Chapter 71
Takumi took a moment to calm himself, but just as he was about to speak again, he noticed Haruto soaking in the pool with only his head above the water.
His eyes widened.
"Suzuki, you... You finished before me too, just like Yukihira!"
Takumi clenched his fists and fixed Haruto with a blazing stare.
"So you’re not someone I can underestimate either. You’re a rival worth challenging!"
Takumi had noticed Haruto when the transfer student first arrived. The two frequently attended the same classes, after all.
Although Haruto’s classroom performance had always been impressive, he had never done anything especially eye-catching.
Takumi had therefore decided that Haruto posed little threat to him and gradually stopped paying much attention.
Now that Haruto had completed the assignment before him, Takumi realized how badly he had underestimated him.
"One day, I’ll defeat both you and Yukihira Soma!"
He lifted his chin and made the declaration at full volume.
Haruto looked at the fighting spirit radiating from every part of Takumi’s body, then lazily raised one hand and gave him a dismissive wave.
"Yeah, sure. Good luck with that."
Takumi immediately bristled at his complete lack of enthusiasm!
"Suzuki! Take me seriously, damn it!"
Haruto sighed and casually cleaned out one ear.
Fortunately, he had already soaked long enough.
Bracing his hands against the edge of the pool, he slowly stood and glanced at Takumi.
"Try beating Soma first."
He then waved toward Soma.
"I’m heading out. Don’t forget—we’re meeting in Marui’s room later."
With that, Haruto left the bath.
All he wanted was to quietly improve his cooking. This sort of rivalry held little meaning for him.
Takumi could remain Soma’s problem.
Watching Haruto leave only made Takumi more irritated.
Soma was not particularly pleased either.
What did Haruto mean by telling Takumi to defeat him first?
Was he implying that he was stronger than Soma?
...
After returning to his room, Haruto set aside his clothes and put away his luggage.
Once everything was organized, he retrieved several apples and some dried meat from Gourmet Restaurant, then headed toward Marui’s room.
A lively gathering always lost something when there was no food to share.
Ryoko, Yuki, and Megumi had already arrived.
Ryoko and Megumi were sitting quietly together and chatting.
Yuki, meanwhile, had let down her hair and was rolling happily across the bed.
She might not have received the luxurious dinner she had dreamed about, but at least she still got to stay in a high-end guest room worth eighty thousand yen a night.
That offered some comfort to her wounded heart.
Haruto opened the door and greeted everyone with a smile.
"I brought some apples and dried meat. Let’s share them."
Yuki immediately sprang upright, her eyes glittering as she stared at the food in his hands.
The apples were bright and glossy, releasing a fresh, sweet fragrance.
The dried meat had a rich reddish-brown color and looked equally appetizing.
"I can’t believe you actually thought to bring apples and jerky! You’re the best, Haruto!"
She eagerly grabbed an apple and took a bite.
The plump flesh burst between her teeth, releasing an abundance of intensely sweet juice that instantly flooded her palate.
Yuki pressed both hands against her cheeks, her eyes curving into delighted crescents.
"So sweet! It tastes just like the one you gave me before!"
Ryoko and Megumi smiled and came forward as well, each taking an apple.
The moment they tasted the fruit, surprise lit their eyes, and both nodded in approval.
"It really is incredibly sweet."
"It’s delicious. I feel like some of my exhaustion has already disappeared."
Haruto picked up a strip of dried meat and offered it to Marui, who was slumped weakly in a chair.
"Here, Marui. Eat some jerky and recover your strength."
It had been made from Regal Mammoth meat and was extremely nutritious. Haruto had brought it specifically for that purpose.
Marui slowly accepted it and thanked him in a feeble voice.
"Thanks, Haruto..."
Ryoko looked at his lifeless expression with concern.
"Marui, have you lost weight?"
Marui raised his head and answered weakly,
"Have I? In that case, please take pity on my frail body... How about we cancel tonight’s gathering, get some proper rest, and prepare ourselves for tomorrow’s assignments?"
All Marui wanted was to collapse into bed.
Otherwise, he had no confidence that he would survive another day of training.
Haruto stepped closer and gently patted his shoulder.
"You really should exercise once in a while, Marui."
"A chef needs a strong body to endure hours of demanding work and continue improving. You can’t keep neglecting your health like this."
Haruto had never followed a proper exercise routine himself, but his circumstances were rather unusual.
Thanks to his Gourmet Cells, he possessed far more stamina and vitality than an ordinary person even without deliberate training.
Marui was briefly tempted by the advice.
Then he remembered the pile of precious culinary books in his room that he still had not finished reading.
Exercise could wait until he had completed those.
...
At that moment, the door opened again.
Soma, Shun, Sato Shoji, Aoki Daigo, and Takumi entered together.
"We’re here! Let’s get this party started!"
"Why does every gathering have to happen in my room?!"
Marui clutched his forehead and released a despairing cry at the sight of them.
Haruto glanced helplessly at Takumi.
The guy really refused to leave them alone!
Then he looked at Marui’s obvious reluctance and could not help laughing.
"It can’t be helped. Everyone’s used to coming here now."
More importantly, although Marui always complained, he quickly became involved in every gathering.
This time was no exception.
Before long, he was playing cards with Yuki, Shoji, and Daigo.
Unfortunately, the day’s assignments had already pushed all four of them to their limits.
Sure enough, less than three minutes after the gathering began, Marui, Yuki, Shoji, and Daigo—who had been enthusiastically playing cards only moments earlier—could no longer keep their eyes open.
One after another, they collapsed across the bed and fell asleep.
"Two minutes and fifteen seconds," Shun announced calmly.
Apparently, he had started timing them the moment the card game began.
"Ah, to be young. They can fall asleep the instant their heads touch the bed."
Haruto chuckled as he looked at the four bodies sprawled in every direction.
"All the exhaustion they accumulated today must have caught up with them at once," Ryoko said, fully understanding how they felt.
She stood and gently covered the four of them with thin blankets.
"Let’s allow them to rest like this until lights-out."
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