Chapter 13: Anxious Erina! The Drenched 'God's Tongue'!
Meanwhile, in the world of Shokugeki no Soma—
After Kobayashi Rindo shared the pastries with Nakiri Erina, Erina, having eaten one and being unable to analyze all the ingredients within, prepared to get to the bottom of it.
The method was simple: go directly to the restaurant that sold the pastries and ask clearly!
Just like that, the anxious Erina, after school, under the pretext of 'helping with procurement', took away Kobayashi Rindo who would have originally been lectured by the teacher.
Although very grateful to her junior for saving her from the lecture, Kobayashi Rindo didn't understand why she was in such a hurry.
"Don't worry, Luke-san told me, as long as you want to go, you'll see that door, it won't disappear."
"Sounds like deliberately mystifying things. I need to figure it out, both that restaurant and those pastries."
After hearing Kobayashi Rindo's explanation earlier, Erina didn't quite believe her senpai's experience, thinking she didn't want her to know the source of the pastries.
Regarding this, Kobayashi Rindo naturally had to prove it.
The two girls quickly arrived at the designated location: an uninhabited alleyway in a residential area.
And in its depths, there indeed existed a door.
Erina walked over with curiosity.
After looking it over for a while, she walked around to the back of the door.
There was nothing there...
"Kobayashi-senpai, excuse me... is this a joke?"
"No, just open the door and you can enter the restaurant, so... ah?!"
Kobayashi Rindo came to the door and found a 'Closed' sign already hanging on it.
Twisting the doorknob with wishful thinking, the result was naturally no response.
It really wasn't open...
It had only just gotten dark, why was it closed already?
Kobayashi Rindo looked to her side; Nakiri Erina had a suspicious look on her face.
"Kobayashi-senpai, even if it had an 'Open' sign, I don't believe our world has an Anywhere Door..."
"I wasn't lying, I went through here before; since it's closed now, let's come back tomorrow."
"Too suspicious... Those pastries must have been bought from some popular shop, right? Impossible that they came from the restaurant behind this strange door."
"If you don't believe it, you'll have the answer tomorrow. I can guarantee it will surprise you greatly."
Kobayashi Rindo guaranteed assertively, showing no sign of guilt.
At this point, Nakiri Erina didn't know what else to say...
She still hadn't forgotten the pastries she tasted earlier.
Astonishing deliciousness, peculiar ingredients, unanalyzable aroma.
Because she cared too much, Erina felt like ants were crawling all over her body.
However, unable to open the restaurant door now, she could only wait until tomorrow.
Helpless, Erina turned and left the alleyway.
"Kobayashi-senpai, won't this door be discovered by others?"
"That I'm not sure about. I only remember Boss Luke saying that the restaurant door might not necessarily open for everyone."
"Before entering that restaurant, Kobayashi-senpai's answers sound like stories from a novel to me."
"So I will prove it then."
Kobayashi Rindo once again gave an affirmative answer.
The two also made an agreement to come again tomorrow.
The next day.
The first thing Erina did after waking up was take out her phone and dial Kobayashi Rindo's number.
The two had exchanged phone numbers yesterday for easy contact.
But after five consecutive calls, the other side remained unanswered.
"Still sleeping in...?"
Erina said resentfully.
She didn't plan to wait any longer, immediately changed her clothes, and headed towards yesterday's alleyway.
The district wasn't far from Tohtsuki Academy.
Erina, who had permission, could enter and exit freely, so it took less than twenty minutes.
Rumble!
Just as she arrived on site, a clap of thunder sounded overhead.
The originally clear sky instantly became overcast with dark clouds.
Rolling thunder, after a flash of lightning, cracked again.
Splash—!
Bean-sized raindrops fell almost without warning.
The pitter-patter sound of rain, like arrhythmic drumbeats, struck the eaves, the streets, and the girl's body.
Erina, unprepared with an umbrella, was instantly drenched by the sudden downpour.
She tugged at her skirt hem, adjusting the shirt clinging to her body after getting wet, and quickly walked towards the door straight ahead.
"It's open for business..."
Erina noticed yesterday's 'Closed' had changed to 'Open'.
Hesitantly, she reached out her right hand, grasped the doorknob, and gently turned it.
Click.
It opened!
Opposite was not the extending street, but the restaurant hall with soft lighting and warmth rushing towards her.
"Welcome."
A gentle voice entered her ears. Erina looked ahead.
There stood a young man wearing an apron, standing by the counter.
"So it was... real?"
"A new customer, young lady. Was it raining in the world you were in? Please come in first, I'll prepare clothes for you."
"Are you the owner here?"
"That's right, my name is Luke. And the young lady is...?"
"Nakiri Erina."
Erina stated her name directly.
She noticed Luke's expression didn't change much.
As a prestigious family in the culinary world, it was impossible for chefs not to have heard of 'Nakiri'.
So...
Perhaps this really was another world?
"Then... Achoo!"
Erina, having caught a chill, sneezed.
Seeing this, Luke spoke again.
"Please follow me, there's a bathroom on the second floor. I'll prepare clothes for Nakiri-san."
"Eh? But..."
"The body is the capital for everything. Let's properly savor the cuisine later."
Hearing this suggestion, Erina finally agreed.
She planned to investigate this restaurant, and also planned to properly understand the young man before her.
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