I’m Just an Ordinary Academy Student

32 – Turns Out, There’s Talent

As time passed, the first day of the Academy’s autumn festival finally arrived.

Since yesterday, the academy was filled with various booths and new things everywhere.

An already lively place was now at its peak, almost exploding.

“Freshly baked bread for sale at the Baking Club booth!”

“Starting a shooting score competition at the Shooting Club booth! The reward is a cute doll that both of you can die for!”

“Hey there, student! How about taking a portrait home?!”

Expecting something subtly grand for an academy festival, it turned out to be just like any university festival.

And that was better. Festivals should be like that. I want to avoid the atmosphere of a ball.

One day, they would become nobles and part of the political scene, but for now, they were just students.

The freshness gathered, turning into passion and warmth that only they could see.

And that fervor shook the hearts of our four protagonists even more.

“Oh, Karl! Look at this! The atmosphere is amazing! Our high-class cuisine booth could have shone at a time like this! Why did we change it to something like this?!”

What is this guy saying now? If you have a conscience, you shouldn’t say such things.

“It may be high-class cuisine in words, but in reality, it was a super-powered bomb, Schlipen.”

“A bomb! That’s too much, seriously!”

“Admit it, Schlipen. Honestly, your food is the worst. You should be grateful that Karl purified it before saying anything.”

“Wilhelm, you too were the same!”

“…Ahem.”

Those enemies. I didn’t just transform them into fish-shaped buns and pancakes.

I’ve already checked. Can these guys really do it properly?

Can they produce something a skilled chef or a makeshift booth can deliver?

And the result, well… as expected, a dreadful biochemical weapon emerged.

“This is cooking. Yeah. What should we name it? How about ‘Twisted Devil’s Biomass of Twilight?'”

“That’s too much, Karl.”

“Your cooking is even more excessive, Schulipen. Next!”

Even though they insisted, I never ate it.

They say good-looking rice cakes taste good. How on earth do you eat that?

“…Wilhelm. What did you substitute for stock?”

“They say MSG is bad for health.”

“Not putting MSG in your cooking is a disqualification. Next.”

Do you know why Shin X noodles lost to spicy Jin X noodles?

Because they said, “No MSG!” and did weird things, ending up falling behind.

Why don’t you use MSG? Cooking is about making it tasty to eat.

“Hey, Alexander, come over here.”

“Why? Is it tasty? …Oops.”

“Why don’t you check the seasoning while cooking? Huh? Next!!”

Those who know, know. How salty military rations can be.

Imagine having a meal and feeling like you’re eating a day’s worth of salt.

Even for someone like me, who endured it for three years, the extreme saltiness was impossible to cover.

One guy didn’t put salt, and another bombarded with salt.

How did these guys become the top four at the academy?

…Ah, the face. Right. I get it. Damn. I get it!

“Finally, Joachim. It’s you.”

“How is it?”

“Hmm.”

I immediately entered the infamous (with profanity) British chef fusion.

“What the heck! This chicken isn’t cooked enough to be resurrected! Stupid sandwich!”

“Eek!”

“All eliminated! Just do what I say quietly!”

I’m starting to worry. Can these guys handle fish-shaped bread and hotteok* at all?

At this point, it seems more like their chosen dishes are difficult rather than them being incapable.

I just want to eat snacks from my memories; I don’t want to be subjected to biochemical terrorism!

“Everyone, be quiet. We proceed with the plan as scheduled. If anyone wants to raise objections, make a dish you can eat and bring it. Otherwise, keep your mouths shut!”

“Got it.”

Nevertheless, it seemed they had consciences; they all tasted their own dishes before sealing their lips.

After that, they quietly agreed to my plan for the ‘Fish-shaped Bread and Hotteok Booth.’

Honestly, that’s the way it should be, as long as you haven’t lost your sense of taste.

“Karl.”

“Oh, hey. Selena?”

I turned my head away from preparing the booth and… What on earth? Is that a white dress? Isn’t that the kind of outfit you should never wear around food?

It’s beautiful. Yeah, beautiful, but… I wonder what would happen if something spilled on that and didn’t come off.

“…Selena?”

“Uh, yeah. Karl.”

Selena was looking at me with eyes full of expectation.

Thanks to that, I hesitated for a moment, but soon I said what I intended to say.

“The apron is over there. Just in case, put it on. If you ask me anything, I’ll throw away the dress.”

Honestly, it’s just about fish-shaped bread and hotteok. Even the four people there are doing the preparations; what could go wrong? Still, you never know.

If something stains the white dress, it’s uncomfortable for both the person who spilled and the one who sees it. Selena, who was staring at me for a moment, silently grabbed the apron.

Then, with quite a skill, she swiftly started draping it over the dress.

“Turn around for a moment. I’ll tie the back strap.”

“Uh… Th-thanks, Karl.”

“It’s nothing, really.”

Should I say the next words, or maybe not? Honestly, it might be better not to.

However, upon further reflection, it seems like the right thing to do for now.

After all, they came to help. If you think about it that way, isn’t it only fair to do at least that much?

“The clothes are pretty.”

Oh no! My hands and feet! I don’t know. Stop here. I won’t say anything more!

Even if Selena were to say, “Huh? What, what did you say?! Say it again!” I wouldn’t acknowledge it.

There won’t be a rebroadcast. If you didn’t hear it, it’s over. Selena, miss.

“Is the dough coming along well, Schlipen?”

“Yeah. For now.”

“Wilhelm, if you do something strange with the filling, I’ll bury you.”

“…If you really plan to bury, at least let the head stick out, knife.”

The current time is five in the afternoon. We should start getting ready soon; we need to start before seven in the evening at the latest.

During the day, it’s hot, so you look for something cool, but at night, the air gets a bit chilly, so you seek something warm.

“And originally, fish-shaped buns and hotteok are meant to be eaten at night.”

Now, the problem is whether these four can create a proper work.

I’ve shared memories and flavors from my past life to help as much as possible. I’ve actually made it a few times before.

Here in this world, there are many things similar to snacks.

At times like this, it was convenient that the novel was the original world. Then again, who knows? If you look, there might be kimchi too.

How much time has passed like this? With a savory smell, it became Schlipen! I shouted.

The glorious fish-shaped bun, the first one from the academy. Finally born.

“Kal! Look at this! The bread fish is done!”

“It’s not a bread fish; it’s a fish-shaped bun.”

The appearance is a pass for now. The prepared mold fit very well.

Moreover, you can’t see any part that seems to be burnt, even though it’s clearly the first time.

Is it luck, or is it a skill that even Schlipen himself didn’t know?

Well, the most important thing is, of course, the taste.

“…Hmm.”

“How is it, Kal? Is it edible?”

Perhaps it’s because I’ve made something that can be called garbage in cooking until now.

Schlipen was looking at me with a very worried expression.

Seeing it this way, the other three were quietly watching my reaction as well.

“Shoopin.”

“Yeah. What’s wrong? Exterior? Interior?”

I immediately shoved the remaining carp-shaped bread into my mouth.

“It’s perfect.”

“Really?!”

Yeah. Really. It’s truly amazing, genuinely delicious.

There’s no lacking anywhere. The crust is crispy, the filling well-done, and the shape is lovely.

Almost as if Shoopin himself mastered the art of making carp-shaped bread.

“Karl! This time, this one! Hoduk? Hotteok?”

Seeing Shoopin praised, Wilhelm handed over the hoduk.

Let’s see. This one turned out much better than expected in terms of appearance too.

It’s just right, not too thin or too thick, evenly spread.

The crust is perfectly crispy. No leaking filling anywhere.

Prepared with a glass of cold water in anticipation, I take a bite.

“…”

“…How is it? Better than Shoopin’s?”

Gosh. Suddenly tears well up. Eating this is making me feel this way.

“It’s neck and neck.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“It means perfection. Wilhelm. This one turned out really well too.”

At my words, the four of us high-fived each other with enthusiasm.

I wasn’t showing it, but I was internally tense again.

That sight was quite amusing, enough for even Selena, who was assisting here and there, to smile.

The guys who had worked hard in preparation also tried each other’s carp-shaped bread and hoduk.

Then, the four of them said something like, ‘Actually, aren’t we culinary geniuses?’

“Hey. That’s not it. Don’t delude yourselves.”

Selena, who wasn’t much, stood up for me instead.

Thanks, Selena. I thought I was fighting this lonely battle alone.

“Well then, Karl! Right from here…”

“Hey, stop that. Experimental works aren’t meant to be sold to customers.”

“Huh? But, Karl, didn’t you say everything turned out well?”

“Still, it’s not okay. Here, put everything in this bag. Since I suggested doing this, it’s only right that I handle what’s left. Don’t you think?”

“It’s not about what’s left; you could just sell them…”

Noisy bunch, these guys. These are all mine. Don’t touch! My precious!

I’ll neatly pack them in the bag and leisurely enjoy them one by one.

As they diligently directed the preparations for the opening, someone watching from a distance discreetly signaled.

Hmm. It seems they found us earlier than expected.

“…Selena.”

“Yeah? You called, Karl?”

Approaching Selena, he handed her a booklet he had crafted.

“Take a look at this. Keep an eye on those things as best as you can.”

“Me? Karl, wasn’t this your responsibility?”

“It was, but something urgent came up. I need a favor.”

It might be a somewhat unexpected request. After all, he just asked for a little help.

But there’s no choice. If he can eliminate the intruders on the first day, there’s nothing better than that.

“I trust only you, Selena. Just please watch those humans over there. Make sure they don’t do anything strange, contrary to what they’re told. That’s all you need to do.”

“Well, uh… but…”

“I’ll definitely grant your favor later. Is that okay?”

A moment later, with a somewhat lighter heart, I could leave the cooking booth.

Oh, of course, with a bag in one hand containing fish-shaped buns and hotteok.

I should give one to the poor agent who must be suffering in this quite cold weather.