Stable

Chapter 309: Stable

"Unqualified."

After taking a sip of tea and exhaling a breath of hot air with a healing smile on her face, Inui Hinako gave her verdict on the dish Xu Yue had served without the slightest hesitation.

"What?!"

"How is that possible?!"

Blondie and Glasses were both stunned.

They had painstakingly gathered the ingredients and had this highly capable native cook them. They had even sampled the finished dish themselves; calling it exquisitely delicious would not have been an exaggeration.

It had even triggered the "Refreshed Mind" status, leaving them both exhilarated.

Yet a dish of this caliber was unqualified in the eyes of this judge!

Unbelievable!

"Looks like I miscalculated. It seems this judge doesn’t like me very much."

Carrying the failed dish back, Xu Yue sighed at the two of them.

"Damn it, are these people really judging based on their personal preferences?"

"If it weren’t for me… heh heh~ I’d definitely make that woman pay!"

Hearing Xu Yue’s explanation, Glasses and Blondie both felt anger and anxiety rise within them.

Seeing someone get forcibly expelled in the hall earlier had made them realize that if these teachers held a subjective grudge against you, getting you expelled was a matter of minutes.

"Sigh, I think if you two could present suitable dishes yourselves, she would probably pass you."

Xu Yue let out a sigh.

"Us…"

Glasses and Blondie exchanged a look, then nodded.

Then Xu Yue received an income notification for 1,200 Reincarnation Points ×2…

Once they had finished preparing a roast goose, Xu Yue even "kindly" demonstrated the abilities of his "God Tongue" to them.

The ability instantly left the two Reincarnators awestruck.

They then submitted to Xu Yue’s guidance, refined their preparation according to his instructions, and confidently approached Inui Hinako.

"Unqualified."

Still wearing that healing smile and speaking in that soft tone, she made Glasses hook an arm around Blondie’s neck from behind.

"Calm down! You have to stay calm! Otherwise, all our previous efforts will have been wasted!"

Thinking of what they had already invested, as well as the enormous fine they might face, Blondie finally calmed down and returned to their station.

Xu Yue also revealed an unhappy expression.

"This is truly infuriating. Your dishes are clearly already so outstanding. There isn’t much time left. If the three of us don’t work harder, we may have to face expulsion."

Xu Yue’s face then took on a grave expression.

Hearing that reminder, the two gritted their teeth and exchanged another look.

C-Rank Plot Points ×2 acquired.

"Unqualified."

Still that soul-healing smile.

B-Rank Plot Point ×1 acquired.

"Mmm~ This one has a bit more flavor, but it’s still unqualified."

"Don’t stop me, bro! Don’t stop me!"

For the two of them, they had painstakingly saved up Plot Points from an entire plot without daring to spend them. Added to what they had saved before, the B-Rank Plot Points they possessed were pitifully few. This was already the greatest price they could pay.

Although the Space had just offered a "loan" service, even if they went into debt, they could at most exchange for dishes of the same rank.

Since they could not succeed this time, they obviously would not succeed next time either!

A recipe that had cost several B-Rank Plot Points!

They had eaten it themselves and gained a unique effect like "increased mental recovery speed," yet it still could not earn approval. What exactly did this woman want?!

While the two continued completing dishes under Xu Yue’s "guidance," Takumi had already finished his own dish and received extremely high praise from Inui Hinako.

Using duck, he had created a dish that combined both Italian and Japanese culinary styles.

"Qualified."

Resting her cheek on one hand, Inui Hinako wore a blissful expression as she gave her glowing evaluation.

"The sauce uses not pickled anchovy tails, but pickled ayu intestines. To make freshly pickled ayu intestines to this standard on the spot is truly quite impressive."

The other students were also shocked upon hearing that evaluation. Could such a blending technique really be done on the spot?!

"If the other dish can reach a similar standard, I can make an exception and serve as your judge."

At first, Takumi had hoped Inui Hinako would judge the match between himself and Yukihira Soma, but Inui Hinako had refused on the grounds that it was not part of her duties.

But after tasting this excellent dish, she could not help but develop some expectations for Yukihira Soma as well.

Takumi’s face was brimming with fighting spirit. This was his strength—the ability to turn everything he had learned into on-the-spot performance.

Could you produce a dish of the same caliber?!

As for Yukihira Soma and Tadokoro Megumi, they were still worrying over ingredients. They seemed unable to find anything suitable, while little time remained. Yukihira Soma had not even had time to notice Xu Yue’s side before heading out again to search for new ingredients.

"This is unfair. His dish might not even be better than ours. We used B-Rank… cough, cough, our dish is definitely not bad!"

After seeing someone else receive such high praise, Blondie found it utterly unbelievable. Why could the two of them not pass?!

"Ah, what a pity. There’s not much time left. After working so hard until now, is this where it ends?"

A trace of regret appeared on Xu Yue’s face as he murmured softly, just loudly enough for the two to hear.

"All those earlier efforts were wasted…"

Those muttered words seemed to stimulate the pair’s nerves. They gritted their teeth and prepared something again, and Xu Yue once more received a notification for B-Rank Plot Points ×2.

Given the strength of the two of them, the expense from the first B-Rank mission had probably nearly emptied them out already.

Now, could they really overdraw their balance like they could in Enjoy Space…

Space, you really are…

Wonderful… cough~, no, terrifying.

"Since he got such high praise, this time we’ll directly use the Space to learn that dish by name. The designated price is a bit higher, but there’s no question that it’ll pass."

Glasses spoke quietly to Blondie, who nodded seriously.

In fact, they had now discovered that the dishes offered by this Space possessed quite impressive special properties. Increased mental recovery speed, faster injury recovery, improved concentration, and other unusual attributes did not seem particularly powerful, but they were an entirely new category, completely distinct from potions and status effects.

As long as they learned the dishes, the price was not actually a loss!

But the prerequisite was that they had to complete the Space’s ultimate standard mission. They had to keep succeeding all the way until they became members of the Elite Ten.

They had already invested so much. They had to see this path through to the bitter end.

Otherwise, they would suffer a massive loss. Once they won it back, everything would be fine!

The two then swiftly worked together to cook.

By the time Yukihira Soma returned with ingredients, with only fifteen minutes remaining, the two had already finished their dish.

A fragrant grilled duck dish that was almost identical to Takumi’s!

"Huh? Another one?"

The moment Yukihira Soma entered, he saw the nearly identical dish and assumed Xu Yue had made it.

Many of the other students thought the same.

After all, during Food Wars!, this transfer student had copied Mito Ikumi’s dish.

Were they trying to exploit a shortcut to pass?

"Unqualified."

Yet it was still that soul-healing smile, still Inui Hinako’s answer. In an instant, the two Reincarnators’ hearts plunged into the abyss.

You can’t play it like this!

They had paid the Space and still could not pass…

Two chapters done~

Those of you with nothing to read can check out Jiecao’s older books. "Eye of the Lawbreaker" features a growth-type protagonist with an unconventional style, and "Starcraft Inheritance" is out too. Even "Mecha God of War" has been released, though if you haven’t read "The Only Evolver," "Mecha God of War" might be a little confusing. But The Only Evolver hasn’t been released…