Loki puffed out her chest proudly, the very thing she was most dissatisfied with, and hummed in triumph.
"After you mentioned Erina Nakiri yesterday, I did some digging," she said smugly. "I found Erina Nakiri online. Naturally, I also found the Food Wars! manga."
Emiya suddenly understood and gave her a thumbs-up. "So, Lady Loki, you're in?"
"Of course," Loki said confidently. "So where are you taking me? Soma versus Ikumi? Erina Nakiri versus the Hot Pot Research Society? Or the Autumn Election?"
She even knew Soma and Ikumi now?
Just how deep did she dig?
Emiya shook his head. "None of those. It's a small, private shokugeki."
Loki immediately caught on. "Megumi Tadokoro and Kojiro Shinomiya?"
"That's right."
"I see," Loki said, stroking her chin. "So it's already the Tootsuki Academy Training Camp arc."
She agreed without hesitation.
"Fine by me. Even if it's a private shokugeki, I'm still interested."
After all, the chefs of that world cooked as if they were performing magic.
She wanted to taste it herself.
"Let's go," Loki said, putting away her phone and standing up from the sofa.
Nyanko-sensei and Hinoe both relaxed when they realized Loki wasn't going to harm them. Hinoe, in particular, was stunned watching Emiya chat casually with a god.
She still disliked men.
But she knew Emiya had no malicious intent toward Natsume and had no interest in the Book of Friends.
That alone eased her mind.
More than that, she felt happy for Natsume.
If Natsume ever ran into serious trouble, he would have someone like Emiya to rely on.
"Let's go," Emiya said. He snapped his fingers and took everyone out of his world.
They arrived in the Food Wars! world.
Inside Erina Nakiri's room, Emiya and the others appeared. Erina Nakiri and Hisako Arato, who had been waiting, immediately came forward.
Erina froze slightly.
She had assumed only Emiya, Takashi Natsume, and Nyanko-sensei would come.
She hadn't expected two unfamiliar women as well.
Were they from other worlds too?
She quickly recovered. "Welcome to the Tootsuki Resort, everyone."
Calling them "everyone" was the safest option.
Emiya smiled and introduced them.
"Erina, this is Hinoe. She's Natsume's friend. A youkai."
Hinoe nodded, then hugged Takashi Natsume's arm and laughed softly. "Nice to meet you. I'm Hinoe-Natsume's girlfriend."
Natsume's face twisted in disgust. He raised a hand and pushed her face away. "Please don't joke like that, Miss Hinoe. Miss Nakiri will misunderstand."
Erina looked completely lost. If not for Natsume's reaction, she would have believed it.
Emiya ignored them and continued. "Erina, let me properly introduce the next one. This is Loki, founder of the Loki Familia from the labyrinth city of Orario."
"Loki?" Erina paused.
She instinctively thought of the Norse God of Mischief.
But that Loki was male.
This one must just share the name.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Loki," Erina said, regaining her composure. She straightened her posture and extended her hand politely.
"Oh, right," Emiya added casually. "I forgot to mention-Loki is a god."
Erina staggered.
She almost fell over.
Why didn't you say that earlier?
Her thoughts spiraled. She hurriedly pulled her hand back, flustered. "I-I'm terribly sorry, Lady Loki. I-I was rude just now."
Loki smiled and patted her shoulder. "It's fine. I'm not like Emiya boy. I'm very generous to cute girls."
She loves cute girls a bit too much, Emiya thought.
He'd only said it like that because he knew Loki wouldn't make things difficult for Erina.
Hisako Arato stood stiffly to the side, barely daring to breathe.
A god.
Emiya had brought an actual god to a private shokugeki.
This was completely beyond expectations.
"Has the shokugeki started?" Emiya asked.
Erina calmed herself and shook her head. "Not yet. Everyone has been waiting for you. It can begin anytime now."
Emiya turned to Loki. "What do you think?"
Loki smiled. "What are we waiting for?"
Erina nodded immediately. "Please follow me."
She and Hisako led everyone out of the room, through a long corridor, and into a spacious cooking hall.
The room was filled with cooking equipment and ingredients. Several long dining tables were arranged neatly.
On the left stood a visibly nervous Megumi Tadokoro and a curious Soma Yukihira.
On the right was Kojiro Shinomiya, calm and composed, glasses reflecting the light.
Gin Dojima and several other Tootsuki graduates were also present.
They stood in two rows, greeting Emiya's group as they arrived. Clearly, they had already been briefed.
Emiya and the others took their seats.
Emiya, Loki, Takashi Natsume, Hinoe, and Nyanko-sensei.
Five judges.
No chance of a tie.
Gin Dojima stepped forward once they were seated. "The contestants are ready. The theme is French vegetable cuisine. If there are objections, please speak now."
"No objections," Emiya said.
Loki smiled at Megumi. "I don't mind either. I'm looking forward to the dish this cute girl makes."
Takashi Natsume said politely, "I'm here to learn. Please do your best."
"I don't care," Hinoe said calmly.
Nyanko-sensei snorted. "Hurry up. I'm starving."
Since Nyanko-sensei wasn't in human form, the chefs stared.
Even though Erina had warned them, seeing a talking cat in person was still hard to accept.
Then-
"A cat... the cat is talking!"
Megumi Tadokoro stared at Nyanko-sensei in shock.
Her eyes rolled back.
She fainted on the spot.
Soma Yukihira caught her in a panic. "Megumi! This is not the time to faint!"
She was the head chef.
If she collapsed now, the match was over before it began.
They would lose without a fight.
That would be too cruel.
Emiya covered his face.
He knew Megumi was timid.
But fainting just from a talking cat?
That was beyond expectations.
He looked at Erina Nakiri.
"Didn't you give her a heads-up beforehand?"
Erina looked embarrassed.
She had.
She just hadn't expected Megumi Tadokoro to be even more timid than she imagined.