Holding her fork, Akame picked up a piece of the dish that had already been portioned. To her surprise, even though it was filled with mashed potatoes, the structure held together—it didn't collapse at all when pierced.
Instead, it maintained a perfect form, rising as one clean piece. The fattier sections of the bacon had been roasted until the oils seeped out, and those golden juices had been fully absorbed by the mushrooms inside the mashed potatoes. Visually, it was stunning.
Everyone's gaze followed the lifted piece as Akame brought it to her lips and swallowed it whole.
The next moment, the rich flavors exploded in her mouth. Her fingers clenched slightly, and the calm expression on her face cracked. Her pale thighs involuntarily squeezed together, subtly shifting left and right. A blush spread rapidly across her cheeks.
Because the dish had only just been served, it was still quite hot. Akame opened her mouth, fanning herself repeatedly like she'd been scalded. Yet, the flavor was so incredible she couldn't bear to spit it out. Her tongue darted around, trying to cope with the heat, and the sight left Sora feeling a little parched.
Damn. Minus points. Minus points.
Ashamed of his own impure thoughts, Sora tried his best not to look at Akame's face—or more accurately, her lips. He was afraid he'd lose control.
Her current expression reminded him oddly of a pristine doll being played with too much... Wait, what was he thinking?
"Mm... Mmm..."
A few unintelligible sounds escaped Akame's mouth as her teeth met the piping-hot mashed potatoes. Even though it was just potato, it tasted better than meat—that was the only coherent thought in her mind.
As the dish continued to release its full aroma, the restraint Kurome had been barely holding onto finally snapped. She grabbed a fork and began devouring it.
"Ako-nee, Riko-nee, don't hold back. There's still one more portion in the kitchen. I'll bring it over."
Faces flushed, meat juices glistening at the corners of their mouths, both sisters were panting from the heat and chewing eagerly. The flavor of this dish had gone far beyond anything Kurome had imagined.
It felt as if her soul had left her body. In her mind's eye, she saw a hallucination—a bountiful harvest. Potatoes piled high, large and plump. In the illusion, she held a hoe, tilling the land and unearthing potatoes the size of her head, quickly forming a mountain that buried her entirely.
"Rich and mellow. The weight of the oils perfectly balanced by the mushrooms. The silky mashed potatoes combined with the distinct mushroom texture give the illusion of eating meat."
"And this sauce—it's slightly sweet at first, but the aftertaste is full of umami, bringing out the natural saltiness of the bacon. Two completely different flavors coexist in perfect harmony. Incredible!"
Eyes shimmering with excitement, the two sisters calmed down after their initial frenzy and began to offer a serious review. As they spoke, they closed their eyes to savor it more deeply.
"I added honey. It softens the meat, turning what would've been crisp bacon into something more tender, enhancing the overall mouthfeel. The sauce is a modified version of teriyaki—I've included extra onions and a bit of broth from stewed pork trotters to add complexity."
Sora smiled as he explained the dish while setting down another plate for Ako and Riko. Due to limited ingredients, he couldn't follow Yukihira Soma's version exactly by using red wine, but he had done enough research on sauces not to rely on a single method.
Cooking was subjective—everyone had different tastes. That's what gave cuisine its character.
"This is amazing. I've never had anything like it before. Right, Sis?"
Eyes glowing with excitement, Kurome clapped her hands together, then turned and smiled at Akame.
"Mm. One more, please."
Setting down her now-empty plate, Akame nodded slightly, then looked up at Sora with a dazed expression. She extended a finger, signaling that she wanted another serving.
"That was a hidden menu item. We normally don't offer it."
"You can take ours—"
"It's okay. We'll head out for now. We'll definitely come back sometime."
Touching her barely two-thirds full stomach, Akame stood up before Asaka could finish speaking. She nodded politely to Sora, then took out 2,000 yen, placed it on the table, and hurried out with her sister.
"That was sooo good. The mashed potatoes were seriously unbelievable!"
Propping her chin in her hands, Riko wore a blissful expression. As soon as Akame and Kurome left, Ako let go of her hold on Riko and picked up a fork to dig into the Gotcha Pork Roast.
Because she knew who the two guests were, she had resisted the urge to dive in the moment Sora brought the food out. No matter how enticing the aroma, she'd used every ounce of willpower to wait until the guests were satisfied.
Her thinking was simple: keep the customers happy. Serving sizes could heavily influence a diner's mood. Now that the sisters had left, there was no reason to hold back anymore.
Saliva had already flooded her mouth. As for Riko, if Ako hadn't stopped her earlier, she would've stabbed her fork in without hesitation.
"You two go ahead and eat. I'll wash the dishes."
Seeing the two sisters' content expressions, Sora smiled knowingly. He returned to the kitchen to wash up. When he came back out, most of the food had already been polished off.
"Sora, this one's for you."
[Hidden Task Completed]: Serve the Reviewers
[Task Description]: Host gourmet reviewers who show up unexpectedly and prepare a dish that satisfies them.
[Task Reward]: Mystic Deboning Knife
[Item Rarity]: Bronze-grade cookware
[Mystic Deboning Knife]: Cuts through bone like butter. Can chop through all kinds of animal bones without dulling. Leaves clean cuts with no bone residue. Ideal for deboning and butchering.
After finishing the last of the potato bacon roast, a system notification suddenly rang in Sora's mind. He froze. A hidden task? Was that supposed to refer to rare, unpredictable events?
Thinking about it, that made sense. If Akame and Kurome hadn't shown up today, or if he had turned them away, this task wouldn't have been possible to complete. So, it was all about choices?
Kind of like a side quest outside the main storyline.
Sora thought to himself as he locked the shop door. A cold breeze blew past, making his clothes flutter.
"So cold…"
As she spoke, Riko leaned into Sora, subtly pressing against him. Then, no longer satisfied with mere contact, she outright wrapped her arms around his.
"Ah! That's cheating!"
Seeing Riko's bold move, Ako cried out in protest. Not to be outdone, she latched onto Sora's other arm.
Thank goodness it was nighttime. If this scene happened during the day, who knows what passersby would say?
But Sora was already used to this kind of closeness from the two sisters. The softness pressing against his arms stirred up all kinds of complicated feelings—equal parts joy and torment.
Seeing that Sora didn't say anything, the sisters grew bolder. Their once-timid gestures turned daring. They both adored this "younger brother" of theirs.
Even their parents had hinted—both subtly and not—that either of the sisters marrying Sora would be a fine choice. With their family's full support, they had no reservations.