Food Wars, My Dishes Don't Just Shine

　Mito Ikumi's delicate thoughts.

　During the playful fight, the girls in the room changed their clothes one after another. Looking at the scantily clad girls with their affected and pretentious postures, Bai Yuan's lips unconsciously curled up, and then he pointed towards the elevator.

　Before long, the long procession entered the elevator.

　"Why are you blindfolded...?"

　In the empty room, Erina Nakiri was brought in blindfolded.

　Because she didn't know what was going on around her, she could only hold Bai Yuan's hand tightly; only in this way could she feel a sense of security.

　"Erina, your tongue is amazing. You can tell the origin and quality of ingredients just by tasting them. That's a very good talent. So this time I'm going to test your sense of smell."

　For a chef, not only taste but also smell are crucial. When cooking, you can't exactly pick up a piece of boiling hot food from the pot and take a bite to taste it, can you?

　By the time it cools down and you've tasted it, it's too late to make any changes.

　Looking at Erina Nakiri, whose eyes were blindfolded with black lace strips, Shirabuchi's voice was light and cheerful. This kind of outfit was really pleasing.

　"But when I was preparing the soup and tasting it, I could just blow on it a little and it was ready to drink..."

　The boundless darkness made Erina Nakiri feel a little uneasy, and she couldn't help but argue logically and persuasively with Shirabuchi's words.

　"Why don't you say that you can taste the saltiness before eating noodles? These are the most basic applications of taste. The advantage of God's Tongue lies more in the incredibly accurate post-event review and summary, which allows you to improve rapidly. Your talent for impromptu cooking is not that strong."

　"Um..."

　Upon hearing Erina Nakiri's words, Shiro couldn't help but smack her on the bottom, which immediately made her tense up.

　Her fair and delicate face visibly turned red.

　"Okay, I've prepared olive oil from Italy, Spain, and Greece, as well as sea salt, rock salt, and rose salt for you. Go up and smell them, and then tell me the differences between them."

　Taking Erina Nakiri's hand again, Shirabuchi led her to a table.

　"The aroma is quite light, with notes of grass, artichokes and almonds, and a moderate balance of bitterness and spiciness."

　This is Italian olive oil, and if I'm not mistaken, it's from the Puglia region.

　Tuscan olive oil is known for its fruity and spicy flavors, while Puglia olive oil is more intense and complex.

　As Bai Yuan placed a serving of olive oil in front of her, Erina Nakiri quickly suppressed her fear, sniffed, and then spoke.

　"That's right, it's clear that you had a solid foundation when you were young, at least you know the specific differences between olive oil from these countries."

　Italy ranks fourth in the world in olive oil exports, and its unique flavor is widely appreciated.

　"Let's try this one."

　As they were talking, Shirayuki handed another serving of olive oil to Erina Nakiri.

　"It has aromas of tomato, banana and nuts, with a more pronounced bitter and spicy flavor. This is Spanish olive oil."

　"It has a richer flavor with aromas of grass, fruit, and herbs. Although it's similar to Italian olive oil, there are distinct differences. The bitterness and spiciness are milder. This must be Greek olive oil."

　Soon, all the olive oil samples in front of them were tested, and all the answers were correct. Bai Yuan nodded secretly to the side. Then, they began to test the salt, and Nakiri Erina answered fluently as well.

　"It seems the beginner level is no longer a challenge for you. Now let's move on to the intermediate level."

　I will be using these different types of olive oil and salt to make different kinds of dishes. While I'm cooking, you must tell me which two seasonings I've used; otherwise, you are not allowed to remove your blindfold.

　Bai Yuan's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.

　To prevent Erina Nakiri from losing control and removing the strip of cloth, he tied her hands with a rope, binding her tightly.

　"Huh?! Why are they using ropes now?!"

　Feeling the tightness around her wrists, Erina Nakiri couldn't help but gasp softly. Then, due to the discomfort, she twisted her body slightly. If she didn't know that only Bai Yuan was beside her, she probably would have screamed.

　"Quiet! Do you want to win? Calm down and focus on the scent wafting through the air!"

　Once she entered cooking mode, even though Erina Nakiri was twisting and turning in all sorts of flamboyant ways, there was still no evil thought in Bai Yuan's eyes; all he could see was a look of longing for creating the perfect dish.

　“I…I understand…”

　Seeing that Bai Yuan seemed a little unhappy, Nakiri Erina immediately stopped wriggling and began to speak softly, though her heart was beating a little fast.

　Being alone with a man and a woman in a room, with her hands and feet bound, she really couldn't help but overthink things.

　However, now that the two have established a relationship, it seems quite reasonable for Bai Yuan to do anything to her...

　Thinking of this, Erina Nakiri became even more nervous, her heart pounding in her chest.

　"Meditation."

　Just then, Bai Yuan's cool voice rang in her ears, carrying some internal energy, which calmed her restless heart slightly.

　"it is good."

　Erina Nakiri took a deep breath and stopped thinking about anything else.

　Just quietly feel everything around you, because of the unseen origin.

　As a result, her sense of smell, touch, and hearing were enhanced to a certain extent, and this enhancement became stronger over time.

　"Is this what Teacher Baiyuan wanted me to experience?"

　The sound of stir-frying reached her ears, and various aromas filled her nostrils, mingling together yet remaining distinct. Erina Nakiri thought to herself that she seemed to understand what Shirai was trying to express.

　Do you know which type of olive oil and salt I used?

　A few minutes later, the sound of stir-frying stopped, and Bai Yuan's voice rang in Nakiri Erina's ears, but it made her frown slightly.

　"The flavor profile clearly shows fresh scallops, lemon, and... parsley, with olive oil, salt, and black pepper present in very subtle amounts..."

　The most difficult part of analyzing the seasonings used in a dish is navigating through a multitude of flavors to determine where the desired taste lies.

　Even for a seasoned chef, achieving this would be quite difficult, let alone for Erina Nakiri, whose brows were furrowed deeply at the moment.

　"Don't rush, calm down."

　"This isn't something you can figure out just by calming down!"

　Hearing Bai Yuan's words, Erina Nakiri couldn't help but mentally complain, but her expression remained unchanged. She simply sniffed the air, but during the cooking process, the olive oil and salt had already blended perfectly into the dish, so even if she tried to smell it now, it would be difficult for her to detect the aroma.

　"Try it."

　Seeing Erina Nakiri's expression, and knowing that waiting any longer would be a waste of time, Shirai took the initiative to bring the food to her mouth and let her eat it.

　"Mmm, the aroma of Italian olive oil blends perfectly with the salty umami of sea salt, the scallops are tender and juicy, and the lemon juice adds a refreshing taste."

　The moment it touched her tongue, Erina Nakiri's brow relaxed as everything became clear, and the mystery of the olive oil and salt was gradually unveiled.

　It turns out that the difference between smell and taste is so huge...

　After the veil of mystery was lifted, Erina Nakiri couldn't help but have this thought in mind, and at the same time, she understood Hakubuchi's good intentions.

　Only by elevating one's sense of smell to its highest level can one detect changes in flavor during the cooking process and take corrective action.

　No wonder Teacher Bai Yuan is so amazing. It turns out that he has honed his sense of taste and smell to the extreme. That is what a true master is.

　Thinking of this, Erina Nakiri's admiration for Hakuyuan rose to another level, her respect flowing like a mighty river. This was the kind of person she should follow!

　"Alright, let's move on to the next dish."

　Seeing that Erina Nakiri seemed to understand, Shirabuchi's voice rang out, and he pulled the plate away from her, continuing to prepare the ingredients and make the next dish.

　"Ah."

　At this moment, Erina Nakiri had fully understood the content of Hakugen's training. She simply nodded slightly in response to his words and then became focused.

　Although being blindfolded and having her arms bound made her feel extremely ashamed, her desire to improve her cooking and reach the pinnacle of her craft overcame all of that.

　She wanted to improve! She wanted to win! She wanted to defeat Alice Nakiri! She wanted to reclaim her sister's title!

　Although she is indeed the younger sister.

　"The ingredients here include ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, garlic, olive oil, sherry vinegar, salt, black pepper, and baguettes."

　The saltiness on the tip of my tongue was very pure; if I'm not mistaken, it must have been made with rock salt. The olive oil, on the other hand, had a more complex flavor... Was it Italian?

　Erina Nakiri's voice rang out, revealing her guess.

　"The complexity of Spanish cuisine stems from the rich variety of ingredients, not from the olive oil itself. Rock salt is correct; its flavor is relatively pure."

　Compared to when you couldn't say anything at all, you're now occasionally able to say one or two correctly, which is a significant improvement. But it's not enough; you need to go back and practice more. Tomorrow we'll increase the difficulty.

　As they spoke, Bai Yuan glanced at the time on his phone, then stepped forward and removed Nakiri Erina's blindfold. The long-awaited light made her squint.

　Next came the rope binding her hands. After maintaining the same posture for so long, Erina Nakiri's arms were a little sore and her legs were a little numb. Suddenly being untied, she lost her balance and fell directly into Shiro's arms.

　"Why are you suddenly being so proactive?"

　With a steady embrace, Bai Yuan smiled and pinched her soft cheek, half-jokingly saying...

　"My hand went numb, and I lost my balance..."

　Erina Nakiri explained softly that the two were now only inches apart, and Bai Yuan's breath touched her face, making her heart race unnaturally.

　"Is it a misunderstanding? But given your behavior today, come to my room after nine o'clock tonight. It seems like I haven't done anything with you since I agreed to date you."

　Considering Erina Nakiri's performance today, which took more than ten minutes just to get into character, he knew he couldn't afford to waste time like that again tomorrow. Therefore, he needed to give her some desensitization training.

　"Evening...evening...night!"

　Her voice went from initial hesitation to surprise, and then her face, arms, and even ears visibly turned red.

　"Is there a problem? It's normal for boyfriends and girlfriends to do this kind of thing. Of course, if you're scared, it's okay to postpone it for a while."

　Bai Yuan seemed to be smiling but not smiling.

　He looked at her with a smile and directly used reverse psychology. His flippant tone immediately made the proud Erina Nakiri bristle.

　"Scared? Ha!? How could I be scared of something like that! I'm more excited than anything!"

　Because she didn't want to be looked down upon by Shiro Awakening, and even more so because she didn't want to be mocked by Alice Nakiri afterward, Erina Nakiri said those words very decisively.

　But she quickly regretted it, realizing she had said something incredibly bold. In truth, she wasn't ready; after all, it was something like that for her...

　"Your momentary enthusiasm doesn't count. Now you can hone your cooking skills the way you like. Come over tonight if you'd like, or it's fine if you don't."

　After pinching Erina Nakiri's nose, Hakugen delivered the final blow.

　The right to choose independently.

　This method allows Erina Nakiri to think ahead, and even if she hesitates, she will force herself to believe that it is her own choice.

　This will give him a perfect nighttime experience!