Chapter 966: Totsuki Academy Transfer Student Exam Site

"Oyster congee, missing the deodorizing step—you people really have the gall to serve this kind of thing to me for tasting?!"

"Miss Erina, the oysters are alive and fresh; by rights, they meet the standard for eating raw, so there shouldn't be any fishy smell."

"Foolish. Don't use the taste buds of mortals to question me, a holder of the God Tongue. Subtle fishy smells that ordinary people can hardly detect are perfectly clear to me."

"Of course, I know your group is expanding its business externally, and I know you're skipping some steps to improve efficiency."

"But even so, that's not a reason for you to serve me flawed cooking and defile my tongue."

"You dare do this, so presumably you've made your preparations, right?!"

The blonde girl in a white chef uniform looked gloomily at the group of chefs in the courtyard.

These chefs were much older than the girl, but facing a girl of only fifteen, they wore expressions of extreme apprehension.

"Our deepest apologies, Miss Erina."

A group of chefs moved in perfect unison, right there in the courtyard, performing dogeza to apologize to the girl.

The girl before them, who possessed the God Tongue, had the ability to destroy a professional chef's career in the high-end culinary world.

Things she said tasted good: the rich and aristocrats would rush to compete to taste the flavor; things she said were difficult to eat: would soon be discarded by the upper-class gourmet hierarchy.

For the group these chefs belonged to, once cooking was labeled as difficult to eat, their expanding high-end culinary business would definitely suffer a heavy blow.

"Hmph, this time I'll let it go. But if your group dares bring this kind of flawed cooking before me again next time, it won't be so easy to wrap up. Now, all of you, get lost."

Hearing this, the group of chefs breathed a sigh of relief, thanking her while quickly leaving this courtyard that was like a devil's exam area.

"Lady Erina, will you be announcing the results of the taste test to the public this time?"

After the group of chefs fled as if escaping, a girl wearing a coffee-colored short skirt and a dark blue school uniform walked to the side of the blonde girl in the white chef uniform and began to ask.

"No, not for now. Although that group skipped many steps, causing flaws in some dishes, if they don't skip steps, their skills are still passable."

"Also, the dining group they belong to paid a large sum to have me taste their food, so they should be given one chance to be forgiven for their mistake."

"Of course, there won't be a second chance."

"As expected of Lady Erina, you are truly kind and merciful."

"No need for flattery. I just don't want to cause trouble for my grandfather."

"Cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents. If you don't give them one chance, you'll only invite others' hostility."

"But if you give them a second chance and they still can't seize it, then there's nothing more to say."

"And with the Nakiri Family's influence in the culinary world, we don't need to fear any trouble."

"Hisako, what's my schedule for next?"

"Lady Erina, next you need to go to the academy to serve as a judge for the transfer student exam."

"Sigh, really troublesome. As soon as I enter the council, I have to deal with this kind of work. I'll go after I change out of these clothes."

Nakiri Erina felt somewhat helpless, but this was one of the work obligations she needed to fulfill after becoming one of the Totsuki Ten.

And as the granddaughter of the Totsuki Academy Headmaster, she naturally wouldn't violate the work obligation regulations required of the Ten by the academy.

"Broly-san, it's time to go out. We have to go to that cooking school exam today."

"Is that place far from your home?"

"Well, it's a bit of a distance. We have to take the train to get there. We're mainly rushing to catch the train. If we miss this one, we'll have to wait for the next."

"And if we take the next train, our time will be a bit tight. We might be late and miss the exam time."

Soma Yukihira opened the door and came out, while Broly followed behind.

Last night, after learning that Broly had no fixed residence, Azami Nakiri invited him to stay at his home.

But the man himself had instead caught a late-night flight and gone straight to New York.

Although they could fly directly there, occasionally taking this kind of slow vehicle was actually not a bad experience.】

Broly didn't use flying to rush there, but instead followed Soma Yukihira to catch the early train. Sitting on the train, he rested his chin on his hand, watching the town scenery pass by bit by bit outside the window, but his mind was blank.

After about half an hour of spacing out, Soma Yukihira called him to get off at the station. The red-haired boy held his phone, looking at an electronic map to lead the way, walking in front while chattering nonstop, complaining about the high school his father had arranged for him.

"My old man really is something. With my cooking skills, what's the point of going to some cooking school? Maybe by the time we get to that school, it'll be some old geezer or old lady type, using home economics class to give us an entrance exam—"

Soma Yukihira's disdain for this nameless cooking school continued until they reached the front gate of Totsuki Tea House Culinary Academy, where behind the large wooden gate was a small mountain, and only then did he restrain himself.

"The school is built in a mountain? No, no, no, you misunderstand. It's not that Totsuki Academy is built in a mountain, but that the mountain is part of the Totsuki Academy campus."

"And what you see should only be the academy's front entrance. The true scale of Totsuki Academy is larger than what you see from the front."

"Also, this is a super-elite academy focused on cultivating top chefs. Less than ten percent of the students manage to graduate smoothly. If you, Soma, can't even graduate, then you'd better give up the idea of surpassing me as soon as possible—"

Soma Yukihira called to question Azami Nakiri about what kind of cooking school this was, and Azami Nakiri's reply was the above words.

"Hah, it's just that the school is a bit big, bastard old man. I'll not only graduate, I'll graduate with better grades than others to show you!"

"Ambitious, good. As expected of my son. Then, out of the goodness of my heart, I'll tell you the secret to quickly improving your cooking skills—"

"—"

"Let's go in, Broly-san!"

Soma Yukihira called out, then directly hung up the phone.

"Beep beep beep—"

In Manhattan, New York City, on the top-floor rooftop of a five-star hotel, Azami Nakiri looked somewhat speechless at the hung-up phone.

"You brat, you actually hung up on me."

"Soma, where are you?"

Behind him came the voice of the hotel manager.

"Coming."

Azami Nakiri responded, turned around, and went back to work.

As for whether his son could pass the Totsuki Academy transfer student exam, he wasn't worried.

The only thing he was more worried about was Broly, who only knew two passable dishes.

However, I already gave the Headmaster a heads-up in advance.

Given that old man's personality, no matter what, he should still give Broly a chance to demonstrate his talent.

Broly followed Soma Yukihira into Totsuki Academy.

Upon crossing the redwood gate, he discovered there were actually quite a lot of people at this academy's entrance.

After wandering around once, Soma Yukihira started to complain a bit: "This place is seriously huge, where's the exam area? They don't even put up a sign to guide the way."

"Are you also an examinee?"

And those words just happened to be heard by a blond youth sitting on a roadside bench drinking black tea, who took the initiative to strike up a conversation.

"Who are you?"

Soma Yukihira glanced at the person beside the other party — a man wearing a tuxedo, holding a tea tray, who looked like he should be a butler or similar role — and couldn't help but ask.

"Pardon my rudeness, I am Yoshimasa Nikaido, an examinee who has come to Totsuki Academy this time to participate in the transfer student exam."

"So you're also here for the exam? In that case, are those people over there also examinees?"

"No, the ones wearing uniforms are Totsuki Academy Middle School Division students; today is their grade announcement ceremony. Only those with bodyguards or butlers following them are examinees participating in the transfer exam."

As Yoshimasa Nikaido spoke, his gaze glanced at Broly following behind Soma Yukihira; sometimes a master's family background is reflected by the attendants around them.

To have such a burly, powerfully built bodyguard following him, the family background of the person before him must not be underestimated.

"By the way, I have yet to ask for your name?"

"I am Soma Yukihira, he is Broly."

【Even the attendant needs to be introduced?】

"Nice to meet you. My family runs a French restaurant; I wonder what yours does?"

"Running a restaurant."

"Is it a chain restaurant, or a high-end luxury restaurant?"

"Haha, nothing that impressive, just a small restaurant opened in a commoner district."

"You're joking?"

"Not at all."

"He isn't your bodyguard?"

Yoshimasa Nikaido pointed at Broly and directly asked Soma Yukihira.

"Of course not, Broly-san is an examinee who came to take the exam together with me."

Soma Yukihira shook his head and answered.

"Right, do you know where the exam location is? There isn't even a sign here."

"Commoners, don't talk to me!"

Yoshimasa Nikaido originally wanted to say that, but seeing the shadow cast down, Broly who could cover his whole person.

"Then what does this gentleman's family do?"

He asked it out; with such a burly physique, the other party's family background should be extraordinary.

"My family should count as doing security."

Broly answered.

"Running a security company?"

Yoshimasa Nikaido, worried this might also be a commoner, pursued with another question.

"Mm."

Broly nodded.

"No wait, your family runs a security company, yet you come to a school that cultivates chefs to participate in a transfer exam — is that right?

"

Confirmed he wasn't a commoner, but for someone with that kind of background to not go to a police academy or military academy and instead run off to Totsuki Academy still made Nikaido feel very strange.

"I just heard this school can teach people to make some delicious dishes, so I prepared to learn a couple of tricks."

"So that's how it is."

"Say, do you actually know where the exam hall is or not?"

Soma Yukihira checked the time on his phone and asked again.

"Over there."

Nikaido raised his hand and pointed in the direction of a teaching building and answered; this was on account of Broly, who should not be a commoner.

"Thanks, Broly-san, let's hurry over, otherwise we'll be late for the exam."

Hearing this, Nikaido asked the butler beside him for the current time.

"Let's go over too."

After hearing the butler report the time, this person also put down the black tea and stood up.

"Young Master, isn't there still ten minutes until the exam?"

"Entering the exam hall early — if the examiners see it, it might add some impression points."

"I see, as expected of Young Master Nikaido's keen insight."

"Broly-san, later if the school tests some dishes you don't know how to make, just watch how I do it."

It wasn't exam time yet, so there weren't many examinees in the exam hall; they found an empty spot to wait, and during the wait for the exam, Soma Yukihira said to Broly beside him.

"Okay."

Broly nodded, but actually didn't care too much; since he knew Soma Yukihira would attend this culinary academy in the future, he could just come here directly for meals from now on.

Broly's purpose in learning cooking was to satisfy his own appetite, but if he could find an excellent chef to help satisfy his appetite, then whether he learned cooking or not didn't seem that important.

Of course, being able to learn cooking himself would also be a good thing; not only does he have an appetite, his wives in the Crystal Palace also have appetites, and delicacies are undoubtedly a useful tool for increasing Happiness Points.

Still, this is ultimately the New World; finding capture targets should remain the priority. Spending too much time on cooking studies would be putting the cart before the horse.

Just as Broly was mentally dividing his time between studying cooking and finding new capture targets in this new world.

As exam time approached, two youthful and beautiful figures pushed open the door from the other side of the exam hall venue.

【New capture target discovered: Nakiri Erina. Current Happiness Value: 0】

【New capture target discovered: Hisako Arato. Current Happiness Value: 0】

The prompt suddenly appearing in the Crystal Palace left Broly stunned.

He quickly raised his head and looked toward the direction of the prompt.

He saw two girls in Totsuki Academy Middle School Division uniforms already standing before the many examinees.

", where are the examiners? Surely the two girls in student uniforms aren't the examiners responsible for testing us this time, right?"

Soma Yukihira said it in a joking tone, but soon noticed the other examinees around him looking at him as if he were an idiot.

"This guy, surely he hasn't even heard of the name of God Tongue Nakiri Erina, Big Sister?"

"I heard from that guy Nikai-do that she seems to be from a small restaurant, and I didn't believe it at first. After all, examinees who can participate in the Totsuki Culinary Academy Transfer Student Exam are either rich or noble, and all work in food and beverage related industries. But now, seeing that guy acting like he knows nothing, I believe it."

The surrounding examinees began muttering in low voices, while Nakiri Erina standing at the front also noticed the situation here, yet furrowed her brow.

She was somewhat dissatisfied with Soma Yukihira causing a commotion, and even more dissatisfied with the other clueless guys.

She didn't mind the trouble of coming to the scene as an examiner, yet as a result, there were still people who didn't take her seriously and whispered below.

"First, according to the application materials, all participating students will be divided into groups of ten for interviews. After that, a cooking practical exam of three dishes will be conducted. Those who pass—"

"Hisako, no need to read further."

"Erina-sama?"

"Go, push the preparation table in directly."

"?"

Hisako Arato didn't understand this order, but still went to do as told.

A large cart laden with various ingredients was pushed into the exam area.

While everyone was confused, Nakiri Erina walked to the front of the preparation table, pinched an egg with her slender, fair fingers, turned around, and said to the many examinees: "Since you all don't like hearing the conventional exam content, then I"

will change to something else to test you.

The main ingredient is eggs. Please decide what dish to make within one minute. Only those who make a dish that satisfies my tongue will I allow to pass the Totsuki Culinary Academy Transfer Student Exam.

Of course, if the dish you make tastes terrible, don't blame me for giving you an objective evaluation."

"What, decide what dish to make within one minute, and the dish must satisfy the God Tongue owner?"

"What a joke, how is this possible? If we do poorly and receive a terrible evaluation, isn't our chef life over? Even our family's food and beverage industry might be affected?!"

Inside the exam area, the examinees panicked.

"Of course, due to the change in exam content, I allow you all to abandon the exam. For those who abandon it, I will make no evaluation. So, please choose for yourselves."

After Nakiri Erina finished speaking, some students in the exam area ran out.

And with the first person leading the way out, others followed and ran too.

Soon, the only examinees left in the exam area were Soma Yukihira and Broly.

"Truly, all a bunch of good-for-nothings."

"Erina-sama, eliminating everyone like this, won't it be not good?"

"There's nothing wrong with it. Those who aren't confident in their own cooking will eventually be eliminated if they join Totsuki Culinary Academy. I'm just helping the Headmaster one step ahead by excluding some incapable guys."

"Mm, since no one is left, I'll return to my personal kitchen to research new dishes. Hisako, do you want to come be the taster for my new dishes?"

"Erina-sama—"

The girl had her chin pinched by the girl, and her cheeks couldn't help but turn slightly red.

"Hey, you two, are you blind? Aren't we who are still here people?!"

Soma Yukihira saw the two over there seemingly falling into an ambiguous atmosphere, and directly rudely interrupted the somewhat strange atmosphere between the two.

"What, there's still someone who didn't run away? You really want to challenge my God Tongue? And there are two of you?!"

"

Nakiri Erina was somewhat surprised and looked over.