The topic of the day's Shokugeki was Pork, a common theme amongst chefs due to the sheer variety of pork cuisines able to be created within society. Pork chops, pork loins, pork ribs, bacon, the concept of pork encompassed a wide range of enjoyable specialties. Whether it was for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, pork was a kind of staple meat that could not be replaced easily.
Just thinking about what dish he'd make caused Eizen to fall into a silence. On one hand, he had been planning on bribing the judges to his favour, but the matter had unfortunately become too complicated. His most recent business partner had insisted on being one of the judges, and not wanting to leave a poor impression, he had refused to bribe her. The other judges were fairly simple to handle though. They caved relatively easily at the prospects of a pile of money, yet when the time came to perform, they were suddenly struck with illness?
Eizen truly felt that the situation was odd, but he could do nothing on such short notice to vent his frustration. He consoled himself by the sole fact that he did not pay off the judges in advance. In this way, he didn't suffer that much of a loss. Still, the fact that the current Shokugeki was lacking judges was going to be a problem that needed to be solved promptly.
From a list in his hands, he'd tried to select a few business acquaintances that he could use as substitutes, but he soon folded the list and stowed it away with a small sigh.
Troublesome.
Calling anyone on such short notice only meant that he'd have to offer a higher price. Therefore, there was no longer a need to use underhanded tactics.
Instead, he turned to the Edelfelt Heiress sitting in the middle of the judge's stand and nodded. "I'll leave it to you then," he called out politely.
The Edelfelt Heiress had an air of elegance not seen in most women of the modern day. Her disposition resembled that of an older aristocratic line, cold and aloof while wearing an elegant blue dress. She had money, and lots of it. The fact that he had seen her using gems and jewels so causally for research attested to his assumptions.
Eizen was not wrong.
If there was one aspect of Luvia Edelfelt that Rin hated, it was that Luvia was a rich daughter. Never mind the concept of saving or scrounging, if Luvia wanted something, she would damn well get it in a heartbeat.
The current situation regarding Eizen's sudden Shokugeki was the same.
Luvia inwardly huffed in frustration. Her blond hair was parted at the middle and twirled into drills by her side; she brushed it back with a single palm after a few strands from her bangs shadowed over her eyes.
Luvia was not only the direct line of descent from a prominent aristocratic family, she was also a magus studying at the main headquarters of the Mage's Association known as the Clock Tower. She and Rin could be considered as classmates and acquaintances, more rivals if anything vying for the attention of the same individual.
If Rin thought that she'd gotten the better of Luvia when she'd ditched her near the airport and 'forgotten' to give an address, then Rin was wrong. Luvia had discreetly used scrying magic on Rin's hand-bag during the flight to Japan as she knew Rin's personality relatively well. It was rotten. The kind that refused to give a competitor an advantage.
By the time Rin had left her behind, Luvia had already begun making her plans to one up the Tohsaka Heiress. And what better way than to slap her in the face by directly 'purchasing' Shirou's accommodations?
Just the thought of the expression Rin would make upon learning of this news caused her to beam in satisfaction. If Rin wanted to stay in the same place as Shirou, then she'd have to ask her for permission first.
Luvia would not be giving Rin an easy time.
Better yet, Rin wasn't the only one who preferred pulling some strings to get what she wanted. Hearing Eizen's words giving her permission to fill in the roles of the 'missing' judges, Luvia's lips curled into a smile.
"Thank you for your generosity," she said courteously.
She'd done it.
Now all that was left was to bring in her own men to shift the scoring in her favour.
Still, being so underhanded made her feel unsatisfied. Worse, she was torn between who she actually wanted to win. On one hand, she needed Eizen to win to secure the Villa Shirou was staying at, but on the other hand, she didn't want to see Shirou lose. Shirou was the man that she acknowledged as suitable for her, and to have him defeated unjustly did not sit well with her.
No matter how hard Eizen had tried to be subtle in the way he had bribed the other judges, Luvia had still noticed and taken action. It was ironic that in her attempt to foil Eizen's plans, she was the one who gained the ability to decide the Shokugeki's outcome instead.
Her brows furrowed discreetly in thought.
Let it be fair then.
She would not assign her own judges, but instead pick a few random passerby's.
In this way, she would not be going against her own principles and remain neutral in a fair competition. Now all that was left was to wait for the cook-off to begin. She stared at the clock on the opposite side of the room with impatience, a finger tapping on her crossed arms.
Watching Luvia, Eizen decided that it was about time to get ready. He moved towards his side of the kitchen with a relaxed gait. He had agreed to allow the Edelfelt Heiress to replace the judges by her own standards as a sign of good-will and not because there was no other choice left.
He was confident in his own culinary skills anyway.
He honestly did not feel as if he'd lose.
Standing in front of a counter, he began sorting through the equipment that he would use to prepare his dish with a practiced grace. He was one of Totsuki's Elite Ten. No matter how questionable his business operations could be, his culinary skill was the real deal.
The amount of attention that he was giving towards this Shokugeki was far more than he believed was actually required. His opponent was some no-name chef that had just enrolled into Totsuki Academy, though admittedly, there was an air of mystery around the no-name that could not be explained.
For instance, Eizen's long-time associates in the Tiger Syndicate suddenly cut off all relations with him upon accepting the harassment contract. They didn't even bother to give him an explanation with how fast they had deserted him.
After years of cooperation, Eizen had believed that he had gotten a grasp of the terms that the Tiger syndicate would and would not accept, but contrary to expectations, reality was different.
His partnership with the Tiger syndicate was over all because of a no-name chef.
Totsuki's Head Master was also paying special attention to the unknown chef, such that it was exceedingly obvious that he was being sheltered.
Utterly ridiculous.
Eizen stared into the reflection of his own image displayed on the flat of his stainless-steel knife and huffed.
No matter. There was no changing the outcome of the day's match anyway.
He'd been hearing a lot of rumours lately. Ignoring the ones about a vicious witch cursing the forest around the Villa, Eizen focused more on the rumours that mentioned Shirou's skill-level.
From what he'd heard, it was rumoured that Shirou was actually exceedingly skilled to the point that his cuisine had not been graded upon examination. As Totsuki was one of the most prestigious culinary schools in the world, an ungraded examination that passed Totsuki's standards couldn't be underestimated.
Let alone him and the other Elite Ten, he'd never heard of anyone getting into Totsuki in such a manner.
For the first time before the competition began, Eizen had become just the slightest bit apprehensive.
He stared at the empty hall leading to the cook-off stadium.
The competition would be beginning soon.
The Shokugeki was to be held in one of Totsuki Academy's outer campus buildings specified for public use during promotional events to attract new students. The facility was organized with the cook-off stand placed in the center of the hall, and adjacent viewing seats placed all around in a circle. The judging platform was located at an elevated location in-between the competitor kitchens.
Currently, the room was fairly full with local citizens invited to watch the proceedings. There was no payment necessary to attend as the outer campus building was intended for public enjoyment.
Up near the stands, Senzaemon sat discreetly with his arms folded. He had disguised himself in several layers of darker clothing while blending in with the public crowd to spectate without disturbing the concentration of the competitors with his presence.
Although Eizen wished the day's Shokugeki to be a private matter between two students, how could Senzaemon not find out about it especially when it concerned Joichiro's eldest?
He sighed wearily. No matter how much of a favour he was doing for Joichiro, he could not interfere in a Shokugeki lest he go against the very principle of Totsuki Academy's rules. If students had problems or disputes, all would be settled in a cook-off with no exceptions. Interference was prohibited and no amount of sheltering would change that.
What astounded Senzaemon however, was that Shirou had agreed to the Shokugeki in the first place.
Did he not know that Eizen was one of the top ten elite of the Academy?
Surely Shirou should have had known. The fact that he still accepted meant that there may have had been more to Shirou that Senzaemon had overlooked.
He sat up on his seat in curiosity, a hand absently running through his beard.
Interesting.
The thought emerged from his mind.
Like Eizen his attention was towards the entrance hall directly opposite from where Eizen had entered.
It was the side of the opposition, and where the echoing of footsteps was gradually growing louder.
Walking down the hall and towards the area of the competition, he was no longer as nervous as he was before. He'd practiced about as much as he could, and he had already done his best to prepare himself before hand. His years of cooking in his youth would surely help him here, of that, Taiga was confident. In her eyes, there was no one who could beat Shirou's cooking.
Having woken up early in the morning, he had made his way towards the outer campus building through the guidance of a fellow student of Tostuki who was kind enough to show the way.
Rin and Arturia accompanied him on either side.
Arturia was both reserved and composed, the regality surrounding her having stunned others in Totsuki enough for them to believe that she was some kind of foreign celebrity. Her hands were placed together in front of her, holding her bag in which Shirou had made sure to stuff full with food and rations lest she get hungry.
She held onto it like it was a treasure.
Comparing the tasteless food that she'd grown up eating in medieval Britain, even salted crackers were enough to get her salivating.
A bag filled with food that she could eat at her leisure and at any time? Surely there was no better treasure in the modern era that she could ask for.
Making sure that Shirou wasn't looking at her, she subtly stuffed a hand into her food bag and hid a small cupcake in her mouth before chewing. She would not let Shirou see her eating all the time. What if he ended up thinking that she was a glutton?
She just liked eating was all.
Almost faster than Rin could blink, another cupcake found itself hidden within Arturia's mouth.
Shirou stared at Arturia in confusion, but found nothing wrong with how neutral her expression was. Only Rin saw the way Arturia's eyes would light up in contentment whenever Shirou turned around and she snuck in another handful of food.
Rin shook her head from side to side.
How naïve.
Rin smiled wryly. She could tell what Arturia was thinking in a heartbeat, but did Arturia forget that Shirou was the one who was constantly supplying the food into the bag? It didn't matter if Shirou didn't see when Arturia ate. All that mattered was that he'd always be left with an empty bag by the end of the day.
Rin considered sharing the information with Arturia, but she figured that it would be better to save Arturia from the embarrassment. Ignorance was bliss, and Arturia was a friend. Besides, Shirou was content with the arrangement. She'd be blind to not see how Shirou doted on Arturia.
The fact left her slightly helpless, but she wasn't inclined to take Arturia's place in eating all of the food that Shirou would make in a day. She'd probably die to be honest, so no thanks.
Her attention shifted away from Arturia, and back towards Shirou.
Light was pooling in from the end of the hall that they were walking through, and it wouldn't be long before the Shokugeki would start. Shirou had expressed his nervousness in participating in the event from the beginning, but it was clear to Rin and Arturia that he just didn't understand how good his cooking actually was.
The look on Arturia's expression as she stuffed her mouth said it all.
Now if only Shirou would notice it.
In less than a minute, Shirou, Rin, and Arturia arrived at the central plaza of the outer campus building. The entire area was larger than what Shirou was expecting and was fairly crowded as well. People were seated at the stands up top, and vendors were selling snacks while idling through the viewing gallery.
It was standard scene for a public event, and yet, that wasn't what took him by surprise.
He blanched as soon as he turned towards the judge's stand.
Rin was not prepared, her mouth gradually hanging open and a finger pointed forward in accusation. Everything suddenly made sense, the pieces clicking together in Rin's mind.
The sudden interest in the Villa.
The issues of harassment.
The sullying of her name, others daring to even call her a witch to her face.
"I-It was you all along you stupid gorilla!" Rin's complexion was growing red in anger.
Shirou took no actions to intervene. He'd learned his lesson the last time he'd tried to get in-between two arguing women. It did not end well, and he had instead become the target to be vented on.
"Ah, if it isn't the 'poor' Tohsaka Heiress," Luvia had a hand beneath her chin while she grinned in triumph. "I've heard that you've recently grown famous as an ugly witch? Am I correct?"
Rin's eyes darkened. She couldn't understand it. Why didn't this damn gorilla die after she had forcibly struck at her medulla oblongata in the midst of a spar? Clearly, she wasn't human.
The smile on Rin's face became slightly off. It was a sign that she was pissed, and moments away from exploding. "Do you even need me to verify?" Rin's tone was icy, her eyes narrowed.
Luvia likewise reciprocated the action. "Now now, Tohsaka. I assure you that those rumours had nothing to do with me and are a true result of your own efforts."
Luvia's words did nothing to appease Rin, rather, they made her angrier. Even if it were true that Luvia was uninvolved, the notion was infuriating.
Luvia was being subtle, but in short, she was indirectly calling her ugly.
Sparks seemed to clash between the two as the atmosphere grew strained, ye it could not continue.
Luvia was prudent.
She glanced at the time and made up her mind. The competition could not be delayed any longer. She pointed at Arturia. "You," she called. "Come up and be the third judge."
Eizen had allowed Luvia to select the judges and as a result, beside Luvia was a random person that she'd selected from the crowd. She only needed one judge more for a total of three judges including herself.
Arturia pointed at her chest. "M-Me?" She asked in disbelief.
Luvia nodded.
Arturia hesitated for only a moment, before she was heavily swayed at the prospect of eating more good food. Rin, Arturia, and Luvia's appearances were striking in their beauty. By the time Arturia sat down next to Luvia on one the judge's seats, more and more people turned to look at them.
Rin's lip twitched while Luvia shooed her away with a gesture of her hand. "Is this really the time to argue with me, Tohsaka? There's three million riding on this competition for you."
Ugh, Rin was inwardly struck. She could not refute Luvia's words or say that she did not want the three million because she actually did. Rather than focus on Luvia any longer, she turned her sights on Shirou.
Her eyes were literally screaming 'You better Win' at him.
He scratched the back of his head while smiling wryly. He could only promise that he'd try his best.
As for Arturia being a judge, it was a good call by Luvia. If Arturia was a judge, then she would not be underhanded in her scorings due to her moral integrity. Rin wasn't a black-hearted individual, but in a contest concerning money, and a big deal of it, he felt more than understood that she may skew results to her favour. It wouldn't be the first time.
She couldn't exactly be blamed in full though. Her magecraft required a substantial number of gems, rubies, and crystals for research and experimentation, none of which were cheap in the modern standard.
Arriving at his designated kitchen area, he took note of Eizen in front of him. The man was different from how conceited he'd seemed on their first meeting. Eizen was blocking out all distractions and focusing on the matter at hand while sorting though his knives and cutlery to be used. Near him was a pile of ingredients that he'd carefully placed on the side.
The ingredients used for Shokugeki's in Totsuki could either be provided by the academy or brought in by the students. In this case, the ingredients to be used were things that both he and Eizen had brought. Of course, in terms of freshness and quality of ingredient, Eizen should be superior, but in the end, it didn't matter much in the long run.
So long as he wasn't cooking with rotten food, all food was edible and could be made into a delicacy worth paying for. In his case, he'd asked Taiga to go shopping for him after explaining the circumstances of his competition.
Inadvertently, he'd created another misunderstanding. The random Totsuki Academy students in attendance sucked in a breath while Eizen lifted a brow.
The meat and vegetable that Taiga had provided for Shirou's use was marked with a particular brand known for the highest quality in the food industry. Taiga had not pulled any expenses in mobilizing the members of the Fujimura group to hoodwink a couple well known establishments to procure only the best materials.
The ingredients Shirou had on hand, did not lose one bit to Eizen's, creating the impression that Shirou's financial situation must have had been similar.
No matter, it only made Eizen take the Shokugeki more seriously.
The two looked at each other while Eizen pushed up his glasses.
"You have no chance at winning," Eizen said with confidence. "But at the very least, someone of your calibre should put up a struggle."
The only response Shirou gave back was a flat stare. "Sure," he said passively, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. "Let the judges decide."
Eizen bristled at the comment, but simply got in position on his side of the kitchen while waiting for the Shokugeki to commence.
It didn't take long.
A buzzer rang, and Eizen was quick to begin his preparations. He lined his vegetables in neat rows and chopped them into fine pieces using his knife. He minced his onions and garlic and began cooking by first mixing them with a hint of olive oil over a heated pan. The crackle of stir-frying food resounded outwards as the aroma wafted out into the stands.
Seasoning for flavour.
Heat for texture.
A blend of the two for taste.
Eizen's hands were moving at an expert's pace, not paying attention to Shirou in the slightest as he immersed himself in his cooking. Pork was a meat found from pigs, and like cows and beef, there were certain areas of the animal that tasted better than others. Presently, Eizen was using pork loins and chops whose meat was derived mainly from muscle while still keeping the flavourful fats. It could be cooked tender, dry, or rare, and the springiness of the meat would not disappear.
Pork could be cooked in many ways. Deep fried, baked, steamed, sautéed, or grilled were just a few of the many options. In this case, Eizen was preferring pan-fried to allow the various flavours he was mixing in his pan to eventually seep into the pork meat which he had marinated in a mixture of herb and honey over night.
He was cooking the pork separately in another pan for the time being to avoid the mixing of ingredients that did not cook well with each other. He would then add the meat and vegetables togethers for the final presentation.
He wasn't exactly cooking in his field of specialty, but as a chef, he was well versed in all kinds of recipes.
The flames of Eizen's grill roared as he tossed around his pan's contents in a flipping motion while another hand was used to constantly stir and mix.
In comparison, the show Shirou was displaying as he cooked looked far less captivating. Worse, he hadn't even started cooking yet, his eyes closed in thought.
It didn't matter how well or how good one was at cooking. Satsuki Yukihira for example could be considered a terrible cook by a professional standard, but to Soma and Joichiro, she was top class in the simple food that she could make. This was the prospect of sentimentality and emotion placed on food.
One could be a skilled cook or a pro, but the best tasting food was always one made with someone else's enjoyment in mind, friends or family for example.
That was why, he would combine his knowledge.
The emotions that Satsuki Yukihira had placed in her knife, and the skills that Jouchiro had honed.
It was the basis of what formed the Yukihira style.
Trace on.
It was the start of an emulation made through his own skill and supplemented by his magic.
His hands picked up his knife, another hand shifting to tie his hair back with a bandana adorned with the Yukihira symbol.
The time to cook, had come.
The change was abrupt. There was something different about him at the moment that caused Senzaemon to tense in astonishment up in the crowds.
He blinked. For a moment, he did not see Shirou participating in a Shokugeki, but the image of Joichiro in his youth in the Polar Star Dorm.
The hand running through his beard stopped abruptly as he had a single thought.
Joichiro, you sneaky man.
Inexperienced in cooking?
Senzaemon would no longer believe it. Shirou's presence and demeanor was practically the spitting image of Joichiro in the moment. Perhaps it was a good thing that he'd not insisted that Erina come along. The shock that she'd have at the realization that she'd attempted to fail the son of her idol may be to much of a blow for her to handle.
Shirou began his preparations. His knife moved methodically, the constant sound of chopping and slicing the only noise to be heard from him aside from his regulated breathing.
He was completely focused, his knife work without any faults.
It was the first Knife.
The first salvo and the true beginning of his story as a future graduate of Totsuki Academy.
To cook not for oneself, but for others.
The change had occurred from the moment that he became serious in his cooking, and not just his single-minded pursuit to be a Hero of Justice. Something inside his very reality shifted and veered off course to produce a different future to be seen only through a kaleidoscope.
I am the bone of my Knife.
Magic exuded from his knife, subtly trailing along the edges and affecting the reality and magical principles around him as a whole.
In cooking, he sought for the happiness of the recipient.
He thought of Taiga in his days living in Fuyuki.
In cooking, he wanted to care and provide.
He thought of Arturia and Rin.
And in cooking, he saw a different future.
The very principle of Knives and Swords were different, and as such, the way his reality Marble effected the world too became different in that moment.
With every cut, slice, or chop, his magical energy diffused directly into the ingredients, enhancing their flavours and granting them a healthy luster and shine that was indescribable. Neither Rin nor Luvia noticed the event as the diffusion of the magic was exceedingly subtle.
Unlike Eizen, Shirou first boiled his pieces of pork in water before removing them and frying them on high heat. He seasoned the meat with salt and pepper and made a type of purée made from berries as an accompanying side along with the vegetables he stir-fried in a tablespoon of butter and sauce.
In comparison to Eizen, the process of Shirou's cooking and what had been made seemed worlds apart. Eizen's dish appeared sophisticated and professional while his seemed mediocre.
Eizen had made a tender pork loin garnished with chiffonade and layered with a heavy brown sauce. His stir fried vegetables were served as an accompaniment on the side of the plate with the tender loin situated at the center.
Just looking at it rouse one's appetite and many in the spectating stands couldn't stop themselves from swallowing.
Senzaemon nodded his head. It was expected of a student of Totsuki's Elite ten to complete a dish at a professional level within only the allotted time.
Looking at what Shirou had made, Senzaemon's first impression was 'not bad.' It reminded him of Joichiro's early days when the man had been experimenting a lot with his food to develop his own style of flavours. It looked relatively simple, but in the end, taste would decide all. He turned his gaze towards the judge's podium where the dishes were placed to be served.
Eizen's dish was the first to be judged. Now that he'd finished cooking, he finally took the time to silently admire the woman whose beauty captivated him.
She was looking curiously at the pork tender loin in front of her, a finger pressed to her lips as she looked at Luvia for conformation on when she could begin.
Perhaps the best part in being a food judge was sampling the exquisite cuisine displayed in front of them. In truth, the job was more of a dream job to Arturia than anything. Hunger was the enemy, and food was the weapon.
By the time Luvia moved her fork to sample the food in front of her, the tenderloin on Arturia's plate was oddly missing a large chunk.
The judge pulled from the stands stared at Arturia in shock. Her expression was blank and neutral, but Arturia could not hide the bulging of her cheeks. For her part, she acted as if it were entirely natural. She soon swallowed, nodded, then released a small comment. "It's good," she said curtly. "Can I finish it?"
Shirou inwardly face-planted at the display. Eating so voraciously was okay in private, but in front of several others? Many people were staring at Arturia oddly, but were soon too captivated by the expression she was making to care.
Eizen was no different.
Luvia for her part ate slowly, pleasantly surprised at the taste of the food. "Hmm," she hummed, a redness to her cheeks from the steam wafting up to her face. "The contrast between the meat and the vegetables is highly refreshing. A springiness to the texture, and a crisp crunch to the vegetables leaves one wanting to eat more. Very good," she gave her compliments, using a napkin to clean her mouth.
Meanwhile, Shirou had to whisper lowly and gesture for Arturia to do the same as there were remnants of sauce on her lips which she readily licked away.
As for the third judge, he took a single bite and was speechless. He was floating as if on clouds, the taste of the pork assailing his mind. "…Amazing," he finally muttered in a daze.
Eizen nodded his head at the result. There was no doubt of victory in his mind. He had even began cleaning up his cooking supplies without waiting for the final verdict.
Meanwhile, Shirou stepped up and placed his dish for Arturia, Luvia, and the third judge to assess.
"Rin has this every day?" A tone of jealousy was laced in Luvia's tone.
Although the presentation was a bit subpar when compared to Aizen, the appeal of the dish could not be taken away.
"On the contrary," Shirou began. "She only eats what's left of it," he admitted, his eyes rolling over to stare at Arturia who seemed fully content to pretend that she'd heard nothing.
"Saber! You know what to do!" Rin called from the crowd at that moment. She was trying to get Arturia to vote for Shirou's dish regardless of the taste.
Shirou felt slightly embarrassed at Rin's blatant action, but Arturia maintained her calm.
Not saying another word, she took her fork and cut into his pork dish. The meat fell off without much effort, soft and juicy. Her eyes brightened in anticipation, her heart-beat quickening. In a single motion, she stuffed the food into her mouth.
She looked as if she was literally melting from the flavour, her eyes staring at him in a captivating sort of daze as they glazed over.
"Shirou," she called out absently, a hand over her cheek in contentment. "I love you. I'll buy you another pot for your next birthday so cook for me more."
Eizen looked as if he'd just been physically struck. Was this the emotion that others called heartbreak? It was almost unbearable.
Without even thinking about the result, Arturia's words were enough indication to see which chef she favoured.
Eizen stopped packing away his belongings and turned his attention back to the judge's podium.
Eizen's victory now lied in the judgment of Luvia and the spectator pulled from the crowd and yet his calm broke when he turned to stare at the two.
Gone was the noble bearing and dignity of an individual of a higher class. Luvia was completely stuffing her mouth while the spectator judge could not put his spoon back down.
From the first bite, Luvia's eyes had widened considerably in shock. In fact, her entire body was shuddering. Her breath quickened, and a flush had made its way onto her face. She felt it, some kind of unique magical energy from the food that she had been eating. It melded along with her own magical energy and produced something dumfounding.
Luvia scrutinized the flow of od running through her again and again and came to a stunning realization. Her magical aptitude and energy reserves had actually increased from the magic that she had detected in the food. It was minute at best, but what if she constantly ate such food for months? Years? Decades? The accumulation would eventually add up to something considerable.
Shirou for his part did not like the look Luvia was currently giving him. It didn't seem to be something about a passing infatuation, but something that resembled a growing obsession instead.
"Say, Shero," Luvia called out slowly. "Have you not reconsidered taking my offer to be my personal butler for the Edelfelt family?"
Arturia abruptly sobered at Luvia's question. She didn't know it, but she was glaring at Luvia. If Shirou really did become Luvia's butler, then it was the same as taking him away from her and she refused that outcome. Her lips were thinned, but someone else spoke before she could get a word in.
"Absolutely not!" Rin cut in abruptly, jumping down from the stands. "He refuses," she walked right up to Luvia and directly butted heads. "This is your sixth time asking him already, so hurry and stop while you're ahead."
"No." Luvia refused flatly, standing up to directly place herself in front of Shirou.
Different from before, Luvia did not back down. She could not ignore the effect of Shirou's food. In fact, many in the Clock Tower would probably cause an uproar over this matter.
Luvia had only gained a slight increase to her magical reserves and aptitude, but even then, she was well aware of how difficult it was to achieve such a result in the first place. To begin with, the output of magical energy found in a magus was in turn directly linked to the rank of their Magic Circuits. High grade Magic Circuits could far out perform lesser Magic Circuits both in terms of function and utility, yet she digressed. The point that she was trying to make was that the magical ability of a magus was limited. The only way to increase it was through a family crest cultivated through years of family succession, from father or mother to child, and so on.
Shirou's food was the equivalent to a Magical Elixir that forcibly altered reality and increased the magical performance of an individual. At the expense of eating good food, Shirou's cooking might as well have been a Seventh Magic in the eyes of the Clock Tower.
Luvia did not know what effect Shirou's food would have on regular people but she could already speculate.
Given the chance, the Clock Tower would definitely vote to have Shirou imprisoned there to provide the effects of his food on a daily basis to all prominent lines of Magi.
Quite frankly, she was astounded, and Rin didn't seem to understand the situation.
"You, what the hell are you trying to pull here?" Rin seethed.
Without another word, Luvia stuffed a piece of pork that Shirou had cooked into Rin's mouth.
Rin nearly choked from the suddenness of Luvia's actions, but from the moment that she began chewing and swallowed the food down, her expression grew more and more neutral. The way that she looked at Shirou was not just with infatuation any longer. Instead, it looked as if she was looking at a gold mine rather than a person.
Without another word Shirou stood behind Arturia for protection. Neither Rin nor Luvia would dare challenge a Servant lightly, and Arturia was standing guard like a provoked kitten. "NO," Arturia warned. "Get back," she warned, as if warding away devils.
Neither Rin nor Luvia were perturbed.
For once, the two looked to each other and quickly came to a silent agreement.
Shirou felt a chill travel down his back, an ill premonition that he refused to think about.
At the very least though, it was clear who had won the Shokugeki. Even the random judge Luvia had accosted from the crowd favoured his dish, let alone Luvia and Arturia who had licked their plate's clean. No matter how refined Luvia and Arturia generally were, neither of them had been willing to waste even a single morsel of the food. It was more so for Luvia due to the magical effects it had on her reserves. So, what if she made herself look like a starved fool? It was all for her future.
The only one still in denial over the situation was Eizen. A vein had popped over his head and he finally could not contain himself any longer. "I can't accept this!" He burst out in frustration.
Quality.
Presentation.
Process.
He was the superior.
So why did he lose?
Luvia snorted, a hand pushing a plate forward directly in front of Eizen.
"If you can't accept the result," she brushed back her hair. "Then have a taste and see for yourself."
Eizen was stunned, but even before he could get a word out, someone else beat him to it.
"Might I take a sample of that?"
Senzaemon made his direct appearance.
Author's note: Sorry for the later update. I was having problems with my wifi and internet connectivity which should be resolved today. If anyone messaged me for anything in the past few days, I'm sorry that I was unable to answer. With that in mind, Thanks for Reading!
Next update: Fate in Time by demand
P a treon. com (slash) Parcasious