Chapter 267: A Cascade of Rejections and an Exhausting Walk
On the other end of the line, Azami Nakiri, having just settled into his hotel room, went utterly still. The words from Kobayashi Rindou made his eye twitch, a subtle, violent spasm.
Refusing to accept this outcome, Azami forced a thin smile, his voice a strained attempt at pleasantry. "Kobayashi-kun, surely you're joking? This particular brand of humor isn't very amusing..."
Rindou's voice crackled with genuine laughter. "You think I'd go through all this trouble for a joke? I dragged every single member of the Elite Ten out of bed for a pre-dawn meeting! Does that sound like I'm kidding around?!"
Before Azami could even form a response, Terunori Kuga's irritable voice cut in. "You've got some nerve, spouting such nonsense with your level of skill. You're not even in the same league. And seriously, show a little more sincerity. Agreeing to your proposal would make us look like complete idiots."
Eizan Etsuya's smooth voice followed, a smirk audible within it. "I concur., sir, I would strongly advise you to seek psychiatric help. Based on the terms you've presented, you can certainly afford a top-tier physician."
A hint of amusement entered Rindou's tone. "So, there you have it. As for you, if you're still holding out hope... Eishi?"
A weary sigh came from Eishi Tsukasa. "I will, of course, be refusing. There's no need to even ask me..."
The series of rejections left Azami dumbfounded. This was not how his carefully crafted plan was supposed to unfold. He had anticipated some resistance, perhaps a few holdouts, but he never imagined a unanimous, categorical denial.
"Well, that's that, then!" Rindou's cheerful voice declared. "Meeting adjourned!"
With a decisive click, the line went dead. Rindou shouted triumphantly before immediately pulling on her sleeping cap and vanishing back to bed. The other members of the Elite Ten followed suit, some returning to their sleep, others heading off to practice, none of them sparing another thought for Azami Nakiri or his shattered ambitions.
"This... This is impossible! Hello? Hello?! Damn it!"
The last vestiges of his composure shattered. The phone slipped from his numb fingers, clattering against the polished floorboards. Azami sank onto the edge of the bed, his hands burying themselves in his hair as he propped his forehead up, his mind a maelstrom of confusion.
His grand design was crumbling at every turn. First, his plan to use the Midnight Chefs to challenge Mana Nakiri's WGO was derailed by the sudden appearance of a chef who could cure the God's Tongue—a chef who had Courage and the other inspectors firmly on his side.
Now, his backup plan—to instigate a rebellion, seize control of Totsuki, and use its prestigious name to enter the competition—had been shot down before it even began. Not a single member of the Elite Ten had sided with him. Azami was completely adrift, with no idea what his next move should be.
Just then, his phone, lying on the floor, began to ring. Seeing an unknown number, a flicker of hope ignited within him. Had the Elite Ten reconsidered? He snatched it up and answered, only to be met by the lazy, drawling voice of a young man.
"It seems you failed."
Azami's expression hardened. "What do you want?"
"Nothing much," the voice on the other end purred with amusement. "Just observing. If you can't get the job done, then I suppose we'll have to resort to less... conventional methods."
"What are you planning to do?"
The young man, sitting casually on a rooftop somewhere with the phone to his ear, let out a soft chuckle. "Let's review, shall we? You were cast out of the WGO. The woman you pursued wanted nothing to do with you. You tried to stage a coup at Totsuki, and now the Elite Ten have slammed the door in your face. Since you're clearly incapable, we'll proceed with our own methods!"
A dangerous stillness fell over Azami Nakiri. His voice dropped to a low growl. "What are you trying to say?!"
"Since you can't acquire the directorship of Totsuki through political means, don't blame us for using a little force to take it."
"Are you insane?! You intend to use violence?!"
The young man on the other end of the line paused, then spoke in a tone of deep helplessness. "The reason you're so disliked must be your intelligence. When a chef speaks of force, what else could it be but a culinary duel? I'll issue a challenge. Betting on the Elite Ten agreeing to impeach the Director and promote me shouldn't be too difficult."
Hearing this, a bitter, mocking smile touched Azami's lips. "Promote you? A food battle with you? Are you dreaming? Why would they ever accept a duel from you? Your thinking is even more childish than mine."
"Just because you're useless doesn't mean I am," the young man replied, his voice still laced with that infuriating calm. "All you need to do now is find a way to make yourself comfortable. That's enough. Don't worry your pretty little head about anything else."
"If you're entering the competition for some misguided reason, you're bound to be disappointed," Azami retorted, clinging to his last piece of use. "Mana and Erina's God's Tongues have already recovered. And they've found a chef you likely couldn't defeat even if you reached the pinnacle of your craft."
There was a brief pause. Then, the young man's smile returned to his voice, wider than before. "Is that so? In that case, I'm even more excited. Well then, goodbye. I'll be sure to inform you of my victory when the time comes. Perhaps you can serve as my advisor."
The call disconnected. Azami stared at the blank screen, a long sigh escaping his lips. "Such arrogance..." he muttered. "But... it's also an opportunity. As long as I can defeat that chef, or gain control of Totsuki, everything can still get back on track."
But while one man's world was crumbling, another's misery was of a much more mundane, physical sort.
A weary sigh escaped Kasugano Sora's lips, her shoulders slumping. It felt as if they had been walking for an eternity, yet Koyo Academy was still nowhere in sight.
She tried to pull her hand back, but Sōryūin Akemi's grip was like iron—a proof of her diligent workout routine. Sora asked tentatively, "Um... Akemi, can't we just take the bus?"
"It's not that far, why take the bus? We can take it later when we go to the gym," Akemi said cheerfully, then paused. "Eh? Wait... It seems the bus route for Koyo Academy has changed. It doesn't go this way anymore..."
Sora, who had just seen a glimmer of hope, felt it instantly extinguished. Her eyes widened in horror. "No... Don't tell me we have to walk to the gym, too?! Wait... Why are we going to the gym?!"
Sōryūin Akemi beamed. "To work out, of course! Sora, your body has just recovered. You need to exercise more to build up your physical strength. Besides, this was Sister Shion's and Ren-ge's idea!"
"Ren-ge... Sister Shion..." Sora mumbled. "Hmm... But is it just the two of us going?"
"Nope, nope! After we get you registered, I'll take you to meet some friends. I think you'll like them, Sora."
"Can I just... watch? Without practicing?"
"That question is for Ren-ge to answer. Kirari-nee and Ren-ge are both at the gym today. Whether you can get out of exercising depends entirely on them."
The moment she heard those two names, Kasugano Sora silently accepted her fate. There was no escape. Those two would absolutely, positively not let her just sit and watch.
"Sigh... Let's just go quickly..."
"Aren't you tired?" Akemi asked, tilting her head.
"I'm mentally exhausted..."
Looking at the displeased Sora clutching her rabbit doll, Sōryūin Akemi couldn't help but smile. Despite the long walk, Sora hadn't seemed particularly winded, and her breathing was even. It seemed her body truly had recovered.
"Sora, where are you going?"
"To buy a drink..."
"Then let's go to that fast-food restaurant up ahead!"
"Okay!"
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