Evening had settled over Gourmet Street.
Erina Nakiri and her loyal secretary Hisako Arato arrived outside the tavern. Aside from that brief encounter in Akihabara, it had been a while since Erina had seen Zane—or tasted his cooking again.
Despite her regal and intimidating presence at Totsuki Academy, Erina's elegance and unearthly beauty attracted admirers of all kinds. Among them was a particularly intense follower:
The original stalker—Nao Sadatsuka!
To Nao, Erina was sacred and untouchable—even by Hisako, whom she saw as a rival despite her milder quirks.
"Miss, it looks like the tavern's been renovated," Hisako commented, eyeing the space.
The once-picturesque garden had been replaced with a minimalist bamboo water feature, adding a zen-like ambiance. Above it hung a new wooden sign inscribed with four large calligraphy characters:
"Drinking Alone Under the Moon."
Erina looked around in quiet surprise. "Yes… I wasn't expecting such a transformation."
The tavern had clearly flourished under Zane's careful management—already evolving so much in the mere two months since it opened.
Adjusting the fringe of her golden hair, Erina smoothed her dress and asked, "Hisako, does my outfit look alright tonight?"
"You look stunning, Miss," Hisako replied with a sly smile. "That white dress fits you perfectly. I'm sure once Zane sees you, he'll be completely mesmerized."
"What? I didn't dress up for him," Erina said, her cheeks turning faintly pink.
Still, she stepped forward, ready to enter—until her eyes narrowed, fixing on a nearby alleyway.
"Miss, is something wrong?"
"I feel like someone's watching us…" Erina murmured. "Could it be Nao Sadatsuka again?"
"That's irritating," Hisako muttered. "We already beat her in that Shokugeki last year to stop her from getting within 50 meters of you."
She was about to head into the shadows to flush out the potential stalker, but Erina raised a hand.
"Let her be. She hasn't done anything outrageous yet." Erina exhaled softly. "Right now, the most important thing is Zane's cooking."
"Understood," Hisako nodded.
And so, the two girls entered the tavern.
…
Just after they disappeared inside, a woman stepped out from the dark alley—elegant in a pristine kimono, a folding fan resting in her hand. Behind her walked another beautiful woman.
"Mana-sama," Anne said softly, her voice tinged with concern. "Your daughter is right there. This is the perfect chance for a reunion. Why hold back now?"
Mana—normally so composed—closed her fan. Her gaze lingered on the tavern door where Erina had gone. Her voice trembled as she spoke.
"Ten years… It's been ten years. How am I supposed to face her?"
Her body trembled slightly. The sparkle in her eyes—once radiant—was dimmed by years of regret and sorrow.
She had never expected to see Erina tonight. The flood of emotions was too overwhelming.
"Mana-sama, I believe she'll forgive you," Anne encouraged. "She'll understand what you've endured all these years."
But Mana only shook her head.
"No. If I face her now, I'll only ruin her mood. Let her enjoy Zane's cooking in peace. I… I don't want to disturb her joy."
Anne was at a loss. Her heart ached for the mother's torment.
For someone who once feared death, who trembled at the god tongue's curse that condemned her to eternal hunger—Mana would've stepped into hell if it meant protecting her daughter.
Yet now, she turned away.
"Let's go to Shunkatei," Mana said at last, her voice hoarse. "It's closed tonight, but with our status as enforcers, the owner should make an exception."
Anne nodded silently, and the two women made their way to Sonoka Kikuchi's famed restaurant.
…
Inside the tavern, Erina marveled at the interior's transformation.
Before long, she saw Zane wiping the counter with a clean cloth.
He looked up, and their eyes met.
"You're here," he said simply.
"Yes… I'm here again," Erina replied, nervously tugging at the hem of her dress.
Hisako, watching from the side, couldn't help but feel like she was witnessing a tender reunion between husband and wife.
Erina hadn't visited often, caught up in her usual responsibilities. But lately, she realized she couldn't stay away—from the tavern or from Zane.
Something about being here made her heart light, her troubles melt away. Zane's cooking always gave her something to look forward to—something that Totsuki never quite managed.
"What are you thinking about?" Zane asked, gently patting her shoulder.
Erina blinked and brushed his hand off with a small pout. "I finally come here again, and that's how you greet me? So cold."
Zane: ??
He looked at her, puzzled—until he finally noticed her outfit.
The white dress shimmered subtly, the star-patterned sash tied in a soft bow at her waist, the golden belt flowing like a butterfly's wings in the breeze.
"…It looks good on you," Zane said after a pause. "Really, cute girls look good in anything."
"Zane, you didn't know?" Hisako chimed in with a smirk. "Miss Nakiri spent over an hour choosing this dress. Tried dozens of outfits."
"Hisako!" Erina shot her a glare, face flushed.
Hisako quickly covered her mouth, but the teasing glint in her eyes gave her away.
Zane chuckled. "Erina, don't be so hard on her. Actually… I've been working on a new dish. Want to try it?"
"A new dish? Really?" Erina's eyes lit up.
"Like last time," Zane said, "when I made burgers from toast and brownies from rice bran. This time it's… a noodle dish."
"…A noodle dish?" Erina repeated, a little confused.
"Well, it's kind of a noodle dish. But not really," Zane grinned.
Erina hesitated for a moment—then nodded. "Alright. I want to try it."
"Great. Give me a few minutes," he said, turning back to the kitchen.
…
He began with an egg.
Erina and Hisako watched as he held it upright and carefully poked a small hole at the bottom. With practiced precision, he let the white drip into a ceramic bowl, separating it from the yolk.
So many chefs took shortcuts, but Zane's method—though difficult—was deliberate and calm.
Next came the star of the dish: catfish.
Once hailed as one of the most delicious fish—"catfish and eggplant stew, the old man's last wish"—the fish's reputation had since plummeted, smeared by misconceptions.
But Zane knew better.
He'd selected a pristine bigmouth catfish, known for thriving only in clean water. This one was still alive, squirming on the board.
With a loud bang, Zane stunned the fish, then moved swiftly: snapping its neck, removing the gills and guts, and rinsing it clean.
Then came the twist.
He began slicing the catfish into thin, noodle-like ribbons.
"Miss Nakiri," Hisako whispered, wide-eyed. "That… that doesn't even look like fish anymore."
Was he turning fish into noodles? Why?
Even with firm meat, catfish could never imitate the elasticity of noodles—so what was the point?
"There must be more to it…" Erina murmured, eyes narrowing.
As Zane stewed the "fish noodles," he added fresh fish stock every ten seconds, repeating the process four times. Then, he soaked dried squid in hot water and shredded it further—into pieces as thin as pencil leads.
Erina's heart skipped a beat.
Then came the final flourish.
Zane slipped the squid strands into the hollowed-out fish noodles, forming a layered core like no other. Once fluffed and tender, he poured over it a golden broth made from simmered snapper.
A steaming bowl of something that looked like noodles—but wasn't—rested before her.
Erina stared in stunned silence.
This dish… was something else entirely.