Chapter 974: The Taste in Childhood Memories

"Uh, I'm very sorry, Teacher Roland————"

Tadokoro Megumi quickly stood up, glanced at the Burgundy Braised Beef on the stainless steel Cooking Station that had not yet been touched, then picked it up and quickly walked toward the Lectern, placing it on the Lectern table.

【The beef is soft and glutinous; pressing it with a spoon makes Juice seep out. It's been stewed until flavorful, and when wrapping it, there should also be a thin layer————】

Roland pressed the meat on the Plate with a Fork and knew that this Burgundy Braised Beef was absolutely above the passing standard.

Holding a knife and fork to cut the meat, he took a bite. The beef wasn't dry, it was soft and glutinous, and the taste was textbook Burgundy Braised Beef.

Roland wiped his mouth with a napkin, then gently nodded at the somewhat worried girl who looked like she was awaiting judgment.

"Your Burgundy Braised Beef is very good. My evaluation is Grade A."

Hearing this, Tadokoro Megumi, who was somewhat worried in her heart, her eyes lit up, and she hurriedly bowed to thank him: "Thank you, Teacher Roland."

"No need to thank me. I'm just objectively evaluating your Cooking. Since your Cooking is qualified, you should naturally receive the corresponding score."

"Cough, getting back to the point, that beef of yours stewed with other alcohol—aren't you going to bring it up for me to taste?"

The Cooking Classroom was filled with the aroma of Braised Beef, but the most Tempting of all was undoubtedly the one Broly and Tadokoro Megumi's group stewed with other alcohol.

If not for maintaining the Prestige and aloofness of a Teacher, when he smelled that strange wine fragrance, he would have couldn't help but lean over to see what was happening.

", Teacher Roland, but we already received an A evaluation and passed, right?"

Tadokoro Megumi became nervous again.

Of course, if there were still intact Stewed Meat, it would be fine. She believed that beef stewed with other alcohol would be even more delicious.

But the problem was, the Cooking stewed with other alcohol now had all been eaten by her and Broly. Bringing leftovers up on stage—wasn't that courting death?

"Cough, if that Cooking is also delicious, I can give you two extra points separately, adding one more score of a Grade A evaluation. Even if you don't pass, no extra points will be deducted."

Hearing this, Tadokoro Megumi was somewhat Heart Moved. She desperately needed enough high scores to dilute the precarious situation brought by low failing scores, where she was about to be expelled from the Academy.

"There's only one piece of meat left, Teacher Roland. If you don't mind, you can taste it."

Just as the girl hesitated whether to bring the leftovers to the table, Broly had already walked over and placed the Plate with the last slice of beef on the Lectern.

"It's just to taste the flavor, not to eat until full. One piece is enough."

Roland Swallowed. The rich aroma from the Cooking brought close drilled straight into his Nose.

"Please, enjoy slowly."

Roland nodded, changed to another Fork, speared the remaining beef, first smelled it, then ate it.

And on his face appeared the same Intoxicated expression Tadokoro Megumi had just shown after eating the Divine Wine Braised Beef.

", Everyone, look at Teacher Roland————"

A student Exclaimed.

"Really? Teacher Roland the Chef actually laughed!"

"And laughed so purely, like a newborn baby?!"

Roland Chapelle's style at Totsuki Academy was known for being extremely strict and impartial. Even when students made Cooking that satisfied him, this strict Teacher generally didn't show his feelings when giving a high score. Laughing like now was something many students had never seen.

And Roland didn't just laugh; tear light overflowed from the corners of his eyes, just like an iron tree blooming, like a statue in a church shedding tears.

"Unepuremerveille! (This is a miraculous Cooking)"

This French Cooking Teacher even used his native language.

"I can't describe what this Taste is, but after eating it, when the beef flavor blossomed on my lips and tongue, I felt like I returned to my Childhood."

"Back then, I was an apprentice in a restaurant, with only one day off a week. And whenever I returned Home, my mother would always stand in the Kitchen, stewing the Burgundy Braised Beef I liked to eat."

Roland wiped away the tears at the corners of his eyes.

"Sorry, I lost my Composure a bit. My mother passed away many years ago, but your Cooking made me remember her."

"Although the Burgundy Braised Beef she made might not be as delicious as a professional Chef's, in my Memory, that Taste is forever worth remembering."

"Student, can you tell me how you made this Stewed Beef Cooking that tastes exactly the same as my mother's Taste in my Memory?"

Roland asked for advice.

"This——"

Broly wasn't good at answering, because this shouldn't be his own credit, but the credit of the Divine Wine.

Divine Wine has different effects for different drinkers.

Some people's minds go blank, like soaking in a Hot Spring pool.

And some people will have an Illusion like Tadokoro Megumi, seeing a vision of their heart's wish fulfilled.

Obviously, for the Teacher before him, the Divine Wine Braised Beef Cooking made him return to the depths of his Memory, see his familiar mother (Illusion), and feel the Taste of his Childhood. This should be because he deeply misses his deceased mother in his heart.

"Forget it, this is your secret recipe. Exploring a student's seasoning secret recipe is a violation of teacher ethics"

"matter."

Seeing Broly's embarrassment on his face, Roland also Reacted and voluntarily withdrew his request for advice.

"Sorry, Teacher. If there's an Opportunity, I can make a few more portions of Stewed Meat Cooking for you."

Having a way to Step Down, Broly naturally went along with it. The effect of adding Divine Wine was very good, so good it was Unimaginable Cost. But now, Broly felt like he was Cheating in a game, always feeling somewhat not Comfortable.

"Hmm, now, you two, I'll add one more Grade A evaluation."

Roland nodded and Solemnly announced.

"What do we do next?"

Broly asked the overjoyed Tadokoro Megumi.

"Next, there's nothing for us to do. As long as we clean up the Cooking Station, wash the kitchen utensils Clean and put them back in their original places, we can leave. Hmm, Mr. Broly, leave these things for me to clean up. You can go first————"

Tadokoro Megumi felt that getting an extra A score from Teacher Roland was all thanks to Broly. Now she could only express her gratitude to this burly youth through Actual Action.

"I don't have anything else to do either. Let's clean up together."

Broly naturally couldn't leave first, but followed along to clean up. And Tadokoro Megumi's Happiness Value also rose a bit because of this.

And after they finished cleaning up the Cooking Station, students at other Cooking Stations also Continuously carried their dishes to let Roland taste them.

As for the results, one could only say the other party lived up to being a strict teacher — five groups of students, five braised beef dishes, yet only one group barely scraped by and passed.

"Teacher Roland, truly strict————"

Tadokoro Megumi was merely watching from the side, yet her heart began to panic again.

"Fortunately, we've already passed."

Broly said a word from the side.

"Yeah."

Upon hearing this, the blue-haired twin-braided girl finally relaxed again.

"Let's go."

Broly extended his hand to the girl again, and Tadokoro Megumi didn't notice anything off about it, gave a soft assent, and took the boy's hand.

The two left the cooking classroom hand in hand, making the group of students who still hadn't passed Teacher Roland's strict assessment feel a pang of envy.

After leaving the classroom, the corridor outside was empty, only faint sounds of cooking drifting from other cooking classrooms.

It was quite obvious that Totsuki Academy High School's first period consisted entirely of cooking practical classes, the difference probably being just that the dishes made weren't quite the same.

Broly arrived at the entrance of the cooking classroom Soma Yukihira entered, and discovered the students inside, including Soma Yukihira, all seemed to be wrapping dumplings.

And written on the classroom's whiteboard was "Dumpling Dish," with a note that dumpling dishes from any country were allowed, but whether filling or wrapper, everything needed to be made from the most basic raw ingredients.

"They haven't finished cooking yet, Mr. Broly, do you want to wait for your friend?"

Tadokoro Megumi asked.

"Do you have something you need to do?"

Broly didn't answer, but countered with a question.

"There shouldn't be any more classes this morning, I plan to take my luggage to the dormitory."

"Then let me help you."

"Ah, I couldn't possibly impose."

"It's fine, I've got nothing to do right now anyway."

Tadokoro Megumi couldn't refuse Broly's enthusiasm, so the two went together to where student luggage was stored. Tadokoro Megumi took out her luggage, and Broly very naturally took the suitcase from her hands and accompanied the girl to her lodging.

"How about I carry a little?"

This was the first time Tadokoro Megumi had someone help her move all her luggage to the dormitory, so she felt somewhat embarrassed.

"No need, this bit of weight doesn't count for anything."

Broly naturally refused decisively. In the brief time he'd interacted with Tadokoro Megumi, he'd already seen through this girl's

character.

She was the kind of girl who, when someone treated her well, would feel gratitude toward them. And for this kind of girl as a capture target, what he needed to do was pour out his goodwill toward her fiercely, release his kindness.

With giving comes repayment.

"But it's very far from here to my dormitory."

Polar Star Dormitory was located at the edge of Totsuki Academy. Totsuki Academy encompassed three mountains with an extremely vast area. Normal people couldn't commute without transportation; walking took nearly half an hour, and that was without carrying any load.

"It's fine, I can appreciate the academy scenery on the way, count it as familiarizing myself with the academy environment. Right, if you get tired, tell me, I can carry you on my shoulders."

"Ah, no need, I'm not tired."

Tadokoro Megumi's cheeks flushed slightly, and she hurriedly waved her hands.

At this moment, she realized her left hand was still being held by the boy.

Tadokoro Megumi wanted to say something, but discovered Broly seemed not to have noticed, just walking along holding her hand like that.

The girl, with no experience refusing others or keeping distance, couldn't bring herself to speak, and followed beside the Saiyan boy like an obedient child.

The road was somewhat silent, yet not awkward. From time to time Broly would ask her what a place was, and Tadokoro Megumi would actively answer.

Under this back-and-forth questioning, the unfamiliarity of having just met today gradually disappeared, replaced by a sense of familiarity like making a friend.

Half an hour — not long, not short — and soon an old-style dormitory building wrapped in vines on the exterior, looking very historical, appeared in the two's field of vision.

"That's my dormitory 【Polar Star Dormitory】."

Tadokoro Megumi pointed at the old-style dormitory building and introduced it to the Saiyan boy beside her.

", Komekko, have you gotten a boyfriend?"

At the dormitory entrance, a silver-gray haired, hedgehog-haired old auntie was sweeping the floor. Upon seeing Tadokoro Megumi approach, with a burly boy carrying luggage and holding her hand beside her, her eyes couldn't help but brighten. She walked over briskly, wearing a gossipy expression, and asked the girl.

"Ah, Auntie Fumio, don't talk nonsense, Mr. Broly is not my boyfriend."

Tadokoro Megumi flusteredly waved her hands to explain.

"You're holding hands with him, do you think this old lady's eyes are blind?"

Fumio Daimido pointed at their joined hands and rolled her eyes.

"This is————"

Being misunderstood, Tadokoro Megumi grew anxious, yet didn't know how to explain.

"Good day, Auntie Fumio. I'm Broly, a newly enrolled student at Totsuki Academy."

Broly actively released the girl's hand, learning Tadokoro Megumi's form of address to call the dorm matron before him, and politely introduced himself.

"So you're a new resident Tadokoro brought to Polar Star Dormitory?"

Fumio Daimido looked Broly up and down, and was quite satisfied with the boy's extraordinarily sturdy build — one look and he was prime material for helping move things.

"Moving in here, I'm not too sure about that. I'm just helping Tadokoro move luggage over here. We should count as classmates who just met today."

"No other special relationship?"

Fumio Daimido was somewhat doubtful.

"I do want to be friends with her, don't know if that's okay?"

Broly looked at Tadokoro Megumi.

"Ah, that's fine."

The girl who was asked hurriedly nodded in reply.

"Then Tadokoro and I should be friends now."

Broly looked at Fumio Daimido again and said.

The old auntie looked at Broly's harmless appearance; many years of life experience made her vaguely feel that the brat in front of her probably wasn't as simple as he claimed, but she didn't say much more. After all, Tadokoro Megumi was still quite cute, and at that pubescent age, someone wanting to pursue her was nothing unusual. Besides, the brat's first impression on her was still that of a quite polite person.

"Komekko's room is Room 302 on the third floor; just move your things up there."

As Fumio Daimido spoke, she handed over a key.

"Okay."

Broly took it and entered the dormitory building, which looked somewhat old, first.

Unlike the exterior, the environment inside, while also having a sense of age, showed that people had lived here long-term. Whether the floor or the walls, they had all been cleaned up very cleanly.

"Mr. Broly, I don't know if you are a walk-in student or a boarding student?"

Broly walked in front carrying the luggage, Tadokoro Megumi followed behind, and couldn't help but ask.

"I should be a boarding student."

Broly thought for a moment and replied. He originally didn't care whether he was a walk-in or boarding student, but after discovering that Totsuki Academy had so many capture targets existing, naturally it was better to board inside this academy.

"Then which dormitory do you live in?"

Tadokoro Megumi pursued the question. She felt that since Broly helped her move luggage over, she had to repay him somehow, for example by helping him clean up and organize his dormitory room.

"This I really don't know."

"The student handbook issued to you, doesn't it have it written on it?"

"I haven't read it yet."

Arriving at the entrance to Room 302, Broly put down the luggage and took out the student handbook to flip through it.

Tadokoro Megumi leaned over and exclaimed in surprise: "Ah, you were also arranged to live in Polar Star Dormitory?!"

"This is quite a coincidence."

Broly was also somewhat surprised, but very happy. As the saying goes, 'near the water, the pavilion gets the moon first'; being able to live in the same dormitory building as the girl next to him meant that wanting to capture her and brush her happiness value would be much more convenient from now on.

"However, if Mr. Broly is a new student preparing to move in, you might have to prepare an entry dish for Auntie Fumio."

"What do you mean?"

"Polar Star Dormitory has a rule: any student who wants to live here must make a dish that Auntie Fumio can acknowledge.

If unable to do so, Auntie Fumio, as the dorm supervisor, can refuse the new student entry. Back then, in order to move in here, I also spent three months before succeeding."

"Then what dish do I have to make?"

"Any dish is fine, as long as there are ingredients to make it."

"But I didn't bring anything; does this place provide ingredients?"

"That, you'd have to ask Auntie Fumio."

"That, you'll have to ask Aunt Fumio."

"Hah, so this brat is also one of our Polar Star Dormitory?"

Fumio Daimido continued sweeping the courtyard; she hadn't finished sweeping when she saw the two people who had just entered the dormitory building come down together. Upon hearing that Broly was also arranged to live here, she laughed.

"Then I'll have to test him properly; Polar Star Dormitory doesn't take useless trash."

"Then I'll have to test you properly — Polar Star Dormitory doesn't take dead weight."

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