Haruto couldn’t help but curve his lips into a smile as he watched the scene unfold before him, not saying anything more.
He knew that the relationship between Nakiri Erina and Arato Hisako was not merely that of superior and subordinate.
They were clearly close friends who cared for each other, but one was tsundere and didn’t know how to express her concern.
The other, due to the difference in their statuses, harbored a bit of inferiority complex in her heart and dared not overstep easily.
Although Haruto was aware of what was happening between the two, he found it difficult to interfere.
Anyway, there would always be a day when they understood each other’s feelings.
After everyone had finished most of the orange flavored flaky crust custard tart.
Haruto reached out and grabbed Yukihira Soma’s wrist.
At this moment, Yukihira Soma was still chewing the last bite of the tart, mumbling indistinctly.
“Mr. Jiang Yan, this tart is too delicious!”
“Especially the orange aroma of the crust, how did you manage to get that?”
Haruto did not immediately explain Yukihira Soma’s question.
He simply dragged Yukihira Soma out of the examination hall.
Now that the judging was over and they had smoothly passed the Transfer Student Exam, he didn’t want any unexpected complications at the last minute.
Of course, before leaving, Haruto placed the last orange flavored flaky crust custard tart next to Yukihira Soma’s Transformation Egg Over Rice.
After all, there was still one person who hadn’t tasted their dishes.
Pulling Yukihira Soma all the way out of the examination hall, it wasn’t until they turned a corner and confirmed that the hall was no longer in sight that Haruto finally let go of his hand.
He patted his sleeves, ready to bid farewell to Yukihira Soma and leave.
At this moment, Yukihira Soma asked again.
“Um, Mr. Jiang Yan, I still want to ask, how did the flavors of the crust and filling in your orange flavored flaky crust custard tart blend so perfectly?”
“I’ve tried it so many times, but I still can’t figure out how you got that orange aroma in the crust.”
…This was a question Yukihira Soma had been holding in his heart ever since he started eating the orange flavored flaky crust custard tart.
That orange aroma was too special.
It was precisely because of that orange aroma that the tart’s flavors merged into a single entity.
Haruto looked at Yukihira Soma’s eager expression and didn’t feel surprised.
He pulled a small glass bottle from his pocket; the bottle was transparent, containing some fine, faintly orange-colored powder.
He handed the bottle to Yukihira Soma and calmly explained.
“Well, just think of it as a special salt extracted from oranges.”
Yukihira Soma took the glass bottle, his brows slightly furrowed, his eyes full of confusion.
Salt extracted from oranges?
That sounds too incredible, doesn’t it?
“If you’re curious, this bottle is yours.”
Haruto waved his hand casually; after all, there was only a small pinch of orange salt inside.
Consider it a gift to congratulate Yukihira Soma on successfully passing the assessment.
“Really? Thank you so much, Mr. Jiang Yan!”
Yukihira Soma’s eyes instantly lit up.
He couldn’t help but unscrew the cap, pour a little orange salt onto his fingertip, and put it to his mouth to taste.
The salty taste carried a faint orange aroma; the two flavors were perfectly natural, as if they were originally one, not at all abrupt.
And this orange aroma was fresh and crisp, indeed a flavor integrated into the tart crust.
“Wow—!”
Yukihira Soma’s eyes widened, his face full of amazement.
“It’s incredible! There really is salt with this kind of flavor!”
At this moment, Yukihira Soma’s mind began to race, thinking about what dishes this orange salt could be used in.
Grilled meat?
Stew?
Or desserts?
Just thinking about it made his blood boil…
Haruto looked at Yukihira Soma’s excited expression and smiled helplessly.
After a few casual chats about cooking, Haruto waved goodbye and turned to leave.
After returning home, Haruto lived a regular and fulfilling life.
Every day, he was either immersed in his study, reading various ancient culinary texts, or holed up in the kitchen, repeatedly trying out new dishes with a pile of ingredients.
Occasionally, he would go out, wandering through restaurants in various streets and alleys, tasting all kinds of specialty foods to draw inspiration.
Days passed, and two weeks flew by in a flash.
Haruto arrived at the gates of Totsuki Academy once again.
This time, he was here for formal enrollment.
As for the admission letter, it had already been delivered to his hands the day after the Transfer Student Exam ended.
In the plaza of Totsuki Academy, cherry blossoms were in full bloom, pink and white petals drifting down with the wind, like a romantic shower of flowers.
The plaza was filled with students wearing uniform school uniforms; they were all students who had successfully advanced from Totsuki Academy’s Junior High to the High School Division.
Each of their faces carried a mix of nervousness and anticipation.
After all, the ruthlessness of the Totsuki High School Division was several times greater than that of the Junior High Division.
A slight mistake could lead to elimination.
Haruto walked through the crowd and headed straight for the waiting room next to the main stage.
As one of only two transfer students in this year’s Totsuki Academy, he and Yukihira Soma would later need to go on stage to give a simple self-introduction, allowing their classmates to get to know them.
Pushing open the door and entering the waiting room, Haruto immediately saw Yukihira Soma already sitting inside…
At this moment, Yukihira Soma was idly daydreaming, and upon seeing Haruto enter, his eyes immediately lit up, and he waved, greeting him.
“Yo, Mr. Jiang Yan! Long time no see!”
“Long time no see, Yukihira-san.”
Haruto walked over with a smile and sat down on the chair next to Yukihira Soma.
As soon as he sat down, Yukihira Soma eagerly leaned closer, his face filled with excitement.
“Haruto, that orange salt you gave me before is really amazing!”
“I tried using it to make several dishes, like salt-grilled saury and egg fried rice.”
“They were all dishes I used to make often, but after adding a little orange salt, the taste was completely different!”
“The fishy smell of the saury was suppressed, and it had a faint orange aroma, and the egg fried rice became even more fragrant…”
Yukihira Soma became more and more animated as he spoke, vividly sharing his cooking insights.
From ingredient pairing to heat control, he talked endlessly.
Haruto leaned back in his chair, listening to Yukihira Soma’s incessant chatter, a helpless smile playing on his lips.
It was clear that Yukihira Soma was truly passionate about cooking.
As the two were chatting, the host’s booming voice suddenly came from outside the waiting room.
“Next, we will proceed with the Academic Year Badge Award Ceremony!”
“Please welcome the representative of the first-year new students—Student Nakiri Erina to the stage!”
The moment the words fell, both people in the waiting room instinctively stopped talking.
And in the plaza, thunderous applause instantly erupted.