Erina Nakiri might've been a tsundere with a few screws loose in the way she thought, but at her core, there wasn't anything wrong with her.
In the original story, when she first tasted Soma Yukihira's cooking, she completely rejected both the dish and the boy himself. Yet deep down, she'd recognized that there was something worth learning from it.
So even though she denied it on the surface, Erina had memorized that dish.
Now, while most people would focus on Kael's Special Ability, Erina's attention went straight to his fundamentals.
If Kael's ability was truly Poison Cuisine, then it meant the ability itself didn't do much to enhance his core skills—it only supplemented them.
Her own God's Tongue was the perfect example. It let her analyze any dish in perfect detail, but no amount of talent could replace practice. Her knife work, timing, and understanding of heat—all of that had been earned through relentless training.
"You're right," Alice said, nodding thoughtfully. "I've seen him cooking up close. It's hard to believe someone our age could have that level of precision."
Erina's comment jogged her memory. She and Kael were in the same team for class projects, so she had plenty of chances to watch him work. His basic technique was terrifyingly refined—calm, exact, almost mechanical in its perfection.
"Speaking of which," Erina said, narrowing her eyes, "how exactly do you know him? You seem… familiar with him."
The realization struck her suddenly—Alice not only knew about Kael's Poison Cuisine, but she also seemed to get along well with the Polar Star Dormitory crew. That was odd.
"Oh, that? We're actually classmates," Alice explained easily. "We got paired up as teammates in the very first lesson."
Hearing that, both Erina and Senzaemon nodded in understanding.
Senzaemon, in truth, didn't know about that. He'd taken note of Kael after the Shokugeki, but this was the first time he got personally involved. Learning that the boy was connected to his granddaughter changed things.
Because Kael was clearly a rare kind of talent. And based on what he'd just witnessed, Kael might actually hold the key to solving the God's Tongue's long-standing flaw—something even Soma Yukihira might not be able to do.
In fact, Senzaemon was already considering how to invest in Kael early—both figuratively and literally. If his granddaughter could build a rapport with him now, then perhaps one day Kael could help resolve that generational curse that plagued their bloodline.
Even if he couldn't, befriending him would still be worth it. Just look at Gin Dojima and Joichiro Saiba—connections like that paid off big time.
Dojima had become the director of the Totsuki Resort and one of Senzaemon's most trusted allies. Joichiro might not have been formally recruited, but whenever Senzaemon asked for a favor, the man never refused.
Developing bonds with talented students early has always been a wise investment.
And beyond that, a thought lingered in the back of Senzemon's mind—Kael seemed like a fine young man. Letting Erina or Alice spend time around him wouldn't be a bad thing. After all, his granddaughters would eventually have to find partners, and a brilliant chef with a good heart was never a bad choice.
Of course, that "good heart" part was critical. After everything that had happened with Azami Nakiri, Senzaemon had learned that lesson the hard way.
Back then, he was obsessed with researching the God's Tongue—so focused on solving it that he neglected his family.
He assumed Erina would be fine under Azami's care. After all, with her mother, Mana Nakiri, gone, Azami was the only parent she had left.
He could have never imagined what that man would become—or the scars he'd leave behind.
If he'd discovered it any later, Erina's future might have been ruined.
So now, above all else, Senzaemon valued character. No matter how gifted or promising someone was, if their morals didn't hold up, he wouldn't let them come near his granddaughters.
"Alice," Senzaemon said suddenly, his tone firm, "I'm giving you a task. Get closer to Kael. Learn more about him—and find out if there's anything he needs. He's a rare talent, and we can't let him slip through our fingers."
Alice straightened and nodded confidently. "Don't worry, Grandpa. I already planned to get to know him better. As for what he needs, I'll find out once we're on friendlier terms."
That part was easy enough—she'd already been curious about him for a while. Now she had an excuse.
Erina, meanwhile, couldn't help the odd look on her face. Somehow this whole situation was starting to sound like the plot of one of those cheesy shoujo manga.
A curious girl meets a mysterious boy. She tries to get close to him. Slowly, the two grow more attached until—
Erina cut that thought off with a quiet sigh. Whatever. Alice could do what she wanted. They were family, but not the type to meddle in each other's personal affairs.
Her own curiosity toward Kael was purely professional—about his Poison Cuisine, not the boy himself.
Alice, on the other hand… was definitely intrigued by both.
At the Polar Star Dormitory, Ryoko Sakaki looked up from the counter, frowning. "Kael, did you really put poison in that dish today?"
Everyone else leaned in, curious. Kael had claimed earlier that he wouldn't, but based on Senzaemon's reaction during the competition, it seemed very likely he had.
"I did," Kael admitted with a small shrug. "But don't worry. Nakiri-san knows my situation, and I'm sure she's already told the Director. Someone like him would definitely have gotten checked afterward. I know my dishes—they don't harm people."
He smiled disarmingly.
Still, even with his calm tone, everyone looked a little pale. Poison isnt't exactly something you can joke about.
"You've got some guts, I'll give you that," Yuki Yoshino said, rolling her eyes. "If the Director had gotten poisoned, you'd be expelled before you could even blink."
"Kael-kun," Megumi Tadokoro interjected quickly, hoping to defuse the tension, "what did Kuga-senpai say to you after the Shokugeki?"
"Ah, that," Kael said, scratching his cheek. "He asked about my reward for winning—but he ended up giving me an even better offer. So I scrapped my original request."
"Wait, you gave up your Shokugeki reward?" Ryoko asked. "What kind of offer could top that?"
Kael grinned. "He invited me to take over as captain of the Chinese Cuisine Research Society."
The dorm went completely silent.
Everyone just stared at him.
Even Yuki, normally the loudest of the group, couldn't find words. Kuga's proposal wasn't just surprising—it was insane.