"Is that so? It seems there are still many things to pay attention to in Japanese."
After Kazuo's subtle and tactful introduction, Fine Motion nodded very solemnly, indicating her understanding.
"No, actually, these problems are probably mostly due to the maid..."
Kazuo couldn't help but mutter under his breath, what kind of existence instills such incorrect common sense?
"...Hmm? Asama-sensei, what are you saying?"
"Uh, no, nothing, just talking to myself... But then again," Kazuo paused, then, unable to hide his joy, tentatively asked, "What did you call me just now?"
Fine Motion seemed a bit confused as to why Kazuo would ask this, but still replied obediently:
"Asama-sensei..."
"Oh~"
Kazuo instantly looked refreshed and invigorated, as if a spring breeze had brushed his face, thoroughly enjoying the title.
Of course, he wasn't exactly a proper staff member yet.
"?"
"Ahem, I apologize, I was just sighing a little—"
"Eh? Asama-sensei, what are you sighing about?"
It happened again.
"Mm up~~ Mm down— *cough*, no, you don't need to call me that (I'm afraid I won't be able to control myself). If possible, just call me Asama."
Kazuo almost bit his lip hard, preventing his cheek muscles from twitching with joy and revealing an uncontrollable smile.
Although such a title made him feel elated, after all, his current position still needed to have "(trainee)" added to it.
The remnants of his rationality kept admonishing him.
"Hmm... If you say so."
Fine Motion clearly wouldn't know Kazuo's complex emotional journey in those few minutes. She simply nodded naturally in agreement.
"Then, there's something I'm very curious about. Fine Motion-san, you seemed to mention something about a maid earlier, didn't you?"
Fine Motion nodded gently, her dignified self revealing a kind and graceful smile:
"Yes, my hometown is in Ireland. My daily life is managed by a dedicated maid arranged by my family, so I often ask her about commoner matters."
"Ah, right... Fine Motion-san did mention earlier that she was an international student, didn't she?"
"Yes, although I am not Japanese, I have always been very interested in the culture here. My mother has always supported my choices, so I specifically did not choose a Horse Racing academy in Europe and instead applied to Tracen Academy."
"I see... It's clear that Fine Motion-san really likes Japan."
"Yes! In fact, I have a deep interest in Japanese commoner culture. Coming to Japan to study this time was also specifically approved by my family. I want to learn to be independent without the help of others, and try all sorts of commoner things."
When Fine Motion said this, her eyes sparkled like little stars. To be able to talk about something with such excitement, one could truly feel her love and curiosity for new things.
It was like the joy of a canaria, carefully nurtured in an exquisite birdcage, finally getting to embrace the vast blue sky.
However, perhaps because the girl's heart was truly as pure as a blank sheet of paper, an innocent young lady... Frankly, one couldn't help but worry about her life at Tracen Academy.
"After all that talk, how about we enjoy some Japanese culinary culture?"
"Actually, I already learned how to use chopsticks when I was at home, and I've also memorized a series of table manners."
Unlike other foreign students, Fine Motion displayed a truly strong adaptability. Her mastery of the language, her study of the culture (though with some misunderstandings and deviations), and even her various etiquettes and manners all showed that she had seriously studied and understood them.
However, as a young lady from a noble family, she had previously only encountered European Western cuisine like foie gras and caviar. For Japanese cuisine, Fine Motion clearly had many new things she hadn't experienced.
"This is a raw egg. You need to pick it up, gently tap it on the rim of the bowl, then slowly pull it open with both hands, letting both the yolk and egg white pour over the rice."
Seeing Fine Motion holding her chopsticks, looking a bit hesitant, Kazuo specifically explained it to her.
It made sense; this young lady probably just chose the set meal based on her feelings from the pictures on the menu.
Upon hearing Kazuo's explanation, Fine Motion instantly understood. She nodded in sudden realization, "So this is the raw egg over rice that often appears in works, right?"
It seemed the young lady understood quickly. Kazuo also smiled slightly and nodded, "That's right, but you need to be careful. The eggs used for this dish are sterile eggs. If you're not careful, eating them like this can actually cause an upset stomach."
"Is that so? I see… I've really learned something…"
Fine Motion listened intently as Kazuo explained these tidbits (common knowledge) that, strictly speaking, were useless but, on the contrary, extremely interesting to her.
"After doing it this way, you can add seasonings to your liking. My personal recommendation is to add a little soy sauce or light soy sauce, then use chopsticks to break it up and mix it. If possible, you can also choose to add some mentaiko to the rice. Huh? I just noticed… it seems the cafeteria has it?"
As Kazuo spoke, he noticed that the cafeteria's display board seemed to offer these specialty dishes, so he smiled mysteriously at Fine Motion and said, "Please wait for me."
Not long after, Kazuo returned with a plate of fresh, tender fish roe in his hand.
"This academy is truly amazing; they even have spicy mentaiko from Fukuoka. Oh no, if I get too many expectations, I won't be able to live a frugal life later on—"
Kazuo muttered to himself as he brought it over.
Especially when he thought about having to tighten his belt and live on instant noodles in the future, he couldn't help but feel a little teary-eyed.
"Is this… fish roe?"
Fine Motion stared curiously at the item in Kazuo's hand. Everything new excited the young lady.
"That's right, this is spicy mentaiko from Kitakyushu. It's very delicious with raw egg mixed into rice."
Saying that, Kazuo placed the pink mentaiko on the mixed rice and took a small bottle of sesame oil, pouring a little bit on top.
"This is the completed Tamago Kake Gohan. Try it and see how it tastes."
Fine Motion slowly scooped a spoonful into her mouth, and as she chewed slowly, her eyes gradually lit up.
"This!"
Covering her mouth lightly with her small hand, Fine Motion looked at the mixed rice in front of her with great surprise.
"It only uses simple ingredients, yet the flavor is so rich. The thin membrane of the fish roe and the egg yolk are mixed together, giving a soft texture with a refreshing salty and spicy kick. And because of the egg white, the rice grains have a tender and smooth feeling, with a sweet and rich taste lingering between the lips and teeth…"
"Oh, Fine Motion is quite knowledgeable! This combination is definitely the best for Tamago Kake Gohan. The small bowl of cold soba noodles with clam miso as a side dish, that taste is truly irresistible. Of course, some also use natto, but for foreigners, it's a bit difficult to accept."
Seeing Fine Motion staring at him with an extremely adoring look, Kazuo naturally felt a bit flattered and spoke with even more enthusiasm.
Although—
In terms of his career, he seemed to have gone in the wrong direction.
"Is that so? That's truly amazing… Asama."
But seeing the girl so happy… well, it didn't matter.