Chapter 155: The Training Method, A Girl's Secret Heart
"My training is very rigorous, and there will be a lot of embarrassing physical contact. If you can't accept it, you can quit at any time."
Dylan's voice was low, carrying a hint of warning.
"I am willing to accept any form of training and will never give up halfway, Teacher Dylan!"
Hearing Dylan's words, Erina Nakiri's expression was firm, her eyes burning with a different kind of flame.
She was willing to give everything to become stronger. Even if the training was grueling, she could endure it. As long as she could become stronger, she would do anything!
"From now on, your lessons will be every day from three to five in the afternoon. Give me your house key, and I'll come to find you then."
Dylan said, extending his hand. Erina Nakiri saw this and didn't hesitate much, pulling a keyring from her school uniform pocket. Just as she was about to hand it to him, she suddenly thought of a very important matter: if she gave him the key, how would she get back home?!
"Teacher Dylan, my house is not far ahead. How about you come back with me, and I'll give you the spare key at home?"
Her hand, suspended mid-air, paused, and a blush appeared on Erina Nakiri's face. She pointed into the distance as she spoke: "It's really not far, just five or six minutes to get there."
"Then let's pay a visit."
Seeing Erina Nakiri's demeanor, Dylan nodded. Then, under her guidance, he came to her house for the first time.
It was also a detached villa, but this villa's courtyard was much larger than Alice Nakiri's, and two fully armed guards stood at the entrance.
This standard, this treatment, was indeed considerably higher than Alice Nakiri's.
The one raised by her side since childhood truly was different.
Dylan mused in his heart.
"Not bad. While it lacks the grandeur of an estate, it's certainly top-tier for a villa."
Looking at the exquisitely decorated high-end villa before him, Dylan couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
"Lady Erina."
The two bodyguards, seeing Erina Nakiri, bowed very respectfully, then looked at Dylan behind her with vigilance.
Erina Nakiri merely waved her hand and said, "This is Teacher Dylan. From now on, he can enter this villa just like me; there's no need to stop him."
"Yes, Lady Erina."
Watching the two respectfully lower their heads, Erina Nakiri nodded with satisfaction. Though it was a small matter, if not handled properly, it could lead to major problems.
Especially now that Hisako Arato wasn't by her side, she needed to be even more careful and cautious. She absolutely couldn't trigger Dylan with such minor issues. Even if martial arts were good, if you couldn't learn them, everything was just empty talk.
Dylan nodded, not paying attention to these details. He followed Erina Nakiri to the villa entrance and watched her pull a key from her pocket.
"Teacher Dylan, here..."
Taking the key from Erina Nakiri's hand, he stepped into the entrance hall with her. Looking at the spacious and tidy living room, he casually found a sofa and sat down.
"Before we train your God's Tongue, there's something I need to make very clear. Compared to Super Sense of Taste, the God's Tongue has weaker control.
To put it simply, it's hard to turn it on and off at will.
I think you should understand what I mean. If you can't control it yourself, once the God's Tongue begins to grow, its demand for flavor will sharply
increase. In severe cases, it could even lead to an eating disorder."
Dylan spoke very seriously. In his memory, Erina Nakiri's mother had experienced this very situation; she was backfired upon by her God's Tongue!
"It's alright, isn't Teacher Dylan here~? How can there be such a thing as an eating disorder in this world? Just eat a dose of Teacher Dylan's cooking, and it'll be fine."
Erina Nakiri teased half-jokingly, but this was also her true thought. With Teacher Dylan, she could rest assured.
"No, you must learn to be self-reliant. After all, I can't be by your side at all times."
That's also why I want you to become a Special Grade chef first, before further training your sense of taste.
Dylan simply explained his earnest intentions. The God's Tongue has significant side effects; if the chef's skills can't keep up and they can't produce dishes that satisfy the tongue, it's very easy to develop an eating disorder.
Of course, resolving this is also simple: create dishes that satisfy the God's Tongue, making her fall in love with delicious food again.
However, there aren't many people in the world with such an ability. Most are masters who have been famous for a long time, possessing their own pride.
As for them constantly staying by someone's side, becoming solely her personal chef, that possibility is very low. Not everyone yearns for love.
What's more, those who possess such strength are usually elderly, seventy or eighty years old. Even if they were willing to take on a new challenge, it doesn't mean the God's Tongue would be willing to 'marry' them.
With various limitations, rather than blindly enhancing the God's Tongue's ability, it's better to first improve one's own culinary skills. But without improving the God's Tongue's ability, one's own culinary progress would also be slow. This becomes a paradox.
In an instant, Dylan thought of many things, and his gaze towards Erina Nakiri became more complex.
"In that case, wouldn't it be best to hone my own cooking skills to the limit of the God's Tongue?!"
After a moment of silence, Erina Nakiri looked at Dylan, her voice resolute. She had clearly made up her mind: wouldn't it be fine if she just became the strongest?!
That way, she could not only save herself but also save her mother.
"That's what I think too. However, the path to becoming stronger is long and arduous, not something that can be achieved overnight."
"It requires long periods of training and refinement, engaging in food duels with opponents of similar skill, and also accumulating extensive experience, experiencing delicacies from all over the world, using your own methods to absorb their essence and discard their dross. Only then is success possible."
Dylan walked ahead, simply introducing Erina Nakiri to the path he had walked. Although it was quite bumpy, it ultimately cultivated him.
Hearing Dylan's words, and with his growth journey appearing in her mind, Erina Nakiri's expression became serious, and she then nodded earnestly.
"Since there's nothing else to do right now, change into your clothes and come to the kitchen for class."
He glanced at Erina Nakiri's school uniform. Because it was tailor-made, it fit her perfectly, showcasing her figure beautifully.
Even Dylan, this "gentleman," couldn't take his eyes off her at this moment, especially now that they were alone, and Erina Nakiri had said he could do anything.
Even though he knew she didn't mean it in that way, he couldn't help but fantasize, uncontrollably thinking about the "God's Tongue" encountering the popular scenarios from his past life's doujinshi.
"Alright."
Teacher Dylan was outside while she changed clothes inside. Would any sounds carry out? More accurately, would he be listening in?!
Although she knew the possibility of such a thing was very small, almost impossible, Erina Nakiri couldn't help but feel excited just thinking about the possibility.
She knew this was perverse, but she didn't dislike the feeling. She even fantasized about how she would act if Dylan suddenly pushed open the door.
She shed her clothes one by one. Although it was winter and quite cool, she felt intensely hot all over. She lightly dabbed her body with a tissue, then put on the powder-white uniform from her drawer, as she had accumulated some sweat from being busy all day.
"Let's begin the afternoon training gently," she thought.
"As expected, there was still some reaction, but compared to Teacher Dylan's cooking, it's acceptable…"
With a slight disdain, she threw her changed clothes into the laundry basket. Erina Nakiri felt somewhat helpless about her constitution.
This was also why the God's Tongue, besides being called Japan's strongest culinary talent, also bore the name of a curse.
"Indeed, Teacher Dylan is a true gentleman."
Glancing at the door, which remained undisturbed, Erina Nakiri nodded with relief and praised Dylan as a gentleman.
However, deep in her eyes, there was a hint of disappointment—a complex emotion that was hard to articulate.
Pushing open the door, Erina Nakiri, now clad in a white chef's uniform, walked out. She saw Dylan sitting casually on the sofa, drinking tea, and she sat down beside him.
"Teacher Dylan, I've changed."
The girl's voice was soft, seemingly carrying a different kind of emotion, making Dylan's heart tingle and go numb, though he maintained a serious facade.
"It's not hard to improve the God's Tongue ability; what's important is the method and gradual progress."
"That's right. For example, when you taste my cooking, it won't actually give your God's Tongue much improvement, because your God's Tongue is too weak; its precision in discerning flavors is only at the beginner level."
Seeing Erina Nakiri's confused expression, Dylan explained further. This was like a sect's handyman suddenly acquiring peerless martial arts.
Hearing Dylan's words, Erina Nakiri's eyes lit up.
During this time, because she had been by Dylan's side, tasting his top-tier cooking every day, her God's Tongue had made no progress.
"A teachable pupil."
Dylan nodded, a look of appreciation on his face, then turned on the stove in front of them: "During this period, I will teach you the Dark Cooking technique,
'Silver Chopsticks, Ten Pots Return'."
It's better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish; Dylan profoundly understood this principle.
If she wanted to create a large quantity of dishes of the same quality, for Erina Nakiri, "Silver Chopsticks, Ten Pots Return" was undoubtedly the most suitable ability.
"'Silver Chopsticks, Ten Pots Return'?"
Erina Nakiri swallowed. Although she had never witnessed this technique, since it was personally taught by Dylan, she couldn't imagine it being a weak move.
The image of Alice Nakiri performing the White Luo Snake Turning Chain appeared in her mind; that technique had shocked the Nakiri family's strong figures, leaving them at a loss for how to evaluate it.
An era-transcending top-tier culinary technique!
"That's right, I'll only demonstrate it once for you."
He thought about the original form of "Silver Chopsticks, Ten Pots Return." After his "demonic modification," this technique had become even stronger, but it wasn't suitable for Erina Nakiri.
As he thought, he pulled out a few long silver chopsticks from behind him.
Erina Nakiri, beside him, was surprised but didn't make a sound, just stared blankly at everything happening before her.
What was Teacher Dylan going to do with such long silver chopsticks?
The White Luo Snake Turning Chain using a long staff was understandable; after all, it was just an elongated rolling pin. But these silver chopsticks, weren't they only used for picking up food?
At most, they might serve an auxiliary role when cooking fried foods.
"For you, reaching this level within two months will be sufficient."
Simultaneously activating three stoves, Dylan deftly lifted the iron woks hanging above the sink and placed them over the flames.
After doing this, he used the silver chopsticks to hook the oil dispenser, pouring a base layer of oil into each wok, then began to prepare the ingredients already laid out on the cooking counter.
Compared to the previous steps, this step had the highest difficulty, requiring the rapid processing of ingredients with chopsticks. Erina Nakiri watched intently.
In just an instant, the ingredients were hooked up into the air by the chopsticks. The next moment, under the crisscrossing and movement of the chopsticks, they transformed into pieces of varying sizes, perfectly suited for stir-frying.
The processed ingredients went into the woks, and the silver chopsticks quickly flipped them in the different pans. Before long, three dishes emerged from the woks onto the plates.
"Shrimp Scrambled Eggs, Crispy Yellow Vegetable, Mock Crab…"
Looking at the dishes before her, Erina Nakiri's expression was one of astonishment.
Although these dishes weren't difficult to make individually, attempting to cook them simultaneously and then plate them increased the difficulty exponentially.
"You should be very familiar with these three dishes; they were all made by the examinees earlier. Try a bite and see how they differ from what you just ate."
As the dishes were placed on the plates, a golden radiance instantly burst forth from them.
Despite the seemingly crude cooking method, it had reached the level of 'glowing cuisine'?! Truly worthy of Teacher Dylan!
Smelling the aroma in the air, her mouth watered uncontrollably, and a craving emerged in her heart—a powerful desire to devour the dishes before her completely!
"Although this technique cannot create peak-state dishes, it can maintain a comparable standard. Of course, it requires considerable mental effort."
Seeing Erina Nakiri's adoring gaze, Dylan began to explain.
Because of the dispersed attention, dishes made with "Silver Chopsticks, Ten Pots Return" would have a slightly lower quality, depending on the user's skill
level. For instance, Dylan currently wasn't particularly interested, so the dishes he created were only at the peak of Special Grade Six-Star.
Of course, if anyone else knew of such a Versailles-esque thought, they would surely roll their eyes in exasperation, cursing him for not knowing what was good for him.
"Although... the earlier steps, if I try hard, I can do them. But the later steps of processing ingredients with chopsticks are a bit too difficult for me."
Erina Nakiri humbly stated her shortcomings. To be precise, this wasn't something one could just tough out.
If Dylan hadn't demonstrated this scene in front of her, where chopsticks processed ingredients with no difference from a knife, she would certainly have thought he was
making fun of her. Otherwise, why would he say something so fantastical?!
Processing ingredients in the air with chopsticks—she had never seen such a cooking method, nor even heard of it, just like the White Luo Snake Turning
Chain. Where on earth did Teacher Dylan learn this? At his age, to be able to master so many ultimate techniques simultaneously, he truly was an incredible man.
"Don't worry, I already considered that point, so I've devised a rigorous training plan for you. You just need to follow my plan…"
Dylan's lips curled slightly upwards.
No one knew Erina Nakiri's strength better than him. She was the kind of person who wasn't very weak, but also wasn't particularly strong.
In the original work, her talent was top-tier, and in the later stages, she became the strongest among the younger generation at Totsuki Culinary Academy. From her performance, she was probably at the
Special Grade level.
But that was all.
An eighteen-year-old Special Grade chef, while certainly considered a first-tier chef, was still some distance from a true top-tier genius.
"Okay! No matter how harsh the training, I'll work hard to get through it!"
Thinking of Alice Nakiri's shocked expression when she used "Silver Chopsticks, Ten Pots Return," Erina Nakiri's lips couldn't help but curve upwards, looking very excited.
"That sounds good, but I don't fully believe such words. I'll watch your actual actions."
Hearing Erina Nakiri's spirited words, Dylan didn't fully believe her. His gaze swept back and forth over her, a pile of training ideas appearing in his mind.
To learn "Silver Chopsticks, Ten Pots Return," one's chopstick control must be extremely proficient. This requires strengthening not only physical stamina but also finger dexterity.
"After eating, rest for half an hour, then run a few laps in the courtyard. Then, tomorrow, have someone install some fitness equipment at home, according to what I've written here."
Dylan said, quickly writing a note. Erina Nakiri, meanwhile, eagerly picked up her chopsticks, not even waiting for a moment. She took the plate and began to eat voraciously, her face filled with excitement.
As she ate, she closed her eyes, trying to fully experience the flavors of the dishes.
But besides being incredibly delicious and allowing her to discern the taste of the raw ingredients, her God's Tongue seemed to have crashed, completely unable to analyze anything deeper.
Of course, some basic flavors she could still distinguish, and if she were to replicate them, it wouldn't be a big problem, just not as perfect.
She devoured the three dishes before her like a whirlwind, then hastily glanced at the list in Dylan's hand, nodding and saying...
"Wait, don't move yet."
"Huh?"
Because she ate too quickly, a small bit of food residue remained on Erina Nakiri's face.
Seeing this, Dylan frowned slightly. Without much hesitation, he reached out and took the piece of egg from her face, naturally putting it into his mouth.
He chewed it slightly and then swallowed the piece of egg. Looking at the girl's face, which visibly reddened, Dylan's expression was a little awkward. He then spoke:
"It's nothing. I know you didn't mean to. Don't overthink it."
Seeing Dylan look her way, and recalling what had just happened, Erina Nakiri nervously averted her gaze, not daring to meet his eyes. Her shy, maiden-like appearance was incredibly stimulating.
Adding to that their current seating arrangement, the distance between them was even shorter than a single chopstick. Dylan, sitting next to her, could clearly feel the girl's warmth.
He had only experienced a similar situation with Alice Nakiri, but she was far more proactive; usually, by this point, she would already be sitting on his lap.
Of course, every time this happened, he would push them away, reminding himself mentally not to make a mistake, or he wouldn't be able to go back.
It was these repeated reminders that kept him steadfast until recently...
Thinking of what happened that day at the hotel, Dylan's lips couldn't help but curl upwards. His expression was one of pure contentment. This was definitely the best first time in his life.
The person was his most beloved, and she also loved him; a mutually willing progression, leading to the very end... The taste and thrill of that moment remained deeply etched in his memory even now.
Watching Dylan lean back on the sofa, a smile unconsciously gracing his lips, Erina Nakiri pursed her mouth slightly, wondering what he was thinking.
"Let's watch a few episodes of Tom and Jerry."
Being idle and having nothing to do, Dylan pulled out his phone from his pants pocket, then started playing Tom and Jerry, leaning back on the sofa to watch.
"Otherwise, I'll make some of the dishes they made this morning, improving them according to your methods. You can see what other problems there are."
Looking at the screen on his phone, Erina Nakiri frowned, seemingly thinking this idleness was not good, so she spoke.
"Forget it for now; we still have training later."
"Don't string your heart's bow too tightly, or it'll break sooner or later, and that's not conducive to improving your culinary skills."
Waving his hand, Dylan didn't get up but instead said these words.
"Then let's watch it on the big screen, cast it directly to the TV."
"No, don't."
With a swift operation, Dylan cast the phone screen onto the television, simultaneously drawing the curtains and turning off the lights, making the TV the sole light source.
This created a cinema-like atmosphere.
The girl was cute, and he also wanted to take advantage of this alone time to properly advance their relationship.
As for the best way to advance a relationship, it was undoubtedly shopping, eating, and watching movies.
"Speaking of which, your house is so big, yet you don't even have any snacks in stock?"
"Those snacks have too many additives, and the taste isn't very good, so I didn't buy any."
Watching Dylan search back and forth in the room, ultimately finding nothing, Erina Nakiri's face flushed slightly as she explained, hearing his complaint.
The downside of the God's Tongue manifested at this moment: she simply couldn't get used to eating packaged snacks from outside.
"There should still be quite a few ingredients left in the kitchen. I'll make something to eat while we watch."
Unaccustomed to watching TV without snacks, Dylan got up, preparing to head to the kitchen.
Seeing this, Erina Nakiri swiftly turned off the television and silently followed behind him, like a little shadow.
"You can watch TV…"
Looking at Erina Nakiri, who had followed him to the kitchen, Dylan said.
"I think it's more interesting to be by your side and watch you cook. Plus, I can learn new things."
Erina Nakiri said sincerely. Compared to watching animation, she still preferred watching Dylan cook. Not only could she learn new things, but more importantly, being by his side made her feel good.
Although it was very mystical, it was a fact.
When did she discover it?
Probably when she quietly went home, feeling an emptiness in her heart.
It was like something had been drawn from her body. Even though she had always been like this before, this feeling only appeared after returning from the Nakiri family estate.
After much thought, Erina Nakiri decided it was Alice Nakiri's nonsensical words that had made her feel so strange.
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