"How does it taste?"
With an expectant look, Hoshino Sora handed the freshly completed dish to Tadokoro Megumi, and the moment she bit into the cookie, he asked nervously.
"Rich, smooth chocolate explodes in the mouth, the cookie's unique texture blends perfectly with the crushed almonds, and the dried cranberries emit a hint of sweet, sour, and refreshing flavor.
If this were sold as a product, it would definitely be a huge hit!"
Closing her eyes to savor the deliciousness of the cookie, Tadokoro Megumi said excitedly. The cookie with dried cranberries was, honestly, much more delicious than the one without, both in taste and texture.
The dried cranberries, almonds, and chocolate seemed to achieve a wonderful balance, combined with the incredibly crispy cookie itself, it was simply like Bulbasaur arriving at the Bulbasaur house—simply amazing!
A look of enjoyment appeared on her face. Closing her eyes, Tadokoro Megumi felt as if she were immersed in a thick chocolate cereal syrup, surrounded by floating boats made of cranberries, with almonds serving as oars.
"I think it's pretty good too, so this is it! Thank you, Xiao Hui, you really are my great savior!"
With a hint of brightness in his eyes, Hoshino Sora said, reaching out to embrace the happy Tadokoro Megumi beside him, and passionately kissed her face.
"Oh, I haven't showered yet; I sweated a lot today."
"It's fine, having your scent on you only makes me more excited!"
Madly sniffing Tadokoro Megumi's scent, Hoshino Sora said with a greedy expression. Even though she was covered in sweat right now, it was truly stimulating for him!
"Hoshino-kun, what you said is so perverted."
"I am that perverted, what? Do you regret giving yourself to me? But it's too late now."
Hearing Tadokoro Megumi's soft complaint, Hoshino Sora said teasingly while kissing her.
"How could I? I like Hoshino-kun the most!"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, Tadokoro Megumi quickly replied.
"I know, so, I'm willing to accept everything about Xiao Hui, and, this feeling of being covered in sweat...
It's really great!"
Hoshino Sora began to get handsy, and Tadokoro Megumi, seeing this, responded actively and skillfully. She also really liked the feeling of him being so dependent on her.
Although... Hoshino-kun often did things she found hard to accept, her boundaries had slowly expanded during these past few nights.
----------
The next day, Hoshino Sora woke up first. Seeing Tadokoro Megumi's tired face, a hint of embarrassment appeared on his face, and he then quietly went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.
After preparing breakfast and placing it on the nightstand, covered, along with a note telling her to eat well, Hoshino Sora left contentedly.
Today he had a big task. Akikubo Momo would be coming to the factory for a work inspection and the monthly product selection, which was crucial for Hoshino Sora to pass his practical training assessment.
So he had put in a lot of effort.
He lowered his head and kissed Tadokoro Megumi's forehead. He suddenly noticed that the girl's loosened braid was also very beautiful, possessing a fresh kind of beauty.
He got up and left.
At ten in the morning, the factory stopped work and entered lunch break early. Ten brand-new cooking stations were moved into the hall and arranged in a circle, and the heads of the ten workshops also gathered there.
"This month, our Tenth Workshop will definitely come out on top again! Three days of paid vacation and a large bonus—it's truly wonderful!"
"It's hard to say who will win this time. We've been preparing for half a year, and you already won last month, so let us have it this month!"
The head of the First Workshop said with a forced smile. She had prepared for this selection for a long time, putting in all sorts of effort, and today she was confident she could win!
"I can't say for sure."
Shiraba Ai, standing nearby, said, unwilling to be outdone. Seeing this, the heads of the other workshops also joined in the boastful chatter, until...
"The Young Miss is here."
Someone shouted, and the previously boisterous workshop heads instantly fell silent as if a mute button had been pressed.
They stood in two neat rows, respectfully waiting at the entrance to welcome her. Hoshino Sora stood among the employees at the back, his expression subtle, feeling a slight surprise in his heart.
What a grand entrance! Isn't it just the boss's daughter coming to inspect the work? Why is it like welcoming an emperor's ascension...
His gaze turned to the entrance. As a red carpet was unrolled into the factory, Akikubo Momo appeared with adorable steps, her face still wearing the usual innocent expression.
Beside her were four burly bodyguards, one in front, one behind, and one on each side, protecting her safety.
"The dessert selection now begins. Each workshop, start preparing your dishes. Results will be checked in 30 minutes.
If there is a dessert that satisfies Xiao Momo, you will not only get a vacation but also a generous bonus."
Walking to the center of the factory, the hub of the ten cooking stations, Akikubo Momo scanned the laboring people below, who were standing respectfully, and said softly.
As her bodyguards brought a stool and table, she sat down, holding Buchi in her arms, her expression natural.
It was just a little boring...
Sigh, if she hadn't promised her father, she wouldn't waste half a day each month coming for inspections. They were all such ordinary desserts, although occasionally a work that made one's eyes light up would appear.
But, within the overall picture, the proportion was pitifully small.
Suddenly, as she watched the chefs successively ascend the cooking stations to prepare their dishes on the spot, a glimmer of light appeared in Akikubo Momo's eyes.
Among the chefs cooking, she saw a familiar figure.
However, she did not get up to greet him, but remained quietly seated, only focusing most of her attention on Hoshino Sora.
It was quite unexpected that he would come to her for his practical training.
Since he was a junior from the same dormitory, she had to treat him well and show some hospitality as a host.
But before that, she would first taste this junior's cooking. After so long, how much progress had he made in desserts?
Her eyes filled with anticipation. Hoshino Sora worked deftly at the cooking station. Akikubo Momo rested her head on Buchi, her eyes revealing a faint curiosity.
The ingredients included low-gluten flour, butter, oats, almonds, chocolate, caster sugar, eggs, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and dried cranberries.
Due to the angle of her vision, Akikubo Momo could only see half of Hoshino Sora's ingredients, but this was enough for her to guess the general idea; these were all very classic cookie ingredients.
Seeing this, Akikubo Momo couldn't help but feel a little anticipation. If it was just a re-creation of a classic, it would absolutely not pass with her, and he might even get scolded.
However, with Hoshino Sora's ability, he definitely wouldn't present such a uninteresting dessert.
"Unqualified. Although it can be stored for a long time, taste is the primary fundamental."
"No, although Xiao Momo likes cute things, this is too exaggerated."
"Next."
"Next..."
As time passed, workshops successively completed and presented their developed desserts. Some tasted good but had low commercial viability, while others tasted poor but had high commercial viability.
Undoubtedly, these were all unqualified products.
Rejecting one dessert after another, for a dessert to be sold as a product, it needed at least a three-day shelf life, and various other requirements such as not being easily damaged.
"Ninth Workshop, dessert complete."
With a loud shout, everyone's gaze turned to the Ninth Workshop nearby. The woman, with a proud expression, placed her freshly baked cookies on the dining table.
"How could this be!?"
"Shouldn't those be our cookies?"
Looking at the cookies placed on the judging table, Shiraba Ai's face showed surprise. She hadn't expected that the cookies they had decided to use for the competition just yesterday would be plagiarized today.
And by someone from the same factory.
"What do you mean 'your cookies'? Explain yourself. We presented these first, so by any measure, they should be our cookies."
The reduced-sugar version of Hilton Cookies was undoubtedly more appealing to the Japanese palate, and it was durable, making it an excellent product for commercial sale.
After just one bite, Akikubo Momo made her judgment.
Don't let the simple sugar reduction fool you; there was a lot of expertise involved. The proportion of sugar was the key among keys. If not balanced well, it would lose the original flavor of Hilton Cookies.
But this Hilton Cookies, while retaining its original flavor, had its sugar content reduced to a level acceptable to Asians, and certain texture adjustments were made.
A very good improved dessert. The key was its high commercial viability, relatively long shelf life, and resistance to damage. It would definitely be a huge hit if sold as a product.
However...
Akikubo Momo's gaze turned to Hoshino Sora's oven. He had also entered the final step of completing his cookies.
Baking.
A rich aroma permeated the air from the oven. At this point, less than five minutes remained until the end of the competition. Everyone's attention was focused on the cooking members of the remaining two workshops.
The First Workshop and the Third Workshop.
At this moment, the person standing in the Third Workshop was already a bit anxious. It was also a low-sugar cookie, so why was Hoshino Sora so slow? Was this person really a top student from Far Moon?
"I told you he couldn't do it. Maybe this recipe was stolen from the Ninth Workshop, otherwise why is he so slow? Everyone else finished ages ago and he's still baking."
A mocking voice came from the audience of the Third Workshop. Hearing the sound, Shiraba Ai immediately turned her head. The person speaking was the same guy who had been humiliated by Hoshino Sora a few days ago.
At this moment, he was gloating with a resentful expression, his petty demeanor fully displayed, clearly happy to see Hoshino Sora in a tough spot.
Her mind raced. The dessert development of the Third Workshop was supposed to be top secret, only finalized yesterday, so it was impossible for outsiders to know.
Hoshino Sora, in order to pass Far Moon Academy's assessment, also had no reason to hand over his hard-developed dish to someone else. So the answer was very clear.
They had a mole in their Third Workshop!
She couldn't say who it was specifically, but the shouting guy behind her was definitely the biggest suspect. Only he and Hoshino Sora had had a conflict, with a connection of enmity, but she had no evidence and dared not accuse anyone rashly.
People's morale would crumble.
Amidst her distress, a voice suddenly sounded in Shiraba Ai's ear, which also made her turn her gaze.
"First Workshop, dish complete."
Goodness, now only Hoshino Sora was left.
High heels clicked firmly on the ground. The head of the First Workshop took the dish from the chef's hands, respectfully placed it in front of Akikubo Momo, and then removed the lid.
"Please taste, Young Lady, Taro Puree Snow Shell."
Her voice rose slightly, filled with an indescribable pride. This was the result of their research for over half a year, and she was confident it would conquer Akikubo Momo's taste buds.
"Let Xiao Momo taste the dessert Xiao Bai meticulously prepared."
Looking at the Taro Puree Snow Shell in front of her, which consisted of taro puree and cream sandwiched between two sponge cakes, Akikubo Momo picked it up and brought it to her mouth. The rich aroma of taro puree exploded in her mouth.
Besides that, there was also the flavor of cream. Custard sauce must have been added when making the two fillings, and it must have been filtered many times through a sieve to create such a smooth texture!
Closing her eyes, feeling the subtlety within, Akikubo Momo's face showed an expression of appreciation. She had a strong premonition that this product could become a huge hit.
"I'm ready too. Please try it, Akikubo-senpai."
Looking at the fully enjoying Akikubo Momo, Hoshino Sora directly placed his dish in front of her, his eyes revealing a hint of a smile. Because he knew she was the judge, he had put in extra effort.
Just imagining his cute senior eating his dish and showing a cute reaction made him excited.
Of course, more importantly, it was a matter of a man's pride.
He was the champion of the Autumn Elections, after all. If he presented a dish that was too poor, people might suspect his championship was not well-deserved.
"Sora, Xiao Momo is really looking forward to your dessert."
Looking at the covered dessert, Akikubo Momo said.
Although she had already guessed the dessert he had made, and there had even been a "collision" incident earlier.
However, seeing Hoshino Sora's calm and composed demeanor, Akikubo Momo had full confidence in him.
"Then give it a good review."
He removed the lid, spread his five fingers in a gesture to invite tasting, and a faint passion gleamed in Hoshino Sora's eyes; he had really put his all into preparing for today!
"Okay!"
Smelling the faint aroma of cookies in the air, Akikubo Momo subconsciously nodded, picked up a cookie with both hands, and put it into her mouth. Her originally calm expression changed the moment her tongue touched the cookie.
First, her hair fluttered slightly without a breeze, then her eyes widened unconsciously. The cookie in her mouth became more fragrant with each bite. First, the rich chocolate syrup burst forth, followed by the mellow texture of almonds.
Of course, the most brilliant touch was the cranberry bits within; the faint sweet and sour taste was truly captivating and very appetizing. After eating one, she wanted another.
"Delicious! Your technique is even better than a few months ago, but if Little Momo were to make it, I would remove the oats from the cookies. Too many ingredients slightly diminish the texture."
Her eyes revealed admiration. This was much more impressive than the previous low-sugar Hilton Cookies. Should she say it was indeed Hoshino Sora? Just as she had expected!
"Look at Akikubo Momo's reaction! Hoshino-kun seems to have made further improvements based on yesterday's work. This way, even if the Ninth Room steals our dish, it will only be an unfinished version."
Shiraba Ai said excitedly, clenching her fists. She really hadn't expected Hoshino Sora to continue developing dishes after returning. In that case, even if they had a mole inside, they wouldn't have to worry about losing.
It was truly amazing!
But...
Her gaze shifted to the area where the First Room was located, and a hint of worry appeared in Shiraba Ai's eyes.
The other side's dessert was also coming on strong. Judging by Akikubo Momo's reaction, it was really uncertain who would win in the end. Thinking of this, Shiraba Ai's heart tightened again.
Clasping her hands together in front of her chest, Shiraba Ai silently prayed. They absolutely had to win; this was their only chance!
She turned her head to look at the familiar faces in the Third Room. She really didn't want everyone to be scattered and assigned to other rooms. She was quite comfortable being a small leader.
Going elsewhere would certainly mean being constrained by others, and if they encountered their rivals, it would truly be a disaster.
"In this selection contest, the First Room and the Third Room performed exceptionally. Although there is no precedent, what I want are excellent desserts, so I have decided to make an exception and give both rooms the same vacation and bonus."
"What?"
Hearing Akikubo Momo's words, Shiraba Ai froze, her face showing surprise, followed by intense joy. Those around her showed the same reaction, hugging their companions.
"Sora, don't stay here this afternoon. Come with me. I'll teach you the correct way to make this cookie."
Leaving Hoshino Sora idle in this small factory was just leaving him idle. It would be better to take this opportunity to bring him out. Anyway, he wouldn't learn anything useful from the practical training here.
"Can I? Isn't Akikubo-senpai busy?"
"I don't have much to do this afternoon."
"Okay."
Hearing Akikubo Momo's words, Hoshino Sora nodded. So, after a brief farewell to Shiraba Ai, he got into Akikubo Momo's car, which drove towards a famous villa area in Tokyo.
——————
"Akikubo-senpai, you have a house outside?"
Getting out of the car, Hoshino Sora's eyes were dazed as he looked at the tall, solemn villa in front of him. Although he had expected it, he was still surprised to see it. Damn rich people!
Speaking of which, Tadokoro Megumi's family seemed to be quite wealthy too. Not only did they manage an entire manor, but even the mountain behind the manor was their property.
Meat Master's family was even the leader in the Japanese beef industry.
Other people he knew, more or less, had some money in their families. Looking at it this way, he seemed to be the poorest among the people he knew.
No, there's still Yukihira Soma to cushion him. No panic.
Hoshino Sora thought with a smirk, pinching his chin. And he wasn't particularly poor; he still had several hundred million yen in his bank account. Although he couldn't do anything major with it, he wouldn't starve.
"What are you standing there for? Come in quickly."
Akikubo Momo, who had already opened the villa door and dismissed the security guard, couldn't help but urge Hoshino Sora, who was staring blankly at the entrance.
"Coming."
Seeing this, Hoshino Sora immediately stepped forward, closely following Akikubo Momo. His gaze scanned the interior of the villa. Contrary to the imagined luxurious decor, the villa's interior gave him a pink impression.
Was it a cute style?
It had to be said, it was very much Akikubo-senpai's style.
While complaining inwardly, Hoshino Sora followed Akikubo Momo to the kitchen. Her kitchen was truly enormous, perhaps even larger than the back kitchens of some restaurants, big enough for twenty or thirty chefs.
And the tools and equipment were exceptionally complete; all kinds of dessert-making tools were available here. In the corner of the room, there were also large quantities of low, medium, and high-gluten flour.
No wonder he hadn't seen Akikubo Momo cooking much in the dorms. It turned out she had a secret base elsewhere!
"Wait for me here for a moment."
"Oh."
Hoshino Sora responded, then began to wander around the kitchen, his eyes full of curiosity. Ten minutes later, Akikubo Momo walked over, dressed in a chef's uniform, pure white and clean, like the legendary Snow Child.
"Let's begin. We'll start with the dish you developed. I'll teach you some basic knowledge of desserts."
"Okay."
Akikubo Momo spoke, and in a few swift movements, she found the ingredients Hoshino Sora used to make his improved Hilton Cookies from the pile of ingredients. Then, she began a crisp and precise demonstration.
She demonstrated while explaining, from raw materials to the finished product. Hoshino Sora listened very attentively, because Akikubo Momo's mastery of desserts was truly strong, answering many of his questions.
Time thus quietly flowed by, and soon it was evening.
On the other side, seeing the visiting graduates, Tadokoro Megumi felt very nervous. Fortunately, she successfully completed the reception, and at her repeated requests, Shinomiya also allowed her to participate in "SHINO'S" monthly routine dish competition.
If the taste was good and selected, this dish would appear on the "SHINO'S" menu.
And this was also the key to passing the practical training assessment.
Tadokoro Megumi had started preparing about two days ago, and by now, she had a general idea in her mind. However, she wasn't sure if this idea would be recognized.
"Phew..."
She let out a long breath to relieve her inner tension. Tadokoro Megumi and a few others were cooking in the kitchen, while Shinomiya waited outside, looking at the Far Moon graduates who were noisily insisting on staying, his face filled with helplessness.
"I wonder what kind of dish it will be?"
"A little excited~"
Time passed quickly. The three chefs besides Tadokoro Megumi soon finished their dishes, and she also came out a few minutes before the countdown ended, carrying a dish covered with a plate.
At the same time, everyone present turned their gaze towards her.
"Wel...welcome to taste, Round Vegetable Mille-feuille."
Her voice revealed a hint of nervousness. Tadokoro Megumi spoke and then uncovered the dish on the plate. Round cabbage, or simply cabbage, was the answer she had come up with after repeated experiments during her studies.
Looking at the dish in front of him, Kojiro Shinomiya didn't speak, but just stared at the dish, wondering what he was thinking.
After a few seconds, he picked up a carving knife and cut about an eighth of it off.
In an instant, rich juices overflowed, accompanied by a fresh aroma and steam, as well as a visually striking 'colorful scroll'.
He cut a small piece of the dish and put it into his mouth. The next moment, Kojiro Shinomiya's eyes widened, the surrounding environment changed, and a mysterious, profound feeling rose from the depths of his heart...
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