Time: June 28, 2012.
At this moment, more than two months had passed since the start of the school year at Tōtsuki.
On this day.
Okabe and Erina Nakiri received a special mission: to serve as examiners for the transfer student assessment.
"Is this for real? Why would Grandfather suddenly hand this kind of miscellaneous chore to us? Doesn't he know our time is precious? Anyone could serve as an examiner for a transfer assessment!"
Looking at the notification sheet lying quietly on the table, Erina Nakiri complained somewhat speechlessly.
Subsequently, she turned her gaze toward Okabe, who was packing his schoolbag nearby.
"Just treat it as relaxation."
"Since enrolling, we have constantly been the ones being assessed. Now that it is our turn to serve as examiners and assess others, isn't that also quite an interesting thing?"
Okabe put his book into his bag, looking into Erina Nakiri's eyes with a hint of eagerness.
To be honest, he was also very curious about exactly what kind of character this transfer student was, for Senzaemon Nakiri to actually have both him and Erina Nakiri serve as examiners simultaneously.
"What you say isn't wrong. Having been assessed all the time, occasionally acting as someone else's examiner is indeed a decent experience, and one can also look at problems from a teacher's perspective, but..."
Erina Nakiri was somewhat hesitant.
This was because a while ago, she had made an appointment with Hisako to go buy autumn clothes together this afternoon.
Although it wasn't a very important matter, it was an agreed-upon engagement after all; going back on it at the last minute was a bit...
"If you have something to do, just leave the assessment task to me. Anyway, Grandfather didn't say two people had to go together. I am enough to handle it alone."
Sensing that Erina Nakiri wanted to speak but stopped, Okabe rose from his chair and spoke considerately.
"Really?"
Erina Nakiri tilted her head.
"Really. Why would I lie to you? It just so happens I have nothing to do today, so I can go see what background this suddenly visiting transfer student has to make the Old Man attach such importance to them."
Okabe's voice carried a teasing tone.
Erina Nakiri spoke excitedly: "Then I'll trouble you to take care of it!"
"Small matter. I'll head over first; help me take my schoolbag back."
Handing the schoolbag in his hand to Erina Nakiri, Okabe said.
The other party patted her full chest after hearing this and said: "Okay, leave it to me."
Waving his hand, Okabe left the classroom and walked quickly toward the address on the notification sheet.
Fifteen minutes later, he stopped in front of a cooking practice room.
Looking at the tightly closed door before him, he hesitated for a few seconds, then raised his hand to knock and waited for a response from inside.
"Please come in."
A crisp female voice came from inside, sounding somewhat familiar.
Okabe frowned slightly, a puzzled emotion surfacing in his heart, and then he pushed the door open and walked in.
What entered his vision was a young girl with short white hair who looked full of vitality.
The girl was currently sitting quietly on the windowsill.
The breeze outside the room blew, gently lifting her hair strands, and the pale gold sunlight illuminated her, making her shine radiantly.
"Good afternoon, Okabe-kun~"
Hearing the movement from the doorway, Alice Nakiri turned her head. Upon seeing that the visitor was the Okabe she had been longing for, a bright and beautiful smile immediately appeared on her face.
This smile, under the sunlight, appeared exceptionally brilliant.
What a picture of a reunion after a long separation; it felt like even the angle of entry had been meticulously designed.
Okabe walked into the classroom, looking at Alice Nakiri bathed in the afternoon sun, and couldn't help but roast her in his mind.
Subsequently, he walked with large strides to her front. Looking at her sitting on the windowsill with half her buttocks, his eyebrows raised almost imperceptibly: "You'd better not sit on the windowsill. There's no safety net here. Although it's only the second floor, falling down would inevitably break bones and tendons."
"Is it very unexpected? By the way, why aren't you surprised at all?"
"According to the plot where the male and female protagonists reunite after a long separation in manga, at this kind of time, shouldn't you be unable to suppress the emotions in your heart and rush up very excitedly to pick me up and spin me around?!"
Jumping down from the windowsill, looking at Okabe who had a flat expression and revealed not a trace of surprise after their long reunion, Alice Nakiri couldn't help but pout and complain.
"Unexpected, but also not unexpected. After all, I knew you were coming long ago. Speaking of which, why did you only enroll two months after school started? Coming over from Northern Europe shouldn't take that much time."
Looking at the pouting Alice Nakiri, Okabe reached out and pinched her cheek.
"Wu... Mainly there was a very important exchange debate competition. At the time, we had a conceptual conflict with a Molecular Gastronomy Research Society from the United States, so we each sent representatives to use data as evidence for a debate. The losing side would unconditionally merge into the other side's Molecular Gastronomy Research Society."
Feeling the pulling force on her face, Alice Nakiri mumbled her explanation.
If the situation hadn't been urgent, she wouldn't have missed the start of the school term and only arrived now.
"I see. In that case, there was indeed no other way. Then, Student Alice Nakiri, are you ready to participate in this transfer student assessment?"
Having obtained the answer, the expression on Okabe's face suddenly became solemn.
He walked with long strides to the podium, put down the transfer student assessment notification sheet he was holding, and looked down from a high position at Alice Nakiri located in the student area.
Seeing this, the other party also put away her giggling appearance and nodded.
"Of course. I came fully prepared. In the three years we were apart, I practiced martial arts during the day and cooking at night, not daring to slack off in the slightest. Today's cooking will definitely make you look at me with new eyes!"
Discussing the assessment, Alice Nakiri's volume raised slightly, and an inexplicable fighting spirit ignited in her eyes as she looked at Okabe.
"Enough idle talk, let's begin quickly!"
"Then, would the dear Chief Examiner please tell me what the theme of this assessment is~"
Seeing Okabe subconsciously look away, acting all serious, the corners of Alice Nakiri's mouth raised slightly. Subsequently, she lowered her imposing manner, suddenly leaned her body forward a few inches, and met his gaze eye-to-eye.
When speaking, she dragged her voice out very, very long on purpose, carrying the unique charming naivety of a young girl.
"Cough cough, Student Alice, don't think about getting chummy with the examiner. Even if you get chummy, I won't go easy on you during the assessment. Whatever needs to be done will be done!"
A fragrance wafted to the tip of his nose. Raising his eyes, he could see Alice Nakiri's slightly playful gaze.
Okabe couldn't help but cough awkwardly twice.
Could this little girl have been corrupted by the open atmosphere there after staying in Northern Europe for a while? She clearly used to behave very conservatively.
"I don't need Lord Examiner to go easy on me. Lord Examiner just needs to judge fairly and justly~"
Seeing Okabe's unnatural expression, Alice Nakiri called out 'Lord Examiner' with every breath, sounding exceptionally intimate.
While speaking, she extended a finger and gently poked Okabe's muscles, a hint of teasing on her face: "You haven't been idle these three years; your muscles are so hard."
"Not the kind of somewhat exaggerated large muscle blocks of Northern European strongmen, but lean muscles that are just right and very powerful. To be honest, I like your type more."
"Be serious, we are still in an assessment right now."
Okabe swatted Alice Nakiri's hand away somewhat helplessly. Perhaps this was the drawback of an acquaintance proctoring an exam; there was simply not a shred of serious atmosphere.
"The theme of this assessment... let me think. Just use eggs to make a dish that satisfies me."
Looking at the ingredients piled in the ingredient area nearby—chicken, duck, fish, and meat were all available—he ultimately focused his attention on the round and full eggs in the egg carton.
He suddenly thought of the theme Erina Nakiri gave when she served as the chief examiner for the transfer student assessment in the original work, so he reached out and picked one up.
"Eggs?"
Hearing Okabe's words, Alice Nakiri's line of sight fell on his hand.
"That is quite an ordinary theme..."
Her voice carried a complaint, yet she had no thought of objecting, her expression becoming serious as she pondered.
Although the two were very familiar, Alice Nakiri did not plan to let Okabe open a back door for her. If she wanted that, this assessment today wouldn't have happened.
Precisely because she was a young lady of the Nakiri family, she couldn't unscrupulously enjoy privileges.
Every word and deed, every conduct and handling of affairs had to be noted.
"Got it. I'll make Thermal Spring Eggs (Onsen Tamago)!"
Pacing back and forth in the empty practice room, a flash of inspiration suddenly crossed Alice Nakiri's mind. Subsequently, a smug expression appeared on her face as she picked up the eggs and walked quickly to the cooking station.
"Thermal Spring Eggs? Unexpectedly common."
Hearing Alice Nakiri's words, Okabe's expression froze for a moment, but he didn't look down on it. After all, she followed the path of Molecular Gastronomy; there was no guarantee this Thermal Spring Egg wouldn't bring him an unknown surprise.
"Common does not mean ordinary."
"You were the one who said this sentence: 'To make mass-common cuisine extraordinary, making people feel it is delicious from the bottom of their hearts, is a chef's highest pursuit.'"
Alice Nakiri raised her head, winking playfully at Okabe.
She nimbly boiled a small pot of water, placed a thermometer inside, and controlled the water temperature at 68℃.
Then she placed three eggs into this pot of water, simultaneously setting the timer for 25 minutes.
Up to this step, it was still a standard method. But if it was only this, she would absolutely not pass this transfer student assessment.
After all, the taste of a Thermal Spring Egg was too thin; even if made perfectly, it was just a boiled egg.
Alice Nakiri obviously thought of this point as well.
She took out a few ingredients from the refrigerator and placed them on the cooking station.
"Spinach and bacon?"
Looking at the ingredients Alice took out, Okabe's heart moved slightly. Spinach and bacon were a very classic combination for Thermal Spring Eggs; he just didn't know how she would apply them.
Using different methods to add them would result in slight differences in the final presented taste.
Alice Nakiri didn't know what Okabe was thinking. She reached out and quickly washed the spinach clean, taking only the most tender leaves among them, and put them into a portable blender.
The "buzzing" sound rang out as the spinach was blended into a fine, thick slurry.
Next, she took out a piece of filter cloth, poured the spinach slurry in, and then picked it up to press forcefully. Emerald green juice slowly dripped into a glass bowl.
As for the fibrous residue, it was left in the filter cloth. She didn't use the filtered spinach juice immediately but continued to filter it again using a high-mesh sieve.
"Repeated filtering to extract vegetable juice?"
Looking at Alice Nakiri's operation, Okabe narrowed his eyes slightly, understanding her idea.
Switching to the cooking method of molecular gastronomy, a centrifuge would probably be used at this time to obtain the purest vegetable juice. Since there wasn't one here, filtering was used as a substitute.
Alice Nakiri didn't stop.
She took out a packet of transparent powder from the utensil case, mixed it with a small amount of water, poured it into the spinach juice and stirred. Then she poured it into a flat stainless steel square tray, shaking it gently to spread it evenly on the surface without bubbles.
"What is this for?"
Such a doubt surfaced in Okabe's heart.
Unlike traditional cuisine, molecular gastronomy was famous for creativity; it was hard to guess the full picture before completion.
Having finished processing the spinach, Alice looked at the bacon.
She didn't choose to fry it directly. Instead, she used a blowtorch to quickly roast the surface of the bacon, making it slightly charred and crispy, then picked up a kitchen knife to quickly cut it into extremely fine mince.
The next moment, she took out a piece of butter. After melting it in a pan, she added a little white wine and minced garlic, simmered it over low heat into a thick sauce, then poured the minced bacon in and mixed well, finally making it into a savory and fresh sauce.
"Bacon Garlic Butter Sauce."
Okabe nodded; this was a very classic Western sauce style.
Mixing several ingredients—the savory aroma of bacon, the richness of butter, the spiciness of garlic, and the aroma of wine—blended perfectly. It could enhance the flavor of the Thermal Spring Egg to the greatest extent.
At the same time, the timer nearby rang.
Alice fished the eggs out and immersed them in ice water.
Thirty seconds later, she took the three eggs out and placed them on a plate, using a small knife to cut open the eggshell at the one-quarter mark.
Through the opening, one could see the egg white presenting a white color resembling congealed fat, while the egg yolk in the center was in a semi-solid state, its color golden yellow and extremely alluring.
"The completion level of this Thermal Spring Egg is very high."
"Of course, this is the optimal ratio I derived from multiple experiments. Boiling at 68 degrees for 25-35 minutes; different times can flexibly adapt to different styles of cuisine."
Hearing Okabe's words, a playful little expression appeared on the girl's face.
Not only because eggs were cheap, but more because they could be paired with many ingredients, the frequency of egg usage in the Molecular Gastronomy Laboratory was very high. Alice Nakiri was very clear about its situation under various states.
"Next, you can appreciate its magnificent transformation!"
"Transformation?"
Hearing Alice Nakiri's meaningful words, Okabe braced his spirit and looked at the egg in front of him.
He saw her pick up a small spoon, nimbly avoiding the egg white part inside the shell, and take out a small amount of the quicksand-like egg yolk. She mixed it with the Bacon Garlic Butter Sauce, then filled it back into the eggshell.
Subsequently, she took out the solidified spinach agar jelly, used a mold to press out a circle consistent with the size of the cut opening, and gently covered the egg with it, fitting seamlessly.
"I see, so what you added to the spinach juice just now was agar powder."
Looking at the cuisine before him, Okabe revealed a look of realization: "I see, so what you added to the spinach juice just now was agar powder."
"Correct. Agar is a polysaccharide extracted from seaweed. Its characteristics are coagulability and stability; adding it to spinach juice allows for very good shaping."
Alice Nakiri's voice rang out, carrying a small cheerfulness.
The Thermal Spring Egg now presented a wondrous appearance.
The top was a piece of crystal clear emerald-colored "window". Through it, one could faintly see the filling where golden yellow and caramel colors intertwined inside.
"It's not over yet, still missing a finishing touch!"
Seeing Okabe staring in fascination, the corners of Alice Nakiri's mouth raised slightly. She picked up a grinder containing black pepper, applying a little force with both hands to grind the black pepper and sprinkle it down.
"Finished. Please taste, Lord Examiner."
Lifting the egg in her hand and presenting it before Okabe, the girl's eyes held a sly smile, while simultaneously anticipating what kind of evaluation this dish would receive.
Okabe accepted the egg, looked at its exquisite styling, and asked: "Does this dish have a name?"
"Haven't thought about it."
Alice Nakiri shook her head slightly.
She pondered for a moment: "The spinach juice is emerald green like jade, resembling a layer of natural screen, and inside is the Thermal Spring Egg. How about just calling it 'Jade Peeping Thermal Spring Egg'?"
"Let's just call it Emerald Thermal Spring Egg."
Okabe twitched his lips and picked up the Thermal Spring Egg.
"Then let's call it Emerald Thermal Spring Egg. The name isn't the main point; the key lies in the taste!"
Hearing Okabe's words, Alice Nakiri urged.
Her eyes flickered, full of anticipation. Seeing her like this, Okabe hesitated no longer. He picked up the spoon to crack the emerald outside the eggshell and deftly probed inside.
Scooping up a spoonful containing egg white, spinach jelly, bacon mayonnaise, and quicksand yolk, he sent it into his mouth.
In an instant, he appeared in a hot spring.
Beside him were a little chick and a little piglet. The two accompanied him on his left and right sides, both having a bath towel draped over their heads.
The atmosphere was exceptionally harmonious and tranquil.
Returning to reality.
Okabe carefully felt the tactile sensation on the tip of his tongue.
The egg white was not completely solidified, being in a perfect state between congealed fat and liquid.
With just a slight pursing of the tongue tip, the unique fresh sweetness belonging to egg white bloomed.
Then, the climax arrived.
The Bacon Garlic Mayonnaise mixed evenly with the quicksand yolk, wrapping around the pure fresh sweetness of the egg white.
The moment it entered the mouth, it occupied the entire oral cavity.
The smoky savory aroma of bacon, the rich milky aroma of butter, the slight spiciness of minced garlic, and the lingering charm of white wine.
Like a harmonious quartet, progressing layer by layer under the mellow wrapping of the quicksand yolk. The savory aroma and the semi-liquid yolk neutralized perfectly; tasting it didn't feel greasy in the slightest, but instead stimulated a deeper level of deliciousness!
Immediately after.
The cracked spinach agar jelly melted in the mouth.
The coolness brought by this touch of emerald green was like a clear breeze blowing by the side of a hot spring pool, balancing the richness of the filling just right, revealing lightness within the fullness.
"It's as if soaking into a hot spring just when the weather has turned cool; it is simply too wonderful!"
A layer of redness surfaced on Okabe's face. As the cuisine entered his belly, his body felt a faint warmth; this feeling made him exceptionally satisfied.
"How was it? Examiner Okabe, has my cooking passed this transfer student assessment?"
Looking at the youth revealing an intoxicated expression, the corners of Alice Nakiri's mouth raised slightly. Immediately, she pressed her body forward, hands on her hips, posing a look of 'If you're convinced, then hurry up and pass me'.
"It is indeed a very decent dish. The molecular gastronomy techniques were applied very cleverly. Not to show off skills, but practically serving the flavor and texture."
"At the same time, you used agar to extract and solidify the purest flavor and color of spinach to make a skylight. It is both a visual embellishment and a buffer and connection for the sense of taste."
"The processing of the bacon avoided excessive greasiness. Incorporating it in the form of Garlic Butter Sauce, the pairing with the Thermal Spring Egg can be called classic yet carries personal ingenuity..."
Ignoring Alice Nakiri's emotionally high-spirited "forced palace", Okabe closed his eyes to savor the aftertaste in his mouth, slowly speaking his evaluation of this dish.
A considerably creative appetizer.
"Passed."
Looking at the personal profile placed aside by Alice Nakiri, Okabe signed his big name in the 'Passed' column, announcing that she had passed this assessment.
"Alright!"
Hearing Okabe's words, Alice Nakiri raised both hands high, revealing an excited expression.
Looking at her expression, Okabe asked in confusion: "Is there a need to be so excited? It's just passing a cooking assessment that you were bound to pass. With your strength, there was fundamentally no possibility of failure."
"There is! Three years of hard work finally seen by you; this is inherently a matter worth celebrating! How was my cooking? Compared to when I left three years ago?"
Alice Nakiri came back to her senses, quickly taking a few steps forward, looking at Okabe with a fervent expression.
Okabe did not avoid her gaze. After thinking seriously for a moment, he answered: "It's not just maturity in technique. What's more rare is... you have begun to understand how to make creativity serve deliciousness itself."
"The you from three years ago would probably have made more dazzling, more complex molecular cuisine."
"But this Emerald Thermal Spring Egg right now... I can taste that every step you took was for the harmony of taste and texture."
"This is even more rare than simple piling up of techniques."
Compared to constantly adding high-end techniques into cooking, making the taste and texture harmonious was obviously more difficult.
Probably the difference between addition and multiplication.
"For three years, I haven't dared to slack off for a single day, deeply afraid of being left far behind by you guys training at Ryōzanpaku."
"Speaking honestly, Okabe-kun, do you think with my current level, I can defeat Erina?"
While speaking, Alice Nakiri looked at Okabe, her eyes carrying some unclear meaning.
Okabe noticed her look, turned his head, and laughed it off: "It's hard to judge with just one dish. Besides, stuff like competitions depends heavily on on-the-spot performance. One can only know after a real contest!"
"I understand. Looks like I still have to continue working hard."
Hearing Okabe's implicit expression, Alice Nakiri already had the answer in her heart.
"Then, to celebrate me passing the transfer student assessment today, shouldn't you show some appreciation?"
Suddenly, as if thinking of something, Alice Nakiri hugged Okabe's arm, pressing her full curves against it, her eyes filled with a coquettish meaning.
"How do you want to celebrate?"
Feeling the softness tightly pressing against him due to the squeeze on his arm, Okabe immediately felt somewhat restless, sighing with emotion in his heart that this little girl had developed quite well these past few years.
Although she looked like a small one, underneath her clothes, she was exceptionally well-endowed—the kind one could clearly feel!
"Let's sing! I didn't go to Karaoke much in Denmark. Running between home and the lab every day, I had absolutely no social life. I was about to die of loneliness."
Not noticing Okabe's abnormality, Alice Nakiri spoke on her own, a pitiful expression appearing on her face.
"Then let's go to Karaoke. I'll keep you company until whatever time you want to sing!"
Looking at the girl's pitiful appearance, Okabe also felt some emotion in his heart. So he reached out to hold her hand, deciding to accompany her to have a good romp today.
"Really?"
"Really! After singing, we'll go for a massage and spend the night at a foot bath shop. Wait until the next day to wake up and go back; at that time, I'll take you to familiarize yourself with the Tōtsuki environment."
Although she didn't know what a foot bath was, Alice Nakiri trusted Okabe unconditionally. Hearing that the other party was willing to play with her, the smile on her face never broke.
"Okay! Let's set off now!"
"Set off!"
_____
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