"Megumi, where did you run off to? Hurry, hurry!"
The main door of the Polaris Dormitory opened, and Tadokoro Megumi's figure appeared at the entrance.
Yuki Yoshino, with her sharp eyes, spotted her immediately and waved her hand, then, feeling Megumi was too slow, took two steps forward and pulled her over.
"Yuki, Ryoko, are you looking at the details for tomorrow's midterm assessment?"
At this moment, everyone in the Polaris Dormitory, except for Tadokoro Megumi, was gathered in the dormitory's main hall.
On the dining table lay a planning booklet.
The cover read, "Midterm Assessment Plan: A New Chapter in the Ode to Love and Friendship."
The booklet introduced the situation of the midterm assessment, allowing students to prepare in advance; otherwise, it would easily lead to chaos on the assessment day.
"That's right! You need to be prepared. This midterm assessment has been drastically changed, it's no less intense than the high school division's training camp! In fact, in some ways, it's even more excessive than the high school division's training camp. It can simply be called a hellish midterm assessment!"
Handing the plan to Tadokoro Megumi, Yuki Yoshino's expression was grave.
Megumi took the booklet and began to read it with her head down.
[Dear students of Tōtsuki Junior High,
This midterm assessment will adopt a brand-new point-based elimination system. After the assessment, those ranking below the top fifty in total ranking will be expelled.
This assessment will cover aspects from the sky, the earth, the sea, and the mountains.
It will comprehensively assess twenty-six cooking methods including stir-frying, quick-frying, sautéing, deep-frying, and braising.
Scores will be given based on the candidates' performance. During the assessment, candidates can ask the invigilating teachers questions at any time, and the invigilating teachers will answer any of the candidates' questions.
We wish all students excellent results in this assessment.
That is all.]
Although it was only a few short lines, it revealed a bone-chilling cruelty.
Out of more than a thousand junior high students, only fifty would remain.
"This is Tōtsuki's competitive education. The 'selection of raw talents' that Headmaster Senzaemon spoke of is about to officially begin."
Beside them, a rather handsome young man spoke, his voice magnetic.
If one ignored the fact that he was wearing nothing but a loincloth, he would be a suave and charming young man, capable of captivating thousands of girls.
"Isshiki-senpai, how was it last year? Was it as strict as this year?"
The black-haired Daigo Aoki clutched his head in pain.
Only fifty out of a thousand could survive – what kind of cruel hell was this?!
"No, last year's midterm assessment only had about a dozen eliminations. The content was mostly dishes taught in class. As long as you met the judges' requirements, you could pass smoothly."
Shaking his head, Satoshi Isshiki recounted last year's situation.
Although it was also a strict assessment, it was nothing compared to this year's.
"So it's a reform starting with our year! Ahh! Why is something like this happening? Even if it's competition, it shouldn't be this fierce!"
Shoji Sato, with his bleached yellow hair slicked back, said with a face full of unwillingness, slamming his hand against the wall as he spoke, his expression terrible.
"Even the high school division's training camp isn't this exaggerated! Last year's promotion exam for first-years had over a hundred passing…"
Yuki Yoshino muttered to herself.
No matter how good her mentality was, it was hard not to be nervous in this situation.
Only the top fifty students could pass.
How many of them would be able to stay in the end?
"Aren't there still fifty people who can stay? In that case, just give it your all and become one of those who stay!"
A clear voice rang out, pulling everyone back from the abyss of despair.
Following the voice, they were stunned to find that the speaker was Tadokoro Megumi.
The members of Polaris Dormitory couldn't help but gape, somewhat disbelieving that these words came from her.
"We're doomed! The assessment is too harsh, Megumi's brain has snapped."
Among them, Yuki Yoshino had the biggest reaction.
She suddenly opened her arms and tightly hugged Tadokoro Megumi beside her, her expression filled with pity.
"It hasn't snapped! I genuinely believe this. Everyone can pass the assessment safely and then come back together!"
Pushing Yuki Yoshino lightly, Megumi found she couldn't push her away and spoke with a sense of helplessness, her feelings somewhat complex.
It seemed her usual demeanor was too timid; otherwise, she wouldn't be seen as having a broken brain for saying such things.
"I'm sure of it too. Everyone from Polaris Dormitory will return here smiling."
Satoshi Isshiki spoke up at this moment, a bright and cheerful smile on his face.
He had seen everyone's hard work; there would definitely be no problem!
"Goes without saying!"
"We'll definitely stay!"
"My goal is to graduate from Tōtsuki! If I can't even pass this kind of assessment, that would be too awful!"
Daigo Aoki, Shoji Sato, and Zenji Marui stood together, encouraging each other, their eyes revealing determined expressions.
They would definitely succeed!
"Yeah, we'll stay."
Ryoko Sakaki also nodded with a smile, muttering to herself as if affirming her own resolve.
As everyone became more active, the tense atmosphere dissipated considerably.
"That's a must! We are the 'Polaris Faction that stops babies from crying at the mere mention of our name'! A mere midterm assessment, let's all work hard and pass it together!"
Yuki Yoshino raised her arm high, already fired up by the atmosphere.
She absolutely refused to believe she would be eliminated so easily!
"That's the spirit! Leave watching the house to me and Aunt Fumio. Everyone, do your best and good luck!"
Satoshi Isshiki stood with his hands on his hips, slightly swaying his body as he spoke, his loincloth also swaying from side to side with his movements.
"Alright!"
"Fired up!"
For a moment, the scene was filled with the cheers of the Polaris Dormitory members.
The fear initially instilled by the terrifying number of fifty had been temporarily soothed.
"But Tadokoro-kun, you're in really good spirits. I never expected you to say something like that."
Looking at Tadokoro Megumi, whose expression was normal, Satoshi Isshiki couldn't help but be a little surprised.
Given her usual personality, she should be very afraid of this type of assessment.
If it were any other time, Tadokoro Megumi would either be trembling on the floor or very withdrawn, not as calm as she was now.
"Yeah! You really scared me just now. I thought you'd been possessed or something, Megumi, saying something so out of character for you."
Yuki Yoshino looked at Tadokoro Megumi with some concern.
She was, of course, happy that Megumi had improved, but the change was too sudden, so sudden it felt like she had become a different person.
"I haven't been possessed by anyone. I just suddenly understood—understood what I should be doing now, understood that there are still people who have expectations of me!"
Thinking of the man who had embraced her under the setting sun, Tadokoro Megumi pressed her hand to her chest, feeling the intense beating of her heart as she looked up and said this.
"It's good that you understand this. With your abilities, Megumi, as long as you can overcome your nervousness, passing this assessment won't be difficult."
Satoshi Isshiki nodded, looking at Tadokoro Megumi with admiration in his eyes.
"But even saying so, this terrifying elimination rate is still unsettling to look at. Megumi, Ryoko, tomorrow is the midterm assessment. Let's sleep together tonight!"
Yuki Yoshino said, stepping forward to pull Ryoko Sakaki and Tadokoro Megumi, a pitiful expression on her face.
This might very well be their last time seeing each other.
Although she had declared with an impassioned tone that she would definitely pass the assessment, a 5% passing rate didn't look high no matter how you saw it.
This was a thought shared by everyone.
However, in this atmosphere, no one brought it up.
After all, if their spirits were broken, passing this assessment would be even more impossible.
"Okay, but I want to take a bath first. I've been outside all day, and I'm all sweaty. It's sticky and uncomfortable."
Hearing Yuki Yoshino's words, Tadokoro Megumi nodded, not refusing.
"I want to take a bath too. Why don't we go together! Ryoko, do you want to come?"
As she spoke, Yuki Yoshino looked at Ryoko Sakaki next to her.
Come to think of it, the three of them had never bathed together before; it would be a precious memory.
"I think I'll pass…"
"Come on! Don't be shy~"
"Eh…"
"Then it's happily decided!"
Yuki Yoshino clapped her hands excitedly.
Ryoko Sakaki, unable to refuse her, could only nod, though she felt a little embarrassed deep down.
"We will definitely pass!"
After the excitement, Yuki Yoshino grabbed Ryoko Sakaki's and Tadokoro Megumi's hands again, her expression incredibly serious as she spoke to them.
"Yes, we'll definitely pass!"
Tadokoro Megumi nodded as well, her expression firm.
"You two, hurry up. It'll be the boys' bath time soon."
Ryoko Sakaki urged them, her face slightly red, clearly unable to be as sentimental.
"Coming, coming! Hehe."
"That's about it. Please don't forget the items you need to bring, though I've packed this part for you. You can just take it and go tomorrow."
Holding a reference document and looking at Erina Nakiri, who was leaning back in her chair with her eyes closed, Hisako Arato spoke softly.
"We leave tomorrow morning, assembly time is 6 AM, right? Hisako, thank you. I'm really looking forward to it. Assessment rules personally formulated by Teacher Dylan. Only fifty out of a thousand people can pass successfully. A cruel hell! Alice, when the midterm assessment comes, let's have a good competition!"
Underneath the midterm assessment promotional booklet was a photo of Alice Nakiri.
Erina Nakiri's eyes glinted with a desire for revenge, determined to crush her.
"Fifty people passing in the end? Stricter than previous years. But it doesn't matter. Betting on the Aldini name, I, Takumi, will definitely pass the assessment smoothly!"
Pinning the midterm assessment plan booklet to the wall with a dart, Takumi Aldini's eyes burned with passion.
He was never afraid of competition because he was confident he would be standing at the end!
"Onii-chan, let's work hard together!"
Beside him, a chubby young man with a fleshy face said so.
"Yeah, Isami, we have to pass this assessment together!"
"Hmph."
In a pitch-black kitchen, a girl with a revealing outfit and wheat-colored skin let out a long breath.
The kitchen knife in her hand slammed fiercely into the cutting board in front of her.
"Fifty people passing. With my strength, it shouldn't be a big problem. I hope to get a high rank. Speaking of which, has Lady Erina been attending Chinese cuisine classes recently? After this assessment is over, I should go check out the situation. To make that person go every day, he must be a very skilled teacher."
Looking at the beef minced on the board, Ikumi Mito picked up the plan booklet placed at the edge of the cutting board, her face slightly touched.
"Lady Erina, Lady Erina, hehehe, this time I'll definitely make you taste my soup, this time I'll definitely make you taste my soup~"
In a Tōtsuki Academy research classroom filled with all sorts of strange ingredients.
A girl with long black hair and red eyes was constantly stirring the ingredients in a pot, from which a strong, foul odor emanated.
Yet, her face was full of enjoyment.
"An assessment where only fifty people pass… If I get a higher score than you in it, will Lady Erina look at me more? Hisako! You despicable fellow! You're the one who stole my Lady Erina!"
"Stab you, stab you, stab you, stab you!"
"One thousand nine hundred ninety-eight, one thousand nine hundred ninety-nine, two thousand."
His whole body exuded an astonishing amount of heat.
In a small room, Ryo Kurokiba was doing push-ups to build his physique, allowing him to have more stamina during cooking.
"Midterm assessment, finally something interesting has come along."
"Such a troublesome fellow. I wonder how you'll manage your life after I leave."
Covering Jun Shiomi, who had fallen asleep while doing research, with a blanket, the dark-skinned young man, Akira Hayama, had a helpless expression on his face.
During this one month of the midterm assessment, what would this fellow do without him?
"Only fifty people passing? If I fail, I won't be able to stay at Tōtsuki, so I must pass this assessment."
Looking at the promotional booklet in his hand, then at Jun Shiomi on the sofa, Akira Hayama muttered to himself.
"Brother Dylan, who are you talking to on the phone?"
Seeing Dylan on the balcony, holding his phone with a smile.
Alice Nakiri, wearing a light nightgown, was sitting on the sofa, her fair, slender legs swinging back and forth.
She inexplicably felt that something was off.
Why was this guy avoiding her while making a phone call?
And that beaming smile clearly indicated the person on the other end wasn't a man.
Now, seeing Dylan hang up the phone, Alice Nakiri immediately got up and trotted to the balcony, pretending to ask casually.
"A secret. You'll find out tomorrow."
Looking at the curious girl in front of him, Dylan didn't elaborate, instead keeping her in suspense.
"Eh, are there still secrets between us? Was that a new flame just now! I get it, after all, you were in China alone for so long, I wouldn't be surprised if you had a few women around. So there's no need to hide it, and I never said I wouldn't accept them!"
But clearly, this answer didn't satisfy Alice Nakiri.
The girl couldn't help but pout, her voice muffled.
He had changed, become secretive.
It wasn't like this before.
Before, whatever happened to him, he would share it with her first, and could only share it with her...
"What are you thinking? I was communicating with the invigilating teachers who are coming tomorrow. They just got off the plane and were asking me about tomorrow's meeting point."
Looking at the inexplicably jealous Alice Nakiri, Dylan was truly a bit baffled and too lazy to continue hiding it.
He raised his hand and flicked her forehead hard, stopping her from letting her thoughts run wild.
"Invigilating teachers? You mean the personnel for the midterm assessment? Speaking of which, aren't you planning to use Tōtsuki's teachers?"
Alice Nakiri's eyes held a hint of suspicion, and she asked curiously.
"All you do all day is let your imagination run wild. As for those Tōtsuki folks, I'll use some of them, but most are unqualified. Some are at best Special Grade, some aren't even Special Grade. Their limits are set. The only useful thing is their teaching experience. I'll have them appear as secondary invigilators for the assessment. This midterm assessment is less of an assessment and more of a collective training. Whoever adapts strongly can stay."
"I see…"
Dylan complained with a hint of exasperation, then walked over to the sofa and sat down.
Alice Nakiri followed closely, a thoughtful expression on her face.
"You'll know when the assessment starts."
Dylan leaned back on the sofa.
If this one month was utilized well, the strength of these Tōtsuki rookie students could at least double.
However, he really looked down on Tōtsuki's teachers.
After this midterm assessment ended, he would arrange for some new teachers to come in and replace these guys.
Transforming Tōtsuki Academy into a hotbed for the Dark Cooking Society – that wasn't just talk!
"Alright, rest early tonight. Tomorrow's assessment won't be simple. If you don't treat it seriously, even you might stumble."
"I know, which of your assessments has ever been easy? I've been through it countless times…"
Her words carried a hint of complaint, and also a bit of nostalgia.
Alice Nakiri leaned against the sofa, thinking about the days she was specially trained by Dylan, and the year-end assessments she had to go through every year in Northern Europe.
"Can we sleep together tonight?"
Suddenly, Alice Nakiri turned her head, looking towards Dylan with an eager expression.
"No way. If we sleep together tonight, will you even be able to get up tomorrow? You're not at all well-behaved when you sleep, don't you have any self-awareness?"
Looking at Alice Nakiri, whose eyes were filled with anticipation, Dylan refused outright.
This girl would cause all sorts of trouble as soon as she climbed into his bed, completely unlike a proper young lady!
"Alright, too bad."
"Then can you tutor me in cooking tonight? It's still a bit too early now."
Although she still wanted to try and persuade him, looking at Dylan's non-negotiable gaze, Alice Nakiri eventually compromised.
Of course, even if she compromised, she still wanted to spend more time with Dylan, even if it was just for a few hours of cooking at night.
There was no particular reason; she just really wanted to be with her master.
Just being by his side filled her heart with a faint sense of happiness.
"That's no problem. If there's anything you haven't understood during this time, come and ask me all of it!"
Dylan didn't know Alice Nakiri's thoughts, but he still nodded in agreement.
As long as it was related to cooking, he would never refuse.
_____
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