Ch. 8 ~ A Victory for Devotion
Kamira: — Now then. It seems both of them are finished, so let's move on to the judging~
Kamira: To start with, let's ask in detail about each dish!
Sheshe first, please!
Xue: Hmph... My dish is the traditional Chinese "hotpot"!
It's something Hikari has had at the dorm, as well.
Hikari: I knew as soon as I saw it.
But today there are so many ingredients! It's waaay more extravagant than usual!
Kamira: That's true, pork and shrimp and stuff, there's so much~
Xue: Hotpot is a simple dish that just involves boiling the ingredients,
but there's a trick to making it taste good with a lot of herbs and spices.
Xue: No matter how nutritious it is, you can't keep eating something that tastes bad. I have fed Hikari and the others several times, so I can guarantee it will suit the Japanese palate!
Iroha: You have strong competition, Mito-chan...!
Kamira: Good, good.
Xue, our first competitor, has plenty of enthusiasm. Moving on, let us ask about our other competitor, Mito's, dish!
Mito: "My dish is... Japanese home cooking, 'nikujaga.'
Mito: However, this time, I have attempted a variation using grated daikon and yuzu."
Hikari: For real, the grated daikon, it looks like piled up snow, it's kinda cute!
It smells good...
Mito: "The grated daikon soaks up the dashi and entwines with the other ingredients, improving their flavor.
However, that is not all. It assists with digestion and is good for your health"
Xue: Hmm... Combining both nutrition and flavor, huh?
It seems you were thinking something similar.
Mito: "Indeed.
Mito: — Xue"
Xue: What's up?
Mito: "Thank you for earlier... My eyes are opened.
Your words, they lit a fire in my heart that had run out of gas..."
Xue: What are you talking about?
And stop it with the corny expressions...
Mito: "You told me not to hold back. I was glad to have been accepted as your rival.
Mito: That's why I also responded with my serious cooking"
Xue: ...
Xue: Good, then. Let's decide it here.
Kamira: Okay, we've gathered the food! Us three will be acting as the judges!
Let's get to the food judging~!
Hikari: ... Phew, that was so good~!
Kamira: Yeah, yeah, seriously, both were so good!
Anyways, let's hear the judges' impressions of the taste.
Iroha: For the nikujaga, after becoming used to the sweet and salty taste of the meat, the grated daikon put in good work.
The flavoring also has Mito-chan's gentleness, so I could eat it forever.
Iroha: Xue-chan's hotpot has a lot of stimuli, but with the spice increasing your appetite, it has an extra addictive flavor...!
Kamira: As expected of our judge, Iroha, she's good at giving food reports!
But~ I feel the same~
Kamira: I don't really eat hotpot much, but I'm seriously addicted now...
Not just the seasonings, the flavor of the seafood and the meat is the best~!
Kamira: I also get wanting to eat Mitorin's nikujaga forever~
Both of their dishes earn full points on nutrition, but it's hilarious how the strength of their flavors is totally opposite.
Iroha: What did you think, Hikari-chan?
Hikari: Xue's was spicy and delicious!
Mito-chan's was warm and delicious! Like that!
Xue: So, who wins?
Kamira: Sheshe, you rush through life too much.
Kamira: Well... It's hard to decide, but~ ... Let's move on to the judgement!
Kamira: Starting from myself... Ahem.
Kamira: ... One vote for Sheshe!
Iroha: I'll put one vote for Mito-chan!!
Mito: "...!"
Hikari: Ehh!?
You two can decide that quickly...?
Iroha: Both were really tasty, so I had trouble, but...!
A comfortable flavor is good, after all.
Hikari: Eh...!?
That means, my vote will decide who wins...?
Xue: Yep.
Hikari: Eh...!
Hikari: Eh...
Hikari: ..............................
Kamira: Hikarin is seriously worrying about this.
Iroha: I get how she feels, though...!
Hikari-chan's vote will decide this...!
Hikari: ............ Ugh.
Mito: "No need to hold back.
You should just choose whichever one you think tasted good, Hikari."
Xue: That's right! Don't assume how we feel.
Hikari: ............ Uuuuuu\~\~\~\~\~\~.
Iroha: Hikari-chan, you can do it!
Kamira: You can do it...!
Settle it, Hikarin!
Xue/Mito: ...............
Hikari: —— c, Ca.
Kamira: Ca?
Hikari: I can't decide......!
Xue: Hah...?
That's why I said, no need to hold...
Hikari: I really can't decide!
I really, really... Which one's better... I can't decide...
Hikari: Xue's hot pot isn't just tasty. It warms you up when you eat it.
You can tell she's always thinking about everyone at Gingaza.
Hikari: But Mito-chan's nikujaga, too, doesn't lose at all.
It has a gentle flavor, like she's usually thinking about someone while making it...
Hikari: I don't want to put people's feelings for others into something you win or lose.
Xue: .........
Mito: Hikari... chan.
Hikari: So then, this contest, can we call it a draw?
Kamira: I see... If you put it like that, that's true.
It's the same, how both of them are always cooking for others.
Iroha: It's tasteless to decide whose feelings are superior, is what you mean.
Hikari: Can't we?
Xue...
Xue: ... Haah.
Xue: Got it. I'm not really satisfied, but I get what you want to say.
Hikari: — It's okay!? Xue, thank you...!
Hikari: Sorry, I said something careless earlier...
Xue: It's fine. The contest is already over, yeah?
I'm eating.
Xue: Shiromaru, I'll take some of your nikujaga, too.
Mito: O, okay...!
Mito: Mito also wants to eat Xue-chan's hotpot!
Xue: Of course. I made it, after all.
There's no way you won't eat it.
Mito: Yeah... I'm glad!
I'll eat a lot!
Iroha: In the end, it was a victory for devotion.
Mito: Yeah...
Mito: Ah... But...
I'm happy Iroha-chan put in a vote for Mito.
Iroha: Eheheh.
Of course, that's actually how I feel. I love Mito-chan's cooking, after all!
Mito: Iroha-chan...
Mito: Thank you.
Kamir: Maan, but really, thanks to Hikarin, it was settled with a satisfying ending.
Hikari: In that case, can I have seconds...?
I've been holding back soooo much since earlier...
Xue: Even though you ate so much fried rice!?
Xue: Shiromaru and I come first. You go wait.
Hikari: Ugh... I wanna eat, lemme eeat.
Xue: Haah...
We might get bitten if we take our time.
Mito: Ahaha...
That's how much Hikari-chan likes Xue-chan's cooking.
Xue: If you're going to say that, then it applies to your cooking, too.
Mito: Ehehe.
Mito: Xue-chan, thank you for competing with me today.
Xue: What's this all of a sudden?
I thought you didn't like it?
Mito: I was a bit surprised, but...
Thanks to Xue-chan, Mito has come to enjoy cooking a bit more.
Xue: ... Hmph.
Today ended in a draw, but I'll win next time.
Mito: Mhm.
Mito will also keep training her skills.
Hikari: Ooooii~ Hurry up, you two~!
Mito: Okaaay.