53: Erina's cuisine

Erina arrived wearing a pristine white chef's uniform, her long golden hair cascading behind her like a waterfall, flowing with a dazzling luster under the indoor lights. A perfectly measured smile of confidence graced her pretty face—the composure that belonged only to top-tier culinary talents, built upon absolute strength.

However, her innate aura of arrogance still naturally emanated from within. Her violet eyes carried a trace of imperceptible scrutiny as she looked at Lin Luo.

She did not stand humbly like an ordinary chef, but instead took a seat elegantly beside Senzaemon. Her gaze fell upon the nearly empty plate in front of Lin Luo, and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

"Mr. Lin Luo, I hope these simple dishes were to your liking." Her voice was crisp and pleasant, yet her tone carried a natural sense of superiority, as if being able to taste her cooking was a blessing in itself.

Senzaemon gave a light cough and looked at his granddaughter with a slight warning.

Lin Luo didn't mind the sharpness in her tone; instead, he praised her sincerely, "Young Miss Erina is too modest. Whether it's the heat control, seasoning, or creative pairing, it's all perfect. Especially that Wagyu—the control over temperature has reached a level of divine mastery."

His tone shifted slightly, as if mentioning it in passing, "Speaking of which, did Young Miss Erina sense anything unusual while preparing the food? Or perhaps, did you come into contact with something... a bit different?"

Erina's slender eyebrows twitched slightly, as if she found the question unexpected or even offensive. She tilted her chin up. "My kitchen and ingredients are strictly controlled by dedicated staff; there is no way anything 'unusual' could occur. Does Mr. Lin Luo think there is something wrong with my cooking?" Her tone carried obvious defensiveness and a hint of displeasure.

"No, the cooking itself is flawless and exceptional," Lin Luo explained calmly, his gaze thoughtfully sweeping over her slender wrists and her spotless white chef's uniform. "It's just some inconsequential intuition of mine; Young Miss Erina, please don't mind it."

Senzaemon, being an old hand, immediately sensed the unspoken meaning in Lin Luo's words. He spoke up at the right moment to smooth things over, "Erina, Mr. Lin Luo is a guest, and moreover, the benefactor who saved your grandfather."

"If Mr. Lin Luo likes Erina's cooking, you can come directly to Tōtsuki when you have time later," Senzaemon spoke at the right moment, his smile warm and sincere. "I believe Erina would be very happy to prepare food for you."

Erina elegantly brushed her golden hair over her shoulder, her violet eyes shimmering under the lights. She nodded slightly, and though her tone still carried several parts of her innate arrogance, it gained a few parts of sincerity: "Since Mr. Lin Luo healed Grandfather, I will keep this kindness in mind. Whenever you wish to come, I can cancel other arrangements to prepare a meal for you."

If other students of Tōtsuki Culinary Academy heard this promise, their jaws would likely drop—the usually haughty 'Gods Tongue' had actually offered to cook for someone personally.

However, Lin Luo only smiled slightly, declining politely and distantly: "I appreciate the kindness of you both. Saving the Supreme Commander was part of my duty, and having the honor of tasting Young Miss Erina's cooking has already satisfied me."

His gaze was calm as he spoke; he was neither flattered by Erina's special treatment nor did he change his mind because of Senzaemon's attempt to make him stay. This detached attitude actually made Erina even more curious about him.

"Since Mr. Lin Luo has important business to attend to, I won't keep you any longer," Senzaemon said, coughing lightly at the right time, his face showing a well-timed trace of fatigue. "Erina, could I trouble you to see Mr. Lin Luo out for me? This old body of mine has indeed not fully recovered yet."

This request took Erina slightly aback. She watched with concern as Butler Morita came forward to help her grandfather back to his room to rest, then she turned to Lin Luo, nodded elegantly, and made a gesture of invitation: "Mr. Lin Luo, please follow me."

The two walked one after the other along the long corridor of the Nakiri residence. Moonlight filtered through the washi sliding doors, casting dappled shadows on the floor. Erina's steps were elegant and composed, her golden hair swaying gently behind her. Silence spread between them, with only the sound of geta clicking against the floorboards echoing under the eaves.

Upon reaching the main gate of the mansion, Erina stopped and bowed slightly: "I will leave you here, Mr. Lin Luo."

"Thank you for your trouble, Young Miss Erina," Lin Luo nodded in acknowledgment. Just as he was about to turn and leave, he suddenly reached out his hand, "Thank you for the hospitality."

Erina looked at his outstretched hand, a flash of surprise in her eyes. Given her status and personality, she rarely shook hands with people, but out of politeness, she still reached out her fair, slender hand for a light shake.

The moment their hands touched, Erina felt a gentle warm current transfer from Lin Luo's palm, flowing through her arm and into her entire body. Everywhere this warm current passed, it seemed to dispel a certain sluggishness she had never noticed before. Her whole being suddenly felt much lighter, and even her mind became clearer. The temples that had been throbbing slightly from days of overwork also eased up now.

She looked at Lin Luo in surprise, only to see that he had already naturally released her hand, as if everything that just happened was merely her imagination.

"Alright, the wind is strong at night. Young Miss Erina, please go back inside," Lin Luo said, already turning away on his own and walking down the mountain path, his figure soon blending into the night.

Erina stood alone in front of the mansion, the night wind ruffling her golden hair. She looked down at her hand; that peculiar warmth still lingered in her palm. It was a very strange feeling, yet it was inexplicably reassuring.

"What did he... just do?" Erina whispered to herself. That strange sense of heaviness in her body had indeed vanished, and even her thoughts had become exceptionally clear. This forced her to believe that the handshake just now was definitely not a simple polite farewell.

She gazed in the direction Lin Luo had disappeared, a trace of complexity flashing in her violet eyes. This man from the Special Affairs Department had not only healed her grandfather but had also casually removed an abnormal state from her body. And after doing all this, he had actually left so nonchalantly without even a single explanation.

"Truly a strange person..." Erina said softly, turning to return to the house. The moonlight stretched her shadow very long. At this moment, besides her concern for her grandfather's condition, her heart held more curiosity toward that mysterious man.

Meanwhile, on the path down the mountain, Lin Luo was looking down at his palm. When he dispelled the abnormal energy inside Erina just now, he had captured a familiar fluctuation—it shared the same source as the aura on the previous assassin, but was more hidden and gentle.

"He won't even let his own daughter off..." he murmured to himself, his gaze turning cold. It seemed this Nakamura Azami was even more dangerous than he had imagined.

He returned to the apartment.

Just as Lin Luo pushed open the door, a swift figure accompanied by a fragrant breeze lunged into his arms, the force of it making him take a half-step back.

"Lin Luo! Why did you come back so late!" A voice, charmingly naive and filled with heavy dependence, came muffled from his chest. Tohru, in his arms like a spoiled kitten, tightly hugged his waist, her golden crown of hair rubbing against his chin as she greedily breathed in the familiar scent on him, trying to dispel the loneliness of waiting alone all day.

However, in the next second, Tohru's movements abruptly stopped. Her small nose sniffed forcefully, and her previously satisfied expression instantly collapsed. she snapped her head up, her reddish-gold vertical pupils glowing slightly in the dark, carrying an incredulous accusation.

"Ah—!" She let out a strange cry, like a dragon whose tail had been stepped on. "On you! There's the scent of a strange girl on you again!"

While she didn't mind girls being around Lin Luo—after all, an outstanding partner always draws attention—too many was not okay! This was a matter of principle!

Lin Luo was speechless. Holding the clingy dragon maid, he reached out and turned on the lights in the room one by one. The warm yellow light instantly dispelled the darkness, warming the whole house and illuminating Tohru's huffy cheeks.

"When I'm out, it's inevitable to pick up some scents," Lin Luo explained helplessly, gently patting her back. "Your nose is so sharp, you should be able to tell that I haven't had any close contact with the strange girl you're talking about, right? It's just a faint scent left from being in the same room."

Tohru, being called out, had her reddish-gold vertical pupils flicker. She looked away a bit guiltily and hummed, "I didn't expect you wouldn't fall for it..."

She had indeed exaggerated just now; those scents were very faint, nowhere near the level of close contact. She just... just wanted to find an excuse to act spoiled.

Lin Luo crossly lifted her from his arms and gently tossed her onto the soft sofa like a package. "I think you're too idle at home. I can't let you watch those messy TV dramas anymore; where did you learn this kind of drama from?"

Tohru rolled half a turn on the sofa, hugged a cushion, and her tail indignantly patted the sofa lightly. "It's not learned! This is a dragon's instinct! To protect one's treasure... no, to protect one's partner!"

Looking at her self-righteous appearance, Lin Luo couldn't help but laugh. He intentionally put on a stern face to tease her: "Well now, so you really treat me as your private property? As expected, you have ill intentions and have been eyeing me all along."

To his surprise, Tohru not only didn't deny it but instead puffed out her chest, her reddish-gold vertical pupils shining under the light, as she replied without concealment: "Of course! You were mine to begin with!"

After saying that, as if suddenly remembering something important, she hopped up excitedly, her long golden hair drawing a dazzling arc in the air: "Oh right, right! I made roast meat for you!"

Lin Luo looked at the dragon tail behind her swaying happily unconsciously, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly: "Your tail? Better keep it for yourself. I already ate before coming back. Also, next time really don't use your tail for cooking anymore; I always find it weird."

"What's wrong with it!" Tohru immediately pouted aggrievedly, her tail drooping down. "Didn't you praise it to the skies the first time you ate it?"

Lin Luo rubbed his nose awkwardly: "That was different... we weren't this close back then. Now it feels like I'm eating a part of you; I just can't bring myself to do it."