Time quietly passed for over half a month. After the leg injury incident, Hoshino Sora and Alice Nakiri's relationship developed rapidly, reaching a point where they talked about everything.
"That's what I mean, Erina is really too much. When I was three, she stole my toys. When I was four, she said my cooking was unpalatable. When I was five..."
In the evening, on the way home, Alice Nakiri furiously complained about Erina Nakiri. Thinking of the other party's haughty demeanor in the classroom earlier, she felt a burst of displeasure.
She had been complaining like this the whole way.
"Today is the day of our match. Are you ready? You can't blame insufficient preparation if you lose this time."
"Of course, and I won't lose! Why do you always talk as if I'm going to lose?! It's annoying."
"Well, I can't exactly say I'm going to lose, can I?"
Hoshino Sora rolled his eyes at Alice Nakiri in exasperation. During this time, he had also figured out her strength. She was a very strong girl, currently ranking among the top ten in Far Moon Academy's first year.
However, she was definitely not as good as him. Relying on those precise instruments and using the most advanced cooking techniques sounded impressive, but the core of cooking lay in the chef's experience.
There was a mysterious unit of measurement in China.
Appropriate amount.
This is something that machines can absolutely not replace. Cooking by setting programs on machines is ultimately a minor skill. Relying entirely on machines would never produce top-tier dishes.
"Although that's true, it still feels so annoying."
Pouting and puffing her cheeks, Alice Nakiri turned her head to look elsewhere. No matter what, she was determined to win this match today! The thought of calling Hoshino Sora Master in front of everyone made her toes curl.
Why had she said something that left her no room for retreat back then? Hoshino Sora's strength wasn't weak; she wasn't without risk of defeat.
Ah! No, if she started thinking about the outcome of losing before it even began, then this match would surely be a guaranteed loss.
So cute!
Watching Alice Nakiri's rich facial expressions, occasionally pouting and acting cute, Hoshino Sora genuinely sighed. He understood why so many people liked this white-haired girl.
Those chubby cheeks, that voluptuous figure, and the cute style that was completely opposite to her queen-like appearance, were all hitting his XP from every angle!
"Then use your strength to prove me wrong. The theme of this dish is Molecular Cuisine, isn't that exactly what you're good at?"
"Won't that be too unfair to you? You've probably never made Molecular Cuisine before. It feels like even if I win this way, there won't be any sense of accomplishment."
Two days ago, she jokingly proposed the theme of the match: Molecular Cuisine, her specialty, and the type of cooking that could best utilize these scientific instruments!
Originally, this was just a joke, but who would have thought that Hoshino Sora would agree directly, even looking at her with that smiling expression, which inexplicably made her feel a little uneasy.
"What does it matter? This way, I'll have even more of a sense of accomplishment if I win. Besides, how can you be so sure I'll lose? I've been cramming knowledge about Molecular Cuisine these past two days."
"You've only had a few days, but I've been studying it for over a decade. If I lose, I'll truly have nothing to say."
Opening the door with a key, Alice Nakiri's mood was complex at this moment. In this situation, her winning was natural, but if she lost, she would truly be too ashamed to face anyone.
To be defeated by the other party in her most Specialties field...
Just thinking about it made it utterly unacceptable. Even Ryo-kun couldn't defeat her in her most skilled area.
Speaking of which, it seemed like it had been a while since she last saw him.
Although they lived very close, every time they acted together, it was Alice Nakiri who took the initiative to find him. Now that she wasn't going, the other party hadn't even actively sought her out once.
This couldn't help but make Alice Nakiri feel a little disappointed. She wondered if she had been too proactive, or if Kurokiba Ryo simply didn't enjoy being with her, otherwise he wouldn't have failed to visit her even once.
"Achoo--"
Meanwhile, Kurokiba Ryo.
"Young man, here's the squid you wanted today. But why do you need so much seafood every day? Are you opening a barbecue stall?"
"Cooking practice."
At the foot of Far Moon Mountain, Kurokiba Ryo sneezed, then picked up a box of squid. Some time ago, the Young Lady's defeat and Hoshino Sora's performance in the Dessert Research Society had greatly stimulated him.
Thinking that there was such a master at Far Moon Academy, his culinary soul couldn't help but burn. Competing, fighting, getting stronger—how exciting these things were!
"Do you want me to lend you the equipment?"
"No need. I'm not making your type of Molecular Cuisine, so I don't need any high-tech equipment."
Hoshino Sora smiled mysteriously, then began to stew chicken soup, using excellent black-boned chicken. Its delicate texture and delicious taste made it a good ingredient for soup.
However, in this dish, the black-boned chicken could only serve as a complement.
Time passed little by little, and Hoshino Sora waited silently. Since the next step required the chicken soup, he wasn't in a hurry.
He took out several pieces of freshly slaughtered local chicken breast, then placed them on the cutting board to remove the fascia. He used a small hammer to pound the remaining chicken meat into a paste, then added eight egg whites, an appropriate amount of potato starch, and the freshly stewed chicken soup to the meat paste.
At this time, Alice Nakiri had already entered the finishing touches.
"Bang! Bomb Lava Core, here I come! Open wide~"
Looking at Hoshino Sora, who was still cooking, Alice Nakiri, like a child eager to prove herself, came to his side as soon as she finished her dish.
She didn't notice that her actions were particularly like those newlywed couples who worked together in the kitchen, where the wife, having just finished a dish, eagerly brought it to her husband to taste, wanting to receive his praise and commendation.
Holding a plate in one hand, and a slice of the already cut Bomb Lava Core in the other, this was a dessert.
The reason she chose to make a dessert was mainly because she had lost on a dessert last time, so this time she wanted to redeem herself with a dessert, using the method of Molecular Cuisine.
"Did you put mango and pineapple inside?"
The chocolate was dense and smooth, paired with the internal mango sauce and diced pineapple. Cooled in liquid nitrogen, it felt icy and refreshing, extremely delicious, giving one the feeling of drinking a large gulp of iced fruit juice on a hot summer day after being thirsty for a long time.
Even though the room temperature was normal, she could still experience this sensation. It had to be said that this dessert was amazing, fully utilizing all the advantages of Molecular Cuisine.
"That's right. I also added rosemary to the pineapple to enhance the flavor. And, don't suck my finger, you foot fetish pervert."
Feeling the suction on her finger, Alice Nakiri's face flushed as she cursed. If she wasn't careful, this guy would take an inch when given an inch. Although she was hand-feeding him, that didn't mean he could suck!
"You actively offered it to me, how could I possibly let it go?"
With a sheepish smile, Hoshino Sora refocused his attention on the pot in front of him. He arranged the chicken paste, which he had previously pan-fried into long strips using a special technique, into the shape of a hibiscus flower and placed it on a plate for later use.
At this point, he had also reached the final step. As a handful of green peas and wolfberries went into the pot, he added an appropriate amount of potato starch to thicken the sauce. Then, he poured the thickened sauce over the chicken hibiscus flowers and drizzled a circle of sesame oil. As a faint, almost imperceptible light flashed from his right hand, the umami of the dish increased by about fifteen percent.
Thus, this "Chicken Hibiscus Slices" dish, which contained chicken but showed no visible chicken, was completely finished.
"Is this also Molecular Cuisine?"
"Of course. Although the concept of Molecular Cuisine was proposed in the West, its earliest origin was in our East. You didn't know, did you? This 'Chicken Hibiscus Slices' is the progenitor of Molecular Cuisine."
Hoshino Sora smiled and explained. The "Chicken Hibiscus Slices" in front of them met all the characteristics of Molecular Cuisine. Calling it Molecular Cuisine was absolutely not an exaggeration!
Fresh, savory, smooth, and melting in the mouth.
As Hoshino Sora brought the spoon to her mouth, Alice Nakiri discovered a terrifying truth: she might have to call this man Master in public from now on.
Although she really didn't want to admit it, this guy's strength had truly exceeded her imagination. Why was he so strong? The extreme umami of the "Chicken Hibiscus Slices" was truly irresistible.
Just a few small pieces of chicken, yet they contained the umami of an entire chicken, and the texture completely lacked any chicken-like feel. It was somewhat like eating tofu, but it was indeed made from chicken. This style was undoubtedly Molecular Cuisine.
Her lips parted slightly, but she couldn't speak for a long time. The rich umami made her brain exceptionally clear, and her perception of taste became extraordinarily strong.
"Let's call this match a draw, what do you think?"
Seeing Alice Nakiri standing still and silent for a long time, Hoshino Sora thought she was hit hard. He pondered for a few seconds, then smiled and suggested, hoping to end the match in a tie.
Although having her call him 'master' would be interesting, seeing a girl break down was not something he wanted.
"Why? Why did you defeat me in my most Specialties field? Why is your cooking so delicious? Why am I so weak? To think I still want to surpass Erina, doesn't that sound ridiculous!?
Why is water coming out of my eyes? How strange. My nose feels sour. Why is this happening?"
As she ate, Alice Nakiri's eyes suddenly reddened, and her voice choked with a slight sob. She bit her lower lip slightly. Being defeated in her own specialty was not something an ordinary person could accept.
Moreover, the other party had only just encountered Molecular Cuisine yesterday, and much of the content was even explained by her.
Thinking of this, Alice Nakiri found it even harder to accept.
"You're absolutely right about one thing: you can't surpass Erina in your current state. Who cries and gets disheartened after losing one match? Should all your long efforts be denied because of one failure?"
Seeing Alice Nakiri's composure somewhat broken, Hoshino Sora grasped her hands, his words serious.
"But…"
Just as she was about to say something like, 'I've immersed myself in this for years, yet I'm not as good as you in a single day and night,' her gaze met Hoshino Sora's earnest and pure eyes.
"Alice, you're amazing. To be honest, I think you're at least in the top ten among first-years. Besides you, no one at Far Moon should be proficient in Molecular Cuisine."
"But I still lost to you…"
"These dishes of mine are the culmination of decades, even centuries, of Chinese chefs' efforts. Strictly speaking, they are not original. But yours are genuinely original. It's perfectly normal that your foundation can't compare to decades or centuries of accumulated experience."
"So, you mean I not only lost to you, but also to the predecessors who created these dishes?"
"Idiot, you completely missed my point! Wipe away your tears and keep working hard. But your skin is really well-maintained; you truly are a young lady from a prominent family."
Reaching out to wipe Alice Nakiri's tears, her tender white skin felt like touching smooth, warm jade, truly fitting Hoshino Sora's various imaginings of a girl.
"You're missing the point, hey!"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's compliments, Alice Nakiri's face turned crimson as she complained about his nonsensical words.
"Ahem, in short, don't give up. Let's work hard together. Even if you can't beat me, if you beat everyone else besides me, then even if you lose to me, wouldn't you still be second in the world?"
Hoshino Sora said with great conceit.
"Are you saying that with the premise that you'll definitely become first in the world?"
"Don't you have confidence in me?"
"How could I possibly! I'll defeat you sooner or later, so wash your neck and wait!"
Amused by Hoshino Sora's words, Alice Nakiri's mood improved significantly, but her eyes still held some confusion, clearly not having truly come to terms with the situation.
"Do you know what your problem is?"
Changing the subject, Hoshino Sora suddenly asked.
"What problem?"
"You rely too much on machines. While Molecular Cuisine indeed requires machines, you absolutely cannot rely entirely on them. I noticed you rarely used your own hands from beginning to end."
"But machines process things more perfectly. Adding too much manual work might destroy that perfection, so I've always seen myself as the operator of the machines."
"Then aren't you just becoming a stand-in for the machine? Anyone can be an operator; the machine is what's impressive. And the dishes you make with machines don't taste as good as what I make by hand."
"Then what should I do?"
"Change your practice direction. I don't see you practicing cooking much normally; your basic skills are mediocre. You rely too much on machines. Starting tomorrow, we'll train without machines!"
"Huh?"
"I'm your master now. There shouldn't be any problem with a master giving orders to a maid, right?"
"No problem."
"Then give me a kiss."
"Ah?"
"Just kidding. We'll stop here today. Just call me master privately from now on; outside, forget it. I can't quite handle it in public. Remember to make it sound sweet."
Untying his apron, Hoshino Sora scratched his head. Damn, he accidentally spoke his mind. But who doesn't like a maid who only obeys her master's orders?
"Bye-bye, see you tomorrow."
——————
It was already evening when he left Alice Nakiri's house. On the way back to Yōbi Dormitory, Hoshino Sora saw Kurokiba Ryo carrying a box of squid home and stopped.
"Yo, just got back from buying ingredients? Why so much? Having a party at home tonight?"
Raising his hand to greet enthusiastically, Hoshino Sora looked at the box in Kurokiba Ryo's hand, then sniffed. It must contain seafood, most likely squid.
Why could Hoshino Sora tell? Because he loves eating squid.
"These are ingredients for cooking practice tonight."
"Can you eat all that by yourself? Want me to come to your place and help you out?"
Looking at the box of squid in front of him, Hoshino Sora swallowed, and a series of squid feasts immediately appeared in his mind, his eyes showing a faint excitement.
"Whatever."
"Then I won't be polite."
After that, Hoshino Sora went home with Kurokiba Ryo, tasted a truly magnificent squid feast, and confirmed the final time and theme for their Food War: Soup.
——————
Returning to Yōbi Dormitory, it was already around eight in the evening. Hoshino Sora patted his slightly bulging stomach, his face full of satisfaction. The reason was simple: Kurokiba Ryo's skill was very high, and he cooked his favorite squid exceptionally well.
"What are you all doing?"
"Shinohiru and Yumeko are having a match. You should try both of their dishes too."
Hearing Hoshino Sora's question, Shizuka-sensei, who was closest, said softly.
Looking at Shiina Shinohiru, who was bowing her head and silent, and Yumeko Jabami, who had a gentle smile, Hoshino Sora already had the answer in his heart. He then stepped forward to taste the dishes.
Creamy Vegetable and Fruit Soup versus Ratatouille. The theme should be vegetables. As for the taste...
The Creamy Vegetable and Fruit Soup brought a sense of peaceful tranquility. The cream flavor was rich, but the vegetables were somewhat soft, losing their original crispness and freshness. If the theme was vegetables, it felt a bit like putting the cart before the horse, though the rich creamy taste was wonderful!
The Ratatouille brought a refreshing sweetness, a delightful blend of sweet and sour, along with the unique fragrance of vegetables. No meat was added, and the original flavors of the vegetables were perfectly brought out.
In that case, the outcome was actually clear at a glance.
Shiina Shinohiru's understanding of the topic was somewhat superficial.
Through this dish, Hoshino Sora vaguely determined the strength hierarchy of Yōbi Dormitory.
If no surprises, Kobayashi-senpai and Akikubo-senpai are the first tier.
He and Yumeko Jabami are the second tier.
Shiina Shinohiru and Mito Ikumi are the third tier.
As for Shiina Mashiro, she currently seems to be just a cute character. However, in Sakurasou, Shiina Mashiro is a genius at drawing, with talent so strong it's despair-inducing.
Now that the world-view has changed to a gourmet world, will her talent also change? If so, then Shiina Mashiro might be an even more terrifying genius than Erina Nakiri!
Speaking of which, being able to grow to a second-year at Far Moon already means her strength has been recognized, doesn't it?
Looking at Shiina Mashiro, who was currently comforting Shiina Shinohiru, Hoshino Sora thought to himself, what would her cooking be like?
While he was thinking, Yumeko Jabami walked towards Shiina Mashiro.
"Mashiro-senpai, please have a Food War with me!"
Her voice clear and firm, Yumeko Jabami walked up to Shiina Mashiro.
"Eh?"
Hearing Yumeko Jabami's voice, Mashiro, who was comforting Shinohiru, tilted her head. The atmosphere on the scene immediately became tense.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
patreon.com/TripleCrown07
If you guys wanna check it out.