Ray watched the scene unfold before him, a faint smile touching his lips as he kept his silence.
He knew full well that the relationship between Erina Nakiri and Hisako Arato was far more than a simple dynamic between superior and subordinate. They were clearly close friends who cared deeply for one another. It was just that one was a tsundere who had no idea how to express her affection, while the other harbored a sense of inferiority due to their difference in status, never daring to overstep her bounds.
Though Ray understood their situation perfectly, it wasn't his place to interfere. They would eventually come to understand each other's true feelings anyway.
Once everyone had polished off most of the Orange Puff Pastry Lava Egg Tarts, Ray reached out and grabbed Soma Yukihira's wrist.
Soma was still chewing his final bite of the tart, mumbling indistinctly. "Ray, this tart is absolutely incredible! Especially the orange aroma in the crust—how in the world did you pull that off?"
Instead of answering immediately, Ray simply dragged Soma out of the examination hall. The judging was over, and they had safely passed the transfer exam; he had no intention of letting any unexpected complications arise at the last minute.
Of course, before leaving, Ray made sure to place the very last Orange Puff Pastry Lava Egg Tart right next to Soma's Transforming Egg Rice. After all, there was still one more person who hadn't tasted their dishes.
Ray hauled Soma all the way out of the hall, only releasing his grip once they rounded a corner and the venue was completely out of sight. Dusting off his sleeves, he was just about to say his goodbyes and leave when Soma spoke up again.
"Say, Ray, I still want to know. How did you get the flavors of the crust and the filling to blend so perfectly in that tart? I tasted it over and over, but I just couldn't figure out how you got that orange aroma into the pastry."
This question had been burning in Soma's mind from the moment he took his first bite. That orange fragrance was far too unique. It was precisely because of that scent that the tart's flavors unified so flawlessly.
Seeing Soma's insatiable thirst for culinary knowledge, Ray wasn't particularly surprised. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny, transparent glass bottle filled with fine, pale-orange powder. Handing the bottle over, he offered a calm explanation.
"Because I used this—Salt Orange. Just think of it as a special kind of salt extracted directly from oranges."
Soma took the glass bottle, his brows furrowing slightly as his eyes filled with confusion. Salt extracted from oranges? That sounded completely unbelievable.
"If you're that curious, you can have the bottle," Ray said, waving his hand dismissively. There was only a small pinch of Salt Orange left inside anyway. He figured it could serve as a congratulatory gift for passing the exam.
"Really? Thanks a lot, Ray!" Soma's eyes instantly lit up.
Unable to resist, he unscrewed the cap, tapped a tiny bit of the powder onto his fingertip, and tasted it.
The saltiness carried a subtle orange fragrance. The two flavors blended together as naturally as if they had always been one, without the slightest hint of discord. Furthermore, the citrus aroma was crisp and refreshing—exactly the flavor that had been infused into the tart crust.
"Whoa!" Soma's eyes widened in sheer amazement. "This is incredible! I can't believe a salt with this kind of flavor actually exists!"
His mind was already racing, brainstorming all the different dishes he could elevate with this Salt Orange. Roast meat? Stews? Or maybe more desserts? Just thinking about the possibilities made his blood boil with excitement.
Ray offered a helpless smile at the sight of Soma's sheer enthusiasm. After chatting a bit more about cooking, he waved goodbye and went his separate way.
Life after returning home was both disciplined and fulfilling for Ray. He spent his days either holed up in his study reading various ancient culinary texts or locked in the kitchen, repeatedly experimenting with new recipes using a mountain of ingredients. Occasionally, he would head out, wandering through the streets and alleys to sample unique dishes at local restaurants and gather inspiration.
Days turned into weeks, and before he knew it, a fortnight had passed.
Ray once again stood before the grand gates of Totsuki Academy. This time, he was here to officially enroll. His acceptance letter had been delivered to his hands the very day after the transfer exam. He had to admit, the academy's efficiency in this regard was staggeringly high.
In the academy's main plaza, the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. Pink and white petals drifted down with the breeze, creating a romantic shower of flowers. The square was packed with students wearing the standard uniform, all of whom had successfully advanced from the middle school division to the high school division.
A mix of nervousness and anticipation lingered on everyone's faces. After all, the Totsuki Academy High School Division was exponentially more brutal than the middle school. One wrong move, and they could be expelled.
Weaving through the crowd, Ray headed straight for the waiting room next to the main stage. As the only two transfer students in this year's intake, he and Soma were scheduled to go on stage and give a brief self-introduction so their new classmates could get to know them.
Pushing open the door to the waiting room, Ray immediately spotted Soma already sitting inside.
Soma had been staring off into space out of sheer boredom, but his eyes lit up the moment Ray walked in. He waved enthusiastically. "Yo, Ray! Long time no see!"
"It's been a while, Soma," Ray replied with a smile, walking over to take the seat next to him.
The moment he sat down, Soma eagerly leaned in, his face flushed with excitement.
"Ray, that Salt Orange you gave me is seriously amazing! I tried using it in a bunch of different dishes, like salt-grilled saury and egg fried rice. They're recipes I've made a million times before, but just adding a little bit of that salt made a world of difference! It completely masked the fishiness of the saury and added this faint citrus aroma, and it made the fried rice smell even better..."
Soma grew more and more animated as he spoke, enthusiastically sharing his culinary discoveries. He talked non-stop, covering everything from ingredient pairings to heat control.
Leaning back in his chair, Ray listened to Soma's endless rambling, a helpless but amused smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. It was obvious just how deeply passionate Soma was about cooking.
Right in the middle of their conversation, the announcer's booming voice suddenly echoed from outside the waiting room.
"Next, we will proceed with the emblem awarding ceremony! Please welcome our first-year student representative, Erina Nakiri, to the stage!"
The moment those words fell, both boys instinctively stopped talking. Outside in the plaza, thunderous applause instantly erupted.