Anime Collector: Starting With the Malevolent Shrine

The spacious, bright hall was filled with cooking aromas.

The translucent foie gras, enveloped in rich wine fragrance, was a feast for the senses. Each small piece, cut carefully with knife and fork, demanded to be savored slowly.

The foie gras melted instantly on the tongue, smooth and refined. The clean fragrance of red wine enhanced its delicate, silky texture, creating a rich yet mellow flavor that remained fresh and light — never greasy.

Even Mrs. Yukinoshita, a connoisseur of fine cuisine, covered her mouth in appreciation. This wine-infused foie gras had more depth than any dish she had tasted before.

As expected of a Tōtsuki Elite Ten graduate! No wonder she could own her own restaurant at such a young age.

Her eyes closed slightly as she experienced the smooth texture.

Seeing Mrs. Yukinoshita's expression of enjoyment, Sonoka let out a small sigh of relief. Haruno, sitting nearby, gave her a discreet thumbs up.

"Daiki-kun, open your mouth, taste this piece of foie gras." She elegantly cut a small piece. Haruno gently raised her fork, bringing it to his mouth.

This action immediately put Yukino and Ichika on alert.

"Sister, could you please mind your behavior in public!" Yukino was the first to object, her tone heavy with disapproval. Her beautiful eyes stared seriously at her sister.

Although dedicating herself to Daiki was the price paid to save the family, the ever-serious Yukino had already committed herself to him. If he didn't love her in the future, she would remain alone forever. With her stubborn personality, she wouldn't date or marry anyone else.

A hint of possessiveness unconsciously emerged in her heart. It was like watching someone lick your ice cream — perhaps not a major offense, but enough to make one frown in discomfort.

Of course, what worried her more was that Daiki might make a move on her sister. After all, Big Daiki's demeanor when leaving the shrine was still fresh in her mind.

"What's the big deal, I'm just thanking Daiki-kun." Haruno said with a smile as she fed the foie gras to him.

Excessive behavior would arouse her sister's suspicion, and ambiguous actions might suggest ulterior motives.

Yukino's words faltered, unable to refute this reasoning. She then cut a piece of foie gras and stood up to feed it to Daiki.

This bold move instantly shocked Mrs. Yukinoshita and Haruno. As the two people closest to Yukino in this world, they were well aware of her tsundere and stubborn personality.

Neither woman had ever received such treatment from her before.

"..." Her slightly turned face flushed bright red. Yukino fought back her inner embarrassment and gently said, "I'm also thanking him for saving our lives."

Daiki silently opened his mouth, taking the foie gras from the fork. The girl immediately sat back down, too embarrassed to raise her face.

Haruno's heart skipped a beat. This time, she truly didn't dare to provoke her sister's feelings anymore.

If Yukino acted impulsively, she would end up crying herself to sleep.

Mrs. Yukinoshita's expression showed mild surprise, but she still managed a hint of a smile.

She gracefully raised a glass of wine and said, "If it weren't for Daiki-kun, the Yukinoshita family might have disappeared — please don't refuse this toast."

Daiki raised his glass and took a casual sip while Mrs. Yukinoshita drank hers completely, a flush rising to her face.

Looking at the three charming figures across from her, Ichika was completely stunned.

This was... one against three, impossible to win.

"Daiki-kun, foie gras!" She shyly raised the foie gras on her fork.

Daiki turned his face to bite the foie gras, their eyes suddenly meeting.

Observing at such close range, she noticed that his skin was even finer than Nino's, perfect to an almost flawless degree.

Thinking back to how unexpectedly well they got along while chatting earlier…

If only he wasn't Miku's boyfriend!

Snap!

Ichika suddenly pinched her thigh. The sharp pain instantly brought her back to her senses.

Beast! How could she think such things!

As the eldest of the Nakano family, she couldn't be so crude. Having feelings for her sister's future husband was absolutely forbidden.

Ichika quickly withdrew her fork, pretending nothing had happened.

The most confused was Sonoka in the open kitchen. She had been watching for a while but couldn't figure out the relationships between the five people.

"How complicated! Is this what big families are like?" She lowered her head, focusing intently on cooking while stealing glances at Daiki, who sat calmly at the main seat.

Her cooking seemed unable to move this benefactor of the Yukinoshita family, making her feel slightly anxious.

"Miss Ichika, how is the signature dish?" Haruno asked, wine glass in hand, noticing something amiss.

Both Daiki and Ichika's expressions remained oddly neutral. While her mother, who regularly enjoyed fine cuisine, was deeply moved, the wealthy Ichika showed no particular reaction.

"Ah? It's good — much better than dishes I've had before. However, compared to Daiki-kun's cooking, it's not quite as exceptional." Ichika's expression remained blank as she hastily offered her praise.

After the first comment, she sensed something wasn't quite right and quickly added the second.

"Eh? Daiki-kun can cook?"

Haruno and Sonoka both showed surprised expressions.

"Of course! Even his casual bentos are unforgettable!" Ichika declared proudly, straightening her back.

Yukino glanced sideways, questioning whether this girl was exaggerating.

Haruno paid little attention, assuming that if Ichika had tasted his bentos, then surely Miku, as his girlfriend, must have enjoyed even more of his cooking.

"Miss Miku is so fortunate to have a boyfriend like Daiki-kun — she must have tasted many delicious dishes!"

Ichika's smile froze.

Well... actually, she hadn't.

"Hahaha... probably..." Her straight posture crumpled as she laughed awkwardly.

"Mr. Daiki, may I ask what aspects of the dish you're not satisfied with?" Sonoka approached softly and asked timidly.

As she bent forward, Yukino's eyes unconsciously drifted toward Ichika.

Noticing her critical gaze, the more generously endowed girl instantly grew confident. Yukino reluctantly looked away, then glanced down at her toes self-consciously.

"The taste is fine — it's already at a W.G.O. One-star level. However, the dish carries a taste of confusion, suggesting that the chef has lost their direction, unsure which path to take."

Daiki's evaluation made Sonoka turn serious. She suddenly realized his culinary expertise might far exceed her own.

Haruno raised an eyebrow, taking another careful bite of foie gras.

How could someone taste confusion in food? And could he really tell that Sonoka had hit a plateau from just one dish?

Most striking was her friend's shocked expression — as if Daiki's words had struck directly at her core.

Haruno's heart skipped a beat.

Oh no. Had they unknowingly wandered into his domain of expertise?

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