Chapter 43

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Translator: True Detective

Chapter: 43

Chapter Title: Indeed?

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"C-Can you really do it?"

Yura jumped up from her chair, her eyes wide open. Even though she'd asked for it herself, it seemed she hadn't really expected it.

"Yes. I can really do it. Just trust me."

"O-Okay, I believe you!"

She gave me a dubious look but quickly shook her head and clenched her fists tight. Sis's eyes wavered too, but she ultimately said nothing. That must mean she trusted me.

"Of course, to recreate the dish, we need to start by gathering the ingredients, right?"

I turned my gaze to Yura.

"First, think of all the ingredients you feel like 'this was definitely in it' one by one."

"Which one should I pick? Grandma's? Or Mom's?"

"Let's recreate Mom's first. Grandma's is relatively simple."

Yura had missed Grandma's cooking for Mom's sake. So right now, what we needed to focus on was the pork cutlet curry rice.

This one was more vividly etched in Yura's memory.

"Shall we start by narrowing down the curry ingredients?"

"Got it!"

Yura took a small breath and nodded. With a serious expression, she examined the ingredients in the shop.

"Sis, you join in too."

"Me too?"

Sis pointed at herself and tilted her head. She must not have expected to have to cook as well.

"Yeah. If it's just me and Yura, you'll have nothing to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠do. Plus, if all three of us make separate versions, we get more samples. That increases the chances of getting something closer to Yura's memory."

Sis hesitated for a moment at my words, then nodded.

"Got it. Then I'll pick some too."

"Don't buy right away. Just add to the cart. Viewers might accuse us of copying if they see picks first."

We needed to minimize any room for doubt as much as possible.

"Got it!"

I recalled the scenes I'd seen in 'Feast of Memories' and carefully selected ingredients one by one.

'Chuck roll, potatoes, carrots. Onions. Apples too. The butter was this brand. And the curry roux was this one, right?'

I chose carefully, trying to stick to the memory as much as possible.

The incoming voice message made Yura flinch. Seeing her glance around nervously stirred irritation deep in my chest.

"There've been people spamming nonsense since earlier."

My voice was low, but the anger was clear.

"If you're gonna say crap like that, just leave. Even if we make it exactly the same, you'll call it fake anyway, right? Wouldn't it be better for both sides if you just go?"

"Yeah. Fuck off."

I raised my middle finger and opened the donation manager. The sponsor's name, amount, and message scrolled by.

"You think you're anonymous just 'cause it shows up anonymous in the stream? 'Sagagagak'. This ain't anonymous."

"Yeah. Won't happen. Get lost."

I flipped him off again and added his ID to the blacklist. That blocked them from viewing the stream and donating entirely.

"Anyone who wants to leave, do it now."

I calmed myself and spoke politely. But no viewers dropped.

Viewership increased instead.

"Alright, we've dealt with the trolls somewhat. Now, shall we buy the ingredients we've each chosen?"

"Is that okay? What if we picked weird stuff and waste points?"

"We're buying them to use in cooking, right? That's fine."

"Got it."

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"On three, we buy together. Ready? One, two, three!"

On my cue, we purchased the ingredients. Bags appeared in front of each of us.

"Who should show first?"

"I'll go first. Mine's probably the least likely here."

Sis stepped up first. We nodded.

"I picked carrots and potatoes. Pork for the meat. And this brand for the curry."

I checked her ingredients. Standard curry stuff lined up.

"Nothing special?"

"Yura, even when you described it, I had no clue how to make it. So I went with safe basics."

"Yeah, must've been tough."

Sis had switched to casual speech naturally, but Yura didn't mind.

"Next, Yura, show yours?"

I toned down my speech a bit too. It had felt too stiff.

"Got it! I picked beef sirloin, onions, carrots, and potatoes. This curry roux!"

"Safe pick too. Last up, Hayul."

I pulled ingredients from my bag one by one.

"Beef chuck roll, potatoes, carrots. Garlic, ginger, onions, apple. Butter and curry roux these ones."

"Ah! I forgot butter!"

Yura perked up her ears.

"Buy some now then."

"Is that allowed? Won't that put Carrier at a disadvantage?"

"This isn't competition; it's collaboration. Change whatever you want even now. I won't, though."

"Why not?"

"If you two change and I join in, it shakes the center. My confidence would waver, and trust too. Plus, I'm sure of mine."

Yura looked up at me, hands clasped tight. Her eyes sparkled.

"So cool...! Then I'll just add butter and keep the rest!"

"...I think I need to change some."

Sis said cautiously, glancing around.

"Go ahead."

I replied lightly. Choice was open from the start.

"Then I'll add onions... and butter."

"Got it."

I nodded and swiped the screen.

"Now, tonkatsu ingredients."

Not much difference here.

Just sirloin vs. tenderloin. Rest was egg wash, flour, breadcrumbs ratios.

'Though that's where results differ...'

Tonkatsu mattered less than curry. Curry structured the flavor; tonkatsu the form and texture.

Curry was lead, tonkatsu supporting.

"Ingredients done. Time to cook."

I manipulated space to duplicate the kitchen. Based on mine, two more side by side—three independent spaces total.

"To your stations."

Sis and Yura hugged their ingredients and headed to the kitchens. They awkwardly stroked counters, slowly looking around the unfamiliar space.

"Walls between kitchens for focus."

Semi-transparent barriers rose between. Vision blurred, but talk possible.

"When done, ring the bell in front. No order. Your pace."

I placed cameras on each kitchen ceiling. Viewers could switch screens live for favorites.

"Let's start."

I took a deep breath and stood at my counter. Time to summon the taste from Yura's memory.

'Divine power first.'

I channeled mana and holy power through my fingertips to each person's ingredients. Now Sis and Yura's food would taste real too.

'Here we go.'

First, thinly sliced onions. Put on a plate, microwaved 4 minutes.

"Normally, caramelizing onions takes 30+ minutes on low. But microwave draws moisture fast."

Quick viewer explanation, then continued. Microwave hum from beyond the wall.

"Phew..."

Next, peeled apple grated. Potatoes diced small, soaked.

"Soak potatoes to remove astringency."

Listening for copies. Sure enough, water splash.

"No! It was knowledge I already knew! I was gonna do it, Hayul just first!"

"Exactly!"

"Yura, saying that kills my credibility!"

"But it's true! Can't lie!"

They suddenly bantered. I chuckled, pulled onions from microwave.

Melted butter in pot, added onions, medium heat fry. Sprinkled salt.

Onion sharpness faded, sweetness emerged, blending with butter aroma. Appetite whetted.

"This color means good."

Browned onions in, added grated garlic/ginger.

"Low heat now. Simmer till moisture reduces."

Mid-cook donation.

"Grated apple adds smooth fruity sweetness. Subtle flavor."

Another pan, medium heat, oil generous, chuck roll in.

"Bite-sized for eating."

Salt/pepper, quick fry. Seared outside, removed. Added potatoes/carrots.

"Just sear veggies like beef."

All into big pot, water, medium boil 10 minutes.

"Eek!"

"What do I do! What do I do!!!"

Urgent voices beyond wall. I stifled a laugh.

'Others' cooking won't measure up.'

Off heat, solid curry roux in. Residual melted/mixed. All dissolved, low heat.

"15 more minutes. Curry done."

Now tonkatsu. Simpler actually.

"Meat prep crucial for tonkatsu. Leave tendon, shrinks on fry. Tough texture bad."

Pointed at sirloin fascia.

"Remove tendon fully or score. I'll score."

Knife tip scored between fat/meat. Meat mallet tenderized gently.

"Tenderized. Salt/pepper season, rest."

Flour, egg, panko out. Cracked eggs in dish, water mix, flour stir.

"Batter done. Called batter liquid."

Wide shallow dish, panko.

"Prep complete. Fry time?"

Oil in big pot, heated steady.

"Dipped tenderized pork in batter. Coat clean for good crust."

Placed in panko, rolled heavy blanket-style.

"Oil 170°C. Perfect."

Thermometer check, in. Crisp sizzle, nutty scent.

5 minutes flipping.

"Clear old panko before next to keep oil clean."

Three tonkatsu sequential. Curry perfect.

"Finish up."

White rice on plate. Brown curry ladled generous. Board tonkatsu, sliced.

Crunch―

Crisp each cut. Smile automatic.

"Done."

Gently placed tonkatsu atop. Violent visuals.

Ding―

Done, rang bell.

'Hope tonkatsu good.'

Made from memory best, but matching Yura's mom's exact? Unsure.

'Butcher bought...'

Soon successive bells. Removed walls via settings.

"Both done?"

"D-Done!"

"Done..."

Both pale, exhausted. Eyes to their plates.

Curry plausible. Tonkatsu weird—burnt black, oil dripping.

Both turned at donation. Embarrassed.

"Whose first?"

"Mine's probably worst. Mine first."

Sis first. Calm words, droopy brows.

"Sure."

Yura and I sat central table. Sis placed plates carefully.

Brown curry. Charred tonkatsu near coal.

"C-Can we eat this?"

"Even I think no. Remove tonkatsu..."

Sis scrapped tonkatsu entirely.

"Curry first then."

Hands together.

"Itadakimasu."

"Itadakimasu!"

Spoon curry rice, ate.

"Mm."

Very standard. Mild sweet, basic curry. Balanced salt. Nothing special.

"Edible. But nothing like the curry in my memory..."

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"...Knew it."

Sis ate her curry gloomily. Said unsure, but hoped bit.

"Still tasty."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Sis brightened.

"I-I didn't say not tasty! Just different from memory!"

Yura defended frantic, quick second bite.

"I know. But goal recreate Yura's memory food? Fail then..."

"Can't help. Not easy."

"Failures aside, Yura's curry next."

"Got it!"

Yura jumped up, Sis slid beside me. Yura brought plate.

"Yura's pork cutlet curry rice!"

"Mm, tonkatsu still..."

Better than Sis, but soggy oil.

"Hard to eat."

"...Frying tonkatsu sneaky hard."

Yura sheepish, moved tonkatsu aside.

"Curry only."

New spoons.

"Itadakimasu."

Spooned curry rice.

"Mm..."

Sweet aroma spread. Caramelized onion sweet, butter nuttiness blended soft.

"Wow. Tasty?"

Sis eyes wide, munching.

"R-Really?"

"Yes. Definitely good."

"Phew. Worried Yura's would suck..."

"But Yura, how close to your memory?"

Yura bowed head slightly.

"Very different... Tried best, no dice..."

She moped. Sis patted shoulder light.

"Still tasty? Good enough. Cheers."

"Yeah. Tasty fortunate."

"Now just Hayul's left?"

Sis gave meaningful look.

"So confident in recreating. How close?"

"Expect great."

I smiled, rose, brought plate to table.

"Wow..."

"L-Looks real tasty!"

"You two try."

Politely. Sis casual spoon, Yura gripped tense.

"Itadakimasu!"

Yura paused spoon at mouth. Worried eyes. Deep breath, finally bite.

'How exact?'