"What a strong, sweet scent! What kind of research society is this anyway?"
As they walked along the wide road, surrounded by uniquely shaped buildings, one particular predominantly pink building caught Huang Mei's attention, making her unconsciously stop in her tracks.
"It must be some kind of Candy Research Society... After all, the scent is so sweet. Maybe they're making honey sponge cake in there?"
Li Wanwan vigorously wiggled her small nose, the sweet scent clearly entering her nostrils, a look of pure enjoyment spreading across her face.
"This is the Dessert Research Society."
Dylan strode quickly to the building's entrance. Looking at the sign hanging above the door, he calmly stated, "This is the Dessert Research Society."
Turning his head, seeing the interested glint in Li Wanwan and Huang Mei's eyes, Dylan didn't hesitate, pushing open the door and walking inside.
"Are you new students? If you want to join the Dessert Research Society, please sign up here. We'll arrange an assessment for you later. If you pass, you can join."
Pushing open the large door, there was nothing particularly special inside. Culinary stations were neatly arranged within, with girls standing at each one, wearing cute aprons, with either cat ears or bunny ears on their heads, and dressed in cute pink outfits and tiered skirts, as if they had stepped into a fairy tale world.
At this moment, they were making desserts.
The girl near the entrance, seeing people arrive, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. She then wiped her hands with a towel, and approached them with a smile.
"No, you've misunderstood. We're not here to join the club, but to visit. We were wondering if it was convenient for you?"
Hearing the girl's words, seeing her surprised appearance, Li Wanwan hurriedly waved her hand, wanting to clarify this misunderstanding, only to have her wrist seized.
"Convenient! Since you're here to visit, that means you're interested in the Dessert Research Society! I'll give you a proper tour, who knows, maybe you'll want to join!"
The girl said with boundless enthusiasm, quickly grabbing both her and Huang Mei's wrists as she spoke, leading them on a tour inside the club.
"Our club occupies a full five hundred square meters, split into two floors: upper and lower. Here's the staircase. However, compared to our floor, the upper floor is where all the elites of our Dessert Research Society are. You have to pass another assessment to enter. Oh, and by the way, the current Fourth Seat of Totsuki, Momo-senpai, is our club president! She comes once every week to teach us dessert techniques."
The girl patiently introduced the Dessert Research Society to Li Wanwan and Huang Mei, this super club led by Momo Akanegakubo as president.
As for Dylan behind Li Wanwan and Huang Mei, he was unconsciously ignored by her; she largely ignored him, because the Dessert Research Society doesn't recruit boys.
As for the reason, it's mainly because boys can't stand the Dessert Research Society's pink, cute decorations. Secondly, the primary audience for desserts is mostly female.
Years ago, the Dessert Research Society did have some boys, but these boys either graduated successfully or were eliminated during the advancement stage. Now, this club only has girls left.
Therefore, to prevent ill-intentioned individuals from joining, the Dessert Research Society stopped recruiting boys, and if skills were equal, cute looks were prioritized.
This last rule was the personal request of the current president, Momo Akanegakubo. Well, she's the president, and this request isn't excessive, so everyone tacitly accepted it.
This led to the current Dessert Research Society, where all the girls have sweet, 'first-love' faces, evoking a sense of first love.
"Over here, they're making Tiramisu. Over there, a modified version of cream puffs. And at the very back, they're making coconut puffs, which will be ready soon. You can taste them! As long as you join the Dessert Research Society, everything here is available for tasting. Everyone is very friendly with each other!"
Looking at the freshly baked coconut puffs in front of her, the girl unceremoniously reached out, but her hand was slapped away: "You! What class are you? The first bite is mine!"
"Ugh... Fine, fine, it's yours, no need to be so fierce! Hmph, let's go try Haruna-senpai's special chocolate..."
Raising her hand to make a face at the person in front of her, the girl pouted, then pulled Li Wanwan and Huang Mei forward. They quickly arrived before an older girl with an excellent figure. She was holding a piping bag, having just squeezed chocolate filling into a cream puff.
"Try this, Haruna-senpai's chocolate cream puff with flowing filling! Even Momo-senpai praises this exquisite dessert, you definitely can't find it anywhere else!"
"You're here to visit too, right? Here's one for you."
At this moment, Li Wanwan and Huang Mei, being led around, both felt somewhat overwhelmed. Looking at the overly familiar girl in front of them, by the time they came to their senses, a cream puff had already been pressed into their hands, emitting a fragrant sweet aroma.
As for Dylan, he followed the three girls the entire time, his gaze sweeping around the venue. Under the girl's rambling explanation, he quickly understood the club.
"Um... you..."
Li Wanwan opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but realized she didn't even know the girl's name, and an embarrassed expression appeared on her face.
"My name is Misaka Mayumi. You can just call me Mayumi!"
Noticing Li Wanwan's awkwardness, and realizing she hadn't introduced herself since earlier, Misaka Mayumi stood straight, pointed to herself, and generously introduced her name.
"So, Mayumi-san, why are you so eager for us to join the Dessert Research Society?"
The girl had been incredibly enthusiastic since earlier. Even if she truly wanted them to join, it shouldn't be so enthusiastic, so there must be some reason.
"Oh, what else could it be? The club needs new members, and you new students are the most suitable candidates."
Misaka Mayumi said, her expression unchanged, then naturally popped the chocolate cream puff in her hand into her mouth, revealing an expression of enjoyment.
"Hurry, try it! Haruna-nee's desserts are truly amazing! I promise you won't forget them after one bite."
Hearing Misaka Mayumi's words, Li Wanwan and Huang Mei exchanged glances, their faces unreadable, then they turned their gaze to the cream puff in their hands.
Cream puffs are a common, ordinary dessert.
Dylan lightly squeezed it. He opened his mouth and bit down.
The outer crust was light and crisp, covered by a thin layer of cocoa powder, bringing a deep allure and a delicate balance of bitterness.
And as his teeth broke through that enticing, crisp outer shell, what greeted him was a warm, silky molten chocolate filling. This filling flowed slowly like molten lava, its temperature just right – neither scalding his mouth nor cooling so much that it lost its rich chocolate aroma.
It was like a small surprise, bursting with rich cocoa flavor in his mouth, accompanied by a subtle sweetness and a hint of barely perceptible bitterness, forming a layered yet harmoniously unified taste experience.
"This is indeed quite good. The exterior uses the common cream puff method, crispy and delicious. The interior is a smooth, warm, molten chocolate. One bite, and it delivers an unparalleled sense of satisfaction! Moreover, because cocoa powder was sprinkled on the cream puff's surface, it brought a slight bitterness that perfectly cut through its richness."
Feeling the rich, full flavor on his tongue, Dylan did not skimp on praise. This cream puff had already reached the Two-Star level.
He had less experience with desserts; strictly speaking, it was even his weakness. But he still had a basic level of knowledge.
"I'm glad you liked it."
Seeing Dylan and the others reveal expressions of happiness, the girl called Haruna chuckled gently, and at the same time, she offered more cream puffs from the baking tray.
For her, it was immensely satisfying if her cooking could bring happiness to others.
"So, what do you think? If you join the Dessert Research Society, you can eat this level of cooking every day! And there's no limit to the variety, you can eat until you can't eat anymore!"
On the other side, Misaka Mayumi, seeing the three enjoying their food, immediately seized the opportunity, her words filled with temptation. In her hand, several club application forms had appeared at some point, and a ballpoint pen lay on the table beside her, her eyes full of anticipation.
"It shouldn't be that simple, should it?"
Li Wanwan murmured to herself.
"What did you say?"
"We're not three-year-olds. You're so eager for us to join, it can't just be because the club needs new members. There must be another reason, right?"
Raising her head to look at Misaka Mayumi, Li Wanwan slowly spoke.
Although the chocolate cream puff in her hand was delicious, and Misaka Mayumi was incredibly enthusiastic, clearly wanting them to join the club, the more eager she was, the more likely there was a catch. There's no such thing as a free lunch.
Misaka Mayumi awkwardly choked on her words.
"Mayumi, just tell them the truth. The Shokugeki in a few days won't change its outcome just because of one or two people. At most, it'll only buy us a little time."
Just as Misaka Mayumi was about to say something, she was interrupted by Haruna, who couldn't stand it anymore. The girl's expression was subtle, and she sighed at the end.
"Isn't this just gaining a bit more opportunity and hope? I just want to help Momo-senpai more..."
Her secret revealed, Misaka Mayumi's face flushed slightly. As she spoke, she looked at Haruna, her voice carrying a hint of dissatisfaction.
"If these few people knew about the Shokugeki, they'd probably be afraid of the trouble and definitely wouldn't join the Dessert Research Society. It was as good as blowing their chance."
"Shokugeki? What exactly is that about?"
Blinking her eyes, Li Wanwan's voice carried a hint of curiosity as she questioned Misaka Mayumi.
"Fine, since you've already spilled the beans, I won't hide it from you either. Our president and the Third Seat of the Elite Ten, Nyokijima Tosuke, had a conflict. I heard she wants to take over our current Dessert Research Society."
Since it concerned their respective research clubs, after discussions, they decided to proceed with a Team Shokugeki.
As for the method, both research clubs will send out contestants to compete at the cooking stations in a 'relay battle' format. The winner stays to continue, the loser is eliminated, until one side has no one left.
Under these rules, the more members a research club has, the greater their chance of winning in the end. That's why I'm so eager to have you two join. I apologize. But truly, joining our Dessert Research Society is absolutely beneficial with no downsides! After all, our president is also a member of the Elite Ten Council!"
As she finished speaking, Misaka Mayumi directly reached out and grasped Li Wanwan and Huang Mei's hands, her eyes filled with intense longing, wanting them to join.
Although she didn't know their exact strength, since they were transfer students joining Totsuki, their strength must have reached the average level of first-year students. And this year's first-year students are no simple matter; many of them can even hold their own against second-years, so these two are definitely not weak!
If they had their help, the Dessert Research Society's chances of winning could increase by another half.
Huang Mei quietly muttered a complaint.
"I actually find it quite interesting. This is a chance to battle against the Elite Ten! It's a good opportunity to see what Totsuki Academy's level is like."
The members of the Elite Ten Council are, in every aspect, Totsuki's most elite and formidable students, enough to represent the entire school's level.
"You know, you're not wrong about that. This really is an opportunity..."
Looking at Huang Mei's brightened eyes, Li Wanwan revealed a thoughtful expression.
Having stayed here for a week, they had more or less understood the Elite Ten's standing in Totsuki. Ordinary students, let alone challenging them, even seeing them was incredibly difficult.
Under these circumstances, joining the Dessert Research Society and seeing it through to the end meant a high possibility of facing off against such formidable individuals. All it would require was some time.
"What are you all arguing about?"
Just as the few of them were talking, a clear, childlike voice drifted down from upstairs. Everyone looked up and saw that the speaker was a cute-looking little girl.
She had purple, shoulder-length hair, adorned with cat ears, making her look as if she had grown a pair. She was adorably cute.
In her hands, she was holding a pink-purple teddy bear. The bear's hands had signs of being stitched together. This combination was truly adorable.
"Ah! It's Momo-sama!"
"Momo-senpai is so cute! I wanna pinch her cheeks!"
"Momo-sama, look over here! Cheese~"
Her appearance also drew the attention of those around her. Everyone swarmed around her, chattering excitedly beside her.
"Momo-senpai, you finally came down! I've found two very promising new recruits! I want to invite them to join our Dessert Research Society!"
Seeing that familiar face, Misaka Mayumi's face showed a hint of excitement, then she hurried over to her.
Looking at the excited and enthusiastic Misaka Mayumi, Momo Akanegakubo's brows furrowed slightly. At the same time, she subtly took two steps back. This person seemed familiar, but she didn't have a deep impression of her.
"What was her name again?"
"Mayumi, Misaka Mayumi!"
Facing Momo Akanegakubo's forgetfulness, Misaka Mayumi didn't get angry. Instead, she repeated her name twice with a cheerful expression.
She was an admirer of Momo Akanegakubo, deeply respecting her, so she wanted to do her best to help her, even if the other party might not need her help.
"Mayumi-chan, was it? I know this is Dylan-sensei, and the other two are..."
She nodded very seriously at Dylan, then looked at Li Wanwan and Huang Mei, her voice infused with youthful clarity.
Without hesitation, Li Wanwan and Huang Mei stated their names, their gazes also couldn't help but size up this petite girl.
From Misaka Mayumi's eager attitude, it wasn't hard to tell that the girl in front of them was likely the president of the Dessert Research Society, Momo Akanegakubo.
She looked like a middle school student, which was a bit surprising.
"Li Wanwan and Huang Mei, right? You two are transfer students, aren't you? Are you interested in cute things and want to join the Dessert Research Society?"
Her clear, large eyes looked at Li Wanwan and Huang Mei.
Although she didn't have much of an impression of them, it wasn't hard to judge from the aura they exuded that their skills should be quite good. And as for the man, he was extremely skilled.
"No, we just came to visit, but now we're a little interested."
"What are the conditions for joining?"
After thinking it over for a while, Li Wanwan and Huang Mei decided to join the Dessert Research Society. On one hand, they really liked desserts. On the other hand, they wanted to use this opportunity to see the strength of the Elite Ten powerhouses, so they could have a goal when working hard in the future.
"Make a dessert that satisfies me."
Hearing Li Wanwan and Huang Mei's words, Momo Akanegakubo stated the conditions for joining.
"Any type is fine?"
Li Wanwan blinked her eyes, asking further.
"If possible, I hope it's as cute as possible, because Momo loves cute things~"
After a moment of silence, Momo Akanegakubo looked at the two and said. She loved cute things the most. If the dish presented was cute, even if it didn't taste great, she would let them pass.
"Don't underestimate her obsession with cuteness!"
"I see. 'Cute is Justice,' huh... A bit childish, I guess."
Hearing Momo Akanegakubo's words, Li Wanwan couldn't help but inwardly grumble a little. Outwardly, her expression remained unchanged, but in her mind, she quickly began to construct the dish.
To put it in more common terms, Momo Akanegakubo wanted a visually appealing, delicious, exquisite dessert.
Such desserts weren't rare in the culinary world; cakes and cream puffs were among them. But common things represented ordinariness and couldn't achieve the goal of being eye-catching.
This was Li Wanwan's simple yet practical thought.
Closing her eyes, various dessert recipes flooded into her mind. Then, as if sparked by some stimulus, in a flash, she had a vision.
It was a period of time in the Dark Cooking Society. At that time, there was a beloved French chef who taught them, the newcomers, cooking. And the last dish that person made before leaving was a dessert.
Opening her eyes again, Li Wanwan already had an idea. Then she found an empty cooking station, rolled up her sleeves, and began to work.
"We won't disappoint you."
Beside her, Huang Mei, seeing Li Wanwan make a decision so quickly, was surprised for a moment, then looked at Momo Akanegakubo, revealing a confident smile.
-
Unfortunately, two of our stories were removed... so I created a new account to post them: MikuDayo.
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I'm counting on your support <3 the director was very sad and scared by what happened...
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