Chapter 71
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Magical Cooking Contest (4)
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"It's complete."
Taishi's confident smile.
However, the judging Magical Girl didn't smile one bit.
"......"
The watching Magical Supply Officer didn't smile either.
"Uh......"
Judging Magical Girl.
Magical Supply Officer.
Despite the difference in their Magical positions—the Magical judging table and the Magical spectator seats—they both started doing the exact same thing.
Silently alternating their gazes between Taishi and the Magical food, pupils trembling.
Well, it was a perfectly natural reaction, all things considered.
The food's overall impression had changed drastically.
What had been added was Magical Sausage.
The kind of Magical Sausage you could find anywhere.
But because of that one damn Magical Sausage, the perfectly ordinary Magical dish from moments ago now looked entirely different.
Somehow blatantly, embarrassingly so.
"What is this......?"
"It's Magical Sausage. A famous Magical delicacy from the country where Magical Buddhism began."
"I get that it's German-style Magical Sausage...... but the Magical imagery is...... uh......"
"It's modeled after the Magical wooden clappers that the Magical Law Guard swings to maintain Magical discipline."
Taishi's explanation carried no hesitation.
Straightforward. Proud.
"Uh...... I see."
In the end, the judging Magical Girl had no choice but to reluctantly accept it.
Pointing it out would just make her look like the weird Magical Girl.
But the watching Magical Supply Officer couldn't accept it at all.
'No, that's not Magical wooden clappers......'
It's that thing on a guy. The Magical Supply Officer clutched her head and grumbled inwardly.
Of course, she couldn't say it out loud.
She was just a Magical observer, after all.
At that moment, Sora narrowed her eyes and began scolding Taishi.
"Taishi, what the hell is this!"
"What's the problem?"
"You know you can't do that? It could cause Magical misunderstandings!"
The judging Magical Girl flashed an awkward smile and quickly agreed with Sora.
"Ah, haha....... Yeah. Good point. I almost had some weird thoughts."
"Is that so? Hmm...... Got it."
Taishi looked dissatisfied but nodded and stepped back a little.
Sora stepped forward in his place.
"So I'll fix this using Magical Japanese cuisine that captures the essence of seafood."
"Yes, please."
The judging Magical Girl smiled in visible relief at Sora's words.
The Magical Supply Officer breathed a sigh of relief.
"Phew......"
That one crazy girl had nearly caused an irreversible disaster. Things were already hanging by a thread as it was.
But it hadn't gotten any worse.
They'd somehow patched it up.
'At least there's one normal person.'
Lucky.
"Now it's truly complete! Doesn't it look decent?"
'Hey, you fucking bitch!!!'
Not lucky.
Patched up? Hardly.
It had only gotten worse.
Sprinkling seaweed overall might've hidden it, but sticking it only in specific spots made the whole picture look off.
Not suitable for all Magical ages—a harsh scene.
'Why the hell stick the seaweed on like that!!!'
Better to leave it off entirely. The Magical Supply Officer tore at her hair with all her might.
Meanwhile, the judging Magical Girl stared at Sora with eyes trembling even more than before.
"Why...... did you stick the seaweed on like that?"
"That's how Magical Japanese cuisine works. It emphasizes the aesthetics of Magical concealment."
"No, I mean......"
The judging Magical Girl trailed off.
She wanted to deny it, but Sora's eyes sparkled with utter conviction—strong enough to make her feel involuntary pressure, filling those amber pupils.
Plus, if it was really Magical Japanese cuisine, maybe it was true. A sliver of doubt played its part.
But was it really?
Not concealment, but Magical censorship?
Who knew. Did she even need to?
"Uh......"
While the judging Magical Girl shifted her gaze here and there, lost in thought for a moment.
"Ha...... Never mind."
She soon sighed and forced a weak smile.
"As long as it tastes good, right!"
With a bit of self-justification thrown in.
Brand-new type of Magical food she'd never seen before. Curiosity outweighed any repulsion, urging her body forward.
Besides, appearance aside, wasn't each ingredient the absolute best combo?
That was enough.
Couldn't get worse from here.
With that in mind, the judging Magical Girl boldly extended her Magical chopsticks.
But.
The instant she lightly poked the Magical octopus with her Magical chopsticks.
"......"
No trace of anticipation or excitement crossed her face anymore.
"......"
She just stared blankly. That was it.
Silently, with utterly dead eyes.
Likewise, the Magical Supply Officer—who'd been on the verge of a meltdown—froze and watched the scene with sunken eyes.
Well, she had no choice.
- Squish.
The Magical octopus had become far too grotesque.
Its shape was too blatant.
To the point where not a single word could escape her lips.
Undeniable Magical pornography.
"......"
The Magical Supply Officer quietly clutched her head.
She had no idea what they'd stuffed inside. Couldn't even guess. Didn't want to know.
She just wished she could turn back time.
That was her only earnest desire.
'Please, for the love of—fuck.'
The judging Magical Girl, on the other hand, reacted a bit differently from the Magical Supply Officer.
She blatantly shot a look demanding an explanation. What the hell is coming out of that Magical octopus hole?
Then Ray—who'd been silent till now—finally spoke up.
"Magical Whipping Cream, inserted."
"......Why the hell?"
"American Magical Salad style."
"............"
The judging Magical Girl rubbed her face dryly.
The more they talked, the worse it got. The more they did, the worse.
What was wrong here?
Was being a Magical judge the issue?
But Ray read the judging Magical Girl's reaction differently.
"Oh, doesn't suit your taste? Hang on a sec then. I'll switch the sauce."
"......What are you planning?"
"Might as well add some Magical Strawberry Jelly and Magical Chocolate—"
"No, stop! Don't! Please! That's even worse!"
The judging Magical Girl frantically cut Ray off.
Even Magical Whipping Cream was intolerable.
Let alone topping it with Magical Strawberry Jam and Magical Chocolate?
No way she could look at that straight while sane.
Anyway, after regaining some composure, the judging Magical Girl delivered her verdict.
"Magical disqualification."
She shoved the Magical food aside without tasting it.
Keeping it in sight felt like it would rot her eyes.
No reason to eat it anyway.
Didn't want to.
Severe defects in appearance alone, but whatever it was—with Magical Whipping Cream involved, the taste had to be a disaster.
"This is a Magical catastrophe for the Magical food world."
Magical catastrophe.
A fitting label for that Magical food.
In the end, the three Magical Girls left without even a proper Magical evaluation.
Yet despite the Magical disqualification tag, their faces weren't dark at all.
"Sora, we got the Magical drop."
"Yeah? Kinda surprising. Let's head back."
"That's why I said we should've submitted Magical temple food."
They just shrugged it off calmly.
The judging Magical Girl and Magical Supply Officer looked gloomier instead. Any stranger would think they were the ones disqualified.
Especially devastating for the Magical Supply Officer.
But unexpectedly, a Magical lifeline appeared.
Thanks to the judging Magical Girl wrapping up with a relatively tame reaction, the other Magical Girls hadn't taken notice.
In other words.
'Just handle that one person.'
As long as it didn't go public, it'd fizzle out quietly.
'Then.'
A few Magical treats ought to do it. The Magical Supply Officer quickly ran the numbers.
High Magical costs, sure, but unavoidable.
Compared to the massive Magical fallout if ignored, it was a necessary Magical investment.
'This much? Eh.'
Not bad. She finished her mental Magical ledger with a faint smile.
It had ended within her ability to contain.
Truly a relief.
People aren't meant to die, after all.
But.
The Magical Supply Officer had overlooked one thing.
"Soa, what the hell are you doing right now?"
"Seobin, try some of this."
The existence of Magical natural disasters.
Jin Soa and Lee Seobin—two general-rank Magical Girls who'd shown up late to spectate the Magical Cooking Contest—had sniffed out that horrific Magical food.
"......Try what?"
"No, seriously, it tastes good."
"What bullshit."
They'd cleared it away fast, but since it was fresh, it'd been left sitting in the Magical kitchen temporarily instead of the trash—that was the problem.
"Looks a bit weird, but the flavors are complex. Perfect as a drinking snack."
"......This crazy bitch looks all prim and proper, but eats like a goddamn hog."
And.
"Everyone has to try this."
Of all things, Jin Soa took an interest and actually liked the Magical food.
Some minor commotion followed, but the Magical salad ended up as one of the top Magical picks.
Of course, there were issues.
No proper Magical judging, and Jin Soa wasn't even on the panel.
"Can't we make this available for everyone?"
"No...... uh...... that's not following Magical procedure..."
But what could they do?
Most Magical administrative processes ran on the same arbitrary bullshit everywhere.
"Hey, does it fly or not? Just say it."
"......It does."
Magical rank could bulldoze anything.
The so-called Magical fist-rule management.
In the end, it went Jin Soa's way.
A bit later, on Magical No-Leftovers Day, the Magical salad became mandatory across all rank cafeterias, regardless.
Complete with a Magical warning label.
Anyone below Magical Major General rank was forbidden from skipping meals—leaving food was even worse.
Where the Magical Girls' pent-up rage would go next was all too predictable.
And so, the Magical Girls remained peaceful this time as well.