"I'll help too," Erina said, quickly standing up.
"I'm joining in!" Alice chimed in cheerfully, raising her hand.
"Oh, I never imagined I'd be able to enjoy a meal prepared by my own children one day. If this keeps up, I'll start feeling like I'm getting old," Leonora said with a wistful sigh, gently brushing her cheek.
"No way, Mom! You're still young and beautiful!" Alice responded with a smile.
Indeed, thanks to her meticulous self-care, Leonora appeared as though she was still in her twenties, with radiant, fair skin, delicate features, and an elegant air about her. When standing next to Alice, they looked more like sisters than mother and daughter.
"Sui, come to think of it, I haven't tasted your cooking in a long time. Let's see how much you've improved," Senzaemon spoke in his deep voice.
"Now Alice tells us you're even better than Erina. I'm looking forward to this," Sōe added with a chuckle.
Sui nodded. "Understood."
It seemed clear to him now—this was a test, a culinary challenge from his future grandfather and father-in-law. No matter what, he was determined to give it his all and prepare a meal that would impress them.
With that, Sui, Erina, and Alice headed into the kitchen to begin preparing dinner for the family.
"So, Sui, what are you planning to make?" Alice asked curiously.
"What kind of dishes do your parents enjoy?" Sui asked, pausing to consider his options.
"Hmm, why do you ask? My mom probably likes Nordic cuisine the most," Alice replied thoughtfully. Then, her face lit up with excitement as she playfully patted Sui on the shoulder. "Wait, Sui, are you planning to cook something special just for my mother? That's so thoughtful of you! She'll be absolutely thrilled!"
Their relationship was already close, but seeing Sui go out of his way for her mother filled Alice with warmth and happiness.
Erina, on the other hand, couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. She had never experienced the warmth of a mother's love. But she quickly collected herself and joined in. "Let's get started."
"Right," Sui agreed and decided to prepare Nordic cuisine for the meal.
Nordic cuisine wasn't a heavily featured subject in the academy's curriculum, and while it was a niche, Sui felt confident. As the top student, he had learned enough to do it justice.
When thinking of Nordic dishes, cod came to mind, a staple ingredient in the region.
After mentally reviewing some recipes, Sui decided to prepare cheese-stuffed cod sausages. However, he knew one dish wouldn't suffice, so after some thought, he settled on two more: Nordic baked potatoes and a creamy seafood chowder.
With a clear plan, Sui quickly got to work.
He first cut the cod into pieces and marinated them with lemon slices to remove the fishy smell. Then, he processed the cod into a fine puree, added chopped cheese and eggs, mixed them thoroughly, wrapped the mixture in foil, and placed it in the oven.
For the baked potatoes, the preparation involved a slight twist. Instead of slicing the potatoes completely through, Sui left the bottoms intact, so the slices remained connected. He then brushed a mix of butter, coconut oil, olive oil, and bacon fat onto the potatoes, sprinkling them with salt and pepper, before placing them in the oven to bake.
After thirty minutes, the potato slices began to fan out. He carefully applied oil between each slice, added broccoli and breadcrumbs, and baked them again until they were golden and crispy.
Two hours later, dinner was ready.
The three Nakiri elders sat in the living room, sipping tea as they patiently awaited the meal. The mouth-watering aromas wafting from the kitchen had Leonora standing up in excitement.
"Ah! Is it time to eat?" she exclaimed happily, rushing over to help bring the dishes to the table. "What delicious surprises do we have tonight? Baked potatoes and cod sausages? Both are my favorites! There's also creamy seafood chowder!"
Leonora beamed, gently brushing her cheek in delight.
"All of these dishes were made by Sui!" Alice proudly announced on his behalf.
"Really?" Leonora's eyes widened in joy as she cupped Sui's face in her hands and kissed him on the cheek.
Her soft, warm hands left a damp spot where she had kissed, and Sui could only sit there, speechless. The kiss had been wet and slippery, but he brushed it off, knowing that cheek-kissing was a common greeting in many Western cultures.
Meanwhile, Erina brought out the tableware, setting it neatly in front of everyone before kneeling at her seat, looking a bit stiff. Despite the informal nature of the family dinner, the Nakiri family still maintained a strong sense of decorum. Even the usually lively Alice adopted a more reserved demeanor.
Sui hurried to sit next to Erina.
"Alright, let's begin," Senzaemon said in his usual deep tone as he picked up his chopsticks.
Everyone else followed suit.
"Let me try Sui's cooking first," Leonora said as she skillfully picked up one of the baked potatoes, taking small, deliberate bites.
Each slice was baked to perfection—crispy on the outside, sizzling as she bit into it. Paired with the tender broccoli, the dish wasn't greasy at all and tasted incredibly flavorful.
"Mmm, it's delicious! It tastes just like home," Leonora exclaimed, her eyes filled with surprise and delight.
Leonora reached for one of the cod sausages, intrigued. The sausage was incredibly tender, almost softer than pork sausage, yet bursting with the fresh, savory taste of fish and the richness of cheese.
"Did you really make this, Sui?" Sōe asked, his voice filled with astonishment. He had heard Alice say that Sui was more skilled than Erina, but he had been skeptical. After all, Erina was a culinary prodigy, the pride of the Nakiri family, destined to dominate the Japanese culinary scene. The idea that someone could surpass her seemed unthinkable.
Just then, a sudden, intense energy surged through the room.
Several surprised gasps rang out, and in the next moment, a bizarre phenomenon occurred. The clothes of several people vanished, leaving them in nothing but their underwear.
Leonora, seated across from Sui, was the first person he saw.
Sui couldn't help but notice that his mother-in-law had quite a stunning figure. She had certainly taken care of herself well.