Arato Hisako’s breathing quickened slightly, and the shyness in her eyes was almost overflowing.
This beautiful and ambiguous scene fell into Haruto’s eyes from not far away.
So, Haruto quietly took out the phone in his pocket and secretly pressed the shutter button.
“N-no, that…”
Arato Hisako’s voice was as thin as a mosquito’s buzz, and she was so nervous that her fingers curled up.
Nakiri Erina looked at Arato Hisako’s flushed cheeks, and the smile on her lips deepened.
“What’s wrong, Hisako? You’re making such a desirous expression.”
Her fingertips gently stroked the girl’s chin, and her tone carried a hint of seduction.
“Do you want the right to sample the dish I made?”
“W-want it!”
Arato Hisako almost blurted it out, her voice filled with urgency.
Seeing Arato Hisako’s eagerness, Nakiri Erina couldn’t help but chuckle softly, lightly flicking her forehead with a fingertip.
“Alright, you gluttonous child.”
Arato Hisako immediately showed a joyful smile, her cheeks red like a ripe apple, making Nakiri Erina want to take a bite.
Haruto, standing below the stage, showed an “Auntie Smile”: Is this the story that must be told between a Tsundere Miss and her loyal secretary?
“Before that, I must first report that no one passed this Transfer Student Exam.”
Nakiri Erina had not forgotten her job as the Chief Examiner.
Moreover, this was her first task after joining Elite Ten; she had to see it through to the end.
“Yes!”
Arato Hisako agreed readily.
She was already impatient to sample Erina-sama’s cooking…
Yukihira Soma, standing beside Haruto, clearly lacked any appreciation for the beautiful scene before him.
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Seeing the lively discussion on stage, and the intention to immediately report that no one passed the exam, Yukihira Soma couldn’t help but clear his throat and ask.
“Um…”
The moment Yukihira Soma spoke, Haruto quickly put away his phone, then casually counted the lights on the ceiling.
Hearing Yukihira Soma’s voice, Nakiri Erina and Arato Hisako turned their heads simultaneously, their gazes landing on Yukihira Soma.
Then they noticed Haruto, who was looking at something unknown but seemed suspiciously guilty.
Nakiri Erina and Arato Hisako fell silent.
At this moment, Nakiri Erina’s mood was very complicated.
It seemed that her conversation with Hisako had been completely observed by these two.
Thinking of this, a wave of embarrassment spread from the tips of Nakiri Erina’s ears, creeping up her neck and cheeks, making her feel flustered.
But in the next moment, that slight embarrassment was replaced by fury. Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
Someone actually dared to stay!
She had stated that only dishes capable of satisfying her palate could pass Totsuki’s Transfer Student Exam.
Did these two think their cooking could satisfy her palate?
That is truly too arrogant!
Nakiri Erina’s gaze turned colder, and the aura around her suddenly became sharp.
Arato Hisako, standing beside her, controlled her expression, folded her hands in front of her, and even kept her breathing extremely light.
Yukihira Soma, however, seemed completely unaware of the change in Nakiri Erina’s expression.
He raised a confident smile and asked loudly.
“Excuse me, can we make any dish?”
To so hastily announce that no one passed the assessment without even tasting his dish—Yukihira Soma absolutely refused to accept such a thing.
Haruto, standing nearby, watched Yukihira Soma’s spirited appearance, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes…
Nakiri Erina then scanned the confident Yukihira Soma and the relaxed Haruto.
Nakiri Erina said with an indifferent expression.
“As long as the dish uses eggs, you may proceed as you wish.”
But then she changed the subject.
“However, are you truly planning to take the assessment? If you wish to give up, it’s not too late now.”
Nakiri Erina’s tone carried a rare degree of sincerity.
While the arrogance of Haruto and Yukihira Soma displeased her, she didn’t want to ruin the future of two potentially talented chefs.
At the very least, compared to the Examinees who fled in panic, these two had some guts.
But if the two insisted on trying, she would certainly not hold back.
Upon hearing this, Yukihira Soma showed a look of relief.
“That really scared me! I was just thinking how frustrating it would be to fail without even getting a chance to cook!”
“…”
Yukihira Soma wanted to say something else, but Haruto suddenly reached out and pulled him back.
With him present, he naturally wouldn’t let Yukihira Soma act foolishly.
Nakiri Erina is a tsundere; if they angered Nakiri Erina, the subsequent exam would be difficult.
He had prepared for this assessment for so long and didn’t want to fail because of Yukihira Soma’s recklessness.
“Alright, Yukihira-san, stop wasting time.”
“Let the cooking do the talking.”
Haruto said with a calm expression.
Hearing this, Yukihira Soma paused, then reacted, giving a chuckle and not arguing back.
Indeed, cooking is a chef’s greatest confidence…
The two walked toward the cooking stations together and began to get busy.
Yukihira Soma still prepared to make his Transforming Egg Rice.
This was a dish he was very skilled at making.
As for Haruto, he took out butter, Sugar, oranges, milk… and several fresh eggs.
What he was going to make was the orange flavored flaky crust custard tart.
The first step was naturally the tart crust.
He took out a block of butter, placed it in a glass bowl, and then added fine Sugar and finely ground orange salt in a precise ratio of fifteen to one.
Although the orange salt was a seasoning he brought himself, Nakiri Erina hadn’t said it couldn’t be used.
Since she hadn’t said anything, it meant it could be used.
Taking out a pair of chopsticks, he quickly whisked the mixture with a light flick of his wrist.
The pale yellow butter gradually became fluffy, its color lightening until it took on an appealing creamy white hue.
Two egg whites were beaten into the bowl and mixed with the butter paste.
The speed of the chopsticks did not slow down until the two were completely blended, indistinguishable from each other.
Next, he added Milk Powder and almond flour, folding them in evenly.
Finally, he added low-gluten flour and kneaded it into a smooth dough.
He placed the dough into a sealed bag, squeezed out the air, and put it into the refrigerator to chill and rest.
While the tart crust was chilling, Haruto began preparing the custard filling.
The Cream Cheese had already softened at room temperature; he added Sugar and whipped it until smooth and lump-free.
He then successively poured in Light Cream, beaten egg liquid, freshly squeezed orange juice, and warm milk.
Every time an ingredient was added, he stirred it thoroughly at a low speed, ensuring that every raw material blended perfectly, making the filling as delicate as silk.
At this point, the tart crust in the refrigerator had rested perfectly.
Haruto took out the dough, folded it repeatedly, and then used a Rolling Pin to roll it into a thin sheet three millimeters thick.
He picked up the round Tart Cutter and pressed it down, shaping uniformly sized tart crusts.
He then transferred the crusts into the Egg Tart Molds, gently pressing them with his fingers so that the crusts adhered closely to the inner walls of the mold, tidying the edges to be round and neat.
At this point, they could be placed into the Oven, with the time and temperature set.
Fifteen minutes later, the Oven gave a soft ding, and the golden, crispy tart crusts were ready.
After the tart crusts cooled, Haruto slowly poured in the prepared custard filling, filling them eight-tenths full—neither too much nor too little.
He then sent the egg tarts into the Flash Freezer, waiting for the filling to solidify.
After about seven minutes, he took out the slightly solidified egg tarts, evenly brushed a layer of Egg Yolk Liquid on the surface, and sent them back into the Oven.
Another ten minutes passed.
The moment the Oven door was pulled open, a rich, mellow aroma of butter surged out, mixed with a faint milky fragrance and a fresh, sweet orange scent, spreading through the air and whetting the appetite.
The golden tart crust was layered and flaky, its edges slightly curled, gleaming with an inviting luster.
The custard filling, meanwhile, resembled a pool of flowing orange honey.