Chapter 56: WGO First-Class Executive Officer (Patreon)

Just then, Mana settled lightly on the edge of the soft bed.

She kicked off her small slippers, and her pale, slender jade-like feet swayed back and forth, relaxed and at ease. She looked up at Ramsay and asked softly, "You haven't been at Totsuki for very long. Have you gotten used to academy life yet?"

"Thank you for asking. I'm doing well," Ramsay said with a nod, his tone calm. "The Director asked me the same thing just now. I've adapted well to the atmosphere at Totsuki, especially with my housemates at the Polar Star Dormitory. They're all warm, sincere, and easy to get along with. They spared me a lot of the awkwardness of entering a new environment."

Mana smiled, relieved, and said gently, "That's good. I was secretly worried that you'd struggle to fit in as a newcomer. It seems I worried for nothing."

She paused briefly, her gaze turning earnest. "Then... Ramsay, have you thought about what comes next? Or how you plan to keep sharpening your cooking and building your strength?"

After a moment of silence, Ramsay saw no reason to hide anything. "I've been studying cooking steadily, so improving isn't hard for me," he said frankly. "It's just that I have a goal right now. I want to claim a seat among Totsuki's Elite Ten as soon as possible, but I can't find a reliable way to do it."

He lifted his head and looked at Mana Nakiri. "Do you happen to have any good ideas?"

Mana froze on the spot. Then surprise flickered in her eyes. "Ramsay, you want to join the Elite Ten?"

She thought it over briefly, then began to analyze. "With your talent and strength, once the current upperclassmen graduate and the seats turn over, taking an Elite Ten seat would be easy for you. I don't think that would be difficult at all! But wait. Don't tell me... you want to join the Elite Ten right now, without waiting for the turnover?"

Ramsay nodded and answered helplessly, "For certain special reasons, I need an Elite Ten seat as soon as possible. But under Totsuki's internal rules, the only way to be promoted outside the normal process is to formally issue a Shokugeki challenge to an Elite Ten member, with the seat as the stake."

"But here's the problem. Every sitting Elite Ten member is among the academy's top fighters. Their footing is secure, and they have no reason to risk their seats by accepting a Shokugeki challenge from me."

Watching him look so troubled, Mana suddenly broke into a soft laugh. "The very thing troubling you happens to have a solution that I know of."

Her eyes were bright, her smile faint. "I don't know why you're so eager to reach the top of the Elite Ten, but asking me today was the right call. I have a reliable, workable path that can help you achieve your wish."

Ramsay's head snapped up. Intense delight surged into his eyes, and he asked eagerly, "Mana, you really have a way?"

"Mm-hmm." Mana narrowed her eyes slightly, her smile sweet and lively. She patted her chest and said confidently, "I really do have an excellent idea right here!"

"But, you know..."

"If I tell you this idea, Ramsay, how do you plan to thank me?"

As she spoke, Mana Nakiri's watery, bright eyes rested quietly on him.

Ramsay didn't hesitate for a moment. "If it's something you ask of me, then as long as it's within my power, I'll give it everything I have!"

Hearing that answer, Mana smiled even more brightly.

"You don't need to take it so seriously, Ramsay. I was only joking."

"You've cooked for me so many times, and you reawakened my anticipation for good food. I was already full of gratitude toward you! And besides... planning things for you is only natural for me."

She paused, drew back her gaze, and asked again, "Ramsay, do you know everything about who I am?"

"Hm? Who you are?"

Ramsay was taken aback and couldn't grasp the deeper meaning behind her words.

Mana looked at him and had to explain slowly. "Besides being a member of the Nakiri family and the bearer of the God's Tongue, I also serve as an executive officer of the WGO."

"You must have heard of the WGO, the gourmet organization."

"Its internal structure is strictly tiered. The highest rank is Special Executive Officer. Next comes First-Class Executive Officer, and I'm one of the WGO's eighteen First-Class Executive Officers."

At that moment, Ramsay's mind began to race. Drawing on memories of the original story, countless pieces of information instantly linked together!

WGO stood for World Gourmet Organization.

It wielded enormous influence in the global restaurant world and could assign ratings to restaurants everywhere. For every chef, then, winning the WGO's recognition was the highest of honors. Kojiro Shinomiya, for instance, had gone to France to run a Western restaurant, training and researching day and night, and the goal of his entire life was to earn the WGO's three-star certification.

Ramsay thought to himself that Mana had probably not yet risen to Special Executive Officer, the one who held the highest authority. By the way events were unfolding, she would likely have to wait until the current Special Executive Officer stepped down before she became the next person to hold the WGO's core power!

Hm! But still...

He remained puzzled. None of this seemed to have anything to do with his goal of storming the Elite Ten, did it?

Mana saw through the confusion in his eyes at a glance and covered her mouth with a soft laugh. "Ramsay, are you thinking that everything I just introduced is far from what we were discussing?"

"Don't be impatient. Let me explain slowly."

"Under Totsuki's established rules, unless a sitting Elite Ten member voluntarily withdraws from the Elite Ten Council, no student can fill a vacancy in the Elite Ten. But what if any one of the Elite Ten were willing to put up their seat as the stake in a Shokugeki against you? Wouldn't that be a shortcut to becoming one of the Elite Ten?"

"Under normal circumstances, though, nobody would be willing to stake a hard-won Elite Ten seat in a duel against an ordinary student. To tempt them, Ramsay, you have to put up a stake that moves them!"

"And the stake I'm talking about is closely tied to the WGO."

"Ramsay, have you heard of the THE BLUE tournament?"

"I've heard a little."

"Mm. It's a top-tier culinary competition hosted by the WGO, gathering the most promising young chefs from around the world."

"It's no exaggeration to say that for a young chef, simply receiving an invitation to compete in THE BLUE is a tremendous honor! Every chef with ideals longs to stand on THE BLUE's stage and present their cooking to the whole world."

As she spoke, Mana leaned forward slightly and looked at Ramsay earnestly. "Think about it. Could a THE BLUE invitation move the Elite Ten, who sit at the top?"

Ramsay's heart lurched. He stared at Mana in disbelief.

"Mana, you mean..."

"Exactly!" Mana met his gaze calmly. "As one of the WGO's eighteen First-Class Executive Officers, I happen to hold one THE BLUE invitation. I plan to use that resource to help you."

"If you own this invitation, you'll hold the capital to negotiate on equal terms with an Elite Ten seat. In terms of value, it's in no way inferior to a seat among the Elite Ten."

"Before long, the Totsuki Academy Festival will officially begin. As a WGO executive officer, I'll offer this prize to Totsuki: I'll make the invitation the grand prize of the Academy Festival, awarded to whoever has the highest sales."

"Ramsay, all you have to do is stand out at the Academy Festival and take first place in sales."

"You should understand the deeper meaning of that."

Hearing this, Ramsay suddenly saw everything clearly!

As a WGO executive officer, Mana had to respect the rules of her gourmet organization. If she privately gave him the invitation, rumors would spread inside Totsuki and beyond, and doubts would pile up.

But if the invitation became the champion's prize at the Academy Festival, everything would be above board, and no one could criticize it.

In other words, if he took first place in sales at the Academy Festival, he would smoothly obtain the THE BLUE invitation. And with such a weighty stake in his hands, ambitious Elite Ten members would naturally be tempted and willing to challenge him to a Shokugeki with their seats on the line. Then all he had to do was win the duel, and an Elite Ten seat would be his.

At that thought, Ramsay couldn't help looking up at Mana Nakiri again. This shortcut to the Elite Ten was undeniably tempting, but to make it happen, Mana would inevitably have to bear considerable pressure and criticism.

For a moment, he didn't know what to say, or how to repay her help.

Mana was perceptive, and seeing him fall silent, she guessed his thoughts at once. A lively, playful smile rose to her lips.

"Ramsay! Are you thinking, 'She's doing so much for me, so what should I give her in return?'"

Then she shook her head lightly and said softly, "Actually, I don't need any thanks from you. Being able to do something for you is a pleasure in itself for me!"

Seeing that Ramsay still wanted to thank her, Mana made an adorable "hush" gesture and cut him off with a soft shh. "Oh dear, Ramsay, no more thank-yous."

"You know better than anyone that I don't like polite pleasantries."

"...I'm simply willing to gamble on you."

"Besides, I think making the THE BLUE invitation the Academy Festival champion's prize sounds like a lot of fun."

"Of course, whether you can secure this precious entry is up to your own effort, Ramsay."

"Anyway, I'm really looking forward to it. I want to taste the delicious dishes you make with your own hands at the Academy Festival."

Looking at the bright, playful smile in Mana's eyes, Ramsay's breath caught. A warmth he couldn't put into words spread quietly through his chest!

After a brief silence, Ramsay raised his eyes and met her clear gaze openly, his voice utterly firm.

"All right! I understand!"

"Since you trust me this much, I'll be in my best form. I won't let down such heavy expectations. The Academy Festival... I'll give everything I have to win it!"

Mana saw the blazing resolve in his eyes and smiled. Then she clenched her small fists and waved them gently, her face full of expectation.

"When the Academy Festival comes, I'll be cheering for you the whole time, Ramsay. You have to make it happen, okay~"

*

The next afternoon, in a lavishly decorated, tastefully appointed private office building at Totsuki, several figures arrived one after another.

Joichiro walked into the Elite Ten's meeting room, saw Gin Dojima seated at the head of the table, and asked in confusion, "Gin, why did you suddenly call everyone together? Did something happen?"

Gin Dojima glanced up at him, then turned to the Elite Ten members who had all arrived and said in a low voice, "Everyone, please sit first. I've called you here on short notice because there's an important matter concerning the upcoming Academy Festival that we need to discuss."

"Hm? The Academy Festival?"

Kazuko Minami blinked her moist, bright eyes, utterly puzzled. "Weren't all the arrangements for the Academy Festival settled long ago? Does Senior Dojima have some new plan?"

"No. It isn't my idea. It's a new resolution from the academy."

Gin shook his head slightly, then turned to the side and gestured. "Miss Nakiri, would you please explain it to everyone?"

Mana Nakiri walked out lightly from behind the folding screen, taking slow steps.

"Hello, seniors of the Totsuki Academy Elite Ten Council. I'm Mana Nakiri, the Director's daughter. It's an honor to be here with you all today, and I'm sure quite a few of you have heard my name."

Her figure was slender and well proportioned, and she showed not a trace of nervousness. "But today I'm not here as a member of the Nakiri family. I'm here as a WGO First-Class Executive Officer, to discuss some official business with you."

"Hm? What?"

"A WGO First-Class Executive Officer?"

That casual line stunned every member of the Elite Ten, and the meeting room instantly fell silent.

Mana ignored the astonished stares, calmly drew out an exquisite envelope, and set it gently in the middle of the conference table.

"Inside this envelope is an exclusive invitation to the THE BLUE tournament. I'm sure you all know the prestige and weight of THE BLUE. What I want to make clear is that this invitation has not yet been signed. Its recipient is yet to be decided."

"Ssss..."

"An unsigned THE BLUE invitation?"

The others looked at one another in shock, and someone couldn't help asking in a low voice, "Miss Nakiri, what exactly do you mean by that?"

The corners of Mana's lips curved up slightly, and she explained lightly, "Exactly what I said. Whoever signs their name on this invitation will represent this year's contestants in THE BLUE, the top culinary tournament hosted by the WGO!"

At those words, every heart in the room tightened. Intense hunger and fire ignited in every pair of eyes. THE BLUE was the pinnacle stage of the culinary world, the summit competition countless chefs dreamed of, and that qualification was enough to move anyone.

At that moment, Tsukasa, the Elite Ten's Fourth Seat, a young man with neatly cropped silver hair, fixed his burning gaze on the invitation on the table and was the first to speak.

"Miss Nakiri, does this invitation belong to our Totsuki Academy? Does that mean everyone present here is eligible to compete for it?"

Mana nodded. "That's right!"

"I plan to make this precious invitation the ultimate prize of this year's Totsuki Academy Festival. During the festival, whoever takes first place in individual sales will own this THE BLUE entry qualification."

"This is also a deep cooperation between myself, as a WGO First-Class Executive Officer, and Totsuki Academy. What do you all think of this plan?"