This is exactly why Loki finds it so interesting.
There are so many things she doesn't know about the myriad worlds, and she'll never be bored again.
Taking in Emiya and bestowing her blessing upon him was absolutely the best decision she's ever made.
After Haruhi Suzumiya took her seat, Emiya glanced at the judges. There were originally five of them, but with Haruhi, the number had grown to six. This made a 3-3 tie very likely.
So Emiya beckoned to Erina Nakiri. "Erina, come be a judge too."
"Me?" Erina was a bit flustered. The people on the panel were either gods or spirits. Even Takashi Natsume, a human, had immense spiritual power and could associate with spirits.
In other words, they were all important figures. Was she really qualified to sit with them?
Although she was a young lady of a prominent family, her status seemed to give her no advantage in front of these important people.
Takashi Natsume offered some comfort. "Miss Erina Nakiri, please come up. Otherwise, if there's a 3-3 tie, we won't be able to determine a winner."
Loki and the others didn't object.
Gin Dojima, ever the opportunist, immediately had a seat prepared for Erina.
Seeing that the situation was set, Erina agreed and said cautiously, "Please guide me."
Haruhi Suzumiya couldn't help but interject, "You're too uptight. Seriously, are you some kind of rich girl or something?"
Emiya chuckled. "You're actually right. Erina Nakira is a genuine, bona fide young lady. This competition venue you're looking at belongs to her family. All the chefs here graduated from the school her family runs."
"That's super amazing!" Haruhi's eyes lit up.
"In a way, yes, it's very impressive," Emiya had to admit. An ordinary chef couldn't achieve this level of success. Anyone who could reach this point was far from a regular person.
To have this much influence in an industry within an entire country meant Erina Nakiri's family was extraordinary.
Erina blushed at the praise, momentarily at a loss for words.
Since many of them were meeting for the first time and didn't know what to say to avoid offense, Emiya acted as a go-between, and time quickly flew by as they got to know one another.
The shokugeki was drawing to a close.
The two main chefs had finished their dishes, and it was now time to serve.
The first to finish was none other than Kojiro Shinomiya.
To satisfy the seven judges, Kojiro didn't make the signature homestyle dish from the original story. Instead, he made a very popular French dish.
Onion gratin soup!
To be honest, Emiya didn't particularly like onions. But looking at this dish, it was genuinely appetizing, especially the golden-brown crust on the onion soup, which looked very similar to a bread pudding.
Emiya said, "Erina, introduce this dish for us."
Erina Nakiri nodded. "Onion gratin soup is also known as the 'Queen of Soups' and is one of France's famous dishes. It often takes a chef two to three hours to make. The soup has a soft texture, and it's smooth and savory. I'm sure Kojiro-senpai will not disappoint us."
Emiya wasn't surprised that Kojiro Shinomiya made onion soup.
After all, he was known as the "Magician of Vegetables" and specialized in vegetable dishes.
Emiya said softly, "The Queen of Soups, huh? Hearing you say that, I should really give it a try."
He picked up a spoon and began to eat.
Loki and the others also picked up their spoons and enjoyed the dish meticulously prepared by the Magician of Vegetables.
The moment the soup entered his mouth, Emiya's taste buds were enveloped in a delicious flavor that went straight from his tongue to his heart, as if it were carving a hole in his chest.
Immediately, Emiya felt a sense of fulfillment.
The last time Emiya felt this way was when he ate Erina Nakiri's breakfast, but this feeling of satisfaction was no less intense than before.
It might even be greater.
For a moment, Emiya felt his body lighten, and he fell into a food-induced illusion.
As expected of the world of Shokugeki no Soma. No one here should be underestimated.
What can I say? This is very Shokugeki no Soma.
Emiya was a bit surprised by Loki's calm expression.
However, he quickly realized that Loki was a goddess. Before she descended, she must have tasted countless delicacies in the God Realm.
Apart from anyone else, just think about Loki's nemesis—Hestia.
She was a genuine goddess of the hearth, and Emiya didn't believe for a second that she wasn't an excellent cook.
Even though they seemed to be at odds, with Loki's thick skin, she must have already tasted Hestia's delicious cooking. Plus, Hestia wasn't the only skilled chef among the goddesses in the heavens.
Therefore, even in the Shokugeki no Soma world, it would take Kojiro Shinomiya another ten thousand years to make Loki lose her composure.
After everyone tasted Kojiro Shinomiya's dish, it was Megumi Tadokoro's turn.
Even though the number of judges had caused Kojiro Shinomiya to change the dish from the original story,
Megumi Tadokoro did not. She still made the Rainbow Terrine using seven kinds of vegetables.
It was this very dish that caused Kojiro Shinomiya to threaten to expel Megumi, which led to this private shokugeki.
Unlike her hesitation in the original story, a forcefully calmed Megumi didn't need Soma Yukihira's urging. She walked confidently and placed her Rainbow Terrine in front of Emiya and the others.
"Please enjoy."
After tasting the onion gratin soup, Emiya felt his stomach was already full. He thought he wouldn't have an appetite for anything else.
Yet, seeing the Rainbow Terrine, Emiya still picked up his knife and fork, cut off a small piece, and put it in his mouth.
Mmm... delicious!
Although it wasn't as good as the onion gratin soup, there was no denying that the Rainbow Terrine was an excellent dish. It deserved to be called delicious.
Up until now, Emiya had only eaten dishes made by three people from the world of Shokugeki no Soma.
The first was Erina Nakiri's breakfast.
The second was Kojiro Shinomiya's onion gratin soup.
Megumi Tadokoro was the third, and the deliciousness of her dish was also third on the list. It was not as good as Kojiro Shinomiya's or Erina Nakiri's, which was to be expected.
After all, she was not yet on their level.
Regardless, Megumi Tadokoro's Rainbow Terrine was still very, very good.
"I've made up my mind." Loki put down her knife and fork and grabbed Megumi Tadokoro's hands. "Megumi Tadokoro, join my Familia and become my child."
"Huh?" Even though she was in a state of forced calm, Megumi was still completely bewildered.
~~~~~
Support me with Powerstones, Reviews, comments
Add to your library