"Arrogant!"
"If you're so sure it's impossible, then how about we make a bet?" Sora said provocatively. "Surely the prestigious young lady of Totsuki Academy wouldn't back down from a commoner's challenge, right?"
His words were sharp and taunting, making it impossible for Erina and Hisako not to react.
To Sora, this situation was perfect—free labor delivered right to his doorstep. It was the solution to the restaurant's current staffing shortage.
"A bet?" Erina narrowed her eyes coldly. "And just what do you have to wager? Behind me stands Totsuki Culinary Academy. I personally own more than ten restaurants, with assets worth billions."
Her tone was filled with pride, and the implication was obvious: a mere commoner like you has nothing worth betting against me.
"Wealth? I'm not lacking in money." Sora's grin widened. "What I want... is you. And your little assistant too."
"You… you shameless pervert!"
Hisako's face turned bright red, and she immediately stepped in front of Erina again, like a loyal knight guarding her princess.
Even Erina was momentarily stunned, then her face darkened. She had heard all kinds of insults before, but this... this was absolutely infuriating.
"You're disgusting!" she snapped, unable to contain her anger. "How dare you say such vile things!"
"Relax, don't get so worked up." Sora waved dismissively. "I just meant that if I win, you two will come work at my shop for free for one month. You'll help out, clean up, serve dishes—whatever I say."
He leaned against the doorframe with a smug look. "After all, I'm short on manpower these days."
"And what if we win?" Erina asked through gritted teeth, trying to suppress the rage boiling inside her.
"Then I'll do whatever you want," Sora replied without hesitation. "You want me to get lost? I'll close up shop and disappear. You want to mock me in public? I'll stand there and let you say whatever you want. Deal?"
"You really think you can copy my cooking?" Erina scoffed. "Let's see if your arrogant mouth can cash the checks you're writing."
"Deal accepted then." Sora stretched lazily. "I'll prepare a space. You'll cook a dish, and I'll recreate it on the spot. We'll compare them in taste, appearance, and texture. If I win, you two will wear aprons and serve customers here for a month."
"And if you lose, you'll shut this place down and never call yourself a chef again!" Erina demanded.
"Sure," Sora replied indifferently, as if it didn't bother him at all.
"You'll regret this," Hisako warned him coldly.
Sora simply smiled.
He knew his skills weren't normal. With the system's help and his insane memory and sensory control, copying dishes down to the molecular level was well within his abilities.
For him, this was just another way to train and improve his craft. As for the wager? That was a bonus. After all, getting a genius like Erina Nakiri and her loyal "secretary" to work for him was more than just helpful—it was a dream come true.
And frankly, he was also curious.
Curious to see whether Erina's god tongue was truly as unrivaled as people said.
"Fine. Prepare your kitchen. I'll come back tomorrow and show you what a true upper-class cuisine looks like."
Erina turned to leave, her heels tapping sharply against the floor. Her presence was like a storm—arrogant, elegant, and untouchable.
Behind her, Hisako gave Sora a death glare before catching up with her mistress.
Watching them leave, Sora smirked.
"See you tomorrow, my two little assistants."
"Scoundrel!"
Hearing what Sora said, Erina's face visibly turned red. Before she could say anything, Hisako had already stepped forward warily and snapped angrily at him.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I meant I want you two to work for me. My restaurant is short-staffed. Why would helping out make you blush? So weird," Sora said innocently, taking a few steps forward.
As he moved closer, he could clearly see both girls' faces redden even more, clearly embarrassed by what they'd misunderstood just moments ago.
"Then why didn't you just say that clearly from the start!?"
Erina stomped her foot, absolutely furious. Her pink fists clenched tightly—if not for his visibly muscular frame, she might have punched him already.
"I said it very clearly. I want you two to work for me. What else could it mean?"
Sora shrugged.
"In my kitchen, I've got some pork trotters and a few side ingredients left. If that's not enough to showcase your skill, Miss Nakiri, I can call someone to bring more. That way, if you lose, you can't blame it on the ingredients."
"No need. If you lose, you're coming back with me. I'll leash you like a dog in my living room. When guests come, you'll bark—'woof woof woof'—just like a mutt should."
A devilish idea flashed in Erina's mind. Her glare could kill as she locked onto Sora. This tacky-looking guy dared to challenge her? Fine—she'd make sure he remembered the price of arrogance!
"I'd be honored," Sora replied with a grin. "But I hope that, when you lose, you won't go back on your word. One more condition—I want you to greet customers dressed in a maid outfit. And when you see me, you'll have to call me 'Master.'"
Even though her bet had been insulting, Sora didn't get angry. Instead, he cheerfully raised the stakes. After all, what's a game without equal wagers?
"Fine. I won't lose anyway."
"Erina-sama, this is a bit much…"
"Silence, Hisako! Do you think I'll lose?!"
Erina snapped, her irritation boiling over.
This man—Hoshino Sora—was the first to ever speak to her like this! Unforgivable!
"Then let's sign a contract," Sora said smoothly. "I happen to have some paper in the kitchen."
Wary that Erina might back out, Sora took out pen and paper and drafted two identical betting agreements, signing his name at the bottom in front of both girls.
"Alright then, Miss Nakiri. What kind of high-class dish would you like to prepare? Keep in mind, too simple a dish might cost you the match."
"Hmph, simple doesn't mean easy to replicate. Doesn't Hoshino-kun even know that much?"
Looking at the remaining ingredients in the fridge, Erina already had a plan. Sora's comments made her smirk in disdain.
"We'll see how well you replicate it. First, let's see what you're capable of."
Sora smiled as he watched her pondering by the kitchen counter. In his mind, he was already picturing her in a maid outfit, shamefully calling him "Master." A delightful scene.
Truthfully, the winner of this match was obvious.
Sora silently opened his system inventory and activated the purple "Crystal Mirage." Then, without blinking, he focused intently on Erina's cooking.
She began by skillfully slicing open the pork foreleg, cutting the skin into uniform square pieces. She then skewered the meat, inserted garlic into it, and seasoned it with black pepper.
"Watch closely. This is Erina-sama's performance—elegant movements and precise knife work. A mere commoner like you should be honored just to witness it."
Hisako spoke with admiration as she watched her mistress shine. In fact, she'd nearly forgotten about the bet altogether.
After all, replicating someone else's dish wasn't unheard of—but perfectly duplicating it? That was another level entirely.
She chopped celery, carrots, and onions into centimeter-thick pieces and placed them in a roasting pan. Then, arranging the pork trotters in the center, she poured beer along the sides and slid it into the oven for a slow roast at 160°C for an hour.
Erina then turned to Sora, who was chatting casually with Hisako.
"You might want to watch and learn as I go. Otherwise, you'll end up with a sorry mess I won't even taste."
"No need. If I can't remember such a simple process, I'd be a total idiot. Go ahead. I'm just curious—what really separates high-class cuisine from commoner's food?"
"Let's see if you're still this smug later."
Erina's technique was obvious to Sora—crispy roast pork trotters. A smart choice given the limited ingredients. She didn't request anything extra, probably out of pride.
Too bad that pride would soon be shattered—replaced with the obedience of a proper little maid.
As time passed, Sora calmly observed Erina while kneading dough on the side, preparing for tomorrow's business.
Before long, Riko returned with a bag of flour.
"These two are…?"
Riko's eyes were sharp as she looked at Erina. She hadn't forgotten the time this arrogant girl had insulted Sora. Definitely not someone she liked.
"Challengers, basically. She's cooking now. Later, you guys can try her dish and see if she's as good as she claims."
Erina didn't respond. She was going to let her cooking speak for itself. She would show this barbarian the vast difference between nobility and commoners.
Just wait!
Fuming, Erina's thoughts were full of determination. She'd already been irritated enough being ordered here by her grandfather. Now being mocked on top of that?
Just wait until you're leashed and barking in my living room like a dog!