Cooking, in the end, is a process led by the heart. If you have unshakable confidence inside, then wanting to do it is enough to keep you going until it's done.
If you can replay everything you just memorized inside, succeeding might not be too hard. But this kind of scary accuracy is something even machines can't do. Humans only need to make a small mistake to lose their only advantage.
So...
He puts all his attention on the knife. He's trying not to feel anything else now. Without even realizing it, the noisy girls behind him have gone quiet.
Alice: "It's starting..."
Erina's eyes are also completely focused on him. As usual, Hikigaya's movements aren't anything special. To anyone watching, he definitely doesn't look like a great cook. But...
If you know him well enough, if you've seen that miracle happen countless times this semester, then this quietness is like the calm before a storm. Nothing seems to be happening, but that doesn't mean nothing will.
His hands are moving faster and faster. Once he finds the rhythm, the saury he's cutting starts the handmade part of the process. This is the hardest part: adding eight ingredients in specific amounts to the saury patties he's kneading by hand. This finishes the handmade part.
If he could use a machine, both the seasoning and the kneading would be perfect. After all, it's the most advanced machine in the world. But... it can't be just that.
If he just follows the machine's way, the final product definitely won't be better than Alice's previous flavor. So Hikigaya quickly starts thinking.
What can beat a machine is human action, the final plan that comes from constant testing and improvement. It will definitely give a better answer than a machine that hasn't changed.
But... if that's the case, the amount of work needed is beyond human calculation. It's because the human brain can't give a precise answer that machines are used. But... that's only for normal people.
To go beyond the limit, you have to challenge yourself like this. He's always done it this way.
Erina: "His hands are getting faster..."
Alice: "When he said that theory, I thought it was amazing. But no matter what, it still can't beat the machine, right? He's already wasted too much time."
Erina: "Thinking normally, that's true..."
An hour later, a saury patty made by following the machine's process is presented to the two girls. Alice quickly picks up her chopsticks, clearly wanting to prove something. Erina just watches with her arms crossed.
Erina: "Do you know it costs 200,000 yen to get a 'God Tongue' owner to taste your food, and you have to wait in line with a bunch of other people? Maybe you'll get your turn in a year or two..."
Alice: "Yay, Erina's not eating, so I'll take it all."
Hachiman: "Well, if she's not eating, we'll split it in half. I didn't make much to start with."
Seeing that these two aren't playing by the rules, Erina seems a little worried. She just stares and says:
"Fine, I'll count this as a fun activity from my vacation. Thank this young lady, my tasting is priceless."
Alice: "Because Hikigaya-kun didn't make much, no one's forcing Erina to eat if she doesn't want to."
Erina: "Idiot, I said I'm going to eat it!"
Alice: "Oh, so Erina wants to eat it. Then go ahead."
Erina: "No... that's not what I meant. I'm saying I..."
He didn't expect this guy to be more annoying than he thought. Hachiman just picks up a plate and comes in front of her.
'It feels a little like feeding a dog...'
Erina blushes and flicks her bangs, hiding her somewhat shy eyes. Then she says with an arrogant tone: "Be grateful. I'm letting the God Tongue come taste your food!"
'Uh, I shouldn't have offered it to her.'
There wasn't much to begin with. It's just a test product, so Hachiman didn't use too many ingredients.
When the three of them bite into the springy fish cake, a unique taste from the deep sea rushes to their minds. The right amount of smoothness and the slick surface of the fish, plus the special lemon flavor...
Alice: "This... Hikigaya-kun, did you secretly heat up what I made yesterday?"
Erina is also somewhat surprised. Even though this dish still has flaws, it's the first time he's test-made it, and it's a half-finished product. To be able to make it like this...
More importantly, he really did completely copy the fish cake made by the machine just by looking at the instructions once.
This is no easy task. It's like a joke.
Erina seems a little stunned. She just stands there blankly, not knowing what to say.
Hachiman: "Idiot, you were watching me make it, right? At least give some feedback..."
Alice: "Who knew you'd actually make it? I was ready to eat something terrible."
Thinking of his dad's cooking, Hachiman shivers. He says helplessly:
"I won't make that stuff..."
Erina: "The smoothness is surprisingly amazing. Only a machine could probably do it to this degree. After all, humans have some give. If the movements are slightly different from the last, there will be a difference. But in this case, it's completely the same as a machine."
"And flavor-wise, it's like the saury was dead as soon as it was caught. I don't want that disgusting taste in my stomach a second time."
Erina is still her usual self. But even she understands that Hikigaya didn't focus much on the flavor this time. He only used the simplest seasoning, lemon juice. The rest was focused on making the saury patty perfect.
As a test product, even Erina herself knows she couldn't reach this level the first time.
Alice: "Erina is as dishonest as always."
Hachiman: "Well, this also shows that this dish still has many flaws. So what I need to do next is enrich the layers of flavor."
Erina: "Huh? Aren't you going to rest? You just went through such a big process..."
Hachiman: "I don't have much time left. And I feel pretty good since I just took a nap."
Alice: "Such a monster."
Without saying anything more, Hachiman starts his second test. This time, he plans to use traditional methods to get ideas. There's a dish called sweet and sour saury on the saury recipe list.
And this time, what he's going to do is use that.
He gradually turns the ideas in his mind into his own thoughts. This process takes a long time to settle. Past experience will turn into strength and gradually fill Hachiman's body.
Alice: "Is it my imagination? This guy... Why do I feel like he's speeding up so much?"
Hearing what Alice says, Erina realizes that she's gotten used to Hikigaya's scary speed of evolution. The him she saw the first time when she was his examiner is completely different from the him now. And in the days that followed, Erina didn't miss any battles, whether it was the school trip or Food Wars. But...
His cooking ability has long surpassed normal people. In some ways, he's been creating impossible miracles.
Erina: "Such a scary growth speed..."
Alice: "He really is a monster."
Hachiman: "Even I don't feel good when I'm cooking and someone insults me."
Alice: "Haha, I thought you were completely focused."
Looking at Alice acting spoiled, Erina's eyes fall on her again. She feels envious. If she could be like her...
That thought unknowingly appears in her mind.
But only for a moment.
Because Hachiman's movements are now impossible for the two of them to ignore. He's squeezed the pineapple into juice, then uses rice vinegar and white sugar to stir-fry it and bring out the flavor. Finally, he drizzles the caramel and other seasonings.
The saury process remains the same. While using eight seasonings, he kneads the caramel and pineapple juice into the fish cake in proportion. The lemon juice that he used to sprinkle on is replaced by ginger and caramel.
Another hour passes. Even though the process is much more complicated, the time hasn't changed at all. This indirectly proves that Hachiman is getting faster and faster.
Unlike before, the saury cake gives off an amazing smell as soon as it comes out of the pan. You can clearly feel that the change in flavor this time is obviously different from before.
Alice: "That's really amazing... But can he keep up that first feeling with the second one?"
Hachiman: "The answer to food can only be found after tasting it. So..."
Erina: "I... I want to try it too."
Hachiman: "Then start eating."
It's definitely different from before. This time, as soon as you bite into the saury cake, a rich tomato juice spurts out. It instantly balances the greasiness. The saury meat feels like a bouncing ball in your mouth, constantly colliding and then gradually releasing the sweet and sour flavor. The caramel melts as soon as it enters your mouth, solidifying into an indescribable aroma.
Alice: "It's delicious... And in some ways, it's completely broken away from the traditional fish cake. If you used this dish to participate in the Autumn Elections, it wouldn't be without competition."
Everyone thought that Erina would immediately object and excitedly say, 'You want to take a dish like this to the competition? Don't joke around.' But this time, she is unusually quiet.
"It's simply terrifyingly good. Such delicate taste control, and only at the level of a second try. While there are still some flaws when tasted by the God Tongue, but..."
Looking at the dish in front of her, Erina can't say no...
Although it didn't get Erina's approval, it also didn't get rejected. You have to know that under the influence of God Tongue, it can already be called a superior work, and this is only the second test, which also means that there will be a great opportunity for improvement in the future.
Hachiman: "The explosive feeling in flavor is still lacking, and the aroma of the fish is not fully experienced. The strong impact of tomato juice and pineapple juice may not be a good thing... It seems it's still not good enough."
Erina: "You..."
Hachiman: "Now that I've decided to do it, I'll do it until I'm satisfied. If I give up halfway like this, the result will definitely be regretted by my future self. I know this very well."
Because he can no longer let the past self define the future, he will abandon the past while going to a new path.
He is still him, Hikigaya Hachiman, not some damn popular guy. All he can do is those few things, but even so, since he can do it, he will work hard to do it. Maybe hard work won't change anything in the end, but even so, no reason is needed.
Alice: "Erina, say what you think."
Alice's words made her speechless because the shortcomings that she tasted in the first bite have already been fully said by Hikigaya. And if she were to taste a second bite now...
In the end, she would be laughed at by Alice again, and...
Still in front of Hikigaya.
Erina: "That... that, the taste is too strong, uh."
Alice: "What's that supposed to mean? It doesn't say anything at all."
Erina: "Annoying! Then you tell me, Alice!"
Alice: "Well... because I like all the dishes Hikigaya-kun makes and it has a warm feeling, so it has no shortcomings for me."
Alice's words didn't seem to have a trace of lies, making Erina stunned again.
So, an honest kid is the ultimate trick.
Hearing what Alice said, Hachiman himself was a little embarrassed, but no matter what, thanks to the two of them, he thought of a new inspiration, and this time...
The amount of work he needs to do is at least three times as much as before.
...
Three days passed quickly. Although he slept for another day in this manor in the blink of an eye, and accidentally made some mistakes while taking a bath on the second night, he was thankfully still safe.
And... this trip was not meaningless. In some ways, he did make good progress in cooking. He at least had a good weapon in the series of battles.
But that's not enough. In the next four days, he must continue to improve the existing dishes. Before the competition officially starts, the more dishes he masters, the better, because there may be situations where dishes clash.
Back in Polar Star Dorm again, Isshiki-senpai seemed a little leisurely. He saw him sitting in a chair reading a book as soon as he came in. After all, this guy skipped all the school courses, and he still needs to make up for the knowledge in the book himself.
Grandma Fumio was also sitting leisurely on the stool, basking in the sun. Obviously, such a day was enough for her to be called enjoyable.
Isshiki: "Hikigaya-kun, you're back."
Hachiman: "Yeah, I'm really sorry for the past two days."
Originally, he thought that leaving the dormitory for two days would be taught a lesson by Grandma Fumio, but she still had a calm look, and said while fanning herself:
"Well, since you are that guy's son, I expected it long ago. In those days, it was common for Joichiro not to return to the dormitory to sleep for a whole month, but the only difference is that when Joichiro ran outside, people would feel especially at ease, especially Jun, because he didn't have to taste his terrible food, but when you run out, they are very worried about you, so you should tell them."
Hachiman: "Yeah, I will, thank you Grandma Fumio."
Isshiki: "So Hikigaya-kun, what have you gained from this trip?"
Hachiman: "I can't say I've gained a lot, but I've just improved a dish, and now I'm able to use it skillfully."
Isshiki: "That's great, I'm looking forward to you taking out a dish on the stage of the Autumn Elections that will surprise everyone."
"But as your senior, I still want to remind you that the competition system this time is different from usual. In a series of battles of five people, there are too many dishes to prepare, and there must be situations where dishes clash, so please be careful."
Hachiman: "Yeah, but... the school doesn't seem to say that the same dish can't be used."
Isshiki: "That's what they say, but if you take out a dish that the other party has already used, it will still make the judges very annoying in some ways."
When he said this, Isshiki seemed to suddenly understand something, and even the corners of his mouth curved slightly.
"But, I'll leave this matter to you to think about it yourself. No matter what, using all your strength on the stage is respect for your opponent. Understand that much."
Hachiman: "Yeah, that won't change no matter what."
At the same time, after hearing Hikigaya's voice, everyone also walked out of the room. Yoshino obviously showed a wicked smile when she saw Hikigaya.
"Hikigaya, did you find someone else outside, hehe."
Hearing Yoshino's words, Ryoko was obviously a little unhappy and quickly retorted:
"Yoshino, Hikigaya is not that kind of person."
Yoshino: "Ryoko, don't worry, but think about it, Hikigaya-kun has so few friends in this school, and he went to sleep for two days and two nights in the past, so he couldn't have been camping outside."
Marui: "Well, if you put it that way, maybe Hikigaya has found his girlfriend?"
Ibusaki: "Ah, congratulations."
Before he could finish speaking, Ryoko slapped him hard on the head.
Hachiman: "Yoshino is right, I don't have any friends, let alone a girlfriend."
Ryoko: "Then where did you sleep?!"
Tadokoro Megumi: "I'm also very curious. It's scary to think of Hikigaya-san sleeping outside."
Yoshino: "Well, you guys are still very worried. In my opinion, Hikigaya must be in Shiomi Laboratory. After all, there are so few places to go."
Ibusaki: "But Professor Shiomi said she didn't see Hikigaya."
Yoshino: "Eh?"
Hachiman didn't intend to hide it, so he told everything that happened in the past two days.
Of course, it's better to avoid all those details.
Mito: "Wait...are you saying that you ran to the Nakiri family..."
Ryoko: "He actually ran to a girl's house to sleep, Hikigaya, you are really brave."
Tadokoro Megumi: "It turned out to be... Alice and Erina..."
Hachiman: "Mito, what's wrong?"
Mito was a little terrified: "You have to know that if you want to enter the Nakiri family, you must have a very honorable status. As a cooking family, even if they have money, they may not be arranged to enter. When I was working for Erina, I didn't peek into her life at all. As far as I know, even Hisako, an assistant who has been living by her side, doesn't seem to have entered."
Yoshino: "No... way."
Marui: "Even Hisako hasn't been in?"
Ibusaki: "It feels like some kind of very sacred place..."
Tadokoro Megumi: "I'm really curious what it's like inside."
Hachiman: "It's very big, like a manor, just endless... I really didn't expect that there is such a place in Totsuki, it's really too exaggerated.... It's just rich."
Speaking of rich women, everyone was silent for a moment.
Ryoko grabbed Tadokoro Megumi, stared at Hikigaya, and whispered:
"Speaking of which, I remember that Hikigaya's desire for rich women is a national treasure, could it be them..."
Tadokoro Megumi: "It seems to be... but, looking at Hikigaya-san, it seems that nothing has happened."
The two girls seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at this moment, while the others looked at Hikigaya like a pervert.
Hachiman: "Well, let's not talk about this. Tadokoro-san and Ibusaki-san, what progress have you two made?"
Tadokoro Megumi: "I've kind of decided on the Autumn Election dish..."
Ibusaki: "Me too, what about you Hikigaya?"
Hachiman: "I just finished one, I need to speed up now."
Everyone was speechless again.
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