Your Idea:
Mash caught in an explosion by Gehenna's top two terrorists, cream puff falls to the ground.
"…Oh?"
Love to see that face.
Mash finished training at Schale, eating cream puffs as usual.
"Sensei, a question," Arona said.
"Hm?"
"You eat cream puffs morning, noon, night, right?"
"Yup."
"No health issues?"
"None."
For Mash, cream puffs aren't snacks or dessert—they're main meals. He's been like this since arriving in Kivotos.
"Three meals of cream puffs isn't great, is it?"
"No changes in my health…"
"Not now, but maybe later?"
"Hm…"
"Hoshino-san said, 'Eating only what you like will make you sick, Sensei! I'd cry if you collapsed!'"
"Ugh… Can't make Hoshino-san sad…"
"Exactly."
"But I've only ever made cream puffs. Instant food wasn't my thing either…"
Mash tried Kivotos' instant foods, but none suited him. He stuck to making cream puffs.
"A suggestion?"
"What?"
"If you can't cook, learn from someone!"
"Arona-chan, genius. Super AI."
"Just AI, Sensei. I've found someone!"
"Who?"
Arona, brimming with confidence, names her.
"Fuuka Aikiyo, 2nd-year, Gehenna Academy's Culinary Club."
"Culinary Club? Gehenna's?"
"Yup!"
Mash hesitates. Gehenna's infamously chaotic.
"Really safe?"
"P-Probably!"
"Probably?"
"Reviews say Gehenna's food is 'not delicious,' 'so-so,' 'average'…"
"That's bad."
"But! Learning from a familiar academy is best!"
"True, I've dealt with Gehenna a lot… Alright, I'll go."
Mash prepares, grabbing his iron staff Proteus and cream puffs for snacks.
"Oh, by the way…"
"What?"
"Culinary Club sent a distress call."
"Say that sooner!"
Mash bolts out, heading to Gehenna Academy.
Gehenna Academy, Culinary Club
A legit club making meals for students, its emblem a rice bowl with chopsticks.
"Here, huh?"
Mash expected a mess, but the cafeteria is pristine—clean tables, chairs, and lights.
"Not Gehenna-like…"
A savory aroma wafts from the kitchen.
"Miso soup? Smells good… but so much."
A huge pot of miso soup draws Mash in. Then, a voice from behind:
"Who!? Gourmet Research Club again!?"
A red-eyed, black-twintailed Gehenna student with horns, wearing an apron and headscarf, glares.
"Gourmet Research Club?"
"No kidnapping today! Wait… no halo?"
"Sorry for barging in." Bow.
"Uh… who are you?"
"Mash Burnedead, from Schale. Here for your request."
"Sen… sei?"
"Yup. You okay?"
The girl sways, approaching Mash unsteadily.
"Dangerous!" Grab.
As she collapses, Mash catches her, easing her down.
"Schale… Sensei…"
"What happened? Are you si—'You finally came!'"
She pulls Mash close, sobbing.
"You're here!!" Wailing.
"Uh?"
"I thought we were abandoned!! It's been three weeks since the email!!"
"Sorry…"
"It's fine… you're here…"
"Tell me what's going on."
"…Okay."
The girl, Fuuka Aikiyo, explains.
The Culinary Club has only two members. Fuuka's cooking skills are top-notch, but the other member ruins dishes if involved beyond prep, causing a severe staffing shortage. Limited budget and time force quantity over quality for thousands of students, lowering taste. Students complain about ruined meals due to their own carelessness, stressing the club. The Gourmet Research Club's raids disrupt operations. The student council dismisses their pleas, saying it's the Disciplinary Committee's job, but they're busy with the Eden Treaty. Fuuka's mental state collapsed, leading to the distress call.
"Got it. So…"
Mash cracks his knuckles.
"Deal with irrational complainers, Gourmet Research Club, and the student council with a lecture?" Crack.
His anger makes Fuuka pale.
"Just a lecture, right?"
"They're lucky it's just that. I'm pretty mad."
"R-Really?"
"Yup. Complainers who don't understand, a council doing nothing, and raiders? I'm angry."
"Your feelings are enough… Calm down."
"Alright." Instant calm.
(He calmed instantly?)
"What should I do? Stop the raids?"
"No, nothing violent… Just help us."
"Sure."
"Really!?"
"Can't say no after that story."
Mash agrees to help.
"But I've never cooked."
"That's fine, just assist."
"Got it. Where's the other member?"
"She'll be here soon."
Splish, splash! Strange footsteps echo. The door bursts open.
"Kyui!! Kyuikyui!!"
A mythical creature—purple, oozing green liquid, with octopus-like tentacles—storms in.
"Stop it!!"
"Juri… again?"
"Sorry, Fuuka-senpai! I tried helping, but… another Bread-chan!"
With the creature is Juri Ushimaki, 1st-year, Culinary Club.
"Again…?"
"Bread-chan?"
"Kyukyui!!"
Bread-chan rampages, wrecking the cafeteria.
"Kivotos is wild… I'm used to it—'Kyui!'"
Bread-chan leaps onto Mash's face, sticking with tentacles.
"Ngh!"
"Sensei's suffocating!"
"Something to pry it off…"
As Fuuka and Juri panic, Mash acts.
"Ngh…!" Slam!
"Chui!!"
Mash smashes his head into the floor, dislodging Bread-chan.
"Phew, sticky."
"Your head's okay!?"
"Recently learned mental math, so I'm fine."
"Not that!"
"The floor… it's cracked…"
"I'm hard-headed."
(Even hard-headed people don't crack concrete…)
Bread-chan twitches.
"Thank… you…"
It dies.
Silence.
"Let's eat it."
"...Yeah."
They eat Bread-chan as a tribute.
Kitchen
"Let's start lunch prep."
"Right."
"Please!"
Mash, apron on, stands in the kitchen after introductions.
"Didn't expect Sensei to be my age."
"A year older than me…"
"I'm just Culinary Club's Mash Burnedead now. No need for honorifics—ever."
"Newer than me… my kouhai!"
"We're senpai… feels weird."
"Teach me, Fuuka-senpai, Juri-senpai."
"Got it."
"I'll help a bit."
Mash tackles egg rolls. As their kouhai, he uses respect, and they treat him as such.
"Egg rolls are simple. Watch."
"Right."
"Egg rolls are…"
Fuuka's aura shifts, like Mash in battle.
"This…" Crack.
(Breaks egg, pours.)
"Then…" Whisk.
(Mixes in bowl.)
"And…" Sizzle.
(Cooks, rolls perfectly.)
"Done!" Ta-da!
(Perfect egg roll.)
"Wow!"
"Got it?"
"Yup."
"Your turn. Okay?"
"Totally."
"Really?"
"Trust me, I'm good at non-study stuff."
Mash grabs eggs and a bowl, serious.
"This…" Crack.
(Breaks egg, pours.)
"Then…" Whisk.
(Mixes in bowl.)
"And…" Sizzle.
(Cooks, rolls.)
"Done!" Ta-da!
(Perfect cream puff.)
"Not done!!"
"Why a cream puff from eggs!?"
"How'd a pan make a cream puff!? What was that rolling!?"
"Weird…"
"It's a failure… failure? Try again, I'll watch."
"Right…"
Fuuka guides Mash step-by-step.
"This…"
"Yes." (Breaks, mixes.)
"Then…"
"Yes." (Cooks in pan.)
"And…"
"Yes." (Rolls—)
(Cream puff.)
"Why!?"
"Sensei's like me! As your senpai… I'm happy!"
"Happy how!? Why another cream puff? I taught you right!"
Nom. "Cream puff. Want some?"
"Not 'eat it'! Fine, we'll make real food no matter what!"
"Right."
They struggle.
"Fried egg… right?"
"Cream puff-shaped fried egg."
"It grew legs!"
"Miso… how?"
"Soup to solid?"
"The pot melted!"
"Alright! Real food!"
"First step."
"Bread-chan 2 and 3, don't fight!"
"Juri, what are you doing!?"
After 500+ attempts, they make proper egg rolls. Fuuka decides to serve cream puffs anyway.
"Cooking's deep."
"Your case… everything's wrong."
"Bread-chan 1, don't eat that!"
"She's given up… We made enough, so it's fine."
"Break time. Proper cream puff?"
"Seen too many… Fine, I'll take it."
"Here."
Mash and Fuuka munch cream puffs. Fuuka, exhausted, sighs, "Delicious."
"Thanks to you, it went smoothly. Really, thank you."
"Not done yet."
"Huh?"
"You'll collapse like this. I'll talk to the Disciplinary Committee or council to help. Or I'll work here."
"I appreciate it… but I love cooking and seeing people enjoy it. I'm okay."
"…"
"But since you're here…"
Fuuka grabs Mash's non-cream-puff hand.
"Sensei… please… help us—"
BOOM!
A hole blasts in the cafeteria wall.
"!?"
"Wah!"
Fuuka falls. Who did this? Obvious.
"Hey, Fuuka-san. Mind if we drop in?"
"Go away!"
"No can do!"
"Smells good!"
"Eggs and… cream puffs? Odd mix."
Gehenna's infamous club—skilled, knowledgeable, violent rogues.
Gourmet Research Club.
They're raiding the cafeteria.
"Why break the wall!?"
"Sorry, but it's urgent!"
"We got fresh fish! Cook it!"
"Now!"
"Just get kidnapped nicely?"
"Just say 'cook it'! Ugh!"
Members Haruna Kurodate, Junko Akashi, Akari Wanibuchi, and Izumi Shishidou prepare to snatch Fuuka. Juri searches for Mash.
"Sensei! You're okay…!?"
Juri freezes. A squashed cream puff lies on the ground. Mash's face…
"Oh?"
A demon's glare.
---------------------------------------------
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