The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky with hues of twilight. Another day ended, the sun taking its final bow.

Aruchi Yuzu, exhausted from the day, returned to her room, thinking how wonderful it was that the training would end tomorrow.

She opened her phone to numerous unread messages.

Brother: [Heard something happened at the exam venue.]

Brother: [I’ll pick you up tomorrow.]

K1 for merit to help me graduate: [Small matter.]

K1 for merit to help me graduate: [Cat ok.jpg]

Dr. Agasa: [Sorry, Yuzu, I didn’t tell you about Shinichi. He’s really unlucky.]

Dr. Agasa: [A terrorist organization gave him a drug that made him like this. Dr. Kousuke told you not to get involved with that organization. I didn’t expect you to meet Shinichi even though you’re not in Mihana Town anymore.]

Dr. Agasa: [Actually, it’s good that you know. Could you ask Dr. Miyano about the drug that shrinks people? She’s more knowledgeable about pharmaceuticals, but our fields don’t overlap, so I don’t know how to contact her.]

K1 for merit to help me graduate: [That drug is indeed amazing.]

K1 for merit to help me graduate: [Wait.]

K1 for merit to help me graduate: [Kousuke-nii told me not to get involved. He said Dr. Miyano knows more. Dr. Miyano will be back to Japan soon. I’ll send you her contact information, and you can contact her then.]

Kousuke-nii: [That organization, don’t get involved.]

K1 for merit to help me graduate: [Oh.]

Ryokutan-senpai: [Yuzu Yuzu! I want to buy that biological detector!]

Ryokutan-senpai: [I couldn’t find its sales page online.]

Ryokutan-senpai: [Sad.jpg]

Ryokutan-senpai: [Really want it.jpg]

K1 for merit to help me graduate: [It’s not a finished product yet. The developer said it wasn’t perfect enough to be shown to people, so it hasn’t been sold.]

K1 for merit to help me graduate: [It works perfectly fine in practice.]

K1 for merit to help me graduate: [How about you borrow mine next time you need it?]

Ryokutan-senpai: [Yes, yes!]

Ryokutan-senpai: [Hug.jpg]

Chef Todoroki: [The culprit said it’s because you’re too perfect, so he wanted to ruin you.]

Chef Todoroki: [Don’t worry, Totsuki will protect its students.]

Chef Todoroki: [He disguised himself as a delivery person and snuck into the kitchen. He thought that if the original supplier died, he could become the new supplier.]

Chef Todoroki: [Totsuki only looks at quality. If we don’t get the expected goods, we’ll raise them ourselves from scratch.]

Chef Todoroki: [Are you interested in working at Totsuki after graduation?]

K1 for merit to help me graduate: [Subway grandpa looking at his phone.jpg]

K1 for merit to help me graduate: [Thank you for your kindness. I plan to start my own business after graduation. If Chef Todoroki is interested, you can also consider switching to my restaurant. You won’t be disappointed.]

Chef Todoroki: [Worthy of someone who wants to start their own business. I was the one trying to recruit you, but you turned it around.]

K1 for merit to help me graduate: [Smile.jpg]

Soma-senpai: [Are you okay?]

Soma-senpai: [This incident was a loophole in our work.]

Soma-senpai: [Don’t worry, we’ve implemented stricter identity verification procedures.]

K1 for merit to help me graduate: [Small scene.jpg]

K1 for merit to help me graduate: [Look at Japan’s crime rate. Only one attempted crime in so many years. Totsuki is already very safe. I said so.]

Soma-senpai: [Yes.]

Soma-senpai: [I saw that your house wasn’t finished today. Will it be ready tomorrow?]

K1 for merit to help me graduate: [It should be. My brother is picking me up tomorrow, so I’ll be back late.]

Soma-senpai: [Yes.]

——

The training ended on the second morning.

The all-star culinary feast by Totsuki graduates served as the closing signal, deeply moving the surviving students.

Aruchi Yuzu didn’t take the school bus back with the group. She said goodbye to her friends and got into her brother’s black limousine, which had been waiting downstairs.

“Let’s go, I’ll take you to relax first.”

Aruchi Yuto looked at the dark circles under his sister’s eyes with concern, starting to nag:

“How did you get so tired? Didn’t you call room service for a massage last night?”

“Is this school absolutely necessary? You just like desserts. We have plenty of money to build a dessert school. Don’t force yourself to study something you’re not interested in and work so hard.”

“I’ll pick out some loose clothes for you later. Wear something comfortable after the therapy. How about this outfit?”

…

Not only did Yuto nag, but a Sweetheart Idol System in his head also chattered:

“My precious daughter can’t suffer like this!”

“Ah! My daughter’s hands have so many calluses!!!”

“It’s all my fault; I bound the wrong person, woo woo. I’m sorry, my precious daughter! Woo woo!”

“No, it’s all that stupid spirit’s fault for bumping into me! It made my landing point shift.”

“Host! Stop it! You chose so many accessories; what’s the point of choosing loose clothes in the first place! Don’t suffocate my precious daughter!”

…

Yuto couldn’t take it anymore and coldly cursed in his mind, “Shut up, I’ll handle it.”

Yuto grabbed Yuzu’s hand and started making arrangements, “Later, you’ll lie on the massage chair, recline the backrest, and get a scalp and hand treatment at the same time.”

“Oh, if it were other girls your age, they’d like to get manicures. After studying this, you can only wear artificial nails during vacations. And perfumes, cosmetics, etc., you can’t use them on weekdays. It’s too hard.”

Yuzu, who had felt tired, now felt that her mother Yuto was being too dramatic, “I still put on makeup and wear pretty dresses when I attend events. Even on weekdays, I can do whatever I want during vacations.”

Yuto covered his face with a handkerchief, “Yuzu has grown up.”

Yuzu: “Yeah, brother, now even if you sell the company, I can support you. I’ll take care of you in your old age.”

Yuto paused, “Am I that old, Yuzu?”

Yuzu: “After all, brother, you were both a father and mother raising me. I earn so much money; if I don’t take care of you in your old age, who will I give it to?”

Yuto was very moved, “Ah, yes, speaking of which, our parents’ death anniversary is in two days. Remember to visit them.”

Yuzu pouted but eventually replied, “Okay.” While the siblings were bonding and relaxing, Soma Eisuke was having a miserable time.

This morning, he stayed home a little longer because he had a sudden flash of inspiration while making breakfast. When he went out, he saw a blonde boy standing in front of the door across from his.

The blonde boy had a mysterious aura, his eyes cold, as if he could see through people.

He couldn’t help but glance over, and his eyes met those cold, lifeless eyes.

He instantly became a trembling, nervous mess, sneaking towards the elevator, like someone afraid of dogs having to walk down an alley with vicious dogs.

Just as he was about to successfully press the elevator button, his shoulder was patted.

He trembled violently.

“Oh, are you Yuzu’s neighbor? Nice to meet you, I’m Saiki Kousuke, her cousin.”

Soma Eisuke tried to be polite, “Y-yes, hello.”

“I just saw how concerned you were when I appeared at Yuzu’s door. Are you very close to Yuzu?”

Soma Eisuke wanted to answer with a neutral “It’s okay,” but the other party clearly didn’t give him a chance to answer.

“Afraid I’m a bad guy? Worried about Yuzu? Concerned about Yuzu?”

“Ah—I saw it. I saw it clearly through the hallway’s security cameras. Your face touched Yuzu’s hand, right?”

“Wouldn’t it be because of that that you’re getting your hopes up? It’s okay, many men far more excellent than you have the same delusion. After all, it seems like you can’t do anything except cook, right? You have absolutely no competitive advantage. Of course, other men don’t either.”

Saiki Kousuke’s tone was even gentle, his eyes narrowed in a smile, his usually arrogant aura becoming as gentle as a spring breeze.

This man is completely insecure except for his cooking.

Watching Soma Eisuke hang his head, his bangs covering his eyes in a gloomy expression, Saiki Kousuke felt very happy.

At that moment, Soma Eisuke spoke.

“”Knowing how to cook is the best dowry for a man.””

“That’s what Aruchi-san said. She seems to like that type.”

“As her cousin, Saiki-kun, you wouldn’t not know what type of man Aruchi-san likes, would you?”

He looked up, his violet eyes shining brightly, sharp, and even stinging.

Silence fell.

With a dramatic flair, Soma Eisuke pressed the elevator button, stepped inside, closed the door, and then slumped against the elevator wall, softly collapsing.

He let out a long sigh.

Aruchi-san’s brother is terrifying.

Behind the closing elevator doors.

The terrifying Saiki Kousuke’s eyes were shadowed, and he sneered.

Seriously, I didn’t plan to waste my time on these people.