"Waiter."
Azami Nakiri dabbed the corner of his mouth with a silk napkin, then raised his hand with practiced elegance. His movements were calm, his smile gentle—yet the sheer confidence in his posture caused heads to turn.
A nearby train-themed "conductor" waitress hurried over with a flustered expression.
"Y-Yes, sir? How may I help you?"
Azami offered a warm, courteous smile. "Call your head chef. Tell him… Azami Nakiri requests an audience."
The conductor blinked in shock. She had served her share of VIPs before, but this name made her heart skip.
"A-Azami Nakiri…?"
Her face flushed crimson. That name—it wasn't just a name, but a force. She hurried away, almost tripping in her haste.
In the kitchen, Eizan Etsuya was reviewing inventory when the flustered girl burst in.
"Chef! A customer says his name is… Azami Nakiri!"
Eizan's hand froze mid-motion. His stomach dropped.
"No way…"
Heart pounding, he quickly wiped his hands and rushed into the front hall, adjusting his coat. There, seated calmly at a window-side table, sipping water like a man without a care in the world, was Azami Nakiri.
The man who once shook Totsuki to its foundation.
The former tyrant.
"Azami… Nakiri…" Eizan muttered, his voice hoarse.
"Eizan Etsuya," Azami greeted him with a cordial nod. "It's been some time."
Meanwhile, in the mountain area, Rindō Kobayashi stretched her arms above her head and exhaled contentedly.
"Ahhh~ I'm so full. That really hit the spot."
She had just finished sampling the entire menu at Eishi Tsukasa's stall, and now stood outside with a dazed-looking Megumi Tadokoro in tow.
Megumi's expression was one of pure awe—and confusion. "You ate… all that?"
She'd never seen someone eat so much in such a short time.
"Eishi's portions are small," Rindō replied with a toothy grin. "If I don't eat at least three servings, I feel empty."
"You… you must have the stomach of a black hole."
"Maybe~" Rindō laughed. "Anyway! Tonight was Eishi. Tomorrow morning, we start with Kuga in the central plaza, then hit Erina, Momo, Nene, Satoshi—then all the others. I've got a four-day plan to conquer all 120 stalls!"
Megumi blinked.
(⊙o⊙)
"D-Don't you get tired?"
"I do! But that's what makes it fun!"
While Rindō cheerfully charted her next feast, Eishi Tsukasa collapsed into a chair inside his now-closed stall.
"Phew… Just three tables, and I didn't sit down once," he muttered.
Fine dining wasn't just about taste—it was a performance.
In high-end gastronomy, customers didn't pay for food alone. They paid for the experience: ambiance, plating, personal attention, and that elusive sense of exclusivity.
That's what Eishi delivered. His dishes were precise, his service impeccable. Even if he hadn't topped the sales charts yet, his reputation among Totsuki's elite clientele remained solid.
But tonight, his rest was cut short.
His phone buzzed.
"Eizan?" he answered quickly.
He listened. Then stiffened.
"Understood. I'll alert the others."
Eishi burst from the back door and spotted Rindō and Megumi still chatting nearby.
"Rindō! Get Fuyumi, Momo, Satoshi, Nene—everyone! Emergency Elite Ten meeting. 8 PM. Sharp."
"Eh? What?" Rindō blinked. "It's already—wait, that's in twenty minutes!"
"What's going on?" Megumi asked, startled by Eishi's urgency.
"I don't know yet," Rindō muttered, serious now. "But I've never seen Eishi like that."
She sprinted off to gather the others.
8 PM – Elite Ten Council Room
The chamber was dim, lit only by a central chandelier casting long shadows across the conference table.
Nine chairs were filled. Only Erina's remained empty.
Each Elite Ten member sat with an unreadable expression—tense, guarded, uncertain.
Then, the door creaked open.
A tall man stepped through.
With composed steps, Azami Nakiri entered.
"Good evening," he said with a placid smile. "I believe Eizan has briefed you, so I'll be direct."
He walked to Erina's chair, pulled it out, and sat in it without hesitation.
The audacity sent a ripple through the room.
"I've returned to claim what is rightfully mine," he said.
"I intend to replace Senzaemon Nakiri as Director of Totsuki Academy. And I want your support."
Silence.
No one spoke.
"Surely, you see the stagnation. Totsuki needs reformation. Innovation. Control. I expect your votes to support this transition."
Eishi was the first to speak. "The Director is… aging. Perhaps change is inevitable."
He looked at the others. "I support Azami Nakiri as the next Director."
Azami clapped once, quietly. "Wise choice."
Several members glanced at one another. Most were uneasy. A few were curious. And some were outright disturbed.
Rindō, reclining in her seat and munching on a rice cracker, broke the silence.
"Even if you're the Nakiri family's son-in-law… this isn't how things are done," she said coolly. "We're chefs. Not pawns."
Azami smiled again. "Naturally. Which is why I'll follow the rules. The Elite Ten governs by vote. I require a majority. That's all."
"Then… let's vote," Eishi said.
Tonight would be sleepless.
And it would mark the beginning of a coup that could reshape Totsuki forever.
9 PM – Erina's Restaurant, Mountain Sector
The warm aroma of butter, cream, and herbs still lingered in the dining room.
Erina Nakiri's pop-up restaurant was nearing closing hours.
Suddenly—
Bang!
The door burst open.
Footsteps—heavy, confident—echoed through the dining hall.
Hisako quickly stepped forward. "Sir, do you have a reservation? If not, I'm afraid—"
She froze.
Her whole body trembled.
A cold sweat formed on her neck.
Why… am I so scared?
Then Erina emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands, her voice casual.
"What's going on, Hisako?"
But then—she saw him.
Her blood froze.
"Father…"
Azami's smile was as gentle as it was chilling.
"Long time no see, Erina."
The room fell silent.
Customers looked back and forth, sensing the tension, feeling the air grow heavy.
Erina stepped forward slowly, her face pale.
"You were exiled…"
"Yes. And now I've returned."
"You're not welcome here."
"This is your restaurant?" Azami glanced around. "So quaint. You've certainly come far… or perhaps fallen."
"You're disturbing the guests," Erina said, trying to stay firm. "Please leave."
"Erina," Azami said softly, "I taught you that a chef should choose their clientele wisely. These people—" he gestured with a flick of his hand "—are not worthy of your cuisine."
Every word was laced with disdain.
The diners began quietly leaving, plates unfinished, unsettled by the eerie presence of the man who seemed to command the room with nothing but his gaze.
"You have no right to be here," Hisako said, voice shaking. "The academy—"
"Will soon be mine," Azami cut in, brushing imaginary lint from his sleeve. "And with it, your curriculum, your staff, your kitchens… everything."
"You can't just waltz in and take over," Erina snapped. "Totsuki has rules. So do we."
Azami's smile faded. "Rules? Rules can be rewritten. And I will rewrite them."
"You're not taking me," Erina said firmly.
Azami paused.
"Then prepare yourself."
He turned and left without another word.
Hisako placed a trembling hand on Erina's shoulder. Erina did not move.
"We have to prepare," Erina whispered. "Everything's changing."
Back in the Council Room…
The Elite Ten sat around the table, stunned and shaken.
"I can't believe he came back…" one muttered.
Eishi steepled his fingers. "We need to plan. Now."
Rindō, serious for once, nodded. "This can't stand. We protect Totsuki. That's our job."
Momo quietly added, "We need allies. Students. Teachers. Everyone."
Eishi stood.
"We fight for Totsuki's soul."