[464] The Conflicted Iroha Isshiki

Chapter 464: The Conflicted Iroha Isshiki

"Yuu—ki—!"

Hearing a voice that seemed to come from the depths of the underworld, Yuuki, who had been talking as if she were selling a product, froze, then forced a sheepish smile.

"Ryo... Ryoko! You're back."

"Yes, I'm back, Yui," Ryoko replied, narrowing her eyes with a smile that held no warmth.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Yuuki quickly apologized, "Ryoko, I know I was wrong. Please forgive me this time."

Seeing her best friend so fearful, Ryoko was both exasperated and amused. She rolled her eyes.

"Alright, I forgive you. But if you do this again, I'll really be mad. If you want Hikigaya-kun to cook for you, why should you use my body as a bargaining chip? Use your own."

"Hehe, but Ryoko, your chest is much nicer. Mine isn't as comfortable to touch." Seeing that her friend wasn't angry anymore, Yuuki laughed nervously, but her eyes were still scheming.

Hmm... it seems Ryoko isn't too mad about this. Maybe I can try again in the future?

Ryoko had no idea that her friend hadn't given up on this crazy idea. Hearing Yuuki's words, a blush of embarrassment spread across her face.

"Yuuki, you're awful! How can you say such things out loud?"

She cast a quick glance at Hachiman, who appeared uninterested and focused elsewhere, which made her sigh in relief.

It seems Hikigaya-kun is quite decent after all.

With that thought, Ryoko brought the dish she was holding over.

"Hikigaya-kun, please enjoy."

"Thank you, Sakaki-san," Hachiman replied, accepting the dish from her.

He handed a bowl to his sister, Komachi, before looking at his own.

The taro used in the taro stew is usually a fragrant variety. Its skin is yellow-brown, and its flesh is white, resembling a chestnut. It has a sweet and aromatic flavor with a lingering aftertaste, hence the name 'fragrant taro.'

In the bowl, large white chunks of taro floated in a slightly thick broth, looking extremely appetizing.

Without further ado, Hachiman picked up his chopsticks and looked at his sister. "Komachi, let's try it together, but be careful, it might be hot."

"Mhm!"

Komachi nodded eagerly, picking up her chopsticks.

Gently picking up a piece of taro, which broke apart easily, showed it was well-cooked.

Taking a bite, Hachiman couldn't help but close his eyes in enjoyment.

Using the chopsticks, he could easily break the piece of taro apart. In his mouth, it didn't even require chewing; just a gentle press with his tongue turned the small piece into a smooth paste.

The texture of the paste was incredibly fine, without any coarse fibers, indicating it had been carefully prepared.

After swallowing, a lingering fragrance remained, living up to its name as fragrant taro.

After tasting the rich taro soup, Hachiman smiled and praised it.

"As expected of the seventh seat of the Elite Ten, Isshiki-kun. The cooking skills are impressive."

"Hikigaya-kun, you're too kind. Isshiki-senpai himself has said that his cooking skills are far behind yours," Ryoko chimed in with a smile.

Since Hachiman had chosen her to serve him, she felt she should wait until the Hachiman siblings had finished eating.

Hearing the girl's praise, Hachiman only smiled modestly.

At that moment, a voice filled with surprise reached his ears.

"Eh? Hikigaya-senpai's cooking is even better than my cousin's?"

Looking over, he saw that Iroha, also dressed in server attire, had somehow arrived at his table.

Iroha was genuinely astonished. Her cousin, Isshiki Satoshi, was one of the current Elite Ten at Totsuki Academy. Being one of the Ten meant he was among the best of his peers in cooking.

Now, hearing that Hachiman's cooking skills surpassed Satoshi's, how could she not be surprised?

"You must be Isshiki-senpai's cousin," Ryoko said with a smile at Iroha's astonished expression. "That's right. Isshiki-senpai himself admitted that his cooking skills are far inferior to Hikigaya-kun's."

"Haha, Isshiki-san is just being modest. After all, he is one of the Elite Ten at Totsuki, and his cooking is outstanding," Hachiman replied humbly.

Seeing that Hachiman did not deny that his cooking was superior to Satoshi's, Iroha's eyes widened slightly.

Could Hikigaya-senpai's cooking really be that amazing?

He can cook, play the piano, excel in sports, and is a master of kendo...

This is practically the ideal boyfriend material.

Hmm... but Hayama-senpai is also very good, and he's a bit more handsome.

What should I do?

...

While Iroha was caught in her internal dilemma, Hachiman spoke up again.

"By the way, Sakaki-san, how are you all adapting to working in the restaurant?"

He had invited the Polar Star Dorm students to work at the restaurant he co-founded with Senzaemon after the accommodation training, and unsurprisingly, they had accepted. Although in the hierarchy of the restaurant, the Polar Star Dorm students were at the bottom, they didn't mind. Everyone working there was an excellent chef, including some of the Elite Ten graduates from previous years.

As students who had not yet graduated, they saw this as an unparalleled opportunity to work in such an environment.

"Ah, it's going well. Although it's a bit nerve-wracking, we're working hard to adapt, and the recipes you provided have been very inspiring," Ryoko responded. She was still getting used to working alongside renowned chefs, but it was a valuable experience, especially since they had all gone through field training before, which gave them some work experience.

"It's good to hear you're adapting. After all, I personally invited you all. It's been a while since I checked in, and for that, I apologize," Hachiman said with a smile.

Ryoko quickly waved her hands. "Not at all! We should be thanking you, Hikigaya-kun. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have the chance to work with so many outstanding seniors."

Thanks to Hachiman's recommendation, these students were able to work alongside highly skilled chefs and learn more about cooking techniques and knowledge, which was a rare opportunity. They were genuinely grateful to Hachiman for this chance.

Hachiman just shrugged at her gratitude. "No need to be so polite. You were chosen because of your own abilities. However, I must remind you, Sakaki-san, not to slack off. If you do, you could be replaced."

Being a chef is a lifelong learning journey. If one becomes complacent, progress will halt. At Totsuki, stagnation often leads to elimination.

Ryoko understood Hachiman's words and nodded earnestly.

"Don't worry, Hikigaya-kun. We'll do our best."

"Good luck!" Hachiman encouraged her before continuing to eat his yam soup.

Before long, both Hachiman and Komachi finished their meals. Observing the still-enthusiastic middle-aged women around them, Hachiman felt a bit embarrassed.

"This place isn't ideal for a prolonged stay; we should leave quickly."

After saying goodbye to Ryoko and leaving the payment, Hachiman and Komachi left the unique restaurant.

They continued down the road and arrived at the elevated district. Unlike the previous areas, there were far fewer restaurants here, mostly run by Elite Ten members or those confident in their culinary skills aiming for the Elite Ten.

Erina's restaurant was, of course, located here and operated on a reservation basis. Without a reservation, entry was impossible. However, Erina had already reserved a spot for Hachiman, covering five days in case he decided to come at any time.

Soon, Hachiman found Erina's restaurant. It was an impressive palace-like building, hard to believe it was a temporary structure for the festival.

Reaching the entrance, Hachiman didn't hesitate and walked in confidently with Komachi.

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