Even though she told herself otherwise, Ikumi couldn't hide her surprise when she heard Ryuji was planning to challenge one of the Elite Ten.
"Um… Ryuji-san, are you really going to challenge Kuga Terunori?"
Ikumi hadn't spent much time with Ryuji, but in that short span, his cooking had left a deep impression.
"Yes. That's the plan," Ryuji answered calmly.
Erina rubbed her temples and turned to Ikumi, taking a moment to consider before speaking.
"Actually, you came at the perfect time. I have a favor to ask… Could you help train Ryuji for a while? I've already taught him the basics, but I don't have the time to cover all the necessary techniques."
As the heiress of the Nakiri family, Erina had a mountain of responsibilities—managing various industries, overseeing family affairs, and still refining her own culinary skills. Her personal time was precious, and most of it had already been devoted to mentoring Ryuji.
That's why she needed someone else to pick up where she left off. Someone capable. Someone… like Ikumi.
"Besides, you speak Chinese too, right? So that makes it easier."
She gave Ikumi a meaningful look. This was more than just training—this was strategy.
The Mito and Nakiri families had always had a good relationship. If Ikumi and Ryuji got along well, it would help Ryuji build connections quickly. And once he had roots here, he'd be far less likely to leave.
Plus, if Ryuji ever had to be away, there'd need to be someone to help manage his ventures. Erina had no intention of financially supporting him forever. This wasn't some matrilocal marriage where he'd rely solely on her family. Ryuji needed his own enterprise, his own empire. She could help him grow—but he had to stand on his own feet.
Yes, Erina was already planning out Ryuji's future business path. Even if he couldn't bring back magical pigs from another world, he could still bring back rare or exotic meats—materials that Mito Labs could analyze to open up new culinary markets or gene research.
Indeed, in this world, the food industry had advanced biotechnology labs far beyond Earth's standards—thanks to the overwhelming importance of cuisine.
"Y-yes! Erina-sama! I'll treasure this opportunity!" Ikumi responded, eyes wide and cheeks red.
She looked at Erina with an expression that clearly said: "You're giving me a chance—I won't waste it!"
"That's right! Ryuji-san is amazing, but he's older, and his cooking skills are still lacking… It's only natural that Erina-sama doesn't like him. But Ryuji-san…"
Ikumi clenched her fists, thinking back to that moment when Ryuji stayed calm and gentlemanly—even after she'd… well, practically thrown herself at him. That steely restraint made her want to break it.
Tonight… she would make her move.
If subtle hints didn't work, she'd go full force. Cook her ultimate seduction dish, and then…
Turn the rice into porridge.
Just imagining the taste of that meat Erina had so casually praised, the same meat that once stole her very soul with its seemingly ordinary grilled flavor—Ikumi's mouth watered involuntarily. Her entire body shivered with anticipation.
She was a gourmet heiress, yes, but at her core she was still a food lover. If she didn't care about food this much, why would she even become a chef?
"Anyway, just do your best," Erina said, glancing strangely at Ikumi's overly enthusiastic expression. She couldn't understand why her sidekick seemed so excited about doing grunt work.
Of course, Erina could have trained Ryuji herself—but every time she saw his awkward, embarrassed face when struggling with knife skills, her heart softened. She couldn't be strict with him. That's why she needed someone like Ikumi.
"I guess it's a shame," Ryuji said, looking at Erina with a faint trace of regret. "I wanted to spend more time with you."
"Nothing we can do," Erina replied with a little sigh and tilted her head helplessly. "We both have roles to play. Building a culinary empire isn't easy. And we can't overlap with Nakiri interests too much. So for now, work with Ikumi. She's an important piece of the puzzlein building your carrier."
She waved at him before turning to leave, heels clicking gracefully on the floor.
Ryuji understood. Sure, he could've just coasted on Erina's support—but as a man, it felt better to earn his keep. Of course, having both love and power wasn't bad either…
As he mulled this over, Ikumi had quietly slipped to his side. She looked up at him with bright eyes, cheeks a little flushed.
"Erina-sama really is cool… so elegant and commanding…"
Ryuji noticed her breathing was a little uneven—and she was standing very close.
Remembering what had happened before, he rolled his eyes, gently pressed a hand to her forehead, and pushed her away.
"Alright, enough flirting. Let's start with the basics—especially knife work."
He had no intention of doing anything with this girl. He was nearly eight years older than her, after all.
"Hmm… but before that, I'd like to gauge your current level with meat dishes," Ikumi said, putting a finger to her lips playfully.
"As your teacher, I specialize in meat, after all."
She pointed at Ryuji and declared:
"So let's cook! You grill your best meat dish—and I'll do the same. We'll see who comes out on top!"
It was a fair proposal. Ryuji nodded. He was curious about her grilling techniques anyway. After all…
Grilled meat and overpowered protagonists go hand-in-hand.
Out in the wild, he often had nothing but meat to cook, so learning better techniques could only help. Maybe that's also what Erina had in mind when she handed him off to Ikumi.
"Alright. Let's do it."
He pulled out a piece of beef and got to work.
Meanwhile, Ikumi made a call to have a premium cut delivered, then quickly began preparing.
Ryuji's grilling method was simple—almost primitive. He even slightly burned the edges.
But Ikumi's was a work of art.
Her long knife danced like lightning. The way it moved through the meat—clean, swift, fluid—was something Ryuji simply couldn't replicate.
And then… there was the way she moved as she cooked.
With every motion, her breasts bounced ever so slightly. Before the meat's aroma even reached him, Ryuji found himself craving something entirely different.
"No wonder they call her Meat Queen…"
Ryuji couldn't help but mutter under his breath.
There was something innately primal about grilled meat. Yes, grilled meat. It carried an almost indecent allure, an ancient instinct that whispered mating season. The logic was simple: if there was meat to eat, it meant the tribe was thriving—strong enough to sustain life, and ready to… multiply.
So, when Ikumi placed that juicy, glistening slab of perfectly grilled beef in front of Ryuji—its aroma rich and intoxicating—he glanced down at his own pitiful, charcoal-like hunk of beef and sighed.
Time to cheat a little.
He activated his ability, knowing full well it would plunge Ikumi into a food-induced illusion. But looking at his now-defined muscles and confident smirk, Ryuji wasn't worried.
She's just a girl. How strong can she be? I've already overpowered her once before, haven't I?
With a smug nod, he used his ability on the scorched meat.
Ikumi's eyes lit up the moment the scent hit her nose.
"This… this is true primal essence! The simplicity! The barbaric charm!" she gasped.
Even though the surface was charred and the technique crude, something about the meat called to her inner instincts. Her mouth watered uncontrollably.
Still, she kept her manners and offered her own grilled masterpiece for Ryuji to taste first.
He didn't hesitate. If I can handle Erina's dishes, he thought, what's a minor character like Ikumi going to do to me?
But the moment he took that first bite, Ryuji realized—he was completely wrong.
His vision blurred. His thoughts twisted. He was no longer in the kitchen…
He had returned to the dawn of civilization.
In a snow-covered cave, flames crackled beside him. In his hand—meat. Perfect meat. Hot, dripping, life-giving meat. It was warmth, it was comfort—it was everything.
Beside him knelt a woman, primitive yet alluring, her sun-kissed skin the color of roasted meat, her body full of life, her eyes dazed with submission.
She was the woman he had lured with meat… and clubbed into becoming his wife.
Thicc, tender, and definitely fertile.
Slowly, almost reverently, Ryuji reached out toward his prize.
"This… this is an illusion," a sliver of sanity whispered within.
But it was already too late.
Ikumi, unaware that Ryuji's own consciousness had begun to melt under the illusion, finally gave in to her curiosity—and took a bite of the meat he'd infused with his power.
And then—
The two of them, lost in flavor-induced delirium, collapsed into each other's arms without resistance.
~~~~~~~
Bonus chapter every 200 PS.