Everyone's dishes were almost at the finishing stage, and Hayama Akira was the first to complete his dish. But...
In the middle of the huge venue, the one he kept his eyes on wasn't Yukinoshita — it was Hikigaya.
Not to mention Hikigaya's near-perfect showing during the school trip, in what Hayama thought should have been an easy match, he had personally witnessed Hikigaya's growth in just one month as a fellow member of Shiomi Seminar.
So...
He was truly curious about what kind of dish Hikigaya Hachiman would bring out.
On his cooking station, Hachiman sometimes looked blank, sometimes serious, but most of the time he just seemed lost in thought. Even though it was supposed to be a curry dish, no cooking smell came from his station at all, not to mention any spice aroma.
Not only Hayama, but even Yukinoshita beside him and Erina in the VIP room couldn't make sense of what was happening.
Though this guy often managed to produce shocking dishes at the very end, with cooking time about to run out, he still looked calm and showed no signs of panic.
Hayama finally couldn't stand watching anymore. Since he already saw Hikigaya as a rival, his current state was disappointing.
Hands on his hips, Hayama walked over seriously and asked:
"Hikigaya, where's your dish?"
"Still needs a bit more time... Honestly, I only came up with this dish last night while rushing."
Hearing this, Hayama finally understood. This guy was actually using this match to test a brand-new dish, one he had only thought up yesterday. At a time like this, should that be called bold, or just plain stupid?
"To be honest, I really appreciate the help you gave Jun with her project. But on the stage, I won't hold back against anyone. I also expect you and everyone else to have the same mindset. But... in the end, the winner will still be me."
Hachiman: "You sure sound confident. But too bad — I promised my old man I wouldn't lose to anyone until I beat him."
Hayama Akira: "Hmph, then I'll be waiting."
After Hayama left, Yukinoshita came over quietly and asked in a low voice:
"Is your dish going smoothly?"
"Yeah, should be fine."
"That's good."
Without saying much more, Yukinoshita quickly returned to her station for the final touch. Since her dish was a curry dessert — no, more precisely, a curry ice cream dessert — she needed to handle it with extra care.
When the cooking time finally ended, everyone hurried to plate their dishes.
This time, the host for Area A was again Kawashima Urara. Because there were five judges, the rules were simple: each judge held 20 points, for a total score of 100. In Area A, only the top 5 scorers would advance to the main tournament.
The first contestant to appear was Mito. As expected, she brought out her specialty—a dish combining meat with curry for this qualifying round. Since only a limited number of contestants can advance, nobody would hold back on purpose. Because of this, Mito had already put in double the effort into this dish.
With Hikigaya Hachiman's help, her curry showed clear improvement. By controlling the temperature of the beef and using the right mix of spices, she finally made a delightfully sweet curry Dongpo pork rice bowl.
Looking at it with the naked eye, there was nothing particularly outstanding about the dish. It wasn't exactly ordinary either, but in Totsuki, such a dish would be just considered normal.
No doubt, Dongpo pork is a dish made from pork belly cooked in soy sauce. But compared to beef, it can be a bit greasy.
As a judge, it's not right to score a dish just by first glance. No matter how the dish looks, complaints are out of the question. The true and most accurate scores come only after tasting.
Without hesitation, Hoshino Ai picked up a piece of the Dongpo pork. Under the crystal-clear light, the whole piece of meat shone beautifully. Not only that, the other judges also noticed the special quality of this pork: for such a difficult dish to handle, it had three layers woven between lean meat and fat.
With just a gentle shake of the bowl, the whole piece of meat wobbled like jelly. Meanwhile, the rice, the main staple, stayed perfectly still. This clearly showed that Mito had mastered excellent heat control.
As Mito's Dongpo pork entered the mouth, the aroma of the curry was fully released. The piece of pork was so large it didn't fit fully in the mouth, and some of the meat juice had to be left behind without a way to drink it all.
Hoshino Ai said, "The meat! Just biting into it, the juices poured out like a waterfall. That's amazing!"
It seemed unexpectedly reliable. Hoshino Ai kept savoring it slowly, and on her tongue, it felt like a delicate dance made of meat.
Though it was pork belly Dongpo pork, the spices balanced the flavor so well that the greasiness wasn't felt at all.
Seeing Mito's dish get unanimous approval from the judges, Hachiman just relaxed and nodded slightly.
Next to him, Yukinoshita asked with some confusion:
"Hikigaya, you taught her how to use the spices, right?"
"Eh? Why do you say that?"
"Mito appears careless but actually has a very sensitive side. That's undeniable. But earlier, her use of seasonings and spices was almost nonexistent. This challenge hit her weak spot, and the only reason I can think of for her rapid improvement is you, since you both live at the Polar Star Dorm."
Hachiman shook his head at Yukinoshita's strange words:
"I only told her how to use the spices, didn't help her with anything else."
"First, the pork belly is blanched, then braised in soy sauce, oyster sauce, and cooking wine after roasting it to perfection. Finally, it's finished with a touch of spices to add flavor. But the most important part isn't these steps—it's that the rice itself contains a little salt and Sichuan pepper oil. It's then paired with star anise, ginger, and other spices to make this very outstanding dish."
Yukinoshita nodded:
"This is indeed an excellent dish. Although the spices used aren't very unique, this is definitely a huge leap forward for Mito. The balance between the pepper oil and the fat, as well as the clash between sweetness and spiciness, isn't contradictory. In fact, it makes the dish a key and necessary part."
"But…"
As all the judges enjoyed the dish, Mito's final score was shown on the smart board that had everyone's full attention.
"82 points!"
Hachiman was clearly a little surprised. Putting aside the fact that Mito made the dish, the judges had already expressed considerable satisfaction, but the final score was only 82 points.
Yukinoshita seemed to see Hikigaya's confusion and shook her head again:
"Hikigaya, you underestimate this score too much. Even in Totsuki's history, very few people can reach 70 points in each year's Autumn Elections. Reaching 80 points is considered an absolute elite, and there are hardly any people who can reach 90 points in Totsuki's history."
"Perhaps you will understand this fact later."
Listening to Yukinoshita's words, Hachiman also focused his attention on Mito. Indeed, as Yukinoshita said, Mito seemed satisfied with the score. After all, she had tried her best with a subject she wasn't good at.
However...there was still one more problem.
Hachiman finally noticed the child who was about his age, Hoshino Ai. Although she didn't seem like a professional judge at all, she was very critical of the dishes. Things were not as simple as he had imagined. This seemingly unserious judge would never easily give out high scores.
Etsuya, the ninth seat in the VIP room, started clapping. After all, the first student had achieved a score of 82 points, which showed that this year's students had many elites. As for Isshiki and Erina, the people they were looking forward to were yet to come.
Kawashima Urara: "It seems our first student has made a great start for everyone. Next, let's welcome the second contestant, the second daughter of the Yukinoshita family, Yukinoshita Yukino!"
Because the order of appearance was completely shuffled, Yukinoshita didn't seem to realize that she would be entering so early. However...no matter what the situation, she remained calm and nodded slightly to Hikigaya before taking her dish to the stage.
"My name is Yukinoshita Yukino. This is my dish. Please enjoy."
Yukinoshita gave a polite half-bow and stood aside, waiting for her score. There was no sound from either the audience or the stage.
Yuigahama carefully leaned close to Miura's ear: "I feel like Yukinon has a strong presence...no one is talking."
Miura: "....."
As the lid of the pot was gently lifted, a dessert made of curry was revealed. However, to the four judges other than Hoshino Ai, the dish looked good but had nothing special about it. It was somewhat similar to the products sold on the street. But...
What else could such a product do besides attract people who know nothing about cooking?
Yuigahama: "Wow! Yukinon's dish is so pretty, Yumiko, what do you think?"
Miura: "It's certainly pretty, but...the judges don't look too happy."
Yuigahama: "These people clearly have no taste. They even look down on Yukinon's cooking."
As soon as she said this, almost all the spectators near Yuigahama and Miura focused their attention on them, and the two seemed to realize something and quickly shut their mouths.
Among the five judges, Hoshino Ai also seemed to like the dish very much. Her sparkling star eyes seemed to have evolved at this moment, and she stared at it without blinking.
Hoshino Ai: "This is, is, is, is too beautiful!"
The other judges, knowing that Hoshino Ai's level was not on par with theirs, didn't say much, but as the spoons in their hands went into the cake, the curry fragrance was finally released.
As the ice cream gradually melted over the dessert, the secret within was slowly revealed. The aroma of spices, hidden inside the ice cream, burst forth with the ice cream's freshness. Moreover, the flavor of this dish completely surpassed anything currently available. Even without any baking, it was still able to emanate such a scent.
Even Hayama Akira watched with some disbelief. Such skill was simply beyond the reach of ordinary people, burying curry under ice cream and then letting it melt into a sauce to garnish the dessert.
As the judges placed the small dessert in their mouths, the fully cooked base made from bananas, apples, and mangoes was also released.
"No, that's not right..."
"Why do I taste a durian flavor..."
Hoshino Ai's words quickly prompted the judges to take another bite. Indeed, only with careful tasting could the secret within be sensed. The dessert, supported by cream and durian, was paired with the use of spiced curry and a base made from various fruits.
The melting texture flowed smoothly into the judges' throats, feeling cold like ice that could freeze anything, yet repeatedly invading their hearts.
What was thought to be just an ordinary dish repeatedly captivated the judges.
From beginning to end, Yukinoshita simply stood aside, without saying a word.
It wasn't until her score finally appeared on the screen that everyone was once again shocked by her ability.
"95 points!"
Tadokoro: "9...95 points..."
Takumi: "This guy is too much."
Isami: "Brother, has anyone ever gotten 95 points in the Autumn Selection before?"
Takumi: "Who knows..."
Hayama Akira's pupils also trembled involuntarily for a moment, but it instantly ignited his competitive spirit.
As contestants offstage and audience members backstage, they probably couldn't comprehend the charm of this dish. After all, the shock brought by Yukinoshita's dish was clearly not as great as Mito's, and even the aroma wasn't as strong as before. However... only the judges who had truly tasted her dish could understand why it deserved 95 points.
Hoshino Ai stood up directly, made a pause gesture, and then, in front of everyone, stood up and asked Yukinoshita:
"Excuse me for interrupting, but due to personal reasons, there's something I really want to ask you, and it won't take up too much time."
"Miss Yukinoshita, I sincerely invite you to become my personal chef. Would you be willing?"
Faced with Hoshino Ai's invitation, Yukinoshita simply bowed slightly again and said:
"Thank you for the meal, and thank you, Miss Hoshino Ai, for your invitation. However, I still have things I haven't finished, so please forgive me for making a choice that doesn't meet your expectations."
Without many words, Yukinoshita simply walked off the stage in everyone's sight.
Hoshino Ai, who was rejected, didn't show any displeasure. Instead, she gave a very warm smile and said calmly:
"That's a pity. Please feel free to contact me if you ever change your mind."
With everyone watching her go, Yukinoshita simply returned to her cooking station, and Hikigaya, who was next to her, couldn't help but complain:
"I know you're amazing, but... you just said 80 points was elite, and then you got a score that's way out of reach. Is that really okay?"
Faced with Hachiman's words, Yukinoshita simply put her finger on her lips and smiled lightly:
"Eh? Did I ever say I wasn't one of the 90-point people?"
"I guess there's really no way to argue with that..."
"Do you want to eat some?"
"What?"
Obviously, the topic of conversation had shifted too abruptly, and Hikigaya didn't react for a moment, but Yukinoshita had already taken out her dessert.
"I accidentally made a little too much, so I thought I'd make an extra portion. But it would be a waste to just throw it away, so I thought I'd let you have it."
'Am I a dog? Why does it feel like I'm being fed...'
Hachiman couldn't help but complain inwardly, but since Yukinoshita didn't have any ulterior motives, he couldn't say anything.
He obviously didn't care about the gazes of others and just ate it.
"I knew they were a couple!"
"Now there's really no way to deny it."
"Public displays of affection should be banned!"
"Damn..."
Up high, standing in the VIP room, Erina undoubtedly saw this scene, and she frowned fiercely, as if a strong dissatisfaction had arisen within her. At this moment... Erina was simply looking for someone to vent her anger on.
For some reason, she now desperately wanted to go down and show off her cooking skills, and then surpass Yukinoshita.
Of course, this was just for the people who were close to the two of them. After seeing two contestants with high scores in a row, most of the contestants felt very excited, hoping in some fantasy that their dishes could also soar and directly receive an invitation from Miss Hoshino Ai.
However... reality is always cruel.
"My name is Negami Yura..."
"22 points."
"My name is Unyama Mekki..."
"32 points."
"My name is Bangokki Re..."
"19 points."
"My name is..."
"28 points... 13 points... 39 points..."
Something was wrong, very wrong. From the scoring process that had just started, it felt like the five judges had become different people, constantly giving low scores, which directly plunged the scene into silence.
Of course, perhaps others couldn't quite understand, but Hachiman, who had just tasted Yukinoshita's dish, was very clear that after eating that dish, the dishes that followed would probably fail to meet the feeling of difference.
From a certain perspective, the contestants participating in the assessment would only face more and more difficulties, while Mito was lucky to have stayed in the 80-point range.
Of course, it would be too absurd to blame all of this on Yukinoshita's dish. After all, as long as you make a dish that's impressive, you can still compete with her, at least not get less than 40 points.
Kawashima Urara: "Next up is, Mr. Marui!"
This was the second member of the Polar Star Dorm to appear. He was still the same as before, wiping his glasses while walking onto the stage.
As the pot lid was gradually lifted, Marui's dish finally made its debut.
But..
"What is this?"
"I don't get it..."
"Why is it all white..."
That's right, his dish was exactly what he had learned from Joichiro's ramen. However, this dish had been slightly modified to use all white ingredients.
Kikyo was added to the udon noodles, and this curry udon would break the current situation.
Hoshino Ai: "This is a very unique dish, like a quiet flowing spring."
"Okay, let's start the tasting now!"
As judges, they couldn't possibly not know the best way to eat ramen. After quickly drinking a mouthful of broth, they began to slurp it up violently, and the curry flavor finally exploded at this moment.
"A half-boiled poached egg covered in a large amount of cream and mashed potatoes, and even a layer of steaming cheese on top. In addition, the thick soup adopts the style of vichyssoise."
Listening to the judge's words, the audience members on stage didn't react for a moment, and Shiomi directly pointed out what vichyssoise was.
"Vichyssoise is mainly made from potatoes and cream. It's a cold soup that was developed in 1917 by Louis Diat, the head chef of the Ritz-Carlton hotel."
Teacher Sheperd also added:
"That's right, although the broth looks too thick, it's actually not too greasy. Perhaps Marui was able to do this because he had an expert to guide him behind the scenes."
That's right, like the ramen Joichiro made before, Marui used his practice as a reference, and also added his own knowledge to this curry subject, so that the broth of his ramen was not so greasy, which can be said to be full of characteristics.
Hoshino Ai: "The smooth udon noodles and cilantro are a perfect match! It's not only mild but also has some spiciness, and most importantly, it complements the Kikyo inside, which is completely complementary and effective!"
"This unparalleled taste has surpassed ordinary ramen!"
"80 points!"
Although he still hadn't surpassed Mito, he had already broken the 40-point curse and could be said to have entered the ranks of the elite. For Hachiman, it was also a sigh of relief.
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