"At that time, I spoke too harshly. As an ordinary person, you've done well enough. Although you're not proficient in everything, you've diligently mastered so many dishes, which is quite impressive."
"The way you say that, for a moment I don't know if you're praising me or insulting me."
His hand moved constantly over Erina's body. Hearing her words, Hoshino Sora couldn't help but complain. Learning a lot but not mastering it, wasn't that just learning for nothing?!
"I'm praising you. You haven't had professional systematic training. Learning a lot means your accumulation is rich. Even if you're not very proficient, it lays the foundation for future in-depth learning, doesn't it?"
Grabbing Hoshino Sora's hot hand as it moved downwards, Erina Nakiri said, blushing. Originally, influenced by the horror movie, she was still a bit scared after returning to her room.
But now, should she say that as long as Hoshino Sora was by her side, she would feel incredibly at ease? That sense of security from the bottom of her heart truly made her feel super satisfied!
"Foundation? Indeed, it's precisely because of that period of accumulation that I was able to open a small shop and continuously refine myself, eventually reaching this point step by step."
"If it weren't for that effort back then, how could such a beautiful girl be sleeping next to me now? How could I be able to shamelessly touch the Far Moon Academy's general director?"
As he spoke, Hoshino Sora intensified his movements, and Erina Nakiri also turned around. Although she was shy, it was dark and they were alone, so she naturally wouldn't put on airs.
And so, they had a great time.
——————
The third assessment of the entrance exam, if the original plot had developed, Azami Nakiri would not have been defeated yet, so this part of the plot should correspond to Yukihira Soma versus Hayama Akira.
But now that Azami Nakiri had been defeated early and Erina had become his wife, there would naturally be no so-called revenge battle.
Of course, to increase the difficulty for those who had obtained tenth seat and were still joining the fun, Erina Nakiri specifically prepared a huge surprise for them.
For example, Hoshino Sora saw a familiar figure when he got off the train at the third stop.
Dojima Gin, the executive Chef of Yuanyue Resort.
"Chef Dojima, why are you here?"
Looking at the short-haired uncle who appeared dragging a suitcase, Hoshino Sora raised his hand to greet him. Beside him stood Erina Nakiri, who also politely nodded when she saw Dojima Gin.
"We haven't met since the Autumn Elections finals, have we, Hoshino, and Director Nakiri? So you two are officially dating now.
And congratulations on getting an Elite Ten seat, Hoshino! To reach the level of Ten Elite First Seat in your first year, you're truly a terrifying fellow!"
"You flatter me, Senior Dojima. I was just lucky. Speaking of which, Senior, why are you here? Has something happened?"
Looking at the two holding hands, Dojima Gin was clearly stunned for a moment, but he quickly reacted, then began to tease them with a smile on his face.
"This facility is also under the jurisdiction of Yuanyue Resort, and I am the executive Chef of Yuanyue Resort. Entrusted by Director Nakiri, I'm here to serve as the chief examiner for the first-year Elite Ten's third assessment."
"Huh? Erina never mentioned this."
He turned to look at Erina Nakiri beside him, only to find that she had turned her head away, with what looked like cold sweat on her forehead, not daring to meet Hoshino Sora's gaze.
"I, I forgot to tell you."
A somewhat embarrassed voice came from Erina Nakiri. She had indeed forgotten, because the time she set up this plan was a bit long ago, which led to this misunderstanding.
"Tsk, so that means I have to take Senior Dojima's assessment now, right?"
As he spoke, Hoshino Sora looked at Dojima Gin, who was also looking at him. Everything was clear at this moment.
To take the assessment and present a dish that would impress Dojima Gin, this was what Hoshino Sora needed to do in the third assessment.
"That's right, you'll be taking my assessment next. The exam period is two days, and the theme is bear meat. Far Moon will prepare various cuts of bear meat for you, and you'll need to prepare the other ingredients yourself."
Looking at Hoshino Sora's face, Dojima Gin slowly spoke. Bear meat, one of Hokkaido's specialties. The Hokkaido brown bears living in the ice and snow were now in their prime season.
Simply put, because they were preparing for hibernation, they had eaten a large amount of food, and their fat and meat quality had reached peak condition, making it the best time of the year for flavor.
"Understood! I will definitely present the most delicious bear meat dish to pass the assessment!"
"I'll be looking forward to it."
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Hoshino Sora looked at Erina Nakiri beside him.
"You'll be my taste tester, as punishment for hiding this from me."
"Okay~"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, Erina Nakiri replied shyly. For her, being a taste tester wasn't a difficult job to accept; on the contrary, she was quite looking forward to his cooking.
Although Hoshino Sora's expression at the moment was slightly odd, as if he was secretly plotting something strange.
But now, the arrow was drawn, and it had to be fired. After all, this was indeed her mistake; she had changed her mind at the last minute to have former graduates come, and she hadn't told them.
So, she would help him taste. With her God Tongue!
"Then we have to go, Senior Dojima."
As he spoke, Hoshino Sora took Erina Nakiri's hand and left. She seemed a bit shy because Senior Dojima was there, but she didn't refuse and followed her man like a little bird.
"Youth is truly wonderful."
Looking at the retreating figures of the two, Dojima Gin said with considerable envy, then also turned and left. The scene returned to peace at this moment, which was quite harmonious.
"Are you really going to make me eat this directly pan-fried bear meat? The gamey smell will make me sick."
Looking at Hoshino Sora, who was pan-frying bear meat in front of her, Erina Nakiri frowned and spoke. She could hardly imagine what it would feel like to eat that thing.
"I want to try its original flavor first, since I've never cooked it before. And didn't Erina say she wanted to be my taste tester? At this stage, we must share both the good and the bad."
Hoshino Sora said gleefully. He didn't just call Erina to be a taste tester so she could enjoy herself; that wouldn't be a punishment.
Although his sense of taste was also very strong now, it was still far inferior to the God Tongue, which had evolved multiple times through Gourmet Cell, which was why he asked her for help.
"I find your personality to be quite nasty."
Hearing this, Erina Nakiri couldn't help but complain, but there was no dislike in her eyes. Instead, she nodded as if resigned: "Just so you know, I'll only eat one piece at most."
"As long as you can taste it, one piece is fine."
"Are you looking down on my God Tongue?"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's rather provocative words, Erina Nakiri raised her head and chest, speaking with a hint of indignation in her voice.
"Obviously not. I'm just afraid the bear meat's gamey smell is too strong, and you might accidentally throw up."
"How could I, I'll eat your…"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, Erina Nakiri was about to retort but then seemed to suddenly remember something. Her cheeks turned incredibly crimson, and she not only became silent but also glared at him, seemingly blaming him for inducing her to say such a thing.
"Keep going, I'll let you try again when we get back."
Seeing Erina Nakiri's adorable emergency stop, Hoshino Sora's expression was a half-smile, that 'smug' look making Erina Nakiri feel both shy and embarrassed.
"Your personality is really awful!"
A very dissatisfied voice came from her mouth once again, but this time, there was a hint of helplessness in it. After all, he was her man, what could she do?
"If my personality wasn't awful, would you like me this much?"
Hugging Erina Nakiri's slender waist, Hoshino Sora said with a beaming smile, and as he spoke, he used chopsticks to pick up a piece of freshly pan-fried bear meat and brought it to her mouth.
"Hiss... hot."
Thankfully, his physical constitution had been strengthened due to the bonus from the Gourmet Cell; otherwise, he would have been scalded and blistered, or even worse, his tongue might have gone numb and his taste buds failed.
However, with the Gourmet Cell, this level of heat had no effect on Erina Nakiri; it simply added another layer of flavor, a unique kind of stimulation.
"So fishy! It tastes so wild, I don't want to eat it anymore."
A look of disgust appeared on her face, but Erina Nakiri did not waste the food. Instead, she forced herself to swallow it all. It must be said that she had changed a lot since being with Hoshino Sora.
"Then let's try the bear meat hotpot."
"Okay, the taste is much better than before, and the fishy smell isn't as obvious, but it's still not good enough."
Hoshino Sora also took a bite. The taste was much worse than he had imagined. The wild flavor of the bear meat exploded in his mouth; ordinary people really couldn't handle it.
"Next is the fried bear meat patty with schisandra."
"This is better than the previous two. In terms of taste..."
After that, Hoshino Sora tried many other bear meat dishes. With the help of various spices, the taste was countless times better than when they first started.
"I feel like it's still missing a personal touch, but with bear meat, making a fried bear meat patty is already my limit. There is an ancient Chinese dish, though."
"Are you talking about Steamed Bear Paw?"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, Erina Nakiri immediately reacted. Speaking of Steamed Bear Paw, this was a famous Chinese dish, but because China prohibited hunting brown bears, this dish gradually became lost...
"Wait, let me check."
Hoshino Sora said, pulling out his phone. His mention of this dish wasn't baseless; he did have some impression of it, as if he had seen it on a certain video platform.
"Is this yours...? There's actually a video of a master cooking!?"
Watching the master calmly cook on the phone screen, Erina Nakiri's small mouth slightly parted in shock. These, by all accounts, should be closely guarded secrets!
"Since China now prohibits hunting brown bears, this video should be the only remaining method of cooking bear paw in the modern world. Steamed Bear Paw, in ancient China, this was a imperial dish."
Watching the operations in the video, Hoshino Sora's eyes grew brighter and brighter, because the method of making this dish was not difficult at all, and was even quite simple.
First, cut the hen and male duck into large pieces, put them into a stew pot, and bring to a high boil to enhance the flavor. Then, add the de-haired bear paw, along with a large amount of green onions, ginger, and garlic to remove the bear paw's unique gamey smell.
After stewing until the bear paw is tender, remove it and slice it thinly. Arrange the slices in a bowl and steam for twenty minutes. Secretly prepared bamboo shoots and mushrooms are placed between the bear paw slices. This is the traditional and authentic Steamed Bear Paw.
"Try it, I see your mouth is watering, little glutton."
Looking at Erina Nakiri, whose face was full of longing, Hoshino Sora smiled and said, then picked up a piece of Steamed Bear Paw combined with bamboo shoot and mushroom slices with his hand and brought it to her mouth.
Erina Nakiri, seeing this, did not show any aversion. She opened her mouth and took a bite, her pink little tongue even licking Hoshino Sora's hand in a very charming manner.
"What a little enchantress."
Looking at Erina Nakiri, who acted so directly and unreservedly, Hoshino Sora couldn't help but inwardly complain, feeling a wave of heat surge through him.
"Delicious! The bear paw, having been stewed and steamed, is incredibly tender. Combined with the chewiness of the mushrooms and the crispness of the bamboo shoots, the three textures layered together create a wonderful soft-chewy-crisp mouthfeel.
Furthermore, while being stewed to tenderness, because of the simplicity of the added seasonings, the most essential flavor of the bear meat is preserved. This is undoubtedly something that no amount of spices could ever compare to.
I never thought bear paw could be prepared this way, only removing the gamey smell and greatly enhancing the umami, to taste the original flavor of the bear paw. Chinese cuisine is truly profound."
Words of praise flowed endlessly, and a look of intoxication appeared on Erina's face. She swore that this was absolutely the best bear meat dish she had ever eaten in her life!
On the premise of removing the gamey smell, the inherent aroma of the ingredients was maximized, perfectly showcasing the charm of seasonal ingredients.
"As long as you're satisfied, that's good. But I still need to research it more, how to make its taste even better."
Looking at the Steamed Bear Paw in front of him, Hoshino Sora was actually not satisfied, because this dish did not emit a dazzling golden light, nor did it condense a Golden Soul, which meant that he had not reached the best level for making this dish.
It's normal when you think about it. Although this dish is now a forbidden dish, twenty years ago, many people still ate it. There are quite a few chefs who know this dish and are still alive. It's normal for those experienced master chefs who have been immersed in cooking for many years to be better than him.
"Then you do your best. I'm really looking forward to your cooking."
She very contentedly ate all the dishes in front of her, leaving only the last few pieces to send to Hoshino Sora's mouth. Eating alone, though pleasant, could easily draw criticism.
"But then again, what about the others' assessments?"
"Them, huh..."
Hearing Hoshino Sora's question, Erina Nakiri's gaze became somewhat distant. On the other side...
"Shi... Shinomiya-sensei."
Looking at the man with short red hair and rimmed glasses in front of her, Tadokoro Megumi called out nervously yet excitedly.
"I heard you obtained an tenth seat a while ago. Let me see how much you've improved during this time!"
"Yes! Shinomiya-sensei."
Scenes like this frequently occurred at the third assessment site. Any first-year student with some potential encountered former Elite Ten members. This was Erina Nakiri's arrangement.
To help these students unleash greater potential, having their seniors guide them through training was the most suitable choice.
Time flew by like a white steed, and in a blink of an eye, it was time for Hoshino Sora to submit his assignment. He woke up early that day, cleaned himself, and then went to the private kitchen.
"Are you all ready? A bear meat dish that can satisfy me."
At this moment, Dojima Gin was waiting inside. Seeing the 'late' Hoshino Sora, he raised a hand to greet him.
"How should I put it? If you're not satisfied, just expel me."
"Such a confident attitude. Then let me see your accumulated skills during this period!"
Hoshino Sora spoke with great confidence, then went to the cooking station to begin cooking. The entire process was smooth and familiar, as if he had practiced hundreds of times, which was also his foundation.
In the trial space, he didn't know how many times he had processed brown bears. It could be said that even the top hunters in the outside world were not as skilled as him in dissecting brown bears.
Of course, now he only needed to cook one bear paw.
The bear paw chosen was the bear's right paw, the so-called dominant hand. This part of the ingredient has firm muscles and good texture, making it the most suitable part for making Steamed Bear Paw!
"Chinese imperial dish, Steamed Bear Paw?"
Looking at the dish Hoshino Sora was preparing, Dojima Gin was a bit confused at first, but soon he recognized what the other party was making.
"Dojima-senpai has sharp eyes. This is indeed the forbidden Chinese dish, Steamed Bear Paw!"
"Ten years ago, I once tasted it at a banquet. The taste was extremely delicious, condensing everything of the bear into this single plate. It truly should not be underestimated!"
Looking at the bear paw, which had just been stewed and was being thinly sliced by Hoshino Sora with his sharp knife skills, Dojima Gin's words carried a hint of emotion, and he slightly closed his eyes, as if reminiscing.
"Then today, let Dojima-senpai relive that feeling!"
Hearing Dojima Gin's Feelings, Hoshino Sora laughed heartily and then placed the sliced bear paw into a bowl, steaming it for 17 minutes.
This was the optimal time he calculated based on the size of the bear paw, ensuring it was tender and juicy while also being thoroughly cooked.
"Hahaha, smelling the aroma emanating from this dish, I can already anticipate its deliciousness!"
Because there were only two people in the kitchen, and Hoshino Sora was also the current Ten Elite First Seat, Dojima Gin spoke to him relatively casually, completely without the air of an elder.
In fact, Hoshino Sora's cooking skills now made Dojima Gin a little fearful. The aura subtly emanating from this guy was stronger than some Far Moon graduates who had been out for several years.
If he encountered an area where the other party excelled, Dojima Gin believed he didn't have absolute certainty of defeating him.
The only thing he had over Hoshino Sora now was experience, decades more of life experience, and his understanding of cooking and ingredients, but these could all be compensated for with time.
Looking at the Steamed Bear Paw emanating a rich aroma from the steamer in front of him, Dojima Gin, though he didn't want to admit it, still had to acknowledge that talent was more important than effort.
Some people, in just one year, can surpass decades of others' accumulation.
Without a doubt, Hoshino Sora was such a top-tier genius!
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