Chapter 181: Please Become Our Brand Ambassador! (Patreon)

“It’s actually you two, I should have thought of it.”

Looking at the two extremely similar-looking sisters, Alice Nakiri’s voice carried a hint of emotion, not expecting to encounter old acquaintances here.

Because too much time had passed, and back then she had focused all her attention on her opponent, after winning the match, she had immediately rushed to cling to Dylan, so naturally she wouldn't remember who the judges were.

And Natsume Sendawara and Chikai Orie, while deeply impressed by Alice Nakiri, weren't desperate enough to curry favor with a little girl. After the match, they took a plane back to Japan.

Later, as time went on, and they had many daily matters to handle, they naturally forgot about it.

“Indeed, back then I already found your surname very familiar, but since it was in Northern Europe, I didn’t think too much of it. I never expected you to be from the Nakiri family.”

Natsume Sendawara’s voice was filled with emotion.

That child from back then had grown up so much in the blink of an eye. Truly, a girl changes dramatically at eighteen!

However, thinking about it carefully, only about a year seems to have passed since that match. Can such a huge change occur in a year?

First, she shed that childishness and became much more mature. She wondered what had happened to her, as she now gave off a feeling like a doll.

It must be an illusion, right?

Or perhaps it was because of her good figure, full and mature, which made one unable to help but fantasize. Thinking about it, that seems to be the only reason.

It must be said, the Nakiri family’s genes are strong. Erina Nakiri seems to be the same; a few years ago, she looked so unremarkable, but suddenly she matured significantly.

Natsume Sendawara’s face held a smile. As she spoke, she nudged the Chikai Orie beside her with her elbow. The other woman hesitated for a moment before finally speaking:

“I wonder if we could visit your residence?”

After saying this, Chikai Orie looked at Dylan with anticipation.

To be honest, as the leader of Japan’s curry industry, this was her first time stooping so low, and her first time fawning over a man like this.

However, if the person was the chef who created Flowing Light Cuisine, let alone fawning, they would even be willing to kneel!

As long as he was willing to let them taste a Flowing Light-grade dish again, that taste—once experienced, it was impossible to forget; even a slight recollection would bring it back vividly.

“Can we?”

Blinking her bright, big eyes, Natsume Sendawara took two steps forward and grabbed Dylan’s arm, speaking in a sweet, cutesy voice she would never have imagined herself using.

As women, especially women who had navigated the business world for many years, they naturally knew exactly what men liked and wanted.

It was just that they disdained to act that way towards the men they usually encountered.

But this person before them was different; he could create Flowing Light-grade dishes, which were the ultimate treasures they had yearned for.

“Please, pretty please~”

The more crucial the moment, the more one needed to display one’s charm. This was also why Natsume Sendawara had changed into black stockings and high heels.

At this moment, she behaved intimately but without being overtly seductive, truly a captivating little imp.

“Now? It’s not impossible.”

Looking at the young woman’s hand gently gripping his arm, and her noble, alluring face, and considering he had nothing much planned, and would be bored staying at home, Dylan nodded without much thought.

Natsume Sendawara and Chikai Orie were good-looking, and they were twins.

Chatting with them, discussing life and ideals should be quite pleasant.

No wonder ancient people liked confidantes. Talking to beautiful women who completely catered to your wishes, praising you, encouraging you—who wouldn't like that?

“Great! Then let’s go.”

Natsume Sendawara’s face brightened with joy. She pulled Chikai Orie’s hand and followed behind Dylan and Alice Nakiri, looking eager.

Alice Nakiri merely glanced at them and said nothing more.

She supported any decision Dylan made. Even if he wanted these two sisters to stay tonight, she would go and lay out the blankets.

Of course, Dylan would have to compensate her afterward.

Soon, the two sisters arrived at their home, a seemingly very grand house with lights on inside, which made them curious.

Besides Dylan and Alice Nakiri, was anyone else living here?

“Dylan-sensei, you’re back.”

“You’re so slow, Dylan-sensei! I just finished my dish; come and taste it, and give me some feedback.”

But soon, Natsume Sendawara and Chikai Orie had their answer.

As soon as Dylan unlocked the door, a chorus of chattering voices came from inside.

The girls, wearing aprons and holding meticulously prepared dishes, stood at the entrance waiting for his return.

“Do we have guests today?”

Megumi Tadokoro’s gentle voice drifted over. Dylan nodded slightly, while bending down to get slippers for Natsume Sendawara and Chikai Orie.

This added to the two women’s favorable impression of Dylan.

After all, in Japan, a country where male chauvinism is very prevalent, men typically do not get slippers for women.

The fact that he did so showed attentiveness on one hand, and innate good manners on the other. Being friends with such a person felt joyful no matter how one thought about it.

“These two… they seem to be the judges from the A and B blocks back then, and their companies are the leaders of Japan’s curry industry! How did they end up here?”

Ikumi Mito’s slightly shocked voice came as her gaze darted back and forth between Natsume Sendawara and Chikai Orie, finally exclaiming their identities.

“Don’t make such a fuss. For Dylan-sensei’s guests, it would be a rare thing for them to be of ordinary status.”

Erina Nakiri’s voice came. She also had a dish in her hand, eagerly looking at Dylan, waiting to receive his review.

“Erina Nakiri, you’re here!”

Chikai Orie stopped, slightly shocked.

The other person was the famous God’s Tongue, an object of fear and admiration for countless high-end restaurants!

“Greetings, Miss Natsume, Miss Orihime.”

Seeing the other party proactively greeting her, Erina Nakiri naturally couldn't ignore them. So she also nodded amicably towards them and softly called out.

“The dishes will get cold and their taste will change. I’ll attend to their matters first. You two sit there and rest.”

Seeing the few people about to start chatting, Dylan interrupted, then walked towards Hisako Arato, who was also holding a plate.

On the plate was a fragrant seared rib, with beautiful grill marks, topped with a small sprig of rosemary.

“This dish has a strong flavor; you can use fewer spices. Pay attention to the pairing of spices, don’t just blindly increase the quantity, as that will only make the taste muddled.”

“This dish is acceptable, but you probably didn’t deep-fry it before stir-frying, did you? Quickly deep-frying it once can lock in the meat’s moisture, making it taste better. Right now, it’s a bit too chewy.”

Looking at the waiting girls before him, Dylan took the chopsticks handed to him by Ryōko Sakaki, and evaluated each dish, being very professional in all aspects.

Behind him, Natsume Sendawara and Chikai Orie were both surprised by this scene, especially when they saw one familiar face after another.

Because most of these people were participants in the Summer Selection.

So, he was the one who trained them.

No wonder...

No wonder he could make such delicious cuisine!

Watching Dylan move among the various girls, tasting their dishes, Natsume Sendawara and Chikai Orie did not go to the living room to rest. Instead, they followed closely behind him like little attendants, observing everything around them, their eyes full of curiosity.

As Dylan finished tasting and giving feedback and suggestions for modification on all the dishes, he found some free time.

Natsume Sendawara, who had been following closely behind him, blinked her eyes and tugged lightly at Dylan’s sleeve, asking with a face full of curiosity, like a young girl.

“Is this what you usually do?”

“Yes and no. Daily routine is cooking. After a certain stage, we go out for assessments. Those who pass get two days off, those who don’t pass receive punishment and extra training.”

Hearing the question, Dylan thought for a moment, then explained their training method.

“Punishment…”

Chikai Orie murmured softly. She clearly felt that when the girls around them heard the word “punishment,” their bodies trembled and their faces turned very red.

“Rewards and punishments, clearly delineated.”

Only in this way can they be driven, giving them motivation to move forward. Even if they don’t want to move forward, they will be forced by the subtle threat behind them.

Dylan nodded gently.

Daily training is the foundation; examinations and assessments are for testing.

This was also the method he used to train Alice Nakiri, and the results were quite remarkable.

In just a few years, he transformed her from a little girl who couldn't even make a proper cheese baked potato into her current Special Grade Chef status.

“So that’s why. No wonder this year’s Totsuki students are of such high quality, their average strength far exceeds last year’s, and even the number of strong individuals is several times more than last year.”

Taking the tea handed to her by Hisako Arato, and watching the girls bustling in the kitchen, desperately trying to make good dishes, Chikai Orie’s face showed a sudden realization.

If these people were trained by Dylan, then everything made sense.

“The main reason is that this batch of students is naturally talented. My training method can only cultivate middle-to-upper-level students; it’s difficult to cultivate geniuses.”

Dylan shook his head.

The training method he had currently developed could turn ordinary students into middle-to-upper, and middle-to-upper students into top-tier.

Like the people before them.

With the same training time, Alice Nakiri went from Special Grade Chef to One-Star Special Grade, and will soon reach Two-Star Special Grade.

Erina Nakiri also possesses the strength of a top-tier First-Grade Head Chef.

The others, however, are still hovering between Second-Grade Chef and First-Grade Head Chef, with only a few having consistently reached the initial level of First-Grade Head Chef.

This is just for now; the gap will widen over time until they can no longer see the backs of Erina Nakiri and Alice Nakiri.

Ikumi Mito and the others also understood this, but they had no choice but to constantly push themselves through intense extra training to become stronger, thus ensuring they wouldn’t be left far behind.

“Alright, I’m done here. Tell me why you two came to find me.”

Feeling he had said a bit too much, Dylan changed the topic, looking at the two sitting on the sofa with a scrutinizing gaze, his eyes sharp.

“Actually, it’s like this: I’d like to invite Senior to become our company’s endorser. You don’t need to do anything, just shoot an advertisement with us.”

As highly intelligent commercial rising stars and CEOs of large enterprises, Natsume Sendawara and Chikai Orie’s business acumen was incredibly sharp; they immediately noticed the commercial value Dylan possessed.

Currently, he was holed up in Totsuki, acting as an ordinary teacher, unknown to outsiders, which is why he lacked fame.

But in the future, if Dylan ever decided to emerge, his extremely powerful culinary skills would surely draw worldwide attention, making him famous.

Even if he didn't emerge, his disciples making a name for themselves would ultimately be credited to him, still bringing him great fame.

By then, their companies might even break through Japan and truly face the world!

“Sorry, it’s too much trouble. Please allow me to refuse.”

Hearing Natsume Sendawara’s words, Dylan was slightly surprised, then shook his head to refuse.

Shooting advertisements was too troublesome. He wasn’t a celebrity; there was no need for him to do such public-facing things.

“Don’t refuse so quickly! We can offer a lot in endorsement fees. Just for shooting an advertisement, we’ll give you 1 billion Japanese Yen per year!”

Seeing Dylan’s firm refusal, Natsume Sendawara hastily said,

As long as he agreed, money was no issue. Their group had no shortage of money, and furthermore, in the future, he could bring them ten or even a hundred times the value in return!

“Dylan-sensei’s worth isn’t that low. What your group can offer, Totsuki will give tenfold, a hundredfold! Please show some sincerity!”

Sensing Dylan’s slight hesitation, Erina Nakiri, who had been observing the trio’s conversation, stepped forward, speaking with great presence to Natsume Sendawara:

If the final outcome was an agreement, she would fight for Dylan’s maximum benefit.

1 billion was a sky-high price for current celebrities, but for Dylan-sensei, it was a bit too low.

Even she, Erina Nakiri, when endorsing companies in the past, received hundreds of millions of Japanese Yen in endorsement fees.

For Dylan, her teacher, anything less than ten times that amount was simply unacceptable!

“Ahem, let’s put this matter aside for now and discuss it later. Guests are here, and as hosts, we should personally prepare something to entertain them.”

Erina Nakiri’s intervention made Dylan nod.

This young woman truly lived up to Senzaemon Nakiri’s designation as the next head of the Nakiri family; with just a glance, she understood his meaning.

Although he wasn’t keen on being in the public eye, the offer was simply too generous!

The development of the Dark Cooking Society now required a large amount of money. As the leader, he felt it necessary to impress his subordinates.

He, Dylan, was not only a Seven-Star Special Grade Chef, but could also earn endorsement fees far exceeding those of celebrities!

Next was to create a sensational dish and invite Natsume Sendawara and Chikai Orie to taste it, so Erina Nakiri could negotiate better terms.

Billions of Japanese Yen in endorsement fees, all invested into the Dark Cooking Society, would surely make them develop rapidly, allowing them to become a top power faster.

Then he, as the leader, wouldn’t need to perform for money.

“Or, taking this opportunity, should I assimilate these two young women? Instead of making them pay for advertisements, wouldn’t it be more satisfying to have them work for the Dark Cooking Society?”

Standing up and walking towards the kitchen, such a thought surfaced in Dylan’s mind, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily curled upwards.

To seize everything from others through cooking—that was precisely the style of the Dark Cooking Society!

“Bang!”

Outside, thunder rumbled, followed by a light drizzle. The sky darkened, making the expressions of the two inside stiffen.

“It seems Heaven wants us to stay and eat, raining to prevent us from leaving.”

“Since that’s the case, we can only stay here now. Let’s go back when the rain lightens.”

Looking at the rain outside the window, Natsume Sendawara and Chikai Orie exchanged glances.

Just now, they had intended to politely decline a couple of times to appear less eager, thereby maintaining the upper hand.

Now, heavy rain was pouring from the sky, and judging by the dark clouds, it wouldn’t stop anytime soon.

“You two just sit back and relax. Dylan-sensei’s dishes, if they were outside, would definitely be treasures that even hundreds of millions of yen couldn’t buy.”

Erina Nakiri said with slight nervousness, though in her mind, Dylan’s dishes truly were worth hundreds of millions, and wealthy individuals would be willing to pay for them.

A Seven-Star Special Grade Chef, regardless of the country, is a national treasure-level figure, and usually these are seventy or eighty-year-old men. Someone as young as Dylan is absolutely unique in the world!

“Gulp.”

Hearing Erina Nakiri’s words, Natsume Sendawara and Chikai Orie did not doubt her. Instead, they swallowed, their faces showing expressions of anticipation.

At this moment, their minds were filled with the All-Sheep Shumai they had eaten back then.

Once they started reminiscing, that wonderful taste surged forth, lingering on their tongues, making them reluctant to leave.

“I can’t wait.”

“Hold on a little longer, don’t let others laugh at us. We are the CEOs of Japan’s largest ‘curry’ distribution company. We must be dignified, we must endure!”

Natsume Sendawara whispered to Chikai Orie.

At this moment, Erina Nakiri and Hisako Arato had gone to the kitchen to help, leaving only the two of them in the living room.

“I know, but I can’t help it!”

Grabbing Natsume Sendawara’s arm, Chikai Orie’s voice carried a hint of grievance.

How could this be easily endured?!

Even though several days had passed, every time she recalled the taste of that dish, she couldn’t help but be entranced, her heart pounding.

This was the aftereffect of tasting Flowing Light-grade cuisine.

“You have to endure even if you can’t! Being too eager will put us at a disadvantage. We still need to negotiate terms later. Even if it tastes good, you have to hold back.”

Natsume Sendawara’s expression became serious, and she said with slight sternness.

She saw that Dylan was somewhat moved and willing to increase the price, but she didn’t want to be a patsy.

Now, it was a matter of who would lose their patience first.

Business dealings start from every small detail.

Natsume Sendawara glanced at Chikai Orie, then sat upright in the living room, silently waiting for Dylan to prepare the dish.

Megumi Tadokoro also came out of the kitchen at this moment, thoughtfully turning on the television for the two. After politely nodding, she returned to the kitchen.

On the other side.

Dylan appeared in the kitchen.