I Only Baked Bread, but I Was Mistaken for the Best - Chapter 76

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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 76. How to Set Things Right (2)
“Damn it. What the hell is that….”
Thanks to Jinjeonyang doing her part diligently even in this dangerous situation, I could see everything that had happened so far.
Just as I’d feared, Dayeon had done something terrible.
Something she would never have done if I thought of her past self.
“She was never the type to do something like that….”
“Meow… meow….”
Chohong, who had been crying pitifully for Dayeon just moments ago, was now in a panic and couldn’t even speak properly.
Gora and Noir were in the same state.
Who could have known?
That girl who pitied even catching a single bug would show not a shred of hesitation in harming people.
“Of course, those bastards deserved it anyway….”
I wasn’t exactly a paragon of virtue myself, so I had to admit there was a certain satisfaction in it.
People who torment others need to understand they can suffer the same fate.
Honestly, if Dayeon herself had wanted revenge, I would have considered helping her using the Witch’s power.
“But this isn’t it.”
Dayeon had clearly lost her reason.
She might think it’s her own choice, but it isn’t her true heart.
“She’s been enchanted by a corrupted Witch’s power.”
“That’s not the problem. Owner. Right now, that is….”
“I know. She opened a Gate.”
Ria, who arrived after Noir’s report, was impressive.
She didn’t move an inch against Dayeon wielding a corrupted Witch’s power that should be incomprehensible.
But to think she’d open a Gate with that power.
“The simplest way to suppress a corrupted Witch’s power is for the subject to cease existing. In other words, to die, Owner.”
According to Noir’s explanation, a Witch’s power cannot affect the world by itself.
That’s why it changes the world’s fate through me, a Witch, and more corrupted powers choose a host.
“But you wouldn’t want that, would you, Owner?”
“Of course not.”
“Then there’s only one way. You must stop it. Only a Witch can properly handle a Witch’s power.”
I had to bake quickly.
To prevent the Gate Break happening in the middle of the city caused by Dayeon.
“The ganache is finished just in time.”
The ganache in the refrigerator was completed quite rapidly.
That must be thanks to the Witch’s power as well.
“Now it’s time to make the Fondant au Chocolat.”
I finished the preparations quickly.
First, I melted chocolate and butter in a double boiler to create a smooth chocolate butter.
Then in another bowl, I added eggs and sugar, mixing just enough until the sugar granules dissolved and weren’t grainy, whipping the eggs into a foam.
“Now I combine these two.”
I gradually poured egg mixture into the chocolate butter and mixed it, then added the sifted cake flour and salt, blending lightly until no flour was visible.
“Next, I need to prepare the molds…”
I buttered the insides of the muffin molds I’d taken out beforehand and dusted them lightly with flour or sugar to coat them.
This was necessary so the baked bread would come out cleanly later.
From here on, it was a matter of intuition.
“I’ll fill it only halfway, then add the ganache.”
Considering the volume of the ganache and its shape when baked, the optimal amount was up to half the mold.
Next, I placed the frozen ganache in the very center—in other words, the purified fragment of the Witch’s power that I’d obtained.
Then I filled the remaining batter up to the 80% mark of the mold.
“Don’t forget to put your sincerity into it, Owner.”
“I’m used to it now.”
I spoke with certainty to the worried Noir.
By now, the act of pouring sincerity into my work no longer felt awkward.
Besides, I was confident this time.
I had thought carefully about every step of the baking process, every movement of my hands.
That Dayeon would be safe.
That everything oppressing her would disappear.
That ultimately, she could show a happy smile.
“Such expressions suit children well.”
[The Oven activates as it reads your sincerity.]
The oven began working, and the bread was complete in mere seconds.
[Witch’s Fondant au Chocolat]
▷ A fondant au chocolat containing a fragment of power from Marie Labu, one of the fallen witches of the previous generation. It has a sweet yet bittersweet taste. The effect only manifests when a Witch is nearby.
▷ Effects
① Condenses the power of fallen witches within the applicable range.
② Increases bitterness when absorbing the power of fallen witches.
③ Increases sweetness when purifying the power of fallen witches.
▷ Warning! This bread significantly changes the fate of whoever consumes it! Please consider carefully!
“Perfect.”
The completed fondant au chocolat seemed to have materialized exactly as I envisioned it.
The first thing that caught my eye was the crispy texture of the top surface.
Baked at high temperature just as I wanted, the exterior had turned thin and crispy like a delicate shell.
The subtle cracks across the surface resembled the top of a well-baked brownie or soufflé—a soft chocolate-colored sponge cake.
“The part with the ganache also turned out well without any damage.”
The fondant au chocolat puffed up slightly in the center from the heat of the oven.
Especially the central part containing the ganache ball seemed to radiate a weighty power.
It felt like a small, solid, and dense ‘fortress’.
And what about the color?
It was a deep brown that couldn’t be achieved no matter how much dark chocolate content I used.
“And now, if I place this on top…”
I placed a pre-prepared sprig of apple mint and powdered sugar on top, completing the decoration perfectly.
“Meow! Is it done! Owner!”
“Yeah.”
Truthfully, I should have verified the appearance of the chocolate cascading down like a waterfall, but I didn’t have the luxury for that.
Even now, the vision Jinjeonyang shared with me was signaling that the situation was dangerous.
“So monsters have appeared after all….”
Monsters forcing their way through the widening cracks.
Pupils split vertically down the middle.
Muscular bodies surrounded by layers of murky, dull-colored scales.
Tongues that occasionally flicked out, revealing yellowed and razor-sharp teeth each time.
Lizards large enough to easily devour a single adult male had begun prowling through the dawn cityscape.
[Swamp Rock Lizard]
▷ Danger Level: C
▷ A ferocious lizard that inhabits swamps, hiding its body before savagely tearing into prey. Their scales are as hard as rock, so be careful!
“The status window itself declares it ferocious….”
Though it was only Danger Level C, it was inevitably an object of terror for ordinary people.
Only Hunters could face these creatures bare-handed as they dragged their 2-meter bodies around, hunting for prey.
It happened at dawn in an urban area with sparse foot traffic, so that was fortunate at least.
“So far, no ordinary people seem to have been caught up in this.”
The only civilians involved were the thugs who had called out Dayeon.
The lizards opened their jaws wide toward the helpless thugs lying on the ground, but….
Swoosh!
– I’ll clean that up.
Dayeon, now more terrifying than the lizards themselves, blocked them.
Moreover, thanks to the Special Investigation Team 1 rapidly deployed to the scene after hearing Ria’s request for reinforcements, the Gate Break was quickly brought under control.
“But this won’t be the end, Owner. This is a catastrophe brought on by the fallen Witch’s power. It will continue until she is purified through your bread. Meow.”
“That’s why I’m preparing now.”
I carefully packaged the Fondant au Chocolat I had made for just one person and placed it in my bag.
“But how do you plan to deliver the bread? If necessary, I shall go directly….”
“No. There’s no need for that. Don’t you see their names?”
Swamp Rock Lizard.
True to their name and status window description, these creatures inhabit swamps.
The inside of the Gate they came from must surely be a swamp.
As it happens, the Witch’s Cottage is also located in a swamp.
“And look over there.”
“Meow?”
A single fissure had appeared in the middle of what had been a desolate swamp.
Through that fissure, the Swamp Rock Lizards that had been standing idle were pouring out in droves.
“The Gate where the Witch’s Cottage appears always opens in a direction that helps me, right?”
That’s exactly right.
She had opened a path that led directly to the scene.
“W-wait, are you saying you’re going to exit through there, Owner?”
“It’s the fastest and most certain way.”
It wouldn’t take long, and besides, there was no risk of my identity being exposed.
Just as I had experienced before, Noir and I would manifest in the form of Black Smoke.
But Noir seemed to have different thoughts.
“Meow! Is there really a need for that! If I go alone….”
“That’s impossible. I need to be beside you for this bread to work.”
Unlike the other breads, the Witch’s Fondant au Chocolat required my presence beside it for its effects to manifest.
So even though Noir was a Familier who had served the Witch for generations, unless the Witch herself delivered it, there was no point in giving the bread.
“Then what do we do! You’re far too weak, Owner!”
“That’s true, but the situation has changed now.”
Yes, so much had changed since the time I got caught up in the Gave Break incident at the former Princess Research Complex.
First of all….
“Kyuu!”
There was Chohong, who had become much more skilled at exerting power while cultivating various crops in the Kitchen Garden.
“Gora!”
And there was also my summoned creature Gora, who possessed various skills, even though she was only palm-sized as a pastry right now.
“You’ll both help me, right?”
“Kyuu!”
“Gora gora!”
I placed both creatures on my shoulders as they pounded their chests, telling me to trust only them.
“Meow… I’m uneasy…. It feels like something big is about to happen….”
Noir reluctantly followed us as well.
The moment I opened the Witch’s Cottage door, a putrid stench rushed through my nostrils.
The gas bubbling up from the swamp made it difficult to even breathe….
“Kyuuu!”
As Chohong spread her power around, various plants suddenly began sprouting from the ground.
Once they unfurled their large leaves and began purifying the surrounding air, breathing became comfortable again.
But the danger didn’t end there.
This time, the masters of this swamp—the lizards—came charging at us with their eyes rolled back.
【Screeeech!】
“Gora, I’m counting on you.”
“Gora gora!”
Gora leaped from my shoulder and landed heroically on the ground.
As I handed her the dough I had brought, she plunged both hands into it and let out a roar.
“Goraaaaaah!”
[Using the ‘Gigantification’ skill.]
[10,000 BP is consumed.]
Gora grew rapidly until she towered over the lizards.
When I held it, the adamantium hammer was as massive as a battle hammer, but in Gora’s grip, it looked no larger than a claw hammer.
“Gora!”
Gora swung the hammer one after another, striking down the creatures that kept charging mindlessly.
The lizards managed to inflict damage as they rushed in, but it didn’t matter.
As long as there was dough remaining, Gora the Mandrabread Man was essentially invincible.
“Gora!”
When the final swing of the hammer felled the last lizard, we finally reached the fissure.
“Let’s cross quickly now.”
“Ready, Owner.”
“Meow!”
“Gora gora!”
And so we all crossed through the Gate together.
And what we saw was….
“Hold the line! Hold it!”
“Aaaahhhhh!”
【Screeeeeech!】
“Enemy attack incoming! Attack! Gaaahhh!”
【Screech screech! Cough….】
Humans and monsters clustered together in fierce combat.
But surprisingly, the two sides were not attacking each other.
They were simply struggling to survive.
“They’re coming again!”
“Hold the line! Tanks! Forward formation!”
“Deploying defensive barrier! Barrier up… Gaaahhh!”
The Hunter Association personnel’s defensive barriers crumbled helplessly.
【Screeeech!】
【Shrieeeek!】
【Cough….】
Monsters covered in layered scales hard as stone, yet helplessly riddled with holes through their heads.
And the one ravaging them both single-handedly was….
“Yeom Da-yeon! Stop! Now! [Vector Zero]!”
She intercepted all of Ria’s skills in midair while scattering needles made of her own blood in every direction.
“Why?”
The black tears flowing from her eyes now covered her entire body.
“When I’m this happy?”
Da-yeon’s mouth was stretched wide in a grin.

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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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