CH 1372.

Chapter 1372. Fun Home / The taste of Bread

「 Okay, we’re done here 」

「 We’re done here too 」

Ai and I did a final check of our work.

Katsuko-nee’s bakery is in the corner of the mansion.

The preparation for tomorrow was completed without problems with all the people we have.

We’ll ret the dough rest and our next work will be done after tomorrow morning.

Today’s Saturday so the girls who helped out don’t have to get ready for school tomorrow.

「 Thanks everyone, you helped a lot 」

I thanked Mana and the girls.

「 It seems that they’re still not done over there 」

Mana says as she looks at the baking class of the thirteen former assassins that Katsuko-nee’s teaching.

The other side said that they’ll make simple bread and try eating it tonight.

Oh, Kyouko-san’s joining them but she’s doing well.

Kyouko-san sure can do anything

「 They’ve been making it for two hours now… Everyone’s doing it in their own way 」

Ai mutters.

Right…

It’s almost time for them to lose focus.

Some of them are getting tired of baking.

「 I guess the blonde and the black-haired girls don’t get along 」

Huh?

Oh, true.

Penny Su and Vah Geena are competing with Acme Iku and Olga.

Penny Su is of Italian descent while Vah Geena’s French, but her face looks oriental.

Acme Iku’s Greek while Olga’s in Central Asia, right?

「 No, they get along, that’s why they compete 」

Mana said.

Right, if they had a bad relationship, then they won’t be speaking to each other.

I guess the different factions mess around with each other.

Yeah, I’m more worried about Clito Lilith who’s silently cooking by herself at a distance.

Dolly and Anna, then Yin Rin and Yin Ran are talking to each other so they should be fine.

「 I’ll…have a meeting with Ruriko-san….then sleep early tonight 」

Ai told me.

Tomorrow, we’ll use the bakery in the mansion and in our school to serve bread to our customers.

We have a lot to discuss with Ruriko who will be in charge of the bakery here.

「 Should I go too? 」

「 No, it’s already too much for Yoshida-kun 」

Ai smiled at me.

「 Ai will do her best tomorrow, so…rest for tonight 」

She kissed me on the lips.

「 Yeah, Ai also needs to do her best 」

Ai’s the cornerstone of the bakery in our high school.

She used to be in the same club as the tennis club girls who are helping us out.

「 Katsuko-nee’s going to deliver the bread baked here so it’s going to be a heavier burden for Ai there 」

Today, Katsuko-nee stayed in our school for the whole day, but tomorrow, she will be away.

「 If it’s just carrying the stuff, then I’m also here 」

Rei-chan shows up in the bakery.

「 I asked to go off-duty tomorrow 」

She’s taking a holiday.

「 After everything that’s happened today, I want to take it easy tomorrow. 」

Shou-neechan and Minaho-neesan predicted that the rebel forces of Kouzuki SS would use the Ishigami siblings to attack us.

「 Then that means that there won’t be any weird events tomorrow, right? 」

I asked.

I don’t like that I’m left in the dark like today.

「 Yes, there should be no problems tomorrow. Enjoy the school festival 」

Rei-chan smiles.

「 With that said, I’ll help out tomorrow 」

「 No, but, it’s our school’s festival 」

Katsuko-nee’s a teacher in the bakery course so she has no problem helping out in our school festival, but…

Rei-chan…

「 I’m only helping out the family, is there any problem with that? 」

She said nonchalantly.

「 High-school students can’t drive, and it would be nice if the family of the students can carry some of the load 」

I guess that’s true.

But Rei-chan’s famous nowadays.

「 She’s saying she wants to help, why aren’t you just saying thank you? 」

Kyouko-san who heard the events turned to us and said.

「 Don’t worry, you can just gloss over most of the details 」

Kyouko-san can do that, but…

「 If you keep on whining then I’ll drive the armored car in front of your cafe again tomorrow 」

That’s not good.

「 Okay then, please help us, Rei-chan 」

「 Okay 」

I mean, this is…

I guess that means that there will be a Fujimiya Reika talk show in front of the store, right?

Oh well, Anya did a talk show today after all.

Rei-chan does appear in our school frequently.

Even when Anya, who fights Rei-chan once every three months on the special TV show, appears as our special guest, they didn’t think of it as strange.

「 Then, I’ll take a rest 」

「 I’ll rest for tonight too 」

Ai and Megu said and left the room.

「 I know that Yoshi-kun has it hard, but you need to watch over those girls until the end 」

「 Yeah, I have to be there for the moment when the thirteen assassins try their hand at making their own bread for the first time in their lives 」

I’ll be there for the moment that’ll become the memory of their lifetime.

And I have to make sure that my presence is also burned into their memories.

「 Good luck, Yoshi-kun 」

Megu gave me a good night kiss,

Then, she and Ai went out of the bakery.

「 Okay, then we’ll start baking. 」

Meanwhile, the bread dough on the table over there seems to have managed to take shape

Katsuko-nee collects each of the bread made by the thirteen girls and placed them in the oven.

Well then, we’ll have to wait for them to finish baking now.

THen.

「 They say that people can only do as much as they can imagine 」

Rei-chan tells me.

「 How much sense of reality do you think those girls have? 」

Sense of reality?

「 Look, out of those thirteen, almost all of them came from the slums in Southeast Asia. It’s either their mother’s a prostitute, or they’re born from an environment where criminal behavior is common. Then some joined the orphanage, eventually becoming pets of the female boss of that syndicate 」

「 Yeah 」

「 What do you think is the range of what they can accomplish? 」

Rei-chan smiles.

「 For example, can you imagine those girls starting their studies now, getting into a top university, becoming a researcher, and becoming a Nobel Prize-winning scholar in the future? 」

That’s…

「 I don’t think so. I don’t think any of those girls had scholars among the people they’ve seen in their lives 」

「 Rather, I don’t think those girls understand how people in scholar professions earn income 」

They don’t understand the economic system in which the cost of some research in my living expenses are paid by the government, research institutions, and companies.

「 Those girls are part of the criminal organization, but they didn’t see the money flow, and how the organization worked. Those girls were disposable assassins 」

If their assassination failed, it would be bad if the girls leaked information about the organization.

The thirteen of them don’t know anything about the organization they’re in.

「 Therefore, their sense of reality is the same as when they were in the slums 」

The senses of a prostitute and a criminal in slums.

「 What do you think are the dreams of those who live in the slums, especially women? 」

As soon as Rei-chan asks…

「 !!! 」

Kyouko-san starts talking to the former assassins in a loud voice.

「 She just told them “Attention” 」

Anya came over and translate for me.

Kyouko-san then started her speech.

「 “I’ve been watching you girls make bread. The truth is, as there were girls who were serious in their work, some were halfhearted too. I also found some having a friendly competition with each other” 」

Kyouko-san started talking after they put the bread in the oven so they can’t redo it anymore.

「 “Some are asking why they’re making bread. Thinking that they don’t want to be a baker in the future. I don’t mind that, but…” 」

Kyouko-san smiles.

「 “What we wanted to know was your disposition. Is there someone who can listen to instructions? Or, do just the minimum requirement as they’re told? Could there be someone who adds their own way of doing things? Also, is there someone enthusiastic to make delicious bread that they studied? Or maybe, someone with a lax mind tweaks it up to cover their boredom” 」

Right, the girls were asked to make bread freely without going too much into detail.

It was all to see the nature of the girls.

「 “No, I’m not going to punish you for the bread you made. Even without that, you’ll figure it out anyway after tasting your work” 」

Kyouko-san looked at the thirteen and said.

「 “The bread you made, the ones others made, ad the sample Katsuko and others made, and the bread I made, you can compare them all” 」

Anya translates.

「 “Then, you’ll understand” 」

Those who cut corners and those who didn’t.

Those who did unnecessary things, and those who didn’t do anything extra.

Then, seeing how delicious the bread Katsuko-nee made is.

They’ll figure it out with their tongues.

「 “Well then, just to tell you beforehand, you don’t have to go for this job. Our family has also some who are into business” 」

Kyouko-san shows Nagisa’s video on the screen on the wall.

「 “You already met her during dinner, right? She’s Mao-chan’s mommy, and she’s also pregnant with her next child. Nagisa” 」

Nagisa made a special impression on the thirteen girls while we were at dinner earlier.

「 “Nagisa is a former prostitute, but she turned on a new life and is now running a flower shop” 」

Kyouko-san shows Nagisa tending to the flower shop on the screen.

「 “Nagisa owns the whole shop. She’s not a hired manager, she’s the owner of the shop, it’s her castle” 」

The girls cheered.

「 Going back on topic. The most common dream for the girls who grew up in the slums is a business owner 」

Rei-chan whispered to my ear.

「 Slums do have that once in a while. A prostitute gets a good husband and owns a store. That’s the most realistic dream that those who grew up in the slums can feel 」

Going for a full-time job at a big company isn’t a dream within their reach from the start.

「 “Nagisa worked hard, and that’s why she’s able to establish this store. It’s not just her. Many among the prostitutes have started a new leaf and now own various shops” 」

Kyouko-san shows the retired prostitutes of the Black Forest.

The screen shows a series of pictures of people who had been successful in running their stores.

It also showed Tamayo-san who owns a beauty parlor, a nail salon, and a love hotel.

「 “Nagisa did it, so you should be able to as well. Those who are good can own a shop too, however” 」

Kyouko-san smiles.

「 “Those who can’t even make bread as instructed might not have that privilege” 」

The thirteen got startled.

Then, Kyouko-san points at me.

「 “That’s his decision to make. He’s your arc Master. So, you should start paying attention to what you do” 」

The thirteen look at me.

Right, it all depends on me.

I’m the one who accepted them after all.

The girls look at me worriedly.

◇　◇　◇

「 Okay, why don’t we taste them? 」

Katsuko-nee distributes the bread.

「 First, eat the sample I made for you 」

Kyouko-san translates for Katsuko-nee.

「 “Then, at a count of three” 」

Kyouko-san gave instructions and everyone put Katsuko-nee’s bread in their mouth.

I also took a bite.

Yep, that’s delicious.

It’s a croissant made without fermenting, but the butter and wheat show.

「 “Then, now try out the ones you made” 」

Kyouko-san and they all tried out the bread they made

「 !!! 」

They all look displeased.

It must’ve been inferior to Katsuko-nee’s bread.

「 “Now, compare it to each other’s” 」

Kyouko-san said.

When the girls learned that theirs is inferior to Katsuko-nee’s, they’re embarrassed and tried to hide their bread

「 “That’s an order,” Anya 」

「 Okay~ 」

Anya takes the bread from the girls.

Then, she brought them to me.

「 Try it 」

Kyouko-san said.

I…

I tried out Dolly’s bread.

「 Dolly’s copied Katsuko-nee’s work well. But, she lacks in-depth 」

Kyouko-san translates.

「 Anna’s also serious, but it’s much sloppier compared to Dolly. 」 She didn’t knead it well 」

Dolly and Anna are serious girls, so they look at me with earnest eyes.

「 Meanwhile, Penny Su has a nice shape, but the taste, which is the important part, is lacking. Vah Geena played with the shape too much. But, the taste is decent 」

I speak out my thoughts.

「 Ososo’s got the taste, but the shape is crooked. Customers care about appearance so you need to work better on that. Chiyo, why is yours smaller? don’t show off some weird quirks. Think about why Katsuko-nee made hers that size? Also, the taste isn’t bad 」

Then.

「 Anne Roze, why is it sweet? You put sugar in it because you like it sweet, right? I can’t say that it tastes bad, but you shouldn’t do this. If you want a croissant-like that, then you should’ve gone for chocolate. Don’t put extra sugar in the dough 」

Anne Roze looks depressed.

「 Yin Ran and Yin Rin did well. All they need is to improve their skills. You know the difference in skill between Katsuko-nee and you two, right? 」

The twins have some talent in pastry making.

「 Acme’s a little dried out. Apart from that, the shape is well done, no problem. You can ask Katsuko-nee why it happened and get it sorted today 」

Acme nods deeply.

「 Kunni, this is an over-kneaded dough. You overdid it. Olga’s good. Although, only the shape. The flavors are all over the place since it’s not kneaded enough 」

Then.

「 Clito, you hated making bread that much? 」

Clito Lilith’s bread is too far from Katsuko-nee’s sample.

Clito said something.

「 What did she say? 」

「 She says that it’s the bread her tribe made 」

Anya translates.

I see. So she’s not copying Katsuko-nee’s bread.

She made her distinct bread.

「 Let’s see 」

I tried eating Clito’s bread.

It has a simple taste, but you can’t sell this in Japan.

「 This is bad 」

I said.

Clito Lilith glared at me and said something.

「 She’s asking what you’re dissatisfied with 」

I…

I look into Clito Lilith’s eyes.

「 The bread from your tribe is something you already made, right? What you were doing just now was something you couldn’t have made before 」

I talk to her calmly.

「 Don’t take pride in something you’ve done already. Challenge yourself with new things. If not, your past will keep you imprisoned 」

Anya translates what I tell her and the thirteen girls fell silent.

「 Try something you weren’t able to do yesterday, then do it well. Only those who have that mindset will make it! Get anyone who can teach you a thing, no matter what it is. You’ll never know what will be in your arsenal from now on 」

Then.

「 Distribute the one I made to everyone 」

Kyouko-san told Katsuko-nee and Anya.

Then, Kyouko-san’s bread is handed out to everyone.

「 Now try it out 」

We took a bite.

「 Hmmmm?! 」

This is delicious

But…

The shape and process are exactly the same as Katsuko-nee’s sample, but…

The taste is completely different.

「 Think about what kind of magic I did to make it like that. Either way, you’re all still ten years too young to tell us about bread 」

If Kyouko-san, someone who can fight, has such amazing skills like this, that’ll shut up the thirteen.

「 Now, just as I mentioned earlier, try eating the bread the other ones made and comment on it 」

Kyouko-san told them.