect is amplified several million times over, isn’t it?
“I like it.”
“You like it? The spiciness is far too intense, and the duration is too short to properly utilize the flavor, isn’t it?”
“No, that’s exactly why it’s perfect. There’s a bread that pairs with it beautifully.”
“Such a bread exists?”
With her tail standing rigidly upright, I answered Noir’s question.
“Have you ever tried jalapeño wrapped with cheese?”
Jalapeño cheese bread—no, the dragon claw cheese bread is making its entrance.

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