Lexon was once again paired with Erina Nakiri.
However, Soma Yukihira and Megumi Tadokoro were nowhere to be seen.
The proctor for this exam was a Totsuki graduate whose name Lexon didn't bother to remember, as they hadn't been prominent in the original story.
The assignment was salad.
It was still being completed in pairs.
Unlike yesterday, the ingredients for today's exam were already prepared in the room for the students.
Before Lexon could even start, the haughty Erina took the initiative. She grabbed the ingredients and guarded the cooking station like a protective lioness, refusing to let Lexon interfere.
She wanted to use her cooking to prove her skill, hoping to convince Lexon to agree to a Shokugeki and dispel the growing seeds of self-doubt in her heart.
Little did she know that Lexon didn't harbor any real passion for cooking. Erina's demonstrations wouldn't sway him in the slightest...
He had no competitive spirit...
After all, he knew he would be able to crush everyone else with a bit more time...
Proposing a Shokugeki to the likes of Satoshi Isshiki had only been a mission from the Main God.
Having already demonstrated his strength to the Totsuki graduates yesterday, he didn't need to worry about the upcoming Stagiaire.
Thus, he was more than happy to let Erina take over the exam. He sat on a bench in the room and began gazing at the scenery outside.
Though Erina Nakiri was gnashing her teeth in frustration.
After passing today's exam perfectly, Lexon didn't linger and planned to return to his room.
Gin Dojima hadn't been present for today's exam...
'He must be dealing with the situation involving Soma Yukihira, Megumi Tadokoro, and Kojiro Shinomiya...'
Lexon thought as he made his way back.
In the original plot, Megumi Tadokoro would fail to grab good ingredients during Kojiro Shinomiya's exam due to her slow nature. She would use alternative methods to improve the dish and eliminate its flaws, only for Shinomiya to expel her for not following his recipe exactly. With Soma Yukihira's personality, he would naturally step in to defend her...
Eventually, Soma would propose a Shokugeki against Shinomiya to change his mind.
Gin Dojima and several other Totsuki graduates would be involved as judges or observers.
This was why Gin Dojima, despite his promise yesterday, hadn't shown up before the exam ended.
'But it seems I won't be involved in this,' Lexon mused.
He thought to himself.
The outcome was positive anyway; Soma would handle it, and Megumi would avoid expulsion...
And she would even grow from it...
'Once we're back at the Polar Star Dormitory, I should try her cooking and check in on her for a few days...'
Her cooking possessed a unique quality that others lacked, making it quite valuable.
"Wait a minute! Hurry up and agree to a Shokugeki with me!" Erina Nakiri said, suddenly appearing out of nowhere.
"Where's your little secretary?" Lexon asked, ignoring her question.
"Hisako...?" Erina paused, thinking for a moment before replying, "Hisako was assigned to another group, so she isn't here."
Just as she finished answering, she noticed Lexon was already walking away.
"Hey!" she called out, hurrying to catch up.
*Bzz... Bzz...*
While ignoring Erina, Lexon felt his phone vibrating in his pocket.
'Who is it?'
Lexon pulled out his phone.
The caller ID on the screen read: Gin Dojima.
Lexon gestured for Erina to be quiet.
"Hmph..." Erina turned her head away with a look of disdain, but she obediently fell silent.
Lexon answered the call. "Hello?"
["Hello? Is this Lexon? Sorry, something came up, so I couldn't make it over there."] Gin Dojima's apologetic voice came through the phone.
"It's fine. We can just meet up after you're done. I have a few minor culinary questions," Lexon replied, making up a quick excuse.
He only needed to make contact with the man, after all; it didn't really matter what they talked about.
["No problem,"] Gin replied.
"Then that's it for now. I'll hang up, Mr. Dojima."
["Wait... is the exam on your end finished?"] Gin asked.
"It's over," Lexon replied.
["That was fast... In that case... are you free right now? If you are, why don't you head over here!"] Gin suggested suddenly.
'To the site of the private Shokugeki between Soma, Megumi, and Kojiro Shinomiya?'
Lexon considered the offer.
Finally, he replied, "Alright. Just tell me the location, Mr. Dojima."
He chose to go.
Although Soma and Megumi had overcome the obstacle in the original story... his butterfly effect might cause things to go south...
He might as well help if he could. After all, he had a fairly good impression of the two.
Well... he did have other motives, too.
Since he had been invited, Lexon planned to use his relationship with Gin Dojima—as well as his acquaintance with Soma and Megumi—to get involved in the Shokugeki against Kojiro Shinomiya.
He would use all the abilities he currently possessed to see exactly what level he could reach.
Let those Totsuki graduates get a rough estimate of his skills...
It would make his future actions much smoother...
["Good. The location is..."]
Gin Dojima gave him the location and hung up.
"I'm going too!" Before Lexon could say anything, Erina Nakiri chimed in.
"Whatever," Lexon didn't refuse her.
She was, after all, the owner of the God's Tongue and his nominal cousin in this world.
She still had some value for him to exploit later, so it was worth maintaining a basic relationship.
'As long as things don't develop the way they did with Shinobu...'
Thus, Lexon and Erina headed toward the location Gin Dojima had specified.
Together, they arrived at an underground kitchen.
"Are they here...?" Gin Dojima murmured as he looked toward the entrance. His expression turned slightly puzzled when he saw both of them. "A child of the Nakiri family is here too?"
Clearly, he recognized Erina Nakiri.
"Hello, Chef Dojima! My apologies for the intrusion!" Erina said politely.
"It's no problem," Gin replied nonchalantly. "I'm just a bit curious as to why you two arrived together."
"He is also a member of the Nakiri family—my older cousin," Erina explained to avoid any misunderstanding.
"So you came along together..." Gin mused before turning back to Lexon. "I didn't realize you were part of the Nakiri family. No wonder... It seems the Nakiri clan has produced yet another genius."
"You're joking; I'm just an ordinary person," Lexon said flatly as he slowly approached Gin. With speed at the very limit of human capability, he casually brushed against Gin's arm before continuing, "Mr. Dojima is the real genius."
"Hahaha, I still have a long way to go. There's another fellow who's the true genius..." Gin clearly hadn't noticed Lexon's action, shifting from their mutual flattery to praising someone else.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]