A week later, the day before the birthday banquet was to begin.
"Time was tight, so I only managed to rush out two outfits for you. You'll have to wash and change them frequently. If you really can't manage, ask big sister Ikaros for help."
As she helped Okabe with his new clothes and gave him instructions, Miu Fūrinji's eyes flashed with surprise, looking at the boy who was now considerably more handsome in the well-fitting attire.
Okay, thank you. The clothes fit perfectly.
Feeling Miu Fūrinji's hands adjusting his clothes, Okabe scratched his head awkwardly. In two lifetimes, this was the first time he had ever worn tailor-made clothes, and he had to admit that Miu Fūrinji's craftsmanship was superb.
"'Fine feathers make fine birds,' as they say. I never really understood that phrase before, but now I get it.
It's a pity Ryōzanpaku is a bit short on money, otherwise I could have bought you some better fabric to make them. You would look even more impressive."
"This is already great. If it were any better, I'm afraid some jealous folks might steal it.
Hearing Miu Fūrinji's somewhat regretful words, Okabe quickly waved his hands.
He had a high opinion of the tailor-made clothes, especially since they were filled with the girl's ardent feelings. To him, no expensive brand name could compare to this outfit.
"You're exaggerating."
"If you're truly grateful, repay me with a grand meal in the future. I'm a practical person, you know.
Hearing Okabe's words of praise, the corners of Miu Fūrinji's mouth turned up slightly.
She was in a very good mood at that moment. For one's efforts to be so cherished by the recipient is an incredibly happy thing for the one who put in the effort.
"I will. Once my cooking skills improve, I'll definitely prepare an incredibly luxurious feast for you and the masters at Ryōzanpaku!"
Looking at the smiling Miu Fūrinji, a smile appeared on Okabe's face as well.
"Then it's a promise. I'll look forward to that day.
The journey from Ryōzanpaku to the Nakiri Estate wasn't particularly far.
Setting out in the morning, one could arrive around noon.
However, because everyone he was familiar with at the Nakiri Estate had left, Okabe hadn't been back once in three years. Today was his first time returning to the Nakiri Estate.
"This brings back memories. It feels like three years have passed in an instant."
With a canvas bag on his back containing a change of clothes, Okabe stood at the gate of the Nakiri Mansion, unable to help but feel emotional as he looked at the lively scene inside.
Okabe!
Just as Okabe was standing at the gate, filled with emotion, a familiar call rang in his ears.
"Alice, long time no see. You seem to have grown quite a bit.
Turning his head, Okabe saw a lovely, graceful young girl who had clearly grown much taller standing by the side gate. It was none other than Alice Nakiri.
From running, a faint blush appeared on her fair cheeks. The corners of her mouth were turned high in an undisguised, joyous smile as she quickly arrived in front of Okabe.
"Of course! It's been three years. I'm nine years old now, so naturally I've grown."
Stopping in her tracks, Alice Nakiri rolled her eyes speechlessly upon hearing Okabe's words.
As someone of mixed Japanese and Northern European descent, she was developing even faster than Erina Nakiri.
She was six or seven centimeters taller, and her features had matured considerably. Standing before Okabe now, she looked like an elf emerging from ice and snow.
"Besides, if we're talking about growing up, you're the more exaggerated one!"
"You're already 1.6 meters tall at only nine years old! I bet you'll grow to be 1.8 meters. You've already become a very stylish, handsome guy."
As she spoke, Alice Nakiri gently nudged Okabe with her arm, but immediately felt her arm hit something hard, a surprised expression appearing on her face.
"Looks like you've been training well at Ryōzanpaku these past few years. Your muscles are so hard!"
Her fingers tapped lightly on Okabe's arm, feeling the firmness beneath the softness, and the girl couldn't help but exclaim.
Back then, she had given up on Ryōzanpaku and chosen to go to Denmark with her father. Just recently, she had even dominated the most prestigious international competition in the field of molecular gastronomy.
Her original plan was to show off to the two of them after she returned, to let them witness her growth, but now it seemed that everyone was doing quite well.
We won't even talk about Erina Nakiri for now.
After returning from her trip abroad, her cooking skills were absurdly high. The dish she made at home a couple of days ago amazed everyone, even causing Senzaemon Nakiri, who has extremely high standards for food, to have a 'clothes-bursting' reaction.
As for Okabe, three years at Ryōzanpaku had made him tall and handsome, but his cooking skills were an unknown.
But if he spent all three years training, he probably didn't have time for cooking, right? If that's the case, then her cooking skills probably aren't the worst among the three of them.
"Of course. You have no idea how much I've suffered these three years. For the first month I was there, I suspected I hadn't gone to Ryōzanpaku but had stumbled into an endless hell, walking the line between life and death every day."
Facing Alice Nakiri, Okabe didn't hold back as he recalled his past experiences, a touch of emotion appearing on his face.
"Was it really that brutal? Come on in. Mother misses you too. Speaking of which, you haven't come to see us once in these three years. It made me so lonely."
Thinking about how she hadn't seen Okabe in Denmark for three years, their contact limited to phone calls, Alice Nakiri's lips pouted in clear dissatisfaction.
"My daily training at Ryōzanpaku has quotas. I only get one or two days off a month, which isn't nearly enough time to visit you guys and come back."
Following Alice Nakiri into the Nakiri Estate, Okabe spread his hands helplessly upon hearing the girl's complaint.
"Hmph, just excuses!"
Alice Nakiri knew Okabe didn't have it easy, so she didn't really press the issue, instead leading him towards Leonora Nakiri's room.
"But old man Nakiri really knows how to put on a show. They're already starting preparations today for tomorrow's birthday banquet. I even saw a few Africans on the way here.
Okabe's voice was filled with emotion as he watched the staff arranging tables and chairs in the courtyard and guests of various skin colors coming and going.
To say nothing else, the sheer number of tables and chairs set up in the courtyard was already in the hundreds.
Inviting so many people for a birthday banquet? I guess that's the Nakiri family for you.
"Of course. People have come from countries all over the world. Many of them are friends of my grandfather from his younger days.
I heard that during the banquet, young chefs from the new generation will go on stage to demonstrate their cooking skills. If they do well, they can even receive exquisite gifts prepared by the Nakiri family."
Hearing Okabe's emotional sigh, Alice Nakiri shared the information she had gathered recently.
As the absolute hegemon of Japan's culinary world, the Nakiri family holds a certain degree of influence all over the world.
Now that the head of the Nakiri family is holding a birthday banquet, quite a few influential parties are willing to pay their respects, and various factors have combined to create the grand occasion we see today.
"Little Okabe, long time no see!"
And just as Okabe and Alice Nakiri were crossing the busy courtyard while talking, a woman's voice with a distinct accent came from a side corridor.
The two followed the sound and saw Leonora Nakiri standing there.
She was as radiant as ever, with time having left no trace on her face. Her long white hair was elegantly tied up, and she was wearing a simple yet luxurious deep purple slip dress, which complemented her wine-red eyes and added a touch of enchanting charm.
However, her face was currently filled with pleasant surprise.
"Aunt Leonora!"
Seeing Leonora Nakiri, a joyful expression also appeared on Okabe's face. He then saw her run towards him, pull him directly into an embrace, and press his head against her ample bosom.
And Okabe? He only felt an elegant fragrance wash over him, and when he came to his senses again, he was tightly enveloped by something incredibly soft, making it a bit difficult to breathe.
These well-endowed women really had surprisingly similar ways of greeting people! They all liked to catch him off guard and press his head into the most prominent parts of their bodies.
"You've really grown so much taller. I haven't seen you in three years, and you've already become a handsome young man. Standing next to Alice, you two look like a perfect match."
Fortunately, Leonora Nakiri didn't hug him for too long. She playfully ruffled his hair for a moment before letting go, then seriously sized up the Okabe in front of her.
Looking at his significantly taller stature and his strong, perfect face, she reached out, pulled Alice to stand beside him, and couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
"Mother! What nonsense are you talking about!"
Hearing Leonora Nakiri's words, Alice Nakiri's face turned a little red, but she didn't refute them. Instead, she peeked at Okabe's face from the corner of her eye.
"Please don't joke about us like that. If you keep going, I might actually take it seriously."
"And would it be so bad if you did?"
"That's true. After all, Alice is a very exceptional woman."
"You're very exceptional too..."
The two of them bantered back and forth, completely oblivious to the fact that Alice Nakiri's face beside them had turned completely red.
She looked as if she wanted to say something, but the words wouldn't come out when they reached her lips, so she could only hold it in.
"But time really flies. Watching you grow from a small child into what you are today... to think nine years have already passed."
"Nine years is a long time. After staying at Ryōzanpaku for so long and going through so much, it would be terrible if I were still like a child.
"No matter how old or tall you get, you'll always be a child in my heart."
After chatting for a long time, looking at Okabe, who had shed his childishness and become much more mature and steady, Leonora Nakiri couldn't help but sigh with emotion, a hint of nostalgia in her eyes.
She remembered back then when he had even drunk her milk.
Yet, in the blink of an eye, Okabe had already become a young adult.
It wasn't just physical maturity; his mental fortitude also far surpassed that of a typical nine-year-old.
"What's going on over there?"
Passing through several corridors, the surroundings gradually became more lively, with groups of two or three people passing by from time to time. Okabe and the others arrived at the central area of the Nakiri Estate.
Single-person tables and chairs were arranged in all directions, each spaced two meters apart, with only a central area left empty.
In the empty area stood two cooking stations.
At that moment, a young man was demonstrating his skills at the right-hand cooking station.
A crowd of people was gathered below, watching.
Seeing this scene, Okabe stopped in his tracks, his gaze drawn to the young man at the cooking station.
"That's incredible!"
"Such clean and precise knife work. I wonder who his master is."
The man's technique was masterful. In a flash of his knife, a carp was scaled and deboned, leaving only two thin fillets attached to the tail, drawing gasps of admiration from the crowd.
"This is the place for tomorrow's banquet cooking demonstration. Since many famous figures from the culinary world are attending, a lot of skilled young chefs are gearing up for it."
Hearing Okabe's question, Alice Nakiri, who had already familiarized herself with the situation, answered.
Fame and fortune.
People in this world chase nothing more than these two things.
One of the main reasons the Nakiri family's banquet is so popular is this demonstration stage, which attracts a large number of outstanding young chefs.
Everyone wants to put on a good show, create an unparalleled dish, and thus make a name for themselves, becoming the 'model child' everyone talks about.
Today is just a rehearsal.
After all, cooking in front of so many people, without prior experience, would likely cause nervousness and lead to a poor performance.
To prevent this from happening, many chefs who intend to demonstrate their skills come here to build their confidence.
The young man was one of them.
"Your knife work for processing the fish is all wrong. Why don't you stop embarrassing yourself up there?"
Just as Okabe was lost in thought, pondering the reason for the Nakiri family's demonstration stage, a crisp voice rang out, directed at the young man on stage who had just finished preparing the fish.
Everyone immediately turned their gaze to find that the speaker was a young woman, likely seventeen or eighteen years old, in the prime of her youth.
"What did you say?!"
Hearing the woman's words, the young man's expression changed instantly. A sense of public humiliation welled up inside him, and he slammed his cleaver into the cutting board, glaring angrily.
"Judging by your preparation method and the cross-hatch cuts, you're planning to make Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish, right? If so, you were wrong from the moment you chose the fish."
The young woman walked towards the stage as she spoke, her expression calm. Every word she said captivated the audience, who now looked at the young man with strange glances.
She had utterly disparaged his cooking right from the start. If he pretended not to hear and didn't demand an explanation, he would lose face completely!
"Although Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish evolved over time to use mandarin fish, the earliest version was made with carp.
You said I chose wrong from the start. Then please tell me, where did I go wrong?"
Seeing that the challenger was a young girl, the young man's expression didn't improve much, though his clenched fists relaxed slightly. His voice carried a cold, questioning tone.
In this situation, his only option was to argue his case logically, using his culinary knowledge to refute her. Otherwise, he would become the laughingstock of the event.
"I never said carp was wrong. I said the fish you chose was wrong.
This carp weighs about two and a half catties, which is on the smaller side for a carp.
You chose a smaller carp like this to show off your exquisite knife skills, but the point of Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish is the meat. By choosing such a small carp, how much meat will there actually be to eat in the end?"
"And as for the knife skills you wanted to display, leaving so much meat on the fish bone is itself a sign of poor technique."
As she spoke, the young woman strode forward, picked up the knife from the cutting board, and simultaneously took the fish bone he had discarded and tossed it into the air.
The next moment.
A silver light flashed. The fish bone fell again, but this time it was noticeably thinner than before, and two perfect fillets of fish fell along with it.
They were about two millimeters thick, without a single bone. In other words, the young man had wasted at least that much meat when preparing the fish.
"Flying Blade Method!"
Okabe's pupils constricted as he watched the knife technique the young woman executed.
This was the exact Flying Blade Method that Shigure Kōsaka had taught him. After Shigure Kōsaka, Shigure Kōsaka, and himself, this was the fourth time he had seen someone use it.
It seemed this technique was a widely known basic skill in the culinary world, one that any reasonably skilled chef could master.
"That's Grandpa Anqing's knife technique! Does she have some connection to him?"
Alice Nakiri also recognized the knife technique the young woman was using. Her mouth was slightly agape with surprise, wondering if she had a connection to Grandpa Anqing.
"You left this much meat abandoned on the bone and still want to show off your knife work? Don't you find that a bit ridiculous."
The cleaver traced a beautiful arc in her hand before landing firmly on the cutting board. The young woman's voice was crisp, with a hint of mockery.
"After talking about skill, let's talk about technique. It's true that Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish is cut with the 'wheat ear' method. That's not wrong.
But your fish fillets are already cut very small. If you use such a fine 'wheat ear' cut, they'll fry dry the moment they hit the hot oil. Why not cut them a bit larger.
As she spoke, the young woman picked up the fish the young man had just cut and presented it to the crowd. The surface area of the fillets was clearly too small, covered in a dense, finely detailed 'wheat ear' pattern.
If you coat such fine pieces in flour and deep-fry them, many will inevitably break off. It wouldn't matter if you were eating at home, since it all ends up in your stomach anyway.
But this is a banquet. If the final dish you serve is a small, broken Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish, you'll be utterly humiliated in front of everyone.
Having it pointed out during practice, embarrassing yourself in front of only a small crowd, could be considered a blessing in disguise.
The young man's face alternated between pale and flushed. As a chef, he knew the young woman was correct, and he understood that while her words were arrogant, she was actually saving him.
"My apologies. This is indeed my failing. I came up here to make a fool of myself with my inadequate skills. Thank you for your advice, miss."
Giving a slight bow to the young woman, the young man left the competition area and disappeared in moments, his face burning with shame.
My master clearly said I was doing great when I left the mountain. Why am I running into all these problems at the Nakiri Estate and being called out in public? Master, you've led me astray!
The young woman watched the departing man and the leftover fish on the station with a slightly stunned expression. He just ran off and left this mess for her? What was that about?!
With no other choice, she put on a pained expression, rinsed the prepared carp with water, and then added salt and cooking wine to marinate it.
"This is the only daughter of the Chinese Special Grade Chef, Lan Tianqiu. Her name is Lan Kexin. She just turned 18 and is said to already be a First-Class Chef."
Just as the scene erupted in excitement, Leonora Nakiri's voice sounded in Okabe's ear, introducing the identity of the person before them.
"Lan Kexin? Lan Tianqiu's only daughter? Who is this Lan Tianqiu?"
Okabe voiced his confusion. For some reason, the name sounded familiar. He remembered there was a master chef with the surname Lan in Chuuka Ichiban!, named Lan Fei Hong!
Since this world is a sequel to Chuuka Ichiban!, it was highly likely that these skilled chefs with the same surname were descendants of those characters.
After all, cooking is a profession that heavily emphasizes lineage and mentorship. Very few self-taught chefs can rise to high positions; behind every great chef, there's usually an even greater one.
"Lan Tianqiu is a true genius. He became famous as a youth, and no one of his age could match him. You could say he was the absolute hegemon of his generation.
At the age of 27, he passed the quadrennial Special Grade Chef examination in Guangdong Province to become a Special Grade Chef. He later gained the recognition of the Legendary Cooking Utensil, the Garuda Knife. His current strength is immeasurable, making him one of the top masters in the world!"
Hearing Okabe's confused question, Leonora Nakiri thought for a moment before answering.
Lan Tianqiu was a figure from their era; she had heard of his great name since she was a child.
It's said that if he hadn't insisted on taking the Special Grade Chef examination in Guangdong, the most difficult region, he could have become a Special Grade Chef in his early twenties with his skills.
However, after obtaining the Legendary Cooking Utensil, the Garuda Knife, he resigned from his job at a restaurant and began traveling to various cities in China.
"What an incredible person."
Upon hearing that he had earned the recognition of the Legendary Cooking Utensil, the Garuda Knife, Okabe was certain: this Lan Tianqiu was a descendant of Lan Fei Hong from Chuuka Ichiban!.
And this young lady on the stage is his daughter?
To have the skills of a First-Class Chef at such a young age, and to have acted with such confidence on stage... she must be a famous master among the younger generation.
"Let's go. There's nothing else worth watching. I'll take you to your room."
Seeing Okabe's gaze fixed on Lan Kexin with sparkling interest, completely ignoring her, Alice Nakiri grabbed his arm in dissatisfaction and pulled him away from the scene.
"Oh my, is someone jealous? How cute. Ikaros, let's head back too."
Watching Alice Nakiri pull Okabe away by the arm with a slightly sour expression, a fond, knowing smile appeared on Leonora Nakiri's face.
Then she turned to Ikaros beside her and pulled her along to follow.
"Kexin, what are you doing here? I'm heading out for a bit. Want to come? Didn't you say you wanted to check out Akihabara?"
Not long after Okabe left, Lan Kexin was still on stage, working up a sweat, expertly using the remaining carp to prepare the representative Suzhou cuisine dish, Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish.
Just as she finished the dish, a familiar voice came from behind her. She turned her head and saw it was a fellow enthusiast she had met at the Nakiri Estate the day before, and immediately called out.
"Wait for me to go back and change!"
_____
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