A Pillar who's even calmer than any of them, with a smile always on this Pillar's face.
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'A priceless smile' the other Pillars thought.
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>How would this Pillar handle this high position at a very young age?
>Is it worth it to become a Pi...
"This one's just got the exact softness and tenderness!"
"Mmm, the way you made your dish taste is well balanced."
"It's been years since I could taste this kind of cooking from a young one!"
"This is pretty nice! The aroma goes well with the food!"
The eldest of them soon faced Shinobu and Mitsuri and asked for their names and where they came from.
"I see, that's very wonderful then. It's an honour to meet up with a slayer face-to-face." He said after knowing their connection with Ayato. "It'll be very hard to decide since all of these dishes are delicious." He added.
The rest agreed and now have to talk with each other in order to choose one to be pulled out.
"This is quite interesting, to have two people last this long competing in cooking against me."
The two ladies turned their head to their left side and saw a young man. He has a black hair tied in a high ponytail reaching his back, green eyes, and a proud smile on his face.
"I'm Midorime Shu in case you two don't know." He continued.
"No wonder you looked like Midorime Tetsuya-sama." Shinobu replied with her usual smile.
"He's my father after all. But I guess I can't be too friendly, you two are my competitors. I feel sorry for the both of you instead." Shu said glancing at them.
They were taken aback by his words.
'How arrogant.' Shinobu thought keeping her usual smile.
Mitsuri got obviously shocked at this, she is just about to protest when the judges asked for the trio's attention.
"We have decided. It might be hard to choose but, we really have to." The eldest said. "We have chosen Kocho-san and Kanroji-san to move on to the final round."
His words shocked all three of them. Shu seemed to have been very devastated while Mitsuri and Shinobu hugged each other.
"Shinobu-chan! Did you hear that?! We passed!" Mitsuri squealed.
"Yes! Yes we did!" Shinobu agreed.
The two ladies soon turned their heads to the man who just mocked them earlier and smiled at him.
"Are you serious?" Shu asked under his breath who still can't believe what he just heard. "They were chosen over me?"
His words were loud enough for the judges including Shinobu and Mitsuri to hear.
"Shu, your dish is honestly delicious. But this time, you have to accept defeat, as your teacher, let this be a lesson to you." The same old man said.
Shu was just about to protest some more but he saw his father tap his shoulder.
"I apologize for my son's rudeness. I'll do my best to teach him about his morals again." Tetsuya said as he look at his son.
Shu didn't dare open his mouth and just slightly bowed his head down to the judges and to the ladies. After that, he just silently followed his father.
"Did they pass?.... DID THEY JUST PASS?!" Tengen exclaimed out of joy and disbelief.
"That's the Insect and Love Pillar for you, hahaha!" Kyojuro praised as he raise his fist up in the air.
"I'm glad, I'm so happy for them." Gyomei said with his tears streaming down his face.
"Hah! That guy just got pulled out!" Sanemi scoffed.
Ryuugi stayed silent as he silently look at the father and son walking away from the judges towards the crowd with his visible eye. He noticed that they seem to be going somewhere but he just shrugged it off. Soon afterwards, the final round begun.
"After this round, the chief would be the one to decide which one of you will be lucky enough to be the winner." The proctor said. "You may start now ladies."
The two took in a deep breath. They glanced at each other with smiles on their faces as they nod.
Thirty minutes later.....
The both of them served their finished and well-cooked food in front of the chief and his wife.
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(Mitsuri's cooked food)
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(Shinobu's cooked food)
The couple looked at the foods first before eating it. The two dishes might look simple but their taste is overwhelming. The two have a satisfied look on their faces. And with that, the couple looked at each other before nodding.
"Guess this is a tie. You two have done such delicious and savory foods it's hard to decide." The chief commented.
"All these years, it was always Shu who kept on winning but now, the tables have turned. You two are really great." The chief's wife commented.
"Thank you very much!" Mitsuri and Shinobu replied in unison.
"Could you tell us who taught the both of you on how to cook these dishes in such limited time?"
Hearing the chief's question, Shinobu and Mitsuri gave each other a smug look before turning their head around. As the two looked at the Pillars, they saw that someone's missing. The others soon, looked to their side and saw Ryuugi's spot empty.
