"The Chief… this report actually isn't Kael's limit. It's just the limit of what our equipment can measure."
The technician sounded helpless. They had never imagined Divine Hearing would be this ridiculous. Their gear simply couldn't keep up, and no matter how they adjusted the parameters, it couldn't capture the true ceiling of Kael's ability.
Which meant this report wasn't truly representative of his Divine Hearing at all. And even that incomplete data had already surpassed Mana Nakiri's God's Tongue.
"Kael, do you want to continue testing? If you want to pursue the absolute limit of Divine Hearing, I can arrange far more precise equipment."
Senzaemon Nakiri hadn't expected things to turn out like this, but the answer he wanted was already clear. Kael's Divine Hearing wasn't just comparable to the God's Tongue—it exceeded it by a margin too large to ignore.
This was enormous news. If Divine Hearing surpassed the God's Tongue, then there was finally a real chance to solve the God's Tongue's fatal flaw. All Kael needed was time to grow.
"Let's stop here."
Kael shook his head. The test existed mainly to reassure the Nakiri family. Now that the goal was achieved, there was no need to keep going.
"I understand. All of you, listen closely. Do not spread today's results. If anyone leaks this, I will deal with them personally."
Senzaemon's voice carried a rare edge. The staff immediately nodded. They knew it too—if these results got out, the culinary world would go through a true earthquake.
Until now, Divine Hearing had only been supported by anecdotal evidence, one impressive feat with no hard data. Most people were still skeptical.
But if this report were released, it would confirm that Divine Hearing was a Special Ability beyond the God's Tongue itself. The uproar in the culinary world would be unimaginable.
Mana Nakiri became WGO's sole Special Class Officer because she possessed the God's Tongue. So what about Kael? What heights would he reach? Could he break the existing limits of cooking itself?
When the test ended, Kael received a copy of the report, and Senzaemon invited him to stay for dinner.
The Nakiri family also received permission to show this report internally—as long as it didn't spread outside.
After the meal, Kael left with Alice. Erina, however, remained behind with her grandfather, too overwhelmed to leave.
"Grandpa… if Divine Hearing is this powerful—stronger than Mom's God's Tongue—does that mean the God's Tongue's curse can be resolved?"
Erina tried to hold back her excitement. She had always been haunted by the God's Tongue—not just for her own sake, but because of her mother.
"Divine Hearing is indeed stronger than the God's Tongue," Senzaemon said, shaking his head slightly. "But Kael's culinary level is still too low. To create dishes that the God's Tongue can genuinely find delicious, he must break the current ceiling of the culinary world."
Kael still needed time.
Still, this test had taken a faint, fragile hope… and multiplied it countless times.
From Senzaemon's perspective, as long as Kael wasn't derailed by unforeseen circumstances, surpassing today's culinary world was only a matter of time.
The real fear was interruption—many geniuses throughout history had stagnated because of setbacks. Shinomiya Kojiro was a prime example.
Even Gin Dojima showed this pattern. Back then, he wasn't far behind Joichiro Saiba. But while Joichiro traveled the world, sharpening his skills, Dojima poured his energy into developing the Totsuki Resort.
His progress slowed over the years, and the gap between him and Soma Yukihira's father grew huge.
Senzaemon firmly resolved to watch over Kael. He wouldn't interfere with normal hardships—sheltered flowers never grow—but he would make sure Kael never suffered the kind of injustice that ruined Shinomiya.
"Breaking the current limits of cooking… He might really do it," Erina whispered. "Divine Hearing is practically a miracle."
"Perhaps. No one can say for sure," Senzaemon replied. "But Erina, you should build a good relationship with him—before this report spreads."
He didn't know if Divine Hearing could be inherited. The God's Tongue definitely could, though it wasn't guaranteed—just a probability.
But plenty of people would be eager to take that gamble.
If Divine Hearing could be passed down…
Kael would instantly become the hottest prize in the entire culinary world.
Right now, while the report was still confidential, Erina still had a chance to get close to him. Once the news leaked, everything would change.
As for Alice… Senzaemon wasn't worried. His granddaughter's affection for Kael was pretty obvious. And with Alice's personality, if she really liked him, she would absolutely make the first move.
That hadn't happened yet, but to an experienced adult like Senzaemon, it was just a matter of time.
He wouldn't force her into anything, of course. He was simply giving advice.
Their relationship with Kael was already solid. If Kael truly solved the God's Tongue's flaw one day, he definitely wouldn't ignore the Nakiris.
But if his granddaughter built a strong connection with him now, it would only benefit her in the future.
"Grandpa… I understand the reasoning, but… what exactly am I supposed to do?"
Erina finally managed to squeeze out a response after struggling internally. Senzaemon stared at her, stunned—then sighed as realization dawned.
Right. His granddaughter had never once needed to take the initiative with anyone. That skill… wasn't in her repertoire at all.
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