Takatsuki Sen's book had a worldview that wasn't human, nor anything else.
But anthropomorphized beast girls... no, beastmen.
Different people were divided into many races, but all were animals.
Animals were mainly divided into herbivores and carnivores.
Even omnivores, as long as they ate meat, were considered carnivores.
After all, they might end up eating other city dwellers.
They lived in one world.
With civilization and cities, very similar to humans.
But under this worldview, the city's order was very chaotic, similar to a dystopian world where different humanoid animals could savagely prey on each other!
The male protagonist was a deer person.
The female protagonist was a wolf person.
Though clearly in a hunter and hunted relationship, later through various circumstances, they supported each other, understood each other, and fell in love.
The male protagonist's development: peaceful, perceptive, healthy, loving, wise - practically no flaws, with the only weakness perhaps being that as a deer person, he had no aggressiveness.
The female protagonist's development: young, bullied, angry, counter-killing, manic, chance encounter, change, joining hands, mutual aid... The wolf girl's character development was both frenzied and rational, violent yet careful, emphasizing contrast.
After reading it, Hayashi took a sharp breath.
He had seen this setting before.
But this plot was indeed quite exotic.
The male protagonist was a deer person, the female protagonist a wolf person - one relying on intelligence and charm with some leadership ability, the other on combat power and organizational skills.
Finally helping each other, destroying the city, then rebuilding it.
Only this city had also changed hands.
Hayashi looked and pursed his lips: "I'm not sure what to say, Eto."
Eto immediately became nervous: "Is it not good?"
"No." Hayashi shook his head: "I don't know about the audience for this genre, including readers' acceptance level."
Hayashi pointed to the worldview settings on the manuscript.
"Strictly speaking, this is a combination of light novel + literature, but involving anthropomorphic animals makes it yet another type of audience."
"If people can accept it, then with your ability, it would definitely be a good story, even very suitable for selling manga rights, film and TV rights, even movie rights, game rights, etc."
"But everything hinges on audience size and whether readers can accept it."
Hearing it was this issue.
Takatsuki Sen immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
She shook her head: "I don't care about sales, as long as I write my story, as long as I write out my inner thoughts and ideals."
Not caring about sales, you're really bold... but indeed had the capital to be bold.
After all, she was Takatsuki Sen, and the One-Eyed Ghoul of ghouls.
When she said she didn't care about sales and results, she truly didn't care - no pretense at all.
"Alright, then I take back what I just said." Hayashi put down the manuscript: "Then this is indeed a very good story. As long as you can properly combine the female protagonist's psychological growth with the plot progression, this will be a very good long literary light novel story."
"Mm!" Only then did Takatsuki Sen nod with satisfaction.
Actually, with her influence, the first batch of audience and acceptance wasn't something to worry about.
With her current fame, book fans would read whatever she wrote.
As for the rest, that really depended on the book itself.
Hayashi returned the manuscript to Takatsuki Sen.
Takatsuki Sen took it back, confidence greatly increased.
Hayashi was a bit curious: "You have both exposing your identity and this new work together. How will you time it? What's the sequence?"
"Of course, release the work first, then expose myself." Takatsuki Sen waved the manuscript in her hand: "Even if I don't care about results, I still want its concepts and core to be known and understood by more people."
"Got it." Hayashi nodded.
So it would be the method Hayashi had mentioned.
Make the new book popular while also making it a banned book - that would be explosive popularity.
When the electronic pirated versions came out.
It would be impossible to ban completely.
Foreign websites would be full of them.
At this time, Tohru came over and handed him a menu: "This is Utaha and the others' menu."
"Good." Hayashi took the menu and turned to wave at Takatsuki Sen: "I'll go cook first. Think about what you want to eat and tell me."
Takatsuki Sen quickly thought and hurriedly replied: "Seafood rice bowl, thank you."
"Sure."
Hayashi went to the kitchen to cook for them first.
Utaha and Mai also ordered rice bowls - after all, rice bowls were the most commonly eaten dishes.
Eating grilled meat, steak, big fish every day would get tiresome quickly, except for pure carnivores like Kamishiro Rize.
Making three rice bowls together.
Mai wanted chicken cutlet rice bowl, Utaha wanted curry rice bowl, Takatsuki Sen wanted seafood rice bowl.
First cook the rice properly.
Hayashi used three pans to cook simultaneously.
Including side dishes.
When the rice was speed-steamed, the three rice bowls were also ready.
Plating rice in the dishes.
Pouring the three preparations over half the rice, flowing along the rice's slope - half flowing to the plate, half staying on the rice, perfectly half and half.
"Pour it~~~" This sound echoed in Hayashi's mind.
"Tohru~!"
"Coming~"
Tohru entered, carried out the three rice bowls to serve.
Mai was still chatting with Utaha.
Seeing the food arrive.
Immediately closed her little mouth, ready to eat.
Takatsuki Sen was the same.
Originally still propping her chin with her hand, contemplating her new book.
But seeing the food arrive.
Immediately perked up, ready to eat.
The three ate with great enjoyment.
Hayashi brought a cup of lemon tea, drinking while cracking sunflower seeds.
Tohru, having nothing to do, came to Hayashi's side and asked.
"Hayashi-san, is Takatsuki Sen-san planning to write a new book again?"
"Yes." Hayashi nodded.
"Is the new book good? Will it do well?" Tohru asked again.
"It should be quite good. Eto is very capable."
"Really amazing. I also want to try writing something."
"Huh?" Hayashi was startled: "What do you want to write?"
Tohru pointed her finger at her chin, thinking: "I want to start by writing diary entries and little stories. I've read many books now, so I should be able to write."
Hearing it was diary entries and little stories, Hayashi breathed a sigh of relief.
As long as she wasn't jumping straight to publishing.
Then there was no problem.
"I support you!" Hayashi waved his hand: "Just diary entries and little stories to cultivate sentiment. I'll buy you a password-protected notebook for you to write in when you have nothing to do."
"Hehe~~~" Tohru was overjoyed: "No need for a password notebook, a regular notebook is fine. I want to show you what I write."
"No problem." Hayashi went to the storage room and brought out a beautiful notebook.
This notebook was a collector's edition, somewhat like a cosplay prop.
Anyway, it looked very nice.
"Here."
"Thank you, Hayashi-san!"
Tohru happily took the notebook, held it up to look at it, tail swishing back and forth.
She opened it to look, not knowing what she was thinking about or planning to write.
Suddenly her face turned red and she closed the blank pages.
"?" Hayashi felt something was off.
But it was just diary entries and little stories, should be nothing.
At this time.
The restaurant door opened.
Hayashi looked up - it was Takanashi Touka bringing Rikka.
As soon as the two entered the restaurant.
The cool air immediately refreshed them both, and they sighed in relief.
Touka wore a white casual shirt and blue denim shorts, her legs characteristically slender - truly worthy of someone who had practiced gymnastics before.
She brought Rikka to the bar counter and set down her bag.
Sighing in relief, she said softly: "Your restaurant's temperature is still the most comfortable. This natural temperature can't be compared to air conditioning. The humidity is just right too, making customers much more comfortable while eating."
Her opening comment was very professional.
Hayashi hadn't even thought about these things - he just felt the ice sculpture central air conditioning was natural.
He didn't realize there were these benefits.
But Hayashi was very clear.
"Other shops couldn't replicate this even if they wanted to. The manual work and cost aren't something normal shops can afford. I'm just doing it because I have nothing else to do."
Touka nodded definitively.
Even the high-end restaurant where she worked couldn't support the cost of daily ice sculptures.
Putting out ice blocks directly was possible, but unnecessary.
Might as well use real central air conditioning.
No need to waste money on this aspect.
While the two chatted.
Rikka saw Kanna watching TV and hurried over to watch together.
Kanna saw it was Rikka, whom she recognized.
So she shared her sunflower seeds and drinks, letting her sit down to watch together.
Hayashi asked Touka.
"What would you like to eat?"
Touka glanced at Rikka, planning to order the same thing.
"The weather's so hot and a bit stuffy. Something light and refreshing would be good."
Hayashi thought for a moment: "How about trying cold noodles? A new preparation method."
Hearing about a new preparation method.
Touka, being a fellow chef, was very interested.
She nodded seriously, her eyes full of anticipation: "Yes! Two portions, thank you."
"Alright."
Hayashi turned and went into the kitchen to make cold noodles.
The cold noodles he wanted to make weren't buckwheat cold noodles with just a bit of vinegar.
But using the cold skin noodle method, adding scallions, soy sauce, gluten, cucumber and other ingredients to make cold mixed noodles!
Compared to buckwheat cold noodles that didn't taste that great anyway.
Cold mixed noodles were definitely refreshing and delicious!
Hayashi began preparing.
At this time outside.
After Arato Hisako dropped Nakiri Erina off at the alley entrance.
Erina pushed open the door somewhat anxiously: "Really, so many things at the academy, coming so late. What's the point of keeping cooking clubs that can't make qualified cuisine? Just wait until they're capable and reopen."
Arato Hisako firmly supported Erina.
She nodded in agreement: "Erina-sama has been merciful enough. It's not permanent closure, just elimination waiting for restart. They should thank Erina-sama."
"Hmph~" Erina shook her head, then took out a mirror to check her hair and clothes: "Let's talk about these things later. I'm going to learn real soul cuisine."
Right now nothing was more important than tasting soul cuisine.
Ever since eating Hayashi's cooking.
Erina felt her stomach had already taken Hayashi's shape...
Other cuisine.
From eating to feeling uncomfortable from tongue to stomach - better not to eat at all.
After Erina confirmed she was impeccable from head to toe.
"I'm going."
She got out of the car, closed the door, and walked toward the midnight diner.
Upon entering.
The cool, fresh natural cold breeze was something air conditioning couldn't provide.
Though most air conditioning was odorless with at most a tiny bit of smell, for Erina even this tiny difference in scent was significant.
The natural cold wind formed by ice sculptures and decorations was very fresh.
The humidity at her nose tip was just right, suitable for tasting deliciousness.
Entering the restaurant.
Erina looked at the customers.
The others were fine. She had some impression of Takatsuki Sen - seemed like a famous author?
Looked like everyone had good taste.
A pair of sisters sitting at the bar counter?
The younger one came back for a sip of drink, said something, then ran back to watch TV with that little girl.
"Wait?"
Erina looked at Touka and Rikka.
Subconsciously, she felt these two were the people Hayashi had mentioned that day!
The sister was a high-end restaurant head chef who didn't go to Italy.
The one who stayed for her sister's safety!
Nakiri Erina walked to the bar counter and asked directly but politely.
"Excuse me, are you Takanashi Touka?"
"?" Touka looked at Erina puzzledly and nodded faintly: "I am."
Hearing it was her.
Erina immediately became more polite.
As fellow women, she interacted more naturally and confidently, directly extending her hand.
"Hello, I'm Nakiri Erina. Nice to meet you, please take care of me."
"?"
Once the name Nakiri Erina came out.
Takanashi Touka seemed to think of something and recognized her immediately.
"So it's you, Totsuki Academy's God Tongue. The legendary judge who can taste the essence of any dish and every technique used by the chef, the Demon King Critic."
Though it sounded quite chuunibyou, that was indeed the reality.
Nakiri Erina's fame in the culinary world was like Takatsuki Sen's fame in the writing circle.
Both were very famous existences.
Even in terms of authority and power.
Erina was considerably higher than Takatsuki Sen.
Of course, this only counted the ordinary world.
"Those are just academy evaluations, not applicable here."
Nakiri Erina had heard such words too many times, but at the midnight diner, she humbly said.
"I only respect capable chefs. Where they come from doesn't matter."
"So Hayashi... kun is who I learn from."
Originally seeing that Erina was a Totsuki student.
And very likely an arrogant type.
Toka initially didn't plan to give her much of a friendly face.
But she didn't expect Erina to answer this way.
Starting by mentioning her Totsuki identity.
Yet showing such respect for Hayashi.
This gave Touka quite a good first impression and favorable feeling toward her.
"Then let me reintroduce myself. I'm Takanashi Touka, temporarily serving as head chef at Yukiya Cuisine."
"Temporarily?" Erina expressed confusion.
Touka shook her head helplessly: "Because I don't have any graduation certificates or competition achievements, new chefs keep applying for the head chef position or challenging me. I estimate I'll want to leave by next year and find a stable restaurant."
Others wanting to squeeze out Touka was of course impossible.
Unless Touka lost badly.
But this kind of life was too troublesome and unstable.
Better to switch to a stable place.
And graduation certificates meant places like Totsuki Academy.
Competitions referred literally to various chef competitions - some held by Totsuki, some by civilian and official organizations, etc.
After hearing this.
Nakiri Erina felt for the first time how severely Totsuki squeezed the survival space of normal chefs.
Even chefs that Hayashi thought were good had such troubles.
What about ordinary chefs? They probably could only make small dishes.
"Hmm..." Erina didn't know what to say for a moment.
But Touka waved her hand: "It's nothing. Hayashi-kun probably told you about my situation. Let's talk about those things later."
"Mm." Erina nodded, making note of this matter in her heart.
She planned to get to know her better if there was a chance.
Nakiri Erina's mother was a Special Executive Officer of the WGO Gourmet Organization.
If she really had something, then with Erina's influence, she wouldn't mind helping a chef that even Hayashi thought well of.
This would count as a recommendation.
But as long as Touka truly had ability, it would help her too.
A talent scout with good judgment.
This was top-level evaluation for discovering gold!
Then in the industry, they would say Nakiri Erina not only inherited her mother's high standards but even surpassed them!
Of course, this depended on seeing Touka's actual ability first.
"The cold mixed noodles are ready."
At this time, Hayashi came out carrying two bowls of cold mixed noodles, immediately attracting the attention of Touka and Erina.
Erina immediately sniffed.
Her eyes lit up looking at the cold mixed noodles in Hayashi's hands!
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