"Who's saying one thing and meaning another?"
For some reason, seeing Satou's smile made Erina Nakiri's teeth itch with hatred.
"You hateful guy, don't get too smug! This dish, at most, is only equivalent to the level of an ordinary Far Moon student!"
Erina Nakiri bit her silver teeth and shouted.
"Far Moon ordinary student level?"
Satou asked in surprise.
Erina Nakiri's face flushed slightly as she stammered, "It's… a little better than ordinary. Barely counting as an excellent student."
"Excellent student?"
At this, Satou was even more surprised.
He knew that in the world of Shokugeki no Soma, Far Moon was the number one culinary school in all of Neon, famous for its brutal elimination system. Even an "ordinary" student who managed to graduate successfully would become a high-level chef in the future.
Am I already this amazing now?
He thought to himself, since this omurice was something he had made completely casually.
"Hmph! Your level is still far from the Totsuki Ten Masters!"
Erina Nakiri immediately began to criticize, "Just this dish alone has many flaws! The egg was undercooked by thirty seconds, the rice wasn't fried long enough…"
Kasumigaoka Utaha, standing nearby, was completely lost. What flaws? she thought. It was delicious!
"So, do you understand now?"
Erina Nakiri raised her chin proudly, giving Satou a Tsundere glare as though expecting him to look defeated or embarrassed.
However, Satou remained calm. Without hesitation, he picked up the spoon Erina Nakiri had used earlier, scooped a bit of omurice, and tasted it.
"You… you guy!"
Erina Nakiri's cheeks flushed instantly when she remembered she had just used that spoon. Her face turned red all the way to her ears, half from anger, half from shame.
Satou ignored her reaction and chewed carefully.
Now that he had the God Tongue, his sense of taste had skyrocketed. Every detail of the dish unfolded clearly across his palate.
"Hm, indeed," he said thoughtfully. "The salt could be reduced by around five grams, the sugar increased by three to six. The eggs also weren't mixed thoroughly enough…"
He analyzed calmly, unaware that Erina Nakiri's expression had shifted from smug disdain to open astonishment.
Kasumigaoka Utaha was just as stunned. So this otaku next door actually has such a refined side?!
"How did you taste all of that?"
Erina Nakiri asked, her eyes fixed on Satou like she was seeing him for the first time.
Satou gave her a sidelong glance. "What do you mean, how? With my tongue, of course."
"Tongue?"
Her eyes widened, lips parting slightly in disbelief. "You mean… you also have the God Tongue?"
"If you're referring to that ability of yours, then yes."
Satou didn't bother to hide it.
"You actually have the God Tongue too?!"
Erina Nakiri was genuinely shocked this time.
"This isn't some incredible ability. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?"
Satou said with an exasperated look.
Erina Nakiri nearly fainted from frustration.
This is the God Tongue! A gift countless chefs would sell their souls for—and this infuriating man was talking like it was as common as a kitchen knife!
"Um, I'll take my leave first. My novel's not finished yet."
Kasumigaoka Utaha suddenly spoke up. She remembered her looming manuscript deadline and, now that her stomach was full, decided it was time to go.
Pulling a five-thousand-yen bill from her wallet, she handed it to Satou. "Thank you for dinner. This is for the meal."
"Uh, no need," Satou said quickly.
It was just a simple plate of omurice, made with leftover rice and ordinary eggs. It hardly cost anything to prepare.
Five thousand yen—around three hundred RMB—was nearly ten times the price of omurice at a small diner.
"It's fine. I don't want to owe you a favor."
Kasumigaoka Utaha looked at Satou earnestly, then cast a brief glance toward Erina Nakiri, adding, "Just consider it payment for the girl."
She wasn't short on money, being a somewhat well-known light novel author, and she honestly thought this omurice was worth every yen.
"Then, I'll accept it."
Seeing that Kasumigaoka Utaha insisted, and knowing he was currently short on cash, Satou tried to refuse but eventually accepted.
If he was careful, five thousand yen could last him several days.
He smiled faintly, already thinking about his small, struggling eatery. Maybe this could be the start of a new way to make money.
"What did she mean by that? 'Payment for the girl'?"
After Kasumigaoka Utaha left, Erina Nakiri frowned slightly and asked.
"I don't know either," Satou said, shaking his head.
If either of them knew what Kasumigaoka Utaha had been thinking, Erina Nakiri would've exploded in rage—and Satou would have been left utterly speechless at how creative a novelist's imagination could be.
Satou picked up his plate and continued eating his omurice.
Erina Nakiri ground her teeth again. He was still using the same spoon she had used!
"I say… why don't you come to Far Moon?"
Erina Nakiri took a deep breath to steady herself, then suddenly spoke up.
"Huh? Far Moon?"
Satou looked up, startled.
"That's right."
Erina Nakiri gave him a complicated look. "Since you have such talent, it'd be a waste not to use it. Far Moon is the place for you."
Originally, she had planned to demolish her mansion and rebuild it once she got back.
But after learning that Satou also possessed the God Tongue, she changed her mind.
Far Moon was Nakiri territory, and as the future heir, Erina Nakiri had to consider its future. Letting a chef of such potential slip away would be an unforgivable loss.
Of course, there was another reason—perhaps the biggest one.
She wanted to prove that her God Tongue was still the greatest in the world!