Chapter 1
It wasn't a surprise for Souma when he suddenly received a letter bearing Tootsuki's seal. It has been some time after he took that exam. At that moment, both his examiner and her assistant were quite shaken. So after the tasting, he was left to converse with the director. They talked about mundane stuffs. It seemed that the director knew his old man. And despite Senzaemon's intimidating posture, Souma found him to be a really nice guy who's easy to get along with.
Because of that, Souma totally forgot about his own result. But if he was asked whether he was confident that he would pass, he would say of course. It wasn't arrogance in his mind, it was confidence. Although being over-confident is never good… So at the moment, Souma was limiting himself to be confident that he was going to accepted, but not too confident of taking the top spot at Tootsuki that easily.
Thus, he wasn't surprised when he saw the large green stamp saying 'PASS' on the content of his letter. He allowed himself a little smile of triumph. He was going to take Tootsuki by storm. Tootsuki wouldn't know what it's going to face. But first… He had to finish the dishes first. Souma sighed tiredly. After the dinner rush that night, he was left with quite a lot of work. And since his pops had already departed for New York, he was even more short-handed. The original plan was to close the shop right after Jouichiro left. But Souma had been given the trust to run the restaurant on his own until Tootsuki's opening ceremony. It was quite tiring, but also satisfying. Either way… He must get back to the dishes… That's right, dishes…
/
The opening ceremony was boring. At least according to Souma. Why? The main reason was because he couldn't see anything. He was forced to wait in the backstage tent until it was his turn to give a speech. The only interesting part of the ceremony was the director's somewhat charismatic speech.
"Even Nakiri's speech was boring…" He mumbled tiredly.
Well, Nakiri Erina was a very strict woman after all. So her speech was a perfect rendition of a disciplinary enforcement seminary. And it seemed the majority of the students was more interested in her legendary God's Tongue and reputation rather than the content of her speech. So most of them gossiped about Erina instead of listening.
When it was finally his turn, Souma was beyond delighted. It wasn't because of the speech that he was going to deliver, but it was rather because he was given the chance to finally escape boredom. So he calmly made his way to the podium and took his place in front of the microphone. He saw a sea of students in front of him. It seemed that there were quite a lot of students. If he hadn't misheard, about 700 or so this year. But by second year, it was a promise that only about one-tenth will still remain. So, it wasn't strange that Tootsuki was famous for its notorious expulsion rate.
"Hey is that him? The sole transfer student to pass out of hundreds of applicants?"
"Wow, really? I heard he passed with God's Tongue as his examiner."
"Do you think it's a fluke? Or is he that good?"
Hmm... It looked like Souma was already quite famous. It was a good thing that he wasn't the naïve boy he had been when he was a few years younger. The old him would perhaps declare he's going to take the top spot in Tootsuki or something foolish like that. He smirked a little at that thought. But he was already more mature than that. He wouldn't declare he's going for the top spot. But instead, his own cooking will declare that he DESERVED the top spot. At least that's where he's planning to aim.
"Good morning, eveRyoune. My name is Yuukihira Souma. To be honest, I didn't expect to be able to stand here. But now that I'm here… I'm actually just an amateur chef from a downtown diner with no particular innate talent or anything that spectacular. But I'm going to do my best here like I have been doing for my customers. So I hope I can get along with you guys."
He bowed slightly towards the audience politely. It seemed that the excitement in the crowd eased almost entirely after he did so.
"Heh, so it was just a rumor after all."
"I knew it. There's just no way that a commoner like him can impress God's Tongue."
"But he seems like a pretty nice guy…"
"Yeah, but he won't last long anyway. He'll probably be expelled in the first few months."
"Haha, that's true. Poor guy, but it just can't be helped, right?"
Souma was satisfied. It was going the way he expected it to. And it was time for the grand closing of the speech. He was curious… How would his audience react? He wondered with excitement.
"And I would like to say one last thing before I end this speech."
When he declared that, the whispers and conversations quietened considerably.
"To every one of Tootsuki's student here, even senpai-tachi, if anyone would like to challenge me to a Shokugeki, I promise you that I will accept it anytime I'm available. After all, I'm not the type that backs down from a challenge. And so, with that note, good day eveRyoune."
As Souma left the podium, he heard quite a lot of mixed opinions about his declaration. Some positive, some negative. But overall, he felt it was a success. Amongst the ones he heard, there were a few people interested in challenging him and seeing what he is made of. Exactly like he wanted.
/
Roland Chapelle, the chef that never smiles, the chief of Tootsuki's French culinary division. That formidable man happened to be Souma's lecturer for that day's cooking practicum. True to his reputation, Chapelle-sensei appeared strict and intimidating. Although not to the level of the director, but his glare is enough to silence most students instantly. At that moment, he was frowning at his new batch of students, as if he was skeptical that many will pass his class.
"Greetings, students. Before we begin, I would like to tell you that I don't accept half-hearted cooking in my class. So it's either an A or E rating if you don't pass. Also, you will be cooking as a pair in my class. We, the board of lecturers, have decided on your pairings based on your skill assessments. So basically, based on your performance in your junior high, or your performance in the transfer exam if you had one."
As he said the last sentence, the blond veteran chef stared briefly at Souma with interest. At that moment, Souma realized that the people who think negatively of him were considerable more than the people who think he was alright. When he was being paid extra attention, most people in the room glared at him with either jealousy or resentment. He sighed tiredly. Well, there's nothing he could do about that. He'll just have to ignore them. It wouldn't be too hard actually. He didn't really care what they thought after all.
After that Chapelle-sensei began to list of the names of the students in a pair. It went on for about five minutes. Souma didn't really pay any attention to it, only a little in case his name is called.
"Kurokiba Ryou and Tadokoro Megumi!"
At that announcement, he noticed that a certain girl with braided blue hair near him stiffened considerably. Then, she crouched and started to tremble while furiously writing the character for hito (person) and seemingly swallowing it over and over. Clearly a sign of nervousness. With nothing better to do, Souma decided to talk to her.
"Hello." He calmly asked while approaching from her front to avoid surprising her.
"Umm… Hello… Yuukihira-san wasn't it?" She replied shakily, clearly still nervous.
"Yes. I'm surprised you remembered my name."
"Well, after that bold declaration in the opening ceremony, who won't?"
"Haha, you might have a point. Anyway, are you okay? You seem to be faring badly."
She then looked as if she was ready to cry, but relieved at the same time that there was someone she could talk to about her problems.
"I'm… Doomed… You see, if I receive even one more E rating from any class, I will be expelled. As I expected… I'm no good…"
Megumi was clearly depressed. She was very naïve in thinking an amateur chef from a rural village like her could compete in such a prestigious academy. At that moment, she was nearing the end of her path. The dead end. She felt more towards resignation rather than fear actually. But she still felt anxious and nervous.
"Can I give you an advice Tadokoro-san? I mean, I might not be credible of actually giving you advice, but at your current situation, it was better than nothing, right?"
"I guess so… I don't think it can get any worse… I think that my expulsion is only a matter of time anyway."
"Well, in that case, here's my advice for you. Think of it like this. You're doomed to be expelled and this is your last day in Tootsuki. And so, you decided to give your all on this lesson and leave something memorable for Tootsuki. That way, you can leave without regret. How's that?"
Megumi seemed to think for a moment before continuing to sulk.
"It seems that Yuukihira-san also thinks I will fail, huh?"
"Maybe yes… Maybe not. Either way, you should try my advice. See you around then, Tadokoro-san."
With that, he left her and went back to his station. Megumi was still shaken. But after hearing that advice, she felt somewhat calmer. Maybe there's some truth to that transfer student's advice.
/
"Yuukihira Souma and Nakiri Alice!"
"What!" Souma exclaimed after Chapelle announced his pairing.
Searching desperately across the room, Souma scanned the faces of the other students for a certain face. At the same time, a girl with white hair and white skin with a longer bang on her left side of her face was doing the same thing. Somehow or the other, their gaze met at the same time.
Now, Souma was not a kid. Even though he was happy and excited at the same time, he kept his manners in check. So, after he calmly approached his best friend whom he hadn't seen in person for more than four years, he contained himself and refrained from hugging her or doing something else that may embarrass her in public.
"Souma-kun!"
But instead, she leaped to hug him instead. It seemed that she hadn't changed much. He was not unhappy though.
"Alice-chan. Long time no see." He said while returning her hug briefly before pushing her away. Even though it was pleasant, they were still in public after all.
"Mou… Why didn't you tell me you're transferring to Tootsuki? When Souma-kun suddenly showed up at the podium during the entrance ceremony, I was shocked you know. And what's with that lame declaration? That's so like you! You haven't changed at all, Souma-kun!"
"Hahaha, sorry about that. The same could be said to you. You haven't changed either! Couldn't you hold the reunion hug off until after the class? What are you, ten?"
"Hmph!" She acted tsun instead when she had no retort. Well, at least she had the decency to blush in shame.
"Well, putting that aside, how's Ryou? Is he doing just fine?"
"Oh yes, he hasn't changed much either. Although now he takes off his headband more often."
"Oh really? Isn't that good? But it's troublesome too at the same time isn't it?"
"Hahaha, it certainly is."
And with that, the old friends happily conversed with each other, catching up while waiting for the pairing announcement to end. Miraculously, they managed to went through their reunion without being reprimanded for their noisiness by Chapelle-sensei. Not long after that, the assignment finally started and their conversation was cut short. It seemed that the recette they were assigned with was beef bourguignon. Souma took a look at the blackboard and managed to memorize the recipe by only reading it once.
"Okay, let's do this Alice-chan! I believe you have improved since then?"
"Of course! And Souma-kun too, right? If it's Souma-kun, your skills by now must be godlike… How unfair…" Alice pouted a little.
Well, it was true. Souma was, in his own way, a genius. Perhaps it's because of his eidetic memory when it comes to anything cooking related. Or perhaps it's just because of his amazing passion for cooking. But his growth rate when he's learning to cook has always been simply astounding. When Alice first met Souma in Scandinavia, specifically Denmark, a few years ago, he was absolutely blind in molecular gastronomy. But after just six months of her teaching him, when they had to separate again, he as almost on par with her in her own field. He was scary. But it's not like Alice hate it though. Although she's a bit jealous, but she's also proud of her friend's talent.
"Haha, you flatter me Alice-chan. But you're even more amazing than me. Didn't you win the gold medal for both the International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) and the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) as the youngest gold-medalist for both at thirteen?"
"Well… That's…"
"And weren't you known as a monster who devours the first place in almost every regional science competition in your junior school years?"
"It's not that great…"
"Oh, how about becoming the youngest guest lecturer at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) when you gave that public lecture at their Calculus Conference when you were 14?"
"I worked hard for that! I was nervous, you know… Wondering whether the college students will listen to a 14 years old brat or not…"
"Hmm… Oh yeah. Didn't you recently release a thesis? About 3 or 4 months ago? I think it's called 'Formulation of The Molecular Thermodynamic Model for Organic Compounds Boiling Using Schrödinger's Equation'. Did I get it right?"
"Mou… Souma-kun. Have you been stalking me or something?" She complained accusingly.
"Hahaha, it's not like I'm not allowed to follow up what my kawaii Alice-chan is doing, is it?"
"Well, I guess compared with your peaceful life at Shokujidokoro Yuukihira, mine has been pretty eventful."
"Why don't you just admit you're amazing…" He half-mumbled.
"What do you want me to say? 'Ohohoho, of course I'm amazing. It's me after all. Praise me more!' Something like that?" She mimicked in an ojou-sama's voice.
"Hmm… That's surprisingly kind of annoying."
"See?! What about you, Souma-kun? Didn't you tour the world with Jouichirou-san? I bet you've learned many things since the last time we met."
"Well… I did. Oh yeah, speaking of that, I just remembered. I came up with this amazing combination the other day. You have to try it, Alice-chan. It's squid and peanut butter."
"There goes your bad habit of food raping again… I think it's also Jouichirou-san's fault for passing that to you. Squid with peanut butter… Ugh, I can imagine how terrible it would be."
"I know, right? You must try it. It's so terrible, it's amazing. Hehehe."
"No thanks. I think I'll pass on the raped food."
"Hahaha, as usual, your terminology is something else Alice-chan."
"Really? I don't think it's particularly weird… By the way, didn't you had Erina as your transfer examiner? How did it go? Spectacularly, I believe?"
"Well, I don't know about spectacular. But she was very stuck up and condescending at the beginning. But after she tasted my dish, she apologized to me. Saying something like she was at fault for misjudging my value as a chef, or something like that."
"WOW! ISN'T THAT AMAZING? I mean, it's that Erina you know? The epitome of ojou-sama. God's Tongue herself. As expected of Souma-kun."
"Hahaha. Oh yeah, I met your grandfather too. He was peeking from the door, so I made his share too and invited him in. He's a pretty nice guy. I didn't expect it at first seeing how intimidating that old man is."
"Yeah, he's actually a big softie. But that was quite a surprise. It's rare for him to meddle in student affairs. Much less the transfer exam."
"So, what does the old man do in his leisure time?"
"Hmm… Let me think… He-"
"30 minutes left!" Chapelle-sensei suddenly declared. His eyes fixed on the still happily chatting pair. Judging by his expression, he was not pleased at the two.
Alice and Souma stopped their heated conversation abruptly and stared at each other in the eyes. They blinked once, twice…
"Huh?" They said together.
Meanwhile, the pair next two them was staring at them, Souma specifically.
"Look at that. They're going to fail now… There's not enough time to cook the meat until it's tender enough. It's the transfer student's fault for being all chummy with Nakiri Alice…"
"Haha, yeah. Now she's going to hate that transfer student for making them both fail."
But on the other hand, Souma and Alice didn't panic in the slightest.
"Well then, shall we begin cooking Alice-chan?"
"Yes. 30 minutes huh…"
"How about you take care of the meat? I'll take care of the sauce and garnishes."
"Ok."
Meanwhile /
Kurokiba Ryou was by no mean an amateur chef. He had skills, far above what could be considered average level. Even though he was far from being the best, but he was even further from the worst. However, during his classes in Tootsuki, he usually only gets average grades. It wasn't because he was incompetent, but it was because he didn't even try. He saw no point in excelling, so he only made sure he passes and nothing more.
That day on French cuisine cooking practicum, the teacher unexpectedly announced pre-selected pairings. Usually, they would let the students choose their own pair. Ryou would be content with sticking with the ojou and let her do most of the work. But the ojou is ambitious. She didn't want him to bring down her grades because he doesn't even try, so he usually pairs off with some random incompetent students.
When Ryou saw his designated pair on that class for the first time, he thought she was just another incompetent student. Tadokoro Megumi, an ordinary looking girl with braided blue hair who looked like she had anxiety disorder. Oh well, another day for Kurokiba Ryou. They will strike a C, the minimum passing grade, by the end of the lesson. However, the teacher went off saying in his class, students will get either an A or E. Troublesome… Maybe he should flunk this one? One E mark wouldn't kill him.
And then he remembered her. His partner. Tadokoro Megumi. The lowest scorer in the junior high's final exam who barely passed. The rock bottom of their generation. He heard that she would be expelled if she got one more E rating. Oh well, poor her, but it's not his business. Tootsuki doesn't need people like her anyway. Even if he helped her, she would just be weeded out in the future. There're still many obstacles on their road to graduation anyway.
"Kurokiba-san, is it? I'm sorry, but I think I will be troubling you this time. But please take care of me."
"Hmm… Whatever."
She was polite. Not like it mattered.
"Shall we begin then? May I prepare the vegetables for the garnishes?" She asked carefully
"Do whatever you like." He replied uninterestedly.
As they begun, he took the beef from the pantry and walked to their counter. He was very laid back, not bothering with efficiency or speed. Instead, he watched her work. That's one of his pastime hobbies. Watching his partner work, training his keenness to notice every single mistakes in their cooking. And if they messed up, he would sweep in and clean up the mess. Adequately at least, so that they would get a passing grade, but not enough to get an A rating.
He watched as she was preparing herself to start cooking. He noticed she was shaking terribly. Well, it could be the last time she cooks in Tootsuki, so it's only natural. But then, she forcibly slapped both her cheeks with her hands. It was an odd trick, but it seemed to work. Her shaking stopped. Her face was determined, no longer showing anxiety. And she started.
And so he watched… Looking carefully at her actions, looking to spot her mistakes. Only… There wasn't any. Seriously, it was ridiculous. There wasn't any. He couldn't believe his eyes. The shy girl who's supposed to be the dead last of the academy was flawlessly preparing her vegetables. He couldn't spot a single mistake. Even though he might be able to do better if he was in his place… But still, that level of skill is insane. Someone that good shouldn't ever get an E rating from any class. So… Why? Her nervousness? It's that bad? Should he laugh? But it didn't feel funny.
But then, suddenly he felt as if somebody was gripping his heart. A painful thud inside his chest that must have been his imagination, but he still felt vividly nonetheless. Why? What was that feeling? Ah… Guilt. That's right. But why though?
"Oi." He impolitely addressed her.
"What is it, Kurokiba-san?" She didn't appear to be offended though.
"Aren't you usually more… nervous?"
He didn't word it well. And he was sure it was very rude as well. But she wasn't angry in the slightest. In fact, she blushed in shame. 'This girl is really soft…' He thought.
"Well, of course I'm nervous. This could be my last time cooking in this academy after all. But someone gave me an advice earlier… He said that I should think that this is my last time cooking here and to assume that I will fail."
A person degrading her? Setting her up to fail? Not unusual.
"But then, he also told me to give it my best and try to cook something memorable as my last dish to Tootsuki, so that I can leave without regret."
Ah, that's not it. That person knew what he's doing. It was an excellent advice after all for her. Ryou sighed tiredly. It would be troublesome. But he knew what he was going to do. He finally understood his own feeling, the guilt that he felt earlier. The girl in front of him was a talented person who's unfortunate enough to be hindered by a limitation that she's not able to overcome by herself, and no one had every reached out to help her before. But on the other hand, what has he been doing? He was undeniably skilled. In fact, he could be considered downright genius when it comes to seafood. But instead, he purposely put his own limiter and hindered himself.
He had wondered on occasions why he was almost never excited. He did most things while feeling that they're pointless. So, he did them half-heartedly, or sometimes he didn't do them at all. The only thing that made him excited was when he would face the ojou in a cook-off. Perhaps because he strived to be better and considered the ojou a worth rival, a worthy cause, thus a worthy purpose. But at that moment in that cooking class, he found another worthy purpose in his life.
/
"Megumi."
"H-h-hai?"
She couldn't help but feel embarrassed. Out of nowhere, Kurokiba-san suddenly called out her first name, without honorifics. It was the first time a boy addressed her so casually. Weirdly, she didn't dislike it. But at the same time, she was also starting to get nervous. For him to call her by her given name… What would he do next?
At the same time, she noticed how he moved to untie the red bandana he always had on his wrist as he called her. After he disassembled the cloth in one precise movement, he went to tie it on his forehead.
"THAT'S BULLSHIT!"
His sudden outburst startled her and made her jump in fear. If she hadn't forcibly covered her mouth, she would've let a shout of surprise out. But it didn't faze him. The man in front of her at that moment was not the Kurokiba Ryou she knew. No longer was he limp or meek. The person in front of her was a… monster. With seemingly burning eyes and fierce scowl, he made her want to crawl into a hole and die there.
"YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWERE! JUST YOU WATCH! KONO ORE-SAMA WILL MAKE YOU GREAT!"
And then he moved. Megumi was dumbfounded. Before her was a RAMPAGING madman. It looked as if he was brutally mutilating the beef in front of him to smithereens. His eyes seemed to glow and his movements seemed to show no control. Uncontrollable madness. She could almost feel the imaginary flame emanating from him. And yet… It was flawless. When he was done, a perfect beef fillet was done for the bourguignon.
'This person… Is AMAZING!' Megumi thought.
Suddenly she felt as if she was slapped hard. What do people call that sort of thing? That's right, a wakeup call. She had hers right then. In front of her was a MONSTER. And yet, he could astoundingly keep it in his control and unleash it at will. Compared to that, Megumi couldn't even muster the courage to face her own cooking in a mere classroom. It was pathetic. She didn't even have a fighting spirit, let alone a monster inside of her. It made her realize just how much control she had had over her own cooking. Almost nil in pressured condition that it.
But she needed to change. She wanted to change. And so, she mustered her own resolve as she went back to work. If people were to look at them at that point, they would have think that the burning fire around Kurokiba Ryou was somehow contagious. Because it was unmistakable. For the first time in her life, Tadokoro Megumi had a brilliant crimson flame around her.
/
"Well then, shall we begin cooking Alice-chan?"
"Yes. 30 minutes huh…"
"How about you take care of the meat? I'll take care of the sauce and garnishes."
"Ok."
At that point, many groups have already completed theirs already. Although some already passed, most of them were undergoing their second attempt. But when a certain pair came to present their dish to Chapelle-sensei, both Souma and Alice turned their attention towards them.
"Ah, so Ryou was paired up with that girl…"
"Do you know that girl, Souma-kun?"
"Not really. I just met her here earlier. She looked so nervous and told me she was on the brink of expulsion. But I had a… call it a gut feeling. It was just a guess, but I feel like she had a real talent. So I gave her some advice."
"I see… Too bad for her though. Ryou-kun never gets serious in class. He only aims for a pass and doesn't even wear his… WHAT! WHY IS HE WEARING HIS BANDANA?"
/
Roland Chapelle was sweating. He had years of experience on teaching at Tootsuki, so judging food wasn't foreign to him. Having taught some elite ten seat holders as well, he occasionally had experienced some truly miraculous dishes himself. But he had never felt such burning passion on a plate in his whole life prior to that class. Not just the dish itself, the pair of chefs responsible for the dish was constantly burning. Even in his long years, he had never experienced such a flaming aura. It made him sweat.
Firstly, he carefully looked at the dish. It was a standard beef bourguignon. It looked almost perfectly the same as its template pictures in cookbooks. The smell was also great. Although not particularly outstanding, but it deserved 10/10 in both appearance and smell. Of course, an elite-ten-level could breach that 10 barrier. Tsukasa Eishi himself had created a dish that Chapelle judged inwardly as 12/10 once. After the smell and appearance, next was the taste.
Before he tasted their dish, he briefly looked at both chefs. They were someone he recognized from their reports. As a member of the board of lecturers, Chapelle was given some administration duties as well. That year, he got a job regarding the data of the 92nd generation of Tootsuki. He recognized the boy by chance because he remembered when he inwardly commented that 'Kurokiba' was a funny name indeed. He was very average. Scoring almost all Cs and occasional Bs. He's not in any danger of expulsion, but he didn't excel. But the girl. Her report was horrible. Marked as the lowest rank in all graduates, she barely passed her final exam with the lowest passing score possible. And she had been given the probation sanction, where she'll be expelled after one more E-rating.
But that heavy aura… Could it blaze from those two? One average and one horrible student? But there's no mistaking that what Chapelle was feeling was real. And so, he gulped in anticipation and sliced the beef. It was tender. Another 10/10 for texture. With his fork, he stabbed the beef slice and skewered some vegetable garnish as well into his fork. He felt the vegetable's crisp clearly. The garnishes were apparently also amazingly well done. Another 10/10. And so, he went for the finale and put it into his mouth.
Gasps. Resounding gasps echoed throughout the room. Why, he wondered. Ah… Yes… He was smiling. Something he hasn't done for a long time. Since when, he wondered? Since his wife Cordelia passed away. The answer came easily. Tsukasa Eishi's dish was served like a beautiful offering from a knight to his queen. It made him felt like royalty. Truly deserving of the title he was going to be bestowed with. If he was not an esteemed cook himself, he might have prostrated in front of Tsukasa Eishi.
But the dish from Kurokiba and Tadokoro… He was reminded of the burning passion he had when he was still young and striving to hone his own cooking. His struggles, his achievements, his failures. He had an equally strong will when he was young. Thanks to that, he was able to stand where he was on that day as a Tootsuki lecturer. But his fiery passion had dimmed as he aged. But in that dish, he was reminded of his old fervor.
However, peculiarly, he also felt a contrast feel equally as strong as the first one from that dish. A feeling of warmth. He was reminded of the tiring nights after work. He would go home with sore backs after cooking all day. And then, she would welcome him.
"Okaerinasai, anata." (Welcome home, dear.)
And he would melt. It was the best medicine for his sore muscles. Even though on that day he had met a reckless motorcycle rider who almost hit him. Even though on that day he lost his wallet and with it a month-worth of saving. Even though on that day he messed up royally with his cooking and was harshly reprimanded for his mistakes and had his pride as a chef stomped to the ground. That loving smile and warm welcome would never fail to make him smile every time.
'Tadaima…' (I'm home...)
Unbelievable. Two unremarkable students apparently had such hidden talents. It was why Chapelle never got bored teaching at Tootsuki. It was always a pleasant surprise to find rough diamonds in his batch. He knew right then without a doubt that the two cooks in front of him were going to become great.
The beef bourguignon was executed classically. There wasn't any creative feats or unique tweaks to the recipe. But the classical execution was basically flawless. It only showed how much skills that the two possessed. 'If they were already like this in their first year…' He found it exciting to await their future. It would always be his pride as a teacher to see his students grow and surpass him. Perhaps, that's why he would most probably die as a teacher. Final evaluation. 10.5/10. Not on elite-ten-level just yet, but it might not be impossible for them to reach that level in several years.
"This dish doesn't deserve an A rating."
The girl looked downcast for a moment, but the boy remained calm.
"However, since I don't have the authority to give it an S-rating, it would unfortunately be A-rating for you. Well done."
The girl smiled brilliantly and the boy smirked. They earned the praise after all. Chapelle is very strict. But he does give credit where it's due.
/
"Wow…. As expected of Souma-kun. You're right, that girl is something else. She even somehow managed to make Ryou-kun put on his bandana. Even I have never succeeded in convincing him to do it in class."
"Just a guess. A lucky guess." Souma replied modestly as he continued his cooking.
The time was almost up. Most of the other pairs were already finished or given up. It would be a race against time, but they were confident they would make it. And soon enough, the 30 minutes were up.
"Alright, time's up. Is there anymore pair that want to present their dish?"
"Here you go, sensei. Oagari yo!"
Souma put his plate on the table with Alice standing close behind him. Chapelle saw the dish in front of him and widened his eyes. No… It was impossible. He took a fork and lightly put pressure on the meat. The fork sank in easily as if the meat itself dissolved at the slightest touch. He was sure that pair had only started cooking at the last 30 minutes. So how could they tenderize the meat that well?
"How come you can make the meat this tender in under 30 minutes?"
Alice was happy to come up with the explanation.
"Oh, that's quite simple actually. I performed catalysis with aspartic protease to hydrolyse it. Since there are many substances and solutions in the chemistry cabinet, I managed to produce some carboxylic acid and aspartic acid with a few basic acid-base reactions."
'Hmm… As expected of Nakiri Alice, the supposed heaven-sent child of molecular gastronomy' Chapelle thought.
"That is quite impressive." Chapelle uttered a rare praise.
But Alice only laughed and waved him off.
"Owh, I didn't do much. I was only in charge of cooking the meat. The sauce, garnishes, and wholesome taste is Souma-kun's work."
That casual comment made Chapelle turn his attention to the red-headed boy. The transfer student huh. The one that was rumored to impress Nakiri Erina's God's Tongue. Chapelle was fully expecting Nakiri Alice to lead and excel the dish. If it was to happen, he would not be surprised. However, it appeared that the transfer student was the one leading. Yuhikira Souma… He wondered what kind of dish it was that he presented.
With that in mind, he started to assess the dish. As usual, he judged it systematically. Appearance, 10/10. Aroma… Wait, something's off. The smell is quite different from the common beef bourguignon. It was… more pleasant. There must be a tweak to the recette. The fragrance was superb, but the taste is the most crucial. And so, he went and took a bite.
While there were gasps of surprise when Chapelle-sensei tasted Megumi and Ryou's dish, that time, the ones that greeted Chapelle-sensei's reaction to Alice and Souma's dish were gasps of alarm. As Roland Chapelle took a bite, he involuntarily jerked back with a jolt, making a loud rattle and almost falling down from his own chair. And then, he looked down at the floor, making his face impossible to see. At that point, the students started to whisper.
"Hey, Chapelle-sensei didn't look too happy, right?"
"Could it be his dish is that bad?"
"It's possible. He's just a diner brat after all, right?"
"Do you think Chapelle-sensei will be mad at them?"
"Wow, it would be scary if Chapelle-sensei explodes."
But what was going on in Chapelle's head was far from being angry. He was shaking. His taste buds were enraptured so violently that he was unable to think or move at all. As he finally calmed down after a few seconds after swallowing, he began to think carefully. There was no mistake at all. He didn't want to believe it, but the proof was real. It was the dish in front of him. There's no denying it. 12/10. The dish in front of him was worthy to be considered the level of Tsukasa Eishi's.
"Yuukihira Souma, isn't it?"
When Chapelle finally spoke, the whispers stopped and all eyes and ears were on him.
"Yes, sir."
"What did you change in the recette?"
"Only the sauce. I used deglazing to enrichen it."
To be able to create something this refined with just one additional technique. It was no joke. 'Who are you, Yuukihira Souma?'
"I see… I thought that the last dish was going to be the best dish of the day. It appeared that I'm wrong. I have to say, it is the best dish I've ever tasted since Tsukasa Eishi graduated from my class."
The uproar was immediate. To be compared with one of the elite ten is incredible. Moreover, it's the first seat. It's an unspeakable honor.
"Osomatsu!" Souma pulled his headband off with a smooth yank.
"Tell me, Yuukihira Souma, are you aiming for the elite ten?" Chapelle asked.
"Yes, if I can. But I don't think it would be that easy. From what I heard, they're pretty amazing, aren't they?"
"They are. And you're right, it's not going to be easy. But I think it's not impossible for you."
"Thank you, sensei. I will do my best." He bowed gratefully.
Never before had the strict Chapelle-sensei given such a skyrocketing compliment. It was a given that by the end of the night, Souma had become famous around campus. Almost no one hadn't heard of him by the next day. The miraculously genius transfer student. Mixed feelings were created in the hearts of the students that day. Some felt awe, some felt pleasantly surprised, some felt scornfully surprised, some felt jealously. But most of them, they felt fear.
'Yuukihira Souma… Just who in the world are you?'