Medicinal Cooking
"A-A-A-A-A positive score!! Finally, someone gets a positive score!! We finally have someone who can get something besides a negative score!"
"Oooooh!!! She got 2 Points from that handsome man~"
"The first positive score, she got a total of 72!"
"She currently the first place next to 39"
Nao who was petrified while looking at Lou suddenly felt that the positive score is an arrow hit her heart making her realize that her love for Erina seems nothing at all.
Looking at this godly man made her realise the beauty of being a girl and having someone who is willing to eat her cooking without bothering what kind of ingredients she uses.
"Ah~ someday I want.... Him to eat all my cooking…. As a husband.."
How wonderful it could be if that happen~"
"Now let's continue, the next student please show your dish to us"
Nao feels someone coming closer, her presence is the thing she really doesn't want to see anywhere but this time a deep malice is coming from her.
"Are you getting Lou-sama from Erina-sama? Know your place stalker"
"You are finally here but…. I don't want Erina-sama anymore, I feel that I'm just taking a 2nd hand item if I take her from you so I decide to follow my heart."
"I finally found my soul-mate, I can't wait to make a voodoo doll and curse him every day."
"Stup it, Lou-sama is for Erina0sama only, you stalker can only look 50 meters away from them and never get closer."
"Je je je je ~ if you can defeat me~"
"This is already been settled because i won that Shokugeki,"
"Yes….. that is certainly but this time it's different….. The price is Lou-sama."
Lou meanwhile is eating the remaining noodles while watching them like passerby A.
Nao holds a deep harboring affection towards Erina Nakiri. Nao would do anything to get close to Erina including sending her 30 letters daily or watching her from afar using binoculars. As a girl who has a strong obsession, her pride and desire to fulfill her fantasies often clouds her judgment. In her mind, Nao labels anyone close to Erina as her "mortal enemy".
She will not hesitate to crush her "love rivals" and place herself as Erina's personal associate, even if that person is close to Erina, such as Hisako Arato. Her jealous aura is so strong that it even unnerved the academy security guards. Nao later extends her obsession to Hisako and shows the same admiration as Erina, to the latter's dismay.
The origins of Nao's obsession with Erina are unknown, but have existed at least two years prior to the story. Approximately two years before Sōma's transfer into the academy, Nao challenged Erina's secretary, Hisako Arato to a Shokugeki for the right to become Erina's secretary in a losing effort.
As a result of this defeat, she was not allowed to come within 50 meters of Erina. She worked around this by staring at her idol from a distance using binoculars and continuously sent 30 letters each day to Erina. While enduring her humiliating defeat, Nao harbored a deep grudge against Hisako.
But this time because of Lou, her obsession transfers to Lou who has much milk, gentle and caring Erina who did not even bother to reply to her love letter.
"Fufufuf even if you win i can surpass you here with my points, i'm pretty sure that man will fascinate by me and his hart will going to be mine~ i'm pretty sure he will be happy having me on his side ~ hihihihihi~" (Nao's stalker mentally kick in )
"Ughh~"
Without looking at Nao again, she presents her dish to the judge, and more importantly to Lou who is Erina's partner.
"Have some please"
"Oh it's you Ms. Secretary, so you also in the game~"
"Yes, Lou0 Sama."
"So his name is Lou." Nao murmur.
"Lets see, Leeks, Onions, Carrots, Potatoes, Mutton, Shaoxing Wine interesting and Grain"
"Spices is Shimotsu-to Tōki (Japanese Angelica Root), Senkyū (Szechuan Lovage), Jiō (Chinese Foxglove), Shakuyaku (Peony Root), Turmeric, Star anise, Fennel Seeds, and Coriander a pretty interesting combination too."
Lou took the spoon and gently scoop some rice, gently chew and deep sigh," What an interesting concept."
"You already discovered it!?"
"A genius idea mixing Traditional Chinese Medicine made from mixing four varieties of plant, you also added Kyouou, Daikyou, and Shoukyou to make an original Medicine Spices Mix."
"You stew the spice for an hour to extract the full potential of medicine component then you put vegetables and the mutton meat in and boiled them until they had a mellow tenderness"
"You added Shaoxinjiu and Coriander to heighten the aroma, even the dish look plain and simple, the energy and benefits tight your dish can compare to the level of Alchemy Pill or Potion from its effect, you pretty did a good job here Ms, Hisako."
"T-Thank you," Hisako slightly dazed seeing the legendary Prince's charming smile again, it seems Lou's charm hit pretty hard for anyone to hear him.
"Your dish is like cleansing magic, it warms up the body, up the spirit, clears both body and mind."
Hisako was born into the famed Arato Family, hailed for their mastery in Zhōng Yī, or Chinese Medicine. From a young age, she was well acquainted with Erina and the two became friends.
Hisako decided to study her family's Chinese medicine as an influence for her cooking and with that dedication, she pledged to use that knowledge and skill to serve Erina who she views as her "Empress". Through her dedication and skill, Erina made Hisako her secretary for all of her jobs.
The 43rd Annual Tōtsuki Autumn Election is a perfect palace to show her knowledge and skill making nher shine even more than following Erina around.
Of course, she accepts some advice coming from Lou, she knows that Lou is not just a normal student that comes just to eat and tease them.
His knowledge in Medicinal Cooking is vastly more than she has right now, he can easily distinguish and mix some ideas on her original idea to make her dish even more excellent.
"Here is your score. 5"
"Yes." Hisako feels proud of getting a positive score from him, more than that, her score is larger than Sadako's ( Nao ) score.
"Thank you very much Lou-sama."
"Don't mention it, keep up the good work."
"Yes!"