Chapter 12: Mana Nakiri, Has Come Again! (Patreon)

That noon.

Lunch service at ONLY had just ended.

The diners had all gone, and a waitress was clearing the tables when a slender, elegant figure walked into the restaurant at an unhurried pace.

It was a woman in a well-tailored dress, a vintage English wide-brimmed hat on her head.

Hm! Looking closer, her steps were light and unhurried.

The waitress hurried over and politely blocked her path. “I’m sorry, ma’am, lunch service is over. We can’t seat any new guests right now.”

“Hmph! A restaurant that’s open for business... since when does it turn guests away at the door?”

The woman’s voice was soft and clear, yet carried an authority that brooked no argument.

...

Then she took off her hat.

A cascade of silky, dazzling light-red hair spilled over her shoulders like flowing water, setting off her luminous, fair skin.

The waitress looked up, and the sight of that exquisite, flawless face, as if carved by a master’s hand, froze her on the spot. She trembled faintly and finally stammered out, “Y-you’re Miss Nakiri?”

“Oh my goodness! Why have you suddenly come to our...”

Mana Nakiri saw her flustered state and the corners of her lips curved. She raised a finger in a playful shushing gesture.

“No need to be nervous! I just came to eat.”

“Miss Nakiri... I’m so sorry, but it’s not service hours right now. I’ll go notify our Manager at once!”

The truth was this. ONLY ran on a two-meal system a day.

Lunch was served from eleven to two, and dinner from five to nine. The three hours in between were set aside for the entire kitchen staff to rest!

Today, Mana Nakiri had deliberately arrived right in the middle of that closed break.

She had calculated that the restaurant would be quiet now, with no other diners to disturb them.

Moments later, the Manager hurried over, her face tight with worry. She bowed before Mana and asked nervously, “Miss Nakiri, are you planning to dine with us today?”

“Mm! Yes. Showing up out of the blue while everyone’s resting... I do feel a bit bad about it!”

Even as she said so, she sat straight down in a chair, her gaze calm. “But I came by appointment. That young chef should be willing to cook for me.”

“And I want to see for myself how much his cooking has improved in these few short days.”

Hearing this, the Manager answered at once.

“I’ll go get Chef Ramsay right away. Please wait just a moment, Miss Nakiri.”

“Good! Thank you for the trouble.”

A moment later, Ramsay crossed the empty dining hall toward her.

...

“Hi! We meet again.”

At the sight of Ramsay, a faint smile bloomed in Mana Nakiri’s eyes. “Coming at your break time on purpose... I hope I’m not cutting into your rest?”

Ramsay answered with an easy smile. “A chef never turns away a customer.”

“Besides. I’ve been hoping all along that you’d see my progress with your own eyes, Miss Nakiri.”

“Give me a minute and I’ll head into the kitchen and get started. Um... the same Sorrowful Rice as last time, how about that?”

“Great! That’s my favorite dish!”

Ramsay had just turned toward the kitchen when Azami Nakamura, who had been in the break room, burst out. He must have heard about Mana Nakiri’s visit from somewhere, and he rushed over to block their way.

“Miss Nakiri! Could you give me one more chance? I’ve developed a new dish too, and I’d like you to taste it.”

Mana Nakiri said nothing, only nodded lightly in assent.

Seeing that, Azami Nakamura was overjoyed. He practically bounded off, heading straight for the kitchen!

...

About thirty minutes passed.

Ramsay and Azami Nakamura came out of the kitchen with their finished dishes at almost the same moment. Nakamura got there first and set his dish squarely in front of Mana Nakiri.

“This is the signature dish I’ve poured myself into... Mediterranean Fusion with Ancient Indian Flavors, Rich Fish-Head Curry.”

Mana’s gaze settled entirely on the white porcelain bowl before her.

The thick, deep red curry gleamed with a warm sheen of oil. Finely chopped coriander leaves floated across the surface like scattered stars, and a rich, mellow fragrance drifted slowly through the air. The aroma alone was seductive!

And beneath the heavy spice... a light, gentle fruity tartness hovered faintly, stirring the taste buds just right.

...

“Oh! That’s lemon vinegar.”

In just a few seconds, guided by the keen sense of her God’s Tongue, Mana Nakiri had pinned down the source of the fragrance.

He had taken a traditional Indian curry, built on heavy spice and heat, and boldly brought in the fruit vinegar so common in Mediterranean cooking to lift the flavor. The fusion was daring, even outrageous...

But. She had to admit one thing.

The dish’s aroma was full and layered, and it would hold its own even in a WGO-starred restaurant.

She picked up a porcelain spoon. She scooped up some of the thick curry, blew gently to disperse the rising steam, and took a small sip.

The curry, rich with the sweetness of deep-sea fish heads, slid across her tongue, and the first layer of flavor was already a surprise.

Azami Nakamura had mixed slow-simmered natural fish gelatin into the broth, making the whole bowl smooth and velvety, with no heavy, greasy feel at all.

The proportions of the various spices were just as precisely judged. As she ate, the heat never burned or caught in her throat.

...

Mana set down her spoon. She looked up at Azami Nakamura and began her assessment, fair and objective.

“Compared to your last dish, this fish-head curry has clearly improved. But if you want to move my God’s Tongue, you’re still far from it!”

Hearing this verdict, Azami Nakamura clenched his fists without realizing it.

Disappointment filled him. The dish he had racked his brain to refine had still failed to pass Mana Nakiri’s God’s Tongue!

But just as his spirits sank, Ramsay stepped forward carrying his plate. On it was the same classic Sorrowful Rice.

Mana Nakiri gave Ramsay a casual glance, then silently picked up her chopsticks and began to eat.

Unlike the first time, there was no shock, no ecstasy. Her God’s Tongue had already grown used to this flavor, and the uncontrollable thrill of that first bite was gone.

Yet. When the meal was finished, faint ripples spread through her heart, layer upon layer!

...

Yes! Her God’s Tongue no longer burned with its former excitement.

But her senses caught a clear difference: The Sorrowful Rice Ramsay had made today was far better than last time’s in every way: the flavor, the heat control, the balance of seasoning, the taste experience, the whole profile of the dish!

More often than not, the taste of a dish is far more honest than words.

In just one week, Ramsay’s cooking had improved visibly, a leap so large it was hard to believe.

And. Growth this explosive could never have rested on talent alone.

It was proof that in these seven days he had poured an enormous amount of time into study and endless hands-on practice, and that was what had bought this complete transformation!