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"Huhu hu—" Granny Setsuno drank the soup, a look of exaggerated intoxication appearing on her face. She savored it with her eyes closed for a long while before opening them, full of gratification.

"That's wonderful, little Erina," she said with a smile, "You have indeed been 'chosen'."

Erina's heart, which had been suspended in mid-air, finally settled. She said embarrassedly, "It's all thanks to the base soup you prepared beforehand, Master."

Granny Setsuno waved her hand and asked with a smile, "So, do you want to apply for a patent? With this, you could immediately become a top-tier chef and earn a lot of money."

Erina shook her head. She crouched down and gently stroked the Youyou by her feet.

"Forget it," she said, looking up with firm eyes, "If the recipe is made public, the Wall Penguin might be hunted in large numbers. Destroying an entire species for the sake of deliciousness... that won't do."

"You?" Youyou didn't understand what she was saying, only affectionately nuzzling her hand.

Granny Setsuno watched this scene, the smile on her face deepening.

"Sometimes, an undisclosed recipe is the greatest respect one can show to ingredients." She patted Erina's shoulder, "Do as you think is best; I support you."

Erina nodded and picked up Youyou. The sunlight from outside the window shone in warmly.

The morning tranquility was broken by a long yawn.

Lin Luo rubbed his sleepy eyes and walked over, swaying slightly. His tone carried the laziness of someone who had just woken up, along with a hint of complaint: "Erina, that bed of yours is too soft... I felt completely uncomfortable sleeping on it."

"Pfft—" Granny Setsuno, who was nearby, couldn't help but laugh out loud, her mischievous gaze darting between the two of them.

Erina's face turned bright red in an instant, even the tips of her ears tinged with pink. "Y-you, what are you spouting nonsense for!" she hurriedly explained, her voice rising an octave, "I was in the kitchen the whole time yesterday! It was you who were so tired you insisted on finding a place to rest, that's why I let you go there! Master, please don't listen to his nonsense!"

The more she spoke, the shyer she became. She couldn't help but clench her fist and throw a straight punch toward Lin Luo's abdomen. It looked forceful, but to Lin Luo, it was no different from a scratch. Lin Luo even went out of his way to withdraw his protective energy, fearing that the recoil would hurt her.

"Hey, hey, giving me such an 'enthusiastic' welcome so early in the morning?" Lin Luo easily caught her wrist in one fluid motion, and with a gentle tug, pulled the shy and annoyed young girl into his arms. Besides the faint, fresh fragrance on her, the more intense scent was that rich aroma belonging to the century soup, which seemed to have seeped into her very bones.

It seemed that this fellow probably hadn't left the kitchen much yesterday, having been busy with that final version the whole time.

Held in his arms, Erina could clearly feel the temperature of his chest and his heartbeat. The flush on her face deepened, but the strength of her struggle inexplicably lessened.

"You two," Granny Setsuno's smiling voice sounded at the opportune moment, breaking the subtle, thick atmosphere in the air, "Have you considered officially becoming partners? Little Erina can't keep hiding away in my little shop forever. It's time to go out more, see the wider world, and experience more ingredients."

Hearing this, Erina's heart skipped a beat. To say she didn't want to would be a lie. She certainly longed to be like those top Gourmet Hunters, venturing deep into dangerous territories, witnessing with her own eyes and touching with her own hands the most primitive and vivid forms of those legendary ingredients.

Although this trip to the ice fields was perilous, it also allowed her to truly experience the thrill and impact of direct dialogue with nature and top-tier ingredients. Granny Setsuno's suggestion was like a pebble thrown into the lake of her heart, stirring up ripples of longing.

Lin Luo stroked his chin, his gaze sweeping over Erina's face twice, as if he were evaluating something.

Erina felt a bit uncomfortable under his gaze and gave him a not-too-light, not-too-heavy kick: "What? You don't want to?"

Lin Luo wagged his finger, deliberately drawing out his tone: "It's mainly because I think you... are a bit troublesome. But well..." He dragged out the long note, a mischievous light flashing in his eyes, "If you beg me nicely..."

"Hmph!" Erina immediately crossed her arms and turned her head away, "Who would beg you! I'll find someone else. Toriko is quite strong, and Takimaru is also very reliable and gentlemanly."

"Hey, hey, hey," Lin Luo immediately protested, reaching out to pinch her cheek, "Mentioning other men right in front of me? Do you believe I'll go and 'spar' with them until they end up in the hospital right now?"

Erina slapped his hand away and rolled her eyes at him.

"Alright, alright," Granny Setsuno chuckled to smooth things over, patting Erina's hand, "Then let's consider it agreed by both of you. Since that's the case, your first stop should be Mount Melk. As a graduation gift, I have already asked Melk to custom-make a set of kitchen knives for you."

"Melk kitchen knives?!" Lin Luo's eyes widened instantly, his voice rising a few notches, "Is that the kitchenware that sells for a sky-high price for just one knife in the market?"

Erina glanced at him sideways, thinking that his ignorant appearance at this moment was truly a bit embarrassing.

"Granny Setsuno, you are too good to Erina!" Lin Luo turned to Setsuno, his tone filled with genuine envy.

"Huhu, who else could it be but my most prized little Disciple." Granny Setsuno smiled until her eyes curved, then she looked at Lin Luo, her tone gentle yet carrying a request, "When you are out and about, little Erina will be in your care. You must protect her well."

Lin Luo put away his joking expression and nodded seriously: "Of course, that is the top priority."

Listening to this, Erina gave a soft "Hmph," turned her face away, but the roots of her ears quietly turned red.

"However, before we set off to get the knives," Lin Luo remembered something and turned to Erina, "We need to make a trip to Komatsu's hotel first. I promised Toriko and the others a chance to taste the century soup."

"Eh?" Erina was stunned, "How come I didn't know about this agreement?"

"It was only after you finished that I told Toriko and the others." Lin Luo explained with a smile, "Toriko, Coco, Takimaru, and that group with Machi, they all couldn't wait to head to the Gourmet Hotel as soon as they heard. They are just waiting for you, the 'century soup Great Master', to grace them with your presence."

Erina's mouth twitched, and she gave a dry laugh: "Then you go and prepare."

Lin Luo immediately put on a fawning expression and leaned in front of her: "It won't do if the protagonist isn't there, of course our Young Miss has to personally take charge of the cooking!"

Erina lifted her delicate little chin, a flash of craftiness appearing in her purple eyes: "Beg me~"

Lin Luo went along with the flow, pressed his hands together, put on a pitiful expression, and said in an exaggerated tone: "I beg you! Lady Erina! The best Erina in the whole world!"

"...Idiot." Erina couldn't help but laugh, and that little bit of acting coy couldn't be maintained any longer.

In front of the Gourmet Hotel, celebrities gathered, and stars shone brightly.

Because it was a special banquet at a starred restaurant, everyone who attended was dressed in formal and appropriate attire, completely different from their usual outfits during adventures.

Lin Luo wore a well-tailored casual suit, which set off his tall and upright figure. He was standing at the entrance, exchanging greetings and chatting with the partners arriving one after another. His posture was composed, making him stand out in the crowd.

The hotel manager stood to the side, rubbing his hands and smiling apologetically, trying to strike up a conversation, but everyone's attention was clearly not on him.

"chef Komatsu, well done!" The manager turned to Komatsu, who was a bit awkward on the side, and said flatteringly, "Today's scene will definitely be able to take our hotel's popularity to the next level!"

Komatsu embarrassedly rubbed the back of his head and laughed it off: "Not at all, it's all thanks to everyone..."

Tina had already arrived, moving through the crowd with her camera, taking shots. She had wanted to record the cooking process of the century soup, but since Erina didn't make the cooking details public, she had to give up. Fortunately, the hotel had a constant stream of celebrities on normal days, so there was no shortage of scenes worth capturing.

As Toriko and the others arrived, the entire venue's gaze instantly focused on the entrance. Tina's lens also quickly turned toward them.

Lin Luo smiled and turned to Toriko, who was walking over with large strides, and teased: "Toriko, for this big meal today, aren't you going to thank me properly?"

Toriko laughed heartily, stepped forward, and bumped fists with Lin Luo: "If I really want to thank someone, it should be Erina, who is busy in the kitchen! However, I'll remember the favor of this invitation!"

Coco approached elegantly, a smile on his lips: "Yo, Lin Luo, thanks. Being able to taste the legendary flavor is truly something to look forward to."

Sunny tossed his beautiful, colorful long hair, which seemed to come with its own soft focus, and said in a tone of intoxication: "century soup... I heard that the taste can make one unknowingly intoxicated in a dream. What a wonderful and unique description, just imagining it makes one's heart surge."

"Mr. Lin Luo!" Takimaru trotted over, a sincere smile and a hint of excitement on his face, "I'm here! Thank you so much for the invitation from you and Young Miss Erina!"

Machi also paced over afterward, concise and to the point, but his eyes were sincere: "Thanks."

Lin Luo smiled and made a "please" gesture to everyone: "Don't be so formal, everyone, please come in. Erina is already in the back kitchen making the final preparations. Oh, right, she also specially prepared some extra, so it's convenient for everyone to take some with you to taste later."

Upon hearing this, the look of gratitude in Machi's eyes deepened, and he nodded solemnly: "I will remember this gesture. If there is anything you need help with in the future, just speak up, and I will definitely do my best."

Takimaru also nodded vigorously: "Me too!"

Lin Luo looked at Takimaru and asked with concern: "I heard from Toriko that Master Teppei and Great Master Yosaku already have clues about the medicine needed to treat your leader?"

A light of hope appeared on Takimaru's face, and he nodded vigorously: "Yes! Thanks to everyone's help, the leader is really saved this time!"

"That's good." Lin Luo patted his shoulder and smiled gently, "Just put your mind at ease today and enjoy the food. Believe me, the taste... will really make people smile involuntarily."

"Gulu..." Toriko, who was next to him, could no longer hold back. He wiped away non-existent drool from the corner of his mouth, his eyes shining as he looked at the restaurant entrance, "I can't wait! Let's go in quickly!"

When the soup, carrying a dreamlike halo, was presented to everyone one by one, low exclamations of surprise rose one after another.

Toriko's eyes were almost glued to the soup bowl, and his Adam's apple rolled violently: "Th-this is... the century soup?!"

Sunny stared intently at the liquid in the bowl, which was shimmering with light, as if it had sealed the aurora within it. He whispered in shock: "How magnificent... dazzling! Such a rich and mellow aroma, yet the soup body is so clear and translucent... It's too perfect!"

Lin Luo sat in the main seat and gestured with a smile: "Don't just look, hurry up and taste it to see how it is."

Toriko was the first one who couldn't hold back. He carefully scooped up a spoonful and put it into his mouth.

The next second, he froze completely.

Immediately after, an indescribable smile, pure to the point of being almost silly, crawled slowly and uncontrollably onto his face, as if a switch had been pressed. That smile was without any Impurities, filled with the simplest satisfaction and joy of a child, and he looked like a completely different person from his usual hearty or combat-ready self.