As soon as Sui mentioned the incident, Erina couldn't help but blush, remembering the embarrassing moment when she had buried his face against her body. Flustered and frustrated, she snapped, "Anyway, on campus, we have nothing to do with each other! If you see me, don't even think about talking to me!"
"Got it," Sui replied with a shrug, his tone resigned.
Afterward, the two parted ways and headed to their respective classes.
Following the instructions Erina had given him earlier, Sui found his classroom without much trouble. Shortly after he settled in, the teacher arrived, signaling the start of the lesson.
The instructor was a petite woman with a youthful face, glasses perched on her nose, and an ample chest that contrasted with her childlike appearance.
"Please form your assigned groups, and we'll begin the lesson. My name is Jun Shiomi, and I will be your instructor for the spice course moving forward," she said, walking to the front of the class and giving a polite bow.
Though she looked no older than a middle schooler, Jun Shiomi was, in fact, thirty-four years old.
"Wait, is that Professor Jun? The youngest genius professor in Tōtsuki's history?" one student murmured in surprise.
"Isn't she usually teaching second-year students? Looks like we're in for it now," another added, concern clear on their face.
Meanwhile, Sui had found his assigned group. To his surprise, one of his partners was a blue-haired girl with long twin braids—a familiar and undeniably cute face.
Isn't this Megumi Tadokoro? Sui thought, his eyes lighting up with recognition. He had always found her endearing.
At that moment, Megumi's face had turned pale. She clasped her hands tightly in front of her chest, trembling as she spoke nervously, "This is bad... I never expected our lecturer to be Professor Jun Shiomi!"
"Really? She seems pretty approachable," Sui observed, looking at the petite professor who resembled a middle schooler.
"That's not the point!" Megumi replied anxiously. "Sure, Professor Shiomi is kind outside of class, but in the classroom, she's an absolute perfectionist. She's brilliant at research, but when it comes to teaching, she's incredibly strict and shows no mercy!"
Just then, a student timidly raised their hand and asked, "Excuse me, professor, what's today's topic?"
Professor Shiomi paused, putting a finger to her chin in thought. After a moment, she replied, "Today's topic... well, just make any dish you like, as long as it highlights the use of spices and impresses me, you pass."
A wave of panic rippled through the classroom.
"What kind of vague theme is that?"
"Any dish? How are we supposed to stand out?"
"How do you even highlight spices?"
The students groaned in frustration, but Professor Shiomi remained unfazed, taking a seat at the podium.
Megumi's face darkened, and she looked as though she was about to faint. "This is it... I'm definitely going to fail out."
She crouched down, whining softly.
Sui tried to comfort her. "Don't worry, we'll figure something out."
Megumi's eyes suddenly lit up with a glimmer of hope. "Wait, do you have experience working with spices?"
"No, not really," Sui admitted.
Her newfound hope shattered almost immediately. She sighed in defeat, standing up to introduce herself formally. "Well, I'm Megumi Tadokoro. Please take care of me."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Sui Mizushima," he said with a polite nod.
"Sui? I don't think I've heard of you before," Megumi pondered aloud, tapping her lip in thought.
"I'm a transfer student," Sui explained.
"A transfer student?" Megumi's expression stiffened. "Are you the same transfer student who caused a scene during the freshman ceremony?"
The idea of being associated with the infamous new student filled Megumi with dread.
"Oh, no, that's not me," Sui reassured her, knowing she was referring to Soma.
Megumi sighed in relief. "That's good to hear. I'd rather not be involved with that transfer student."
Just then, Sui received a notification for a new task.
Daily Missions
Mission Objective: Achieve a grade of A or higher in more than half of your courses.
Task Reward: Daily experience gift pack (with a small chance to unlock recipes and rare ingredients).
"Daily missions?" Sui thought aloud. It seemed he had no choice but to aim for top marks in each class.
"Alright, let's get started," Sui said, grinning confidently.
"Right," Megumi agreed, her spirits lifted by Sui's enthusiasm. Clenching her small fists, she nodded firmly.
To make a dish that showcased the spices, Sui decided on spiced beef.
"We'll need beef from the lean elbow cut," Sui instructed.
"Got it!" Megumi replied eagerly.
"Make sure to cut the beef along the grain, poke a few small holes, and rub salt into it."
"No problem, Sui-san!"
"Has the beef been marinated?"
"Yes, it's ready!"
With that, the two set to work, focusing on their dish.
From across the room, students began whispering as they noticed Sui and Megumi.
"Isn't that Megumi Tadokoro? No matter how hard she tries, she's bound to drop out eventually."
"Yeah, and the guy she's with is way too good-looking. Is he a transfer student too?"
"If he's anything like that troublemaker from the ceremony, then he's probably a lost cause."
Despite the murmurs of disdain, Sui and Megumi continued preparing their dish.
After an hour and a half, the students began presenting their dishes one by one.
"This is rosemary-grilled lamb chops," a student said, presenting their dish to Professor Shiomi.
She picked up a knife and fork, cutting off a piece to taste.
"You used fresh rosemary leaves, right?" she asked. "Rosemary has a pine-like aroma that's excellent for masking gamey flavors."
"Yes, that's right!" the student replied excitedly.
But Professor Shiomi wasn't finished. "However, using fresh rosemary for prolonged cooking can actually overpower the dish. Dried rosemary or rosemary powder would have been a better choice. Didn't you know that?"