Early December, light snow fell from the sky.
"Alice, take care of yourself in Denmark. We'll come and visit you when we have time."
At the Nakiri family's private airport, Okabe watched Alice Nakiri, who was about to board the plane and leave. He let out a long breath, his mood slightly complicated.
Although he knew she would eventually leave, now that the moment had truly arrived, his feelings were still very complex. This feeling was completely different from when his parents left.
He hadn't spent much time with his parents, so even if he was sad, it was only for an instant. But now, he truly felt an ache in his heart.
"Who wants to go find her! Deciding to leave without a sound, she's really the worst!"
Erina Nakiri stood beside Okabe, her voice carrying a hint of annoyance. That girl was really too much, deciding to leave without even discussing it with them.
She was just like her mother, who also left without saying goodbye.
"That's just Erina's personality, don't mind her. The cookies in Denmark are quite famous. Remember to write to us when you get there, and send some back, okay?"
Looking at the sulking Erina Nakiri, Okabe patted Alice Nakiri, telling her not to take it to heart.
"Mhm, I will."
The short words were tinged with a sob. Alice Nakiri wiped the corner of her eye with her wrist, then turned her gaze to Erina Nakiri. "I was actually hesitating for a long time, thinking about whether I should leave or not, which is why I didn't tell you in advance. Because I couldn't be sure of my own heart either."
"What really made me decide to leave was your progress during this time. I've seen it all. You're different almost every single day; it's frighteningly fast."
"Do you still remember the competition that night? Even though I gave it my all, I still couldn't beat you. And I've spent twice as much time in the kitchen as you."
"I am, most likely, a chef with no talent. I actually realized this a long time ago.
"Knowledge that Brother Okabe can grasp easily, I need much more time for. Knife skills, fire control... to be honest, I haven't slacked off on my practice either. But compared to Brother Okabe, there's just a huge gap—a gap that can't be closed in a day or two."
"Mom told me that Northern Europe has the world's most advanced molecular gastronomy techniques. We talked about it before, and I've systematically researched it since.
"This technique doesn't rely on talent; it only requires creativity and inspiration to produce good cuisine. To be honest, I'm quite good at that."
"So, in order to stand with you two in the future, I must go to Denmark.
"Dad and Mom's research factory is already complete, and all the equipment is ready. From now on, that place will be my breeding ground for growth."
"So, Erina, Brother Okabe... the next time we meet, I will be stronger. So strong that neither of you will be able to ignore me."
"That's it. If I say any more, I'm afraid I won't want to leave."
The moment she turned, a tear still slipped from the corner of Alice Nakiri's eye. But she had to leave. Japan did not have the right soil for her to grow.
"Have a safe trip. Take good care of yourself when you're out there. If you miss us, remember to come back, and we'll have another cooking duel then. I forgive you."
Watching Alice Nakiri jog towards the private jet, where Leonora Nakiri was waving goodbye to them from the plane, Erina Nakiri bit her lower lip. Finally, she shouted loudly in Alice Nakiri's direction.
"ROAR~"
The private jet roared.
Then it took off. The young girl's voice wasn't loud, and it was completely drowned out the moment the noise started.
On the plane, Alice Nakiri put her hand to her mouth and shouted something to Erina Nakiri. However, because of the distance and the loud noise from the jet, her words didn't carry over.
"Did she hear me?"
Staring at the private jet as it gradually disappeared into the clouds, Erina Nakiri felt a sense of loss. As she spoke, she turned her gaze to Okabe.
She wasn't actually that angry. She was just sad that Alice Nakiri was leaving without a word, and she didn't know what emotion to use to cope, so she just kept a cold face.
"Mhm. I saw her lip-read."
"She said."
"'I will.'"
·
·
"Have you decided to go to Ryōzanpaku?"
Sitting on the bed in Okabe's room, watching the boy pack his bags, Erina Nakiri swung her slender feet slightly, asking a question she already knew the answer to.
"That's right. The way of cooking lies in the union of body and mind. My fundamentals are very solid now. If I want to improve further, I can only start training in martial arts."
Looking at Erina Nakiri's cute face, Okabe put down the luggage he had just packed.
"That's true," Erina Nakiri muttered softly.
"What about you, then? What are you planning to do next?"
Okabe looked at Erina Nakiri. To be honest, he was surprised she had refused Ryōzanpaku's invitation. After all, it was a great opportunity.
When he learned that Ryōzanpaku's elder was Hayato Fūrinji, one of the strongest fighters on Earth, he didn't hesitate at all and accepted the invitation.
However, after thinking it over for one night, Erina Nakiri decisively refused.
"I plan to continue tasting the cuisine of the world's major restaurants. I won't limit myself to high-end restaurants anymore; I'll try ordinary ones too."
"According to what you said before, cooking is very free. But under my father's restrictions in the past, the dishes I could taste were very limited.
"Honestly, I'm quite interested in roadside stalls now. After all, isn't there a saying? 'Masters hide among the common folk.' Maybe I'll be able to meet one."
After saying this, Erina Nakiri lay back on the bed, her voice now carrying a bit more cheerfulness.
Although she was temporarily parting ways with Okabe and Alice Nakiri, she still had Hisako Arato by her side, who would accompany her no matter what.
Follow her to conquer the world together.
Even though doing this would raise the limit of her "God's Tongue," as long as her culinary skills improved faster than her tolerance, there would be no problem.
In the past, under Azami Nakiri's oppression, she was restricted everywhere. She couldn't cook according to her own will, and her fundamentals weren't very solid. That's why she lost to Okabe in every aspect, and her rate of improvement was pathetically slow.
But during this period, after she started cooking as she pleased, her skills began to climb at an astonishing speed. The terrifying power of the "God's Tongue" was fully revealed.
Except for stir-frying, which Okabe was extremely skilled at, she could already compete with him evenly in other categories of cooking, and sometimes even win by a small margin.
This was something she wouldn't have dared to imagine before.
And this further strengthened her resolve to open her eyes to the world and do her best to improve.
This way, when they met again, she could look down on Okabe from above and say to him with a disdainful attitude: "Ara, ara. You haven't improved at all after so long. What a useless guy."
Just thinking of that scene made her tremble with excitement. That'll teach this guy to mock me so much during this time, even though he's merely Okabe.
Unaware of what she was thinking, Erina Nakiri's face turned a little red. Okabe, seeing her like this, tilted his head in confusion.
"It's definitely good that you have your own ideas, and I believe you can walk your own path. But don't neglect your physical training either.
"A great chef not only needs exquisite cooking skills, but physical fitness is also very important. After all, cooking is a very physically demanding task."
"Of course I know that. I already asked the grandpas at Ryōzanpaku for basic martial arts manuals before I left."
"Although I won't be able to learn any powerful kung fu, it's very helpful for strengthening the body. After a few years of traveling the world, I'll go back to Ryōzanpaku to learn systematically. The effect will be about the same."
"A strong physique plus the extraordinary talent of 'God's Tongue'... you'd better be careful. Don't let me surpass you easily, leaving you to pound the floor in agony, crying 'This is impossible!'"
"As if! I'll admit it even if I lose. But I believe you can succeed, not because you have 'God's Tongue,' but because you are you, Erina Nakiri."
"Also, there's no way I'll lose. If you want to beat me, try again in 100 years!"
"Get lost!"
The two began to roughhouse. Erina Nakiri completely dropped her "ojou-sama" composure, climbing on top of Okabe and tickling him.
Okabe, being a boy, was at a disadvantage and could only let her bully him. In the end, however, he found an opportunity to flick her on the head twice, making her cry out in pain and curl up, holding her head.
Although Okabe was a bit puzzled by the path Erina Nakiri wanted to take, and even felt it was a bit unreliable, he didn't plan to question it or try to persuade her otherwise.
Everyone has their own path, like advancing into the wilderness of gourmet food.
Even though the directions they chose were different, their final goal was the same: to reach the pinnacle of the culinary world.
Even if they were separating for a short time now, sooner or later, they would stand together again.
He looked forward to the arrival of that day.
____
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