Alex stood in front of the closed molecular gastronomy stall that was supposed to be run by Nakiri Alice. After Hlökk and Alvitr had ditched him to continue wandering the school festival, he was once again alone—well, in the company of his three little helpers. GIR, MIMI, and Stitch, as always, hadn’t wasted any time and had already gotten themselves food from a nearby booth.

The amount the trio had eaten was genuinely shocking: for any other living being, that food would’ve lasted a month—even with five meals a day. Glancing once more at the closed stall, Alex figured there was no point in sticking around—there were still plenty of open stands filled with delicious treats. Grabbing his “gourmets,” he headed off, hoping to run into one of his girls—he’d already seen a few, but there were still others he hadn’t yet found, and he was curious how the festival was going for them.

While walking, Alex ran into Ryuu and Syr, who were jotting down recipes from their favorite dishes in their notebooks to later try at the “Hostess of Fertility” tavern. Alex recommended a few stands he’d already tried himself. In return, he received kisses from both girls—making him, once again, public enemy number one among all nearby men.

Continuing on, Alex came across Juri at a Korean food stall. The moment she saw him, she waved happily. The other men, who still held onto some hope, quickly stepped aside, intimidated by Alex’s icy gaze. None of them knew, however, that if someone did try to flirt with Juri, she’d just beat them up. After sharing a meal with her, Alex kissed his wife and moved on.

As he pushed his way through the festival’s central zone, Alex began seeing more and more of his girls. Some were hunting for treats, others relaxing and letting their stomachs recover. Eventually, Alex reached a burger stall surrounded by a massive crowd. He immediately understood why—pushing his way closer, he saw Becca and Hestia locked in a fierce competition to see who could eat more burgers. Spectators watched the epic showdown in awe as the two girls devoured burgers like black holes.

Nearby stood Brunhilda, Hephaestus, and Gloria—who was holding Jinx in her arms. The little one was cheering loudly for both her moms. The moment she sensed her father’s presence, Jinx happily leapt from Gloria’s arms and ran to Alex. Before he could say anything, she had already climbed up him and settled onto his shoulders. Seeing her, Gloria instantly realized where Jinx had gone and calmed down. Brunhilda and Hephaestus also noticed Alex, but instead of excitement, their faces showed pure exhaustion—and Alex immediately understood why.

Pushing through the crowd, he approached the women.

“How many have they eaten already?” he asked, glancing at Becca and Hestia.

“That’s… a complicated question,” Hephaestus replied, her voice tired as she watched the two unyielding competitors.

“What do you mean?” Alex tilted his head, confused.

“Exactly what I said. Those two are already on their third burger stall. And judging by the look in their eyes… they’re not planning to stop anytime soon,” Brunhilda added, pointing toward the burger queens.

Alex rubbed his face in exhaustion and stared at the three women. His expression clearly asked, “Are you serious right now?” Gloria, Hephaestus, and Brunhilda all nodded in sync, confirming that Becca and Hestia were indeed demolishing their third burger stall.

Alex honestly didn’t know how to react to that. But when he noticed the satisfied looks on the girls’ faces, their eyes burning with competitive fire, he decided not to interfere.

Watching Hestia and Becca eat everything that could possibly be eaten—and glancing at the students who had opened this stall, who now looked like survivors of a war—Alex could only sigh. A group of exhausted students sat on the ground with vacant eyes, clearly too drained to move.

Spectators who had been watching the showdown erupted into thunderous applause. No one had expected that two such petite girls could demolish that much food.

But Becca and Hestia didn’t care. They kept arguing—after all, this was their third stall and their third battle. The score now stood at 1:1, with one draw. As soon as they saw Alex, both immediately stopped bickering and clung to him, once again making him the enemy of every man nearby—or at least in their eyes.

Alex couldn’t care less about the jealous glares. He was more concerned that the girls had overeaten and might end up feeling sick. Just in case, he gave them each a digestion tablet—he wasn’t in the mood to hear complaints later.

Moving away from the crowd, Alex led the five girls to a quieter spot to sit and chat. With Jinx sitting in his lap, he asked the others which stalls they’d managed to visit.

“You should’ve seen Chun-Li and Ada’s faces when they tried the food. They literally moaned from how good it was,” he said with a grin.

“Wait,” Hestia said, raising an eyebrow. “You’re telling me they actually moaned?”

“Yep,” Alex nodded.

Everyone burst out laughing. Especially Juri, who had learned this tidbit from Alex when they met at the Korean food stand. She mentally stored that information for later use—after all, knowing that a rival moans from food? That was too good to pass up.

“Where are you going next?” Gloria asked, comfortably resting on Alex’s shoulder.

“Judging by the time, it’s about time to head to the elite district. Back when I sent my clone into the past, he made a reservation for me in advance, so I wouldn’t have to stress about getting into one of those restaurants,” Alex replied, pulling out his phone.

“And what do they serve there?” Hestia asked while sipping her drink, trying to ease the heaviness in her stomach after the burger war.

“In short, they’re top-tier restaurants. Like the best in the world—but located right on the academy grounds,” he explained.

“So basically, a district for rich, stuck-up bastards?” Becca asked lazily, swinging her legs from the bench.

“Well… you could put it that way. There are only ten restaurants there. Entry is by reservation only,” Alex said, gently stroking her hair.

“Then how did Freya, Alcina, Yuriko, and Göndul get in? They didn’t reserve anything,” Gloria asked in surprise.

“It’s Freya we’re talking about. She’ll charm whoever she needs to, and the doors will open themselves,” Hestia shrugged.

“Why only ten restaurants, when the other zones have tons of food?” Hephaestus asked.

“Because that district belongs to what they call the ‘Elite Ten.’ They’re the best culinary students here. They’ve almost reached the peak of their craft,” Alex explained.

Brunhilde looked at him closely.

“But that’s not what’s really bothering you, is it? Something’s going to happen. You don’t want to interfere, but you will anyway,” she said quietly.

Gloria, Becca, Hestia, and Hephaestus exchanged glances, then looked at Alex. They already knew that if anyone could read him best, it was Brunhilde. Their connection wasn’t just spiritual—it was one of deep understanding. Gloria, Hephaestus, and Hestia had gotten to know Brunhilde better recently, and they were starting to see how meticulous she was—just like Alex.

Alex gave her a crooked smile. He already knew what was going to happen. And the moment the girls saw that smile, they too wanted to know what could possibly be going on at the festival to make him pull that face.

“Come on, spill it. Just don’t tell me some idiot is going to ruin everything,” Becca grumbled and lazily kicked him in the leg.

“Yeah, Daddy! Who’s ruining it? Can I beat him up?” Jinx asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

“Alright. In short: there’s a coup brewing in the academy. The Elite Ten are about to split. And the cause is one idiot who thinks food is an art meant only for the chosen few. He believes dishes should be elegant, refined, and highlight social status. But honestly? He’s just a jealous loser who’s never accomplished anything in his life,” Alex said with a sigh, rubbing his face, clearly wishing for a cigarette.

“In other words, a pathetic nobody,” Brunhilde concluded coldly.

Alex nodded in agreement with Brunhilde. He could tell the girls wanted to know more about the idiot in question, so he decided to tell them about a man named Azami Nakiri — someone he saw as complete scum, a man whose soul was consumed by envy and feelings of inferiority.

As Alex began to explain what Azami had done to his own family, how he treated his daughter for his selfish ambitions, and everything Erina had gone through, the atmosphere shifted. He explained that Azami’s actions had left deep scars on Erina’s soul — so deep that, instead of feeling joy at the sight of her father, she experienced overwhelming fear.

Gloria and Hephaestus frowned when they heard this. Hestia, on the other hand, was so furious that if Hephaestus hadn’t covered her mouth, she would have started swearing with a fury that could rival Becca herself. Brunhilde just shook her head — Alex’s words only confirmed her thoughts: Azami was pure trash. Becca was already mentally calculating how many magazines she’d need if that idiot showed up and tried to ruin her mood.

Jinx, meanwhile, was absolutely beaming — she finally had a chance to beat someone with a stick. In her head, a plan was already forming: sneak away with Anya and Nyaruko, find Azami first, and give him a proper lesson. Jinx giggled like a little gremlin, thinking her thoughts had gone unnoticed. But the moment she did, every adult turned to look at her — and immediately understood their daughter was definitely plotting something.

“So what are you going to do, Alex?” Brunhilde asked directly. “Are you going to intervene and knock this idiot down from his pedestal? Or just ignore it and hide behind the fact that we’re on vacation?”

The other girls were also watching him closely, waiting for his answer.

“On one hand, Azami will lose anyway, and all his plans will fall apart. But on the other hand…” Alex looked at Jinx, still sitting on his lap. “On the other hand, I want to send that bastard into a black hole just for the way he treated his own child. Your own insecurities don’t give you the right to force your ambitions onto your kid. So if he shows up — I’ll just shove him back into whatever hole he crawled out of. And he can stay there until he rots.”

“Then just do it,” Becca replied, pulling a pistol from under her hoodie. “We all knew this vacation wasn’t going to be peaceful. One or two idiots won’t ruin it. And guys like him? No one’s gonna miss them. If a man can’t protect his family, he deserves a few bullets in the chest.”

Gloria, Hephaestus, Hestia, and Brunhilde all nodded in unison, fully agreeing. No one was even surprised that Becca had a gun on her. Jinx nodded furiously too, completely siding with her mom. And when GIR, MIMI, and Stitch heard that someone could be beaten up, they immediately pulled out their collapsible batons. With a sharp click, they extended and began crackling with electricity.

Alex was momentarily speechless. Azami hadn’t even shown up yet, and he was already being awaited with batons and a pistol. Then again, that dead-eyed bastard probably deserved every bit of what was coming to him.

While Alex was spending time with the girls and chatting, Becca had already sent out word to the others about what was coming at Totsuki Academy. The girls still roaming the festival and enjoying the food received the message. They opened it with interest — and when they read about the coming power shift, they exchanged glances. None of them had expected things in this world to escalate on such a massive scale.

Each of them already knew about the academy, its influence, and its weight in this world. Upon learning that Alex planned to intervene, many wanted to know exactly how he would do it—maybe he’d need help, or at least they wanted the chance to watch the fun unfold. Some expressed displeasure—everything had been going so peacefully until another idiot showed up.

And in her message, Becca made it clear: the cause of the coming upheaval was Azami Nakiri’s personal ambitions.

Meanwhile, Erina Nakiri herself, who had become an important part of all that was happening, anxiously awaited the opening of her restaurant—only minutes remained. Although this was far from her first booth at the Moon Festival, she was nervous as if it were her very first time. Erina had refined her cooking to an automatic level, perfecting her recipes again and again, down to the smallest details.

But the reason for her nervousness wasn’t the cooking at all. It was all about one single customer. As soon as ticket sales started on the academy’s website, the first one was bought literally the second the table reservations opened. Erina didn’t know who this person was—her secretary and friend Hisako handled the communications. Erina had only heard the voice of this mysterious client and seen the expression on Hisako’s face—and that was enough to understand: this was someone special.

With every passing moment, Erina’s anxiety grew. She stood in the kitchen, trying to calm herself, suppressing the waves of nervousness washing over her.

“Why am I so nervous?..” she quietly muttered to herself. “I’ve cooked for the most influential people, even for royal families. I have to pull myself together!”

She placed a hand on her chest and took deep breaths, trying to steady her wildly beating heart.

At that moment, Hisako rushed into the kitchen.

“Madam Erina! The first guest has arrived!” she announced loudly, barely catching her breath.

Erina’s heart quickened again, but now curiosity awakened inside her instead of anxiety. Who was this mysterious person who booked the first table?

“Did you see him?” Erina asked, raising an eyebrow slightly, unable to hide her interest.

“Yes! Well… yes, Madam Erina,” Hisako answered, quickly shifting from an excited tone to a more professional one.

“So we still have a little time while he’s studying the menu. Can you show me what he looks like?”

Hisako nodded energetically and gestured for Erina to follow her. As they walked, thoughts involuntarily spun in Erina’s mind… Being a fan of romantic manga, she had read many similar stories: a mysterious man, a sudden meeting, mutual attraction, hardships, trials… and in the end—a happy ending. Erina’s cheeks flushed faintly, but she quickly composed herself so Hisako wouldn’t notice.

They approached the kitchen doorway. Erina peeked out carefully—and her breath caught for a moment.

He was there.

Alex entered the restaurant. He wore a black shirt with rolled-up sleeves, elegant trousers, and classic shoes. His hair was neatly slicked back, and earrings once owned by Yoriiichi Tsugikuni dangled from his ears. Standing beside him were GIR and Stitch—both dressed in black tuxedos—while MIMI wore an evening gown. The four of them clearly made an effort to look appropriate, matching the upscale atmosphere.

Alex glanced around the restaurant, immediately appreciating its decor. The interior truly lived up to a five-star standard—refined style, coziness, and attention to detail. He smiled slightly.

“Allow me to show you to your table,” came a polite, professional voice nearby. It was Hisako, who had already approached the guests.

Alex nodded and followed Hisako with a light, almost imperceptible smile. He walked with a relaxed gait, habitually surveying his surroundings. Not that he disliked such places—rather, he disliked the faces of the patrons who often frequented these expensive establishments. Their expressions seemed to shout, “The world should revolve around us because we have more money!”—and that always irritated Alex.

While he pondered this, Hisako led them to a table and began handing out menus. Alongside Alex sat his three companions—GIR, MIMI, and Stitch. Hisako stole glances at them, unsure what to make of it all. She was especially embarrassed by their appearance: strange creatures in expensive tuxedos and an evening dress—like a scene from a cartoon that had escaped into the real world.

“Excuse me… but animals are not allowed in the restaurant,” Hisako finally said, unable to hold back any longer.

Alex, maintaining his composure, looked at her with a warm but slightly mocking smile:

“Young lady, my companions are not animals. Have you ever seen animals walk on their hind legs, wear evening clothes, and speak fluently? Moreover, if you haven’t noticed, Hisako Arato, they can talk—which, I dare remind you, is not a skill common to ordinary beasts.”

Hisako was about to object, but stopped herself immediately. Yes, she had heard them speak—clear and unmistakable. And no matter how much she wanted to deny it, she simply couldn’t. In the end, she did what any sensible person in her position would do: she ignored what was happening and pretended she noticed nothing. Even the fact that Alex had addressed her by her full name.

After she left, Alex smirked slightly, shook his head, and began studying the menu. Most of the dishes belonged to exquisite French cuisine, but no matter how much he scanned the lines, he found nothing particularly appetizing for himself. He thoughtfully tapped his chin with a finger when suddenly he felt a burning gaze piercing his back.

Slowly turning his head, he met Erina’s eyes. Their gazes locked—Alex’s iridescent, shimmering eyes and Erina’s deep violet ones. For her, the moment seemed to stretch in time. All the bustle around disappeared. Those eyes—they were like precious gems, like stars in the night sky, mesmerizing and unfathomable.

Alex, maintaining a polite smile, made a light gesture inviting her to come closer. Erina, as if snapping out of a trance, awkwardly stepped forward, trying not to reveal her nervousness. Within moments, she was standing by the table, feeling her heart pounding in her throat.

“Young lady, this is your signature menu, isn’t it? May my companions and I learn more about your dishes?” Alex asked with the same courteous smile, keeping eye contact.

At that moment, GIR’s eyes briefly glowed—he was recording everything. Whether it was dirt or just a report—either way, all the girls in Alex’s family had tasked GIR with monitoring him: who he talks to, who he might bring home, and who he might seduce. MIMI and Stitch were also taking notes, watching the hostess with conspiratorial seriousness. Meanwhile, Erina, completely flustered, paid no attention to their appearance or clothes—her focus remained locked on Alex’s eyes.

“O-of course! Is there something specific you’d like to know?” she finally managed, trying to gather her thoughts.

“To start: my companions prefer meat dishes. They don’t really care what kind of meat it is—as long as the taste is top-notch. They’re spoiled, you see. As for me—I mostly eat chicken or pork. And I see you have several options fitting that description. But tell me, which of these dishes do you personally enjoy preparing?”

Alex kept smiling gently, looking straight into Erina’s eyes, and she slowly began to blush, trying to remember how to speak.

Alex’s question caught Erina off guard. It wasn’t about cooking technique, ingredients, or spices used. Instead, he asked what she personally enjoyed cooking—and that threw her off balance.

Usually, people asked what she served, how it was made, and what spices were used. No one had ever asked about her personal preferences. For a moment, Erina froze.

“I… don’t have any particular preferences. I… like to cook everything,” she finally replied, composing herself.

“Well, I’m glad to hear that. Since you like to cook everything, this time I won’t choose. Instead of ordering from the menu, why don’t you just surprise me? Let your dish be a surprise,” Alex said, setting the menu aside with a slight smile.

That smile sparked a flame inside Erina’s soul. She nodded briefly and almost ran to the kitchen, ignoring the new guests filling the dining room. Erina stormed into the kitchen like a whirlwind, rushed to the fridge, and began sorting through the prepared ingredients. She decided to abandon the standard menu. At that moment, she wanted to create something special.

But as she grabbed the last ingredient, her hand suddenly froze mid-air.

“What am I doing?..” she whispered to herself.

An internal battle ignited within her mind. One voice—emotional, feminine—insisted that she must impress the mysterious guest by pouring her soul into the dish. The other—cold and rational—argued that she should simply follow the pre-planned menu. But logic quickly gave way, overwhelmed by pride and passion.

Now both inner voices shouted in unison: surprise him, drive him crazy with your cooking!

“That’s right! He must understand that Nakiri should never be underestimated! No matter what — Nakiri’s food is the best in the world!” Erina said with fiery eyes, encouraging herself.

Only a few minutes passed before Hisako entered the kitchen, having just taken orders from the new guests. But seeing Erina obsessively pacing near the stove, she froze involuntarily. Yes, she already knew how focused Erina could be, but now her mistress looked… truly obsessed.

“Lady Erina, I…” Hisako began, but Erina sharply turned and looked her straight in the eyes.

“Chop the potatoes. Quickly,” she said in a tone that left no room for objections.

“But…” Hisako tried to protest but met a stern, piercing gaze. This was not just an order. It was an ultimatum.

Swallowing, Hisako silently nodded and hurried to obey. She knew that when Erina was like this—nothing would stop her until she achieved her goal. Hisako watched every move carefully.

If before Erina gave a hundred percent, now she was ready to give two hundred to leave anyone who tasted her dish speechless with admiration.

“This time… Lady Erina seems ready to outdo herself,” Hisako murmured, watching her.

“Hisako, don’t get distracted,” Erina said without even pausing her work.

Hisako immediately nodded and returned to her tasks. Erina completely ignored the other guests who had come to try her food. All her thoughts were focused on one thing: she wanted to amaze Alex with her cooking.

Even her rational and feminine sides, which rarely agreed, now spoke as one—her dish had to astonish, shake, and leave a mark on the heart of whoever tasted it.

As she cooked, the smile on her face grew wider and wider. She didn’t even notice how completely absorbed she was in the process. Everything she had cooked before was nothing compared to what was being created right before her eyes at that moment.

Finally, all the preparations were complete. Only one last step remained — to combine the ingredients into a single dish that was to become her masterpiece. Erina suspected where Alex came from and believed he was from Europe, judging by the origin of his surname and estate.

That’s why she chose a European dish — a timeless classic.

She caught a glimpse of Hisako already preparing ingredients for the other guests. But Erina didn’t feel guilty for having completely forgotten about them. In any case, it didn’t matter. She only slightly grimaced — then refocused fully on cooking.

Fifteen minutes later, the dish was ready.

It was not just a dish — it was her masterpiece.

Erina eagerly awaited the moment when she would see Alex’s face the very second he tasted her creation. And she was certain — his expression would be truly magnificent.

She looked at the dish she had prepared, and the wide, almost mad smile on her face spread even more. The anticipation was becoming unbearable.

Meanwhile, Hisako watched her mistress with concern. Erina now looked… obsessed.

But Hisako had no time to worry. She had to serve dishes to the other guests — she couldn’t keep them waiting.

To be continued…

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep