Chapter 168

The Sixty-Second Day – Tendo Miyo’s Despair, Swordfish Yellow Wept Upon Hearing It

“Then for this cooking session, let’s make omurice together, okay?”

“Do you look down on me?”

The rules for the third round were different from those of the previous matches; it was an individual battle where other members of both sides could only watch and not interfere, or they would be penalized.

Lighting the stove, starting the fire, heating the oil! Watching the two who are sprinting through the ingredients, working hard with moments of intense rivalry even amidst the chaos, the remaining three Pretty Cures who didn’t get on stage were extremely tense.

“Mana absolutely won’t lose! Go, go, Mana!”

Makoto has tasted Ai’s homemade omelette rice many times. She naturally knew how great her cooking skills were. Even if she couldn’t match her dad, who had been a chef for decades, she was definitely better than that lazy bum NEET (subjective impression)!

Even so, despite these thoughts, the anxiety was unavoidable. To alleviate her anxiety and to help as much as possible, Makoto transforms into a cheerleader, striving to encourage Ai.

“What are we going to do, Earth’s fate hangs on a culinary competition?!”

Although Rikka’s words sounded exaggerated, considering the catastrophic consequences if the Royal Jewels fell into the hands of the Selfish Organization, in reality, it truly might come down to that.

“There’s no choice, Rikka. All we can do now is cheer for Mana.”

“That’s true.”

Contrasting sharply with the lineup of the Pretty Cures is the situation on the side of the Selfish Organization. The two officers who didn’t have good relations with Ash naturally showed disdain, Regina, drinking iced water, was completely unperturbed; after all, in her eyes, all Ash needed was some strategic play for his victory.

Choosing ingredients, cutting them, controlling the temperature of the wok while stir-frying, preparing the eggs – all of this was needed to prepare a simple-looking omurice. This was not just about reclaiming the Royal Jewels but also about testing against Ash.

But when she looked at Ash, she was surprised to see that whether it was mastering techniques, timing control, the power used in chopping vegetables, or even the angle of flipping the spatula being perfect, Ash seemed to be operating like a robot that had followed standardized programming. It was beyond ordinary level. His actions would make common people feel hopeless if this was during a competition!

Mr. Ash…

Alright, Cure Heart, you’ve got to get stronger!

However, Ai is not an ordinary person; she is Pretty Cure—Cure Heart! In the face of Ash’s dominance, she decided to bring out more energy, gradually accelerating her own technique, subconsciously outperforming herself.

Unlike the encouraging Ai, Ash felt conflicted. Looking at the array of seasonings, he remembered those who taught him culinary skills.

One day, Ash asked someone to teach him cooking, and the person happily agreed. The final test would be making a bowl of fish soup.

At the time, Ash had replicated the movements of another person perfectly. Not just mechanical imitation, but understanding every condition and experience to produce a perfect result, which even made the overprotective sister who always said “my elder brother comes first” rare commend him.

However, harmony only lasted until the seasoning phase. At first, the other party was shocked, then hesitated, and finally said nothing while looking at Ash.

At the time, Ash thought that if he had poured the thirteenth seasoning罐 into the soup, he would probably have been kicked by a Kamen Rider kick.

“Grandma once said that food made without heart is disrespectful to the ingredients, guests, and oneself. Such food should never be offered to guests.”

“But, if you consider it perfect, I will accept it.”

After saying something seemingly profound, the person drank the whole fish soup and fell into long silence until his younger sister returned home before standing up to welcome her, without even glancing at Ash.

The second person was even more excessive. Sure that he had learned the techniques from the other person, Ash served as a chef for one day at the Nine Connector base. As a result, except for Laki, who missed dinner due to being detained outside, he managed to make a group of aliens taste the Earth Wallace feeling. One night, the crowd at the base toilets reached a level of desperation, making people feel like calling each other “food buckets.”

In the end, the man who controlled everything never mentioned teaching, and SPD even put up a sign in his kitchen saying “Ash is not allowed inside.”

“Is my taste that bad?”

He shook his head, recalling others’ evaluations.

“Don’t add anything; leave the fishiness unprocessed. Your plain boiled thing tastes better.”

“It feels so hurtful, not tasting any flavor as a chef…”

There was no other way. Unless the taste was strong enough, he couldn’t taste anything, and besides, he didn’t like catering to others’ tastes.

Fortunately, participating in the competition wasn’t about winning, so Ash disregarded the earnest advice and continued adding seasonings, grabbing the mayonnaise bottle to splash it in.

Turning to the girl side, she was still focused on stirring the pot; seeing her serious expression, Ash felt a sense of expectation rise.

“Freshly made, please enjoy!” x2

Ash’s omurice, from its excellent appearance and aroma alone, got one drooling. It surely ranked at the five-star level. If placed in food drama, it would shine the moment the lid was lifted off. But after reinforcing his senses through transformation, the Pretty Cures sensed an O-like aura, making them reluctant to pick up their chopsticks.

As for Ai’s omurice, although it had a mouth-watering appearance, it clearly lagged behind Ash’s dish, differing only in color.

“Mana, did you put chili? I’m not used to spicy,” Rikka, who preferred light flavors, found it challenging, but considering Love had made it, it wouldn’t be terrible even if spicy.

“In that case, then our Selfish Organization will take on the role of commentator in this event!” Regina, who aimed to decisively dominate the competition results, was immediately opposed by Arisu. “I protest! Ms. Regina, fairness means both sides should score together for accurate evaluation!”

“Hah, what nonsense are you spouting, clearly we…” Regina was about to lash out when Ash raised his hand and waved her off.

“Don’t worry, your highness, they’ve spoken their piece, let them have their way.”

“Your highness, please trust me too.”

Seeing the confidence glowing in Ash’s eyes, Regina reluctantly complied with Ash’s request after some indecision.

“Ash, why do you seem to always speak up for them?”

“No, my princess. That’s just an illusion.”

The omurice was evenly divided among everyone in portions, even the dark organization members picked up their chopsticks and respectfully put their hands together before their plates.

“I’m eating!”

“I’m eating!”