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Chapter 76
Twelve Loaves. Bad Things Collapse the Mansion (2)
The culprit was caught rather anticlimactically.
“Good morning, Ellie!”
Malina greeted cheerfully. Ellie returned the greeting with a smile.
“Good morning, Malina. But…”
A grown man was pinned under Malina. His mouth was gagged with what seemed like a dishcloth, and his hands and feet were tied as he squirmed on the floor.
“Did I… happen to witness a crime scene?”
“Huh?”
“It looked like you were in the middle of a murder…”
It would have been better if there were no witnesses, right? I should have known better than to ask. Ellie covered her eyes with both hands and turned away.
“I didn’t see anything.”
“Then please commit your crime freely,” Ellie said, prompting a hearty laugh from Malina.
“No, Ellie. We’re not going to kill anyone.”
“Oh, I see. That’s a relief.”
“You didn’t like being a witness, huh?”
“No… it’s just that if the store becomes a crime scene, the property value…”
It doesn’t matter. This building was bought by Damian. Ellie realized she had nothing to worry about.
“I still hope Malina won’t get in trouble. And if you want to commit any crimes, please let me know too.”
“You’d stop me?”
“I’ll cooperate. I can’t afford to lose a competent manager.”
Whether it’s hiding a corpse or faking an alibi, just leave it to me. Ellie patted her chest confidently, which made Malina and the observing Morris burst into laughter.
“That’s reassuring, Ellie… But I’m not incompetent enough to need your help.”
“Ellie, what about me? Will you cooperate with me too?”
Ellie shot a cold glance.
“I’ll report you first.”
“…That’s cruel… Just hide it for a day or two.”
“Unfortunately, I have too many staff to be responsible for. That won’t work.”
Twelve bakery staff, ten pastry staff, two hall staff, plus Malina—Ellie had twenty-five employees. Heavy responsibility weighed on her shoulders.
“So what about Malina?”
“She’s one of the employees I’m responsible for.”
“…I can’t believe I’m worse than Malina.”
“Why are you shocked at something so obvious…?”
Is that even a fair comparison? Ellie tilted her head, Malina laughed brightly, and Morris sank into despair.
The friendly joking ended there.
Malina grabbed the hair of the man she had pinned and pulled him upright. He twisted his face in a scowl, but his groans were muffled by the gag.
“I felt it was a shame to hand him over to the guards just like that, so I gave him a quick interrogation.”
“Malina, could you drop the act for a bit? You sound like a cheerful neighbor lady smiling while saying something terrifying. You’re coming off as really crazy.”
“He was a baker operating in this area. His name… what was it? Kyle?”
Malina completely ignored Morris’s muttering. Ellie was surprised by his true identity.
“A baker?! Ah, Malina! Please untie his arms quickly!”
“Huh? Untie his arms?”
“No, release him!”
His arms are vital! As Ellie hurriedly reached out, Morris pulled her back, placing her arm between her neck and shoulder to block her. Malina untied the ropes binding the man’s arms.
“Tell me who made you do this.”
“Ugh…”
“Now you can talk, right?”
“Pfft… uh… gasp… huff…”
“Don’t drag it out. We don’t have time. We need to start preparing the shop.”
Malina was calm and cold. Ellie felt both sympathy and kinship for the crushed man.
Life as a small fry is miserable, isn’t it, sir…
Kyle shouted:
“Who would make us do this?! Because of that pig, we’re all going to be out on the streets!”
Ellie couldn’t help but laugh. The word “pig,” after so long, oddly comforted her. She had been too unscolded lately, leaving her restless and uneasy.
‘Laughing at a pig while feeling safe from terror… I guess I’m really something.’
That meant she had been well trained at the MacClure mansion.
But unlike Ellie, Morris, who was holding her from behind, tensed his arms. A threatening voice came from the back.
“Who are you talking to?”
“Who else? That pig standing there with a dumb face! When you ran your alley business, it was fine! It wasn’t even real bread!”
Wait, that comment can’t just slide. Ellie opened her mouth to object, but Morris was quicker.
He had moved close to Kyle and grabbed his chin with one hand.
“Is that mouth spouting nonsense? People speak, they don’t bark.”
“Ugh…”
“Gross. Try it, Ellie. Say it.”
“…Eri…”
“Not pig, Ellie. Now, speak again.”
“…Because of Ellie…”
“Well done.”
Malina glared at Morris with wide eyes.
“Who’s calling me crazy…”
Ellie agreed. Everyone was shocked, but Morris remained composed. Ellie, still dazed, said:
“I made this too… it’s bread.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve never seen bread like that in my life!”
“The ingredients are the same.”
“Using meat doesn’t make every dish the same!”
“The process is a bit different, but it’s still bread.”
“I won’t acknowledge it! That’s not bread! Just because it’s a little white and fluffy…”
“Oh, have you tasted it?”
“I never eat that! Even without tasting, I know it’s…”
“Try it first, then speak. And bread isn’t just one type. There’s flatbread, whole grain bread, white bread…”
“But yours isn’t bread. I guess you bought some fancy water, mixed expensive flour and sugar, and of course people like it.”
Ellie was annoyed by that remark.
“Yes, I use expensive flour, but basic bread, especially baguettes, don’t use sugar. Who do you think you’re talking to?”
“Hmph, words are cheap. You might play around with noble wealth, but people like me run small shops. Flour is expensive, so we mix grains just to make bread, and every customer complains about taste and hardness… If they could buy it, they wouldn’t even come to my shop.”
Tears welled in Kyle’s eyes. Ellie, involuntarily, felt sympathy.
“Exactly. If someone says my bread tastes bad, it’s heartbreaking…”
Ellie recalled her childhood memories. The cooks at the mansion had harshly criticized the bread-like things she made as a child, tossing them out immediately.
“You played with expensive flour just because you’re a young lady? What a waste.”
“Why are you eating that?”
“I was curious. It’s just trash.”
Ellie had secretly listened to these conversations, swallowed her tears, and focused on practice. She managed to make levain, but the fermentation wasn’t perfect, so it probably tasted bad.
Kyle sobbed:
“Yes! I bake bread giving my best every day! And yet, your childish pranks ruin it!”
“You haven’t suffered, but…”
It didn’t seem worth explaining. Morris said:
“So this is why you did the trash terror?”
“Yes! I had to vent! Honestly, I’m not the only one who dislikes this shop! Every baker feels the same! People treat our bread like garbage! I only acted for them!”
“Then why not just make it tastier?”
Morris sneered coldly.
“It’s laughable to hear excuses. Whatever your reason, if your bread is excellent and true bread, just make it tastier. If people can buy something at the same price, they naturally choose the delicious one. Wouldn’t you buy fresh meat over rotten meat at the same price?”
“You’re saying my bread is like rotten meat?!”
“Ah, insecure people are scary. You terrorize innocent people and then speak of ‘acting for others’? What a great hero you are.”
“Ugh…”
“You’re obsolete in competition, yet so vocal. I feel embarrassed seeing you blame a younger girl for your failures.”
Ellie admired silently. His provocation skills were amazing.
‘Good thing Morris is on our side. If he were an enemy, I’d be so annoyed I’d want to kill him.’
Kyle’s face turned red as he trembled.
‘This is like complaining the mall killed local businesses.’
Technically, blaming Ellie for ruining the shop is illogical if it wasn’t bread. They should either accept it as bread and complain, or deny it as bread and simply dislike it.
But peaceful resolution was more important.
“Let’s make a bet, sir.”
“Ellie, what do you mean ‘sir’ for a criminal?!”
“Or should I say ‘senpai’? Anyway, you’ve been baking longer than me.”
“You won’t even admit it’s bread.”
“Admission isn’t important. Just don’t interrupt me.”
“You’re slowing things down.”
“Try my bread. Regardless of whether you admit it’s bread or not, if it tastes good, accept my offer. If not…”
“…If not?”
Ellie hadn’t thought about the case if it tasted bad.
She was confident. If the taste is right, the prideful might lie…
“I’ll do whatever you ask.”
“What! No way!”
Why are you causing a scene, Morris?
