When Misaka Mikoto and Shirai Kuroko changed clothes and arrived at the cafeteria, they were stunned.
What was going on?
Why was the open-day cafeteria packed with so many people?
Wasn't today supposed to be a no-meal day!?
Soon, the two noticed that all the young ladies present were members of the Queen faction. They immediately turned suspicious looks toward Shokuhou Misaki.
Only to find that at the moment, Misaki wore an utterly lifeless expression.
"Haruto-sama cooking personally, what an honor!"
"I'm so looking forward to it—Haruto-sama's cooking must be extraordinary!"
"This is all thanks to our Queen! Haruto-sama cooking for the Queen… ah, how romantic!"
The young ladies chattered noisily.
Misaki, hearing herself mentioned and those faintly envious tones, felt a little pleased.
But on second thought, she was certain these little brats were just buttering her up on the surface, while plotting behind her back how to steal her man.
Meanwhile, Shirai Kuroko gave a light huff as she sat down.
"Ara, Haruto-kun may not necessarily be cooking for a certain someone. Perhaps that someone is just basking in Onee-sama's glow."
Misaka Mikoto: "?"
The sudden betrayal caught her completely off guard.
Her cheeks flushed scarlet in an instant.
Hearing this, the young ladies immediately shot back:
"Impossible! The Queen and Lord Haruto are a perfect pair, a match made in heaven!"
"Exactly! The bond between Haruto-sama and our Queen is something no one else can compare to!"
But Shirai Kuroko wasn't about to lose ground.
As a staunch Misaka-only supporter, Kuroko's fighting spirit was overwhelming—she could easily handle the crowd.
"Speaking of bonds, the connection between Onee-sama and Haruto-kun is far deeper than any of you can imagine! Besides, Onee-sama and Haruto-kun already boiled the rice and cooked the meal, so to speak!"
The ladies froze, shocked.
But they quickly recovered—this was no time to lose momentum.
"That's nothing! The Queen and Haruto-sama already have children together!"
"Yes, yes! They've even decided on the baby's name!"
Misaka Mikoto/Shokuhou Misaki: Thank you very much!!
The debate grew more and more absurd.
Mikoto tried to rein in Kuroko's verbal warfare, but it was hopeless. Misaki also struggled to contain the young ladies, who were getting wilder by the minute.
Shouko was dumbfounded.
So Haruto-onii-chan already had a whole bunch of babies!?
And… playing at this kind of high level!? (covering her face)
At that very moment, Haruto emerged carrying a huge tray.
The cafeteria instantly fell silent.
Haruto: "?"
Focused on cooking, he hadn't spared attention for his perception. Thus, he had no idea he'd already been cast as the father of two sets of triplets.
He set the tray down.
The golden color immediately drew every gaze.
The rich aroma of crab stole away everyone's thoughts.
It was the start of the school season—September and October, the prime months for crabs. And with Academy City located on the Pacific, it was the perfect time for seafood.
Haruto had put some thought into it.
Instead of simply steaming the crabs, he chose to attempt more refined Chinese dishes.
For example—
"Is this… tofu?" Shouko asked uncertainly.
On the plate, cubes of pale "tofu" were covered in a dazzling layer of golden crab roe.
"This dish is called Crab Roe Tofu, but the ingredients are all crab," Haruto explained with a smile.
Hearing that, the young ladies were confused.
But it looked exactly like tofu!
So Haruto personally served everyone a piece.
This dish was especially time- and effort-consuming, perfect as the meal's opener.
Misaki took a spoonful, examined it carefully—it still looked like tofu.
But once it touched her tongue, her starry eyes widened.
Though similar in appearance and texture, it was an entirely different existence.
The rich flavor of crab burst in her mouth, the texture smoother and softer than tofu, melting instantly.
It was like tasting the essence of September itself—the very definition of delicious.
"It really isn't tofu—it's amazing!"
"I've never had anything like this, incredible!"
"Uuuh, so delicious, I can die without regrets!"
The astonishment of the young ladies didn't stop.
Normally, their strict etiquette training forbade loud exclamations during meals.
Yet now they couldn't hold back, proof of just how good it was.
Before this golden, glowing dish, even the refined young ladies could only blush furiously, breathing hard, clothes about to burst off—
Ah, no, this wasn't the set of Cooking Master Boy (aphrodisiac version).
"The 'tofu' is actually made from crab blood, not soy," Haruto explained. "This Crab Roe Tofu is a dish from my country. I'm glad you all like it."
He smiled and tasted a piece himself.
Mm, indeed delicious.
Normally, preparing such a large platter would take a dozen people working all day. But with the power of worlds at his disposal, Haruto had only needed some effort—no real delay.
…Who else would use world power just to cook!?
Aside from this most labor-intensive dish, Haruto had prepared several others with equal care.
With his cooking skill at the peak of perfection, it was easy to conquer every palate.
Even though the young ladies' households and Tokiwadai had top chefs, none could compare to Haruto's absurd level.
After all, the Blacklight Virus let him absorb countless skills and techniques, fusing and evolving them endlessly.
When the meal ended, the young ladies' eyes sparkled, and their gazes toward Haruto had clearly changed.
A man who could cook—
Was hard not to fall for.
For young ladies like them, looks and wealth were secondary.
What mattered most was the feeling.
And the feeling Haruto gave them now was deliciousness.
They wanted to taste more.
"So amazing!"
Shouko tugged at Haruto's sleeve, whispering praise.
Haruto smiled warmly.
"If it's you, Shouko, you can come to me anytime you want something to eat." Hearing that, Shouko felt wrapped in happiness.
After the meal, there was still time before the afternoon events.
Thanks to Shirai Kuroko, there was no need to rush to the competition grounds.
The group chatted idly.
The young ladies clustered together, whispering and sneaking glances at Haruto. The sight made veins pop on Misaki's forehead.
"Speaking of which, you all have events this afternoon."
Haruto clicked his tongue in mild amazement.
There were quite a few: borrowing race, obstacle course, and three-legged race.
Misaka Mikoto had signed up for all three—
Her list of events was absurdly long.
Misaki had just one obstacle course.
Shouko had the three-legged race.
Neither girl was athletic, but as students, they had to participate at least a little.
"Haruto-onii-chan, you don't have any events? Won't you be bored?" Shouko asked.
Haruto shrugged.
"Can't be helped—I'm not a student of Academy City, after all."
Though in truth, he simply wanted to slack off and avoid competitions.
A lazy bum through and through.
The others nodded—it made sense.
But Misaki began considering whether she could hypnotize all the staff to add Haruto's identity and register him for events.
Soon she dismissed the thought.
She felt he was just saying that, but deep down, didn't actually want to compete. As the Queen of Mental Out, skilled at reading hearts, she trusted her insight.
But then Haruto's phone buzzed.
He looked at it curiously.
The message made him inhale sharply—blood pressure spiking.
The girls leaned over to peek.
And read the text:
"Dear Haruto-kun, your student record has been officially entered into Star Sea Academy. To ensure you don't miss the festivities of the Daihasei Festival, we have granted you a special extended registration option. You are now free to sign up for events, such as the Borrowing Race at 2 p.m. today. You have been automatically registered. Please enjoy the Festival. —Daihasei Festival Committee."
The girls were stunned.
What kind of coincidence was this!?
Only Haruto knew better.
Coincidence, my ass.
Aleister, don't you have anything better to do!?
Was this what the Imaginary Number Network was meant for!?
A certain silver-haired girl, Aleister: "Fulfilling your wish~ You should've invited me to the meal if you didn't want this."