Chapter 70
Haruto sprang into action along with the rest of the students.
The most time-consuming part of the steak set was cooking the meat itself.
Thanks to his precise control over heat, Haruto worked with two frying pans at once, placing two steaks in each.
That allowed him to cook four steaks at a time, far more efficiently than most of the other students.
The pans hissed as the steaks quickly developed crisp, deeply seared crusts while remaining perfectly tender and juicy inside.
Before long, Haruto had completed all fifty sets.
He then cooked several extra portions for his own dinner.
The spaghetti he had eaten earlier had not been nearly enough to fill him.
After finishing the additional steak sets, Haruto waved goodbye to Ryoko and the others before heading toward the guest rooms.
Halfway there, a large sign for the resort’s hot spring baths caught his attention.
"A bath sounds good. It’s been a while since I had a proper soak."
He was not truly exhausted, but the day had left him with a little lingering fatigue.
A hot spring would be perfect for relaxing.
Haruto returned to his room to collect his toiletries, then headed back toward the baths.
To his surprise, he encountered Nakiri Erina outside, humming cheerfully as she prepared to enter.
The moment she noticed him, her lively expression stiffened.
She quickly forced herself to appear composed.
"You finished rather quickly."
She had not expected him to complete fifty steak sets so early.
Apparently, Haruto really did possess some ability.
"Your speed was equally impressive, Nakiri-san."
Haruto smiled, then continued as though making casual conversation.
"The steak they provided was excellent, by the way. Even after eating five or six servings, I still wanted more."
Erina blinked.
Then she immediately understood what he meant.
Students were only allowed to prepare their own dinner after completing the fifty required portions.
If Haruto had already cooked and eaten another five or six, then he must have finished the assignment even faster than she had.
She opened her mouth to respond, but Haruto casually waved.
"I should hurry up and soak. I’m supposed to play cards later, so I’ll be going ahead."
He turned and disappeared through the entrance to the men’s bath.
Erina stared at the swaying curtain and gave a quiet huff before entering the women’s side.
...
Haruto undressed in the changing room and opened the door leading into the bathing area.
Clear spring water shimmered beneath the lights, while clouds of white steam drifted through the room.
Dojima Gin sat beside the pool, focused on stretching his body.
Every muscle rose beneath his skin like carefully sculpted stone, smooth in form yet packed with explosive strength.
"Hm? A student has arrived already?"
Hearing the door, Dojima turned toward Haruto.
He stretched his shoulders and explained in a relaxed tone,
"Sorry about this. Maintaining my body while I bathe has been a habit of mine for years."
He had deliberately come much earlier than usual to avoid running into the students attending the camp.
He had not expected Haruto to finish the fifty steak sets so quickly.
His pace was no slower than last year’s fastest student.
Haruto walked toward the water, his gaze briefly passing over Dojima’s physique.
"I see. You’ve certainly kept yourself in excellent condition, Dojima-senpai."
Dojima was not absurdly bulky like the members of the bodybuilding club, but his body carried the unmistakable power of someone who had trained properly for many years.
A confident smile appeared on Dojima’s face.
He was rather proud of his physique.
His gaze then swept over Haruto, and approval flickered in his eyes.
"You’re in excellent shape yourself. That’s unusual for a student your age."
"Do you follow a dedicated training routine?"
Haruto’s body was lean and healthy, with tightly defined muscles radiating youthful strength.
"I just make sure to eat properly."
Haruto answered with complete seriousness.
With Gourmet Cells, eating good food was far more important to him than ordinary exercise.
"Eating properly?"
Dojima raised an eyebrow in confusion.
A balanced diet certainly provided the body with nutrients, but food alone should not have been enough to produce a physique like Haruto’s.
Still, he chose not to question him further.
As Haruto stepped into the pool, Dojima smiled.
"Totsuki has produced quite a few exceptional students this year and last."
Haruto submerged himself in the warm spring water and released a contented breath.
"Last year?"
"Mm."
Dojima nodded.
"The fifty-serving dinner assignment takes place in several kitchens at the same time, so it’s easy to tell who finishes first."
"I normally leave the baths before any of the students arrive, but last year, one boy completed the assignment early enough to find me here as well. He’s currently the Seventh Seat of the Elite Ten."
"He was an interesting fellow. His body was also remarkably well trained, so it was obvious he exercised regularly."
Dojima’s voice carried clear appreciation as he spoke about Isshiki.
Isshiki had even volunteered to help stretch his muscles, making the maintenance session far more effective.
Come to think of it, Haruto had reached the bath at roughly the same time Isshiki had the previous year.
While they were talking, the door suddenly slid open, and Soma strode inside.
"Haruto, I didn’t think you’d finish that fa—"
He stopped when he noticed Dojima stretching beside the pool.
His expression froze for an instant before returning to normal.
"Oh, Dojima-senpai. You’re here too."
After greeting him, Soma eagerly stepped into the water.
The moment the hot spring surrounded his body, he released a long, satisfied sigh.
He turned toward Haruto, who had sunk into the pool until only his head remained above the surface and was resting with his eyes closed.
"Next time, I’m definitely finishing before you."
Haruto opened one eye and glanced at him.
"Good luck with that."
There was absolutely no chance Soma would surpass him in a challenge based purely on speed.
Seeing that Haruto had little interest in continuing the conversation, Soma turned toward Dojima, and the two soon began chatting.
While they were talking, the door opened again.
"Yukihira! I may have been one step behind you this time, but next time I’ll definitely—"
Takumi Aldini burst inside, fully prepared to challenge Soma.
Then he saw Dojima.
The rest of his declaration lodged firmly in his throat.
His confidence vanished, replaced by visible awkwardness. He suddenly had no idea what to do with his hands or where to look.
"C-Chef Dojima..."
Dojima glanced at Takumi before rising to his feet.
"It appears I’ve stayed a little too long. I should be going."
"The camp has only just begun, so make sure you take proper care of yourselves and give your best again tomorrow."
With that, Dojima headed out of the bathing area.
Takumi hurried to the edge of the pool and stared at Soma, who remained perfectly calm.
"Do you even know who that was?"
"Of course. Dojima-senpai." Soma answered casually.
"Y-Yes, technically, but how can you possibly be so calm, Yukihira?!"
Takumi looked ready to tear his hair out, yet could not find a proper way to argue with him.