Players progressing through Chapter 5 of Sunny Lab's cozy narrative RPG The Witchs Bakery (The Witch's Bakery) have encountered progression-blocking bugs on Steam. The primary issue involves Lunne entering a water-themed Heart Palace with empty energy after an overnight atelier sequence, leaving players unable to cast magic and forced to close the game. Another common Chapter 5 issue locks Mawuli's second relationship heart despite meeting daily affection requirements.
Chapter 5 Water Heart Palace Energy Soft-Lock
The most disruptive bug reported in Chapter 5 occurs following an overnight event in Lunne's atelier. During this night sequence, Lunne stays awake in the atelier and receives a phone call from Estelle.
Because Lunne spends the entire night working rather than resting, she begins the following day with depleted energy. When entering the subsequent Heart Palace—described by players as a water-themed space featuring water waves—Lunne possesses zero or near-zero energy.
In The Witch's Bakery, clearing emotional blockages inside a Heart Palace requires casting magic to guide the personified Emotion back to the Heart's Cradle. Because the game does not provide an immediate energy refill before this sequence, players find themselves trapped:
- Lunne cannot cast the necessary magic to solve the puzzle or complete the stage.
- The encounter cannot be finished, creating a hard progression halt.
- Affected players report being forced to use Alt+F4 to terminate the game process and reset.
A related concern reported in this sequence involves Estelle's dialogue; players noted being unable to advance Estelle's romance route during or immediately following this overnight call. Sunny Lab published an official Steam announcement specifically titled "If you're looking to romance Estelle, PLEASE READ THIS!".
Mawuli Second Heart Lock Bug After Chapter 5
A second progression issue appears in player relationship tracking after finishing Chapter 5. Players on the Steam community forums report an issue regarding Mawuli's contact profile:
- During normal bakery shifts, Mawuli's affection meter fills to maximum each workday.
- In Lunne's contact list, Mawuli's second heart remains marked with a padlock icon.
- The relationship fails to trigger the next stage or unlock further character events, leaving the progression frozen.
Available public materials have not yet confirmed a direct player-side workaround for this contact lock.
Summary of Reported Chapter 5 Issues
| Reported Issue | Trigger Condition | Symptom | Status / Workaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Heart Palace Soft-Lock | Staying awake in the atelier overnight during Chapter 5 | Lunne enters the water Heart Palace with no energy to cast magic | Player forced to Alt+F4; avoid draining actions if possible before mandatory story hearts |
| Estelle Romance Missing | Chapter 5 late-night phone call sequence | Estelle romance branch does not trigger properly | Addressed in developer Steam post "If you're looking to romance Estelle, PLEASE READ THIS!" |
| Mawuli Second Heart Locked | Post-Chapter 5 daily bakery shifts | Heart bar fills to max daily, but lock icon remains in contacts | Unresolved in user reports; logged on official Steam forums |
Troubleshooting and Official Channels
If you encounter a progression halt during Chapter 5, keep the following verified steps in mind:
- Force Close the Application: When trapped inside the water Heart Palace without magic energy, pressing Alt+F4 exits the client. Relaunching allows you to reload your previous save state.
- Review Official Announcement Posts: For Estelle's interaction in this chapter, check the developer post on the Steam Community hub ("If you're looking to romance Estelle, PLEASE READ THIS!") before triggering the night event.
- Report Unresolved Bugs: If Mawuli's contact lock persists or Lunne repeatedly loads into the story heart with depleted energy, report your save details on the official Steam Discussions bug sub-forum.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I use magic in the Chapter 5 water Heart Palace?
This happens because Lunne stays awake in her atelier the night before rather than sleeping. Entering the next day with depleted energy leaves you without the magic points required to solve the puzzles inside the water heart.
How do I escape the Chapter 5 energy lock?
Currently, there is no in-game exit button reported once you enter the heart without energy. Players have had to press Alt+F4 to close the game and reset to the prior save point.
Why is Mawuli's second heart still locked after Chapter 5?
This is a recognized issue reported on the Steam forums where Mawuli's affection meter fills to max during workdays, but the lock icon in the contacts menu fails to open. An official automated fix has not yet been detailed in available patch notes.
