"Stare…"
The next morning, before Hoshino Sora had woken up.
A white figure slipped in from outside, looking displeased at Hoshino Sora, who was sound asleep on the bed. She didn't rush to wake him, but just stayed beside him, staring.
To be honest, he was quite handsome…
"Hmm? What the… How did you get in?"
Having been stared at for a long time, he felt uncomfortable all over. Feeling movement by the bed, Hoshino Sora groggily opened his eyes and then saw Alice Nakiri gazing at him.
"You walked in, didn't you? You told me to come at 7, but I woke up at 6, and when I got here, you were still sound asleep! Don't you think that's a bit much?"
Pouting and with hands on her hips, her eyes held a hint of anger. She thought about how she had woken up early to rush over, only for this guy to be sleeping soundly. It was simply outrageous!
"Ah, this… I helped a friend with homework a bit late last night, so I went to bed a little late. Could you step out for a moment?"
"Why? I'll just stay here."
Pouting, she deliberately went against Hoshino Sora, feeling increasingly annoyed the more she thought about it. It was like she had a burst of energy with nowhere to release it, so she just wanted to stare at him, trying to make him uncomfortable with this method.
But why did she need to avoid him just for him to get out of bed?
As this thought just surfaced in her mind, Hoshino Sora threw off his blanket, revealing his muscular physique. His voice held a hint of helplessness: "I'm not wearing anything below."
"I… I'll wait for you outside!"
Seeing this scene, Alice Nakiri's face visibly reddened. She could guarantee that during her time with Hoshino Sora, it was absolutely the most she had ever blushed in her life!
She usually felt nothing when she saw Ryo-kun exercising, so why did her heart beat so fast with another boy? But this guy's muscles were really well-trained, even better than Ryo-kun's.
Exiting the room, leaning against the wall, Alice Nakiri gently patted her chest and exhaled, calming her mind. The image she had just seen was still in her head. To be honest, those muscles felt really great—even and coordinated, strong but not exaggerated, perfectly matching her aesthetic.
At this moment, she suddenly began to doubt whether Kurokiba Ryo could defeat Hoshino Sora. Before this, she had no such doubts, because Ryo-kun's strength was greater than hers.
Much greater.
Although she was very reluctant to admit it.
But now…
Her heart was somewhat wavering.
"What are you thinking? Oh, by the way, you haven't had breakfast yet, have you? Do you want to eat with me? Although I'm just about to start making it."
As if remembering something, Hoshino Sora, having changed his clothes, poked his head out and spoke to Alice Nakiri. Going out on an empty stomach wasn't ideal, so while it was still early, he decided to cook first.
"Yes, I want to eat!"
Hearing there was good food, Alice Nakiri immediately raised both hands, a joyful expression on her face. This was her due; she had rushed over early in the morning and was still hungry now.
"Then come with me, you'll have to wait a bit."
Because he had prepared the ingredients the night before, making breakfast became very easy. Hoshino Sora stretched and went downstairs, with Alice Nakiri silently following behind him.
They arrived together in the kitchen.
"What are you planning to make?"
Alice Nakiri leaned sideways and curiously asked Hoshino Sora, who was tying on an apron and standing in front of the counter, deep in thought.
"You probably haven't eaten that dish before; it's quite niche. But don't worry, even though it looks strange, the taste definitely won't disappoint you!"
He recalled flipping through a cookbook before bed last night. When he saw the breakfast section, a page on Chaoshan Soy Milk happened to strike a chord with him, so he got up in the middle of the night to prepare the ingredients.
500 grams of high-quality soybeans, 200 grams of rice, 100 grams of peanuts, 200 grams of millet, soaked overnight, add rock sugar and water, and blend with a soy milk maker. This is the method for ordinary soy milk.
Omitting the step of adding rock sugar, Hoshino Sora smiled with satisfaction as he looked at the perfect soy milk produced by the machine. This was much faster than traditional soy milk making.
"Soy milk? No sugar…"
Looking at Hoshino Sora, who seemed to have forgotten a step, Alice Nakiri sat in a chair facing him, her feet, clad in black mid-length stockings, gently swinging. As she spoke, she leaned back, placing her elbows on the table behind her to stretch her upper body.
The result of this was a perfect display of her figure, appearing as an almost overflowing grandeur in his vision.
However, Hoshino Sora didn't care, or more accurately, he didn't see it. At this moment, he was fully focused on making the side dishes for the soy milk.
Beancurd sticks, quail eggs, fried dough sticks, eggs.
Taro balls, Job's tears, red beans, lotus seeds…
These small ingredients were lined up. He could add whatever he wanted to eat later. Among them, Job's tears, red beans, and lotus seeds needed to be soaked overnight in advance, then pressure-cooked for fifteen to twenty minutes.
"Frying dough sticks? Soy milk with fried dough sticks, that's a very typical Chinese breakfast."
Her swinging feet changed to a crossed-leg position. Looking at the young man in the apron frying dough sticks, Alice Nakiri pinched her chin and speculated, a hint of disappointment flashing in her eyes.
"Although soy milk with fried dough sticks is also very good, what I'm making today is an upgraded version, and the taste will only be better."
He put the blended soy milk into a pot to continue boiling, adding various ingredients in sequence according to the timing. However, due to limited ingredients, the combinations he could choose from were actually not many.
Nevertheless, even with seven ingredients, there were over a dozen combinations. For example, the bowl in front of Alice Nakiri now contained Chaoshan Soy Milk with eggs, quail eggs, beancurd sticks, and fried dough sticks.
"What is this, heresy?"
Looking at the soy milk with many ingredients in front of her, Alice Nakiri's expression was a bit subtle, and her brows furrowed slightly. This was a method she had never seen before. It looked a bit like Dark Cuisine, but it smelled acceptable.
"It's delicious! This is a specialty soy milk from Chaoshan, China. I'm making a simplified version because many of the original ingredients aren't sold in the markets here. Anyway, just try it first."
Looking at Alice Nakiri, whose face was full of apprehension and confusion after picking up the soy milk, Hoshino Sora drank directly from the bowl. As the various small ingredients mixed with the sweet soy milk entered his mouth, a very satisfied expression appeared on his face.
"Such rich soy milk!"
Without tasting the small ingredients, she first tried a mouthful of the soy milk. It was rich, smooth, and easy to drink. After smacking her lips in aftertaste, Alice Nakiri couldn't help but praise it.
As she spoke, she scooped up some of the small ingredients, and putting them into her mouth, she experienced a mix of several textures: the crispness of the fried dough sticks, the savory freshness of the eggs, the tender smoothness of the beancurd sticks, and the richness of the soy milk.
One bite down, the effect was not simply one plus one is greater than two, but rather a scene where various flavors chased and played in the mouth, finally merging. The taste in that moment was simply incredible!
It felt like being in the world's most luxurious hot spring, with utter tranquility around. That heartwarming feeling from within was something no other dish could provide.
Her eyes gradually lit up, and Alice Nakiri devoured it in large gulps until her belly gradually swelled. Only then did she lean back in her chair contentedly, gazing up at the sky.
"Delicious! I never thought soy milk made this way could be so flavorful! It's completely different from what I used to drink in commoner restaurants. The person who invented this method must be a genius!"
Patting her slightly bulging stomach, Alice Nakiri spoke with great contentment. Having eaten various exquisite breakfasts every day at Far Moon, this was her first time tasting this type of dish.
"Good morning, are you making soy milk? What a rich soy aroma. And this is…"
At eight o'clock, Shiina Mahiru woke up to use the restroom. Passing by the kitchen, she smelled a very rich soy aroma, so she poked her head in to check and then saw Alice Nakiri, whose face was full of happiness.
"Alice Nakiri, my exclusive maid."
"What?! Although it's true, don't introduce me like that in front of others, okay? And I'm only your maid for one month; let's make that clear beforehand!"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's introduction of her, Alice Nakiri immediately became displeased. At this point, her mindset hadn't fully shifted, and she felt he was belittling her.
"But right now, you are my exclusive maid, aren't you?"
"That's true…"
Although extremely embarrassed, Alice Nakiri was not someone who couldn't admit defeat. She nodded and acknowledged the matter.
"Then, should a maid who talks back to her master be punished?"
"Yes…"
Hearing the word "punishment," Alice Nakiri's voice held a hint of hesitation, but she eventually nodded. According to tradition, a maid cannot talk back to her master.
Looking at Hoshino Sora's gradually chilling gaze, Alice Nakiri felt somewhat at a loss, as if she had truly become a maid who had made a mistake.
In fact, according to the Food War agreement, her current identity could only be Hoshino Sora's maid. However, because the two had not signed a real Food War contract, the effectiveness of the Food War depended entirely on Alice Nakiri's conscience.
"Since there are outsiders present, I won't punish you in front of them. I just hope you pay more attention to your words and actions."
Hoshino Sora also knew when to stop. After all, the other party was the young lady of the Nakitiri Family, and he couldn't really do anything. But the feeling of being arrogant was truly exhilarating!
He finally understood the joyful lives of those rich young masters.
"You guys…"
Looking at the arrogant young man and the bowed-head young girl in front of her, Shiina Mahiru was momentarily confused, her tone sounding particularly hesitant.
"Don't worry about it. This guy was utterly defeated by me in a Food War, so she has to be my maid for a month. This is the period of fulfillment."
"What do you mean 'utterly defeated'! That was a narrow defeat! If my condition hadn't been bad at the time, how could I have lost to you, you guy?"
"Watch your language, don't be disrespectful. You should call me Master!"
It must be said, the feeling of training a girl was simply too good! Especially seeing the other party's gritted teeth yet helpless expression.
He might really have some special fetish.
"Master…"
"Good, be a good girl."
It was a bit like training a dog. Under his powerful aura and short, precise commands, Alice Nakiri's brain had difficulty processing the information for a moment, and she would unconsciously act according to his instructions.
"We're going out soon. I made some Chaoshan Soy Milk earlier, and those are the small ingredients. You can add whatever you like. You can manage the time and heat. There are finished products over there, you can taste them first."
"And also…"
After a few simple instructions, Hoshino Sora took Alice Nakiri and left Yōbi Dormitory, heading towards the outside of Far Moon Academy. Because it was morning, they walked for a long time without seeing anyone.
As the cool morning breeze blew, Alice Nakiri gradually calmed down. Her mind was filled with everything that had just happened. Thinking that she had actually uttered such an embarrassing title, and in front of an outsider, she immediately wished she could find a hole to crawl into.
Why? How did she succumb to Hoshino Sora's intimidation at that time? She could have firmly refused. Ah, ah, what was she thinking at that moment?!
The more she thought, the angrier she got. Alice Nakiri furiously kicked a nearby tree, resulting in a loss of balance and almost falling to the ground. Why 'almost'? Because Hoshino Sora intervened in time.
With the enhancement of the Gourmet Cell, his reaction speed was now astonishing.
Her head hit his broad chest, and feeling the pain in her foot, Alice Nakiri gasped. She seemed to have used a bit too much force accidentally.
"You… This is the first time I've seen someone who likes to self-harm."
"Whose fault do you think this is?!"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's slightly exasperated complaint, Alice Nakiri angrily punched his shoulder, but her fists were soft and weak. Rather than hitting or scolding, it was more like flirting.
It must be said, Hoshino Sora had left an incredibly deep impression on her these past two days. Of course, it wasn't a good impression.
Thinking of this, a look of grievance appeared in Alice Nakiri's eyes, and tears welled up, as if they could fall at any moment.
"Alright, don't cry. I won't do that next time. Can you walk?"
Seeing Alice Nakiri, who seemed about to cry as her emotions rose, Hoshino Sora hurriedly raised his hands in surrender. He feared nothing more than girls crying; that helpless, heart-wrenching feeling made him very uncomfortable.
"No, my ankle hurts so much! I want you to carry me."
Due to overexertion, Alice Nakiri's foot had taken a significant impact. It was a bit numb and also painful. She probably wouldn't be able to walk for a while.
"Alright, before I carry you, let me check your foot to see how serious the injury is."
Looking at the black stocking wrapped around her small shoe, Hoshino Sora roughly put her down, leaning her against the roadside and taking off her shoe.
"No need, it feels so embarrassing."
Biting her lower lip slightly, a hint of shyness flashed in her red eyes. A girl's small foot was a very private part, and normally, she would absolutely not let anyone see it.
"What if you hurt a bone? I've studied a bit of orthopedics; I can check the situation."
Hoshino Sora spoke with righteous words, but the truth was he couldn't control himself when he saw her perfect small foot. As the black stocking was slowly rolled down and removed, a small, exquisite jade foot appeared before his eyes.
Her five toes were as clear as jade, the veins on her instep were distinct, and upon closer inspection, one could even see tiny blue veins. It was delicate and arched, with a perfectly proportioned wrist and ankle, naturally beautiful.
Looking at such a perfect small foot, Hoshino Sora couldn't help but swallow. He suppressed the urge to play with it and pretended to examine it.
Five or six minutes later.
"It should be nothing serious, but to be safe, let's find a hospital to check it later."
"Mm…"
Reluctantly putting the stocking back on Alice Nakiri, Hoshino Sora took a few deep breaths. He had always been a person with extremely strong self-control, knowing that some things could be overdone.
"Come on up."
"Where are your hands touching?!"
"You asked me to carry you, didn't you? I can't stabilize your body without holding your legs."
"That's true, but aren't you a bit too high up…"
— — — — — — — — — —
Leaving Far Moon, Hoshino Sora carried Alice Nakiri to a clinic at the foot of a mountain. After a doctor examined her foot, it was determined to be nothing serious.
They left after a little medicine was applied.
However, the black stockings could not be worn, and the shoes had to be taken off so as not to suffocate her feet.
Hoshino Sora very naturally put the two stockings into his pocket, planning to appreciate them thoroughly back at the dormitory that night. Alice Nakiri didn't say much when she saw this, her face just very red.
After that, Hoshino Sora got a wheelchair, giving Alice Nakiri a solid experience of public humiliation. She clearly felt that the people around her were looking at her strangely.
It was just a small leg injury!
After buying ingredients, the two went to the mall. When they came out, Alice Nakiri had several shopping bags in her hands, and also a black and white panda doll.
She had been staring at the claw machine for a long time, and Hoshino Sora finally saw her, spending thirty to forty coins to get it out and give it to her as a gift.
It was considered compensation for their date today.
However, to be honest, initially, he only called Alice Nakiri out to help her carry things, but in the end, he only found a convenient trolley (wheelchair).
It was already noon at this time.
"So, shall we go eat first?"
Hoshino Sora asked hesitantly.
"Yes, we can. I know a really good restaurant, and it's a Chinese one, but the owner of that place has a very strange personality. Whether you can get a meal there depends entirely on luck."
After hesitating for a few seconds, Alice Nakiri finally revealed the location of that hidden gem.
It was a small restaurant hidden deep in an alley, and the owner was an old man over seventy years old. Her grandfather had taken her to visit once, and she had, as a result, eaten the most delicious food she had ever tasted in her life.
She had visited a few more times afterward, but the owner either refused to serve customers or was traveling, leaving a granddaughter to busy herself inside.
She hadn't seen her cook much, so she probably wasn't someone who could cook, right? The descendant of a chef isn't necessarily a chef themselves; this principle is quite simple.
"There's such a thing? Then how has this restaurant not gone out of business..."
Hearing Alice Nakiri's description, Hoshino Sora couldn't help but feel a little puzzled. The rent for restaurants at the foot of Far Moon Mountain isn't low, is it?
"Because the selling price of the food at that restaurant is extremely high. Simply put, ordinary people can't afford it. If you want to eat there, you need to book two years in advance. Whether you can eat if you go directly depends entirely on luck.
However, the taste of his food is definitely worth the wait."
"That amazing? Then I absolutely have to go see it!"
Hearing Alice Nakiri's description, Hoshino Sora immediately became interested. This was completely the template of a reclusive master! If he could get guidance from him, his cooking skills would surely skyrocket like a rocket!
"Just turn right into that alley ahead..."
--+--
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!
patreon.com/TripleCrown07
If you guys wanna check it out.