Pudding Battle (5)

Chapter 35: Episode 17 - Pudding Battle (5)

The sweets princes were also surprised as smiles appeared on their faces in relief.

The audience of people who watched from the sides had smiles on their faces and applauded for me.

"Amazing! That girl won against the daughter of Chateau Seika's president?"

"She didn't even have to use expensive ingredients to win!"

"Her movements in the kitchen were elegant as if she was dancing!"

"You did it!" Andou gave a smile, though I tried my best to appear happy.

'Huh, strange how you were doubting me not too long ago…' I wiped away this thought and smiled back at them

When the results of me winning were announced, Koshiro stood still in shock, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.

"H-How? You even praised my pudding…" Koshiro said irritatedly.

"Hmm… there is depth but look," Chairman Moriyama pointed to Koshiro's pudding that had holes in them.

"No way, there are pores!" Koshiro gritted her teeth at the sudden realization.

"And this is Michiko's," he pointed to my pudding that was silky and smooth.

"N-no, that's not possible! I practiced with the same oven model as the ones here. There weren't supposed to be any mistakes!" Koshiro admitted though the chairman remained indifferent.

"No matter how many of the same models there are, they are not the same thing. This oven in Salon de Marie bakes stronger. If you don't make adjustments, it will turn out stiff," the chairman explained.

"Well, I wouldn't know such a thing!" Koshiro replied.

"Michiko knew…" Tennouji stepped into the conversation. "Last night, she came to the salon after we were finished with service. She asked us to let her use the oven so she could know its quirks and she practiced till dawn," Tennouji confessed and the sweets princes looked back at me.

"So that's why…" Andou muttered without finishing his thought.

"But the taste… Michiko Keiko's caramel should be bitter since it's so dark!" Koshiro held up my pudding that had the dark caramel sauce.

"Actually, I made it bitter on purpose. The other day, I noticed that the chairman was eating gateau au chocolat and the ones here are fairly bitter. His coffee was black too, so I thought he preferred bitter tastes, that's why I boiled the caramel until the last moment," I explained, recalling the past events.

"Magnificent… that is my preferred taste. To think you saw through me to that extent, hohoho," Chairman continued to happily eat my pudding.

Everybody looked at me with wide eyes as I explained my thought process. Fraise wore a proud smile as she looked at me.

"That's… unfair! To research the chairman's preference as she pleases!" Koshiro clenched her fists angrily.

"That's not quite true. Michiko finding out both the oven's quirks and my preference may be a small thing, but the feeling of wanting the person who eats it to be happy is mixed in. To those aiming to be patissiers, it's the number one most important thing," Chairman lectured and a small smile formed on my face.

"Amazing, Michiko! I'm sorry for doubting you with the caramel sauce!" Andou apologized while also praising me.

"At least, for now, we can breathe easier," Kashino sighed.

"See, I told you guys not to worry about Keiko. There will always be a reason for why she does things." Fraise smiled, explaining to the three other sweets spirits.

"You did well in recognizing the oven's quirks," Hanabusa complimented as I nodded my head.

"Well, it's because everyone taught me various things during this time. So… thanks… and to the spirits, too," I said shyly with a hesitant smile.

I turned my attention back to Koshiro who was trembling in frustration. She clenched her fists and slowly walked towards me.

"Just like I'd promised before…" She said with her teeth gritted.

Suddenly, she bowed down to me on her knees, her head facing towards the floor.

"I apologize for my attitude on that day…" Koshiro claimed and my eyes widened.

'That's right. If I won, she'd have to bow down to me and apologize for her behavior. She'd also back off from trying to join the sweets princes' group as well.'

She continued to tremble in frustration as she bowed down to me. I looked down at her who was on the floor but I remained indifferent.

"I accept your apology. You may rise," I instructed and she slowly got up from the floor.

Her hands were still clenched and her eyes glared at me.

"Don't get in and over your head, Michiko Keiko, because this time was a fluke. I definitely won't let you win in the Grand Prix. You and Makoto, too!" She exclaimed angrily before storming off.

"Ho ho… I wonder if you've made an enemy out of Chateau Seika (name of Koshiro's dad's company)," the chairman brought up but I remained nonchalant.

"But if it's Michiko, you'll be fine," Tennouji said with a small smile.

Once the competition was over, the people who watched it congratulated me and left, along with Chairman Moriyama.

Now, it was just me, the Sweets Princes, and Tennouji Mari left in the salon.

When she noticed that everyone had left, she walked towards the sweets princes and I.

Fraise remained by my side while the other sweets spirits stood on a table. When she walked over, she glanced at Caramel, Chocolat, and Cafe who were on the table.

"Hm… I see that you have spirits with you," Tennouji directed towards the sweets princes, not noticing Fraise by my side.

'Wait… she can see them?!'

"I look forward to what kind of cakes you'll show me," Tennouji stopped dead in her tracks.

A sparkling fairy's wings appeared from her shoulder and revealed itself. It looked almost exactly like Tennouji with the long blonde hair parted to the side and mature gold eyes.

"Isn't that Miss Honey?" The sweets spirits recognized in unison but Fraise had a distraught look on her face.

As if noticing Fraise next to me, Honey quickly rushed over to Fraise who lingered by my shoulder.

I was taken aback along with Tennouji who just noticed that I also had a sweets spirit by my side.

"Fraise? How could it…? Where have you been for so long?" Honey questioned her worriedly but all Fraise could do was remain quiet.

"Um…" Fraise couldn't bring herself to speak but Honey figured that interrogating her wouldn't be the best idea right now.

"It's been 6 years since I've seen you in the Sweets Kingdom so I've been worried. How have you been?" Honey asked as Fraise returned a smile.

"Thanks for worrying, Honey. But, I've been fine. I've noticed that you've partnered up with a capable and talented girl." Fraise glanced at Tennouji who continued to view the conversation.

"I see that too with you and Miss Michiko. I really hope that we can catch up someday, now that I know you're fine," Honey held Fraise's hand and Fraise nodded her head in agreement.

"Yeah, we can chat some other day. I just have to sort through my thoughts until we meet again." Fraise avoided eye contact with Honey and Honey could sense that something was wrong.

"Okay, I'll be looking forward to that day." Honey nodded her head and gave Fraise a hug.

"It's nice to meet you, Michiko," Honey bowed to me and I accepted her greeting.

"You as well, Honey," I nodded my head in acknowledgment. Honey glanced back at the emotionless Fraise in concern before returning to Tennouji's side.

"Then, I guess we'll meet again at the Grand Prix," Tennouji looked back at us with Honey at her side before leaving.

Once she left, everyone was confused about what just happened.

'Not only does she have a sweets spirit but Fraise and Honey seem to know each other? I think I recall the sweets spirits briefly talking about Honey when I first sat with the Sweets Princes during dinner in the cafeteria… but even Tennouji seemed a bit shocked by that.'

The sweets princes had a distraught look on their face and we all looked at Fraise who remained nonchalant.

"I thought you said you and Honey were rivals?" I asked confusedly but Fraise gave a sigh.

"We are rivals but she's my friend as well. It's a friendly rivalry between us," Fraise explained.

"But, what was that just then?" Hanabusa asked while everyone else agreed.

"Me and Miss Tennouji's sweets spirit, Honey, are friends. It's been a while since I've seen her, so it's surprising for us to see each other again since our last meeting was in the Sweets Kingdom 6 years ago," Fraise said calmly but something bothered me.

'I've seen Fraise with that look before. She has it when she hasn't told anyone about what happened to my mother's sweets spirit, Sucre. Since it's been so long since she's seen Honey, I can already figure out that she hasn't told Honey about what happened 6 years ago and why she was gone for so long… It feels like there's more to come…'