"So small..."
Erina stood in front of a large pot, stirring the soup inside with a spoon. While wearing an apron and cooking, she frowned and looked somewhat uncomfortably at this kitchen that was just a narrow strip when all added together, complaining with displeasure.
—This was Mutou Judai's home.
After receiving the memories of this life, Mutou Judai understood that this guy who seemed like him from a dream was actually... well, probably him from this side!
After all, recalling the memories from this side, he felt this was definitely him—others probably wouldn't be foolish to this extent!
He was only confident about this point!
The same experiences, and also both orphans.
However, perhaps due to the world background and butterfly effect and other chaotic things, when he was about to leave the orphanage, the old director gave him a property deed.
It was said to be left by the person who sent him to the orphanage.
With the attitude of "might as well take what's offered," Mutou Judai accepted this house.
Two bedrooms, one bathroom, one bath, a small living room, and a narrow kitchen that could be used between the two bedrooms.
"What can I do about it... The personal kitchen you used at Totsuki probably has a larger area than my entire home."
Mutou Judai looked at Erina in the kitchen and raised an eyebrow.
"Besides, this house doesn't have good soundproofing. Maybe people upstairs and downstairs can hear when you speak—saying such easily misunderstood things, the neighbors probably think I got a girlfriend."
"You... perverted!"
Erina's face turned red, and she looked over with an unfriendly gaze. After holding back for a long time, she finally said these two words.
Looking at such Erina, Mutou Judai shrugged.
"Although I think the fact that you can understand what I mean shows that I'm definitely not the only perverted one... But seriously, even though Totsuki expelled you... wouldn't it be better to go back to the Nakiri family? I remember hearing from seniors before that the Nakiri family children didn't attend Totsuki in the past. You're the first Nakiri to enroll, and you also have God's Tongue. In that case, even being expelled wouldn't have much impact on you. Why did you follow me to my home?"
Mutou Judai really couldn't understand this.
Previously, he had thought that since they were expelled, he would have no connection with this young lady in the future.
They would go their separate ways—she was expelled and forced to go back and inherit billions in family wealth.
And he would return to calm down and see what he could do in this world using some of his advantages.
Write a novel, draw manga, buy lottery tickets, whatever—anything would be better than continuing to stay at Totsuki.
After all, he didn't have the talent to be a chef.
But he never expected that when Erina saw he was about to leave, she called out to him and then followed him back together.
Then, completely disregarding being alone with an unfamiliar man, after coming to his home, she found an apron and dove headfirst into the kitchen!
Those who didn't know would think she had been starved!
Then from that time on, it seemed like Erina had been continuously making dishes.
Well... probably that bite of nine-treasure vegetable French terrine had given her psychological trauma...
Hmph.
Erina snorted lightly, ignoring Mutou Judai, and simply ladled herself a spoonful of soup with the spoon, blew on it, and like a kitten drinking milk, stuck out her tongue to taste the soup in the spoon.
"The taste is fine... It seems it really wasn't my problem!"
Hearing Erina say this, Mutou Judai raised an eyebrow and walked to her side.
"So you were looking for the problem... But I think compared to what you're making now, judging from your and Chef Shinomiya's reactions to eating that French terrine, I think being able to make something like that would be a high-difficulty technique..."
Mutou Judai brought his head close to the pot and moved his nose.
It really smelled good.
Because the kitchen was so small, in this position, his whole body was almost leaning against Erina, which made Erina instinctively step back.
But because the kitchen was too small, after stepping back a little, she hit the sink and had no space at all, so she could only look at Mutou Judai in front of her with displeasure.
"Don't get so close!"
Hearing her say this, Mutou Judai shrugged and then distanced himself from her.
"So... Nakiri, now that you've confirmed it wasn't your problem, are you going back to challenge Chef Shinomiya to a Shokugeki to return to Totsuki?"
Shokugeki was a mechanism unique to this world.
Roughly, many matters between chefs in this world could be resolved through culinary duels—this originally started at Totsuki, and as more and more Totsuki graduates appeared, Shokugeki gradually became popular in the chef community.
It was like a conditional duel.
Except they competed in cooking.
So if Erina could defeat Shinomiya Kojiro in a Shokugeki, then she could prove she was right, and Shinomiya Kojiro expelling her from Totsuki was his mistake.
"No..."
Although Erina was proud, she was also clear that in a Shokugeki, she probably wouldn't be a match for Shinomiya Kojiro.
After all, he was a chef called the 'Vegetable Magician,' and after graduating from Totsuki, he had proven his strength with results among chefs.
If she had another ten years, then Erina was confident the other party would definitely not be her match.
But now...
Even she had to admit she was really too young.
Whether in experience or skill, she couldn't compare to him.
So...
"Shokugeki requires putting up equivalent conditions. Now if I were to challenge Shinomiya Kojiro to a Shokugeki, he would have complete reason to refuse my proposed Shokugeki. Moreover..."
Erina originally wanted to say she might not be his match in a Shokugeki either.
But inexplicably, seeing Mutou Judai's half-smiling expression, she instinctively got angry and didn't want to say that, so she changed her wording and spoke again.
"That approach wouldn't be proper enough!"
"If I'm going back, I must make everyone clearly understand my abilities and return openly and honorably!"
"So..."
Erina crossed her arms, raising her entire aura up a notch, then her gaze fell on Mutou Judai.
"In a few days will be the last day of Totsuki's field study trip. On this day, there will be a large number of tourists participating, and what we need to do is use the shop across from Totsuki Resort, use taste to draw Totsuki Resort's customers over, and then during this one day... no, at least during breakfast time, surpass Totsuki Resort in sales!"
Erina actually didn't think Mutou Judai could help her with cooking.
But thinking about doing such things would definitely involve a lot of work, and if there was any physical labor or assistance needed, Erina felt Mutou Judai could still help.
And in exchange—if this succeeded, then he could also return to Totsuki.
A win-win situation.
That's what Erina thought.
After all, Hisako was still in the middle of the field study trip, and about being expelled, Erina couldn't bring herself to tell Hisako!
—She didn't want to see Hisako's disappointed expression either.
So she chose Mutou Judai.
But...
Mutou Judai looked at the confident Erina and slightly raised his hand.
"Um... I should clarify in advance, it's fine if you experiment with cooking at my home. But this troublesome matter is something you want to do, not 'we,' understand?"
Hearing Mutou Judai say this, Erina was obviously stunned for a moment, then frowned and looked over.
"...Don't you want to return to Totsuki?"
"Return to Totsuki... I can only make grilled cold noodles, I don't even want to be a chef anymore, what would I do back at Totsuki!?"
Uh...
For a moment, Erina and Mutou Judai stared at each other.
Mutou Judai helplessly shrugged, while Erina felt particularly embarrassed!
She had never imagined that while others would cry and make a fuss about not wanting to leave Totsuki even when expelled, Mutou Judai was actually very happy after being expelled and didn't even want to go back!
—Then why did you come to Totsuki in the first place!
Feeling embarrassed, Erina's face turned red as she pointed at Mutou Judai, so angry that tears almost came out.
"Shokugeki! If you were once a chef, then let's have a Shokugeki! If you lose, you'll help me achieve this goal!"
Hearing Erina say this, Mutou Judai, who had no interest in returning to Totsuki, blinked.
Returning to Totsuki was impossible.
"Nakiri, you just said it yourself, right? Shokugeki requires corresponding conditions—I don't even want to return to Totsuki, so why should I agree to you?"
Hearing Mutou Judai say this, Erina, who had already thought it through and didn't think she would lose, continued to cross her arms and spoke directly to Mutou Judai.
"If you lose, I need you to help me this once—if I lose... I'll cook you a meal, that should be fine."
"Haven't I eaten before?"
"You...!"
Erina took a deep breath to calm herself down a bit.
"Then what do you suggest?"
Hearing her say this, Mutou Judai smiled.
"One meal isn't enough—if you lose, you'll cook for me for a month!"
Mutou Judai indeed couldn't cook, only knowing how to make grilled cold noodles.
But...
He looked at the 'Curse' skill in his skill bar and secretly shook his head—after all, he was the one who caused this young lady to be expelled, so if it was just helping, there wouldn't be any problem. But... if she didn't change this temper before that, he would probably be very uncomfortable for the next period of time.
As for whether he could win the Shokugeki...
Shokugeki wasn't a competition where you had to reach a certain standard of taste to pass, but one where you could win as long as what you made tasted better than what your opponent made!