The competition continued, and more and more people came forward with their dishes. Dylan watched the constantly refreshing scoreboard above.
The previous Autumn Elections generally selected four contestants from Group A and Group B respectively, and winning twice in a row would qualify them for the finals. This Summer Selection was different; this Summer Selection selected eight contestants from each group, requiring three wins to qualify for the finals.
The main reason for the rule change was the formidable strength of this year's students, and Dylan's desire to give them all a chance to perform, thus loosening the conditions.
The showdown between strong individuals was certainly interesting. But a weaker person overcoming a strong one interested him more.
"Let's see how far you can go."
In the VIP box, watching Soma Yukihira finally make his appearance, Dylan murmured to himself, a hint of expectation in his eyes.
He had observed this guy for a long time and found that his talent in cooking was not high, but he was incredibly diligent and hardworking—a diligent genius. When he encountered strong pressure, he would even undergo a 'rainbow transformation,' unleashing strength far beyond his own. This was also the reason he had come so far.
And Ryo Kurokiba. As one of the 'Three Phantoms' from the early days, he had spent a considerable amount of time under Dylan's tutelage during his childhood, and then honed his skills at Totsuki for another half a year. Today, his strength had already reached the level of a First-Grade Head Chef.
Besides them, there was also Takumi Aldini, this kid from Italy. His talent was slightly better than Soma Yukihira's, but still ordinary. His strength had just reached the edge of a First-Grade Head Chef. It couldn't be confirmed if they were hiding their true strength, but it could be determined from the later matches.
"Dylan-sensei, Erina-sama, Alice-san, please eat first."
In the VIP box, a knock on the door sounded. Then the door opened, and Hisako Arato entered with a lunchbox. She first bowed respectfully, then placed the lunchbox on the table.
"Did you specifically make us food? So thoughtful!"
Just as she felt a bit hungry, Hisako Arato arrived on the scene. For a moment, she didn't know whether to say it was a telepathic connection or just perfect timing. But no matter what, the fact that she had prepared this with such care was remarkable in itself.
This was also what Alice Nakiri envied the most. She also wanted such a capable little secretary who could appear in time when she needed her and help her solve all sorts of troublesome matters.
"Little secretary, why don't you stop following Erina and come follow me instead?"
The desire was so strong that Alice Nakiri spoke directly, causing Hisako Arato to show a flustered expression, while Erina Nakiri immediately stood up and cautiously stood in front of Hisako.
"What nonsense are you talking about? Hisako is mine, and only mine!"
Erina Nakiri unceremoniously declared her ownership. Hisako Arato also spoke up anxiously, her face slightly red, clearly not expecting to be so popular.
"Let me try your cooking, Hisako. You did well today."
Sensing the subtle atmosphere, with Erina and Alice somewhat at odds, Dylan smiled and opened the lunchbox, attracting everyone's attention.
The contents of the lunchbox were not abundant. The main dishes were Medicated Lamb Soup and Wagyu Beef Egg Fried Rice. The side dishes were Miso Stewed Tofu and Sesame Spinach Salad, two items. There were also some fruits as dessert for after the meal.
"Japanese people have such small appetites."
Looking at Hisako Arato's bento, which seemed like food for a bird, Dylan couldn't help but inwardly complain. No wonder these people looked so thin.
"Actually, I didn't perform perfectly. That dish could have been even better. When adding the medicinal ingredients, I messed up the proportions a bit. Fortunately, the amount wasn't large, so it didn't affect the taste of the soup."
Hearing Dylan's praise, Hisako Arato's face flushed, and she then quietly added, indicating that she could do better.
"Passing the preliminaries is just the first step, but I believe you can soar all the way through."
Looking at Hisako Arato, whose voice carried a hint of nervousness, Erina Nakiri, understanding that she needed encouragement, smiled and stroked her face, encouraging her.
"No matter what, I'll do my best! I will never disappoint Erina-sama and Dylan-sensei!"
Receiving Erina Nakiri's encouragement, a smile appeared on Hisako Arato's face. She then patted her chest and turned her gaze towards Dylan beside her.
"Just do your best, don't put too much pressure on yourself. If you're tired, take a rest."
Compared to Erina Nakiri's encouragement, Dylan saw the hidden pressure in Hisako Arato. The next moment, his large hand gently stroked her fluffy, lavender-colored short hair, his voice filled with tenderness.
"Dylan-sensei…"
The sudden concern made Hisako Arato's body tremble. Her smiling face instantly stiffened, and her eyes welled up with a layer of mist. She could be very strong. But she could also break down because of a single sentence.
"If you feel pressured, it's okay to vent it out. It's a release of emotions, not something shameful."
Noticing Hisako Arato's state, Dylan pulled her head into his chest, concealing her embarrassment. And Hisako Arato's body trembled slightly because of his words.
"This is…?"
Beside them, Erina Nakiri was somewhat confused, not knowing what had happened. Hisako Arato had been fine just a moment ago, why did she suddenly cry? Did Dylan-sensei bully her? No, she had heard their conversation just now; there was no bullying involved.
"Alright, you don't need to worry about it. Just eat."
Having had a similar experience, Alice Nakiri stared at Hisako Arato for a long time, and only when Erina Nakiri was about to inquire and break the atmosphere did she speak to stop her. Erina Nakiri still didn't quite understand, but she also felt somewhat enlightened. Worried about saying the wrong thing, she finally shut her mouth and returned to her seat.
Hisako Arato's crying lasted for five minutes. As the young woman's body gradually calmed, Dylan took out a tissue from his pocket.
"You performed very well today. Just perform normally from now on, and you should be able to achieve good results."
Looking at Hisako Arato, who had risen from his embrace, her eyes red, Dylan thoughtfully used a tissue to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes. However, it must be said, her red eyes and seemingly on-the-verge-of-tears appearance were truly adorable, making one want to cherish her.
"Mhm."
Instead of opening her mouth, Hisako Arato hummed a sound through her nose and nodded slightly. Thinking of what had just happened, she couldn't help but feel a bit shy. As a student, she had actually buried her head in Dylan's arms and cried there. It was utterly mortifying!
However, the moment she leaned in, the faint woody fragrance on Dylan's body made her linger. He must have sprayed cologne before going out this morning.
"The list for Group A is pretty much set."
Raising his head, looking at the scoreboard that had stopped scrolling, Dylan said lightly. It had been an hour since Hisako Arato left and returned. People from Group A had successively finished their dishes, and the few he was paying attention to had achieved good results.
"It's already decided? Let me see who qualified!"
Hearing Dylan say this, Hisako Arato immediately came forward curiously, casting her gaze towards the scoreboard above. Her ranking had surprisingly dropped to fourth.
"Huh?"
Her brows slightly furrowed, seemingly disbelieving that her name had fallen so much. Her gaze moved up, and Hisako Arato saw the names above hers.
Liu Yu, 93 points
Ryo Kurokiba, 90 points.
Ryo Hayama, 87 points
Hisako Arato, 87 points
Takumi Aldini, 83 points
Soma Yukihira, 82 points
Yūki Yoshino, 80 points
Ueno Sugi, 69 points
"There are actually two 90-point scores! What hidden talents… But is the gap below really that large? There isn't even a contestant in the 70-point range."
Staring intently at Liu Yu's and Ryo Kurokiba's names, determined to surpass them, Hisako Arato then looked below and was surprised to find that the eighth-place contestant in the group stage was a 69-point scorer.
"In the culinary industry, the gap is inherently large."
"Even if a mediocre talent tries their best, it's difficult to catch up to a genius. Even if they do catch up, the genius can easily widen the gap again with a little effort."
Looking at the freshly released scores, Dylan slowly spoke. Although Ueno Sugi's strength had significantly improved through his training, he still couldn't compare to these already formidable protagonists. Of course, compared to others, it was already a very good result.
If Yūki Yoshino and Ryōko Sakaki hadn't received his tutelage, their scores would probably be similar to Ueno Sugi's current score. Of course, this was because the judges had eaten his Whole Lamb Shumai before the competition. Under normal circumstances, Ueno Sugi getting over 80 points wouldn't be a problem.
"Let's go to B venue to check the situation."
Dylan said as he picked up the rice from the table, finished it in a few mouthfuls, and prepared to leave for B venue to check the situation. Perhaps it was fate, or something else. Most of the people who came from the Dark Cooking Society had gone to B venue. Besides them, Megumi Tadokoro and Miyoko Hojo, among others, were also there.
"You… finished it in two mouthfuls."
At this moment, Hisako Arato was still shocked by Dylan's actions. Looking at the empty bowl in front of her, she rubbed her eyes, suspecting she had seen wrong. Such a large bowl of beef fried rice, and he finished it in less than ten seconds. Is that normal?!
"Basic operation. It seems you two are almost done eating too. I can't keep you waiting, can I? Alright, hurry up and follow."
Dylan shrugged, saying nonchalantly. Soon, he arrived at the entrance of the VIP box and paused, seemingly waiting for them.
"Let's go, little secretary."
Seeing Hisako Arato still wanting to say something, Alice Nakiri gently patted her shoulder, then jogged to catch up with Dylan.
"Let's go see if there are any formidable individuals in B venue. They might be your future opponents."
Erina Nakiri said, extending her hand to Hisako Arato. Seeing this, the latter no longer hesitated, took her hand, and jogged to follow Dylan ahead.
At this very moment.
B Venue.
Zhang Chen, 94 points
Wang Jing, 88 points.
Miyoko Hojo, 87 points
Ning Feng, 83 points
Li Wanwan, 81 points
Huang Mei, 81 points
Ikumi Mito, 80 points
Subaru Mimasaka, 80 points
"Why aren't Megumi's and Ryoko's names here?"
Arriving at B venue, standing in the audience, looking at the scoreboard at the top, and reading the names and scores, Hisako Arato frowned slightly. Megumi Tadokoro and Ryōko Sakaki were both disciples trained by Dylan. Their strength was not weak, so their absence from the qualification list was surprising.
"Megumi hasn't submitted her dish yet."
His face was full of seriousness.
"It should be about time. It's time to conclude."
"Indeed, this year's Summer Selection is of a much higher quality than previous ones, by more than just one level. Every student is excellent, especially that Three-Pepper Lamb Chops dish. I never imagined such a flavor existed in the world!"
The plump old man patted his belly, his face filled with happiness and enjoyment. He had certainly come to Totsuki at the right time today!
"But what I miss most is still that Whole Lamb Shumai. It was truly astonishing. After tasting so many dishes, the taste of that first Whole Lamb Shumai still lingered in my mouth."
"Exactly! That dish was simply a miracle in the culinary world, the most delicious dish I've ever tasted in my life. What a pity there was only one."
"I'm going to visit that sensei later. He's truly amazing!"
"I'm coming too! Call me when you go!"
On the judges' panel, looking at the scores on the screen in the sky, the judges murmured among themselves, and as they chatted, they brought up the Whole Lamb Shumai they had tasted before the competition began.
"That's a deliciousness one would give anything for, even if it meant falling into Avici Hell, with no regrets!"
Feeling the taste lingering on her tongue, Hinako Inui's face showed a mysterious blush, and her eyes were filled with (desire).
"Time to call it a day! Time to call it a day!"
As she spoke, Hinako Inui stood up from her seat, stretched lazily, and then prepared to leave, escorted by her bodyguards.
"Um, you haven't tasted my dish yet…"
Just then, Megumi Tadokoro finished her dish and walked towards the judges' table with a clay pot. Seeing Hinako Inui stand up, she showed a puzzled expression. If she remembered correctly, the competition time shouldn't be over yet. Why were they in such a hurry to leave work?
"It's the kid who used the Hanging Cut Method…"
Hearing Megumi Tadokoro's voice, Hinako Inui looked over and realized it was the person who had just used the impressive cutting method. Her heart instantly jolted, and she stopped.
"Someone's still here…"
"Didn't notice at all. Such a weak presence…"
As Megumi Tadokoro appeared, the audience immediately began to chatter. Her presence was so weak that no one had noticed she hadn't yet made her appearance. Of course, a bigger reason was that the previous contestants had performed exceptionally well, captivating their attention so much that they couldn't spare more focus.
Especially Zhang Chen's Three-Pepper Lamb Chops, which had shattered their understanding of cooking. It could even be made like that!!
"So, the competition time isn't over yet, may I ask you to taste my dish?"
Megumi Tadokoro said a bit awkwardly, as she spoke, she carried her dish forward. And when the judges saw this, they reluctantly sat back down. They thought work was over, but unexpectedly there was still someone hiding in the back.
"Alright! Finally, it's Megumi's turn!"
In the audience, a fishmonger uncle wearing a cheering headband stood up. At the same time, countless middle-aged men stood up behind him. A cheering flag with a simple fish pattern was also raised high in their hands, constantly waving in the air.
"Megumi!"
The uncles shouted almost simultaneously. The huge shouts instantly attracted the attention of those around them, and also caused Megumi Tadokoro's movements in front of the judges' table to pause.
"Everyone, why are you here…?"
Hurriedly placing her dish aside, Megumi Tadokoro jogged to the audience stands, looking at the uncles who had come to watch, her expression surprised.
"Today's fishing ground is left to the youngsters! We wanted to see Megumi shine!"
The first uncle who stood up placed his hands on his hips, a hearty laugh on his face. His gaze towards Megumi Tadokoro was like that of a father looking at his daughter. However, his own daughter wasn't this cute.
"Oh, you guys…"
Megumi Tadokoro waved her hand, touched, for a moment not knowing what to say to express her feelings.
"She seems to be admired by those rough uncles. Megumi Tadokoro, you really have many secrets. I wonder how many points she'll get in the end."
Looking at Megumi Tadokoro's back, and the rough middle-aged uncles in front of her, Miyoko Hojo, who had already finished her dish, thought to herself. As expected of the talent personally chosen by Dylan-sensei, her potential is indeed extraordinary!
"Then, Tadokoro-san, please hurry up."
Seeing Megumi Tadokoro chatting with the uncles, and worried about delaying too long, Yua Sasaki spoke to urge her. She also wanted to get off work early and rest. The sudden voice interrupted Megumi Tadokoro. Thinking of her unfinished competition, Megumi Tadokoro turned her head and prepared to go back.
"Go, Megumi! Show them what you've got!"
The uncle patted Megumi Tadokoro's shoulder, his eyes full of encouragement. The others also nodded at her. Megumi Tadokoro was a child they had watched grow up, having been by their side since she was little. Although not biological, she was no different from their own child. Most importantly, Megumi Tadokoro was humble and polite to people. Even when dealing with them, the uncles, she was willing to chat and joke with them, making her very likable.
"This is the Whole Lamb Hotpot. It uses all the edible parts of the lamb."
Megumi Tadokoro said, placing her hand on her chest. The idea for this dish predated the Whole Lamb Shumai. Upon learning that Dylan had made the Whole Lamb Shumai, she was delighted that her idea had coincided with Dylan-sensei's. At the same time, she became even more determined in her idea. After continuous adjustments and research, she finally created this pot of Whole Lamb Hotpot.
"Lamb Hotpot, a hotpot dish with lamb as the star, huh."
The plump old man patted his belly, took a ladle and scooped some soup. Looking at its rich color, a hint of satisfaction appeared on his face.
"Speaking of hotpot dishes, fishermen in Ibaraki Prefecture and Fukushima Prefecture like to make fish hotpot. I once tasted it, and the flavor was very good, very warming. This one of yours should be a Whole Lamb Hotpot made using the same method as fish hotpot, right? I feel that same sensation from back then."
"Whole Lamb Hotpot, huh?"
Looking at the dish in front of her, Hinako Inui also scooped some soup. Her ladle contained a piece of lamb, which she brought to her mouth.
"So that's how it is! Minced lamb liver finely, then add miso and sake, mix it into an effective paste, and then add various spices to enrich the flavor even further."
Closing their eyes, at this moment, they felt as if they had returned home, like burrowing into a warm hearth in winter, feeling utterly content. The Whole Lamb Hotpot was rich...
This one of yours should be a Whole Lamb Hotpot made using the same method as fish hotpot, right? I feel that same sensation from back then."
"Whole Lamb Hotpot, huh?"
Looking at the dish in front of her, Hinako Inui also scooped some soup. Her ladle contained a piece of lamb, which she brought to her mouth.
"So that's how it is! Minced lamb liver finely, then add miso and sake, mix it into an effective paste, and then add various spices to enrich the flavor even further."
Closing their eyes, at this moment, they felt as if they had returned home, like burrowing into a warm hearth in winter, feeling utterly content. The Whole Lamb Hotpot was rich...
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Unfortunately, two of our stories were removed... so I created a new account to post them: MikuDayo.
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I'm counting on your support <3 the director was very sad and scared by what happened...
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