Multiverse Gourmet Hunter

Hisako’s breathing quickened, and the shyness in her eyes became almost impossible to hide.

The beautiful yet unmistakably intimate scene did not escape Haruto’s notice.

Without making a sound, he slipped his phone from his pocket and quietly snapped a picture.

"N-no, I just..."

Hisako’s voice was barely above a whisper, and her fingers curled nervously against the documents in her arms.

Erina’s smile deepened as she studied the blush spreading across Hisako’s cheeks.

"What’s wrong, Hisako? You’re making such an eager little face."

Her fingertips gently brushed the girl’s chin, her voice taking on a teasing, almost seductive note.

"Do you want the privilege of tasting my cooking?"

"Yes! I-I want it!"

The answer burst from Hisako before she could stop herself, her urgency plain in her voice.

Erina laughed softly at her eagerness and flicked her lightly on the forehead.

"Very well, you greedy girl."

Hisako immediately broke into a delighted smile, her cheeks as red as ripe apples.

The sight was so adorable that even Erina felt a sudden urge to take a bite!

Watching from below the stage, Haruto wore the fond smile of someone enjoying a romance drama.

’So this is the untold story of the tsundere heiress and her devoted secretary.’

"Before that, we still need to report that no one passed today’s transfer examination."

Erina had not forgotten her duties as the examiner.

This was also the first assignment she had received after joining the Elite Ten, so she intended to see it through properly.

"Yes, Erina-sama!"

Hisako answered at once.

She could hardly wait to taste Erina-sama’s cooking!

...

Standing beside Haruto, Soma clearly had no appreciation whatsoever for the lovely scene unfolding before him.

When he heard the two girls cheerfully discussing their plans—and apparently preparing to report that no one had passed—he cleared his throat.

"Um..."

The instant Soma spoke, Haruto swiftly pocketed his phone and began staring innocently at the lights on the ceiling as though he had been counting them the entire time.

Erina and Hisako turned toward Soma together.

Then their gazes shifted to Haruto, who appeared to be studying nothing in particular while somehow looking extremely guilty.

Both girls fell silent.

Erina’s feelings were complicated.

Apparently, these boys had witnessed her entire exchange with Hisako!

The realization sent a flush creeping from the tips of her ears, down her neck, and across her cheeks.

For one brief moment, the embarrassment left her flustered.

Then she realized something far more important.

Someone had actually stayed.

She had clearly stated that only a dish capable of satisfying her tongue would earn a passing grade.

Did these two genuinely believe they could accomplish that?

How arrogant!

Erina’s gaze turned colder, and the atmosphere around her sharpened at once.

Beside her, Hisako quickly composed herself and folded her hands neatly in front of her, barely daring to breathe.

Soma seemed completely oblivious to the change in Erina’s mood.

He flashed her a confident grin and raised his voice.

"Just to make sure—can we cook whatever we want?"

He refused to accept being failed before she had even tasted his food!

Haruto watched Soma’s fighting spirit rise and gave him an amused look.

...

Erina studied the confident Soma and the relaxed Haruto before answering coolly.

"You may make anything you like, provided that it uses egg."

Then her tone shifted.

"However, are you certain you want to take the examination? It isn’t too late to withdraw."

There was an unusual sincerity in her voice.

Their arrogance irritated her, but she did not necessarily want to destroy the futures of two chefs who might possess genuine potential.

At the very least, they had shown far more courage than the applicants who had fled without even trying.

If they insisted on continuing, however, she would show them no mercy.

Soma looked visibly relieved.

"You scared me for a second! I thought we were going to fail without even getting the chance to cook. That would’ve been seriously frustrating!"

"..."

He was about to continue when Haruto suddenly reached over and stopped him.

There was no way Haruto was going to stand by while Soma said something stupid.

Erina was a classic tsundere. If Soma managed to anger her, the examination would only become more difficult.

Haruto had spent an entire month preparing for this.

He had no intention of failing because Soma could not keep his mouth shut.

"That’s enough, Yukihira-san. Let’s not waste any more time."

Haruto’s expression remained calm.

"We’ll let our food do the talking."

Soma paused, then understood and grinned.

"Yeah, fair enough."

For a chef, nothing spoke more convincingly than the dish itself.

...

The two of them moved to separate cooking stations and got to work.

Soma still intended to make his Transforming Furikake Rice, one of his specialties.

Haruto, meanwhile, gathered butter, sugar, oranges, milk, and several fresh eggs.

He would be making orange custard tarts with crisp pastry and molten centers.

He began with the tart shells.

Haruto placed a block of butter into a glass bowl, then added caster sugar and finely ground orange salt in an exact ratio of fifteen to one.

The orange salt was an ingredient he had brought himself, but Erina had never forbidden the applicants from using their own seasonings.

Since she had not said it was prohibited, Haruto saw no reason not to use it.

He picked up a pair of chopsticks and began whipping the mixture with quick, controlled movements of his wrist.

The pale yellow butter gradually became lighter and fluffier until it took on an inviting creamy-white color.

He added the whites of two eggs and continued beating without slowing down until they blended seamlessly into the butter.

Next came milk powder and almond flour.

Once those had been folded through evenly, he added cake flour and kneaded everything into a smooth dough.

Haruto sealed it inside a food-storage bag, pressed out the air, and placed it in the refrigerator to rest.

While the pastry chilled, he began preparing the filling.

He took cream cheese that had already softened at room temperature and whipped it with sugar until completely smooth.

Then he gradually added heavy cream, beaten egg, freshly squeezed orange juice, and warm milk.

He mixed at low speed after each addition, making sure every ingredient was fully incorporated. By the time he finished, the custard was as smooth as silk.

The pastry dough had rested perfectly by then.

Haruto removed it from the refrigerator, folded it several times, and rolled it into a sheet three millimeters thick.

Using a round cutter, he stamped out a series of evenly sized pastry circles.

He transferred each one into a tart mold and gently pressed it against the sides with his fingertips, shaping the edges into smooth, neat curves.

The shells were then placed in the oven at a carefully selected temperature.

Fifteen minutes later, the oven chimed.

Haruto removed a tray of crisp, golden tart shells.

Once they had cooled, he slowly poured in the prepared custard, filling each shell precisely four-fifths of the way.

No more and no less.

He placed the tarts into a blast freezer and waited for the centers to begin setting.

Roughly seven minutes later, Haruto took them out.

The custard had firmed slightly, allowing him to brush a thin, even layer of egg yolk across the surface before returning them to the oven.

Another ten minutes passed.

The moment Haruto opened the oven door, a rich wave of butter swept through the hall, accompanied by the gentle sweetness of milk and a fresh, fragrant note of orange.

The aroma alone was enough to make anyone’s appetite stir.

The golden pastry had baked into delicate, crisp layers, its edges curling slightly with an irresistible sheen.

At the center of each tart, the orange custard shimmered like a pool of warm, flowing honey!

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