At noon, under the blazing sun, the towering skyscraper stood out, its windows glistening brightly under the sunlight. This was the site for the promotion exam.
"Good afternoon, everyone," greeted a new instructor at Totsuki Academy, Hiroshi Hiroi, who also served as the examiner for this cooking room. He scanned the room and his eyes paused on Alice. Despite not understanding why Director Azami had specifically instructed him to "pay special attention" to this candidate, Hiroshi decided not to dwell on it and got straight to the point.
"As you can see, the first part of the promotion exam is to recreate the Marseille fish dish you learned in class. We've provided the ingredients, and all you need to do is follow the recipe taught previously."
As he finished speaking, the reactions among the examinees varied. Some were happy, some worried, and others felt fear and anxiety. Regardless, everyone began to busy themselves with the task at hand.
...
In a broad sense, salmon is a general term for salmon, trout, and char, all deep-sea fish commonly used in Western cuisine and known for their high nutritional value and therapeutic properties.
"Hmm? Are we supposed to use salmon for the Marseille fish soup?" Alice raised an eyebrow and squinted slightly at the less-than-ideal quality salmon laid out on the counter. She glanced at her four teammates.
Megumi specialized in simple, home-style dishes and came from the northeastern coastal region. Perhaps she had some insight into handling salmon. As for the other three, Mito excelled in meat dishes, particularly beef, but was likely less adept with fish like salmon. Miyoko, known for her strength and skill in Chinese cuisine, might struggle with French dishes like this one. Lastly, the lively Yuuki was skilled in game cooking. It was clear that none of them were experts in salmon-based dishes.
...
Alice thought, "It would have been great if my assistant Kurokiba was here. He's skilled with seafood."
Megumi was equally puzzled, asking, "Salmon? Why salmon?" She was unsure about handling this dish, despite some familiarity with the fish itself.
Miyoko commented, "Salmon season is in autumn, so it makes no sense to use it in winter, especially in Hokkaido."
Indeed, salmon is most abundant from July to October. Now, in winter, fresh salmon is rare. The decision to use out-of-season salmon as the main ingredient for this crucial exam seemed odd to many, including Mito, who sighed, "This is tricky."
Yuuki, trying to remain positive, suggested, "But Megumi, you grew up near the coast and must be good with salmon, right?"
Megumi, blushing from the pressure, admitted, "I know salmon, but I'm not familiar with Marseille fish dishes."
...
"Look, the salmon I got seems pretty good quality!" Yuuki exclaimed, eyes shining as she looked at the frozen fish.
Megumi, however, was dismayed, explaining, "That's post-spawning salmon, the worst quality fish."
Everyone else received high-quality salmon, making it seem like a deliberate move against their group.
...
"Alright, everyone," Hiroshi announced. "Now that you have your ingredients, start cooking your Marseille fish soup. Remember, if you've attended Director Azami's classes, you should be fine. The exam will end at 2 PM."
Alice's group, still hesitating, felt the weight of the situation. Hiroshi, noting their inaction, smirked, clearly expecting them to fail.
...
The atmosphere was tense, and many competitors silently mocked Alice's group. It was clear that those who opposed the Central Gourmet Institute were being set up to fail.
Yuuki, disheartened, sighed, "Are we really going to fail like this?"
...
Time passed quickly, and the exam was nearing its end. Hiroshi tasted a soup from another group and was pleased, declaring it a success, reinforcing the idea that those who followed the Central's teachings would succeed.
...
Feeling confident, Hiroshi turned to Alice's group with a mocking grin. "Are you really going to make one last effort? You should give up now."
Alice, not backing down, retorted, "We've finished our dish."
Hiroshi was shocked and, upon tasting the soup, was forced to admit its quality, as it featured saffron for flavor and visual appeal. This dish was clearly superior, surprising everyone, including Hiroshi, who had expected their failure.
...
Despite the exam's rigged nature, Alice, Megumi, Mito, Yuuki, and Miyoko's group successfully passed. Although each cooking room's examiner had tried to sabotage the rebels with "special ingredients," no one had failed due to the quality of the ingredients alone. The students had all managed to ensure their dishes' flavors met the standards.
This news quickly reached Director Azami at Totsuki Academy. His expression was stern, knowing that the real challenge was yet to come with five more difficult exams ahead. He planned to eliminate the rebels using any means necessary.
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"That was a close call!" Yuuki said with a smile on her face.
"Don't celebrate too soon; this was just the first exam," Alice said, her gaze turning serious, which quickly dampened the mood of everyone present.
"That's right," Megumi agreed, nodding. "We still have to keep trying."
In this first exam, the Central Gourmet Institute had only used a low-quality salmon to put them in a difficult situation. Fortunately, Alice had a sudden inspiration to use white wine to preserve the freshness of the salmon, allowing them to barely make a decent Marseille fish soup. But what about the future? Would they be so lucky next time?
...
Night fell.
After a full day of rest, it was time for the second exam.
"Attention, please. All candidates who passed the first exam should pack their things and prepare to head to the second exam site. This time, transportation will be by train," announced a loudspeaker.
Clearly, the officials of the Central Gourmet Institute quickly issued orders for the next phase of the exam. The stars twinkled in the night sky, adding a romantic touch to the scene, as moonlight poured down like water, creating an almost magical atmosphere.
In Hokkaido, Totsuki Academy had its own railway, which made it possible to hold the promotion exams here every year due to the expansive rail network.
"I didn't expect we'd be taking a train to the next exam location," Yuuki remarked, her voice filled with awe. She looked up at the beautiful night sky, recalling the morning's exam.
As she snapped back to reality, she saw a luxurious train with a long series of elegant carriages, like a majestic dragon resting on the tracks. The train's smooth surface reflected the moonlight, and its neatly arranged windows revealed a warm and comfortable interior.
...
"Wow, is this the famous Moonshadow train of Totsuki Academy?" Yuuki's eyes sparkled with excitement. "I've heard it has lounges, bars, and sleeping quarters. I never thought I'd get to ride such a cool train!"
Megumi, Mito, and Miyoko were also stunned by the grand train. Their minds buzzed, but Alice, having seen such luxury before, remained calm.
"Alright, let's get on. We have another exam tomorrow," Alice said, stepping onto the train. Megumi, Yuuki, and the others followed suit.
Soon, the train's doors closed, and it began to depart.
...
As the train moved, the scenery outside the window started to recede. Trees, houses, and fields flashed by like a moving painting. Inside the train, the occasional gentle announcement reminded passengers of the next stop and weather conditions.
The Moonshadow train glided smoothly on the tracks, the rhythmic "click-clack" sound of wheels creating a soothing symphony. The air-conditioned interior was cool and comfortable, perfect for a restful journey.
In the most luxurious first-class cabin, the furnishings were lavish and spacious, rivaling the rooms of five-star hotels.
"Great, Miss Erina, you passed the exam!" Hisako exclaimed, sitting with Erina. "Even though your cooking skills are excellent, I was worried your team might drag you down in this group exam!"
"My father wouldn't let me fail, so there's no need to worry," Erina replied, looking at Hisako with concern. "But you, as a rebel, must have faced some challenges in the first exam, right?"
"Yes, I did encounter difficulties," Hisako admitted, but quickly added, "But they weren't insurmountable."
"That's good," Erina sighed in relief. She knew her father, Azami, wouldn't easily let the rebels off the hook. He would likely create more obstacles in the remaining exams.
...
Sapporo, a city in central Hokkaido, Japan. After a long day and night of travel, the Moonshadow train finally arrived at the Sapporo station, signaling the start of the second exam.
"Sapporo? Is this where the next exam will be?" Hisako wondered aloud, bundling up against the cold.
"No, Hisako," Erina explained, pulling out a map. "We need to take a bus from the city center for about thirty minutes to reach a small mountain, where the exam site is located halfway up in a lush area."
The cold wind blew through the streets, making the chill in the air palpable. Although it wasn't deep winter yet, Hokkaido's climate was colder than the south.
Even before the second exam began, the long journey by bus was a challenge. Everyone felt the strain.
"Do we really have to take a bus for that long to reach the new exam site?" Hisako asked, surprised.
"Relax, it seems this promotion exam isn't as easy as we thought," Erina replied, deep in thought.
The luxurious Moonshadow train, carrying the first-year students, arrived at the station in Sapporo early in the morning. The official buses from Totsuki Academy then took the students to the exam site.
...
After a while, they finally arrived at the exam location. Perched on a mountainside was a Western-style building with a high tower. Though not very large, it stood out against the landscape.
"Good morning, everyone!" a voice called out. "I am Jiro Endo, the examiner for the second exam. After your long train journey, you must be tired. Let's not waste time; I'll explain the rules for the second exam."
After the tiring trip, the students were exhausted, but they had no time to rest as Examiner Jiro Endo stepped forward to announce the exam topic and rules.
"As you know, the first exam was a group competition, but this time it will be an individual challenge," he began. "This time, the focus is on noodle dishes. Noodles are very diverse, especially here in Hokkaido, known for Sapporo ramen, Hakodate ramen, Asahikawa ramen, udon, and soba. Since Hokkaido leads in noodle production, your challenge is to create a noodle dish."
With that, the second exam began.
...
The variety of noodle dishes left the students with many options but also caused confusion. Many were uncertain about what kind of noodle dish to prepare to pass the exam. Endo's announcement had thrown everyone into deep thought.
Unlike the first exam, where all the first-year students had passed, the second exam was expected to be much stricter. A single mistake could result in failure.
"The ingredients provided are minimal," Endo continued. "We have prepared various types of noodles, and those requiring fermentation have been left overnight. Basic ingredients like onions, garlic, vegetables, broth, and soups are provided. However, additional ingredients will not be available."
Endo's words were met with shock and disbelief. The students realized the severity of the situation.
...
"What? Only these ingredients?" many students exclaimed in panic.
"Yes, you'll need to source any additional ingredients yourselves," Endo said with a smug smile, clearly pleased with the distress he had caused.
"Ridiculous!" Alice snapped. "How are we supposed to cook without noodles? Gathering ingredients will take too long."
"It seems the previous exam's poor-quality salmon was a luxury compared to this," Megumi muttered, realizing how serious the situation was.
...
"To Sapporo's city center and back would take about an hour and a half," Alice calculated. "That leaves only half an hour to cook. With our skills, we can still manage."
Despite her frustration, Alice knew she had to follow the exam's rules. She understood Azami's intentions and quickly decided, "We'll go to Sapporo to get more ingredients."
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