Haruto carried a tray of freshly baked egg tarts to Erina and gently placed one in front of her.
“orange flavored flaky crust custard tart, please enjoy.”
Nakiri Erina’s gaze fell upon that egg tart.
In terms of presentation alone, it was indeed impeccable.
She nodded slightly, her expression not changing much.
“It looks decent enough, so I’ll reluctantly… give it a taste.”
As she spoke, Nakiri Erina picked up a table knife and sliced through the crispy tart crust.
With a soft ‘crack’, the warm tart filling instantly overflowed.
The orange liquid, carrying the aroma of milk, spread out on the plate with an enticing luster.
She cut a small piece and put it into her mouth.
The flaky, charred crispness of the tart crust exploded between her teeth, bringing with it the savory scent of butter and the slight saltiness of the orange salt.
Immediately after, the warm tart filling slid down her throat, silky and dense, sweet but not cloying.
The rich milky aroma and fresh orange fragrance intertwined, perfectly neutralizing the heaviness of the cream.
The aftertaste was long-lasting, as if countless tiny orange Pokémon were dancing on the tip of her tongue.
The extreme deliciousness struck her taste buds, making Erina’s whole body go soft.
She subconsciously let out a soft moan, the end of it carrying an imperceptible tremor.
Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson, looking delicate and dripping with charm, and a layer of mist covered her eyes.
Leaning halfway over the table, her consciousness seemed to float to the clouds.
Before her eyes was a golden orange grove, with sunlight filtering through the leaves, warm and cozy.
Haruto looked at Nakiri Erina in this state, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he quietly withdrew his gaze.
It seemed his ‘drugging’ skills were improving!
…Then, as the last bit of the flowing center slid down her throat, Nakiri Erina did not hesitate.
She reached out and took a second orange flavored flaky crust custard tart from the tray.
And she didn’t use the knife and fork again, taking a direct bite.
Watching Nakiri Erina’s actions, Arato Hisako’s eyes widened slightly, and a hint of curiosity couldn’t help but rise in her heart.
Having been by Erina-sama’s side for many years, she knew just how picky Erina-sama’s Gods Tongue was.
For ordinary dishes, Erina-sama would generally only take one bite.
She hadn’t expected Haruto’s orange flavored flaky crust custard tart to actually make Erina-sama taste a second one.
“Would you like to try one? I happened to make quite a few.”
Arato Hisako’s gaze lingered briefly on the golden tart crust.
The pastry was baked just right, the edges slightly curled and glowing with an enticing caramel color.
She could faintly smell a light orange fragrance mixed with the sweet scent of custard, making the tip of her tongue itch.
But Arato Hisako quickly lowered her eyelashes and gently shook her head.
“I’m sorry, Haruto-kun, but it’s working hours right now.”
As the chief examiner, Erina-sama’s tasting of the dishes was part of her duty and beyond reproach.
But she was Nakiri Erina’s secretary; her task at the moment was to assist the chief examiner in completing the assessment.
Naturally, it was not appropriate for her to taste the food.
Haruto didn’t push her.
He smiled and picked up an orange flavored flaky crust custard tart from the tray.
With a gentle pinch of his fingers, there was a crisp ‘crack’, and several flakes of the pastry fell into his palm.
Indifferently, he raised his hand to put the crumbs into his mouth, then took a bite of the orange flavored flaky crust custard tart, chewing slowly with a look of complete contentment.
“Hey! Mr. Jiang Yan!”
Yukihira Soma’s voice came from the side.
At this moment, he was holding a spatula, standing on tiptoe to look over here, his eyes shining brightly.
“Can you let me taste that orange tart you made?”
“I’m really super curious about what it tastes like!”
Haruto glanced up at Yukihira Soma and replied flatly.
“Finish up your dish first. Don’t worry, I still have plenty of tarts here.”
Hearing this, Yukihira Soma nodded and gave a crisp response.
“Okay.”
He then turned back to continue struggling with the eggs in the pan…
While Yukihira Soma continued to busy himself with his cooking, Nakiri Erina finished the second tart.
She gently pressed her fingertip against her lower lip, a rare hint of bewilderment flashing in her eyes as she fell into a long silence.
Haruto’s dish had left her momentarily unsure of how to evaluate it.
Strictly speaking, this orange flavored flaky crust custard tart had far exceeded her expectations.
That faint orange scent was elusive, perfectly neutralizing the greasiness of the pastry.
The tart filling was even more exceptional.
The warm flowing center glided down her tongue, and the rich orange fragrance, carrying the depth of the custard, exploded in her mouth.
Sweet but not cloying, rich but not overwhelming, the two flavors merged perfectly to form a naturally harmonious mouthfeel that her Gods Tongue couldn’t find a single flaw in.
But it was precisely this perfect mouthfeel that gave Nakiri Erina an unprecedented surprise.
Her Gods Tongue could precisely distinguish the ratio of every ingredient in a dish, taste the subtle differences in spices, and sense the heat used during cooking… yet she was helpless against the elusive orange fragrance within this tart crust.
There was no bitterness from orange peel, nor the cloying sweetness of orange juice.
That orange scent seemed to permeate from the very core of the flaky crust, crisp and clean.
It made her completely unable to taste exactly what method Haruto had used.
This curiosity even outweighed the shock to her taste buds…
After a long silence, Nakiri Erina finally looked up, her gaze fixed directly on Haruto, with a bit more seriousness in her eyes.
“You’ve passed.”
The requirement for this assessment was simply to use eggs to make a dish that could satisfy her Gods Tongue.
Haruto had not only done it, but he had done it exceptionally well.
Based on the level of this egg tart alone, it was already no less than that of the students in the Tōtsuki High School Division.
With this level, he could naturally pass this Transfer Student Exam.
As for whether Haruto could gain a firm foothold in Totsuki Academy, that would be his own business.
Only… how exactly did that orange fragrance in the tart crust come about?
Nakiri Erina’s fingertips curled unconsciously, the curiosity in her heart growing like wild vines, but the words were swallowed back down when they reached her lips.
To take the initiative to ask someone for their cooking secrets would be like admitting her Gods Tongue also had flavors it couldn’t decipher.
Haruto didn’t know how rich Nakiri Erina’s internal monologue was.
Hearing the word ‘passed’, the smile on Haruto’s face deepened, and his heart finally settled.
Next, he just needed to keep an eye on Yukihira Soma and make sure he didn’t do anything stupid.
Soon, Yukihira Soma walked over with large strides, carrying a white porcelain bowl.
The bowl was filled with distinct grains of fried egg, the color a golden and enticing hue.
He placed the bowl on the table in front of Erina, his tone full of confidence.
“Sorry to keep you waiting!”