Gold Ship, for her part, readily agreed, and also pulled everyone from Spica along to sell... distribute.
In the Emperor's words, as a top Uma Musume training academy, the service provided when guests visit should also be top-notch.
Where else could you find an organizer that distributes food to the audience during a competition! ( )
Anyway, the academy would directly reimburse her with money, and besides, this entertainment competition also had a task to award PT.
There was also an extra task.
[Rig the competition to ensure Saint King Halo's team wins — 50wpt]
It was quite absurd, especially since their team's basic skills seemed quite solid, and they were qualified to compete with other teams without any rigging... Bang! A sudden loud noise startled everyone, especially Zero, who had returned to the host stand to co-host with Smart Falcon.
"Wow!!"
"Why?!"
Saint King Halo's team's pressure cooker exploded.
Fortunately, the two of them were doing something else on the other side at the time, which gave them a little reaction time. Otherwise, even an Uma Musume would have been seriously injured by the force of the pressure cooker explosion.
And each team had its own dedicated home economics classroom, so it didn't affect the other teams, but they were still startled.
In any case, Zero went over with security and medical personnel to take a look. Good heavens, the ceiling and stove were shattered by the exploded pressure cooker lid and body, and the ingredients were scattered all over the floor.
Looking at the ingredients, Zero roughly understood the cause of the explosion.
Perhaps they were too eager for success, and putting too many things in led to the pressure cooker exploding.
Everyone, please be careful when using a pressure cooker, okay? Things like exceeding its service life, putting too much in, or a damaged rubber ring on the outside are all very dangerous.
"Ahem, I apologize for the unexpected situation. The 'First-Class Taste' team has been disqualified due to an accident caused by improper operation." Zero relayed the results from the judging panel.
"Ugh... I'm so sorry, Saint King. It's all my fault for being too impatient..." Kawakami Princess apologized dejectedly.
"It's alright, as long as you're not hurt." Saint King Halo didn't blame her. In her opinion, she also had a responsibility for not noticing Kawakami Princess's actions. She hugged her and comforted her.
"Pukah!" Alice Digital, seeing this scene, let out a strange cry, gushed nosebleeds, and died on the judges' stand.
"I am truly sorry for this unexpected incident. Please allow us to handle the cleaning and repairs of the classroom." Saint King Halo, unlike her usual high-profile self, adopted a humble posture, which changed the minds of many who previously disliked their usual flamboyant demeanor.
After all, they weren't those kind of rogue villainous young ladies; they were the type who corrected their mistakes, so they would never be truly annoying.
The most detestable ones are those who know they made a mistake but stubbornly refuse to admit it and keep repeating it.
The situation here was also resolved, and the camera continued to shift to the other groups.
Among them, the first to finish was Bimyo Shisei's team with their Autumn Special Golden Broth Ramen.
When the dish was served to the judges' table, Alice Digital had also recovered.
"I see, a broth simmered with mountain delicacies and meat." The Emperor was also surprised, as most common Eclipse ramen broths are bone broth or bonito broth. A broth like this, simmered with meat and mountain delicacies, is more often used in clear hot pot.
The presentation of the entire bowl of ramen was also very appealing, especially after pouring in and stirring a small, specially prepared cluster of finely ground chili powder, which gave the golden broth a hint of fresh red, making it even more appetizing.
At the same time, a sour, yet very refreshing, aroma was detected.
"This is..."
"Yes, if you add the chili to this bowl of ramen, it's a sour and spicy flavor!" Bimyo Shisei confidently patted her chest.
"Sour and spicy, huh... interesting!" Oguri Cap grabbed her chopsticks and, picking up the noodles from beneath the toppings, began to slurp them down vigorously.
! This texture!
Different from the slightly firm texture of Japanese ramen, this chewy texture is... "It seems Senior Oguri Cap has noticed it too. Yes, this ramen is a technique Air Groove learned from a hidden gem of a ramen shop run by a ramen master from China!"
"This soup is amazing!" Chairman, next to her, even forgot his usual two-character prefix.
The seasoning of Japanese ramen soup is generally strong, so in most cases, people only eat the noodles and not drink the soup. Of course, it's not all like that; there are quite a few lighter ones that can be drunk directly, but most are heavily seasoned (at least the ones I've had, the soups generally can't be drunk directly).
But this ramen was different. It looked rich, but when a spoonful was scooped up and drunk, it felt surprisingly light. This was followed by the sweet freshness of mountain delicacies, then the savory taste of the seasoning, mixed with sour and spicy flavors. One mouthful was both appetizing and warming.
"An excellent ramen."
"You've opened my eyes. Even I can't find many flaws, but..." The Emperor first praised it, then added a twist.
"Now, may the judges please score this ramen." Smart Falcon, beside them, also prompted for scoring.
The final results were... Emperor: 3 points
Chairman: 5 points
Oguri Cap: 4 points
Alice Digital: 5 points
Hayakawa Tazuna: 4 points
"Oh oh oh oh! The very first dish started with a high score of 21 points! So, where does the President, who gave the lowest score, think the deductions for this dish are?"
"If I had to say, in terms of taste, it is absolutely a top-tier ramen. However, for me, who is infected by the lively atmosphere of the competition, what is needed at this moment is a dish that is also a bit heavier in taste, one that can make the fire in my heart burn even more fiercely, or a dish that is refreshing enough to quell this intense fire." The Emperor gave her evaluation.
"Ah, I was so focused on how to make it better that I didn't think of this. It's my mistake." Bimyo Shisei also realized the key point and apologized on the spot.
"It's alright. Even so, this is a sufficiently excellent dish, and you can be proud of it." Oguri Cap comforted her from the side.
"Also, tell me the location of that hidden gem of a shop later."
Ah, let's first mourn for the owner of that shop... Bimyo Shisei couldn't help but think.
"Heh heh, we naturally thought of that!" A voice that only a short person could make came from behind.
"Hey! Don't pretend to whisper into the microphone over there!" Tamamo Cross roared in anger.
"Alright, then the Kansai Edo team has now completed their dishes. Please bring them to the judges."
"Don't just skip the topic!"
In any case, the dishes served by Tamamo Cross and Inari One were indeed okonomiyaki and takoyaki.
The aroma of the batter and ingredients, along with a slight char, made everyone who had just eaten a bowl of ramen salivate. Even Zero and Smart Falcon, as hosts, received a small portion.
"Magnificent! I feel a heroic spirit like the vast ocean." Chairman exclaimed after taking a bite of the okonomiyaki.
"That's natural, Chairman! This is the heroism of an Edo child!"
"Mmm, Xiao Tamamo's takoyaki, it's even better than usual." Oguri Cap ate heartily.
"The sauce... did you use honey and pureed carrots when simmering it?" Hayakawa Tazuna also noticed the key points when she tasted it.
"Exactly. The natural sweetness of these two ingredients completely replaced sugar, and they also enhance the flavor. Most importantly, the relatively light takoyaki and the rich okonomiyaki can simultaneously offer two completely different experiences."
Compared to the previous group's main course, okonomiyaki and takoyaki could at most be considered snacks, so eating them didn't take too long.
"Now, may the judges please score."
Emperor: 3 points
Chairman: 3 points
Oguri Cap: 5 points
Alice Digital: 5 points
Hayakawa Tazuna: 3 points
"Eh?"
"Why?"
Tamamo Cross and Inari One looked completely bewildered.
"While it's very good, and you've grasped our needs quite well, but..." The Emperor also looked helpless.
"This time's theme is 'warmth,' not 'grandeur'..." Ms. Hayakawa also said with a bitter smile.
"Ah! I forgot!" x2
"So, because you went off-topic, all the judges only gave scores based on taste. The Kansai Edo team scored 19 points!" Huh? Oguri Cap and Alice Digital? One gives full marks if there's food, and the other gives full marks if an Uma Musume made it. They were just there to make up the numbers.
As the two groups finished, the competition entered a heated phase. The remaining two groups still needed some time, so everyone entered a waiting period again, simultaneously digesting.
It was also fortunate that the judges were all Uma Musume (Chairman and Ms. Hayakawa were just disguised as humans), and their appetites were large enough, otherwise, they would have gotten sick from eating too much.
Not long after, the sukiyaki and autumn set meal were completed simultaneously, and it ended up being a scene where everyone enjoyed them together. It unexpectedly took more time, which caused the Dormitory Management Team's plan to fill the judges' stomachs (mainly referring to the four people other than Oguri Cap) to increase their chances of winning to fall through.
However, it wasn't a big problem; both groups had absolute confidence in their dishes.
However... Dormitory Management Team: 24 points. Mature Charm: 24 points.
Everyone gave scores separately based on their own ideas, resulting in a tie.
Nothing else, both dishes were equally delicious, and both fit the theme. They also managed to create a psychological grasp that made the judges want to keep eating, even after two rounds.
This result was naturally anticipated in advance, so... "Now, let's randomly select 5 lucky audience members to come up, taste, and vote!" Ling-sama waved her small hand, and the countdown screen turned into five squares.
"Each square will randomly display a seat number. Please, those with the corresponding seat numbers, come to the stage in an orderly fashion."
It pointed to a small Uma Musume at number 10 who was visiting the competition; Special Week at number 52; a new Trainer at number 243 who looked like a good-natured person, seemingly named Minamisaka, currently an intern; and two passersby at numbers 845 and 986.
A small interlude occurred as they went on stage.
"Um, Ling-sama, I'm your fan, can I get your autograph!?" The little Uma Musume suddenly pulled out a pen and paper, looking at her excitedly, which made Ling-sama a little flustered.
She looked at the others, and everyone gave a positive response, so Ling-sama took the paper and pen and signed her name.
"Alright, keep it safe. If you run out of money in the future, you might even be able to sell it www"
"No way! My dream is to become an Uma Musume like Ling-sama!" The other party seriously refused.
"www, then, work hard to get into this academy." Ling-sama smiled and patted her head. It was also fortunate that the other party hadn't fully developed yet, so she was quite small.
Meanwhile, the Emperor on the judges' panel recalled her first meeting with Teio, and her face was full of emotion.
"By the way, if it's convenient, could you tell me your name?"
"My name is Deep Impact, and I'll be able to apply in two years! Ling-sama, please wait for me!"
"Okay, so it's a deal, right?"
In the end, Maruzensky and Oguri Cap's autumn set meal won. Deep Impact, who ate slower, hesitated for a while but still cast her vote for this group. It seemed everyone still had a greater preference for rice.
"So, as the champions, the 'Mature Charm' team will receive twenty sweet carrots and four hundred milliliters of phantom honey, as well as the 'Cooking King Trophy' specially made by Tracen Academy. Please welcome the Chairman to present the awards to our two champions."
Finally, this grand competition also concluded amidst cheers.
Huh? What did Air Groove and Manchester Cafe's group make?
Remember how Chaza fainted for some reason? It seemed Air Groove was responsible. So, after Chaza woke up and thought about it, she immediately understood what had happened, grabbed a frying pan on the spot, and chased Suko, while Air Groove, of course, escaped with a strange smile. So, both of them were directly disqualified for violating the rules ().
This pair also has all sorts of sweetness (Alice Digital's comment).
And the interaction between Ling-sama and that little Uma Musume also became an extra topic of conversation for this competition.
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