"Begin!" As the trio announced the start of the competition, the timer began ticking, and Chinatsu and Shido immediately walked toward the dazzling array of ingredients.
Besides the core ingredients—sea bream, white radish, cucumber, and herb lemon—the surrounding area was stocked with a large number of supplementary ingredients available for the contestants to use freely and add their personal flair.
(... I must win this round splendidly, suppressing him with absolute technical skill, but... I cannot exceed common sense too much.)
Chinatsu's gaze quickly scanned the ingredient area, her mind working rapidly.
(If I show absolutely no interest in Shido, making him completely unable to conquer me, it might attract Takamiya Mio. She is the final major boss, and I definitely cannot provoke her now.)
(So, right now, I will act as a proud and calm culinary girl, giving Shido a seemingly conquerable chance. Hmm, rational cuisine versus heartfelt cuisine seems like a good dynamic. For the first round, "Rationality" will take the win.)
She locked onto a few targets: a small jar of extremely high-quality salmon roe, used to add a layer of texture with bursting umami; some fresh wasabi root, whose freshly ground flavor far surpassed tube-paste horseradish; and a small bundle of elegantly shaped watercress, which could serve as a garnish and add a subtle hint of piquancy.
Simultaneously, Shido was also thinking seriously. He thought of everyone's happy smiles when they ate delicious food.
He needed to create a dish that made everyone feel happy and refreshed. His gaze fell upon the mandarin oranges. Perhaps he could extract the juice to add a touch of citrusy, refreshing sweet-and-sour flavor?
He also saw some white sesame seeds; grinding them after toasting would enhance the aroma. And there were young ginger shoots, a beautiful pale pink color, which were crisp and could neutralize the slight fishiness of the sashimi.
"Go, Younger Sister Chinatsu! Conquer those ingredients with your beauty!" This was the completely unhelpful cheer from Tonomachi Hiroto.
"Itsuka! Show us your manly spirit!" These were the jeers from some of the boys.
"Classmate Hōōin is so calm; she looks completely confident!"
"Classmate Shido is also very seriously choosing his ingredients!" This was the discussion among the regular audience members.
The trio, meanwhile, was providing "live commentary" on the side:
"Oh, oh! Phoenix Court Contestant has made the first move! Her target is the high-grade salmon roe! What precise vision!" "Itsuka Contestant seems to have taken an interest in citrus fruits! How will he use them?"
On the judges' panel, Miss Tama was beaming with satisfaction: "Both classmates are taking this very seriously. That's wonderful..."
Tobiichi Origami was calmly analyzing: "Phoenix-in Chinatsu's target ingredients focus more on precisely elevating the overall flavor. Itsuka Shido leans toward incorporating gentle, supportive flavors."
Murasame Reine looked slightly sleepy: "... The sodium glutamate content of the salmon roe... the ratio of fructose and citric acid in the mandarin orange..."
Only Tonomachi Hiroto believed firmly: "Whatever Younger Sister Chinatsu chooses is the best!"
Just as Chinatsu reached out to take the bundle of vibrant green watercress, another hand reached for it almost simultaneously—it was Shido. He also seemed to feel that the refreshing quality of the watercress suited his concept.
The fingertips of the two unexpectedly touched the cool, slender vegetable stalks at the same moment.
!?
Shido's palm, warm and slightly rough, inadvertently covered the back of Chinatsu's hand, which was fair, slender, and seemingly sculpted with care.
A jolt, like an electric shock, passed between them!
"Ah...!" A short, soft gasp involuntarily escaped Chinatsu's throat. She snatched her hand back with astonishing speed, as if she had been burned.
Shido reacted instantly as well, withdrawing his hand quickly as if he had touched a red-hot iron, and his cheeks immediately flushed scarlet. He stammered out a hasty apology:
"Ah! I—I'm terribly sorry! Classmate Hōōin! I didn't notice! Please, you go first! Use it!" He even instinctively took half a step back, looking flustered.
(!)
Chinatsu's heart skipped a beat, followed immediately by a wave of annoyance.
(... What was that 'Ah' just now?! And that speed of retraction... That was too feminine, Koushi Hōoin! Where is your masculine demeanor?!)
She forced herself to remain calm, maintaining her icy expression, though her earlobes were faintly pink. She nodded slightly at Shido and spoke in the most neutral tone possible:
"... It's nothing. Please go ahead." But she herself turned around and quickly walked toward the wasabi root area on the other side, acting as if nothing had happened.
(...) Shido watched Chinatsu's slender figure quickly walk away, then looked down at the fingers that had just touched the back of her hand. The delicate, smooth, and cool-as-jade sensation seemed to linger, causing his heart to inexplicably beat faster.
(... Classmate Hōōin's hand... so small... so soft...) He quickly shook his head to banish the strange thought, picked up the bundle of watercress, but felt a little flustered inside.
This small incident naturally did not escape the eyes of the audience and the judges.
"Oh, oh, oh! Accidental contact!!" Yamabuki Ai yelled into the microphone.
"Data recorded: Sudden physical contact event. Both parties' reaction indices spiked." Yozakura Mai introduced the inappropriate content with a serious expression.
"Majikku! A scene of youth!" Fujibakama Mii's camera captured the moment precisely. A burst of ambiguous laughter and whispering erupted from the audience.
And on the judges' panel... Miss Tama (blushing): "Oh my, oh my... Young people certainly have energy..."
Tobiichi Origami (eyes narrowed slightly): "Accidental contact may lead to distraction, affecting operational precision. Observation is required."
Murasame Reine (calmly): "... Skin contact exchanges microbial flora..."
Tonomachi Hiroto (clutching his head and wailing): "Ahhh! Shido, you scoundrel! How dare you touch Younger Sister Chinatsu's sacred hand! Unforgivable!"
A small accident made the atmosphere of the duel even more subtle and heated.
Both of them composed themselves, quickly gathered the extra ingredients they needed, and headed to their respective cooking stations. The true technical competition was about to begin.
Both returned almost simultaneously to their spotless cooking stations, setting down the carefully selected supplementary ingredients. An invisible scent of gunpowder mixed with the fresh aroma of the ingredients permeated the air.
Chinatsu gently set down the jar of salmon roe, the wasabi root, and the vibrant green watercress she held, her posture elegant and composed. She crossed her arms over her chest, a movement that inadvertently accentuated a certain proud curve.
But she herself seemed completely unaware, merely lifting her chin slightly. The light of confidence and calmness shone in her ice-blue eyes as she spoke first, her cool voice clearly reaching everyone's ears:
"Classmate Itsuka, it seems both you and I understand that ultimate freshness is not achieved by the main ingredient alone."
She gestured toward the ingredients in front of her station.
"The bursting salinity and umami of the salmon roe instantly elevate the deliciousness of the sea bream; the spicy, not pungent, flavor of freshly grated wasabi is the true soulmate of sashimi, far superior to mass-produced paste; and the slight piquancy and vivid green of this watercress, whether mixed into a sauce or used as a final garnish, will infuse the dish with natural vitality and sophistication."
Her words were articulate and clear, as if stating scientific theorems; every choice was filled with undeniable rational consideration.
"My cuisine will be the perfect product of calculation and Understanding. From knife skills to seasoning, every step is the optimal solution. Are you ready?"
Faced with Chinatsu's declaration, which implied a technical crushing, Shido did not back down.
He put his hands on his hips, wearing his usual gentle smile, which was now unusually firm. He glanced at the mandarin orange, toasted white sesame seeds, and young ginger shoots he had chosen, and responded loudly:
"Classmate Hōōin, your choices are indeed impeccable, like a precision machine."
He first acknowledged his opponent, then changed the topic: "However, cooking is not about pursuing optimal parameters; it is about making people feel deliciousness and happiness!"
He picked up a golden-orange mandarin orange: "The sweet and sour flavor of the mandarin orange is gentler, bringing a feeling of warmth like sunlight, rather than the sharp acidity of a lemon."
He then pointed to the white sesame seeds and young ginger shoots: "Toasted white sesame seeds have a richer aroma, stimulating the appetite; the crispness and slight spiciness of the young ginger shoots can both remove fishiness and avoid overshadowing the main ingredient like wasabi does."
"My cuisine may not have as many 'optimal solutions,' but it will certainly be infused with the 'heart' that makes everyone smile! This 'heart' is my strongest weapon! I am ready too!"
Their gazes clashed in the air, one calm as ice, the other warm as fire. Their philosophies were completely different, yet both were filled with unquestionable conviction.
"Ooh, ooh, ooh! Pre-match declaration! The air is thick with tension!" Yamabuki Ai commented excitedly.
"Data comparison: Technical stream versus Heartfelt faction. Contradictory composition established." Yozakura Mai analyzed. "Majikku! Conflict of philosophies!" Fujibakama Mii took a photo.
And on the judges' panel... Miss Tama: "Wow... Both classmates have so much spirit! What they said makes a lot of sense!"
Tobiichi Origami: "Phoenix-in Chinatsu's logic is more rigorous. Itsuka Shido's viewpoint focuses more on the emotional feedback of the final consumer."
Murasame Reine: "... The nucleotides in the salmon roe and the inosinic acid in the sea bream will create a synergistic umami effect. The ratio of fructose and citric acid in the mandarin orange is indeed milder..."
Tonomachi Hiroto: "Younger Sister Chinatsu! Well said! Crush him with theory!"
The trio: "Let the final battle commence!"
The trash-talking segment concluded, and both parties turned, facing their cutting boards and stoves.
Round One, the Battle of "Knife Skills and Freshness," officially entered the practical phase!