"That girl… she won the match and her first glance wasn't even at me!"
In the corridor above the audience seats, Erina Nakiri came to a sudden halt. As an executive of the Summer Selection, she had been so busy she hadn't had a moment to stop.
Just as she finally stopped, ready to watch Hisako Arato's moment of victory and cheer for her, the other girl's first glance after winning the match wasn't directed at her?!
She was in such an obvious spot; a slight glance up should have been enough to see her. But not only did the other girl not look at her, she was exchanging flirtatious glances with Teacher Dylan!!
For some reason, her heart felt a little sour.
Erina Nakiri herself didn't even notice this emotion, a faint feeling lingering in her heart, unsure if it was because of Hisako Arato or Dylan.
Meanwhile, after giving Hisako Arato a nod, Dylan stood up and walked outside.
After a brief search, he finally spotted Subaru Mimasaka standing by the lake. At that moment, the young man had his hands resting on the lakeside railing, his expression melancholic.
"Subaru Mimasaka."
Looking at Subaru Mimasaka's back, Dylan walked over without hesitation and greeted him, stopping beside him to look where he was looking.
"Teacher Dylan, why did you come over?"
Dylan's sudden appearance took Subaru Mimasaka by surprise, his voice filled with confusion. He had clearly lost the match, so why would Dylan seek him out?
In his mind, there was only one reason Dylan would approach him: if he had won continuously, ultimately taking first place in the Summer Selection, and was then recognized by him, sought out to be taken as a personal disciple.
That, he thought, should prove his worth...
"It's nothing. I just had a few things to say to you regarding your dish today."
"Are you here to mock me?"
Hearing Dylan mention his dish from today's match, Subaru Mimasaka couldn't help but reveal a bitter smile as he recalled his arrogant words from yesterday, which had now been mercilessly refuted.
In his view, Dylan must have come to mock him.
"I never mock those who work hard."
Dylan's tone was calm. He was speaking the truth. Although Subaru Mimasaka had a tendency to take shortcuts, since he possessed that ability, there was nothing wrong with using it.
It was just that, in his opinion, this ability wasn't strong. It was even a bit weak. It required spending a great deal of time learning from others, and after learning from one person, what he learned from the previous one couldn't be carried over.
Well, although he didn't know the principle behind it, and it might be some kind of special ability, in short, Subaru Mimasaka's copy ability was only effective on one person at a time.
Otherwise, if he could just keep imitating world-famous chefs and absorb their experience, he would probably become the First Seat of the Totsuki Elite Ten in no time.
"Those who work hard?"
"Yes. It takes time to learn from others. The fact that you could reach such a level proves you've been exceptionally dedicated to it, so naturally, you are a hard worker."
Hearing Subaru Mimasaka's self-doubting words, Dylan offered encouragement. As he was also a student he had taught, he didn't plan on showing favoritism.
Of course, the most crucial part was that if his opponent became stronger, he could serve as a whetstone for his current students. He had no desire to see a situation where only his students were capable of competing at Totsuki.
If that happened, he would have no choice but to take his students elsewhere.
"But I still lost the match in the end. I clearly improved upon her dish, and all the details were perfected to the extreme. Why did I still lose?"
"Because your grasp of the details in your dish was insufficient. The 'extreme' you speak of is only what you perceive as the extreme. To put it simply, you only imitated the surface but failed to replicate the core, which is related to personal ability."
Resting his hands on the railing, Dylan's gaze also turned to the distant river, watching the black swans frolicking in the lake and the lotus leaves swaying gently in the breeze.
It was actually quite normal that Subaru Mimasaka couldn't replicate Hisako Arato's dish. His own skill level wasn't high enough, so even his imitation was like a cat drawing a tiger—a poor copy.
A dish developed through time and carefully polished in every detail is far more valuable than one made by mindlessly adding things.
"Still not enough detail…"
Subaru Mimasaka murmured to himself, a hint of melancholy in his eyes, because the dish he had presented in today's match was already the limit of his abilities.
"Imitate others less. What belongs to others will always be theirs. You can learn from it, but you must make it your own. Study more, practice more—only then can you become a true master."
Patting Subaru Mimasaka's shoulder, Dylan left him with these words and departed.
Imitating others isn't a bad thing; all chefs start that way. But blindly imitating others will ultimately prevent one from becoming a true master.
"Imitate others less, be more myself…"
Watching Dylan's departing back, a thoughtful expression appeared on Subaru Mimasaka's face. He then glanced again at the bustling crowd at Tsukiten-no-Ma before turning to leave.
.
"Teacher Dylan, I won! I've successfully advanced to the semi-finals! I didn't disappoint you, did I?!~"
Just as he returned to the entrance of Tsukiten-no-Ma, planning to wait for Alice Nakiri and the others to come out, a petite yet buxom, graceful figure leaped towards him.
In a flash, Dylan opened his arms and held the figure tightly in his embrace, feeling her solid weight as a smile appeared on his face.
"I knew you could do it, Hisako."
He gently patted her back, his voice warm and encouraging. In truth, he had never doubted she could win.
Miyoko Hojo lost because she was caught off guard, whereas Hisako Arato was fully prepared. Plus, with Erina Nakiri helping her, the chances of losing were very low.
However, although he never doubted it, when he truly saw her win the match, he couldn't help but cheer for her in his heart.
This was his disciple!
"Teacher Dylan, it's not just this match. I will win the upcoming matches too, no matter who the opponent is. I will absolutely not bring you shame!"
Pressing her face against Dylan's chest and feeling its warmth, Hisako Arato looked up at his face and spoke slowly, her voice filled with determination.
"Just do your best. The remaining opponents are not easy to deal with. Don't put too much pressure on yourself, whether you win or lose. You've already done a great job."
Reaching out, he tapped Hisako Arato's nose, telling her not to feel too much pressure. Seeing the girl's blushing face, Dylan's smile grew even wider.
Indeed, the most beautiful moment for a girl is that instant when she blushes with shyness.
Dylan was momentarily captivated. Hisako Arato had a rather heroic look, but because of the soft lines of her features, her smile felt like ice and snow melting away.
"Teacher Dylan? Teacher Dylan? What are you thinking about? Staring at me like that is making me shy. Is there something on my face?"
Faced with Dylan's increasingly intense gaze, Hisako Arato, who had been able to meet his eyes, now gradually looked away, appearing exceptionally bashful.
"No, I just feel that you look exceptionally bright and charming when you blush. To put it simply, you've become even cuter. It makes my heart race."
Without hiding his admiration, Dylan praised her directly.
Fifteen or sixteen is the age of a blooming flower, especially for girls, who have mostly matured. With a little makeup, they look no different from adult women.
Only the hint of childishness in their brow allows one to guess their true age at a glance, but that didn't stop Dylan from appreciating her beauty.
"Ah? Wh-why are you suddenly saying that? How could I be cute? I'm so..."
Dylan's direct words instantly made Hisako Arato's heart race. She became flustered and started to stammer.
"Because I think you're very cute, and you asked me, so I said it.
As for the point that you're very cute, there's no need for self-doubt. It's an objective fact. You are just very beautiful and likable."
He released his hold on Hisako Arato. It was rather improper for a student and teacher to be hugging and pulling at each other outside.
However, since they were around the same age, and most of the audience at Tsukiten-no-Ma were outsiders, people who saw them would likely just assume they were a young couple.
Hisako Arato apparently thought of this as well. She opened her mouth but didn't know what to say. Deep down, she felt a sweet, inexplicable feeling blossoming.
Being held by Teacher Dylan like this was a rare occurrence in her memory, but she didn't find it unpleasant. On the contrary, she was very happy.
If she had disliked it, she wouldn't have hugged him in the first place.
"Teacher Dylan, let's go back. The dish I made in the competition earlier still has some imperfections. I want to make it for you to taste and get some advice."
"Of course, let's go back and you can cook."
Hearing Hisako Arato's words, Dylan nodded without refusing. He then glanced at Tsukiten-no-Ma again, and not seeing Alice Nakiri, he started to leave.
And Hisako Arato, looking at Dylan's back and seeing that he wasn't waiting for Alice Nakiri, had a strange glint in her eyes. She then quickened her pace, jogging forward and boldly taking his hand.
He had held her for so long; it wasn't too much for her to take back a little interest. Besides, a teacher holding a student's hand should be a normal thing.
Although, at this moment, she didn't see herself as just a student.
Their soft hands touched. The cool sensation made Dylan jolt, like touching a piece of fine, cold jade. It was cool at first, but after holding it for a while, it grew warm and was very comfortable.
At this, Dylan just glanced down, tightened his grip, and a slight smile played on his lips. He was in a good mood.
Since the young woman was willing to take his hand, he certainly wouldn't refuse. Hisako's hand had a subtly different feel from Alice's. It was leaner, with more defined knuckles.
Soon, the two arrived home. Hisako Arato went to the kitchen to cook, while Dylan sat in the living room, took some snacks from a sofa drawer, and tuned the TV channel to Crayon Shin-chan.
About ten minutes passed.
A sound came from the entrance. Dylan looked up towards the entryway and saw Alice Nakiri running in from the door, pouting as she lightly pounded on him.
"Hmph, you didn't even wait for me!"
"I waited for a while, but I didn't see you."
"I don't believe you!"
Hearing Dylan's weak explanation, Alice Nakiri let out a coquettish huff, then snuggled into his arms, tracing circles on his chest with her finger.
Of course, she wouldn't get angry over such a small thing, but she would use it to pretend to be angry so he would coax her, which also helped to deepen their marital affection.
And behind her followed another girl with orange-blonde hair and an amazing figure—it was Erina Nakiri.
At that moment, Erina Nakiri looked at Hisako Arato, who was busy in the kitchen, with an unreadable expression on her face, before sitting down next to Dylan.
She was used to the playful antics between Alice Nakiri and Dylan, but she strongly suspected that if she weren't there, the two would start making out.
After some education from certain illustrated books, she now understood the things between men and women. While silently scolding them for their lack of propriety, she couldn't help but peek.
"Didn't this girl used to avoid sitting next to Brother Dylan to prevent gossip? And she looks so preoccupied. What's she thinking about?"
Sensing Erina Nakiri's state, Alice Nakiri was a bit surprised.
Although the other girl liked Dylan, she loved him with restraint, afraid of being talked about, so she rarely showed any affectionate intentions towards him.
But now she was sitting right next to Brother Dylan. Was she making that face to get Brother Dylan to comfort her?
However, Alice Nakiri wasn't worried, because her target was Dylan's open lap. So, right in front of Erina, she gracefully sat down on it.
She leaned her back against Dylan's chest, her fair little feet dangling in the air. This was something she did most often as a child.
Watching the TV screen, the young woman soon became engrossed.
She loved this feeling, having Dylan by her side, enjoying a peaceful afternoon. This kind of life was truly wonderful.
Beside them, Erina Nakiri's expression was complex. She was also leaning against Dylan now, though not nearly as boldly as Alice Nakiri.
Looking at the two overlapping figures, some strange thoughts surfaced in Erina Nakiri's mind. She then quickly averted her gaze to the television.
"Teacher Dylan, we're here!"
"Find a seat, everyone. Hisako is cooking in the kitchen; it won't be long before we can eat."
Just then, another sound came from the entrance. Several figures walked in from outside. Looking towards the door, they saw that it was Megumi Tadokoro and the others.
Because they often came to Dylan's house, slippers were always ready for them. They skillfully changed their shoes and came into the living room, already accustomed to this scene.
They took their usual seats one by one. Some watched TV, some crossed their legs, some slumped into their chairs, and some played on their phones. This was one of their few moments to relax.
In the kitchen, Hisako Arato was bustling with activity. In front of her were several steamers emitting a faint fragrance, and next to them were two large pots of rice.
Since she was cooking, she would cook for everyone. That was the rule here.
Before long, the cooking was done. Hisako Arato came to the doorway and called out, and someone immediately came to help her carry the dishes out and place them on the dining table.
"I've wanted to try this ever since I was at Tsukiten-no-Ma. I'm so excited!"
Looking at the medicated steamed chicken in front of her, Yūki Yoshino's face was filled with anticipation.
Ignoring the heat, she hastily unwrapped the lotus leaf from the chicken, revealing the small hen inside, steaming hot.
The chicken skin was a pale yellow, exuding an alluring fragrance. The moment it appeared, everyone present swallowed hard before starting to eat with gusto.
Because it was a steamed dish, it was very moist inside. With one bite, rich juices flowed down the corners of their mouths, and every face was filled with enjoyment.
"The overall flavor is very harmonious. The medicinal herbs used are perfect for the chicken, highlighting its umami. However, there are also some discordant parts.
You need to adjust the ratio of lotus leaf to chicken. While the fragrance of the lotus leaf is a major highlight of this dish, too much of it will mask the chicken's own flavor. The size should be just enough to wrap the chicken.
The proportions of seasonings like salt, cooking wine, soy sauce, and sesame oil also need attention.
For medicated cuisine, the main focus is the original taste of the ingredients, using herbs to activate the chicken's freshness. The seasoning should be light. The amount you added was a bit too much; reducing it by about a quarter overall could bring it to Special Grade Two-Star.
Then there are the herbs. The compatibility isn't a big issue, but the proportions are a significant problem.
Increase the amount of red dates by half, and reduce the angelica and astragalus by a quarter. For this particular chicken, that would probably bring it to the level of a glowing dish.
Analyze specific problems specifically. Different chickens require different preparations. The chicken's age, breed, weight after growing, and freshness are all theoretical foundations for subsequent ingredient pairings."
Since the competition was over, Dylan no longer held back, rambling on about the shortcomings of the medicated steamed chicken before him.
And hearing his words, Hisako Arato went from initially listening intently, to her mouth hanging slightly open, to later rubbing her head with a pained expression, her eyes vacant.
"Master, stop chanting! I'll perfect it step by step!"
"Analyze specific problems specifically. This is also why ordinary people who get a recipe can't immediately become great chefs. Only through constant honing of technique can one create truly top-tier cuisine. Keep working hard, young lady."
He reached out and patted Hisako Arato's shoulder as a form of encouragement. The path of cooking requires one to keep moving forward to reap rewards.
The others watched this scene, and thinking about what Dylan had just said, thoughtful expressions appeared on their faces.
Although Dylan was speaking to Hisako Arato, the principle applied to everyone. Only by accumulating enough experience could one become a renowned chef.
"Ding-a-ling~"
Just then, a phone's ringtone suddenly sounded. Hisako Arato and Megumi Tadokoro took out their phones at the same time and answered the calls.
"Hello. I understand, thank you."
"Mm, okay, I got it."
Putting down their phones, Hisako Arato and Megumi Tadokoro turned their heads at the same time and looked at each other, complex expressions on their faces.
"What's wrong?"
Beside them, Yūki Yoshino was a bit confused by this scene. She then shook Megumi Tadokoro's arm, her face filled with curiosity.
"My opponent for the semi-finals."
"It's Hisako."
"It's Megumi."
The words came from both of their mouths, causing the atmosphere to freeze for a moment. Everyone looked first at Hisako Arato, then at Megumi Tadokoro, with complex expressions.
"To face each other in the semi-finals, this is so unfair! The organizers must have done this on purpose!"
Yūki Yoshino puffed up her cheeks in dissatisfaction, complaining bluntly. Making their own people fight each other—wasn't that too cruel?!
"The match order is determined by a random draw. There's no such thing as doing it on purpose."
"That may be so, but it's still really annoying!"
Erina Nakiri's voice sounded, correcting the error in Yūki Yoshino's words.
A trace of helplessness also appeared on her face. Comrades fighting each other was not a good thing. No matter who won or lost, it would be a blow to the other.
"This way, at least one person can enter the finals. This isn't necessarily a bad thing for us.
Besides, you all cook together regularly and are familiar with each other's culinary styles. Just treat it as a normal cooking duel and give it your all."
Dylan's voice rang out. He didn't have any particular feelings about this. On the contrary, he thought it was a good thing, as it guaranteed at least one of them a spot in the top two.
"Teacher Dylan is right. At least one of us can advance to the top two. Let's have a match with no regrets, giving it our all."
Hisako Arato was the first to nod, speaking to Megumi Tadokoro.
"Mm, I think so too!"
Megumi Tadokoro also nodded, then glanced at Dylan not far away. Seeing his encouraging expression, she spoke to Hisako Arato with confidence in her eyes.
For a moment, their gazes met, no longer like before, but filled with the sharp edge of competition. It was clear they both wanted to be the final winner.
"Alright, the semi-finals are in three days. For now, let's eat lunch."
Seeing this situation, Dylan clapped his hands to have them sit down and eat.
Because of the arrival of Zhou Tai and the others, the Summer Selection's schedule had become much tighter. The one week of preparation time originally given to the contestants had now been reduced to three days.
"Okay."
Hisako Arato and Megumi Tadokoro nodded in unison, then took their respective seats.
However, compared to just now, both were clearly distracted. Dylan saw this but said nothing. He couldn't possibly force them to be close.
As for Hisako Arato and Megumi Tadokoro, Dylan was also very curious who would ultimately win, since their skills were about the same.
After lunch would normally be cooking practice, but today happened to be a rest day, so after finishing their meal, everyone returned to the living room.
"Let's just watch a movie to end the day. Those who want to go back and rest can leave now."
In the villa's living room, Dylan sat on the sofa choosing a movie, while speaking to the girls around him. However, no one stood up.
"Let's watch a movie, let's watch a movie! It's more fun to watch together. Going back would be kind of boring."
Yūki Yoshino sat on the sofa, having taken off her black stockings at some point. Her legs were now propped up on the coffee table, her face flushed with excitement.
"Indeed, it's more fun to watch movies together. Watching by yourself just doesn't have the same feel."
Ryōko Sakaki also nodded in agreement. Compared to holing up in her room alone, she much preferred watching a movie together in a small space after turning off the lights.
This is also why in high school, when a teacher showed a movie during an evening class, everyone would cheer excitedly.
"So, same as usual?"
"Yes, horror movie, gogogo!"
Alice Nakiri excitedly raised her hand in agreement. Her little feet were propped on Dylan's legs, and the surrounding darkness gave her space to be mischievous.
"Then let's begin."
Ignoring the mischievous Alice Nakiri, Dylan quickly selected a film, then reached out and caught her foot, starting to play with it like a toy.
______
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