Tanimaki Enters a Bread-Baking Contest (Part 3)

“The bread is still selling just fine. Why do we need to change the way we do things?”

“The world is always changing. If we just sit around doing nothing, we’ll be left behind!”

Tanimaki and the others stared at them in bewilderment as they continued eating their bread.

“I was against a woman making bread from the very beginning. You should hurry up and marry a man who wants to become a baker instead!”

Apparently, Chocomaru, like Tanimaki, was rather old-fashioned in his thinking.

“That’s right! Women shouldn’t stick their noses into things like this!”

Having finally met someone who agreed with him, Tanimaki got carried away. But the moment Coco glared at him, he shrank back.

“I guess sexism still runs deep in this village,” Debiru whispered into Mayutan’s ear.

“I’m entering the next bread competition!”

Coco made the declaration with determination.

“You’re trying that again? A woman, of all people!”

Chocomaru dismissed the idea outright.

“I’m going to win this time!”

“That’s impossible. You’ve never won before!”

“That was because of discrimination against women! It had absolutely nothing to do with my baking skills!”

Their endless argument of “I’m entering” and “No, you’re not” continued until Mayutan could no longer stand by and watch.

“Does the competition offer prize money?”

“It does! Ten million yen—if you win!”

Still caught up in the heat of her argument with Chocomaru, Coco answered sharply.

“What do you think, Chocomaru? Perhaps just this once, you could set your objections aside and allow Coco to enter for the sake of the prize money.”

Mayutan spoke in a calm and measured voice.

At those words, Chocomaru furrowed his brow.

“But still…”

Chocomaru remained unwilling to agree.