"Yo! Lexon, and Lexon's cousin!"
"Lexon..."
Soma Yukihira and Megumi Tadokoro only noticed their acquaintances after they had finished their cooking and called out a greeting.
Lexon nodded in response.
"My name is Erina Nakiri!" Erina insisted stubbornly.
After a few brief words, the group of graduates tasting Kojiro Shinomiya's dish broke out into a series of high-pitched exclamations of praise.
"Delicious!"
"The aroma of the vegetables is whetting my appetite..."
"The filling... the filling isn't the usual loin and onion used in standard terrines. It's local chicken breast!"
"The smooth mousse made with cream and other seasonings wraps around the tongue, melting the moment it enters the mouth. It's so fragrant..."
"The savoy cabbage on the outside is also a masterpiece... the high-quality sweetness developed through various heating processes makes it the perfect choice for this dish. It's as if... a magic spell has been cast on it..."
"Senior Shinomiya truly lives up to his name as the 'Magician of Vegetables'..."
Once the praise died down...
Gin Dojima looked at Shinomiya and said, "I'm surprised. I thought you'd pull out one of your signature dishes..."
"Why would I do that? Do I look like the kind of cruel person who would use a signature dish to bully juniors?" Kojiro Shinomiya waved his hand and spoke smoothly.
*You definitely look like that...*
Fuyumi Mizuhara, who had been Shinomiya's rival during their school days, thought to herself.
"Mr. Gin Dojima, may I try Senior Shinomiya's dish?" Lexon asked as he approached Gin Dojima before anyone realized.
He was quite curious about the taste of the other man's cooking.
The 'God's Tongue' should feel excited because of this...
After the excitement, he would become accustomed to it and understand the Chef's Heart the chef poured into the dish, as well as the unique characteristics of their cooking...
Even if he hadn't fully signed in to the other person, he could still manage to improve himself this way.
Moreover, he had already obtained something from the guy earlier... using that to copy—no, to 'borrow' a little inspiration shouldn't be a problem.
*This is that student who claimed to be my fan yesterday...*
Kojiro Shinomiya thought as he watched the student suddenly ask Mr. Dojima for a taste of his dish.
"Sure... no problem," Gin Dojima replied heartily.
He then used a clean knife and fork to cut a portion he hadn't touched and placed it on a new plate for Lexon.
*Mr. Dojima actually agreed... Is there some connection between this student and Mr. Dojima?*
As the head chef, Kojiro Shinomiya wondered, but he didn't stop him.
Lexon took the plate and used his fork to bring the food to his mouth.
Instantly, a complex sensation of incredibly fresh vegetables crossing with various rich flavors surged through Lexon's mind.
Cabbage, bacon, chicken breast, cream, foie gras, asparagus...
The names of each ingredient surfaced in Lexon's mind.
*He really knows how to blend them...*
*A technique just like magic...*
*And the quality of temporarily elevating one's spirit...*
The vigor displayed in Soma Yukihira's cooking simply couldn't compete with this.
If this dish were in the Naruto world... perhaps it could be used as a power-up item during a fight...
Getting tired from fighting? Just have a plate.
Thinking about the ridiculous image of two ninjas stopping to eat in the middle of a fight, Lexon smirked.
His thoughts continued to swirl.
However, if it was only at this level...
"Next, Megumi Tadokoro." After tasting Shinomiya's dish, Gin Dojima called her name.
"Yes!" Megumi answered frantically, nervously bringing her dish to the table where the Totsuki graduates sat.
Immediately after doing so, she stepped back, closed her eyes, and clasped her hands in prayer.
This wasn't just about her own future; it also involved Soma's academic career...
If she lost... both she and Soma would be expelled...
Megumi couldn't stop herself from trembling at the thought.
[Rainbow Terrine].
This was the name of Megumi's dish.
The graduates, including Hinako Inui, all had their eyes light up the moment the food entered their mouths.
"Delicious."
"Mhm."
"It's indeed good."
"It's a fine dish..."
They all gave positive reviews.
Hearing this, Megumi couldn't help but open her eyes with a hint of joy.
As she watched the Totsuki graduates discuss how delicious her dish was, her heart was filled with happiness.
This was the first time...
This was the first time Megumi Tadokoro had received recognition at Totsuki Academy without relying on someone else.
And it was from the legendary graduates of Totsuki...
Tears began to well up in Megumi's eyes.
"Then, let's vote," Gin Dojima said, cutting off the graduates' chatter. "We will use coins. Each of the three judges will place one coin in front of the dish they found more delicious."
As he spoke, Megumi closed her eyes again, agonized.
She hoped for a miracle.
*Clink.*
*Clink.*
*Clink.*
Three crisp sounds of coins being pressed against porcelain plates echoed.
But when Megumi opened her eyes, she found that there wasn't a single coin in the plate in front of her.
Kojiro Shinomiya's lips curled slightly; he seemed to have expected this outcome.
Even with two students working together... it was impossible to defeat him.
"The gap in skill is clear. This is an overwhelming victory for Shinomiya," Gin Dojima announced the result calmly.
"Megumi, I'm sorry, I couldn't be of much help..." Soma Yukihira untied the white headband he wore when cooking seriously and smiled at her. "But you can finally hold your head high! After all..."
Looking at Soma's smile, tears continued to stream down Megumi's face.
*It's not your fault... Soma... It's my lack of skill...*
"You made an amazing dish!" Soma affirmed the young girl who usually suffered from low self-esteem.
"There's no need to feel down, because this was the inevitable result," Kojiro Shinomiya said with a smile, as if it were only natural. "I have to wake up early tomorrow, so please excuse me. Good work..."
With that, he waved and turned to leave.
*Clink.*
*Clink.*
But in the next moment, two more crisp sounds rang out.
Kojiro Shinomiya paused and turned around.
What he saw were two figures pressing coins onto a plate.
Gin Dojima and Lexon.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]