Bai Mo's Sumeru Butter Chicken had made waves at Totsuki Academy.
But it wasn't his cooking that stole the spotlight—it was the rare ingredients he wielded. Everyone was buzzing with curiosity about his Sumeru Spice Fruit, clamoring to buy some from him. Unfortunately for them, after the morning's opening ceremony, Bai Mo vanished from the venue.
Since he was already at Totsuki, he figured it was the perfect chance to sharpen his skills. Working at the Midnight Diner had taught him some culinary tricks, but as Kaoru Kobayashi had pointed out, Totsuki's systematic training was the real deal for mastering the craft. With Director Senzaemon Nakiri's approval, Bai Mo followed a basic techniques instructor to dive into the fundamentals.
The essentials of cooking were broken down into eight skills: knife work, ingredient preparation, marinating, coating, heat control, thickening, seasoning, and plating. For knife work, Bai Mo didn't need much practice—his blade skills, honed for combat and dissection, were already precise, just needing a touch of refinement for the kitchen. As for the other skills, with the instructor's guidance, his natural talent, and his superhuman senses, he made rapid progress. After an afternoon of training, he had a solid grasp of the techniques. Now, it was just a matter of practice and mastery.
Exhausted from the day's work, Bai Mo headed toward a building within Totsuki's grounds—the Polar Star Dormitory, the academy's only boarding facility. Managed by Fumio Daimido, it operated independently, with all expenses handled by the residents themselves. Since Bai Mo was a commuter student with an irregular schedule, he might occasionally need to stay overnight. Director Nakiri had thoughtfully arranged a room for him at Polar Star. It might not see much use, but having it ready was a gesture of consideration.
Riding his motorcycle, Bai Mo pulled up to the dormitory and rang the bell.
"Coming, coming! Are you the new tenant?"
The door swung open, revealing an elderly woman with a spiky, sea-urchin-like hairstyle held in place by a headband.
"I'm Fumio Daimido, the dorm manager. You must be the new tenant, right? Do you know the rules?"
Bai Mo was well aware of Polar Star's tradition: every new resident had to win over Fumio with a dish of their own. But he had no intention of jumping through that hoop.
"Sorry, I'm Bai Mo, a commuter student recommended by the Director. He said he's already arranged a room for me. I'm just here to check it out."
"A commuter student!" Fumio eyed him up and down. "To think Totsuki would break decades of tradition and allow a commuter system for you. What kind of charm do you have, I wonder?"
"You'll find out in time," Bai Mo replied with a grin. "I've been practicing at the stove all afternoon, and I'm covered in sweat. Mind if I take a shower first?"
"No problem at all." Since the Director had already vouched for him, Fumio didn't make things difficult. She pulled a key from her pocket. "Your room is 301. The bathroom's on the first floor."
Thanking her, Bai Mo took the key, checked out his room on the third floor, and headed straight for the bathroom. He felt sticky and uncomfortable—his martial arts training hadn't yet reached the level where he could suppress physical exertion like sweating, so a shower was a must. Besides, in Japan, soaking in a hot bath was a cultural treat, and Bai Mo wasn't one to pass up a chance to relax.
And sometimes, there were unexpected bonuses.
Like now.
Pushing open the bathroom door, he froze. A girl stood in the bath, shrouded in a haze of steam that seemed almost like a holy glow. His instincts kicked in, and before he could stop himself, he caught the rubber duck she hurled at him and quickly shut the door.
By the time the girl, now wrapped in a towel, emerged from the bathroom, Bai Mo was long gone, leaving only the rubber duck at the doorstep. Megumi Tadokoro's face flushed crimson as she spotted it.
When she changed and made her way to the common area, she found Bai Mo casually leaning against the kitchen doorway, watching something with interest.
"Oh, you're here," he said, glancing at her before turning back to the kitchen, where the original protagonist was undergoing his dorm entry test.
"Um, about earlier…" Megumi stammered, her cheeks burning. "Did you… see anything?"
"Everything," Bai Mo replied bluntly.
Her face turned an even deeper shade of red, practically glowing. Wasn't he supposed to say he didn't see anything?
"Since you're out, I'll go take my shower," he said, turning to leave.
"W-Wait!" Megumi called, but no words followed. She stood there, frozen, her thoughts spiraling. Mom, I think I'm doomed to stay single forever!
By the time Bai Mo returned from his shower, the Polar Star residents were gathered, gearing up for a welcome party. Their eyes widened when they saw him. Two standout transfer students—both joining their dorm on the same day? Talk about luck!
And compared to Soma Yukihira, everyone was far more intrigued by the rare ingredients Bai Mo had in his possession.
Before they could invite him to join the festivities, Bai Mo spoke up. "Sorry, I can't stay for the welcome party tonight. I've got a little sister waiting at home, so I need to head back."
He paused, then added, "As an apology, take these." He reached into his backpack by the couch, pulled out two Sumeru Spice Fruits, and tossed one to Isshiki Hui before placing the other in Megumi's hand.
"See you next time. I'm looking forward to tasting even better dishes from you all."
Though disappointed, the Polar Star crew didn't try to stop him. After all, he'd left them with such valuable gifts, and who could argue with a guy rushing home to take care of his sister?
But more than that, their curiosity was now entirely fixated on the mysterious Sumeru Spice Fruits.
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T/N:
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