Chapter 177: Don't Bend So Early
Ren did not let Nakiri Erina and Arato Hisako follow him immediately; instead, he signaled for them to stop and walked over alone. Erina's reputation at the academy was still dangerously high—akin to a walking executioner in the eyes of the students. If she were to approach with him, that poor girl sitting on the bench might be scared out of her wits before a single word could be exchanged.
Only when Ren got closer, stepping softly on the paved path, did he hear what the girl was muttering between her sniffles. He was slightly stunned. The girl's current situation indeed seemed a bit grim, painted with the dark colors of despair common to Tōtsuki students who had hit a wall.
"Student, why are you outside when class hasn't ended yet?" Ren asked gently.
The girl was startled, her shoulders jumping as if physically struck. She turned her head frantically and saw a man with a gentle smile standing beside her. He wasn't wearing a school uniform, nor the chef whites of a teacher. He definitely didn't look like a student, because a student with his striking good looks and calm demeanor would already be a popular, recognizable figure in the school forums.
After seeing Ren and realizing he wasn't holding an expulsion slip, the girl put away her sad expression, wiping her face with her sleeve. She asked in confusion, her voice trembling, "Sir, who... who are you?"
Ren thought for a moment, tapping his chin playfully to diffuse the tension. "If I had to say, I'm probably just the Shopkeeper of a Restaurant. However, I happen to have a pretty good relationship with the Director and a few of the Elite Ten of this academy~"
The girl was stunned, her teary eyes widening. "Eh?! T-The Director? And the Elite Ten?! So amazing!"
To a first-year student living in constant fear of expulsion, anyone connected to the Elite Ten was a figure of mythic proportions.
Ren smiled and waved his hand dismissively. "It's just alright. Only a portion of people are willing to eat the dishes I make. So, can you answer my question now? Why are you here at this time?"
The question seemed to break the dam holding back her emotions. The girl whispered, looking down at her clenched hands, "I... I got nervous during the assessment. My hands were shaking so much that I poured half a bottle of pepper into my dish..."
She sniffled, a fresh wave of tears threatening to fall. "There wasn't enough time to remake it... The exam was ending... so I came out... Boo hoo hoo..."
After speaking, the girl finally couldn't hold back her tears. She buried her face in her hands, sobbing quietly. It was the sound of pure frustration—the sound of someone who wanted to succeed but felt their own body betraying them.
Ren looked at the girl in front of him. He didn't offer empty platitudes immediately. Instead, he analyzed the situation. "So, you got an 'E' rating because you were nervous, is that right?"
The girl wiped her tears, nodding miserably. "Yes! I don't know why, but whenever it's an assessment, I just lose it. My mind goes blank. They're usually very simple dishes—things I've made a hundred times for my family—but here... I always make mistakes..."
Ren thought for a moment, then smiled, leaning slightly against the nearby tree. "Isn't that a good thing?"
The girl looked up, baffled. "Eh?!"
"That's right, think about it," Ren continued, his voice steady and logical. "You said you have no problem making these dishes normally. You said the mistakes only happen during assessments. That proves your fundamental skills are intact. You can cook. So, you're still very capable~"
The girl shook her head repeatedly, her twin braids swaying. "No, no, no, it's just passable! Maybe I'm not suited for this path... Maybe I should just go home... But to just..."
"To just go back like this would be unwilling, wouldn't it?" Ren interrupted softly. "I know what you want to say. You came here with a dream. Don't worry, you won't be eliminated today. There's a saying, 'born from desperation.' When you have nowhere to retreat, you become strongest. Anyway, there's only one assessment chance left, so there's nothing to worry about. Just go for it with all you've got."
The girl sniffled, processing his words. The logic was sound. If she was already at rock bottom, what did she have to lose?
She looked at him, a small, tentative smile breaking through her tears. "Sir, you really are strange. It's my first time seeing someone comfort others like this... But you're right. There's only one chance left! There's nothing to be nervous about anymore because the worst has already happened!"
Ren smiled and nodded. "Mm, that's a good mindset. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. Although you've made a few more than most, it's not a fatal problem. What's scary is if you keep taking assessments in that kind of mood, and just fail because you expect to fail. You've just had your confidence worn away by failure. All you need is one success~"
The girl nodded firmly. She knew getting an 'A' rating was likely impossible for her now, but for her, getting a passing score would be a huge success. Even if it was just a 'D' or a 'C', she could continue. She could survive.
Ren saw that the girl seemed to have cheered up. He nodded and smiled, "Since that's the case, then work hard. I won't say anything more here. Class is about to end, and you should prepare for your next class."
Seeing Ren about to leave, the girl stood up quickly and bowed deeply. "Thank you, sir!"
Ren waved his hand over his shoulder. "If that's the case, then work hard not to drop out~"
After speaking, he saw Erina walking over, unable to contain her patience any longer. Her stride was elegant and imposing. When the girl saw Erina, she froze. The color drained from her face instantly.
Ren smiled at the approaching heiress and said, "Is there anything interesting at Tōtsuki?"
"Yes!" Erina huffed, flicking her hair. Then she noticed the frozen girl. "Eh? You are..."
The girl stood at rigid attention, trembling like a leaf in a gale. "L-Lady Erina! I am Tadokoro Megumi, a first-year..."
Erina tilted her head, her violet eyes scanning Tadokoro Megumi. A flicker of recognition crossed her face. "Oh... I remember you. You're the one who shared a dorm with the student who raised those Dong Tao chickens in her room that day, right?"
[Akarin's Note: "Dong Tao chicken" is a Vietnamese chicken breed with enlarged feet, considered a delicacy.]
Tadokoro Megumi nodded repeatedly, terrified. "Y-Yes!"
After understanding the situation, Erina sighed, looking somewhat speechlessly at the tear-stained girl. "It's just an assessment, what's there to be nervous about? To cry so openly... But you're pretty unlucky..."
Hisako also nodded in agreement from behind Erina. To the elite, nervousness was a foreign concept. They knew everything; they were prepared. Why would anyone be afraid of an exam they had studied for? It was incomprehensible to them.
Tadokoro Megumi hung her head, dejected again by the God Tongue's casual dismissal.
Erina looked at Ren and asked, "Shopkeeper Ren, what were you just saying to her? Comforting her?"
Tadokoro Megumi nodded, then suddenly froze. Her brain finally registered the name. She looked up in disbelief. "Eh?! You... You are Teacher Ren?!"
Ren smiled and nodded. "Yes~ But I'm just a temporary substitute for one day, so there's no need for 'teacher,' after all, I'm not a real teacher."
Tadokoro Megumi hadn't fully recovered her senses. She felt dizzy. She never expected that she would actually meet Ren, the man who had been the talk of the school recently. One had to know that Ren was the first teacher to make all of the Elite Ten come to class and treat him with great respect. He was a legend, and she had just cried in front of him about pepper.
Ren ignored her shock and looked at the spot next to the girl on the bench. "What is that?" he asked in confusion.
"Ah!" Megumi jumped. "That's because I was in too much of a hurry this morning and didn't have time to eat breakfast. After I made it, I brought it over, but the first class was an assessment, and now I don't have any appetite for breakfast..."
Ren tilted his head, his eyes narrowing slightly with interest. "Breakfast? Did you make it when you were nervous?"
"No," Megumi shook her head rapidly. "Because it was in my dorm kitchen, it was quiet... so I didn't feel nervous..."
Hearing this, Erina also knew what Ren was going to do. The atmosphere shifted.
Ren walked to the small box, picked it up, and smiled at Tadokoro Megumi. "Do you mind if I look at this breakfast?"
"Of course not!" Megumi squeaked.
At this moment, Tadokoro Megumi became nervous again. Ren-sensei was going to inspect her humble food?
Ren took a look, then paused. "You made this?"
"Yes," she whispered. "Is it very bad...?"
Ren said with some surprise, "Quite the opposite. If this rice ball was really made by you, Tadokoro, you are very impressive. Just the technique for shaping the rice ball is already very professional."
"Eh? Really?"
Erina also leaned over to look. Seeing the several beautifully shaped rice balls in the box, she couldn't help but be intrigued. She extended a finger and poked one.
Boing.
The sensation on her fingertip clearly told her one thing: the rice for this rice ball was perfectly steamed. It had elasticity and life.
Erina looked at Megumi, surprised. "I'm now completely convinced that you get nervous. This rice is already better than what many students steam. It's flawless."
Tadokoro Megumi had never received such praise. She felt completely dizzy. The God Tongue praised her rice?
Ren smiled and said, "Tadokoro, would you mind if I tried one?"
"Please do!"
Under Tadokoro Megumi's expectant gaze, Ren picked up a rice ball. He brought it to his lips and took a bite.
Crunch. The sound of crisp nori.
Ren chewed slowly. "Mm. The beef is marinated just right—savory and deep. And the rice... it is indeed already very good. Each grain is distinct, yet they hold together with a gentle stickiness that melts in the mouth. Oh? This spinach is very fresh. The carrots are a bit over-blanched, but still not bad..."
Ren ate and evaluated. It was a simple dish, but it carried the warmth of the chef.
When he finished one rice ball, Ren didn't say anything immediately. He took out his phone, found Senzaemon Nakiri's number, and said directly, "Old man, I've pre-assessed a student's assessment. Is that okay?"
"No, no, no~ Quite the opposite, this should be a very good dish that I've tasted."
"Erina is also here; you'll know if you let her try it later. If I were to grade it, it would definitely be that."
"Alright~"
After hanging up the phone, Ren placed the bento box in Erina's hand and smiled at Tadokoro Megumi. "Tadokoro, if your next class is an assessment, you don't have to go. For a student, I can't think of any other rating for this rice ball besides an 'A'~"
Tadokoro Megumi froze, looking at Ren in disbelief. An 'A'? From Ren-sensei? The weight of his words sank in, lifting the heavy stone from her heart.
Ren looked at her, his expression softening into something profound.
"No matter who it is, breaking a person happens in an instant," Ren said softly, his voice carrying a weight of wisdom. "But lifting a person up only requires affirmation, a word of encouragement. Life goes on, Tadokoro. Don't bow down so early... People may not be very strong, but please be resilient..."
[Akarin Note:
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