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"The new semester is starting already?" Sui sighed, feeling that the holiday had flown by too quickly.
As he made his way to Erina's kitchen, he said, "Time to open it."
"The host opens the new semester gift package and receives: Grade-A ingredients—a pound of pitch-black rice, and Grade-B ingredients—a bag of butt salt."
Hearing the system's notification, Sui stared at the two bags that appeared before him.
"Butt salt? What kind of name is that?" Sui was puzzled. The black rice made sense, but what on earth was butt salt? Salt... from a butt?
He opened the bag of butt salt, and a refreshing ocean scent immediately hit him.
"Wow, that's unexpectedly fresh!" Sui exclaimed. Inside the bag were white crystalline particles, all shaped like tiny butts.
"Is this really salt?" The crude name made Sui hesitate to taste it, but curiosity got the better of him, and he opened the ingredient description.
Butt Salt
—Food Grade: B
—Description: Refined from seawater with a high salt concentration using a unique process. The salt has a distinct shape and aroma, with a salty yet slightly sweet flavor. Considered one of the best salts.
—Origin: Toriko
"So that's it." Sui breathed a sigh of relief. He took a small pinch from the bag and tasted it. Sure enough, the salt had a rich salty flavor, followed by a hint of sweetness, with the crisp freshness of the sea lingering on his tongue. It was better than any salt he had ever tasted.
"This will definitely be useful." Sui smiled, satisfied. After all, salt was essential in most dishes.
He checked the price. A bag of butt salt was 100,000 yen—not cheap, but for such quality, it was understandable.
He then opened the bag of black rice. The grains were small and dark.
"Jett—Black Rice
—Food Grade: A
—Description: This rice grows in extremely cold regions and matures very slowly, accumulating rich nutrients over time. It can be eaten raw, fried, or boiled, and its taste is exceptional.
—Origin: Toriko.
Sui picked up a few grains and chewed them. The rice was sweet and crunchy, a far cry from ordinary rice, which tasted bland when eaten raw.
Checking the price, he saw that a bag of black rice cost one million yen. Expensive, but given its exceptional quality, it made sense.
Sui realized that the prices of fantasy ingredients didn't solely depend on their grade. The weight and type of the ingredient also played a significant role. While items like rice and salt were daily necessities, they were still priced much higher than their ordinary counterparts.
Later, Sui prepared dinner using his new ingredients. The main dish was fragrant black rice. He lightly fried beef and tuna with just a touch of salt and served almond cabbage boiled with a pinch of the butt salt.
The dishes were simple, but the ingredients made them incredibly flavorful.
"Huh? Is this black rice?" Erina asked, eyeing the dark grains in her bowl with curiosity. Black rice wasn't unheard of in their world.
"Yes, it's a new ingredient. Give it a try," Sui encouraged.
Erina smiled and picked up some rice with her chopsticks. As soon as the rice hit her tongue, she was surprised by the intense aroma. It had a soft, sticky texture, but each bite was chewy and sweet. The more she chewed, the more fragrant and delicious it became.
"This is so sweet!" she exclaimed. Although other types of rice could taste slightly sweet when chewed, this was the first time she had experienced such a rich sweetness.
The rice was so delicious that she kept eating, and before she knew it, she had nearly finished the entire bowl, leaving the side dishes untouched.
"You should eat some of the other food too," Sui said, placing a few slices of tender beef into her bowl.
Erina blushed slightly, finding the beef even tastier when Sui served it to her. The simplicity of the dishes, seasoned only with salt, highlighted the quality of the ingredients.
"Did you use a special kind of salt?" Erina asked, noticing the unique flavor.
"Yes, I can give you some later," Sui replied with a smile.
"Okay," she said, continuing to eat. Tonight's dinner was particularly satisfying, and before she knew it, she had eaten three full bowls of black rice.
When she finally put down her bowl, she noticed Sui looking at her. "What's wrong?" she asked, confused.
There were still a few grains of rice stuck to her lips. Sui gently brushed them off and put them in his own mouth, making Erina's cheeks flush with embarrassment. She quickly licked the corners of her lips with her tongue, feeling a mixture of sweetness and shyness in her heart.
"I feel like I'm going to fatten you up one day," Sui teased with a chuckle.
Erina's face reddened again. She realized she had eaten quite a bit and quickly said, "I'll be more careful next time," worried that Sui might dislike her if she gained weight.
"But even if you get chubby, I'll still like you," Sui said with a playful smile.
Erina's face turned crimson, her heart pounding. She gave him a playful glare, but inside, she was filled with warmth and happiness.
Afterward, Sui delivered dinner to Tohru and Kanna, who also enjoyed the meal immensely.
Kanna, in particular, devoured ten bowls of rice, while Tohru managed eight.
Sui couldn't help but twitch his eye at the sight, thinking to himself that one day he might not be able to afford to feed these two dragon girls.