Senzaemon Nakiri scanned the crowd of students and finally said, "Devote yourselves to your craft!"
With that, he turned and strode off the podium.
The students in the plaza remained immersed in that blood-pumping excitement, standing tall with shining eyes.
"Finally, let us welcome our two new transfer students with a warm round of applause!"
The host's voice rang out at the perfect moment, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
Ray lifted his chin toward Soma Yukihira beside him. "Let's go. It's our turn."
Soma immediately perked up, rubbing his hands together with an eager expression.
The two then walked out of the waiting room one after the other, stepping onto the podium under the curious, scrutinizing, and disdainful gazes of hundreds of students in the plaza.
Ray stepped up to the microphone first. Before coming out, he had already agreed with Soma that he would speak first. He had no choice; he knew exactly what Soma was planning to say. If he spoke after Soma, he would undoubtedly be implicated and dragged into a mess of unnecessary trouble. While he wasn't afraid of trouble, his main goal in coming to Totsuki Academy was to improve his culinary skills.
"My name is Ray." His voice echoed clearly across the plaza through the microphone. "I love good food, and my cooking skills are pretty decent. I am very happy to be able to study here at Totsuki Academy. From now on, let's all work hard together."
He paused for a moment before adding one last sentence. "Also, I hope to still see you all here in three years. Although the chances are slim, please don't give up."
With those words, Ray swiftly handed the microphone to the eager Soma beside him and turned to walk off the stage.
The plaza fell dead silent for a full three seconds.
Immediately after, countless bewildered gazes shot toward Ray's retreating figure.
*What did he mean by 'I hope to still see you all here in three years. Although the chances are slim, please don't give up'?*
Wasn't he blatantly implying that he would definitely graduate, while the rest of them would likely fail before the three years were up?
Arrogant! He was far too arrogant!
Many students' faces instantly darkened, their eyes glaring at Ray's back with rising anger.
Only Ray knew that he had actually phrased his words quite modestly. At the very least, it was much more modest than what Soma was about to say.
Ray entered the backstage waiting area and immediately spotted Erina Nakiri sitting on a chair.
Hearing the door open, Erina looked up, her gaze landing on Ray.
"Long time no see, Miss Erina," Ray said, giving her a slight nod in greeting.
"Mhm." Erina merely gave a cold nod.
She stared at Ray, her lips parting slightly as if she wanted to say something, but she forced the words back down. Ever since the entrance exam ended, she had been obsessing over Ray's Orange Puff Pastry Lava Egg Tart. Yet, no matter how much she recalled the flavor of that dish, she simply couldn't figure out how that crisp, refreshing orange aroma had been infused into the pastry crust.
This made her increasingly curious. Seeing Ray now, she almost subconsciously wanted to ask him about it, but she hesitated.
However, Ray didn't notice Erina's conflicted expression. He was currently looking toward the stage with great interest, a highly amused smirk playing on his lips.
Next up was Soma's *highlight* moment.
Ray's actions naturally caught Erina's attention as well. Following his gaze, she saw Soma standing in the center of the stage, holding the microphone in one hand and scratching his head with the other.
"Ah, well... I'll just say a few words too."
"My name is Soma Yukihira."
"To be honest, this school is just a stepping stone for me. Even though I didn't expect to get in, I'm not going to lose to a bunch of guys who have never even faced a customer! As for what I want to say! Basically, since I'm here, I'm going to stand at the very top!"
Soma stated calmly, looking out at the crowd of students. Finally, he gave a polite bow to the audience and added, "I look forward to working with you all for the next three years."
With that, completely ignoring the explosive outrage brewing in the crowd, Soma put down the microphone and strode confidently toward the backstage area. As for the angry shouts and condemnations from the students, they went in one ear and out the other; he didn't take them to heart at all.
"Phew, finally done with that!" Soma walked into the waiting area, letting out a long breath and patting his chest with a relieved expression. "Seriously, Ray, you didn't even wait for me! I was super nervous out there! Growing up, I've never had anything to do with awards or giving speeches."
Saying this, he leaned closer to Ray and asked with a worried look, "By the way, how did I do? Was there anything weird about it? I think I did a pretty good job!"
"Nervous?" Ray looked at Soma and couldn't help but chuckle. "I actually think you spoke quite well. You had plenty of presence."
Just then, Soma suddenly noticed Erina standing nearby. He paused for a moment, then awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "Ah, you're... Nakiri, right?"
Seeing that Soma hadn't even bothered to remember her full name, Erina felt a surge of annoyance. She glared at him and sneered, "You said you're going to stand at the very top? That's so ridiculous it makes me want to laugh. Everyone who passed the internal exams from the middle school division to get here has received a top-tier elite education. You don't even have the right to look up to them. An amateur like you couldn't possibly beat anyone here."
Faced with Erina's mockery, the smile faded from Soma's face. His usually laid-back gaze suddenly sharpened.
"Three years of middle school... The first time I held a kitchen knife, I was three years old. For the twelve years since then, I've spent my life in the kitchen."
For twelve years, he faced all kinds of customers every day—picky office workers, hungry students, and elderly patrons with demanding tastes. How could he possibly lose to a bunch of students?
Hearing this, a flash of surprise crossed Erina's eyes, and the mockery on her face faded slightly. But only slightly. In her eyes, Soma's practical experience, confined to a tiny diner, was ultimately too narrow. The stage of Totsuki Academy was far vaster than he could ever imagine.
Just as Erina was about to retort, a voice filled with a heavy dose of *sheepishness* suddenly chimed in.
"Wow, you guys are so amazing!" Ray scratched his head, wearing a perfectly crafted look of *helplessness*. "I only officially started learning how to cook two months ago. I can't compare to you guys at all!"