Chapter 21
"Erina... starting today, Mineo-kun belongs to me!"
Alice stared at Erina with an incredibly serious expression. Hearing those words, Erina felt as if her entire world had been jolted. She bolted upright, slamming her small hands onto the table with a sharp smack!
"A-Alice! W-what on earth are you saying!?"
"D-don't tell me you intend to... You can't! This is the first time you've even met... How could you... just because of one dish, be... be completely bought off like that..."
Seeing Erina's sudden and intense agitation, Alice looked at her with wide, blinking eyes, clearly bewildered.
"Erina, why are you so worked up!?"
"What I meant was... starting today, I'm going to have so many discussions with Mineo-kun about Molecular Gastronomy!"
"Is there a problem with that? I plan to book every single second of his free time for myself..."
"Wait... Erina, you're so tense... don't tell me you've misunderstood something!"
At this point, a playful, knowing smile suddenly tugged at the corners of Alice's lips. Her slender fingers twirled a lock of her beautiful hair near her ear as she scrutinized Erina's face, which was now flushing a deep crimson from both embarrassment and stress.
"I say, Erina, could it be that you're jealous!"
"Is it possible you're worried that I... might develop certain feelings for Mineo-kun???"
"My dear cousin Erina, could it be that toward Mineo-kun, you actually...!"
The sound of another loud thud echoed through the room before Alice could even finish her sentence. Erina's body trembled slightly as she struck the table once more, staring at Alice with a nervous, stammering intensity.
"D-don't talk such nonsense! I... I have no such thoughts!"
"I... I'm just... I'm just..."
"Just what!?"
Facing Alice's sharp, inquisitive gaze, Erina bit her lower lip and suddenly blurted out:
"Enough! Why should I have to explain anything to Alice!"
"I don't have any..."
Before Erina could finish her protest, Takemine Mineo emerged from the kitchen, carrying freshly prepared dishes toward the dining table. He raised an eyebrow, his tone laced with curiosity.
"What are you two whispering about now!?"
"What explanation? Are you two having a fight?"
"Erina and I are the best of cousins! How could we possibly fight?"
Alice rested her petite chin in both hands, flashing a radiant, cheerful smile as she looked at Mineo.
"My cousin and I were just fighting over the ownership rights to you, Mineo-kun!"
"Mineo-kun, I really didn't expect you to have such high achievements in the field of Molecular Gastronomy!"
"I feel like we're a fated pair—truly the perfect partners!"
"How about this: Mineo-kun, stop running this restaurant and just become my private tutor!"
"Whatever this place earns in a month, I, Alice, will pay you double! So, how about it? Will you consider it, Mineo-kun?"
"Consider what?"
Mineo gave Alice a look of pure, lazy indifference.
"Wealth like that is nothing but a passing cloud in my eyes, you know? My noble aspirations cannot be measured in mere cash!"
Hearing Mineo's words, Erina's heart rate suddenly spiked. On the Young Lady's pale face, a deep, rosy blush spread across both her cheeks.
Mineo-kun's cooking skills are so incredible, yet he views wealth like dirt... so why did he choose to run a restaurant here, at the back of the Totsuki mountains?
Is it really because he just wants to be... closer to me?
B-but... but I'm not ready! If Mineo-kun confesses his love to me... I... I... what am I supposed to do...
Inside Erina's mind, scenes from romance manga began to play out automatically. Imagining the scene where the male protagonist pulls the female lead into a passionate embrace and confesses his love with burning intensity, Erina felt as if she might actually faint from sheer embarrassment!
Alice, however, didn't notice her cousin's increasingly strange expression. After hearing Mineo's refusal, she puffed out her cheeks in a huff!
"Mineo-kun!"
"Oh, I mean... Mineo-oniichan, won't you really reconsider?"
"Actually, the money is secondary!"
"Don't you want to have a beautiful student who is smart, lively, and obedient? I can pour tea and water for you every single day!"
"Educating a great student is a very meaningful thing too, isn't it!"
"Look, back then you asked Erina for a selfie and she wouldn't even show you, but I can!"
"I remember Mineo-oniichan telling me once that you like 'maids'? I, Alice, could even try to challenge myself by wearing a costume like that!"
Dammit, is this girl Alice planning to use her ultimate move already? Mineo stared at Alice, feeling a distinct sense of temptation.
If the Second Young Lady actually wore a maid uniform, it would probably be incredibly adorable!
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