The very first proposal of the Elite Ten meeting passed without resistance.
After all, if a club could gain more base points simply by having more members, wouldn't everyone just group up into massive clubs? That would give those like Kuga Terunori and Eizan Etsuya, who already led the largest clubs at Totsuki, an unfair head start.
No one would tolerate such an imbalance.
Everyone knew that the earlier one accessed the dream ingredients, the greater their future advantage would be. No one was foolish enough to willingly fall behind or let others take the lead.
To prevent cheating, the Elite Ten Council immediately decided: students were strictly forbidden from trading Shokugeki points privately. Points could only be transferred through officially sanctioned Shokugeki matches approved by the Arbitration Committee.
That was the only way to eliminate point trading at its roots.
Of course, if someone had the skill to pull off 24 Shokugeki battles in a single day, the Elite Ten wouldn't be able to stop them—but the judges weren't fools either. Doing something like that would damage the student's future rather than benefit it.
As one topic after another was debated and voted on—some approved, some rejected—the Elite Ten meeting finally came to an end.
Everyone scattered to take care of their own affairs. Even members of the Elite Ten needed to be on high alert with the dream ingredients event just around the corner.
After the meeting, Rindou Kobayashi immediately approached Momo Akanegakubo.
Their leaving together didn't surprise anyone—Rindou was friendly with practically everyone.
After arriving at Momo's private kitchen, Rindou got straight to the point, pulling out a few rare and approved ingredients.
"Here you go: Dragon Honey from the Monster Hunter world, Dream Honey from a personal gourmet realm, plus Dream Bubble Oranges, Dream Apples, and Dream Sunset Fruits. These are all your favorites—give them a try!"
Seeing the jars of honey and the three types of fruit, Momo didn't hesitate. She uncorked the jars and took a deep whiff.
"Mmm, so sweet!"
"Oooh~ this honey has such a wild aroma. And this one… the taste is so gentle, I feel like my whole body is being healed!"
These honeys, harvested by bees with gourmet cells, had a stronger and richer flavor than ordinary ones—even richer than the famous Plene Honey from Rindo's homeland.
But there was still a notable difference between them.
After sampling the two honeys and three fruits, Momo revealed a satisfied smile. "Hmm~ Since you brought me such cute and lovely ingredients, I'll hear you out. What do you want?"
"You still want more of these ingredients, right?" Rindou's lips curled into a mischievous smile. "You've seen the first batch of dream ingredients, haven't you? None of these are on that list!"
"How did you get them?"
"Well, let's just say I have some 'family' ties with Hakumo-kun. Technically speaking, he should even be calling me 'big sis'—age-wise, that is~" Though she privately called him "dad," that was a different matter entirely.
"Huh, so you two are that close?" Momo didn't doubt it.
After all, if Rindou could get these rare ingredients from Hakumo, their relationship clearly ran deep.
"So, are you trying to bribe me with these ingredients?" she asked. "Do you want me to help Hakumo become part of the Elite Ten?"
"Become Elite Ten?" Rindou scratched her chin, seriously considering the idea.
But after a brief moment of thought, she dismissed it.
Hakumo wasn't even interested in becoming a revolutionary in the culinary world—there was no way he'd waste time trying to join something as minor as the Elite Ten.
"Nah, he wouldn't care about something like that."
"Then what is it you want? You already gave me these ingredients, so I'm keeping them! I feel totally inspired now—I think I can make something absolutely adorable!"
"Oh? You've got an idea already? Then let me try it! If it's good, I'll give you even more!"
"Really? No take-backs! If you lie to me, I'll get angry!"
"Of course!"
With Rindou's eyes on her, Momo began cooking her latest creation.
First, she combined a bit of gourmet honey with water, gently heating it until it started to boil, then let it cool.
Next, she prepared a traditional tart shell with flour and butter, baking it until it was golden and crispy.
She peeled and pitted the sunset fruit, then blended it into a smooth puree, adding a touch of lemon juice to prevent oxidation and some powdered sugar to sweeten it slightly—this became the fruit filling.
The bubble oranges were juiced, mixed with gelatin sheets, and heated until completely dissolved. Once cooled to a warm, semi-liquid state, they became the jelly layer.
Then, she peeled and thinly sliced the sweet, crispy apples, soaking them briefly in lemon water to prevent browning, and lightly pan-fried them until both sides were golden—enhancing their aroma and flavor.
She spooned the sunset fruit purée into the baked tart shell as the bottom layer, poured in the orange jelly mixture, and chilled the tart in the fridge until fully set.
Once ready, she artfully arranged the pan-fried apple slices in a spiral or fan pattern over the jelly, adding visual depth and appeal.
Finally, she brushed the apples with a glaze made from honey syrup for shine, then garnished the tart with honey pearls, mint leaves, powdered sugar, and edible gold dust.
"Ta-dah! I'm calling it Dawn's Sweet Whispers – Four-Fruit Tart!" Momo declared with pride.
"Looks amazing! Can I eat it now?" Rindou asked eagerly.
"Hmph, you don't know how to appreciate beauty! Let me take some photos first!"
Momo immediately whipped out her phone and started snapping pictures from all angles to post online.
"Now can I eat it?"
"Such a glutton. Can't you at least act more elegant?" she teased.
"Alright, alright! Looks like I can eat now!"
Familiar with Momo's antics, Rindou didn't wait—she sliced a piece of the tart and lifted it out.
Under the light, the golden crust, tender apple slices, glowing orange jelly, and the gradient sunset fruit filling came together like a work of art.
But Rindou, after admiring it for just a moment, didn't hesitate to pop it in her mouth.
The tart crust shattered lightly between her teeth, releasing a delicate crunch and buttery aroma—the perfect opening act.
Then came the silky smooth sunset fruit filling, delivering a unique fruity fragrance with a pleasant sweet-tart balance, stimulating her taste buds without being overwhelming.
Next, the bubble orange jelly—cool, bouncy, and refreshing—like the first ray of dawn sunlight piercing the clouds, bringing a cleansing breeze to the palate.
Finally, the pan-fried apple slices: slightly caramelized on the outside but still crisp and juicy inside. Their natural sweetness mingled with the rich honey glaze, creating a delightful harmony.
As she experienced each layer of the Dawn's Sweet Whispers Tart, Rindou's eyes sparkled with surprise. Momo had truly managed to combine all four ingredients seamlessly.
Though there were still minor flaws in the flavor, the fact that Momo could create such a dessert after just tasting the ingredients proved her genius in the realm of sweets.
Just as Hakumo had said: everyone has their specialty. Giving ingredients suited for sweets to Momo Akanegakubo had turned out to be the right choice—and had definitely brought Rindou an unexpected surprise!
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T/N:
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