[Triggered Quest]: Autumn Elections
[Triggered Stage Quest ⑤]: Finals! We Are the Champions!
[Quest Description]: After overcoming all obstacles, you have successfully reached the finals. Who will be the biggest dark horse? The outcome of this match will reveal the answer!
[Quest Requirement]: Defeat Lei Yuxing with your cooking.
[Quest Reward]: Gourmet Manor (Can be upgraded with Reputation Points)
[Gourmet Manor]: A spatial treasure, with its own internal dimension, totaling one hundred square meters of space, divided into a farm and a ranch, allowing for agricultural planting and livestock development.
Note: Planting and livestock in the Gourmet Manor are not affected by seasons or environment. Animals and plants cultivated have a certain probability of undergoing beneficial mutations. Animals and plants that undergo beneficial mutations will be more delicious and more nutritious than ordinary ones.
Of course, there is also a small probability of unstable mutations occurring, and consuming animals and plants with unstable mutations will produce unknown effects.
"Are we just leaving like this?"
"Yes, there's nothing more to see. For the next three days, I plan to go out for research and observation. I need to go back and pack my things now; I'm leaving immediately."
"Leaving Far Moon?"
Alice Nakiri tilted her head, looking a bit confused.
"Yes, I'm going to visit some famous shops in Japan and taste their signature dishes. I've already gotten the list from Erina; those are delicacies certified by the God Tongue."
Lei Yuxing's strength was unfathomable. To be honest, Hoshino Sora wasn't confident of victory, but he wanted to win, and he had to win, for that generous quest reward!
This was also the main reason he left during the competition, because he felt pressure, immense pressure!
"Then I'll go with you. I can tell you any news immediately."
"That's not impossible."
Looking at Alice Nakiri's earnest gaze, Hoshino Sora readily agreed. Anyway, he grew stronger by eating dishes, and he wasn't afraid of having a small accessory by his side.
Of course, the key was that when a girl looked at you with such eyes, you simply couldn't refuse!
"Then does your promise to cook for me tonight still count?"
"Of course it counts."
Seeing Alice Nakiri's cautious expression, afraid of making a mistake, the string in Hoshino Sora's heart suddenly loosened, and his expression softened.
"Then let's go buy ingredients now."
"Alright, you can eat anything you want~"
— — — — — — — — — —
After buying the necessary ingredients at the market, they arrived at Alice Nakiri's house in the evening. It must be said that the Nakitiri Family was truly extravagant; Erina lived in a detached manor, and Alice lived in a high-rise villa.
"How about it, do these clothes look good?"
With a confident look, she spun around in front of Hoshino Sora. Looking at his handsome face, Alice's heart rate slightly accelerated, but she didn't show it.
"A feast for the eyes, just looking at it makes one's appetite double!"
"That's what you say, but your eyes really can't leave my legs, pervert~ Are you that excited being stared at by me with such an expression?"
She looked at Hoshino Sora with disdain. Although she didn't know why this guy suddenly became so charming, his inner self really hadn't changed!
With her hands on her hips and chest puffed out, seeing Hoshino Sora so excited by her slightly raised stockinged foot, like a puppy seeing a bone, she somehow felt a sense of relief.
"Come on, release your desires to your heart's content."
"Can I?"
Looking at the black-stockinged foot just two centimeters from his nose, a faint scent of leather filled his nostrils. Hoshino Sora was extremely excited, his hand hovering in mid-air, unsure whether to grab it or not.
"We're already boyfriend and girlfriend, so going a step further shouldn't be a problem."
Alice Nakiri said, her face flushed. She was already prepared for her little feet to be tormented all night.
"Then I won't be polite!?"
— — — — — — — — — —
The night was long, and many things could happen.
It actually turned out like this…
Looking at Hoshino Sora sleeping beside her, Alice Nakiri's expression was slightly complex. Scattered underwear lay on the floor, and the two of them lay on the bed.
Her original intention was just to tease his feet; wasn't this guy only into feet? And his combat power was too terrifying, her waist was so sore…
Thinking of Hoshino Sora's insatiable expression last night, should she really drag Erina into this too?
After this battle, Alice Nakiri completely gave up the idea of monopolizing Hoshino Sora. This guy was simply not human!
If he hadn't taken pity on her at the end, she probably wouldn't even be able to walk today. But in this situation, getting out of bed should…
"Hiss, what an animal!"
Taking a sharp breath, Alice Nakiri couldn't help but curse, then found herself lifted into the air. In her confusion, she looked up.
"Who are you cursing? You were the one who wanted to show off."
"At first, you clearly said only feet…"
Being retorted by Hoshino Sora, Alice Nakiri puffed out her cheeks and complained.
"You never said that. You said going a step further was fine. Anyway, no matter what, the deed is done now, there's no going back."
Hoshino Sora said smugly.
"Bully!"
"I'm just bullying you."
Looking at Alice Nakiri, who was acting like a young girl, Hoshino Sora couldn't help but retort.
"Hmph, don't you still need to pack your things? After breakfast, go back to Yōbi Dormitory to pack. Meet me here at twelve noon."
"Okay, but you smell so good."
"Don't smell me! Pervert."
— — — — — — — — — —
"Is there any movement from China?"
In the darkness, a tall man spoke to the casually dressed man beside him.
"Currently, apart from those juniors, we haven't heard of any famous Chinese chefs traveling to Japan. Is this place being used to confuse us? How could Chinese cooking utensils possibly appear in this island nation?"
"I think your guess is pretty close. Then, withdraw some personnel back to China. Leave three main forces here. It should be fine to make you the temporary leader, right? However, we've been extremely short-staffed in recent years. While you're in Japan, you can look for talented chefs in Japan. Recruiting even one will count as your achievement."
Pinching his chin, the person in the shadow pondered for a moment, making a difficult decision. They were currently in a stage of extreme manpower shortage, wishing they could split one person into two.
"Teacher, I remember there's also a Dark Cuisine World in Japan, right? Aren't they part of our organization?"
Lixin asked in confusion. Before coming, he had heard that there was also a Dark Cuisine World in Japan. At the time, he thought it was a branch of the Chinese Dark Cuisine World, but… it seemed that wasn't the case now.
"They're just a bunch of immature guys who can't achieve much. They think highly of themselves but don't realize they're frogs in a well; they'll fall to ruin sooner or later."
When the Japanese Dark Cuisine World was mentioned, the man Lixin called 'Teacher' subtly showed a hint of anger on his face, but he still suppressed himself and explained softly.
"Oh…"
Hearing his master say that, Lixin drew out a long sound, deep in thought, and did not press further.
You need to pay more attention yourself. There are many skilled chefs here in Neon. You should try to keep a low profile.
Don't worry, don't you know my personality?
Lixin said with a flattering smile.
It's precisely because I know too well that I worry!
——————
Hoshino-kun, what are you doing...?
Seeing Hoshino Sora carrying large and small bags out of his room, Shinohiru, who had just left her room at the stairwell to go to the restroom, was stunned. She immediately went forward with a worried expression to ask.
What's going on? Why is he leaving with his luggage? Could it be that he did something wrong and got expelled?
If that's the case, how could she ask him?
I'm going on a short trip for a few days to visit top restaurants across Neon. Don't worry too much, I'll definitely be back before the finals.
After careful selection, Hoshino Sora found ten well-known restaurants in Neon, which Erina also praised, and made reservations. Three days to visit ten restaurants was ample time.
Traveling? And before the finals! Hoshino, are you crazy?
Before Shinohiru could speak, Mito Ikumi, from room 306 next to Shinohiru's, burst out.
She heard a commotion at the door just now, and when she listened closely, it turned out that Hoshino Sora, this idiot, was going on a trip right before the crucial finals!?
Don't keep your nerves so tense. Relaxing appropriately is also a good choice.
Hiratsuka Shizuka also came up from downstairs after hearing the commotion. After understanding the full story, she agreed with Hoshino Sora's idea.
But, the finals are in two days, traveling at this time...
Mito Ikumi wanted to say something more, but the sound of a door opening came from behind her again. Mashiro gently patted her shoulder, telling her to move aside, and then walked up to Hoshino Sora.
Sora, good luck. I'll be there to watch the finals.
Holding Hoshino Sora's hand, Mashiro said sincerely. She had been cooped up in Yōbi Dormitory researching cooking during this time, so this was actually her first time actively showing her face.
Yes, I will do my best to win the competition!
He nodded seriously, his face showing a determined expression. His gaze swept around, looking at the familiar and concerned faces, and Hoshino Sora said firmly.
The theme is 'Autumn's Seasonal Fruits,' an extremely rare and special topic. In the Autumn Elections of the past five years, this is the first time it has been chosen as the theme for the finals.
Last year was saury, the year before last was autumn vegetables, and the year before that was...
The moment he learned of this theme, Hoshino Sora immediately thought of pineapple fried rice. He even bought a pineapple at the fruit stand that very night, and that's what he ate last night.
The taste, surprisingly good.
There was nothing wrong with choosing this as his entry, as it fit the theme well. But Hoshino Sora knew that he couldn't win against Lei Yuxing with just this one dish of pineapple fried rice.
Therefore, Hoshino Sora did not want to stop thinking for a single moment before the competition began, nor did he want to lose because he stopped thinking.
Here, here.
Leaving Yōbi Dormitory, Hoshino Sora rushed to Alice Nakiri's side without stopping. At this moment, Alice had already prepared the car outside the mansion. Before he could enter, she poked her head out of the car first and greeted him enthusiastically.
You're really fast.
Looking at Alice Nakiri in the car, Hoshino Sora couldn't help but exclaim. After putting his luggage away, he opened the other car door and sat down beside her.
The first restaurant we'll go to is 'Tianhua.' It's located in Tokyo, about ten kilometers from here.
This is a dessert shop, right? Are you planning to make fruit dishes into desserts?
Hard to say. Anyway, seeing one more restaurant gives me one more option. Let's just go and see for now.
Shaking his head, Hoshino Sora still had no idea what dish he wanted to make. Going to these restaurants was just to find inspiration and to learn from the experience of those seasoned chefs.
Relying on his Chef's Heart.
With a press of the accelerator, the car instantly shot forward. Closing his eyes and enjoying the G-force, having such a car for a trip really saved a lot of trouble.
According to today's route, let's stay at this hotel tonight. I heard their buffet tastes great; we can try it then.
Holding an iPad and checking the map, Alice tilted her head and asked Hoshino Sora for his opinion.
I'll leave it all to you to arrange.
In response, Hoshino Sora chose to be a hands-off manager.
Then I'll handle all the logistics.
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, Alice rolled up her sleeves and said seriously, her eyes full of fighting spirit.
Okay, I'll leave it to you!
Seeing the spirited Alice Nakiri, Hoshino Sora couldn't help but smile. Indeed, behind every successful man is a woman who silently supports him.
Of course, he had more than one. Perhaps that's why he was so successful.
——————
Time flowed, and three days passed quietly. Starting from Tokyo, Hoshino Sora successively arrived in Osaka, Yokohama, Nagoya, Kobe, and other places, tasting delicacies that were considered top-tier in the industry.
However...
None of the dishes served by any restaurant exceeded the Silver rank. Even in 'Kobe Tenwa,' the restaurant with the highest quality of dishes, even the side dishes reached Silver (Superior), but the steak, which was the main course, was also only Silver (Superior).
Thinking back carefully, the dishes served by the Far Moon graduates at the graduation banquet back then also seemed to be all Silver. Silver and Gold, it seems there's a deep and long chasm between the two.
Hard to cross.
If Mao Jinyu hadn't once served a Gold-level boiled fish, he might have thought that Silver was the pinnacle that the culinary world could currently reach.
It was laughable that at the time he thought it was just a dish one level higher than Silver. Now it seems he was short-sighted; that was a complete class-level leap!
On the last night before the finals, Hoshino Sora stayed in his room, leaning back in a chair, contemplating the dish he wanted to make. After this period of on-site research, countless ideas had formed in his mind.
During this period of travel and eating, he found that many restaurants' signature dishes used seasonal fruits, and the taste was also very good, but...
If he were to use these to compete, Hoshino Sora always felt something was missing, so he kept hesitating. During this time, he also used the Recipe Encyclopedia for a lot of simulations, trying countless combinations, but he never got a satisfactory result.
Come out and eat quickly. The hotel offers a buffet, and it closes at nine.
Got it.
Looking at Alice Nakiri, who had opened the door and was waiting for him, Hoshino Sora responded and got up. He didn't have much expectation for the hotel's buffet, as the average level was Silver (Inferior).
However, Hoshino Sora quickly retracted that statement, because he found a very interesting dish in the dessert section.
This might work. If I apply Molecular Cuisine techniques...
His eyes gleamed with a fervent light. Looking at the lifelike elk made of fruit in front of him, a flash of inspiration struck Hoshino Sora's mind, and he finally decided on the dish he would make.
Without hesitation, he immediately turned around and searched for Alice Nakiri in the restaurant. He then spotted a familiar figure in the crowd; she was currently watching the dance performance in the center of the hotel.
Her expression looked very happy.
Let's go. Let the driver take us back.
Ah? Okay!
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, Alice Nakiri was first stunned, then immediately pulled out her phone and called the driver.
Done. Let's wait in our car.
After a simple phone call with the driver, Alice turned to Hoshino Sora and said. The entire process was without any questions, and her efficiency was shockingly high.
If Alice were to become a secretary in the future, she would definitely be the most thoughtful one.
Sitting in the car, the driver also rushed down from upstairs. The car then started, and feeling the strong acceleration, Hoshino Sora sincerely praised Alice.
Then I'll be your secretary in the future.
Alice Nakiri said playfully after hearing the compliment. Knowing that she had indeed helped Hoshino Sora, she was overjoyed, to the point of extreme delight.
Speaking of which, what dish are you planning to make tomorrow?
Molecular Cuisine!
Huh?
——————
Thank you all for waiting. The Autumn Elections finals, now please welcome our two contestants to the stage.
This year really has been full of upsets. Not only is there a contestant from Huaxia Min Academy in the finals, but that transfer student who only came here less than half a year ago is also in the finals.
Isn't that right? But it proves that he really has the strength to back up those words, but it's still so annoying!
Genius is truly detestable!
As Kawashima Rei's voice echoed through the venue, in the audience, the Far Moon student section erupted in heated discussion, but it went unnoticed by most.
After all, Tsukiten Space gathered social elites, and Far Moon students only made up a very small portion of them. The sounds of their discussion were quickly drowned out by others.
First to enter is Chef Lei Yuxing, from Huaxia Min Academy, who has advanced to the finals with an overwhelming presence.
Next up is the inheritor of Neon Sichuan Cuisine, Hoshino Sora.
The inheritor of Neon Sichuan Cuisine? I don't like that title.
Hearing the nickname Kawashima Rei gave him, Hoshino Sora's expression was speechless. He had never claimed to be an inheritor of Sichuan Cuisine; that guy really knew how to put a big label on him.
Inheritor, Hoshino Sora knew the weight of those three words.
His gaze fixed on Lei Yuxing, who was directly facing him. The latter was uncharacteristically not playing his game console. Seeing this, Hoshino Sora's heart sank; he actually hoped the other party would underestimate him.
As Hoshino Sora and Lei Yuxing entered, dazzling beams of light fell from the top of the building, illuminating them both. The atmosphere on site also became even more fervent at this moment.
It's worth mentioning that the number of people watching the finals was more than double the number who watched the semifinals. This also led to Tsukiten Space being completely full, with some even standing to watch the competition.
Then, let the Autumn Elections finals begin!
First, let me introduce today's judges.
Holding the microphone, as another beam of light fell, Isshiki Satoshi's figure appeared before everyone, generous and confident, though he was wearing clothes.
Erina Nakiri and Eizan Etsuya stood behind him, letting out a sigh of relief. It was finally the last moment.
First, the Chief Judge, His Excellency Nakitiri Senzaemon, the Academy Director!
The top of the Tourism Department, Senior Dojima Gin, the Head Chef of Yuanyue Resort!
And also, from the Far Moon Academy Research Department, the top of Eri Nai International, Her Excellency Leonora Nakiri!
Looking at the person in front of him who resembled Alice Nakiri by eight or nine parts, Hoshino Sora instantly realized that this was his mother-in-law: white hair, red eyes, and a married woman!
What a beautiful person she is. No wonder Alice grew up to be so beautiful.
Oh, Mother?
Seeing Leonora Nakiri appear in the judge's seat, Alice Nakiri's expression was clearly surprised. She raised her hand to cover her mouth, seemingly unexpected that her mother would be here.
Her Excellency Leonora Nakiri is the supreme leader of Eri Nai International, an academic institution that uses the latest science to research gastronomy and Molecular Cuisine. Please greet everyone.
Isshiki Satoshi said, then handed the microphone to Leonora Nakiri and stood by her side.
He... hello everyone, I am Leonora Nakiri. I currently live in Denmark. Judging feels very difficult, but I will do my best.
Speaking in very broken Japanese, Leonora Nakiri spoke her greeting awkwardly, her eyes becoming somewhat dazed and cute at that moment.
Really, if you were coming to Neon, you should have told me first, Mother!
Wait, Alice, this area is restricted to non-staff.
Stopping Alice Nakiri, who had suddenly rushed onto the stage, Erina said speechlessly. Could this person wait to chat until they got back? This was the Autumn Elections finals!
Oh, Alice, good day.
And Erina too, good day. You're still the same, always flaring up at the slightest provocation.
That's all thanks to your precious daughter!
Looking at Alice Nakiri and Leonora Nakiri, who both showed expressions of 'I knew it,' Erina felt a surge of anger. Should she say they were truly mother and daughter?
Their ways of annoying people were surprisingly similar.
Then let's start the competition now. I hope you can present dishes that satisfy me. If it's not delicious, I will get angry, you know.
After a playful exchange of greetings, Leonora Nakiri's aura suddenly changed. Her gaze turned to Hoshino Sora, who was closest to her, and she said with a forced smile.
Mother!
Seeing her mother putting pressure on her boyfriend, Alice Nakiri cried out in dissatisfaction, and then was forcibly dragged away from the judge's table by Erina.
"Then... let the cooking begin!"
Nakitiri Senzaemon, holding a microphone and seeing the two ready, stood up and waved his hand down forcefully.
A crisp gong sounded all around.
The Autumn Elections finals officially opened!
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What do you think the main character will do next? 👀 There's only one way to find out — the new chapter is up on Patreon! [patreon.com/TripleCrown07]