Under Marui's warm and somewhat frantic welcome, everyone entered the room together.
"I apologize for the mess. It's really not much..." Marui knelt nervously, his voice filled with anxiety.
"It's fine. I'm the one imposing," Erina responded, feeling a bit awkward as she scanned the room. She then sat down on the floor with an air of casualness, though it was clear this was unfamiliar territory for her.
For Erina, this was her first time attending such a casual, almost rustic gathering. Normally, the events she was invited to were grand banquets filled with the culinary elite or top figures from the business world, held in luxurious, high-end venues.
"Alright, let's get the banquet started!" Isshiki announced, breaking the silence.
But despite his enthusiasm, the atmosphere in the room remained somewhat tense. Daigo Aoki and the others were unusually quiet, their behavior affected by the overwhelming presence of Erina.
Whether it was her position as the Tenth Seat of the Elite Ten, the dream girl of the academy's boys, or the prestigious status of being the heiress to the Nakiri family, all of these identities placed immense pressure on those around her.
In contrast, Yukihira Sōma, Yuhime Yoshino, Ryoko Sakaki, and the others seemed much more at ease.
"Hey, what's with the tension in the air?" Isshiki asked with a playful smile.
"I'm sorry... If it's because of me, I'll leave right away," Erina said, embarrassed, as she began to stand.
"Oh, no! Miss Erina, that's not it at all," Megumi quickly assured her, grabbing her hand to keep her from leaving.
"Exactly! Here, try this rice-based drink I made," Ryoko Sakaki offered, pouring Erina a glass.
"Thank you," Erina said gratefully, taking a sip. She paused, pleasantly surprised—it was delicious.
Gradually, the mood lightened, and Aoki and the others started to relax, restoring the lively atmosphere that had been there earlier. Although Erina had never attended such a casual gathering before, watching everyone enjoy themselves so freely left her feeling unexpectedly... included.
"Is this what it's like to have friends?" she quietly mused to herself.
"Erina, what do you think?" Sui asked, glancing at her.
Erina's face flushed slightly. Turning away, she tried to maintain her pride. "It's... noisy," she muttered, feigning indifference.
"Alright, everyone, got your drinks?" Isshiki stood up, raising his glass. "Let's give a warm welcome to our two newest members of the Tōtsuki family!"
"Welcome!" Everyone raised their glasses in unison, drinking together.
As the gathering grew even livelier, Aoki placed a plate of fried vegetable assortment in front of the group. "These are freshly picked from the garden—enjoy!"
"Wow, this is amazing!" Everyone began digging in, with Sōma grinning ear to ear.
"Erina-san, how does it taste?" Aoki asked, eager for her feedback.
Erina picked up her chopsticks and tasted the dish delicately. "The frying time is half a minute too long, which takes away from the vegetables' freshness. In addition..." She paused before continuing, "There are about thirty-two other flaws."
Daigo's face fell, and the room fell into an awkward silence.
Realizing what she had just done, Erina's face flushed with embarrassment. "I'm... I'm sorry, it's just a habit."
Sui chuckled. "Erina, you sure know how to kill the mood."
Flustered, Erina shot him an annoyed glare. "Who asked for your opinion? I'm just... not used to this kind of interaction, okay?"
"That's amazing! Truly the God's Tongue at work," someone from the group remarked, breaking the tension with awe.
"I can't believe the God's Tongue just critiqued my cooking. I feel like I've made it!" Ryoko Sakaki said excitedly, clenching her fists in triumph.
"Please, try my dish next!" another person eagerly chimed in.
"There's not many chances to have the God's Tongue taste our food!" Yoshino added.
Erina was taken aback by their enthusiasm. "You... really want me to?"
Soon, multiple plates were placed in front of her. Looking at the eager faces, Erina sighed, half amused and half helpless. "You could always have Sui taste it instead," she suggested.
"No way, we want you to try it!" Marui Zenji insisted, his eyes lighting up with excitement.
Yoshino nodded enthusiastically. For them, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear a critique from the famous God's Tongue.
"You can ask Sui; he's also the God's Tongue. He should be able to give you a proper evaluation," Erina mentioned casually.
The room went completely silent as everyone stared at Sui, wide-eyed.
"He's also a God's Tongue?" Aoki asked, baffled.
"Is there really a second God's Tongue at Tōtsuki?" Yoshino looked at Sui like she wanted to inspect him more closely, as if she were tempted to examine his tongue firsthand.
"Sui-kun, that's incredible!" Megumi exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
Isshiki, who had been quietly observing, chuckled under his breath. "Two God's Tongues? This is getting interesting."
"The God's Tongue? Is it really that big of a deal?" Sōma asked, still looking a bit lost.
"Of course it is!" Yoshino replied, exasperated. "It's the ultimate talent for a chef!"
At Yoshino's insistence, Sui tried her stewed duck with radish.
"Well? What do you think?" Yoshino asked expectantly.
"The duck's flavor comes through well, but there's room for improvement. The timing of the radish, for example..." Sui pointed out several small mistakes, prompting Yoshino to nod vigorously, absorbing his critique.
One by one, Sui tasted the others' dishes, providing feedback that left everyone feeling eager to improve.
"Thank you for the hospitality. In return, let me prepare a dish for you," Erina suddenly said, standing up.
"Wait, are we really going to taste Erina-sama's cooking?" Everyone's excitement was palpable. Eating a dish made by the God's Tongue herself was something most chefs only dreamed of.
"Sui-kun," Isshiki Hui interjected, his tone unusually serious, "I'm looking forward to tasting your skills as well."
Erina stiffened in surprise. Was Isshiki, the Seventh Seat, testing Sui? Had he started to take notice of him?
Sui smiled calmly. "No problem, I'll gladly cook."
"In that case, I'll cook something as well," Isshiki said, standing up and removing his clothes, revealing an apron beneath.
Erina: "!!"