Sharing the plan he discussed with Yukinoshita with everyone present, they were all stunned. After all, for ordinary students, becoming one of the Elite Ten was already extremely difficult. Now, they were talking about fighting chefs from all over the world and monopolizing all the seats of the Elite Ten. This level of exaggeration was akin to a revolution.
Shiomi Jun, a bit disbelieving, adjusted her glasses: "He's... he really is Joichiro's son. This is too reckless..."
Kurokiba: "Hahahaha, I like it! I'm in! Monopolizing the Elite Ten sounds awesome!"
Hayama Akira: "Well, I was planning to join the Elite Ten anyway. To be honest, even if you hadn't said this, I would have kept moving forward."
Takumi: "We will too, of course."
Mito: "I don't want to be left behind by you again, and... I really don't like Totsuki like this."
Ryoko: "Sigh, watching the academy we once knew become like this, I can't help but feel a bit emotional."
Komachi: "I'll naturally be on Onii-chan's side too! This Komachi is getting super lots of points!"
Tadokoro Megumi: "Me... me too..."
Hachiman: "If that's the case..."
"I knew it would turn out this way. After all, Hikigaya-kun is never one to just give up."
The door of the restaurant suddenly opened, and a familiar face walked in. The exaggerated body proportions and the refreshing short hair made it impossible for those who participated in the Autumn Elections not to recognize her: Yukinoshita Haruno.
Haruno: "Yo, Hikigaya-kun, did you miss your big sister? Big sister missed you so much!"
Yukino: "Sister..."
Haruno: "Oh my, Yukino-chan is here too. I thought you moved out."
Yukino: "There's no need for you to keep pretending, sister. After all, you know my whereabouts better than anyone."
Caiyu: "Is she someone you know?"
Komachi: "Looks like... they're close!"
Haruno: "Well, Yukino-chan hasn't changed a bit. But I still prefer the old Yukino-chan, who used to rely on me so much. Now, she's just..."
Yukino clenched her fists. She still couldn't understand. "Even if it's just directed at me, why make the whole academy like this..."
Haruno shook her head with a faint smile: "Nakiri Azami and I are just taking what we need from each other. Actually, I don't want to care about what he's doing, and I can't control it anyway. But... I'm not doing all of this for you."
Haruno turned her gaze to Hikigaya, and her smile became even more meaningful:
"I'm curious to see what Hikigaya-kun, who's exactly like I was, will do."
"You should know, as parasites and hosts, you're just like Totsuki now. Yukino-chan was an imitator too... Can you really break the so-called parasitic relationship? Let the ending of this academy show me your answer."
"Oh, right... Hikigaya-kun hasn't seen the latest announcement, has he?"
Hachiman gently shook his head. Even now, Haruno's smile still concealed something he couldn't see through.
But one thing was clear: Haruno and Yukino's problem would be resolved someday, and that day might be the day their so-called parasitic relationship was resolved.
Their former partnership was now being called a parasitic relationship. When did it start? Was it when Yukinoshita decided to end the past and look to the future? Or was it even earlier, when they teamed up to deal with Shinomiya-senpai?
He didn't understand, but he knew that if he couldn't give Yukinoshita Haruno a satisfactory answer, this entanglement would continue endlessly for the two of them.
Tadokoro Megumi: "What is Ms. Haruno talking about?"
Haruno: "Well, it seems like it hasn't been announced yet, but it will be tomorrow. It's about Nakiri Azami's new reforms. As far as I know, his ambitions are quite big. Not only will he unify the classes, but he'll also close all of Totsuki Academy's research labs and clubs. Of course, that includes your restaurant."
Hearing Haruno's words, Isshiki-senpai seemed to realize something:
"Come to think of it, Kuga's Chinese restaurant seems to be closed too. It was so famous. Was he kicked out of the Elite Ten too..."
Hayama Akira: "There's no way I'm accepting that!"
Shiomi Jun: "Akira..."
Haruno: "Well, now that he has power, he has the right to do that. He could come here and tear down your restaurant right now, and it would be perfectly legal."
Hearing this news, everyone gasped. Even Miura and Yuihama didn't know what to do for a moment.
Haruno: "Hikigaya-kun, can you really give an answer?"
Hachiman: "Well, I never said I was alone. After all, I shouldn't be the only one who's against this. Whether it's the Donburi Research Society or the Seafood Research Society, the meaning of the various clubs can't be explained by just taste, so..."
Haruno put her finger to her chin, her expression becoming interesting:
"So that's how it is... I'm curious to see what Nakiri Azami will do. Well, that's all I wanted to say. Good luck, Hikigaya-kun."
Komachi: "Eh? Aren't you staying for dinner?"
Haruno: "I'd love to try Komachi-chan's cooking, but I'm pretty busy. It's okay, there will always be a chance. After all, we're never enemies, right, Yukino-chan?"
Komachi: "Eh? You know me?"
Haruno: "Of course. Hikigaya-kun's sister."
...
Watched by everyone, Haruno was picked up by a private car. But after hearing this news, Hayama Akira was already restless.
Yoshino: "I really don't understand what Ms. Haruno is thinking..."
Yukino: "Yeah... I don't understand either. Sister... I'm sorry, I've caused you trouble."
Yuihama: "No, that's not true, right! The problem isn't with Yukino at all..."
Ryoko: "Well, that's definitely true. This is a problem that concerns all chefs, a problem that concerns the entire culinary world. Don't blame yourself too much."
Takumi: "Now that things have come to this, we really don't have any way out. But... I'm a little curious, if Nakiri Azami really wants to overturn all of this, can the power he needs really win against a Food War launched by all the clubs?"
Isshiki Satoshi: "Actually, I knew all of this from the beginning. The first thing they want to tear down is Polar Star Dorm, which exists as a private property. Fortunately, Hikigaya-kun, you won that Food War back then, so they can't touch it at all now. As for other places..."
Having been on the inside, Isshiki Satoshi knew that they couldn't stop Nakiri Azami. And once the transformation of all the other places was complete, the ending of Polar Star Dorm could be easily imagined.
Tadokoro Megumi: "I feel like there's something stressful happening every day now."
At the same time, in the Nakiri residence.
Having not eaten anything for three days, Nakiri Erina lay on her bed, the light in her eyes gone.
Seeing her father again, the fear from her childhood was as if a deep wound had been cut open. Even her body couldn't stop trembling.
It was an extremely dark past...
Unable to tolerate any clutter.
Unable to tolerate any mistakes.
Unable to tolerate any changes.
Only correctness, only the ultimate correctness, was worthy of being put into the 'God Tongue's' mouth. Only the ultimate deliciousness could be approved.
Nakiri Azami: "Is this the garbage you've been tasting all along? How ugly."
"You should understand by now, these past three days, what power the 'God Tongue' should have. In fact, you've never understood."
"What I'm presenting to you now is true cuisine."
Nakiri Azami clapped his hands gently, and an exquisite dish appeared in front of Erina.
The fragrance that constantly emanated was like a swimming dragon, constantly traveling throughout Erina's body. Having not eaten anything for three days only made it more agonizing, because when facing this kind of food, people have no resistance.
But...
Erina grabbed her own thigh, her fingernails constantly scratching her skin, until... blood flowed out.
Unlike the young lady she was mistaken to be in the past, her eyes now showed unparalleled fortitude.
Erina: "You're wrong... Deliciousness should never be defined."
Nakiri Azami: "My foolish daughter, it seems I've really been away from you for too long. But it doesn't matter... I'll make you remember, the delicious food that only existed under the God Tongue in the past."
"Tonight, you'll spend the night in this pain."
As Nakiri Azami clapped his hands again, dozens of exquisite and luxurious dishes were brought into the room. Even though the room Erina lived in was large, the smell still quickly filled the room.
Nakiri Azami turned around and gently closed the door:
"As my daughter, you should be my weapon for reform. Come back, Erina."
"Click..."
As the door was tightly locked, the last ray of light in Erina's eyes was completely extinguished.
She only felt her body become light, and even her consciousness became blurred. She didn't know how long she had slept, and she didn't know how long she had been hungry. She only felt that delicious food was right in front of her, but she couldn't touch it.
She reached out to grab it, but she fell off the bed. The intense hunger had turned into pain. Because she hadn't absorbed heat for too long, even her body became cold.
As a young lady who had been pampered since childhood, Erina only used her last bit of consciousness to wrap herself in the blanket, using this last barrier to resist.
She didn't believe that her father would starve her to death, but unknowingly, a figure that shouldn't have appeared emerged in her mind. At that time, he was gently holding her up, so warmly.
Tears streamed down her cheeks. She didn't remember how many times, and she didn't remember what had happened to her.
Her unconsciousness was like sinking to the bottom of the sea, heavy and painful.
If she could just free herself, would that make her father change his mind...
When she opened her eyes again, Erina only felt her body was quite bumpy, but she felt like she was riding a galloping Pegasus, constantly running through the grass.
Erina: "Eh?"
Her voice was extremely weak, and she couldn't even be surprised. She was only hoarsely lying on top of white hair.
Hisako beside her was clearly worried, but when she saw Erina wake up, she was so excited that she shed tears:
"You're awake... Erina-sama, you're awake!"
Erina wanted to say something, but she found that she couldn't say anything at all. She simply looked around and saw that the person carrying her was none other than her sister, Alice.
Alice: "Don't say anything now..."
Hisako: "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, it took us so long to rescue you..."
Erina: "Where... are we going?"
Alice: "I've learned more information these past few days. You can't stay in the Nakiri residence any longer. Although completely leaving you to Ryo-kun isn't impossible, that guy can't take care of people. So, instead of that..."
"It's better to just send you to Polar Star Dorm. Also, Hikigaya-kun is there."
Erina: "Hikigaya-kun... Is it really okay to disobey Father's orders like this?"
Hisako: "Idiot, if we hadn't found you just now, you would have starved to death in there!"
"And... and... why is Erina-sama so silly? You could have eaten... You clearly could have..."
Erina's voice was still hoarse, but she said faintly:
"Can't... can't eat."
Hisako wiped away her tears and nodded heavily:
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."
Erina forced a slight smile and passed out again on Alice's back.
Alice: "I'm exhausted, Hisako! Take over!"
Hisako: "Yes, Alice-sama! We'll be at the station soon. Someone will pick us up there!"
Two hours later, when she woke up again, she saw Alice and Erina together in a bathtub. When she saw that her clothes were completely gone, even Erina, who was nearly starved, was shocked!
Alice: "Don't get excited! The water will splash out. This is the bathroom in Polar Star Dorm. Don't worry!"
Erina: "Eh? I'm in... Polar Star Dorm? How did I..."
Alice: "You must be really hungry."
...
At the same time, because of the arrival of the three of them, Komachi was forced to work again. While preparing dinner for everyone, Hachiman was in charge of arranging a place for them to stay.
Hachiman: "I never thought this day would come."
Hisako: "Yeah, I didn't expect it either... But, no matter what, I'm entrusting Erina-sama to you."
Hachiman: "Aren't you staying? I don't think I can take care of that young lady."
Hisako: "Because of family reasons, I can't run away. Also, the news about secretly taking Erina-sama away shouldn't spread. If too many people run away from home, it will alert the police. And Nakiri Azami, who treated Erina that way, probably wouldn't dare."
Hachiman: "Okay... But taking care of that sheltered young lady doesn't feel easy..."
Hisako giggled secretly, and even the way she looked at Hikigaya became admiring:
"Hikigaya-kun, you're clearly very reliable. I felt it from the first time I tested you. Maybe it's you who's gradually changing Erina-sama."
Hachiman: "I'm not that great..."
Hisako smiled again: "Who knows."
Just then, Erina and Alice, who had just finished taking a bath, came out of the bathroom. Because they were only wrapped in towels, they looked especially revealing. Erina, who had just taken a hot bath and recovered a little, glanced at Yukino, who was standing next to Hachiman, very critically at her chest.
'Hmph, I win!'
At the same time, Yukinoshita seemed to sense some strange gazes, but because her attention was on Hachiman, she didn't pay too much attention.
Hisako: "Then I'll take them two to the room to change."
Hachiman: "Okay."
As the three of them walked away, Yukino asked:
"Hikigaya-kun, you have quite a few romances around you, don't you?"
Hachiman: "Really? I don't feel it..."
Yukino: "You were just staring at someone's chest."
Hachiman: "Idiot, how is that possible! I'm just being locked on by the chest attraction law. My eyes can't help but look over there."
Yukino smiled faintly, but it was incredibly terrifying: "Hikigaya-kun?"
Hachiman: "Okay, I'm sorry, I won't do it again."
...
When they returned to the hall again, everyone had already prepared their dishes and was waiting for Erina to arrive.
Ryoko: "This is a rare opportunity for the 'God Tongue' to taste our food!"
Marui: "That's right, as long as we can find the problems with our dishes, maybe we can surpass Hikigaya in one fell swoop!"
Ibusaki: "Wait, isn't that goal too big? I'll set my goal a little smaller. I'll take the tenth seat in the Totsuki Elite Ten first."
Yoshino: "That's wrong... Isn't the tenth seat in the Totsuki Elite Ten Erina-chin? Your goal seems even more abnormal..."
Caiyu: "That's right! I'm going to make Erina be convinced by my cooking."
Mito: "How bold. So fearless, like a newborn calf."
Marui: "Hehe, it's a pity that Takumi and the others aren't here. It looks like today..."
As the few of them appeared, the few who were discussing just now were instantly silent.
Isshiki Satoshi: "Welcome to our group, Nakiri."
Erina: "Thank you... Thank you for giving me a place to stay. After all, wherever I go now, I'll be stared at by my father. I'm just a nuisance."
'Huh, this person just realized she's a nuisance, huh!'
Tadokoro Megumi: "Not at all! Hisako-san has already told us about your situation. You're so strong to resist the pressure from your father, Nakiri Azami. You're so amazing."
Erina: "Leaving that aside for now, can I eat these dishes..."
Tadokoro Megumi: "Of course you can!"
Komachi: "That's right, please taste Komachi's..."
Before Komachi could finish speaking, Erina suddenly sat down. After quietly saying, "Thank you for the food," she instantly transformed into a magical creature with eight hands, launching a terrifying offensive.
One dish, two dishes, four dishes, eight dishes...
Hisako: "Um, I seemed to have forgotten to tell you, Erina-sama hasn't eaten anything for three days..."
Everyone: "....."
After a gluttonous meal, everyone was sure that Erina couldn't taste anything at all. But...
After an hour of eating, she elegantly took out a tissue and gently breathed a sigh of relief:
"Well, except for the dishes made by Komachi-san, the other dishes clearly still have room for improvement. For example, Marui-san, you need to control the heat better. Ibusaki-san, has your smoking level dropped...? (omitted for two hundred words)."
Hisako: "As expected of Erina-sama!"
The Erina, fully sated, clearly became energetic again. She smiled slightly:
"Don't underestimate the 'God Tongue'!"
Yukino: "In that situation just now, ordinary people definitely wouldn't be able to taste anything, right..."
Hachiman: "Anyway, I definitely wouldn't be able to taste anything..."
Isshiki Satoshi: "Well, welcome to our Polar Star Dorm again! I never thought that one day I would be able to live with a young lady who can't go home."
Marui: "And there's two of them!"
Hearing this, both Yukinoshita and Erina blushed slightly.
Komachi seemed to remember something and showed a faint silly smile:
"I vaguely remember you saying you wanted to marry a rich woman. Now's your chance!"
Hearing this, Yukino's mental state instantly changed as she looked at Erina. Erina was not to be outdone, either.
Hachiman: "That was a joke, Komachi. Children should shut up when adults are talking."
Realizing what was happening again, Erina looked at Komachi in confusion:
"Komachi, is Hikigaya-kun your brother?!"
"Yes! Isn't my brother useless!"
"Wait, the things you two are talking about are not right, are they... and you were able to react now..."
That's right. When she realized it again, even Erina felt that she was a bit out of her mind.
Alice: "I'm really happy to see that you're all okay."
Tadokoro Megumi sighed slightly: "Although I haven't experienced anything as terrible as what Erina-san went through, but the recent events have really been happening one after another..."
Erina lowered her head and said in a slightly dejected tone:
"My father has caused you trouble."
Komachi: "Well, it's not Erina-senpai's fault. That's what my brother said. The relationship between people is made up of different contradictions, so it's natural for things like this to happen."
Hachiman: "Komachi, please don't reveal your brother's dark history."
---
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