Kawashima Urara: "Next, let's have Hikigaya Hachiman present his dish."
Chief Director: "Hikigaya, what is your dish?"
At this moment, under everyone's attention, Hachiman didn't seem to have considered the question at all. He simply put his hand on his chin and thought for a moment before saying:
"Well... Let's call it Hikigaya-Style Seafood Cheese Bento."
Erina: "What's that..."
Not only Erina, but almost everyone who heard the name had a vague image appear in their minds: a picture of a few shrimp and some cheese covering rice. However, even a fast-food restaurant could achieve that level...
"Are you kidding us?"
"What's that supposed to be?"
"The name itself sounds weird..."
Even the members of the Polar Star Dorm hung their heads, unable to listen any longer after hearing the name.
Nakiri Alice, standing nearby, was also confused:
"Hikigaya-kun? What is Seafood Cheese Bento..."
"Oh, you didn't know? You'll find out when you taste it later, since I made a portion for you too."
The most basic question was resolved with the simplest answer, even though it sounded like mockery.
However, Hachiman didn't seem to care. He simply brought over a large pot and presented his dish.
Under that mysterious warming container, the so-called Seafood Cheese Bento was hidden.
Yukinoshita: "It doesn't seem that simple. The stainless steel warmer can keep the temperature of the bento and the original flavor of the ingredients, even the freshness of the soup, at its best."
Moreover, careful observers would notice that this warmer was different from ordinary ones. It had three special layers. The bottom layer held the soup to provide warmth to the rice on the second layer, while the top layer of side dishes was constantly freshened by the aroma of the rice.
Alice: "Amazing!"
That simple, unadorned smile made the audience swoon for a moment, but those in the know saw it as contempt for Hikigaya, a sign that she believed her food would win, so she wasn't nervous at all.
But what about Hikigaya? Although giving the dish such a name had silenced the entire hall, few doubted his ability anymore.
Like Alice, he showed no sign of nervousness. In fact, it would be more unbelievable if he did.
Chief Director: "Well then, let's begin the unveiling."
The judges opened the bento boxes one after another. At that moment, accumulated mist burst forth, drawing a magnificent arc in the air. In the first layer of side dishes appeared fried seaweed crab shells.
Ryoko: "No one would use such ingredients normally. This Hikigaya guy is really messing around."
Tadokoro: "But... how did he even think of frying crab shells?"
Marui: "The real question is, does it taste good?"
In fact, seaweed crab shells were a specialty of [Hikigaya Diner]. The crab shells were coated with seaweed and then fried to a crisp. But that wasn't all: beer was used in the batter, and the alcohol evaporated, creating a crisp texture.
Judge Number One: "This side dish is a masterpiece on its own. The flavor of the seafood, combined with the evaporated alcohol, is like a long-awaited feast in the cool summer. The combination is truly remarkable."
Hachiman: "Actually, the essence of this dish is yet to come. Can the judges please leave a bite of each side dish?"
Since the creator of the dish had said so, the judges naturally complied without hesitation, reluctantly putting down the intriguing fried crab shell.
The second side dish turned out to be shrimp tempura. At first glance, it seemed unremarkable, but...
Hachiman: "This tempura is flavored with a bit of mayonnaise and balsamic vinegar."
Although it wasn't as stunning as the first dish of fried crab shells, this tempura was also a masterpiece. The ratio of mayonnaise to balsamic vinegar was perfect, and you could feel the difference with just one bite.
Judge Number Two: "Yes, it does taste very comforting. Even the details are well thought out. Although it looks like a simple side dish, it's very different from ordinary tempura in terms of taste. The sourness isn't overwhelming, and the sweetness isn't cloying, which is actually difficult to achieve."
Chief Director: "Then, let's taste the third side dish. It looks like it's also made by frying. If I'm not mistaken, it's fried cod."
Hachiman: "Yes."
Judge Anton picked up a fork, seemingly just to test the firmness of the flesh. But with just a slight touch, the cod seemed to have a mind of its own. It separated, but then slowly began to firm up again.
Judge Anton: "This is... the work of cheese, right?"
Hachiman: "That's right. The cheese's stickiness makes the entire cod more compact."
Judge Anton: "Amazing. It's probably more than that. The entire soup and seasonings were simmered first, then fried. Otherwise, such a soft and tender taste couldn't be achieved so easily."
Chief Director: "The clear and mellow flavor... like a cool breeze blowing over the plateau. This taste feels noble. You can't do it with just that, right, Hikigaya?"
The Chief Director's gaze focused on Hachiman's face, and at that moment, the entire venue erupted:
"Hey, what's going on!"
"The Chief Director's clothes are breaking again? And it's only the first layer..."
"No way..."
"Wait, in that case, this Seafood Cheese Bento might actually have a chance..."
"I've lived to see everything."
...
Faced with the Chief Director's question, Hachiman simply nodded slightly:
"The answer is in the two layers below."
The five judges simultaneously opened the second layer. Unlike the expected rice, there wasn't a single white grain. Instead, there were orange jelly-like pearls. Each pearl wrapped around a grain of rice, and if you touched the pearl with a spoon, you would find...
The rice grains inside weren't simple solids.
This time, not only was Erina completely dumbfounded, but the venue had become silent.
Few people in the world could achieve this level of technique, and the secret was hidden in the warmer.
Chief Director: "I knew something was wrong from the start. And this is only the second layer."
Anton: "I've been tasting food all my life. I'm almost 50 years old. I've traveled the world and tasted thousands of delicacies, but... I've never seen such a technique."
"Keeping these semi-solid particles in this form using the warmth of the warmer? How is that possible..."
Even ordinary people know that the best warmer only slows down the cooling of food, not keeps it permanently warm. If it's stored long enough, it will get cold. But...
To maintain this semi-liquid state, you have to keep the temperature within an error of 0.01 degrees, even for freshly made food. Such a thing is almost impossible for the human brain to calculate.
But...
Since the state could appear, it must be possible to achieve. Hachiman tried to take advantage of this.
One week wasn't enough time to do it, but fortunately, this was a dish from [Hikigaya Diner]. Hachiman had observed it for over a decade. All he had to do was modify it to the best of his ability.
The initial burst of mist, the insulated warmer, and the soup at the third layer providing heat, all worked in combination with precise calculations and techniques to keep the rice grains in this state.
Judge Number One:
"I can't imagine what this dish tastes like..."
Alice, who had been so confident, also fell silent after seeing this scene. The audience seemed unable to contain their pounding hearts and began to murmur:
"Say, is this the same guy who was just slicing vegetables with a fancy knife technique?"
"I can't believe it... the real difficulty of this technique isn't the knife skills or other cooking skills, but the sheer amount of calculation required..."
"I don't know how he did it. I'm getting more and more curious about what the soup in the third layer is like."
Without hesitation, the judges instantly put the second layer of jelly rice into their mouths. The honey that had solidified into a semi-liquid state instantly brought a dramatic impact to their mouths. At this moment... the cheeks of the five judges turned red.
At Hachiman's request, they left half of the rice grains.
Chief Director: "Then, let's open the third layer."
Everyone's eyes became restless, and even Alice began to look forward to it.
Although high expectations can lead to great disappointment, after tasting the first two layers, the judges were already ready to give the bento an incredibly high score.
Whether it could break through that barrier depended on the surprise that the third layer would bring.
The Chief Director took a simple sniff:
"It's a soup made from dried tuna."
As the judges opened it, it was exactly as the Chief Director said: the dish was a soup made from dried tuna, but it was also more than that.
Hachiman: "When simmering the cod, I used a soup made from tuna and kelp. The dried tuna is made from yellowfin tuna, which is thinner than swordfish but has a very delicate and delicious flavor."
Erina: "I see. The taste of cod is particularly bland. Combining it with cheese and tuna creates a good dish."
"And the soup..."
Erina furrowed her brow slightly. Although the soup was made from dried tuna...
"You actually added miso soup with bacon and onions? What an idiot!"
Although she was a bit far away, Erina instantly recognized the ingredients used in the soup. Not that there was anything wrong with bacon and onions, but in her opinion, there were better choices.
But...
If you only pay attention to the surface, it's easy to miss the ingredients that have sunk to the bottom.
Hachiman: "Bacon, onions, a little butter, and a soup seasoned with Italian pork mince."
Unlike Erina, Hachiman had lived a normal life in the city. The people he faced were just ordinary office workers. At that time, Hachiman would always offer them a bowl of soup that would comfort them. He thought that if he could deliver that warmth, it might be the truth contained in the bento.
Alice, standing to the side, smiled faintly, placing her hands gently behind her waist, and said:
"I didn't expect you to know so much about cooking."
Hachiman: "You pick things up from watching. Besides, this isn't exactly difficult knowledge."
Alice: "Still, it's not enough, Hikigaya-kun. A bento is supposed to be a dish full of surprises. Your Seafood Cheese Bento has been centered around the theme of seafood from beginning to end. Compared to my Temari Bento, with its twelve different sushi flavors, there's a big difference."
Hachiman: "Well, if I lose at this point, there's nothing I can do. And your bento looks delicious, that's a fact. But... if the winner hasn't been decided yet, let me struggle a bit more in an ugly way."
Saying that, Hachiman's gaze turned to the judges.
"Please pour the soup onto the rice grains in the second layer and then add the side dishes from the first layer. It might be a new surprise."
The entire venue was silent.
Yukinoshita: "So that's what he was planning to do? But... With so many ingredients combined, different flavors, I can't even understand what this guy is trying to do."
As she said that, there wasn't a trace of disappointment on Yukinoshita's face. Instead, there was a hint of expectation.
Ryoko: "Anyone who can understand this at this point can be called a monster."
Yoshino: "Yeah, yeah..."
In the distance, Erina said with some anxiety:
"That idiot, mixing all the dishes together so recklessly, it's going to be a mess. It's not a hot pot..."
Hisako: "Lady Erina, are you worried about him?"
Erina: "Who, who, who's worried about him? I'm just, I'm just annoyed that he's ruining the food like this, hmm! I'm annoyed!"
Hisako smiled faintly: "Lady Erina, you didn't even approve of his cooking not long ago. It seems that we've all changed without realizing it. But at times like this... it's strangely exciting."
Upon hearing Hisako's words, Erina's fidgeting unexpectedly stopped, and her face turned red in a room where no one could see.
Indeed, she had begun to recognize Hikigaya's cooking from the bottom of her heart. What was the trigger? The school trip, or even earlier...? But no matter when it was, she felt annoyed when others denied him.
It was a denial of herself, so she was so eager to deny him. Without realizing it, she had stood on the same side as Hikigaya.
Although she wanted to say that she just didn't want her sister Alice to win too easily, she couldn't deceive herself.
This was the only thing that couldn't be changed.
In the end... let's see what surprise you can bring.
Inside the hall...
Chief Director: "Are you sure? Although each layer of your creation is perfect, whether it's the side dishes, the soup, or even the rice, it's refreshing. But from my years of cooking experience, it definitely won't taste good."
Hachiman nodded without hesitation.
As a judge, the Chief Director didn't say anything more.
As expected, when all three layers of ingredients were combined, the melted cheese, honey, bacon, onions, salmon, and tempura were mixed together like a hot pot.
Judge Anton: "What a waste. Each side dish was a masterpiece. but the outcome is obvious."
At the same time, the audience on the stage was a bit confused.
Yuigahama: "What is Hikki going to do?"
Miura: "Even chefs can't understand it, so I understand it even less, but... normally, it shouldn't taste good."
HayamaHayato: "He's doing something completely out of character. It's so irrational."
Kurokiba: "It seems that Miss has already won."
Erina seemed unwilling, but eventually just sighed lightly: "What an idiot."
Ryoko: "It's too abnormal. It's not like something Hikigaya would do at all."
Yukinoshita: "Now that the outcome is decided, there's nothing to say. Even if he's usually rational, he can't change anything at this point."
Tadokoro: "I believe... I believe in Hikigaya-kun."
Takumi: "Is this guy actually going to lose here? I'm so unwilling. I haven't beaten him fairly yet."
Elsewhere, Hayama Akira seemed to notice Shiomi Jun smirking.
He crossed his arms and also saw that something was off about Hikigaya, but...
"Jun, do you know something?"
Shiomi pushed up her glasses, pretending to be mysterious:
"Hehe, you'll find out later."
Not giving the 34-year-old professor any face, Hayama Akira abruptly hit her on the head and said:
"Don't be so mysterious, Jun."
Jun, who had been hit on the head, adorably held her head and said tearfully:
"This is the new spice that Hikigaya and I were researching. It's sure to scare them out of their minds!"
On the stage, Alice seemed to think that the outcome had been decided. She went directly to Hachiman and said:
"What, are you going to give up?"
"At this point, there's nothing more to say, right?"
Hachiman smiled lightly, just as he came to the judges and took out five test tubes.
Chief Director: "What is this?"
One of the judges recognized it instantly. Kurokiba had carried his dish to a new dimension with a spice from a test tube while cooking.
And now...
Hachiman: "The match is not over yet."
Under Hachiman's operation, tens of thousands of people were watching the spice in the test tube, slowly flowing into his large pot.
In an instant, all the ingredients were weakened. Only the aroma of the soup bursting out at this moment covered the entire venue.
Hayama Akira: "What... what's going on?"
Run: "But the research was only just successful, and Hachiman dares to use it already. What a daring guy."
Yukinoshita looked at the scene in front of her and said nothing. She mocked herself inwardly and thought 'looks like I was too quick to jump to conclusions'.
Erina: "What did that guy do? If I remember correctly... it should be the trick that Hayama Akira used back then."
Hisako: "This guy, he can't have learned the blend of spices in such a short amount of time, right..."
Everyone knows that every ingredient has a specific aroma, and if that aroma is extracted, there will be fixed flavors, but in general, the blend of more than a dozen flavors is the limit, because too many flavors will affect each other, and the final effect won't be good.
But... ingredients aren't flavors. Although they contain specific flavors, they are made up of different flavors, and the flavors with so many ingredients are matched, they've completely exceeded hundreds...
Downright, impossible to calculate.
Hayama Akira's brain was completely frozen at this moment, and Alice, who had been full of confidence, was also completely dumbfounded at this moment.
Marui: "I can't think of how to describe this guy anymore, but to say the word... it's just a pervert, a monster."
Ibusaki Shun: "At least Hikigaya is our friend, I'll pass on your words to Hikigaya word for word Marui."
Marui: "Word for word is too scary, Ibusaki Shun, I'm complimenting him, I just can't find the words to praise him."
Ryoko: "Marui, you're terrible."
Tadokoro Megumi: "Uh-huh!"
Mito: "But in this case... maybe he can beat Alice."
Yoshino: "There's no turning back now."
Under the gaze of the crowd, the judges just drank the whole dish.
Like some kind of heavenly medicine, all the troubles in the world disappeared, and what they got was like returning to the summer night of 17, and the gentle voice echoed in their ears:
"Senpai, I humbly request that you accept my bento!"
That alone was enough.
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