At night, the Moon Shadow train made rhythmic "clack-clack" sounds as its wheels met the tracks. Inside the carriage, the soft lighting illuminated every corner, reflecting on Hisako's face, showing her anticipation and thoughts. As the train sped up, the night scenery outside the window seemed to fly by—trees, fields, houses—all formed a moving painting.
Occasionally, the Moon Shadow would pass through tunnels, dimming the light in the car, with only the bright headlight guiding the way ahead. On this long journey, this luxurious train was not just a means of transport for the freshmen taking their promotion exams but also a bridge connecting the past and future.
...
Hisako sipped her fruit wine, her gaze occasionally drifting toward another carriage where Erina, the person she admired most, was. "Is it confirmed?" she asked. "Yes," Erina replied simply, hanging up her phone. Still dressed in her blue and white Totsuki uniform, she returned to Hisako's side. Hisako froze, her hand holding the glass of fruit wine suspended in mid-air as she stood up, staring blankly at Erina.
"Is Azami stepping down?" Hisako murmured. "Yes," Erina nodded, her eyebrows raised, her eyes showing a hint of authority. Her lips were pressed tightly together, exuding an air of nobility and untouchable authority—a true "queen" aura.
"Will you be the next Director?" Hisako asked excitedly. "My father recommended me at the council, and the other Elite Ten members agreed, so I will succeed him as the next Director," Erina explained calmly. Throughout, she showed no excitement or joy, remaining as calm as water.
"That's great! You've lived up to everyone's expectations," Hisako praised. "But I'm very nervous. Even my father couldn't perfectly optimize and reform Totsuki," Erina admitted, taking a deep breath.
"We all believe you can make Totsuki better," Hisako reassured her, warmly holding Erina's hand. "I'm still very nervous!" Erina's face flushed with embarrassment and unease.
...
Totsuki Academy has always trained elite chefs focusing on high-end cuisine. This is evident from how difficult it is for chefs from ordinary backgrounds to pass the entrance exams. While not all Totsuki graduates, even those among the Elite Ten, necessarily go on to have significant influence, they certainly are not comparable to those who only know how to make fast food. It's not that fast food or street food chefs are bad; it's just that Totsuki students are in a different league.
For example, someone like Soma, who grew up running a diner with his father, stands out at Totsuki, an elite culinary academy. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that without a strong father backing him, Soma wouldn't have lasted at Totsuki and would likely have dropped out.
...
The status of the Elite Ten had already been devalued under Azami's reforms. Previously, the Elite Ten could enjoy all premium resources and had authority even above the instructors. Thus, making the Elite Ten serve as lecturers after establishing the Central Gourmet Institute was quite unreasonable. Moreover, having them compete in team Shokugeki matches further devalued their status and power. Azami's actions seemed to make Totsuki more vibrant on the surface, but in reality, his heavy-handed approach and arrogance devalued the Totsuki brand.
"Do you know, during your match with Rindo-senpai, your performance was breathtaking!" Hisako exclaimed, hugging Erina's arm. Erina remained silent, her thoughts drifting to her father's defeated figure as he left after the match. She felt a mix of regret and the desire to hold on to something slipping away.
"Why did it end up like this?" Erina sighed deeply. "Your father's reforms were never about family or love. He wanted to save the God's Tongue and revolutionize the culinary world, but at what cost? Your mother, Mana, left when you were young, and your father emotionally abused you in the name of his ideals," Hisako pointed out.
...
Growing up in such a family, Erina outwardly appeared obedient but inwardly became very stubborn and insecure. She absorbed her father Azami's traits, making her culinary journey difficult. The only solution was to distance herself from Azami, who, realizing the harm he caused, decided to step down as Director.
...
Meanwhile, in another carriage, the students from the Polar Star Dormitory gathered. "Is it true? Did that awful Azami really step down and make Erina the new Director?" Yuuki asked, her eyes wide with excitement. She had been expelled by the Central Gourmet Institute during the exams, and the change in leadership gave her a glimmer of hope.
"Yes," Satoshi confirmed, holding up a document. "This is a proposal from the former Director Azami himself, signed by many of the Elite Ten. After the exams, Erina will be the new Director." Soma furrowed his brow, puzzled by Azami's decision. "He prepared for this for over a decade, and now he's willing to give it all up?" Soma asked.
"Indeed," Satoshi nodded. "Perhaps he saw no hope for a comeback. Even though the resistance was mostly eliminated, the defeats of Eizan, Nene, Ryo, and Rindo in the Shokugeki showed that his reforms might not succeed." After saying this, Satoshi fell silent.
...
Starting with Totsuki Academy, if culinary skills were scored out of 100, the average level of the Elite Ten would be between 90 to 95, and the rest of the students, after months of training, would be between 80 to 90. Some, like Erina, Alice, Soma, and Ryo, might even surpass the Elite Ten. Occasionally, they could create dishes that the Elite Ten couldn't match.
Azami's reforms, like making top-performing students the standard, only made those close to the Elite Ten, like Soma, more rebellious. It was meaningless and potentially damaging, as it suppressed individuality and critical thinking. Azami's approach, treating Totsuki like a vocational school, led to many students resisting him. The result was that some would rather drop out than continue under such conditions.
If Azami's model were implemented nationwide, with identical menus in every restaurant, it would not consider others' interests. The most needing help were the struggling restaurants and students, those failing exams, and those expelled from Totsuki. But Azami never focused on them, revealing him as a mere clown in Satoshi's eyes.
...
"It's surprising," Megumi mused, imagining a slender figure. This figure, usually cold and authoritative, would act like a gentle kitten around the handsome Zane at the tavern. This same girl had emerged as the biggest winner in Totsuki's upheaval, becoming the new Director. Lost in thought, Megumi finally asked, "What about us who lost in the Shokugeki?"
"I'm not sure," Satoshi replied, "but since I've been reinstated as an Elite Ten member, I think you all won't be expelled either." The group was stunned, then overjoyed. Many things were unpredictable. Who would have thought that this group of rebels, wiped out by the Central Gourmet Institute, would escape punishment after Azami's downfall?
Erina had become the central figure in this turnaround, defeating Rindo and securing victory. Even Azami could hardly believe that his grip on Totsuki had completely slipped away in just a month.
...
"It seems Totsuki Academy is about to change again," Ryoko pondered aloud. "With Erina as Director, it's exciting to think about the new heights Totsuki might reach!" Everyone was curious about the future under Erina's leadership. However, no one knew that the upcoming changes at Totsuki were closely linked to Zane's tavern, and they were unaware of the great culinary era on the horizon.
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