Erina: "Idiot! Do you even know what you're saying?!"
Seeing her Eggs Benedict treated like that on the table, she felt as if her whole career as a chef had been insulted.
What confused her more was that the guy in front of her was just an ordinary person. She had never once heard his name in the cooking world, yet he just casually placed a dish down. Even though he said the words "tastes good," to Erina it sounded more like mockery.
How could a normal person withstand her cooking? Hisako, standing by the side, was clearly shaken by what just happened. She simply picked up her spoon and carefully put a bite of Erina's Eggs Benedict into her mouth.
As expected, it was a familiar taste. But... she couldn't stop herself from going for a second bite, then a third, until the plate was completely empty.
Erina, barely holding back her anger, asked with clear irritation,
"I'd really like to hear it—did you actually taste the flavors in it?"
Forced into a corner, Erina could only say that. After all, if the guy really didn't understand food at all, then maybe she would've felt a little better.
But... for Hachiman, who had been around ingredients since he was little and picked up food knowledge without even trying, this was basically an easy question.
"An English muffin topped with a poached egg, bacon, and tangy hollandaise sauce—pretty much a classic breakfast in America, right?"
He vaguely remembered when his dad had become obsessed with this dish back when he was eight. For a long while, he and Komachi had the same breakfast almost every day. It was from then on that Komachi decided she'd better improve their meals herself—if she wanted something different, she'd have to cook it. That was how she got started.
So for Hachiman, this dish was definitely not unfamiliar.
"With the poached egg cooked perfectly to a soft, melting center, paired with hollandaise, bacon, and the muffin—it's flawless. But Miss Nakiri, you added your own twist to it. The mullet roe you mentioned was a brilliant touch. It gave your Eggs Benedict an entirely new layer of flavor."
Erina bit her lip, her face full of stubbornness. "...."
Hisako still hadn't recovered. If this were her first time eating the dish, she wouldn't have been able to figure it out even after a few bites. But Hikigaya—he had figured it out after only one.
It was because this was a dish Erina often made, and Hisako had tasted it before, that she knew—this guy's talent couldn't possibly be described as "ordinary."
Hisako no longer knew how to deal with the situation in front of her. She was finding Hikigaya Hachiman more and more unbelievable.
"Lady Erina... everything he said was exactly right..."
"Idiot, of course I know that..."
But saying that only meant admitting... that her dish, her Eggs Benedict, had actually satisfied him.
Hachiman, though he'd eaten this dish countless times, had rarely seen his dad actually make it with his own eyes. His dad was simply too fast. At home, this dish was nothing more than fast food.
It wasn't that Erina's Eggs Benedict was worse than his dad's—she had added her own creativity. But if he had to judge, it was still missing a little something.
Hachiman didn't notice Hisako or Erina's expressions. With a calm look, he said:
"Adding mullet roe really is a nice idea, but… if you also mix in the right kind of honey, it might take the shock when tasting it to another level. I don't really have experience with that though, so Miss Nakiri, you can try it yourself."
Erina was completely stunned. For a moment, she couldn't even tell who the real examiner was anymore. After tasting her dish, this guy didn't show any look of amazement—instead, he even gave his own advice. To Erina, this was nothing less than blatant provocation.
"You… I… Your exam result is decided!"
"Idiot… your exam is over. Fail, fail!"
"I'll never accept you! Someone who can't even hold a knife properly can't be called a real chef at all."
Hachiman was dumbfounded by the sudden change. Wasn't this supposed to be about everyone tasting each other's dishes? Why did she suddenly blow up at him…
Hisako: "Um… Lady Erina… uh…"
Normally, Hikigaya's dish had already far exceeded the usual entrance exam standard. But since the examiner was Erina, if she said he failed, Hisako could only quietly mark an X.
She gave Hikigaya a sympathetic look. Hachiman, on the other hand, was left speechless. He hadn't even gotten into the school yet and already ran into such a troublesome person. Not being good with people in the first place, he had no idea how to argue back.
How could Erina ever admit it? Admit that this was a taste she had never known before? Growing up in the upper class, maybe she had never experienced a simple dish made in everyday life, yet it could be turned into something like this.
Her eyes were already brimming with tears. She didn't want to admit it, but no matter what, her tongue, her trembling body, and her weak legs all betrayed the truth she was fighting against.
Shaking, she tried to leave. If she stayed even a little longer, she might not be able to keep up the decision she had just made.
For Totsuki, losing such talent would be a huge loss. But for Erina, she just couldn't accept it… couldn't accept being struck down from her lofty position in this humiliating way.
Her face flushed red, and she couldn't even meet Hikigaya's eyes. She stormed out of the exam hall, with Hisako giving one last sympathetic glance before quickly following after her.
At last, only Hachiman was left in the hall.
"Eh??!"
"I got eliminated?"
"Not even admitted yet and I already ran into someone like that… what a pain…"
He let out a helpless sigh and walked straight toward the back door. Then… he gently opened a hidden door he had already noticed earlier. Inside this room, a fourth person had been watching all along.
"Your observation skills are really something, Hikigaya Hachiman."
"And you are?"
"Nakiri Senzaemon."