"Is he serious? He actually chose to challenge Akanegakubo-senpai!"
"He's practically asking for defeat."
The classroom fell into stunned silence. In their eyes, winning against Momo Akanegakubo seemed impossible.
Soon, both desserts were placed before Ms. Juliet. Sui's team had prepared butterfly puff pastry, while Momo had made a pancake cupcake.
"I can't believe you had the nerve to challenge Akanegakubo-senpai."
"Right? Just because you beat a second-year, you think you're invincible, but you don't know your limits."
The third-year students sneered from the sidelines. They were irritated. After all their mocking, Sui had paid them no mind, treating them as if they didn't exist. It was an insult.
Ms. Juliet began by tasting Momo Akanegakubo's pancake cupcake. It was an intricately layered dessert. The cup contained a fragrant cake made from soft batter, topped with golden, crispy muffins, dotted with small cubes of cream like freshly fallen snow, and finished with a drizzle of maple syrup. The aroma alone was enchanting, evoking the playful imagery of a fairy tale world, with muffins resembling the hats worn by dwarves in magical stories.
The crispy muffin on top was paired with a special jam, making it incredibly flavorful. The soft cake beneath was equally delicious, with a long-lasting aftertaste.
"As expected, you are truly a master of desserts," Ms. Juliet marveled. Momo Akanegakubo's desserts were renowned throughout Tōtsuki Academy. Even the first seat of the Elite Ten, Tsukasa Eishi, couldn't compare to her prowess in dessert-making.
"Hmm? What's this crispy texture in the cake?" Ms. Juliet suddenly paused, biting into something unexpected. "Is it chocolate?"
"It's Brittany chocolate cookies," Momo replied calmly. "I crushed them and mixed them into the cake batter before baking. It adds an extra layer of texture and flavor."
"I see. Impressive as always, the fourth seat." Ms. Juliet nodded in admiration. She felt as though she had been transported into a fairy-tale kingdom, surrounded by dancing dwarves, each wearing hats made of cupcake muffins.
"See? There's no way you can defeat Akanegakubo-san," one of the third-years scoffed.
Sui, however, didn't bother responding to their taunts.
Next, Ms. Juliet turned her attention to the butterfly puff pastries created by Sui and his team. The pastries were heart-shaped, golden in color, and lightly dusted with sugar, resembling delicate butterflies.
Megumi, Yoshino, and Ryoko watched anxiously. Despite their nervousness, they had no objections to Sui's decision to challenge Momo Akanegakubo. After all, the dish was primarily Sui's work. Without him, they wouldn't have stood a chance against any of the third-year seniors.
Without hesitation, Ms. Juliet picked up a butterfly pastry and took a bite.
The outer layer, coated with egg wash, was soft and savory, while the inner pastry was crispy with distinct layers, exuding a rich, buttery flavor. Unlike muffins or cupcakes, which leaned heavily on sweetness, the butterfly pastry was light and crispy, becoming more flavorful with each bite.
Ms. Juliet closed her eyes in delight, a look of pure joy spreading across her face. It felt as though a multitude of butterflies were fluttering on her tongue.
In her mind, she found herself in a secret garden, filled with blooming flowers and golden butterflies dancing gracefully around her.
"I feel like a noblewoman, dancing in a garden. This is wonderful," she murmured shyly, her cheeks flushed as she caressed her face, lost in the moment like a young girl.
The students looked on in shock, their mouths agape, unsure of what to say.
"Juliet-sensei, aren't you almost fifty? I didn't expect you to still have such a girlish side," Yoshino remarked in amazement.
Ms. Juliet snapped out of her reverie, her face turning bright red as she realized the students were staring at her. She quickly regained her composure, though the delicate, elegant taste of the pastry still lingered on her tongue, reminding her of her carefree youth.
"Ahem. Comparing both dishes, Momo Akanegakubo's is flawless in every way, but in terms of emotional impact, this butterfly pastry leaves a stronger impression." She coughed lightly before continuing, "Eating this pastry makes you feel like you've transformed into a butterfly. It's light, crispy, and full of flavor. Because of this, I declare that Sui's group has succeeded in the challenge and will receive an A!"
The classroom erupted into a frenzy.
"No way! Akanegakubo-senpai, the fourth seat, actually lost!"
"This is incredible!"
"Damn it!" The third-year students looked furious. None of them had expected Sui to defeat Momo Akanegakubo.
Even Momo herself was taken aback. Although her cupcake had been a casual creation, dessert-making was her strongest area. Losing in this domain came as a surprise.
"Thank you, Ms. Juliet," Sui said with a bow, a smile on his face.
"Phew, we did it!" Yoshino and the others breathed sighs of relief.
"As expected of you, Sui! I knew you wouldn't let us down," Yoshino said, patting Sui on the shoulder as if she had always believed in him.
Sui chuckled, unsure whether to laugh or cry at her sudden confidence.
"It seems your victory over Eizan wasn't just luck," Momo said, her expression still unreadable. "Although Eizan is weak and a disgrace to the Elite Ten, you've shown that you have real strength. You're certainly stronger than the rest of these third-years."
Momo's words hit hard, and the third-year students flushed with embarrassment. Yet, they didn't dare to argue with her.
"Thank you for the compliment," Sui replied, nodding respectfully.
"Your name is Sui, correct? I'll remember it," Momo said quietly.