Her fair cheeks quickly flushed with a blush. A rich, somewhat viscous liquid burst in her mouth, merging and yet remaining distinct, with very clear layers.
This feeling, this feeling was like being attacked by countless fruit spirits. These little rascals wreaked havoc in various parts of her body, the impact... was simply too great!
Unable to control herself, the girl whom Akikubo Momo called Little Alice suddenly fell to the ground, her face clearly flushed, looking utterly overwhelmed.
Even so, the girl couldn't help but scoop more of the Molecular Cuisine called "Colorful" with her spoon. Although she told herself not to eat any more, her mouth uncontrollably moved closer to the spoon.
"Mm, ah!"
Embarrassing sounds involuntarily escaped her mouth, and subtle reactions occurred inside her body. If not for her pants, there would likely be an unknown liquid on the floor.
This was a middle school student.
Their resistance to gourmet food was relatively weak. The other girl, called Little Hana, was clearly much better, but her face was still flushed as she held onto the table, evidently also quite impacted.
As for Akikubo Momo, her condition was better than both of them. Aside from her face becoming flushed and some subtle changes in her body, this dessert had no further effect on her.
Wait, no, there's something underneath!
Just as Akikubo Momo thought the dish was nothing special, a semi-solid substance hidden beneath the white foam appeared in her sight. The substance was a slightly cloudy, earthy yellow.
"Wild honey?"
A hint of sweetness spread, diffusing through her mouth, combining with the previously bursting fruit juice. It not only neutralized the acidity of the fruit but also added a floral and herbaceous flavor.
"That's right, honey and fruit are a classic combination. Using reverse spherification and foam techniques from Molecular Cuisine, then cooling with liquid nitrogen, I finally created this 'Colorful' dish."
Hearing Alice Nakiri's description, Akikubo Momo nodded, an expression of enjoyment on her face. This feeling was like being doused all over with different flavors of honey, sticky, cool, oh, she couldn't take it anymore!
The mixed and layered flavors made Akikubo Momo lose some self-control. She tightly hugged Buchi with both hands, her fingers digging into his soft belly. Fortunately, the fabric was good, otherwise, it would have torn several large holes.
"An excellent work."
Closing her eyes and savoring it for a moment, Akikubo Momo looked at Alice Nakiri and said seriously. She had only heard of Molecular Cuisine before; this was her first time tasting it.
She had initially been somewhat disdainful of this dish with its scientific gimmick, but now it seemed she would have to slightly change her mind. At least, this dessert had indeed met her standards.
[Analyze Dish]: Colorful · Dessert
[Quality]: Silver (Lower Grade)
[Analysis 61%]: The ingredients for the dish are apples, oranges, mangoes, honey...
He took the "Colorful" dish that Alice Nakiri had specially prepared for him. Looking at her confident eyes, Hoshino Sora closed his eyes and began to taste it. The system also started analyzing the dish at this moment.
Perhaps due to the Gourmet Cell, his sensory abilities had greatly improved, which also reflected as an increased percentage in the analysis.
"Come, try my dessert!"
Feeling the impact within him, Hoshino Sora said nothing, only silently presented his own dish: a long, stick-shaped cream puff emanating a rich milky aroma.
Besides the milky scent, there was also the fragrance of various nuts, crispy and rich, instantly overshadowing Alice Nakiri's "Colorful" and simultaneously attracting Akikubo Momo's attention.
"Gulp…"
If Alice Nakiri's dish only started reacting once it was eaten, then Hoshino Sora's dish made their bodies warm up the moment they smelled it.
It was as if the oven's temperature wasn't just baking the cream puffs, but also their bodies. Saliva produced in large quantities was then swallowed, a repeated cycle they couldn't stop.
"Miss Alice, please have a taste too!"
Having endured the impact of Alice Nakiri's dish, Hoshino Sora also wanted to see what kind of power his own dish would unleash on her, so he directly fed it to her.
However, he forgot one thing: the dish he made was long and stick-shaped, and very thick. Simply put, it couldn't be bitten off in one go, especially when being forcefully shoved in.
The rich, creamy white custard cream filling immediately burst from the unsealed areas, covering Alice Nakiri's already fair little face with yellowish-white cream, startling Hoshino Sora into letting go.
"What are you doing, sud… like this…"
Because her mouth was stuffed, Alice Nakiri's speech became indistinct. The white cream, which reached almost to her eyes, made her close them slightly, looking flustered.
She initially wanted to spit out the cream puff in her mouth, but the taste of the cream puff shell mixed with the custard cream made her body react on its own, completely unwilling to let go of the deliciousness in her mouth.
Her brain couldn't control her tongue's reaction; she could only passively accept the richly flavored cream puff stick. Her tongue intermittently sucked the cream, and a blush appeared on her face.
"Uh, you take your time eating."
Seeing this, Hoshino Sora swallowed, a different emotion stirring within him. He also realized he had gone a bit too far. Fortunately, Kurokiba Ryo, by Alice Nakiri's side, remained expressionless, his gaze focused only on the remaining cream puffs on the table.
"Here, I prepared some for you too."
"Thank you."
Kurokiba Ryo softly thanked him and took the long stick-shaped cream puff Hoshino Sora offered, biting off the front end.
Rich cream burst in his mouth, and he felt as if he were in a kingdom of desserts. Cream enveloped him, and the tender, fragrant cream puff shell paired with the silky, smooth cream was simply a perfect match!
"This must have been filtered through a sieve of fifty micrometers or less, right? The human tongue can't detect particles smaller than 50 micrometers, which is why it presents such a delicate and silky texture."
Her fingers tightly gripped the table, her body had involuntarily sunk halfway down, her knees rubbing together slightly, and small hearts seemed to appear in Akikubo Momo's eyes.
"That's right, this filters out the vanilla particles, preserving only its fresh essence."
Nodding, Hoshino Sora honestly replied, then turned to look at Alice Nakiri behind him. She had already eaten most of the cream puff, and she was scraping the cream from her face into her mouth with her fingers.
Although this thing can get cloying if you eat too much, one serving is just right for an ordinary person, enough to let people experience the wonderfulness of a cream puff without getting tired of it.
"The nutty flavor is so rich, and the layers are very distinct. The cream has a moderate sweetness with a fresh taste, and paired with the perfectly baked cream puff shell, it already has three layers of texture. A perfect creation."
A crunching sound echoed from his mouth to his ears, and Kurokiba Ryo also gave an extremely high evaluation; this was definitely the most delicious dessert he had ever eaten!
"How can it be, so delicious!"
After putting the last small piece of cream puff into her mouth, Alice Nakiri, who had come back to her senses, leaned against the counter, her eyes vacant.
The intense impact she had just experienced left her body feeling a bit weak.
This was the so-called Food Impact!
The more and higher-grade gourmet food one eats, the stronger their resistance to Food Impact becomes.
Eating too much of the same type of cuisine also strengthens resistance to that particular type of dish.
The principle behind this can be explained in one sentence: eating too many good things spoils your palate.
It was precisely because Hoshino Sora had just eaten a round of desserts that he didn't react much to Alice Nakiri's dish.
Of course, not having eaten a certain type of cuisine for a long time can also increase a diner's tolerance for that type of dish.
"Tell me your evaluation, Alice Nakiri, between my dessert and yours, which one is superior?"
Looking at the long stick cream puff, which was rated as silver (medium), Hoshino Sora asked sharply, then took another bite of the cream puff.
The rich milky and nutty flavors spread in his mouth, directly overwhelming the colorful tastes.
"I... lost."
Tasting her own dish and comparing the difference between the two, although she really didn't want to admit it, Alice Nakiri still bit her lower lip slightly and conceded.
However, she was not convinced, believing that this failure was only due to her not having thought of a good theme.
Mission Completed: Making a Name
Mission Description: Under the guidance of Akikubo Momo, you arrived at the Dessert Research Society and were followed by Alice Nakiri, who wanted to have an intense 1v1 showdown with you.
Mission Reward: 1000 Prestige Points
"Hmph, then according to the agreement Alice Nakiri proactively proposed, for the next month you will be my exclusive maid, you have no objection to this, right?"
Looking at the very unwilling Alice Nakiri, Hoshino Sora said with a look of triumph, letting that guy be so smug just now; now, he had taken her down.
"No... objection, Ryo-kun!"
As she spoke, Alice Nakiri looked at Kurokiba Ryo, who was standing to her right rear, her eyes filled with a plea for help.
"Miss, this is your own doing.
Didn't you propose the wager?"
Noticing Hoshino Sora's choice of words and thinking that Alice Nakiri had originally intended to make the other party her servant, Kurokiba Ryo felt a surge of displeasure, which manifested as extreme coldness in his words.
"That's true, but..."
Her cheeks puffed out slightly; she had never considered the possibility of losing, and the situation evolving into what it was now was completely an accident!
"There's no 'but'.
A man honors his bets, Miss, didn't you often say that too?
"I'm not a man.
Forget it, I can't rely on you.
A month of maid experience, Hoshino-kun, please guide me."
Hearing Kurokiba Ryo's words and seeing his indifferent demeanor, Alice Nakiri said with a huff, then, after a long while, sighed resignedly and turned her gaze to Hoshino Sora behind her, stepping forward and patting his shoulder as she spoke loudly.
Clearly, she had accepted this arrangement.
"Hoshino-kun, let's have a Shokugeki in a month."
"Huh? Why... so sudden."
Facing their argument with a bit of awkwardness and feeling the girl's pounding on his shoulder, before Hoshino Sora could react, Kurokiba Ryo suddenly stared into his eyes and said seriously.
"I'm very interested in you.
Being able to make such amazing dishes, you're probably not specialized in desserts, are you?"
"You can tell that?"
"Of course, I can still discern a chef's strength, so, let's duel!
I'll accept any conditions."
Looking at Kurokiba Ryo, whose face was full of seriousness, Hoshino Sora suddenly smiled, and then said, "No conditions are needed, but you need to find the Fair Man, you choose the venue, and the theme will be drawn by lot then.
If you can accept these conditions, I'll compete with you."
"Okay, then in a month, I'll be waiting for you in Starry Sky."
Looking at Kurokiba Ryo, whose eyes were filled with enthusiasm, the flame of battle also ignited in Hoshino Sora's heart.
In his opinion, a Shokugeki itself needed no reason!
If you want to fight, I will answer!
Furthermore, a Shokugeki duel with a strong opponent and an active performance in front of the public was the best opportunity for Hoshino Sora to increase his Prestige Points; he wished he had more such opportunities!
However, in a month, it should be time for the training camp, right? At that time, Tadokoro Megumi would face the big trouble of Kojiro Shinomiya, which was a not-so-small problem.
It wasn't that he liked to meddle, the key was that Xiao Hui was too cute, a soft and adorable country girl; being able to accept this setting really made her seem very cute, at least Hoshino Sora had thoughts about her.
He was not like those timid, gentle protagonists of transmigration novels who needed the author to spoon-feed them; he wanted to act himself and eat this meal with his own hands!
Trigger Mission: Rising Reputation
Mission Description: You accepted Kurokiba Ryo's challenge at the Dessert Research Society.
In a month, you will compete in Starry Sky, and at that time, a large crowd will come to see you make a fool of yourself.
Mission Requirement: Win this match and make arrogant remarks at the competition site.
Mission Reward: 3000 Prestige Points
As he pondered, Hoshino Sora's mind suddenly heard the system's prompt sound, just as he thought, performing actively in front of everyone could earn Prestige Points.
However, what determines the amount of Prestige Points obtained? Is it the number of spectators? Or the scale of the competition, the difficulty of the mission? These are all uncertain matters.
And what is Starry Sky? From the name, it sounds like a weaker version of Tsukiten Space.
Because he had done some research beforehand, he knew that Far Moon Academy had a very important building, Tsukiten Space.
That was the competition venue used by the Elite Ten for Shokugeki, and photos of the Ten Elite First Seat from previous years hung on the walls inside.
At the same time, it was also the venue for the Autumn Selection.
If he won first place in the Autumn Selection, how much Prestige reward would he get? Hoshino Sora swallowed, his heart growing more and more excited for the upcoming training camp and Autumn Selection.
——————
"Didn't I say you could go back first today?"
Looking at Alice Nakiri, who was huffing and puffing behind him, Hoshino Sora's expression was a bit helpless; he didn't know what she was angry about, she had been like this since just now.
"I don't want to go back.
Anyway, today's class is open, I'll be in your group, let's go to class together this afternoon."
Her mouth pouted high.
Thinking of Kurokiba Ryo's performance just now, Alice Nakiri couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
Not only did he not stand up for her, but he also challenged Hoshino Sora to a Shokugeki in her name?!
Hmph, she would cook with Hoshino-kun this afternoon, let's see what that guy would do?
A gloomy person like him, surely no one would want to team up with him!
"Ah, this... alright."
After understanding yesterday, Hoshino Sora briefly learned about the teaching format of Far Moon Academy, which was to choose a classroom and then wait for the teacher to come in, this process being completely random.
This also avoided certain students intentionally taking a teacher's class because of high grades, leading to an imbalance in their culinary development.
At the same time, to cultivate kitchen collaboration skills, classes generally had to be conducted in pairs, which was also why certain partners could always team up.
Of course, some teachers didn't like this approach, so they didn't allow free team formation in class, adopting a random assignment method.
"Sigh..."
Pushing a cart full of equipment, Hoshino Sora sighed helplessly.
He was clearly the master, so why should the master do such a thing?
Girls who knew how to act spoiled were truly lucky.
Thinking of Alice Nakiri's spoiled demeanor just now, Hoshino Sora couldn't help but lament.
He simply couldn't resist that kind of offensive; her sweet, high-pitched voice gave him goosebumps.
Before long, the two arrived at the classroom for the afternoon class.
Seeing this special combination, everyone present had surprise written on their faces, especially Erina Nakiri and Hisako Arato, who were in the center of the classroom with many empty seats around them.
"Oh, what a coincidence to meet you here."
Hearing the voice, Erina Nakiri's expression stiffened slightly, and she stared intently at the white-haired girl who appeared at the doorway.
"Erina, don't look at me with that queen-like gaze." The white-haired girl feigned surprise, then patted her chest, looking startled: "After all, I'm not one of your followers."
"Alice Nakiri, what are you doing here?! And, isn't Ryo-kun always with you?" Frowning, Erina Nakiri felt inexplicably irritated seeing Alice Nakiri and Hoshino Sora, who appeared at the door acting intimately.
"Huh, Erina, your memory is really bad. Isn't this a classroom? Of course, I'm here for class. As for Ryo-kun, I gave him a few days off."
Noticing that Erina Nakiri's expression was a bit off, Alice Nakiri couldn't help but feel a slight doubt, then looked up at Hoshino Sora. Was it because of him?
It was easy to guess, because from the moment she entered, Erina Nakiri had been staring at Hoshino Sora's face. Although it looked like she was staring at her, she could feel that no gaze was focused on her.
Besides Erina, Hisako next to her also seemed to be peeking at Hoshino Sora, which made Alice feel even more that things were not that simple, and she couldn't help but become curious.
Although Erina Nakiri never mentioned Hoshino Sora from beginning to end, it was not difficult to see from her questions that Erina cared a lot about why she was with Hoshino Sora.
What secret was hidden in this? Alice Nakiri squinted her eyes slightly, then, as if having made a decision, boldly hugged Hoshino Sora's arm.
Her eyes provocatively looked at Erina Nakiri.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
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If you guys wanna check it out.