"Please make way toward the dining hall!! Please do not run!! We have prepared enough tables for everyone!!"
The time for dinner has come. After only having light snacks and drinks, the attendees couldn't deny the grumbling in their stomachs, especially after 2 dances. With the guidance of the butlers and maids, everyone made their way toward the dining hall.
The dining hall's floor is filled with tables and chairs. The sight of it reminded the young man of the dinner he had when he first met Ramonu.
"We have separate portions for umamusume and humans. Please do not be concerned."
"You hear that, Teio."
"Hey!! The one who eats a lot is McQueen!! I eat normally!!"
"Hey!! I only eat a lot of desserts!!"
"If anyone in the Mejiro Family eats a lot, it would be Ramonu."
"No meat for you, Rudolf."
"Ah!! I'm sorry!!"
The ball is an annual event, and the attendees list rarely changes, so everyone knows where their positions are in this place.
"Ah! Team Minaz's table is over here!"
"Oh, Thank Goddesses!! I thought I needed to pirate a table from these people."
"Please don't do that, Goldship…"
Once everyone was seated, butlers and maids burst through a double door while carrying food trolleys. They each set their trolley beside a table and stood still without opening the cover to let the guests see what was inside.
Just then, the speakers sprang to life.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.
We, the humble servants of the Mejiro Family, wish you all but the best.
In the spirit of our wish, we have prepared tonight's dinner with the best ingredients and have hired chefs from a three-star Michelin restaurant to prepare it for you.
For the appetizer, please enjoy Lobster bisque."
With the cue from the speaker, the butlers and maids open the food covers in unison. On each food trolley, small porcelain bowls are neatly arranged. The bowls contain a velvety bisque the color of burnished coral. Its surface shimmered beneath the chandelier's light, crowned by a small swirl of fresh cream and a scattering of finely chopped chives.
"Please enjoy your meal." The maids attending the group's tables carefully put the bowl in front of each of them.
White steam rose from the bisque's surface, carrying a sweet, buttery scent of lobster intertwined with aromatic herbs. It was certainly a smell that would make anyone salivate.
"For alcoholic drinks, we have red wine, white wine, and champagne.
For non alcoholic drinks, we have green tea, elderflower cordial, and mineral water."
"I would like a glass of champagne." The young man said as he carefully used a spoon to scoop up the bisque into his mouth.
"I would like a… umm… red–"
"No, McQueen. You're not of drinking age yet. The only people here who would be drinking any alcoholic beverage would be Miss Speed and me."
"Let's not get too goody-two-shoes now, do we?"
"Ramonu, be a good model to your juniors."
"You're the last person I want to hear that from, dear."
"Urara, you would love the same drink as Ramonu, right?"
"Yes!! Urara wants to drink the same drink as Ramonu!!"
"Dear, that's cheating!!!"
"I know. You either be a good girl, or corrupt Urara!"
"Sigh… Elderflower cordial, please…"
"Haha!! Then I'll get a burgundy!!"
"Eh!! Sirius's drink sounds cool!! I want that too!!"
"Eh?! You can't, princess!! You can't drink that!!"
"But Sirius can… Mmhh…"
"Uuhgh… Ahhhh… Fine… Give me a glass of mineral water…"
"You have been domesticated, Sirius."
"Shut up!"
With the drinks served, the people begin eating the appetizer. Unlike the other tables, Team Minaz's tables are full of people who are experiencing this kind of dinner for the first time.
Suzuka is extremely nervous. The last thing she wants to do is to embarrass herself in front of so many people. Because of that, her movements are stiff and robot-like.
On the other hand, Goldship couldn't give two tits of a rat's ass about anyone but herself. She is devouring the contents of the bowl like it was a ramen broth.
The warm cream coated every inch of the eater's mouth. The sweetness that came from the shellfish quickly gave way to the deep, savory richness of the roasted lobster shell. Before eating the bisque, people might consider its portion to be the opposite of generous, but once you get a taste of it, you'll understand why.
"Ah… I ate it all…"
"It's only an appetizer, Teio. The main course is where you will fill your stomach."
"Ah! I see!!"
Just as Teio was protesting the small portion of her appetizer, the maids and butlers took the empty bowls into their food trolleys and hauled them all back into the kitchen. Not too long afterward, they returned with a new dish.
As if they were trains on tracks, the maids and butlers pushed the trolleys and followed the same path as before to a T.
"For the next course, it will be Poached Salmon with dill butter."
Only now does the young man understand what the speaker said when they separated the umamusumes' and humans' portions. While the umamusume got 5 slices of tuna fillet, the young man only got 1.
"Hey!! I can take five fillets with no problem!"
"It's not about the portion, dear. It's about the experience."
"Oh, fuck you, Ramonu."
The young man wants to test the fillet with his fork, and it easily tears through the meat with no problem. The concern of the young man now is not whether the fillet will be chewy, but whether he could pick it up with his fork.
"Ah!! I couldn't pick it up!!"
"You can use the spoon, Urara. You don't need to act pretentious like Ramonu."
"Say you, dear."
Once the young man succeeded in putting the tuna into his mouth, he sensed why the dish was picked for the ball. The flesh was moist and delicate. It carries a mild, natural sweetness of a roasted fish. The dill butter complements the flavor by bringing the creamy richness, while the small hint of lemon lingers at the end.
"This is so good!!! If only I could pick it up with a fork, though…"