Chapter 1 – I’m not the protagonist

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Sadao Amisaki is a transmigrator, and like most predecessors, he's an orphan. Apart from having an impressive Chinese culinary skill of unknown origin, you could say he doesn't have much else.

He doesn't have the basic gear of a transmigrator—the system, and he doesn't have teachers or friends who like to meddle in others' business. But well, being carefree and unburdened isn't that bad.

Who am I even introducing this to?

Sadao gave a slightly self-deprecating smile, glanced back at the dormitory where he had spent the last two years, lifted his luggage without looking back, and left.

Totsuki Tea Ceremony and Cooking Academy is a prestigious culinary institute. Due to its long full name, it's commonly referred to as "Totsuki Academy." It's an extraordinary institution, not to mention its vast campus, it boasts advanced facilities and a faculty that surpasses other schools. It's a culinary school that countless chefs aspire to attend, and Sadao was once a student there.

Yes, he was once a student there. The reason for using "was" is that he's no longer a student at the institution; he got expelled.

At first glance, this may seem unreasonable. Sadao, with his outstanding Chinese culinary skills, how could he end up being expelled?

However, facts are facts, and irrational appearances won't change them.

Although Sadao is proficient in various Chinese cuisines, the problem is, in Totsuki Academy, Chinese food is not popular. Moreover, he is clueless about other cuisines.

Therefore, even though he survived two years in this institution with his extraordinary Chinese cooking skills, he still got expelled due to his grades.

For him, getting expelled is not regrettable. 

However, being expelled smoothly made him realize one thing—he is not the protagonist of this world. He can't cross various barriers and achieve the desired results.

After realizing this, Sadao had no more attachment to Totsuki. Or rather, he began to appreciate the person who drove him out of Totsuki, Roland Chapelle. Honestly, without him, he might have become a steppingstone for Yukihira Souma's growth... that's something he can't accept.

However, when he thinks about the blonde and proud Erina Nakiri no longer having any fate with him, Sadao feels a bit regretful.

But on second thought, since he is not the protagonist, the blonde and proud young lady is even less likely to have any fate with him.

After understanding this, he felt relieved. Since it wasn't originally his, there's no need to think too much about it.

Sadao's mindset is relatively open, and he quickly let go of the last bit of regret in his heart.

Compared to this, how to spend the future is the most important thing for him.

With his culinary skills, he won't starve to death. As for money, he is not lacking. Although he was expelled, many businesses are interested in his culinary skills. He made quite a bit of money by selling patents. At least, he doesn't have to worry about his livelihood for the rest of his life.

Although living the second half of his life in a lazy manner is also possible, it would be too boring.

While he was thinking about these messy things, he arrived at the gate.

Sadao didn't say much. He just planned to step through the gate when a luxurious black car drove in from outside the school gate. He instinctively avoided it. Although the car's speed was not fast, he didn't want to be hit. Staying in the hospital is not a pleasant thing.

However, his action of avoiding it made the golden-haired girl sitting in the car widen her eyes. Did I just see it wrong? Why would he look like he's about to leave Totsuki with a suitcase?

Sadao naturally didn't know that he had just passed by the golden-haired girl, and even if he knew, he probably wouldn't care. Anyway, she is not his, and caring too much is useless.

Compared to the golden-haired girl who can only be viewed from a distance and cannot be played with, what to do in the future is the most important thing for him.

...

"Hisako, did you see that just now?"

The golden-haired girl who passed by Sadao—Erina Nakiri, the "God's Tongue" renowned in the culinary world—felt uneasy after the accidental encounter. However, seeing Hisako's indifferent look, she couldn't help but wonder if she had seen it wrong.

"Erina-sama, are you talking about...?" Without surprise, Hisako showed a puzzled expression. Obviously, she didn't understand why Erina asked such a question.

"Nothing..." Erina lightly shook her head, obviously not intending to say more. However, she had made up her mind. After going back, she would investigate that person's situation.

Thinking about it, the image of their first meeting two years ago came to her mind...

It happened when she was thirteen years old. Despite her young age, due to having the "God's Tongue," she was sent by her grandfather, Senzaemon Nakiri, to inspect students participating in the entrance exam at Totsuki.

To be honest, she didn't want to participate in such inspections. The students participating in the entrance exam had varying levels of culinary skills. Some of them even made her, the chief inspector, feel tortured by their dishes.

But now, looking back, she thinks that participating in that inspection was really great.

If not for that, she wouldn't have been able to taste his uniquely styled dish.

Unlike those second-generation restaurant heirs who are all talk and no skill, he didn't present anything extraordinary. Even to this day, she still firmly believes that the dish he presented was nothing short of a joke.

However, it's precisely that kind of joke that she can't forget to this day.

She can't understand why a seemingly ordinary tea egg could make her shed tears when thinking about her mother. It's just an extremely ordinary tea egg, so why does the dish he presented have such a profound impact on her, surpassing even Chef Saiba, why?

But she never mustered the courage to ask the young man who showed her a gentle smile about the questions in her heart. She could only, within her authority, give him a passing grade.

The cook I acknowledged got expelled?

What a joke!

This kind of thing is absolutely impossible to happen!

Erina refuses to believe that he was so easily defeated, that he succumbed to Totsuki's examination system.

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