"Wait, aren't you a Chinese student named Li?"
"What's the story behind that?"
"So your real name is actually Nakiri Lexon?"
Lexon's definitive answer was like a stone cast into a still pond, sending ripples of shock through the room as questions and confused cries erupted one after another.
Living in the Polar Star Dormitory with a newcomer who possessed the monstrous talent of the 'God's Tongue' was already astounding enough... but for this person to be Erina Nakiri's cousin was even more mind-blowing.
After all, it wasn't just that Erina Nakiri was a member of the Elite Ten Council; more importantly, her grandfather was the Director of Totsuki Academy himself.
"Alright, everyone!" Satoshi Isshiki, acting as the senior figure, clapped his hands to silence the flood of shocked inquiries. "Today is just a welcome party. You can learn about the other details slowly over time."
He seemed to assume that since Lexon used a different surname and had only transferred to Totsuki Academy this year, there must be some complicated family secret, so he spoke up to save Lexon from an awkward situation.
"That's true..." Ryoko Sakaki was the first to react, dropping the subject immediately.
The others followed suit, tactfully choosing not to pry further into the matter.
The group returned to the joyful atmosphere of the welcome party, refilling their glasses with a beverage that looked like rice wine but was actually just fruit juice.
They began to drink heartily.
Actually, there was no need for such concern; there was no hidden secret.
It was all just the fault of the Main God... it had nothing to do with me.
Seeing the group's considerate, high-EQ behavior, Lexon thought to himself with a wry smile.
However, he didn't say much; it saved him a lot of troublesome explanations if they didn't ask.
Gradually, the welcome party reached its conclusion.
"Let's go, Lexon. Let me show you my skills," Soma Yukihira said to Lexon before they left.
Even though it was already midnight, he was full of energy thanks to the party and felt no drowsiness at all. He intended to whip up some dishes right away for Lexon to taste.
"I'm coming too! I'm coming too! I want to see Soma-chan's skills for myself!" Yuki Yoshino was clearly excited as well.
"Count us in!" Shoji Sato and Daigo Aoki spoke up simultaneously.
"I'd like to go as well. Besides tasting Soma-kun's dishes, I'd also like Lexon-kun to try my cooking... is that okay?" Ryoko Sakaki leaned in slightly toward Lexon, making her request in a soft, low voice.
Her casual movement unintentionally brought her ample, bright bust close to Lexon's line of sight, catching his eye.
'Is she about the same as Shinobu?'
'Or is Shinobu slightly smaller?'
"Sure," Lexon did not refuse her request.
He was never one to turn down the chance to taste gourmet food.
Furthermore, understanding the unique properties of other people's cuisine would help him when he needed to create dishes with similar effects in the future.
For instance, the dish Soma Yukihira once made that had the property of slightly restoring mental energy... Lexon could now replicate that without any issues.
"Me too! Me too!" Hearing there was a chance for the 'God's Tongue' to improve their cooking, the others in the room also chimed in with requests.
Even the quiet Shun Ibusaki, who usually felt as transparent as a ghost, silently raised his hand.
...
"So good... so good... so good..."
"Truly amazing... really incredible..."
"Ahahahaha..."
"Good... so good..."
In the Polar Star Dormitory kitchen, many people were slumped over—some on the floor, some face-down on the prep tables, others leaning against the walls.
They were drooling, their eyes were glassy, and they were muttering incoherent nonsense.
It looked as though they had just survived some major psychological devastation.
"Did you go a bit too hard?" Lexon asked as he sampled Soma Yukihira's delicious food.
"Really? Since everyone wanted to eat and there weren't enough scraps left, I just used some other ingredients to test out a few ideas... I wanted you to find the flaws, so I just gave it my all," Soma Yukihira replied, having put his full effort into the cooking.
"No wonder. The taste is excellent," Lexon praised.
Soma Yukihira's 'Gourmet Savory Steak' was indeed good enough to make Lexon's 'God's Tongue' send out signals of pure delight.
It was delicious beyond measure.
It was a level above the dishes Soma had presented before.
"Soma-kun's culinary level is truly high," Satoshi Isshiki, the only other 'survivor,' praised with a smile.
It had to be said that the culinary strength of this transfer student was enough to surprise even the Seventh Seat of the Elite Ten.
This wasn't the level of a freshman who had just entered the school...
This kind of skill was rare even among the second-year students.
'To be able to say those things... he really does have the ability...'
Satoshi Isshiki looked at Soma Yukihira with his eyes squinted in a smile, his mind racing.
He remembered the words spoken by this controversial first-year figure, which he had seen in the reports from the Elite Ten Council meetings.
'The peak of Totsuki, huh...'
'And then there's him...'
His gaze shifted to Lexon, who was currently explaining the culinary defects detected by the 'God's Tongue' to Soma.
'If Soma-kun is at this level... then what about Lexon-kun, who possesses the God's Tongue...'
"The rich, mellow sauce seems to carry a hint of refreshing acidity. Did you add lemon? No, it doesn't quite seem like it... But regardless of what was added, you need to reconsider the proportions. That light acidity is the finishing touch, but even a tiny deviation in the ratio will change the flavor profile. The beginning, middle, and end of the tasting are all fragrant, but after a while, there's a strange aftertaste. It ruins the overall experience, and also..."
Even though Soma Yukihira's cooking was superb, under the meticulous scrutiny of the 'God's Tongue,' several small flaws were still inevitably discovered.
"Lexon-kun," Satoshi Isshiki suddenly interrupted Lexon's critique.
"What is it?" Lexon and Soma both looked toward him at the same time.
"Would you like to have a cooking duel?" Satoshi Isshiki issued a gentle request to Lexon.
"A Shokugeki?" Soma Yukihira asked, confused. He had learned about this unique Totsuki dueling rule from Lexon's earlier explanations.
"No, just a simple culinary exchange," Satoshi Isshiki replied with a smile.
"Why?" Lexon asked Satoshi in a flat tone.
He didn't quite understand why Satoshi Isshiki would make such a request at this moment.
"I want to see Lexon-kun's culinary level for myself... and I want you to taste my cooking so you can help me improve as well," Satoshi Isshiki replied, still smiling.
However, his tone carried a faint hint of provocation, and his eyes were momentarily sharp.
"..." Lexon remained silent for a moment before responding, "Alright."
He extended a friendly hand toward Satoshi Isshiki.
Satoshi Isshiki took it with an equally friendly grip.
Outside the window, the night was thick.
However, at this moment, it was already past midnight.
A brand-new day had begun.
[SYSTEM: SIGN-IN SUCCESSFUL]
Information flashed before Lexon's eyes.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]