"And... start!!!!"
Phwaaaaaaaa!
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!
Along with Minamin’s signal, a loud blast—something like a whistle—echoed throughout the venue to announce the start of the judging.
The final screening’s cooking battle began amidst a massive roar from the crowd, starting with the initial scramble for ingredients. Since the theme was open-ended, the only requirement was to finish within the thirty-minute time limit. There was no specific restriction on the number of dishes.
Once the judging began, there was nothing more I could do. I could only watch the progress of the match from my seat, praying for Sara-san’s victory. It was a frustratingly helpless feeling.
"Now then... Everyone has lunged for the ingredients at once!!!! I think I see some scuffling breaking out already, but while the variety is rich, quantities are limited!!!! Naturally, it’s first come, first served!!!!"
Despite Minamin calling it a "scuffle," the contestants were all just reaching out to be the first to grab what they needed; it didn't look like any real trouble was brewing. It wasn't just the Stuck-up Woman; everyone seemed to have thrown their pride to the wind.
However, Sara-san and Mayumi-san had already secured their ingredients and were leisurely returning to their own stations. I didn't see the two of them fighting for anything. Perhaps it was because the people around them—mainly around Sara-san—strangely avoided getting too close. Sara-san was definitely in the zone, so maybe they were overwhelmed by her intense pressure and found her unapproachable.
"Now, Satsukawa-san and Mayumi-san have already started cooking! Just what do those two intend to make? First, they both take onions they've finished peeling and... th-they're fast!!!!!!!! Their mincing speed is insane!!!!!!!! What on earth is this!!??"
Uoooooooooooooooooooooooooh!!!!
The Large Screen set up on the stage projected Sara-san’s hands. What was currently happening on the cutting board was incredible; the onions were being minced at a terrifying speed. Occasionally, the camera shifted to Mayumi-san’s hands, and she was moving with just as much fierce momentum. To an amateur’s eye, I couldn't tell the difference between them, but it was certain that Sara-san was by no means losing.
Good luck, Sara-san!!
"Whoa, th-that’s amazing!"
"Heh... As I thought, when Sara gets serious, she’s incredible."
"Since her life with Takanashi-san is on the line, Sara won't be holding anything back."
The others couldn't hide their surprise at Sara-san’s state, which was clearly different from her usual self. I wouldn't go so far as to call it "demonic," but the intensity with which she devoted herself to the task without a single glance aside was staggering.
Sara-san had already begun sautéing the onions in a frying pan. Kazumi-san, in particular, was staring at the screen with a look of astonishment. As the only housewife in our group, maybe she saw something in the technique that the rest of us missed.
"Hey, hey, Big Brother. Is Sara Onee-chan making food?"
"That's right."
"Mio wants to eat Sara Onee-chan’s food!!"
"I see, I see. Then let's ask her together with me next time, okay?"
"Yeah!! It's a promise!! Ehehe~"
Mio-chan nodded happily and rubbed her cheek against my shoulder affectionately. Perhaps because it had been a while since I'd doted on her like this, she seemed even more clingy than usual today. Of course, that wasn't a problem for me.
"...She’s blended in so perfectly that I can only see Takanashi-kun as a Young Papa raising a child."
"...I thought so too, but if we poke at him any further, Eririn will get mad at us again."
"...Ugh... You're right. There are a lot of people who get scary if you tease Takanashi-kun, so I'll just stay quiet."
"Hey, Takanashi-kun, does Satsukawa-senpai usually cook at that kind of incredible speed?"
"No... normally Sara-san is the type who enjoys cooking while she works. She doesn't do it like that."
Usually, she would be humming a tune, moving rhythmically as if she were dancing. That was Sara-san’s style. So, while calling this "serious" might sound good, to me, it looked more like she was overextending herself.
Sara-san...
"My, everyone is truly impressive!!!! They’re all so practiced, as expected of those standing on this stage!!! Since I, Minamin, am someone who can't cook at all, even just that is worthy of praise!!!! I mean, wouldn't it solve all my problems if I just made someone who can cook my lover!!??"
"I-I can cook!!!!"
"Minamin, then I recommend myself!!!!"
While moving between the tables, Minamin kept the commentary lively. Since she even made herself the butt of the jokes, the audience was a chaotic mix of cheers, laughter, and retorts. But overall, it was massively exciting. As usual, she was good at this.
"Now then, shall we do a little interview here!!! Who should I start with..."
"Satsukawa-saaaaaaan!!!!!"
"Goddess!!!!!!"
"Sara-chaaaaaaaaan!!!!!!!!!!"
"Yes, yes, thank you for the reactions that were far too predictable!!! Then, answering your requests, we'll start with Satsukawa-san..."
The camera on the stage moved, and a two-shot of Sara-san and Minamin was projected on the screen. Minamin flashed a peace sign and a smile at the camera, but Sara-san ignored her completely, her eyes never leaving her workstation. It was a slightly surreal sight.
"Erm... what is Satsukawa-san making... well, I suppose I can tell just by looking, but..."
The footage on the screen showed Sara-san shaping ground meat—still fast as ever. If I wasn't mistaken, that was Hamburg Steak.
"It's Hamburg Steak, you know?"
"I thought so~. Even I, Minamin, who can't cook, could tell that much. I mean... you're so fast at shaping them!!!???"
"When you're molding them, the fat in the meat will melt just from the body heat of your palms."
"Ah, I see... Wait, wait, no, that’s not it!!!! I mean, even though you're talking to me, you're too fast... and even though you aren't measuring them, they all look like the exact same size!!?? How are you doing that!!??"
At Minamin's over-the-top reaction, which looked more like she was repulsed than impressed, a roar of laughter erupted from the audience. On the screen, just as Minamin said, several Hamburg Steaks that looked exactly the same size were lined up—enough for every judge. By the way, the judges for the cooking battle consisted of fifteen people in total, led by members of the Cooking Club and their advisor, supplemented by key members of the prep committee.
"Ah, jeez, if I get surprised by every single thing, I won't last, so I'll stop there. By the way, Satsukawa-san, can I ask why you chose Hamburg Steak for this match?"
"......Unfortunately, going head-to-head with my mother is a losing game for me. That is why I had no choice but to compete with my best dish..."
"Oh, I see!!! In other words, Satsukawa-san’s absolute best dish is Hamburg Steak, then!?"
"...That's right."
To explain this, we had to go back to before we started dating. Sara-san, who could generally handle any dish without issue, apparently didn't have a specific "specialty" despite her high proficiency across the board. The reason she came to specialize in Hamburg Steak was, of course, because it was my favorite food.
After learning what I liked, Sara-san researched and made prototypes over and over again until she finally completed her Ultimate Hamburg Steak. That was something special she made just for me... and that’s why, regardless of the reason, there was a part of me that didn't want others to eat it. Since I knew that was a pathetic sense of possessiveness, I was feeling a little self-loathing.
"Wow, even so, the judges are lucky to be able to eat Satsukawa-san’s soul-stirring Hamburg Steak—"
"...? I am not making this with my 'soul' particularly, you know?"
"...Huh?"
Minamin wore a blank expression, and honestly, I felt the same. The reason Sara-san chose Hamburg Steak was surely to win against Mayumi-san. If that was the case, I naturally thought she would make it with everything she had.
"Of course I won't cut corners, but that doesn't mean it’s my 100% Hamburg Steak either. In the first place, I don't have enough materials to make that here... and besides."
"Ah, did you not have enough ingredients!? I'm so sorry—"
"Wait, Satsukawa-san, I don't think much of making excuses like that. Claiming you can't make something perfect because you lack ingredients... we are all under the same conditions, aren't we?"
Even though Sara-san’s interview was still ongoing, the Stuck-up Woman cut in with a smug face. Since there were stationary microphones, she could easily butt in whenever she wanted. Also, even if what she was saying was technically correct, that face of hers was incredibly annoying.
"You seem to be mistaken about something... even if all the ingredients were present, I have no intention of making that."
"...Hah?"
"A-Ah? Is that so?"
"Yes. This time, I am strictly making the recipe I learned from my mother. I will win this match using my current skills with that recipe... That was my intention from the start."
"I-I see!! I understand what you mean... but if you can make a 100% version, wouldn't it be more certain to make that—"
"That is one thing, and this is another. If I am to prove that I have surpassed my mother, winning with what I was taught by her is the clearest way to show it."
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh!!!!
At Sara-san’s defiant statement, a great stir, a mix of surprise and admiration, arose from the audience. I certainly thought that way of thinking was correct, and her spirit was amazing. But it was also true that it made the difficulty of winning much higher.
Wait a minute. In the first place, did Mayumi-san ever say to "win against her in the judging"?
"So she says, but what does the mother herself... Mayumi-san, think... Mayumi-san?"
There was no sign of Mayumi-san responding to Minamin’s question; she had paused her work and was looking at Sara-san with a look of delight. Today, Mayumi-san seemed to have quite a few reactions like this.
"Well... either way, I won't make the perfect version here. My special is all for Kazu—"
"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!! I told you, it’s still too early for that!!!!!!!!!"
As if to drown something out, Minamin went wild, flailing her arms and legs. Seeing that, Mio-chan laughed loudly, saying "Kyahahaha," which was innocent and cute... no, wait! Did she just almost say it?
"Hah... Sara really never wavers."
"His wife has nothing more important than Kazunari. That's why, no matter the reason, she'll never yield on that point."
"Her 'special' is only for the one she loves... I see. Hehe... That's wonderful."
"Marina, you really love that kind of romantic stuff, don't you?"
"You're really loved, Kazunari."
"You can't hide that you're grinning."
"Shut up."
"Big Brother, are you happy?"
Finally, Mio-chan poked my cheek. That meant my happy feelings were showing on my face clearly enough for even a child to see... but I couldn't help it. There was no way I could hide such a feeling. To be thought of as that special by the person I treasure—I was truly lucky.
"N-Now then!!!! Let's pull ourselves together and move on to the next one!!! The next interview will be..."
With the handheld microphone in one hand, Minamin began moving toward the other contestants. The camera moved with her, and the cooking scenes of each contestant were projected onto the screen. Even if they didn't have the overwhelming skill of Sara-san or Mayumi-san, to someone like me who can't cook at all, they already seemed more than amazing.
However... what on earth was that girl making?
"Erm... Kusuhara-san?"
"Yes, what is it?"
"What is that..."
"Can't you tell by looking? They're sandwiches."
"No, I obviously know that, but..."
I could tell Minamin was seriously wondering whether she should point it out or not. I felt exactly the same. Sandwiches were food, so it wasn't against the rules. That said, while everyone else was cutting, grilling, sautéing, or boiling, she was... well, "making the most of the raw ingredients." At least she was doing the cutting, even if she was just stacking things between bread.
"Honestly... you didn't do a cooking judging last year, did you?"
"T-That's right. As a rule, we change the judging content every year..."
"If you had told me a little earlier, I would have prepared properly."
"No, it wouldn't be interesting if you prepared that heavily in advance..."
Most likely, if she had known sooner, she would have called a cooking tutor to her Family Home. But if that was the case, didn't that mean the only reason she could win the previous Miss Contest was because she was very lucky? Because Sara-san didn't enter, her lack of skill was never exposed. Because there just happened to be no judging items she was bad at, her secret was safe. Or maybe it was because there were items she was good at that her lack of talent was never revealed. Was that it?
"N-Now then, let's head to the last person for an interview!!!"
Leaving behind a forced smile, Minamin moved away from the Stuck-up Woman’s table. Whether it was intentional or a coincidence, she headed toward Mayumi-san.
"Now then, Mayumi-san is... wait. Oh!!?? Is that perhaps..."
When the camera footage was projected on the screen, the scene was similar to Sara-san’s. Since she had taken the same ingredients, I had a hunch, but as expected, Mayumi-san was also making Hamburg Steak.
"Th-This is a surprise!!!!!!!! A mother-daughter battle turned out to be a battle with the same dish!!!! Is it that you chose the same dish as a trial for your daughter, after all!!!!!"
"Eh? This was just a coincidence, you know?"
"Eeeeh!!?? Th-Then why did Mayumi-san choose Hamburg Steak... Is it because it's your specialty after all!!??"
"Nfu-fu~"
For some reason, Mayumi-san cast a meaningful glance my way. I had a strong bad feeling about this.
"That's because... it's my cute, cute son's (in-law) favorite food... right?"
She winked cutely. I felt a strange sense of pressure—no, I told you, please don't do things that are so close to the line!!!
"Heh? No, your son... E-Eeeeeeek!!?? No, no, no, that’s still a bit too early— Ah!!?? Sorry, I was just talking to myself, I'm sorry!!!!"
Whether muttering or shouting, Minamin was quite busy today. But for a moment, I felt like she started making a fuss after looking this way... it seemed certain that she knew about me and Sara-san to some extent.
Between her meaningful exchange with Sara-san and this, I just hoped it wouldn't turn into something unnecessary.
Side Sara
Although I had gotten a bit heated and accepted the challenge with great enthusiasm, thinking about it calmly, there was no clear line for victory in this match. Even if I boasted about definitely winning or definitely not losing, in the end, it was nothing more than the result of a trivial Miss Contest. There was no way such a result could affect the life Kazunari-san and I shared.
Thinking back on my mother’s words once more, while she used the word "lose," she never once said she would settle it with the judging results. In other words, simply winning the judging had almost no meaning. A mindset of "as long as I win the match" probably wouldn't satisfy the victory criteria my mother had set. I really did accept a rather vague match, didn't I?
That said, once my life with Kazunari-san was brought up, I had no choice but to accept. My mother is usually a gentle and easygoing person, but it is also a fact that she has a clearly strict side. Now that she has shown this kind of attitude, she is undoubtedly serious. I don't know specifically what she intends to do, but it is certain that she will interfere with our current life in some way.
However, our life belongs to us. Even if she is my actual mother, I will never let her interfere. Taking Care of Kazunari-san is my role alone; it is my reason for living.
I have noticed for a long time that my mother is unnaturally fond of Kazunari-san. It didn't just start recently, but lately it has been escalating, and her attempts to tease him whenever she finds an opening are honestly offensive to my eyes. I don't really understand why my mother tries to dote on Kazunari-san that much. It also irritates me that my father, who surely must have noticed, doesn't really try to scold her for it.
It can't be helped that the kind Kazunari-san can't be firm against my mother’s actions. She is my biological mother, and in the future, she will be his Mother-in-law, so he is being considerate of her. That is exactly why I want my father to do something about her... Honestly.
At any rate, this time things are just too unexpected. The cooking judging, in that sense, likely won't have much meaning in terms of the win or loss itself. And I don't know if I’m currently able to show a result that satisfies my mother. But cooking is the greatest thing I was taught by her. The results of being taught various things since I was a child support my current life—and live on in my life with Kazunari-san. Thinking about that, I do feel a certain sense of gratitude.
If that’s the case, then this cooking judging alone has meaning in winning against my mother.
The current me is not just made of what I was taught by my mother. There are new techniques I gained in my life with Kazunari-san, and there are techniques taught to me by my Mother-in-law. By leaving my mother’s side, my cooking has become a layering of three techniques, reborn into a new form through my feelings for Kazunari-san.
Normally, all of that would be only for Kazunari-san... but this time, it is to protect my life with him. That is why, even if I know this is a stage for a farce, I will go all out. Because I believe that is also a form of gratitude and repayment to the mother who raised me this far.
I am no longer the same girl I was back then. I will prove that today... Mother.
Ah, of course, even though I say I’m serious, I won't be making it with the Kazunari-san-exclusive Recipe. The only ones allowed to eat that are Kazunari-san and me.