183 Shirou, You Are a Good Person
Inside the erected tent, various seasonings and tools were laid out, and baskets were filled with fresh ingredients.
Erina took out the prepared ingredients from the small refrigerated cabinet that had been wheeled over, including basins of seasoned noodles. Then she took out a large piece of bacon. Her fair, jade-like hand gripped the slicing knife, her thumb pressed against the handle, and then the blade flashed. Slices of red, slightly white, glistening meat were stacked on a plate.
On Shirou's side, he took the washed onions, red peppers, green peppers, and garlic. One by one, they turned into flowing shadows under the knife. After the "dudu-du-du" sound stopped, purple, red, white, and green appeared on the cutting board, uniformly and beautifully cut into fine pieces, which were then placed into their respective basins.
His slender fingers picked up eggs one by one, tapping them lightly against two round bowls as if striking a musical note.
The eggshell cracked, and he separated it with other fingers, allowing the orange yolk to fall out, while the remaining egg white liquid was poured into another basin.
The performance of the two left the men and women of the Paris branch school stunned. They exclaimed:
"Wow, Erina's cooking skill is already so incredible, not like someone her age. And now this new boy, you can tell from his knife skills that he's no ordinary person. Is he a disciple of some famous chef, or an heir to a culinary family?"
"No, I've checked his file. He's actually here to perform Kyudo (Japanese archery)."
"Are all high school students who become chefs over there monsters?"
The reason for choosing to cook on-site here was precisely to attract attention. It was to raise guests' anticipation for the taste, much like common Teppanyaki or hand-pressed Sushi.
Some high-end restaurants with famous chefs would deliberately set up open kitchens, allowing guests to watch the performances of special skills, mastered after years of practice by the cooks, while waiting for their dishes, witnessing the process of ingredients transforming into delicacies.
For example, the noodle pulling technique for Dragon Beard Noodles is like a person dancing, with the noodles in their hands increasing in number, turning from one ring into countless strands. Initially, they could be used as a jump rope, but by the end, they are fine enough to pass through a needle.
Another example is knife skill demonstration, where a cleaver can slice, fillet, chop, dig, and peel. A single knife can also make the ingredients bloom with artistry.
Skills that come with practice are harmonious and natural in every movement. Because there are no superfluous actions, they look fluid. And because the speed of execution is fast, it brings an exciting visual entertainment effect, like juggling.
Shirou and Erina would complete the best dishes under the supervision of all guests.
Because the event was announced in advance, both of them had already completed the time-consuming preparation work, so they could cook relatively quickly now.
Erina was the first to finish a dish. She used a tray to place small plates of beautiful, round delicacies on the long white table in front of the stage.
The students immediately crowded around and asked, "Erina, can we eat it now?"
"Please, try the 'Eggs Benedict'!"
On the top layer was a poached egg, beneath it a slice of premium bacon with a red-to-yellow gradient color. Between the two layers was a spread of golden, powder-like fine granules of mullet roe, and at the bottom was an orange-yellow muffin. Finally, it was drizzled with egg-yolk-colored Hollandaise sauce.
Illuminated by the cooking station lights, it looked transparent and bright, gleaming on the pristine white small plate like a piece of jewelry art.
This was a Western dish that the girl specialized in, with a gorgeous appearance and exquisite deliciousness inside.
"Delicious! The half-cooked poached egg, with its pink and tender juice, is wonderful to eat with the muffin."
"As expected of Erina, it's truly delicious."
"Hmph, that's only natural," Erina replied with full confidence.
"Finished!" At this time, Shirou had also finished cutting and seasoning the ingredients and began operating the various cooking utensils.
On the sizzling griddle, which was smoking, he took the seasoned batter, scooped it up with a ladle, placed it on the griddle, and pressed it into a round disc shape. It immediately let out a "sizzle." With a gentle flip of the spatula, he turned it over. The formed dough skin was a beautiful dark yellow, and he spread fillings like black beans, red bean paste, dried shredded pork, and jam on the center.
The soft and sweet Dorayaki was complete. If he were to do a gacha pull now, he might get the Grand Robot Blue Raccoon.
"Oh, there are so many types over there."
"Please help yourselves," Shirou said.
"Mmm-hmm, whoa, it's hot, but it's delicious~!" A girl bit into the Dorayaki, which had just been placed on the plate, and said with narrowed eyes.
"What? Stealing my customers?" Erina cast a displeased glance at the boy's side.
At this moment, Shirou had already started making the next dish—Takoyaki.
He poured the seasoned batter into the specialized round molds, added diced octopus pieces, sprinkled on scallions and spices, then found the right angle and used a steel skewer to flip them. The round balls, which had turned a beautiful golden color, popped out of the molds.
Finally, the customers could choose to drizzle it with sauce, ketchup, salad dressing, seaweed, or bonito flakes.
"He's actually good! I won't lose either!" Erina's fighting spirit was ignited, and she began preparing her next dish.
Just then, the female headmistress of the Paris branch school walked over. She was a woman with dark brown hair neatly tied back in a bun, wearing glasses, and possessing a gentle and intellectual demeanor.
"Mmmm!!! " The dark-brown-haired headmistress's eyes immediately widened, flashing with colorful light. She opened her arms and exclaimed in admiration, "Shirou, that is truly delicious~!"
Shirou was caught off guard and was immediately hugged by the French headmistress. He smelled a unique and pleasant perfume, and then she pressed her cheek against his, accompanied by a loud "smack" sound from her mouth, and then did the same to the other cheek, issuing another "smack."
Then, the blonde girl wearing a white chef hat next to him received the same treatment, smack-smack!
"Erina, your dish is truly Chouette (beautiful)!"
The headmistress praised them enthusiastically.
"Mmmm—!!" The students all showed expressions of ecstasy.
Erina's dishes were refined and beautiful, offering both visual and gustatory enjoyment to the guests, while Shirou's side was a down-to-earth food stall with a wide variety of snacks, aiming to satisfy everyone's requests.
After that, with the strong support of the school, mobilizing everyone, they fully demonstrated the enthusiasm and sociability of the French people, promoting the gourmet event to their acquaintances. Furthermore, some people even delivered the flyer to the patients in the hospital who were suffering from the nightmare illness.
And so, the gourmet event officially began.
Early that morning, a man with severe dark circles under his eyes walked over. He was a nearby university student, a victim of the unexplained illness in Paris. Although he hadn't fallen into a coma like the others, he was plagued by terrifying nightmares.
In the dream, he inexplicably turned into a cactus-like monster and was thrown into a dark world where he had to fight with a group of monsters. If he didn't kill them, they would kill him.
He was a cactus monster with sharp spines covering his face and body with no blind spots. So, as long as he crashed into someone, even if he couldn't defeat the opponent, he could at least escape.
But in the end, he was either cut in half by a chainsaw or cleaved by an axe. Even though it was a dream, the terrifying, oppressive despair and the sickening bloodiness caused him to wake up every time with full-body convulsions and clothes soaked in cold sweat.
Even now, he still occasionally experiences the phantom pain of his body being split, as if his body had truly been broken once, leaving him cold and aching. Because of this, he had stubbornly stayed awake for over forty hours, knowing that as soon as he fell asleep, that world of brutal combat would be waiting for him again.
It was then that his landlord handed him a flyer.
What? A dish that satisfies the body and mind, heals the soul, and conquers nightmares.
He certainly wouldn't have believed such suspicious advertising. He would have thrown it away if it were any other time, but when he saw the phrase "conquers nightmares," he hesitated.
Since he couldn't sleep and was idle, he came here early in the morning without eating breakfast.
He saw that the stage had not yet started, and of the two tents, one had a "Preparation in Progress" sign, while the other had an Asian young man in a chef uniform and a red apron. Without much thought, he walked over.
"Do you have pan-fried toast with meat?" the man asked in a hoarse, low voice.
"What flavor do you like? You can also adjust the amount of meat and vegetables to your liking," Shirou asked, who had already learned some French through his Mystic Eyes.
"Oh, you can customize the flavor here? I actually like it a bit spicy, and pack in as much meat as you can!" the acne-faced man said.
"Understood." Shirou flipped the pancake, added three more patties grilled until golden brown, and placed them along with lettuce onto the pancake. Then he sprinkled on stir-fried sesame seeds, added chili sauce, plated it, and handed it over.
"Thank you," the man took the pan-fried toast sandwich, opened his mouth as wide as possible, and bit directly into the five-layered meat sandwich. The aroma of meat and wheat immediately filled his mouth. It was just so satisfying.
"This is it! Oh, this is the flavor I've been wanting to eat! This is so invigorating! One more, please." The man nodded repeatedly, extremely excited. He had always dreamed of eating such a satisfying dish.
Unfortunately, he couldn't buy it outside. If he were home, he could have asked his mom to make him one.
Now busy with studies and a part-time job, he was a solitary person who didn't get along with his roommates, so he moved out and had to work to pay the rent. Unless it was Christmas, it was hard to find a chance to go back.
"Certainly, please wait a moment." Shirou repeated the process and made another pan-fried toast with a hamburger patty, handing it to him.
After eating two super-sized portions, the man felt his stomach was full, and a certain empty feeling in his heart seemed lessened.
"Just donate what you think it's worth," Shirou pointed to a large money box placed in front.
Since the ingredients were provided by the school, they couldn't profit from them. The money would be donated in the name of the Paris branch school to support the city in overcoming this strange illness.
"Mmm." The man took out his wallet and, besides the large bills, put all the loose change inside.
"Wow, you're really passionate," Shirou said, looking at the man with dark circles in surprise.
"No, I'm just paying what I feel the meal was worth. Thank you, friend. I feel warm inside and much more relaxed. I will recommend this place to my acquaintances." The man said, waved his hand, and left.
In the dream world, from the transparent, ethereal hands reaching out from the sky, one of them loosened its grip at that moment. Merlin, who had been observing the boundary of the dream world, felt the change and nodded approvingly.
"Huh? My shoulder feels much lighter. Ha-ah. I feel like I could get a good night's sleep now," the man wondered, stretching his shoulder, yawning, and walking back to where he lived.
Because Erina's dishes were those that pursued a gorgeous appearance, they took more time, while Shirou's side was the most down-to-earth food stall, which allowed him to prepare things as he cooked.
Soon, another customer arrived.
"I actually want a flavor that's a bit sweet and sour. It's a unique flavor from my hometown," a girl with a Southern French accent, wearing a knitted hat and glasses, said somewhat shyly.
"If you can, please describe what that snack looks and tastes like, and I can try to recreate the flavor for you," Shirou nodded. So she was a girl who had left her hometown to study in the big city and was now missing the taste of home.
The girl tried to describe her hometown snack.
"Asparagus and lemon juice, huh? I think I know what that is. Leave it to me!" Shirou agreed. He fetched the washed ingredients, cut them on the cutting board, and seasoned them according to the flavor the girl described.
"Mmm, this is the taste! I'm so nostalgic. It would be perfect if it were a little sweeter. Please make me three portions." the girl requested.
"All right." Shirou quickly finished making the snack, put it in a plastic container, and handed it to the girl.
The girl took the dish, smiled happily, and said, "Thank you! With this, my boyfriend should feel more energetic."
"Eh? Wasn't this what you wanted to eat?" Shirou asked, confused.
"Actually, we're from the same hometown, but my boyfriend is the one who likes to eat this. I heard you were a chef specializing in various snacks, and I was worried you wouldn't be willing to help, so I disguised myself like this." The girl said, taking off her black-rimmed glasses.
There was none of the previous honest and shy feeling. She immediately pulled out a bill, stuffed it into the box, turned, and ran away. As she ran farther away, she waved her hand and shouted.
"Thank you, Chef! You're a good person. I'll help you promote it!"
"Sigh, is this what they call a girl in love?" Shirou sighed, shaking his head.
At this time, Erina also took down the "Preparation in Progress" sign. It was past nine o'clock, and the sun, high in the clear blue sky, shone upon the earth, bringing warmth to people. The gourmet event had officially begun.
Read ahead (60 chapters) by supporting me on buymeacoffee com/varietl or ko-fi edwriting