"Alice, what are you doing here?"
Looking at the white figure at the door, before Dylan could speak, Erina Nakiri spoke first, her voice full of doubt.
Could it be that she came looking for her?
Thinking about it carefully, this possibility was not small. After all, besides her, Alice Nakiri shouldn't know anyone else here.
So, what did she want with her?
Erina Nakiri walked up to Alice Nakiri, waiting for her answer.
"What I'm doing here has nothing to do with you. Besides, have you forgotten the content of our previous Shokugeki? Erina, my little~ sis~ter~"
With a hint of teasing in her voice, Alice Nakiri looked at Erina Nakiri playfully, reminding her of their Shokugeki from a few days ago.
As expected, upon hearing Alice Nakiri's words, Erina Nakiri's expression visibly worsened. She clenched her fists involuntarily but still reluctantly called out, "Alice... onee-chan."
After saying this, Erina Nakiri turned her head away, not daring to look at the person before her. The shame in her heart made her want to turn and flee!
However, considering that Dylan hadn't started cooking yet and she hadn't received the reward for this assessment, Erina Nakiri ultimately didn't act.
She just couldn't help but curse inwardly. She had been trying her best to avoid Alice during this time, but she didn't expect the other party to actively seek her out. "Hey, good girl~ Have some candy."
Hearing Erina Nakiri's words, Alice Nakiri smiled. Then, as if prepared, she took out a few candies from her pocket and offered them to her like coaxing a child. "So why on earth did you come here?"
Erina Nakiri naturally wouldn't accept Alice Nakiri's candy, otherwise, it would be a tacit admission that she was a child, inherently inferior to this person. However, Erina Nakiri was also very curious as to why Alice had come here. Since she wasn't looking for her, who was she looking for?
"Of course, I came to find my dear Dylan-nii, you didn't think I came for you, did you? How narcissistic, little Erina~" Perhaps feeling that using the word "sister" was a bit embarrassing, Alice Nakiri didn't continue with that address.
Then, as if she thought of something, she couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh mockingly a couple of times.
As her voice fell, the young woman strode towards Dylan, wrapped her arms around his, and put on an intimate display. "Really! I knew the new Chinese cuisine teacher was you. After all, besides you, no one else would be worthy of Grandpa saying the word 'amazing'! But since you arrived at Totsuki yesterday, why didn't you come find me first? Don't you know I missed you супер (super)! Stupid Dylan-nii!"
Turning her head to look at the young woman's somewhat evasive eyes, Alice Nakiri pursed her lips, very dissatisfied that Dylan had come to Totsuki without telling her. If she hadn't heard that Totsuki had a new Chinese cuisine teacher and specifically called her grandfather to ask, she would probably still be in the dark!
This guy... he came back and didn't tell her, could it be that he did something to wrong her? So he didn't dare to meet her! Just as Mom said...
For a moment, Alice Nakiri thought a lot.
"Isn't this supposed to be a surprise for you? I thought you'd be happy to see this when you got home. I just got off the plane last night, and all the shops outside were closed. I couldn't just go empty-handed, right?"
Dylan said as he took out a bouquet of tulips from under the podium and began to explain.
He had bought these at the flower shop this morning, planning to bring them to Alice when he went back after class, as a small surprise for their long-awaited reunion.
As for the reason, it was purely because someone told him that girls like flowers. Even if they say they don't want them, they'll still be happy to receive them.
This was the so-called 'true fragrance theorem'!
"I don't need it! I'm already very happy just to see Dylan-nii. If you had told me in advance, the anticipation would have made me happy for a long time!"
"But this smells so good, it must have been picked not long ago. You're thoughtful. This is a return gift for you."
Looking at the bouquet of tulips in Dylan's hand, Alice Nakiri indeed showed a happy expression. At the same time, she excitedly hugged his neck and kissed him on the left cheek, her behavior intimate and unrestrained.
Although there were still many people in the classroom, all looking at them in surprise at this moment, it didn't stop her from expressing her ardent feelings.
What's more, after such a long separation, how could she possibly hold back the moment she saw him!
"You two... what's your relationship?"
Looking at the intimately behaving pair in front of her, Erina Nakiri scratched her hair, feeling like a toy she had finally obtained was being told it belonged to someone else. Such an amazing special-grade Chinese cuisine chef actually had an unclear relationship with Alice?!
She seemed to have found the reason why she lost to her.
"Can't you tell? We have a very loving master-disciple relationship~"
Holding the bouquet of tulips Dylan gave her, Alice Nakiri smiled at Erina Nakiri, simultaneously linking her arm with his to declare her sovereignty. She really didn't expect that the first person her master would teach after coming to Totsuki would be her. This was somewhat suspicious of aiding the enemy!
"Vita... As expected, you are Alice's Chinese master from Northern Europe!"
Thinking about the information she read this morning, Erina Nakiri showed an expression of sudden realization.
At that time, she was still speculating with Hisako about who Alice Nakiri's master was. She didn't expect it to be Dylan, who had taught them all morning!
It was this person who had trained Alice Nakiri into a special-grade chef.
A fourteen-year-old special-grade chef sounded terrifying, but if he was the one who taught her, it seemed quite reasonable.
After all, this guy himself was a monster!
Thinking about Dylan's performance in class just now, Erina Nakiri only hesitated for a few seconds before stepping forward and hugging his other arm.
"Although you are Alice's master, you are also our Chinese cuisine teacher. So, you can't show favoritism in your future teaching! You have to teach me what Alice knows too!"
Although she knew she was being a bit thick-skinned, if she didn't rush up at a time like this, she probably wouldn't even have the chance next time!
This was a seven-star special-grade chef!
Although she was a little tsundere, she also understood that an opportunity missed is an opportunity lost!
If she continued to be tsundere at this time and was unwilling to bow her head to Dylan, she would definitely be left even further behind by Alice next time they met!
"Touched..."
Feeling the astonishing softness of the arms on both sides, this thought floated in Dylan's mind, but his face remained impassive.
Let's pretend I don't know what happened.
"Rest assured, as long as you have the ability, I can teach you whatever you want to learn. However, I have something to do tonight, and tomorrow happens to be the weekend, so the dishes I promised you might need to be postponed for a while. How about this, tomorrow afternoon you come find me in this classroom. At that time, I will replicate the Yuxiang Rousi you innovated, let you see its optimal state, as a reward for passing the assessment."
Looking at Alice Nakiri beside him, and thinking that the two hadn't seen each other for a long time, Dylan decided to clear his entire afternoon schedule.
One year, he didn't know how much she had grown.
It was necessary to thoroughly examine her!
"Optimal state... I understand. I will be here waiting tomorrow."
Dylan's words made Erina Nakiri excited.
If she could taste the dishes made by this person, with her God's Tongue analytical ability, she could definitely learn this dish thoroughly quickly and make great progress!
"We will also come early."
"We will definitely come!"
Yuki Yoshino pulled Megumi Tadokoro, also expressing that she would come. Seeing them like this, Dylan just nodded slightly and didn't say much.
Turning his head, looking at Hisako Arato standing in front of the cooking station, somewhat dejected, Dylan frowned slightly, then turned and walked over. "Tomorrow night, when they leave, you come to the classroom by yourself. I will teach you the way of medicinal cuisine."
Reaching out and grabbing Hisako Arato's hand, the ruler fell eight consecutive times. Dylan's voice sounded in her ear, and then he turned and left.
Inside the classroom, Erina Nakiri glanced at the departing figures of Dylan and Alice, then trotted over to Hisako Arato's side.
"Hisako, what did Teacher Dylan just say to you? He didn't scold you, did he? Why did he hit your palm before leaving? Don't take it too much to heart..."
Looking at Hisako Arato in front of her, who had a stunned expression and was staring blankly in the direction Dylan had left.
Erina Nakiri mistakenly thought Dylan had said something hurtful. She immediately grasped her hand, her expression worried as she comforted her.
"I'm fine, Erina-sama. Teacher Dylan didn't say anything harsh."
Looking at the worried Erina Nakiri, Hisako Arato shook her head, a slight touch of emotion in her eyes. Her fists under her sleeves clenched slightly.
Eight o'clock tomorrow night...
Perhaps it was her time to defy fate and change her destiny!
As if thinking of something, determination appeared on Hisako Arato's face.
"Erina-sama, I will not continue to be weak. I will become very strong, so that I can better stand by your side!"
"I know, I've always believed in you!"
Although she didn't know why Hisako Arato suddenly said these things, at this time, all she had to do was support her!
"Let's go too. We'll come back tomorrow."
Watching the students leave the classroom one after another with various expressions on their faces, Yuki Yoshino tugged at Megumi Tadokoro beside her and said.
"Mm."
Megumi Tadokoro nodded, took a step, and left the classroom with Yuki Yoshino.
"Dylan-nii, tell me about what happened in China during this time."
Leaving the school building and walking on the way home, Alice Nakiri spoke eagerly, her eyes looking at Dylan filled with affection.
"Don't we have video calls every week? You should know all my itineraries in China. Is there anything else to say?"
Regarding this, Dylan was a little puzzled. Although the two hadn't been together for a year, they had constant video calls, two hours at a time. Alice Nakiri knew all his itineraries in China.
Except for not telling her about forming the Dark Cuisine Society, Alice knew everything else. Logically speaking, she shouldn't be asking these things.
"What's said in the video is different from what's said in reality! I want to hear Dylan-nii tell me in person! These past two days, I found a ramen shop outside Totsuki with really good flavor. The owner is from Lanzhou, China. Want to go eat together?"
Alice Nakiri shook her head, further stating her request. Then she looked at Dylan with an expectant face, as if she would cry if he refused.
"Lanzhou beef noodles? Alright, it's been a while since I've had them. I also want to know what you've been up to during this time. Let's go now."
Hearing Alice Nakiri's words, Dylan nodded, then changed his direction and walked towards the foot of Totsuki Mountain.
"Wow! I really didn't expect little Megumi that you actually got the highest score in the whole field. That persimmon version of Yuxiang Rousi, make it for me to try this afternoon. I'm very curious about its taste!"
"Okay, there's nothing much to do this afternoon. It just so happens that I also want to do more research on this basis and see if I can improve it further."
Because she was publicly praised by Dylan and given high expectations.
At this moment, Megumi Tadokoro's fighting spirit was unusually high. Her mind was full of performing even better in the next class, so that he would continue to praise her.
To be praised by such an amazing guy, who could even be called a god of cooking, it was impossible for Megumi Tadokoro not to feel a little proud in her heart!
And this was also Dylan's purpose.
To cultivate Megumi Tadokoro's pride as a chef.
At the same time, as long as she was praised more, her self-confidence would naturally rise. After all, people are such creatures.
"Megumi, Yuki, what are you talking about? What got the highest score in the whole field, and there's a persimmon version of Yuxiang Rousi, is that Megumi's new dish?" A vibrant voice sounded not far away. The two turned their heads and found a beautiful young woman with long, wine-red hair. The young woman was holding a box. Seeing the two stop, she immediately quickened her pace and caught up with them, standing side by side.
"Ryoko! We're talking about today's class assessment. Megumi was really amazing, she was the only one in the whole class who got an A grade!" Looking at the approaching Ryoko Sakaki, Yuki Yoshino immediately grabbed her hand and started whispering beside her, her face full of excitement.
"Megumi was the only one in the whole class who got an A? That's indeed very impressive! But was your assessment this time that difficult? Even you didn't get an A."
"I'm still far off, I didn't even get a B, just barely passed with a C."
Hearing Ryoko Sakaki's words, Yuki Yoshino couldn't help but sigh. Although she had tried her best, she was still lacking a lot, and ultimately only got a C.
"Eh... you only got a C? This assessment is so strict. But looking at it this way, Megumi's A grade is really valuable!"
"No, I was just lucky."
"Don't be so modest, Megumi, you've always been amazing, we know that."
Hearing Yuki Yoshino's words, Ryoko Sakaki's face showed surprise, then she looked at Megumi Tadokoro.
At this moment, Megumi Tadokoro was scratching her head with one hand, looking very embarrassed.
"Do you remember that Chinese cuisine teacher we talked about yesterday? The teacher we met today was him. I'm telling you, he's super amazing! At that time, everyone wasn't very keen on making Chinese food, so they wanted to cause trouble to make him step down. But that teacher didn't indulge them. First, he gave a round of group mockery, and then he directly made a glowing dish! You didn't see the scene at that time. The students who originally didn't think highly of Chinese cuisine rushed up like wild people, frantically snatching that plate of food!"
Holding Ryoko Sakaki's hand, Yuki Yoshino chattered on, looking excited, her face even flushed.
"Glowing cuisine?! Isn't that something only a five-star special chef can make? Did you guys see wrong? Why would Totsuki hire such an amazing teacher..."
Ryoko Sakaki was equally shocked. Last night, she, Yuki Yoshino, and Megumi Tadokoro had a sisterly night talk and happened to chat about this new Chinese cuisine teacher at Totsuki.
At that time, after everyone's discussion, they thought he was at most a first-class chef. After all, this new teacher's teaching scope was Totsuki's elementary department. At best, he would be a special grade. But Yuki actually told her that Dylan was a five-star special grade?
This feeling was as absurd as pulling a golden legend from a white box!
How could it be possible?!
"It's so obvious, I couldn't have seen it wrong! That was genuine glowing cuisine. And, in today's class assessment, only I, Megumi, and Erina Nakiri passed. Everyone else, without exception, failed."
Yuki Yoshino pressed her finger to her lips, as if thinking, and only after a long while did she nod seriously, confirming that there was no fourth passer.
"Are you talking about the one with the 'God's Tongue', who has super talent in cooking? How were her grades, also not as good as Megumi's!?"
"That's right, she sat at the same table as me, both got C grades. But it might also be related to her not being good at this type of cuisine. Secretaryko didn't even get a grade." Considering the type of cuisine Erina Nakiri excelled at, Yuki Yoshino speculated.
That young lady had always made beautifully plated dishes. Now, suddenly asking her to stir-fry, even if she had some previous experience, it was impossible for her to perform very well.
"Is that so? In that case, it does seem like a very difficult assessment. Are you guys planning to replicate that A-grade dish at the Polar Star Dormitory this afternoon? If possible, count me in!"
Hearing Yuki Yoshino's words, Ryoko Sakaki nodded, her heart suddenly filled with an incredibly strong interest in this new Chinese cuisine teacher at Totsuki.
"Then let's do it together. It just so happens, Ryoko, you can also try that teacher's cooking exam question! It's actually quite interesting."
"Okay, I was thinking the same thing!"
Hearing Yuki Yoshino's suggestion, Ryoko Sakaki's face showed an eager expression, clearly having the same idea.
"gogogo!"
Nightfall, at Alice Nakiri's house.
"Is this the result of your efforts during this time? Alice!"
Looking at the exquisitely plated molecular gastronomy dish in front of him, Dylan's face showed no joy or anger, while Alice Nakiri below was sweating profusely.
Tonight, she originally wanted to get close to her master and do something more intimate. But before she could say anything, Dylan went straight to the kitchen.
At the same time, he said to her:
"Now, with the ingredients available in the kitchen, start cooking. Try to make a dish that will satisfy my tongue!"
And so, she had been busy until now.
At this moment, it was the most crucial tasting session.
It was time to show Dylan the efforts of a year!
_____
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