Cooking with Erina

"Wait! Shirou, don't run around!" Shizuka Hiratsuka called out.

Having successfully contacted Chaldea by phone, Shirou didn't have time to worry about the people nearby. He found a quiet corner with fewer people and anxiously asked...

"Da Vinci! What's the situation over there?"

"Shirou, calm down. They're all alright. Thanks to Astolfo's Noble Phantasm, they escaped with him. That monster stayed behind and wreaked havoc, devouring every living thing it could find and constantly growing stronger. Now it's finally quieted down," Da Vinci said.

"Have you found a solution?" Shirou asked.

Da Vinci shook his head and said seriously:

"No, everything is too bizarre. If Merlin hadn't had his profound understanding of dreams and reminded me, I still wouldn't be able to figure out what that monster was all about. Despite its appearance, it had a divine reaction, mixing ugly and beautiful things together. It must be some kind of product of mixing people's dreams together."

"Then let me go back quickly! What good will it do you and Merlin to let me out?" Shirou shouted.

"No, I won't let you go in to risk your life until we find a way to defeat that monster. Shirou Merlin felt the same way." Da Vinci firmly refused the boy's request and asked in return:

"Even if you get inside now, Shirou, do you have a way to defeat those monsters in the dream? In that world created by the black mud Heroic Spirit, even if you get killed, you might be resurrected after a while."

"Then what can I do here? Am I supposed to let those girls face that monster alone?" Shirou asked. To be honest, even he wanted to stay far away from that monster and didn't want to get even a little bit closer. If Jeanne d'Arc, Tamamo Cat, and the other girls were hurt by that monster, and he escaped to the outside world alone, he would feel guilty for the rest of his life.

Da Vinci looked at the screen very carefully and corrected him:

"It's necessary! This is something only you can do. According to the monitoring from Chaldea, the ability to seal the soul has been eliminated because the balance of the dream world was broken."

Although the Black man, palace maids, and guards who had been swallowed by the monsters were indeed devoured, some of them reappeared in the ruins of the palace at dawn.

Moreover, judging from the news from your world, quite a few people have woken up, but their condition is very strange. They seem to have suffered some kind of blow, their temperament has changed drastically, and they are mentally dejected.

"What? So a group of people trapped in the dream have already escaped that world?" Shirou asked.

"It's not that simple. Even if you manage to escape temporarily, if there's no way to stop it, you'll be easily sucked back in the next time you dream about it. You were only able to avoid being sucked in because of the magic provided by the Holy Grail and the protection of Merlin, an expert. However, these are still just speculations. For that monster, sucking in humans wouldn't be difficult at all," Da Vinci said.

"Damn it, have the humans of this world become food for that monster? We have to think of a way. That monster is definitely not meant to be left in this world." Shirou said through gritted teeth, even the thought of that twisted creature still sent chills down his spine.

"The specifics of the problem will depend on the subsequent investigation. In short, I won't let you enter that world again until Chaldea has figured out the underlying principles. What you need to do now is rest well, and later you can try to contact those who have awakened from the dream to see what's going on. Perhaps you can find a breakthrough," Da Vinci warned.

"..." Shirou was about to speak when he heard footsteps running towards him, and Da Vinci proactively closed the connection.

"Hey! Shirou, are you alright? Why did you suddenly run out?" Shizuka Hiratsuka asked, panting as she ran up to him.

"I'm sorry, teacher." Shirou looked at his teacher, realizing that he had troubled her; Teacher Shizuka Hiratsuka had probably gone to many places to look for him.

"What? Did you do something to offend me? Never mind! But if you have any problems, you should tell me. Otherwise, even if you don't tell me, I'll find out through other means and then follow you around! Don't try to shoulder everything yourself." Shizuka Hiratsuka looked Shirou up and down, and didn't ask any more questions.

"I understand. I will ask for your help if necessary," Shirou replied. He had calmed down by now. The encounter with that monster had left his mind in a state of tension and confusion.

Shizuka Hiratsuka readily agreed with a smile and led the way outside. "Alright, let's go! Grab your things, the teacher here has already contacted me and said they're waiting for us in the parking lot."

"Thank you, teachers. It's so kind of you to come and pick us up," Shizuka Hiratsuka said as she stepped forward to the teachers from the Chiba Branch School.

"It's alright, it's alright. Luckily, we have a car. It's also a day off today. We originally planned to take Teacher Hiratsuka and Shirou to see the sights in Paris, but unfortunately, this happened," the teacher driving said helplessly.

"What's wrong? Are you all sick?" Shizuka Hiratsuka asked, puzzled, seeing the students around her with their eyes half-closed and looking listless.

"Teacher Hiratsuka, it's not just us, even the teachers and the locals are like this. Lately, for some reason, many people here seem to be constantly sleep-deprived," the female student explained.

"I had another strange dream last night. I was racing against a flock of talking birds, and in the end, everyone won a prize."

"Ah, if that's the case, I think I had a similar dream."

"These dreams are considered good. I heard that some students in France have nightmares about being eaten by some kind of monster. They say that when they wake up, their skin has turned black and the nightmares don't go away for a long time."

"Stop talking about it! It's terrifying!" said the girl, who was very sensitive to this kind of topic.

"That student is naturally dark-skinned, right? These kinds of superstitious things don't really matter anyway. Even the experts don't know what's going on. But it's true that it's easy to get sleepy after coming to this country. Haha~" a student said, yawning and wiping away tears from their eyes.

"Yes, even if I sleep fifteen hours a day, it still doesn't feel like enough. I thought it was because I'm getting old, but I didn't expect the students around me to feel the same way," the middle-aged teacher leading the group said with a smile.

"That makes sense, but it's strange that so many people slept so soundly on the plane today. Is it because of the weather? Or is there some kind of infectious disease that makes people sleepy?" Shizuka Hiratsuka said, looking outside with a puzzled expression.

"It's because the seniors are too lazy! If humans allocate their time reasonably, seven hours of sleep a day is enough to keep them energetic!" At this moment, a blonde girl crossed her arms and said arrogantly as always.

"Ah, Erina, so you're here too." Shirou greeted her.

"Why are you so listless, Shirou? Don't disappoint me!" Erina said to the boy, annoyed. When she first came here, things were actually quite good. She met some talented young chefs and made reservations at all the Michelin- starred restaurants in the area.

But as time went on, the city became increasingly strange. People became lazy, and eventually even the upperclassmen around them seemed to be infected.

Wouldn't this also lower her own reputation because of these people?

She had expected Shirou, her lifelong culinary rival, to be different, but he also looked listless and dull. What happened to him? Did he catch a cold?

Erina looked at the boy and asked, "Shirou, cheer up! If you're sick, go to the hospital for a checkup right away. It wouldn't be right for Komachi to know that I'm right here with you, yet I let you act foolishly and not get treatment."

"Thank you, Erina, I'm fine," Shirou said, looking at the girl.

Erina, still full of arrogance, said, "Hmph! Don't misunderstand. I just didn't want you to infect me. I came here for a culinary exchange, but it was all cut short because of a cold. That's not something you can just explain away with a few words!"

If she weren't blushing now, some people might actually believe it.

"Heh." Shirou smiled, feeling that being in a place like this with the girl had pulled him back to reality from the shock of his dream. Yes, at least reality wasn't like that monster, simply mixing beauty and ugliness together to create a disgusting lump of flesh. The great joys and sorrows of life are ultimately few; most of the time is spent in ordinariness.

"Oh, right! Shirou, since we're in Paris, why don't you join the cooking class? Let's have our cooking showdown!" Erina suggested.

"I'm sorry, I'm really not in the mood right now," Shirou refused. Indeed, he had to pull himself together; his immediate priority was to find a way to defeat that Black Mud monster. He had been watching the monster closely at the time, so perhaps he was the one who understood the monster's true nature best, even more so than Chaldea or the hidden Merlin.

Although he suffered a greater mental shock than anyone else as a result.

The van carrying the students moved slowly forward. The conversations between people gradually subsided, and many students on the van fell asleep right behind their seats.

After that, Shirou parted ways with Teacher Hiratsuka, who was heading to the girls' dormitory. Led by the team leader, he completed various procedures and moved into the French dormitory. Normally, France would have a welcoming party for a new member, but now the whole of Paris was gloomy, and this Paris Branch School was no exception. All he could find were listless students, either pale and dejected or suffering from narcolepsy and looking sleep-deprived.

Although living in student dormitories can be inconvenient, the place here is a Western-style building, and each person usually has their own room. Although the space is not large, it is sufficient for studying and sleeping.

The next day, Shirou used his free time to inquire about the students at school who had had nightmares. He then went to the hospital to check on the patients who had been brought there because they had fallen into a deep sleep, but who had later woken up from their coma.

Sure enough, after sleeping through the night, the patient woke up again. He was quite energetic, and apart from being a little weak from not having fully recovered from his long slumber, he was fine.

But some also woke up in agony again, this time seemingly having had an even worse dream; some were crying and screaming that they were too scared to go back to sleep.

There were also incidents where someone woke up with bloodshot eyes, still in a state of extreme agitation, and nearly attacked a nurse.

This time, the black French boys who were sucked into the Black Mud monster all looked unwell and were even afraid to sleep.

The white French boy who held a high-ranking position would be sucked into his dreams once he fell asleep, where he would be tormented and killed by strange monsters, waking up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night. If he fell back asleep, he would be found again and tormented and killed once more.

There are also those who are in a deep sleep, with smiles on their lips, but no matter what they do, they cannot be woken up.

Some woke up crying, as if they had experienced the most tragic thing and were on the verge of developing depression.

Shirou knew that he was protected from being sucked into the dream world only because of the Magecraft of Da Vinci and Merlin; otherwise, he probably would have experienced the same thing.

The only saving grace was that Jeanne d'Arc and Tamamo Cat, with Astolfo's help, escaped the monster's pursuit, but they could only hide in the castle in the suburbs and were unable to make any moves.

He must find a way to stop this vicious cycle that is providing negative energy to the Black Mud monster.

But what exactly should be done?

Erina picked up her arms and walked over. She looked at the listless boy and felt a surge of anger rising within her.

"Shirou! You look terrible now. Have you also developed depression like the people here in France? You look so gloomy and suicidal."

"Erina." Shirou looked at the girl. Right now, the only ones who could escape Paris's wrath were probably him and this young lady who had the protection of Servant.

"Really, huh? Huh! Ba! You should also give this blockhead a good talking to!" Erina sensed the words coming from the possessed Servant within her body and thus relinquished control of her body.

At this moment, the blonde girl's demeanor changed, from an arrogant young lady to a reserved yet spirited young woman. She was none other than the girl who had been with the boy Tomoe Gozen.

"Shirou, I think Erina is right. If you, as the commander, can't muster any enthusiasm, no one can trust you. As for this matter, we've consulted Da Vinci. Actually, I have an idea to share with you."

"What? Tomoe Gozen?" Shirou looked at the young female warrior in surprise.

"Let's go somewhere else," Tomoe Gozen said, and walked outside on her own.

The two left the ward and came to the rest area with vending machines. The vending machines here had a wide variety of products, almost like a mini supermarket, selling raw meat, oysters, fruits and vegetables, caviar, and even luxury goods.

After walking for a while, they finally found a machine selling hot drinks. Shirou bought two bottles of hot drinks and handed them to the girl.

Tomoe Gozen took the hot drink, twirling it between her hands to warm her palms, and began to speak to the boy, "You should know something about my past, right?"

"Hmm." Shirou nodded slightly. He was a military commander who lived in a time of war and made Servant, thus earning the title of Heroic Spirit and being talked about by later generations. But for people who lived at that time, it was a time of chaos and bloodshed, far from a suitable era to live in.

The saying goes, "One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand." These Servant are forged from blood and flesh, mostly from the enemy, and some from their own bodies. Only they themselves know the pain and torment they endured throughout their lives, the dangers and cruelties they suffered. Moreover, almost none of these Servant meet a peaceful end.

"I once had a very sad dream. My husband died on the battlefield, and I was the only one who was ordered to break out of the encirclement and escape to live in seclusion."

The regret of losing my husband and the murder of my brother, the hatred that haunted me throughout my life, will never be forgotten until my death. Minamoto no Yoritomo and Minamoto no Yoshitsune, even now Servant, I can never forgive them."

"But at the same time, I also hope that I can cheer myself up. If I can meet my husband again, I hope that we can live a simple country life together. Every day I will cook delicious food for him and drink a cup of sake with him."

"If he's willing to play games with me at other times, I'd be so happy." Tomoe Gozen said this with a lovely smile full of longing and anticipation.

"So, it's not that I've forgiven Yoritomo and Yoshitsune; it's just that I have more important things to do and more happiness to pursue, so I've let it go."

"That's right! Shirou! Now is not the time to be discouraged. Although I said I didn't want to get involved in these strange things, if they come knocking on my door to provoke me, I won't let it go! So I'll help this time too!"

Erina crossed her arms and looked at the boy before changing her words.

"Of course! Don't get me wrong! I didn't do this for Shirou! It's just that everyone around me is sighing and complaining, and even my cooking isn't as delicious anymore! Did you hear me? I, Nakiri Erina, have already said I'd help you, so you should at least try to be more motivated!"

"Ah, thank you, Erina, you're so reliable!" Shirou nodded, now completely energized. Yes, even a little girl the same age as his sister had come to comfort him; if he didn't try his best to find a solution, it would be a real shame.

"What? You were looking so gloomy just now," Erina complained to the boy.

"Yes, thank you, Erina, Tomoe Gozen." Shirou looked at the blonde girl and thanked her sincerely from the bottom of his heart.

"Didn't I tell you to say it twice?!" Erina clenched her hands, which were hanging down, and called out in a sweet voice, her face slightly flushed.

Yes, the only thing that can fight against dreams is reality! If you encounter misfortune in a dream, then resist it with even stronger happiness in reality.

If you feel empty in your dreams, fill them with love!

When he was able to do it, this was the only thing he could do: cooking, delicious food that brings happiness and satisfaction.

It evokes people's yearning for happiness in life, even when life is not as they wish, the people around them are unkind, and family members often fail to understand them.

Even if it's just for this delicious taste, this glass of wine, I can keep trying.

"Erina, can we use the school's kitchen?" the boy asked the girl, perking up.

"Hmph, you're finally starting to look like you did back in the archery competition!" Hearing the boy's words, Erina smiled and replied, "Of course! This is the school that trains Michelin three-star chefs, you know."

"That's perfect! Let's put the cooking competition on hold for now. Erina, can you do me a favor?" Shirou asked the blonde girl.

Erina crossed her arms and gave the boy a disapproving look. "Shirou, what else do you want to say now? If I wasn't going to help you, I wouldn't have come here in the first place. Of course! If it weren't for the fact that you're Komachi's older brother, I wouldn't bother with a boring man like you."

"Oh! I'll treat you to something delicious as a thank you gift," Shirou replied with a smile.

"Hmph, if it's not good, just wait and see what I say with the harshest words." Erina glanced haughtily at the boy, then revealed a cute smile. "So, what do we do now?"

"Let's borrow a computer and some books first, study the recipes here, and then contact Ms. Shizuka Hiratsuka for help." With a plan in mind, Shirou stopped procrastinating and quickly arranged everything in an orderly manner.

If the Black Mud monster feeds on the intense emotions generated in dreams, then what it needs to do is soothe those emotions.

If that's the case, then there's only one thing he can do: use food to soothe the wounded souls. If his guess is correct, the Black Mud monster should also be weakened as a result.

Chapter 181 Cooking with Erina

Jeanne d'Arc and Tamamo Cat are fighting the monster in the dream world, while he, though not in the dream, can also fight the monster in his own way in this place, at the Paris Branch School.

Shirou found Shizuka Hiratsuka and honestly told her everything. Because of their friendship from fighting together in Mount Lu, Shizuka Hiratsuka readily agreed to Shirou's request. Rather, the development of this kind of hot-blooded manga seemed to have completely ignited her passion. Even if Shirou didn't ask for her help, she would still step forward on her own.

As a Chinese language teacher, Shizuka Hiratsuka quickly wrote an application and submitted it to the team leader.

The team leader rested her chin on her hand. "Hmm... a food festival, that's a good suggestion. Parisians certainly don't lose out to us when it comes to food. And I trust Nakiri's cooking skills; after all, she's the granddaughter of that culinary demon king."

"Teacher! Shirou, I can guarantee his cooking skills," Erina stepped forward and said.

"While I'm happy for your approval, this is in front of the teacher, so please at least address me as 'senior'."

"Well, Shirou, we actually had a similar food exchange event in Britain, and it was very well received. I'm sure you'll find out about it soon after this exchange event ends," Shizuka Hiratsuka said with a smile.

'But archery performances seem to have been forgotten. Is that something to be happy about?'

The team leader hesitated before saying, "But... Britain and France have different standards for food, you know. It's like how Mapo Tofu in China and Mapo Tofu in the West are both Mapo, and how curry in China and curry in India are both curry, but they taste different... Do you understand what I mean?"

"Although I didn't quite understand, I still got it to some extent." Erina and Shizuka Hiratsuka shook their heads together.

"It's alright. Actually, I've already prepared a gift and brought it with me. You can taste it before making a judgment, teacher." Shirou took out a thermos and handed it over.

"Oh, Shirou, you're so thoughtful. I won't be polite then." The teacher in charge took the insulated box, opened it, and saw that it had two layers.

The top layer is a typical France fast food: toast, two slices of bread toasted until golden brown, served with ham and cheese, shredded lettuce, a few slices of cucumber and carrot sticks, and drizzled with a delicious dipping sauce.

For the France, a cup of coffee would make for a decent lunch, since taking a girl out for a meal that lasts several hours, with music and some red wine, is dinner.