Chapter 97.
"In my opinion, Soma Yukihira and Megumi Tadokoro are fundamentally ineligible for the Autumn Election main tournament."
Etsuya Eizan pushed up his glasses, the lenses catching the overhead lights as he initiated the meeting's agenda. In truth, the moment he saw Shijun stroll into the room, he already knew exactly why the famously absent member had shown up.
But Eizan had his own agenda regarding the Polar Star Dormitory.
He needed to systematically crush the Polar Star residents' chances of making waves in the Autumn Election. If that eccentric dormitory managed to catch the prolonged attention of the school board by producing top-tier candidates, Eizan's meticulous plans to seize their land for his consulting empire would be severely jeopardized.
Based on his preliminary investigations, Megumi Tadokoro and Soma Yukihira were the highest-performing first-years residing there.
Originally, Eizan hadn't planned to move against them this early—Satoshi Isshiki was a tough bone to chew, after all. However, the sudden, meteoric rise of Shijun and the rapid expansion of the Chinese Cuisine Research Society had triggered a massive sense of crisis within the "Alchemist." To secure his ideal culinary monopoly, he had to accelerate his timeline.
"My, my. During our preliminary discussions a few days ago, you were only targeting Megumi-chan. But today, you've decided Soma shouldn't be spared either?"
Satoshi Isshiki countered, his trademark easygoing smile remaining, though his eyes narrowed dangerously.
"During the Training Camp, Yukihira barely managed to complete the 200-serving breakfast buffet task. He was quite literally scraping the bottom of the barrel to pass a fundamental stamina test." Eizan sneered, his tone dripping with corporate disdain. "I don't believe a chef who struggles with basic high-volume service is qualified to stand on the Autumn Election stage."
"Eizan-kun, I think your reasoning is exceptionally far-fetched." Isshiki pressed, leaning forward slightly. "Did something happen between you and Soma recently? For example—a personal grievance regarding a failed recruitment pitch?"
Eizan's jaw tightened. He didn't say a word. He certainly wasn't going to admit in front of the entire council that his grand scheme to bribe Yukihira and splinter the Polar Star Dormitory had crashed and burned in spectacular fashion.
"Let's put all that bureaucratic nonsense aside for a moment."
A lazy, unapologetic voice suddenly cut through the tension. Shijun leaned back in his leather chair, resting his chin on his hand.
"Why exactly are you trying to claim my little secretary isn't qualified?"
Straight to the point. No diplomatic maneuvering. He had come here today for one reason, and he wasn't going to waste time playing verbal chess.
Erina and Isshiki seemed entirely unsurprised by his bluntness.
"I think you know perfectly well why, Shijun." Eizan replied smoothly, shifting his target. His rhetoric was meticulously crafted; on paper, no one could find a flaw in his logic. "The only reason Megumi Tadokoro passed the residential Training Camp is because you practically carried her through the team-based assignments."
Eizan smirked internally. He felt he held the moral high ground here and could easily debate the chef into a corner.
He completely underestimated Shijun's utter disregard for the rules.
Reasonable debate? I only reason with people when I'm bored and have time to kill, Shijun thought.
He didn't even bother acknowledging Eizan's carefully constructed argument. Instead, Shijun looked around the massive circular table.
"I formally approve the Autumn Election qualifications for Megumi Tadokoro and Soma Yukihira! Who's with me?"
No debate. No presentation of counter-evidence.
Shijun violently bypassed the entire discussion and called for an immediate vote.
Didn't the Elite Ten Council operate on a strict majority rule? If more than half the members present approved a proposal, it passed smoothly. He just wanted to see exactly who at this table dared to vote against Megumi.
He threw Soma in there as a package deal, purely out of goodwill toward the Polar Star crew.
And if the majority voted against him?
Shijun felt zero pressure. He would just lock the doors and challenge every single dissenting member to a Shokugeki right here, right now. He had already drafted that backup plan on the elevator ride up. One way or another, Megumi was getting her tournament slot.
"I approve this proposal."
Shijun blinked in genuine surprise. He hadn't expected Erina to be the very first person to instantly vocalize her support for him.
"I also agree."
Isshiki added immediately, shooting Shijun a look of profound gratitude for shielding Soma in the crossfire.
Nene Kinokuni remained perfectly silent, adjusting her glasses and observing the chaotic shift in dynamics.
Momo Akanegakubo's expression twisted into a knot of deep conflict. She glared at her plush toy, Bucchi. While she still found Shijun to be an infuriating, arrogant junior, she hesitated.
He was Rindou's boyfriend, and more importantly, he occasionally bribed her with otherworldly sweets.
After a long, agonizing sigh, Momo gave a tiny nod of agreement.
Finally, the room looked toward Eishi Tsukasa in the First Seat. But Shijun wasn't actually asking Eishi for permission; he was just waiting for the First Seat to read the room and formalize the absolute slaughter.
The voting results were glaringly obvious.
Four to one.
Eizan Etsuya had been utterly, humiliatingly routed in under sixty seconds.
Checkmate.
It was that simple. Who had the spare time to engage in a formal debate with a corporate snake?
"Megane-kun, did you seriously think I was asking for your reasoning?" Shijun looked directly at Eizan, his tone drenched in pure, unapologetic mockery. "I was just being polite by letting you finish your sentence."
Eizan's face drained of color, then rapidly darkened into a violent shade of purple. The veins on his forehead pulsed with barely contained fury.
Shijun simply shrugged. This four-eyed schemer had clearly targeted Megumi with malicious intent. Shijun didn't know exactly how he had butterfly-effected the original plot to bring Eizan's wrath down on his club, but it didn't matter.
If Eizan dared to target the Chinese Cuisine RS, he shouldn't expect Shijun to leave him with an ounce of dignity. Shijun wasn't one to actively seek out trouble, but he was incredibly territorial. Seeing his diligent, sweet-natured secretary inexplicably targeted annoyed him to no end.
Ah, I didn't realize I was this popular. My very first Elite Ten proposal passed without a hitch, Shijun smiled proudly to himself.
Momo rolled her eyes and squeezed her plush bear's paw tightly.
Hmph. This man is still so incredibly annoying.
Erina was momentarily speechless, realizing the man sitting beside her was actually acting a bit childish.
Across the table, Eizan was forced to endure Shijun's utterly provocative smirk in agonizing silence.
He genuinely hadn't recovered from the whiplash. Who could have predicted that Shijun—a guy who had treated the Elite Ten Council like an optional club activity up until today—would command such immediate, unilateral support?
In the previous meetings, the rest of the council usually just sat back and watched Eizan and Isshiki verbally spar. But the second Shijun showed up, Erina and Momo-senpai instantly flipped their alignments.
Eizan was baffled. He could somewhat understand Momo—Rindou's influence was a factor there. But Erina?
Didn't the famously unapproachable, hyper-critical Ice Queen openly despise Shijun? When did their relationship become this synchronized? Eizan felt a cold sweat prickle his neck, realizing his intelligence-gathering network had failed catastrophically.
Faced with Shijun's mocking gaze, Eizan swallowed his rage.
He didn't dare push the issue. His primary fear was that if he argued further, Shijun would bypass the bureaucracy entirely and demand a Shokugeki. Everyone at Totsuki knew Shijun was an absolute monster in the kitchen. If Eizan accepted and lost, the impeccable, intimidating reputation he had spent two years building as 'The Alchemist' would vanish overnight.
He suddenly realized his grand plan had been dangerously hasty. He had completely failed to account for Shijun's aggressive protectiveness, nor had he accurately mapped out the chef's terrifying interpersonal web within the council.
"Since the majority agrees, I will withdraw my objection."
Eizan stated, forcing his face into a mask of emotionless professionalism.
He was a businessman who knew when to cut his losses. A momentary miscalculation in the boardroom was acceptable. Since he couldn't eliminate the Polar Star students through administrative red tape, he would simply have to crush them during the Autumn Election itself.
Eizan Etsuya never abandoned a lucrative plan. As he leaned back in his chair, a dark, calculating haze settled over his eyes.