Chapter 188: Baking Competition (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 188: Baking Competition (2)
The 24th Continental Flower Arranging World Championship.
I don’t know why something as trivial as flower arranging needs the title "Continental," and even if I could accept that, why tack "World" onto the end of it?
And how on earth has such a thing reached its 24th year? That’s a surprisingly long history of twenty-four years.
The important thing, however, was that the RoFan party, including Daisy, was participating in it.
And that meant there was a very high probability that an "incident" was scheduled to occur.
This was a certainty not only for me and Boradori, who knew that an original work for this world existed, but even for Uncle Aeryun, who was oblivious to that fact. The data gathered so far proved everything.
Naturally, suspicion was the only logical response.
"This is an Imperial conspiracy."
"For once, I agree."
Beside me, the Flame Oven—who was currently busy adjusting the heat—chimed in with her agreement.
"I’m being framed!"
Uncle Aeryun pleaded his innocence.
"The only ones being framed are us, for being treated as the same age as that face of yours."
"When I was getting the ingredients earlier, I heard people saying we’re the only team here where a TA is participating alongside the students."
"Well, at least they didn't mistake you for a professor. They’re kind people."
"True."
"Are you guys actually best friends or something?"
Looking utterly dumbfounded, Uncle Aeryun let out a deep sigh and began his explanation.
"First of all, it was only a few days ago that the Academy Director told me to start building up the club’s track record. It was sudden."
"We’ve built up plenty of records."
"Exactly. Every time we went out, we made sure to buy at least one cookie."
Since we were the Dessert Club, we’d gone around buying expensive treats whenever we found a famous shop. To think our efforts weren't being recognized.
"That’s the problem! We keep buying expensive desserts with the club budget! But there’s no record of us actually doing anything with them!"
"What do you mean, nothing?"
"We ate them deliciously."
"…Adam, I’ll ignore this brat for now. But Marie, don't you think you’re getting more shameless by the day?"
At that, the oven master, who had finished adjusting the flames, tilted her head and replied.
"I don't think you're one to talk."
"……Fine. Let’s move past that."
Watching us act out a scene straight out of a baking manga in the face of the Empire's audacity, Uncle Aeryun sighed again and continued.
"Haa. Anyway, the best excuse for why we’ve been eating such expensive things all the time was to enter a competition. So I prepared the application and submitted it immediately."
"In other words, you didn't even have time to rig the location?"
"Exactly. So, the fact that that is happening right in front of us is a pure coincidence."
Uncle Aeryun replied while naturally kneading the dough, and we nodded. It wasn't that his words were particularly persuasive.
"Well, he has the gall to go around telling people he’s the same age as us."
"If he had rigged it, he would’ve just bragged about it shamelessly rather than lying."
"…Right. Wow, I’m so touched by your trust in me."
Watching him naturally shape the dough and the Fire Spammer slide it into the preheated oven, I voiced my biggest question.
"But why are you so good at this?"
"At what?"
"Making bread. Have you been practicing?"
"You guys forced me into a career change as a baker, so I’ve only been practicing since the day before yesterday."
"For someone who just started, the shape is surprisingly decent…"
"Well, bread is bread. They all look more or less the same."
Since it was just standard baguettes and bagels, the shapes weren't exactly difficult. However, according to the laws of RoFan, characters aren't supposed to be able to make anything normal.
"I guess he really isn't a main character…"
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Leaving the RoFan-insensitive Uncle Aeryun behind, I waited and eventually tasted the first batch of bread we made.
Even with beginner's luck, I didn't expect much since it was just bread made strictly by the textbook, but…
"…What? Why is this good?"
"……?"
The bread was delicious.
"…Right?"
……And significantly so.
Violet - I knew this would happen.
Time flew by.
Fortunately, this was a place where the power of authority could be utilized more effectively than anywhere else, so Delmoa’s transfer was processed quickly.
Of course, in the process of seeking help from the Princess in the Library to gain a bit more leverage, I received an ominous message: "In exchange, make sure we see each other later."
And during the transfer process, the Academy Director’s eyes had gleamed with a disturbing intensity while looking at Delmoa.
Regardless, what mattered now was the grandly named Flower Arrangement Club competition.
More accurately, since this was an episode perfectly suited for a RoFan main narrative, it was certain that some kind of incident would occur here.
Of course, compared to the original work, it was a year early.
Among the key figures—Silence, Bell, and Delmoa—Silence was already deceased.
And although Bell and Delmoa had become allies…
In this world filled with RoFan-style malice, there was no way an event wouldn't occur in a situation and environment so ripe for one.
That was why I had prepared for every possibility.
Getting stabbed in the back while caught in a civil war on the way back from the Holy Kingdom was enough of a lesson.
To replace the sorcery that had already been compromised, I prepared auxiliary artifacts.
I even secured expensive sacrificial items for sorcery.
The cost was… quite high, but they said my year-end bonus was guaranteed!
After all that preparation, before I knew it…
"The finals of the 24th Continental Flower Arranging World Championship are about to begiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin!"
"……?"
"Now!"
The semi-finals had started.
"Hmm."
First of all, there were a total of six teams participating from the Flower Arrangement Club.
Three in the individual matches. Two in the duos. And one in the team match.
In the individual matches, Daisy, Esid, and Asran competed.
Naturally, Esid and Asran were eliminated in the preliminaries with overwhelmingly poor skills.
Daisy managed to make it to the round of 16, but she was blocked by the "world-class wall" and eliminated.
And so, the individual matches were a total wipeout.
However, something unexpected happened in the duos.
First, the ace team consisting of me and Delmoa (I originally tried to put Daisy in, but Delmoa vehemently opposed it) reached the semi-finals.
Then there was the Flower Arrangement Club’s worst alliance, the "Twisted Nether color palette" duo: Arwen and the carnivorous plant expert, Ellen.
In other words, the Leon-Dale alliance had somehow made it to the round of 16.
…They called it a "fresh combination that subverts conventional wisdom."
However, the Arwen & Ellen duo—who subverted conventional wisdom in a way that made everyone realize how precious common sense actually is—were eliminated, proving that justice still exists in the world.
With the rest of the members who participated in the team match also failing in the preliminaries, the hope of our Flower Arrangement Club rested on me. No, it was all up to Delmoa.
And then.
"Whoa!"
"No, how can there be such beauty!"
Delmoa proved exactly why she had been admitted mid-term through the power of authority, advancing to the finals with overwhelming skill.
"…Delmoa?"
And then, in true RoFan fashion, she went missing.
To be honest, the baking competition was just a nuisance.
It wasn't that important.
The Academy Director had experienced enough maddening events to lose his mind, but he hadn't snapped yet.
He wasn't stupid enough to not realize that we were one of the reasons he was still sane.
That was why the Director only asked us for "results" as a formality.
In other words, he just wanted the record of us participating in a competition; he never threatened to disband the club if we didn't win.
So, despite the hassle, we participated.
"An upset! An upset has occurred!"
"The previous champion! Eliminated in the quarter-finals by the Sacred After-School Dessert Club!"
We had defeated the favorite to win and the previous champion, advancing to the semi-finals—often called the "real finals."
"……?"
"……?"
No, seriously. How did this happen?
"The world is truly vast. Your blade was like a living thing. And to use fire and ice during the cooking process to bring out the flavor of the ingredients… I never knew magic could be used for bread like that."
As if answering my confusion, the defeated former champion offered a handshake and praised my actions.
No, I just did that because I got annoyed hearing the commentators praise the Fire Spammer’s heat control from the booth.
"I learned a lot from watching your temperature control. I hope we can meet again next year."
Beside me, Mr. Flame Oven, who was receiving similar high praise with a look identical to mine, seemed to be thinking the same thing.
"I admit defeat. To think I didn't know a baker like you existed. The dessert world is truly wide."
"I still have much to learn. I will work hard so we can meet again next year."
"Such a good heart for a young man."
Only Uncle Aeryun, who looked delighted to be called "young" by a man who was pushing seventy, seemed to be enjoying himself.
"What a heartwarming atmosphere between the winner and the loser! Truly a sight to behold!"
"But who could have predicted this result!"
"Master Pâtissier Chevalier, who once handled the Imperial family's desserts, has been defeated by academy students!"
"You never know the result until it's over. This is why we watch the Master Pâtissiers, the gathering of the continent's strongest dessert artisans!"
No, seriously, how did we win?
I quietly bit into the perfectly standard chocolate chip cookie that had brought us victory.
"…Why is this so good?"
Since I was supposedly in the Dessert Club, I’d regularly bought and eaten desserts from famous cafes around the academy to drain the noble students of their pocket money.
Even so, I couldn't think of a single place that tasted better than this. An overwhelming level of flavor was spreading through my mouth.
"……"
Had our human oven master reached the same conclusion?
Her red eyes widened, and her mouth hung slightly agape as she shot me a look that asked, 'Did we really make this?'
"Our goal is, of course, victory. We’ll spread the name of our After-School Dessert Club across the entire continent!"
I was dumbfounded by the sight of Uncle Aeryun taking it upon himself to do an interview and declare our intent to win, but I decided to assume he just wanted to open a bakery after he retired.
And so, after knocking out the former champion in the quarter-finals…
And cutting down the team from the hottest new dessert franchise in Dale in the semi-finals…
Two days later. A place steeped in history and tradition.
A place that was said to be likely to fail this time because their skills seemed to lack something from the beginning of the competition every summer.
Yet, they were the Empire's best dessert shop, consistently reaching the finals and aiming for the trophy. A Cup of Warm Tea.
Just as people were debating whether it would be a tenth victory for "T-One" or a "miracle run" for the rookies…
"I have finally found the enemy's base. Not only that, I have uncovered the identity of the Great Evil hiding behind them…"
The Emperor of Stealth… Ilias’s very own… had apparently not been slacking off while we were making bread.
"You finally did it, Chameleon."
"It’s Camelon…"
Anyway, Mr. C brought back solid information.
"We have a problem! Delmoa has been…!"
And as if pouring oil on a fire, Boradori arrived with the announcement that Delmoa had been kidnapped instead of the RoFan heroine.
So, naturally.
"Let’s forfeit, shall we?"
"Do you know how hard it was to get to the finals?!"
"No, is that really what’s important right now?"
"Our opponent is A Cup of Warm Tea! The legendary T-One! We’re facing them for their tenth title!"
In the middle of the competition, I dragged Uncle Aeryun—who had been reborn not as an agent, but as a master baker—back to his real job.