God, I needed that break bad. Well, fast uploads did take it's toll, but sometimes, I could just write on endlessly. But, despite the not-so-healthy lifestyle, I'm still here and willing. Don't worry, I'm cured from my headache now.
Houki Minami: Ma...Maoyuu? What's that? (Not a joke, I really don't know lel) I guess cliche can be cliche sometimes...And if you care for my (or actually, your) health, please, keep 'em fists unclenched XD.
a.k.a Kusabi: Nope, everything is written within that very time space. Which explains for the typos and gramatic errors you pointed out. I'll fix it, so don't worry. Souma's trademark line, I haven't actually. I read from multiple sources and translation, which gives different results to that. But if you say it's "It wasn't much" then I'll go with it from now on.
Lemon? Ah...I do write them but never actually posts any of them. Not because I'm afraid to be branded or anything, but because my skills aren't good enough for public reading, not yet. Being suggestive is something I'm better at, like I will show you in this chapter.
Now that's out of the way, chapter 7 is here! Hopfully you'll enjoy my humble work, please give your opinion, ideas and fixes, I'll gladly listen to it.
Let us begin!
After the Shokugeki match, things seemed to have returned to normal in most aspects.
There wasn't much going on, Erina still rumbles the school with her might.
But, as some student noticed, something had changed in the Tootsuki's Princess.
Apparently, she smiles more, and seems to actually make an effort rather than breeze through everything. Her dishes, although perfect as always, were now more open in variety, and not restricted towards fancy and royal dishes like before.
And, besides just tasting food, occasionally...she would give advices. Something the ice queen had never before do even once.
Some say this change is for the better, others says it might ruin her in the future.
But, only herself and her trustful aide knows the biggest change.
She's been holding on to a shoujo manga every momment she gets.
As her cousin noted (or rather, teased) her to be inexperienced in love, she had took up reading shoujo mangas, one of the more obvious-type-romance in order to understand it. And eversince she's hooked into reading them. Now however, she reads them for reference.
"No matter what hapens, I'll protect you, Lilly! I made a promise, a deal, remember?!"-The hooded male exclaimed as he grabbed his sword.
"B-but this time you will really die trying, Jack! I don't want that...I don't want you to..."-The beautiful princess held on to his coat, stopping him.
"What were you expecting?"-The guy lowers his head as he gently broke her hold-"I'm not your Knight in shiny armor, princess. I'm not Prince Charming."
"That's not it!"-The girl held him closer, hugging him from behind-"That's not it, Jack..."-In tears, the princess stops him again-"There's no way for you to beat an entire army! Eric's going to behead you, then hang it from the top of the church!"
There was a momment of silence as the man in black hood gently envelope the frail girl's gentle hands with his own.
Then from his scarred lips, he spoke.
"That's a fitting end for someone like me. I have some bussiness to settle with him myself."-He broke hold-"I'll see you again, princess. In this life, or the next."
With that, he left the girl there to sob as he leaves for the final battle.
'He-here it is! The slum-born assassin for hire is leaving to fight the evil prince out for the beautiful princess!'-Erina's face seemed to be turning pink as steam can slightly be seen emitnating from her head.
'That's how romance should be! There's no way that...that...feeling from before is...'-Erina blushed a little for a different reason before continuing.
"I don't know whether you are incredibly stupid or incredibly brave, Jack."-The prince spoke on his horse, behind him an entire army of several hundreds elites.
"Does that even matter? I just have to put you down don't I?"
"You seriously think you have a chance, nii-san?"
"..."-The hooded assassin almost got provoked, but took a deep breath as he continued-"I don't have a little brother. That kid died when he was adopted into the royal family 15 years ago."
"Such constrasting difference between brothers...it moves my heart, nii-san."-The prince continued-"That's right, from that day, a boy died, and a prince was born. He rid himself of everything related to his past, even from other minds. Yet you alone...stands here today. Blocking me from my ultimate prize, my archenemy, no less."
"She's not a prize. Not a doll you can win from the carnival stall."
"Such brave talk from a dead man."
"Then"-The assassin drew his black metal sword-"Allow me to send you to where a dead person should belong. The grave."
"...Kill him."-The prince ordered as the elite soldiers moves forward.
In response, the hooded man took one step forward. Two steps forward. Before you knew it, it was already a sprint.
Sword drawn, he leaped just before they clashed.
...
'That's it for the volume?!'-Erina realized she was on the last page by now.
When she asked Hisako for something with less dazzle and limelight for classic fairy tale-like shoujos, the aide can only come up with this one. The rest she deemed either too much for the inexperienced Erina, or not good enough.
But, as the blonde is hooked into it, and then the scene gets more and more...intense, which now even includes heavy fighting scenes, Hisako began to get concerned. Erina huffed. She could take a bit of violence or stronger romance! I mean she had read enough of the normal stuff to begin to get bored of it!
After reluctantly giving her the volume in Erina's hand right now, Hisako fears the next volume would be too much...
"Hisako? P-please hand me the next one."-Erina stammered as she opens the door of her private bedroom.
"...Forgive me Erina-sama! I haven't bought it yet."-Hisako bowed in apology.
To be honest, she'll be more happy if Erina don't ask for it.
"Then go out and buy it."
"...I...my schedule is tight, Erina-sama! I promise I will make time tomorrow morning and have it on your bedside by tomorrow night!"-She still has to give a read through to make sure it's good first.
"I...see."-Erina nodded sadly as she leaves-"Then, I'll be heading out for a walk."-It's her normal routine to cool her head off after reading shoujos, so Hisako didn't bothered her as she walked in a wobbly, light-headed manner away.
'...Eh?'-Normally Erina would actually pout or huffed in a childlike manner, but today she's actually have the patience? Before she would actually demand the new volume before it's even out, now...
Perhaps this change is for the best.
...
...
...
It's way past her usual time.
Normally Erina would go for twenty minutes at best. And it's been forty minutes!
"Sir. Have you seen Erina-sama passing by?"-Hisako asked the guards.
"Uhm. She said she was going out for a bit. I was surprised she wasn't having you next to her, but there's no stopping the milady."
Wait.
Does that mean Erina actually went outside? 'Outside' being outside instead of the garden?!
Yes, she is free for the rest of the day but...
She couldn't be?!
"Where do you buy it...how do you even buy it..."-Erina began the realize the flaw in her sudden plan to go out and buy herself.
She felt like asking Hisako would be too much of a bother, so while she had time, why not go herself?
Come to think of it, it is her first time rebelling, if you will.
Feeling like it had ended in a total failure, Erina decided to turn around and head back before the aide became too worried.
"?!"
T-the bush on the roadside just moved!
"Is it my imagination?"
No, it's not. It just moved again!
Is it a stalker? Taking the momment she is alone and without any guards with her?!
Then, something came out of it.
A person.
"Ouch!"-Yukihira Souma groaned as he failed to catch the needed ingredient.
"?!"-Erina stood dumbfoundedly as the boy is chasing after something on the ground.
"Come here you little-"-The cook caught the thing by throwing a basket over it-"Aha! Got you!"-He then carefully slides his hand under to grab it.
Only then did he noticed the blonde staring at him with a strange look on her face.
"H-hey there Erina. Haven't saw you in a while!"-The guy once again, greeted her with that dumb look on his face.
"Forget that! What are you doing, Yukihira Souma?!"-Erina snapped.
"Why the full name? Just Souma would do."
"S-shut up!"-That earned a blush from the blonde.-"Why are you here, chasing after something like a cat seeing laser dots?"
"Well..."-Souma dragged out before continuing-"My dad called me. He gave me the recipe for a dish that made him really popular at the old days here, so he wanted me to try it...The ingredient...well...even Yoshino said she don't have it."
"W-what is it?"-Erina's thought sparkled at the thought of a famous Asura's dish. It must taste-
"Here."-Souma raised the 'ingredient' he caught.
A frog.
A living, dirty, stinky frog.
"EEK! ! !"-That sent Erina's backing away like she saw Souma's squid tentacles with peanut butter.
"Don't worry! After I wash it, it's going to be fine. Pops said it tastes like chicken."
After clearing her thoughts, Erina remembered that frogs are ingredient in some Southern Asian dishes, delicacies even. But coming from the same place that fry ants, larvas and cockroaches for lunch, Erina has a feeling she'll never try to learn those dishes.
"J-just keep it away from me. Infact, keep yourself away from me too! Stupid Yukihira!"
"That hurts."-Souma slumped his head-"Pops, does this dish really has such qualities?"-He said hoping the message will somehow telepatically reaches his father.
Eyeing the manga in her hand, Souma spoke.
"Oh. That's Yoshino's favorite."
"?!"-That got the blonde's attention.-"Really?! Does she has the last volume?"
"Hahah...I don't know though. She seems to be a really big fan of it...Why don't we go to my dorm and check it out?"
"R-right now?"
"If you've got nothing to do, yeah?"-Souma then added.-"But knowing you-"
"Hisako? Yeah it's me."-Ignoring the aide's outburst of concern and voice that seemed like she's nearly in tears, Erina continued-"I'm going to the Polar Star dorm with Yukihira-kun for a momment."
"YUKIHIRA SOUMA?!"-Even without the speaker's off, Hisako's voice can clearly be heard from where Souma was.
Heck, Souma thought the voice itself just echoed here for a momment.
"Don't worry, I'll be back soon. Just finish your work, Hisako."-With that, Erina ended the call.
"Is that okay? She seemed like she's really concerned."-The redhead cook asked as he place the frog(s) inside a medium sized box.
"If anything happens, she'll de-fertilize you, which is fine by me."
"But not by me!"-Souma can actually tell that it wasn't that far away from being a joke.-"Still, I didn't know you like reading these kind of things."-He stood up, one hand carrying the box.
"You have a problem with it? If you dared to open your lips about it, then..."
"Haii, haii..."-Souma nodded-"I just think it's..."
He stopped himself for some reason.
That made Erina wondered.
'What was he about to say?'
Erina couldn't believe her eyes.
A full bookcase of shoujo mangas of all kind.
"Here you go Erina-san."-Yoshino reaches for the volume.-"I just finished them, so you can borrow them until you're done."-The cheerful girl hapily handed the manga to Tootsuki's princess.
"Thank you! I'll make sure to return this soon."
Meanwhile, outside, Souma was grilling the frogs with some strange spice leafs and chillies.
It creates an offensive smell that invades your nostrils and strike you like it's a whip, a flash and you already felt your senses numbing.
Looking up from from the grill, Souma then saw it.
His death.
Or as Erina say, his de-fertilization.
"YU-KI-HI-RA SOU-MA! ! !"-Hisako sprinted at him at speed the redhead thought impossible for a first year highschool girl, before taking a huge leap and strike down.
...
...
...
"Look at this part Erina-san! Jack leaped in the air and delivers the finishing blow on his brother!"
"Really?!"
"No, actually he spares him..."
"...Oh...that makes sense I guess..."
...
...
...
"Hi-Hishoko! Stop! Staph! I..."-Souma was being half strangled, half shaken up and down repeatedly.
"My name is not Hishoko! It's Hisako! Arato Hisako! And you bastard! What have you done to Erina-sama?!"
"I-I didn't do anything! She-she wanted to borrow a manga from my dormmate! That-that's all! Stop s-shaking! I-I can't-can't breathe!"
"A manga?"-Hisako stopped shaking.
"Yeah..."
"Still, why does it have to be you, Yukihira Souma?!"
"Are you going to commit murder for that reason?! It's just a coincidence!"
"But...but..."
Suddenly, Hisako got a whiff of the strange dish Souma was grilling.
That smell...
Those are spices from the Arab region.
That strong smell...
It brings back an era of slavery and poverty, young girls selling themselves to rich merchants.
During that time, they were tormented.
That torment, that time is conveyed into this dish almost flawlessly! Using something terrible like frog as a base, then the smell, it is truly overwhelming.
A horribly good dish.
That was enough to leave Hisako tamed for some reason.
Letting go of the redhead, the girl found herself losing strength as she directly flops down on top of him.
"Hi-Hishoko?! What's wrong?! Are you okay? Exhausted?!"
"It's...not the same anymore..."
"Huh?"
"Erina-sama...Erina-sama..."
"What? What about Erina?"-At the mention of his 'friend', Souma asked further.
"She's...she's not herself lately...all because of you...Yukihira Souma..."
"Eh? Me?"
"After you arrived, Erina-sama changed...it's...all because of you! She smiles more to me, more gentle and kind! And at mentioning your name..."
"If she smiles more...isn't that change for the better?"-Souma asked as he got up, and offered Hisako the seat he was using.
"A person like you would not understand! Erina-sama...she has to...because..."
Before she could continue, the doors of the dorm opened the reveal Tootsuki's Princess, manga in hand.
"Erina-sama!"-Hisako stood up, recovered from the effect of the strange dish.-"Are you alright?!"
"Jeez, I'm fine."-Erina approaches them.-"Didn't you say you were busy?"
"I-I have finished all my work, Erina-sama! I'll go buy that-"-Hisako stopped herself, seeing the blonde already has one in her hand.
A feeling of guilt and a sense of uselessness swept over her for a momment.
"You don't have to rush."-Erina smiled tenderly.
"But...if I don't...then..."
"I said you don't have to rush."
"...Yes, Erina-sama."-Hisako lowered her head in shame.
She had failed her.
Even if it's such a small thing like a simple volume of her favorite manga...
"After finishing this, I have to return it to Yoshino-san."-Erina continued. She must have a small idea of what's going on inside her most loyal aide.-"Then, I'd still like to keep a copy to read again later."
"Eh?"-Hisako surprisingly looked up.
"Can I count on you then?"-Erina asked with a smile.
"..."-Hisako felt a feeling of joy as she bowed-"H-haii!"
"Then let's head back."-Erina stepped past Hisako and Souma, with the girl quickly following soon after.
Looking at that, Souma decided to voice.
"Hishoko!"
The aide turned around, facing the redhead.
"I...I don't really understand much you were talking about...but I don't think it's true!"-Souma voiced.
"Hah? What did you two talked about?"
"N-nothing Erina-sama. I just-"
"Ah, wait, Erina!"-Souma stood up, a frog leg in between his chopsticks-"It's done, you want a bite?"
At another one of the Yukihira's horrifying dish, the two girl quickly retreated without another word.
"Eh? Eh?"-Souma stood dumbfoundedly.
His old man said it works like a charm and yet! The results are completely opposite!
There was no way for Erina to admit what she got from just smelling it.
"Here you go, lovely Erina."-Souma, in a Arap prince outfit approaches the girl on the luxurious bed.
"Ah~ Ahn~"-In contrast, the blonde girl in rags' hands was chained to the bed as she tried to wriggle away, but no avail-"No...master...don't..."
"Don't worry...just close your eyes and say 'Ahn~'... Say 'Ahn~' for me, Erina..."-In his hand is a frog's grilled leg with luxurious spices on it.
"No...don't...please don't~! ! ! ! Master~ ! Master~! Uh...un... Ahn~"
"Good girl..."
No way to admit that.
Not in a million years.
'Well, enjoy it while it last, Yukihira.'
The Tootsuki training lodging session is about to begin.
All done! I'm getting this whole chapter is pretty much a filler. It helps to seperate this fic from the main storyline abit, so I hope you enjoyed! Fav and reviews are welcomed, I'll listen for sure. A review is very encouraging for a writer, everyone!
Until the next chapter.
DsCrystalEyes