At this point, the waiters brought in a few more dishes.
One of the dishes was baked cauliflower, prepared by another student from the exchange group. The cauliflower had been briefly blanched, coated with a white sauce made from milk and butter, and then topped with shredded cheese before being baked in the oven.
The top layer of the cauliflower was a thick, rich cheese crust. When pierced, the fragrant milky aroma blended with the freshness of the cauliflower. A light bite revealed the mellow and lasting taste of the cheese, while the roasted cauliflower was tender and fragrant. There was no need for additional seasoning—the natural sweetness of the vegetable stood out on its own.
Everyone's eyes brightened slightly.
"Your students are quite exceptional," Leonora remarked.
"This cauliflower... it's a variety you've cultivated yourselves, right? The taste is incredibly refreshing," Chapelle inquired.
"That's correct," Professor John and the other teachers replied, their smiles betraying the satisfaction they felt. They had been disheartened by their student's earlier cooking efforts, which hadn't matched up to Totsuki's, but this dish was finally showcasing their school's strength.
"It's very impressive," Senzaemon commented, maintaining a stoic expression.
However, despite his efforts to stay composed, after tasting three excellent dishes in succession, his clothes suddenly tore apart, revealing his bronzed, muscular upper body.
"My apologies, that was impolite," Senzaemon said calmly, taking the clothes offered by a servant and putting them back on.
"We've long heard that the blood of the Nakiri family carries extraordinary power," Professor John and the others nodded, casting envious glances at Erina. A gift like the 'God Tongue' was a rare treasure for any chef.
"Father is as strong as ever," Leonora said with a smile. "Sōe would be delighted to hear of this."
"Indeed," Senzaemon chuckled, his expression softening at the mention of his son. "What I hope for most is to see Erina and the others carry on the family line."
"Grandfather!" Erina blushed furiously, stomping her foot in embarrassment.
"Well, that day still seems a bit far off," Leonora teased, glancing between Sui and Erina before covering her mouth with a chuckle.
Erina's cheeks burned even brighter, and she found it too mortifying to raise her head.
Just as Sui was about to present his dish, Isshiki stopped him with a gentle smile. "Mine is also a vegetable dish, so let me go first."
He gestured for the waiters to bring out his dish: chicken cabbage roll.
The dish consisted of marinated chicken wrapped in lightly cooked cabbage leaves, then steamed. The method was simple, with no extra seasonings, allowing the original flavors to shine through. Finally, the dish was served with a thick tomato sauce made from bay leaves, garlic, broth powder, and tomatoes.
The taste was sweet, sour, and refreshing—an essence of nature in its purest form.
"This cabbage... it has such a sweet, almond-like flavor. Is it a new variety?" Leonora asked in surprise, her hand covering her mouth in amazement.
With just one bite, she could feel the magic in the cabbage.
"Mom, this is cabbage grown by Sui," Alice said proudly as she took another bite.
"Him again?" Professor John and the others were stunned. They looked at Sui in disbelief. Even they couldn't grow cabbage of this caliber.
"Totsuki is certainly brimming with talent," Professor John sighed again.
Senzaemon burst into hearty laughter, clearly delighted.
"So, does this mean our students are better this time?" Chapelle asked with a composed smile, clearly in a good mood.
The members of the exchange group were not as cheerful. Their expressions were dark and sullen, weighed down by the realization that their dishes had been surpassed by Totsuki's students.
Next, Momo and another student from the exchange group presented their dishes. Once again, Totsuki came out on top.
After three consecutive defeats, Professor John and the exchange group members wore strained expressions.
"Let me go last, teacher," Aimisha spoke up.
Professor John nodded. Aimisha was his star pupil—the strongest and most talented among them all. If anyone could redeem the exchange group, it would be her.
Although this was more of an exchange than a formal competition, it would still be embarrassing if they lost every round.
Aimisha nodded resolutely, then looked directly at Sui. "Let's see whose cooking is better! If you lose, you have to tell me your secret for growing cows, cabbage, and honey!"
Sui was taken aback. 'Even if I wanted to, I couldn't tell her. Could she possibly cultivate Pokémon?'
Still, he asked, "And what if you lose?"
"If I lose..." Aimisha paused, turning to her companions for help. "What's the word for it? When there's no conversation or rights?"
"Let's trade?"
"No, no, it's something about traffic!"
"That's not right. It should be, uh..."
Behind her, her companions began to whisper and argue over the correct phrase.
The entire room fell silent for a moment, leaving everyone speechless.
Their grasp of the Japanese language was even worse than Leonora's.
At that moment, Professor John's face turned crimson from embarrassment. He cleared his throat and said awkwardly, "My apologies, my student's Japanese is... not the best. I believe she meant to say, 'dating.'"
"Yes, that's it," Aimisha nodded seriously.
"Oh, Alice, could this girl be interested in Sui?" Leonora asked, nudging her daughter.
"I have no idea," Alice replied playfully, sticking out her tongue.
"Absolutely not!" Erina snapped, her frustration evident.
"Right! Sui is Erina-chan's 'special' blue friend. We can't let you have him," Leonora added, laughing behind her hand.
Erina's cheeks flushed slightly, but she didn't offer her usual rebuttal.
Sui, feeling more than a little awkward, finally said, "I'm not going to share my cultivation secrets. So, I won't compete with you."
"Ha, coward!" Aimisha scoffed. "If you don't want to compete, then fine."
With that, the waiters brought out her dish.