After hearing Kael's words, everyone felt an itch in their hearts. Once they returned to their rooms, they each tried again—but the results were exactly what you'd expect. Before long, they all gave up.
Entering a meditative state required long-term persistence. There was no way to succeed in such a short time.
Just like that, another day passed. In the morning, when everyone got up, Kael was nowhere to be seen. It was obvious he was still meditating.
They couldn't help but admire him—none of them could have pulled that off.
So they stopped thinking about it and headed to the Main Street District to set up their stalls. There was still a day left.
Even though they were basically guaranteed first place, once you joined the Moon Banquet Festival, you had to see it through to the end. You couldn't get cocky just because of early success.
Kael had always emphasized this point while guiding them—never get complacent. And with Soma Yukihira as a living example, they all knew exactly how dangerous arrogance could be. So everyone kept adjusting their mindset.
As for Kael, while he still wasn't especially skilled yet, he could now enter meditation normally. His qigong continued to grow steadily.
That increase in qigong also nourished his physical body, making him stronger and stronger. Most of the monks at Churin Temple were martial monks, and that had a lot to do with qi cultivation.
Kael already had a strong physique to begin with. Now, with qi reinforcing it, his physical strength was improving rapidly. He estimated that it wouldn't be long before he truly met the requirements to use secret techniques.
But soon, a phone call jolted him awake.
He picked up his phone and saw that it was Senzaemon Nakiri.
"Director, what can I do for you?" Kael asked.
He knew very well that whenever Senzaemon called him, there was always a reason—either he wanted to ask Kael for a favor, or he was about to give him something.
On the other end, Senzaemon didn't react much to Kael's bluntness. After spending some time with him, he already knew Kael wasn't the type to beat around the bush.
That was just how Kael was—straightforward and direct. That kind of personality might cause trouble for an ordinary person trying to survive in society, but Kael wasn't ordinary.
He had already reached the ceiling of the World of Food Wars. Publicly, he was a Nine-Star Chef—an unquestionable giant of the culinary world. When someone like that spoke plainly, others could only accommodate him.
"Do you remember what I told you before about Erina's father?" Senzaemon said.
"I've thought it over carefully. Letting him return was meant to help Erina break free from her psychological shadow—and that part really does require Erina herself."
"But I'm worried that pushing too hard might instead put her in an even more awkward position. So I need you to help Erina."
Senzaemon had given this serious thought over the past few days and felt it was still risky.
A whetstone could sharpen a blade—but it could also break it. He needed insurance.
"And what exactly do you want me to do?" Kael asked.
"I hope that when Nakamura—that man—makes his move, you'll be by Erina's side," Senzaemon said.
"You don't need to confront him for her. I just want you to become the courage in her heart."
He had reached this decision after careful consideration. Given Erina's current feelings toward Kael, as long as Kael stood with her, even if she felt fear when facing Azami, she would still have an inner pillar to rely on.
That was the insurance—to make sure Erina wouldn't become a blade ground down until it snapped.
"I see," Kael said. "Understood. I'll be there when the time comes. It should be on the final day of the festival, right?"
Kael agreed without hesitation. Back when he'd read the manga, Azami Nakiri had always been the character he couldn't stand the most. And yet that bastard still managed to return to the family in the end—completely ridiculous.
Look at the world of Chuuka Ichiban!—a villain was a villain. No whitewashing necessary. Pure evil. Not like Azami, a piece of trash who somehow still got redeemed.
After they finished talking, Kael returned to cultivating his qigong.
As time passed, the final day finally arrived.
Kael made a reservation for dinner at Erina Nakiri's restaurant.
When Erina learned that Kael was coming to dine there, she was naturally overjoyed. So when Kael arrived, the atmosphere in the restaurant subtly changed.
After all, Kael was no longer just a genius—he was a genuine Nine-Star Chef. Even though he hadn't been officially certified by the WGO yet, several chefs above the Nine-Star level had already acknowledged it. That kind of authority was unquestionable.
In everyone's eyes now, Kael was the number one genius of the culinary world—and the youngest Nine-Star Chef in history.
The guests dining at Erina's restaurant were all influential figures, like the Sendawara sisters. But compared to Kael, their status didn't even come close.
Led by Arato Hisako, Kael was brought to his table. He was seated alone, and no one dared to casually strike up a conversation with him.
They simply didn't know what kind of person Kael really was. If they forced themselves over and ended up leaving a bad impression, that would be disastrous.
Kael was already someone they couldn't afford to offend—let alone in the future.
Everyone knew it was only a matter of time before he became the undisputed number one in the culinary world, just like Mana Nakiri was now—perhaps even more terrifying.
After ordering a few dishes, Kael sat there and waited.
Based on the information from Senzaemon and his own knowledge of the original story, he was certain that Azami Nakiri would show up tonight—right at the front entrance.
Sure enough, while Kael was eating and several dishes had already been served, the doors suddenly opened.
"Sir, we operate on a reservation-only system. Without a reservation, you can't—"
Seeing someone enter when all reserved guests had already arrived, Hisako immediately stepped forward to stop him.
"Is that so?" the man said calmly. "Then why is there still an empty seat over there? And since when does a father need a reservation to eat food made by his own daughter?"
The man was none other than Azami Nakiri, dressed like a stereotypical villain. He completely ignored Hisako's obstruction, pushed the door open, and walked straight toward the only empty seat.
His arrival instantly changed the atmosphere again.
Many people didn't recognize Azami at first. After all, he had changed quite a bit over the years. And after being driven out by Senzaemon, he'd disappeared for a long time.
"You… you are…?"
Hisako, however, recognized him immediately. She had grown up by Erina's side—of course she knew Azami.
And toward the man who had left such deep psychological scars on her mistress, she felt nothing but disgust.
Even if he was Erina's father, that didn't stop her from hating him.
"Where's Erina?" Azami said arrogantly. "Her father has arrived. Shouldn't she come out to greet me?"
Hearing his voice, Erina came out of the kitchen.
The moment she saw Azami, she froze.
The curiosity on her face vanished instantly, replaced by pure fear.
There was no helping it. The psychological trauma Azami had inflicted on her was far too deep. Forced obedience since childhood—locked in a dark room whenever she disobeyed.
What kind of father did something like that?
And it wasn't even that Erina had been disobedient. She'd simply believed his methods were wrong. And for that, he punished her without hesitation.
"You're Erina's father?" Kael suddenly spoke, breaking the silence. "That's hard to imagine. I didn't think Erina could have a parent so rude and ill-mannered."
At that moment, when the entire hall was silent and Erina was drowning in fear, Kael finally stepped in.
That was his role as the 'insurance' Senzaemon had asked for.
"You're Kael, aren't you?" Azami said, surprised.
"This is a matter between father and daughter. It doesn't concern you. And where exactly did you see me being rude or ill-mannered?"
He hadn't expected anyone to dare speak to him like that. But when he turned and saw that it was Kael, he forcibly suppressed his anger.
Still, he couldn't let the insult slide.
"You're right—your issues are between father and daughter," Kael replied calmly.
"But this is Erina's restaurant. You barged in without a reservation and ignored staff trying to stop you. And you're saying you know the rules?"
"As for manners—this is a public place. You came in shouting and making a scene. You've completely ruined my appetite. Do you really think that counts as having manners?"
Kael's words made several people around them nod in agreement.
They'd all made reservations. Only Azami had the nerve to force his way in.
And standing in the middle of the restaurant yelling like that? Plenty of people were already fed up with him.
"Oh, and that empty seat? It was deliberately left open for someone else. The restaurant has its own plans. Who knows when that person might arrive? And you walk in and immediately try to take it. Honestly, this is the first time I've ever seen someone so shameless."
The moment Kael said that, laughter broke out across the hall.
Everyone had already disliked Azami. With Kael calling him out so bluntly, there was no way they could hold it in.
Even Erina felt some of the darkness in her heart lift. Seeing her father being scolded so mercilessly, and humiliated in front of everyone, her fear of him weakened considerably.
"So?" Kael continued. "Why aren't you talking now? Weren't you pretty eloquent just a moment ago? Bullying a student—when she already told you there was no reservation, and you still forced your way in. In any other restaurant, the staff would've been punished because of you."
"Oh, and about that 'father-daughter' relationship you mentioned—if I remember correctly, you were kicked out by the Director years ago. So tell me, have you paid Erina any child support all these years?"
That instantly drew everyone's attention.
The people present all understood the law. They immediately grasped what Kael was getting at.
If it was purely a family matter, outsiders couldn't interfere. Many of them knew bits and pieces of what had happened back then.
That was why, even though they disliked Azami, they couldn't stop him from seeing Erina.
But Kael had just hit him right in the weak spot.
Azami was stunned. He truly hadn't expected Kael to bring this up—because it was true. He had never fulfilled his obligation as a father.
"Well? Not talking again?" Kael pressed. "Judging by your reaction, you never paid a cent, did you? Even if Erina doesn't lack money as a Nakiri, you still had the responsibility to provide for her."
"Erina," Kael said, turning to her, "this man may be your father by blood, but he hasn't given you a single cent all these years. So if you choose not to acknowledge him, there's nothing he can do. He has no right to demand anything from you."
Erina's mind was in complete chaos. She didn't know what to say.
Seeing this, Kael gave Hisako a look.
She understood immediately.
"Sir," Hisako said coldly, stepping forward, "please leave now and stop disturbing the other guests. Otherwise, I will call security."
She wasn't afraid of Azami at all. If he dared target Erina, she didn't care who he was.
"And who do you think you are to speak to me like that?" Azami snapped.
Unable to deal with Kael, and unable to control Erina, he finally found an outlet to vent his anger.
"I'm a staff member of this restaurant, and I'm Lady Erina's secretary," Hisako shot back disdainfully. "Of course I have the right—unless Lady Erina herself tells me to stop."
That only made Azami grind his teeth harder.
"Erina, is this how you manage your secretary?" he demanded, turning to her.
That made Erina panic again.
"Erina," Kael said calmly, "I still have one dish that hasn't been served yet. As the head chef, you should go back to the kitchen and focus on your work. Leave the dining hall to Hisako."
Kael wasn't about to let Azami exploit the situation.
Since Erina couldn't make a decision right now, the best solution was to remove her from the scene temporarily.
Azami's appearance had been too sudden, completely catching her off guard. Combined with their father-daughter relationship, it was only natural she was shaken.
So Kael directly sent her away and left the rest to himself and Hisako.