Chapter 238: Breakfast
At nearly eight o'clock, dinner concluded, and the girls returned to their rooms. However, instead of immediately resting, they took a short break before heading to the hotel's hot spring bath.
Though Hachiman considered joining them, he hesitated, deeming it inappropriate to suggest.
Forget it; I'll join Saeko and Kotonoha when I return.
With this thought, Hachiman entered the men's bath, submerging his entire body in the comfortably warm water with a contented sigh.
Despite being in the men's bath, only a wall separated it from the women's bath. Despite Totsuki Resort's soundproofing, Hachiman's enhanced hearing picked up on the playful sounds the girls made while bathing.
"Ah, I envy you, Onee-chan. This place is so big..." Kokoro intentionally raised her voice while admiring her sister's ample assets.
As expected, upon hearing her voice, many girls redirected their gaze toward Kotonoha's chest.
They look like they can float...
Some girls found it envious, especially a girl named Yukino, who seemed particularly uncomfortable.
"N-No, don't look."
Embarrassed by the attention, Kotonoha quickly covered her chest with her hands and turned slightly, out of the other girls' line of sight.
Hachiman, in the men's bath, heard Kokoro's words.
To be honest, Kotonoha's assets were indeed the largest among the girls, and Hachiman could attest to that.
Soft yet elastic, as if it were dough with perfect resilience, coupled with the smoothness of the girl's skin, the sensation was simply incredible.
Because it was sufficiently ample, it could easily envelop his long spear, and that sense of pressure, oh...
When spending time with Kotonoha, Hachiman's favorite part was undeniably this aspect of hers.
No, I can't let my thoughts wander any further. Feeling the unusual sensation downstairs, Hachiman quickly shook his head.
However, this was just a fleeting incident. In reality, sometimes girls' antics during baths could be more outrageous than between guys. The playful sounds and breaths of the girls teased every nerve in Hachiman, making him almost wish he could join in.
After only a short soak, he left the bath. After all, the sounds were too stimulating and could easily lead to a rise in blood pressure. It wouldn't be good to develop an inferiority complex if someone saw a prominent reaction.
Shortly after returning to his room, the hotel's loudspeaker announced that the students were to gather in the main hall.
The residents of Polar Star Dorm, upon hearing the broadcast, made their way to the main hall. However, upon arriving, they noticed that most of the students seemed rather dispirited.
At this point, there were significantly fewer students in the main hall compared to the first day of training. In other words, out of the over a thousand freshmen, three to four hundred had already been eliminated.
"It looks like a lot of people are gone." Marui remarked, observing the sparser main hall.
"But why did they call us here so late?"
No one could answer this question. Before long, Gin Dojima ascended the platform.
"Gathering you all here tonight is solely to inform you about tomorrow's task," Gin Dojima declared, addressing the puzzled crowd.
Many were questioning why they were being informed about tomorrow's task tonight. Dojima, without explanation, continued speaking.
"The task for tomorrow is to provide suitable 'New Breakfast Dishes' for the guests of Totsuki Resort."
"Breakfast represents the hotel's reputation and is a crucial meal for guests starting their day."
"I expect you to create dishes that not only satisfy the guests but also surprise them. The main ingredient is eggs. Whether you prepare Japanese, Chinese, or Western dishes is up to you, as long as it can be offered in a buffet format."
"The evaluation will begin at 6 AM tomorrow, and there will be judges for tasting. Be prepared."
"Now, you have free time. Whether you want to rest or practice cooking in the kitchen, it's your choice. Dismissed!"
With those words, Dojima left the platform, leaving the students in the main hall. The exhausted participants groaned, worn out from consecutive assessments throughout the day. However, fearing elimination, they had no choice but to drag their weary bodies to practice cooking.
Yet, some showed no signs of fear, and Soma was one of them. Upon hearing the theme "eggs," he looked towards Erina, a nostalgic smile playing on his lips.
"Ah, memories. Nakiri, remember when my entrance exam was based on the theme of 'eggs'?"
Erina, however, simply flicked her golden hair, showing no intention of responding to his question.
"I'll give you some advice: don't present ordinary dishes like back then. Otherwise, the judges and guests won't find them appealing."
Upon learning that Soma was the son of the revered Saiba Joichiro, Erina's attitude towards him had slightly softened. While it didn't reach the point of liking, at least the initial disdain was gone, and she felt compelled to give Soma this warning.
"Think carefully about what dish you want to create. Goodbye."
With those words, she flicked her long hair and left the main hall alongside Hisako.
The night passed quickly.
At five in the morning, the students began waking up, starting their preparations for the cooking task. They transported ingredients to their assigned workstations, checked the completeness of their utensils, and after completing these tasks, many sighed in relief, quietly awaiting the arrival of the designated time.
At six in the morning, the broadcast echoed, and Dojima's voice announced, "Are you all prepared? Now, I'd like to invite the judges in."
With his words, the doors of the buffet hall opened. Several children, appearing to be around ten years old, rushed in first, followed by men and women of various ages.
At this point, Dojima spoke again, "These are the suppliers who have cooperated with Totsuki Resort and their families. We invite them for assessments during our training every year. We've informed them in advance that the theme is 'Surprising Egg Dishes.' Their assessments are reliable, and after graduation, they only choose dishes they like."
"In addition to these judges, Totsuki Resort has sent staff from the cooking and service departments to participate in the assessment."
"There are two criteria for passing. Firstly, your dishes should impress the suppliers and staff with creativity. Secondly, within the next two hours, you must reach a minimum of 200 servings. Those who fail to meet the standard will be expelled!"
"Then, I invite all the judges to enjoy the breakfast. The assessment officially begins!"