Chapter 77
After a restful night, the students packed their luggage the following morning and prepared to return to Totsuki.
"It’s finally over. We should have a proper celebration when we get back."
As she stepped out of her room, Yuki looked toward Ryoko and Megumi with a relaxed smile.
"Mm. The fruit juice I started fermenting should be ready by now," Ryoko said with anticipation. "I wonder how it turned out."
She had put a great deal of effort into it.
"I’m sure it’ll taste amazing," Yuki replied seriously. "The fruit Haruto gave us was already delicious."
Just talking about it made her hungry again.
At that moment, Haruto and the others approached.
Yuki’s eyes immediately lit up, only for her to notice that Haruto was carrying a single small bag.
"Wait, what happened to all the fruit you brought? Don’t tell me you left it in your room."
"Oh, that? We happened to finish all of it. I didn’t forget anything."
Haruto sounded slightly helpless.
He still had plenty of fruit, of course, but it was stored inside Gourmet Restaurant.
"I see..."
Yuki looked deeply disappointed.
So much for enjoying more of that delicious fruit!
Ryoko glanced at her, then reminded everyone, "Make sure you check your belongings before we leave. It’ll be troublesome if anyone forgets something."
Totsuki Resort was a long way from the academy. Anything left behind would be difficult to retrieve.
The moment she finished speaking, Soma slapped a hand against his forehead.
"Ah! I left my headband in the room!"
He spun around and sprinted back toward the guest rooms, returning shortly afterward with his white headband in hand.
...
After checking several times to make sure nothing had been forgotten, the Polar Star residents finally prepared to leave.
At the same time, the Totsuki graduates who had been invited as instructors had packed their own belongings and were preparing to return to their restaurants.
The two groups happened to meet in the hotel lobby.
Though calling it a coincidence would not have been entirely accurate.
The graduates had deliberately waited there.
After observing the students through several days of demanding assignments, they had gained a clear understanding of each person’s skill and potential.
Naturally, they wanted to make an early approach toward the most promising juniors.
Soma received offers from Mizuhara Fuyumi and Sena Hiromi, but immediately turned them both down.
He still intended to inherit Restaurant Yukihira, after all.
Megumi was even more popular.
Donato Gotoda, Sekimori Hitoshi, and Inui Hinako all wanted to recruit her.
Haruto’s talent had also attracted the attention of several graduates.
However, after spending time around him, they had realized that his love of cooking seemed primarily driven by his desire to satisfy his own appetite.
Someone like Haruto was unlikely to accept an offer to work beneath another chef, so none of them bothered approaching him.
Haruto was unaware of their reasoning, but he did not particularly care.
As far as he was concerned, his performance during the training camp had been solid but unremarkable.
It was only natural that he had not received much attention.
After a brief conversation, the students and graduates said their goodbyes.
The Polar Star group left the hotel, boarded their assigned coach, and began the journey back to Totsuki.
By the time they reached the academy, it was already past four in the afternoon.
After stepping off the coach, the Polar Star residents gathered together and prepared to return to the dormitory.
To Haruto’s surprise, Takumi and his younger brother Isami approached alongside Soma.
"Why are the Aldini brothers coming with us?" Haruto asked Soma.
He felt as though Takumi had been appearing around him far too often lately.
Soma casually spread his hands.
"Takumi and I happened to be on the same coach, so I invited him and Isami to celebrate with us at Polar Star."
Haruto nodded and said nothing more.
...
After walking for around fifteen minutes, they arrived at Polar Star Dormitory.
Isshiki Satoshi, currently its only second-year resident, was already waiting outside wearing nothing but his usual apron.
The moment he saw everyone return safely, visible relief crossed his face.
"I’m glad to see all of you made it back safely."
"Isshiki-senpai..."
"We’re back..."
The Polar Star residents greeted him with complete calm.
Takumi and Isami, however, had never seen Isshiki dressed like this before.
Both brothers froze where they stood.
A moment later, Takumi raised a trembling finger toward him.
"I-Is it really acceptable to dress like that?"
He had already recognized Isshiki.
The Seventh Seat of the Elite Ten.
Yet one of Totsuki’s most distinguished students was apparently this carefree—or perhaps shameless—in private.
The sight completely overturned everything Takumi had imagined about the Elite Ten.
Haruto glanced at him calmly.
"What’s so surprising? This is perfectly normal."
Takumi stared at him in disbelief.
’Normal? In what world is this normal?’
Isshiki saw nothing wrong with his outfit either and greeted the brothers naturally.
"You must be the Aldini brothers. Welcome to Polar Star’s celebration party."
Shun had already called ahead and informed him that Soma had invited Takumi and Isami, so their arrival did not surprise him.
"It’s nice to meet you, Isshiki-senpai."
Takumi and Isami returned the greeting stiffly.
Isshiki smiled, nodded, and beckoned everyone inside.
"Fumio-san should have dinner prepared by now. Let’s celebrate everyone surviving the residential training camp!"
...
The group pushed open the doors to Polar Star, where Fumio had already been waiting for them in the main hall.
A warm smile appeared on her face as she looked over the dusty, travel-worn students and saw that every one of them had returned.
"You’ve all had a rough journey. Judging by your faces, that camp must have worked you to the bone."
After checking that everyone was all right, Fumio turned toward Takumi and Isami, who still looked somewhat reserved, and waved them over warmly.
"Welcome to Polar Star. There’s no need to be so stiff. Make yourselves at home."
"Thank you very much for having us."
The brothers responded politely, though some of the tension left their expressions.
Fumio nodded and continued,
"Tonight, everyone can eat as much as they like. We’re going to celebrate properly."
"All right!"
Daigo rubbed his hands together eagerly.
"We finally get to eat Fumio-san’s cooking!"
Shoji’s eyes lit up as he nodded enthusiastically.
Everyone else was equally excited.
Fumio had lived at Polar Star for decades, and after spending so many years surrounded by talented student chefs, her own cooking had naturally become exceptional.
Fumio merely waved a hand.
"Well, tonight’s feast wasn’t made by me."
The Polar Star residents—including Isshiki—looked at her in confusion, unable to guess who had prepared it.
Only Haruto glanced toward Soma with anticipation rising within him.
After all, they were about to taste the cooking of Yukihira Joichiro—the man once known as the "Asura."