Chapter 250: It's Okay to Wait for a While

Sui was at a loss for words.

Could she not say something so misleading?

"Sui, you're so unfaithful! You completely tricked me. You said two days ago that you didn't have anything special, but now you've brought out these amazing ingredients!"

Rindō pounded on Sui's chest, her eyes brimming with frustration.

Nearby students were turning their heads, clearly intrigued by the scene.

"Doesn't it seem like Rindō-senpai and Sui have a rather unusual relationship?"

"Yeah, did he do something improper with Rindō-senpai?"

"No way! Isn't he close with Miss Erina? Could he really be two-timing? That's kind of outrageous."

"Still... that's pretty enviable."

As the misunderstandings started to spread among the students, Sui found himself even more speechless.

"Rindō-senpai, isn't that enough?" Erina interjected with a light cough.

"What, Erina-chan? Are you jealous?" Rindō teased with a sly smile.

"Jealous? No way!" Erina's face flushed bright red, and she hastily looked away, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"I don't care! Sui, you hurt my feelings, so you have to compensate me!" Rindō pouted playfully at Sui, acting spoiled.

"Haha, Rindō seems to really want your ingredient," Eishi Tsukasa chuckled as he crouched on a nearby counter, completely relaxed and showing no trace of his usually prestigious demeanor as the first seat of the Elite Ten.

Sui rolled his eyes. He knew very well that Rindō had her sights set on his pear bread, but it was expensive and rare—he could only get one every three days. Plus, it was crucial for his experiment today, so he had no intention of sharing it.

"Alright, I'll let you taste it," Sui finally relented, though reluctantly.

"Really?" Rindō's eyes sparkled, revealing her sharp little fangs.

"Yeah."

Sui nodded and sliced off small portions of the pear bread, offering them to the Nakiri sisters, Eishi Tsukasa, and Megumi.

As soon as the bread was cut, a rich pink juice flowed out, filling the air with a sweet and enticing aroma.

Rindō and Tsukasa's eyes lit up as they eagerly took their pieces and began tasting.

"It's delicious!" Megumi's eyes widened with surprise—it was the first time she'd tasted bread so exquisite.

Even though Erina and Alice had eaten it before, they couldn't help but express their admiration once again.

"Sui, where did you find this breadfruit? If you give me an entire one, I'll grant you a favor," Rindō said teasingly as she leaned in close, puffing out her chest suggestively.

Sui felt momentarily speechless, thinking that Rindō's uninhibited behavior was quite over the top.

"That's enough, Rindō-senpai!" Alice interjected this time, unable to tolerate the teasing any longer.

She felt she'd already made enough sacrifices by sharing a boyfriend with Erina, and she certainly wasn't about to let other women claim Sui too!

"Why?" Rindō asked innocently, glancing at Alice.

Erina was equally surprised by Alice's intervention. She hadn't expected her to step in on her behalf, and a sense of gratitude stirred within her.

At that moment, Tsukasa raised his hand. "If possible, could I have one of those breadfruits too?"

"I'm sorry, Tsukasa-senpai and Rindō-senpai, but this was the last one," Sui said, spreading his hands in apology.

"Is that so?" Tsukasa sighed with mild disappointment but quickly accepted the reality. He understood that ingredients of such quality were bound to be rare.

Still, Sui couldn't help but be slightly taken aback by Tsukasa and Rindō's recognition of the breadfruit. "You both knew this was a kind of breadfruit?"

It made sense that Rindō, being a globetrotting food explorer, could identify it as a natural fruit rather than an artificially processed bread. But Sui was surprised that Eishi Tsukasa also recognized it.

"Yes, the thick juice and natural sweetness give it away. It has the characteristics of a fruit," Tsukasa explained with a smile.

Sui gave him a second look, appreciating the chief's extraordinary intuition when it came to ingredients.

"So, are you planning to cook with this breadfruit? That's a tough challenge," Tsukasa commented, realizing the difficulty involved in making pear bread even more delicious through cooking.

"Yes," Sui confirmed, nodding. "I want to give it a try."

"That's impressive," Tsukasa said with genuine admiration. Even he wasn't sure if he could successfully enhance the flavor of pear bread through cooking.

After a few moments of contemplation, Sui set about executing the plan he had been formulating in his head.

"Megumi, sprinkle equal amounts of salt and brown sugar on some plastic wrap, then wrap the salmon and let it marinate," Sui instructed.

"Got it!" Megumi nodded enthusiastically and began preparing the salmon as directed.

"Salmon? I see. The breadfruit is too sweet on its own, so you're pairing it with something salty to balance it out? That's a great choice," Eishi Tsukasa praised. "Most chefs without real skill would try to turn it into another dessert, but that's a trap. You can't improve the sweetness that's already perfect."

"Wait, senpai... aren't you going to cook?" Sui asked, glancing at Tsukasa and the others in confusion.

At this point, Tsukasa was still squatting on the kitchen counter nearby, showing no intention of leaving. The others also seemed content to watch Sui cook, rather than start their own dishes.

"It's just a simple exam. I can finish it in less than an hour," Eishi Tsukasa said with a carefree smile, raising a finger to emphasize his point.

The surrounding students, who had been secretly observing, were left speechless.

What was like hell for them was merely an "ordinary test" in his eyes. Did life even stand a chance?

"I'll keep watching for a while," Rindō chimed in with a grin, revealing her sharp canine teeth. Clearly, she wasn't taking the exam too seriously either.

"Me too," Erina added, nodding in agreement. For her, passing the test wasn't difficult, so she didn't mind sticking around to watch for a bit longer.

"Alright," Sui sighed, though he still felt a little odd being the center of attention for so many people.

He proceeded to spread a thin layer of olive oil and a pinch of fine salt over the pear bread before placing it into the oven to bake.

The olive oil would enhance the bread's aroma and provide a richer, smoother flavor, while the small amount of salt would bring out the sweetness even more effectively.

The bread was ready quickly. Some of the moisture had evaporated, and the juice inside had reduced significantly, leaving the bread softer and even more fragrant. The sugar had been locked into the bread, intensifying its sweet aroma.