"Mr Nakiri."
Daichi Fujiwara, who had just stepped out of the car, extended his hand towards Senzaemon.
"It's been a while, Daichi-kun. How are your parents?" Senzaemon warmly approached and shook Daichi's hand, giving it a couple of firm pumps before releasing.
Senzaemon and Daichi's father were contemporaries who shared a long-standing friendship, having frequently socialised together in their younger days as regulars at exclusive clubs.
However, after Daichi's generation took over the Fujiwara family business and the old patriarch retired, Senzaemon's interactions with the Fujiwaras had diminished considerably.
Though they maintained contact, their business ties had weakened, and by their grandchildren's generation, they'd become practically strangers.
Yet, when Daichi recently assumed the position of Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, their relationship had warmed again.
This was why Senzaemon had summoned both granddaughters when Daichi unexpectedly requested a meeting - hoping the younger generation might rekindle the friendship of their grandparents' era.
"The old man's in good spirits. He ate two bowls of rice yesterday. Though he keeps telling me that meals lack soul without your cooking, Mr Nakiri."
As a seasoned politician, Daichi knew exactly what to say to whom.
Whether the Fujiwara patriarch actually missed Senzaemon's cooking was irrelevant - for now, it was convenient to say he did.
"Hahaha! Asking this old man to come out of retirement - he's got some nerve."
Senzaemon Nakiri stroked his beard and laughed heartily before saying:
"Still, since it's an old friend's request, there's no harm in making an exception and cooking once in a while."
"But before that, Daichi-kun, why not help your father test the dishes first? Let's see how much of my old skills remain."
"Is the old master planning to cook personally?" Daichi Fujiwara couldn't hide his surprise at this.
Ever since the second generation of the Nakiri family came of age, Senzaemon Nakiri had cooked only a handful of times—each occasion being an unavoidable social obligation that forced him into the kitchen.
"In that case, it seems I'm in for a treat today," Daichi remarked with some emotion.
Although long retired from frontline kitchen work, Senzaemon Nakiri's skills remained on par with those of the finest active chefs.
Combined with his fame and status, those who got to taste Senzaemon Nakiri's cooking were truly few in number.
Daichi slightly suspected that Senzaemon might have caught wind of certain matters and was deliberately trying to forge closer ties with Luo Shu—but he had no proof.
"Hahaha, you flatter me, Daichi-kun." After this polite exchange, Senzaemon glanced at Toyomi Fujiwara standing behind Daichi. "This must be your daughter?"
Daichi immediately gestured towards his daughter:
"This is my eldest daughter, Toyomi. Come, Toyomi, greet Grandfather Nakiri."
"Grandfather Nakiri." Toyomi bowed politely.
Delighted by this, Senzaemon stroked his beard again: "So it's Toyomi! You've grown so much—the last time I saw you was at that wedding, wasn't it?"
Toyomi maintained her warm, amiable smile throughout.
For daughters of the Fujiwara family, facial expression control was fundamental training.
At this point, Daichi smoothly redirected the conversation to the two young ladies of the Nakiri household:
"And these two are...?"
"The blonde is Mana's child, the white-haired one is Sōe's daughter."
Senzaemon Nakiri gave a brief introduction before adding:
"You two girls, just call him Uncle Fujiwara. This lad here held both of you after you were born."
"Uncle Fujiwara." X2
Erina Nakiri and Alice Nakiri both wore the standard polite smiles of juniors.
Though compared to Erina, Alice's expression was noticeably stiffer.
Senzaemon Nakiri wasn't unaccustomed to introducing his granddaughters to old acquaintances—in fact, precisely because both granddaughters were so accomplished, he took great pride in showing them off.
Unlike Alice, who had lived abroad until recently, Erina was long accustomed to such formalities.
'Most likely, I'll need to accompany the Fujiwara family's eldest daughter later...' Erina offered Toyomi Fujiwara a faint smile.
The eldest daughter kept close by Daichi Fujiwara—it stood to reason that the Fujiwara family's connections would eventually pass to Toyomi's husband.
After all, in Japan, it wasn't uncommon for sons-in-law to inherit family businesses.
Take Erina's father, for instance—he had married into the Nakiri family.
That was also why Erina referred to her grandfather as "Grandfather" rather than "Granduncle."
By the rules of succession through a son-in-law, Erina was effectively considered a granddaughter.
Just as Erina prepared to accompany Toyomi, she noticed Senzaemon hadn't continued speaking.
Turning her head, she saw both Senzaemon and Daichi Fujiwara staring at a white Lexus that had just entered the Totsuki resort grounds.
"Seems Director Luo has arrived as well."
Daichi Fujiwara nodded in understanding before explaining to Senzaemon:
"Actually, while I'm the one hosting this gathering, I'm really just facilitating Director Luo's introduction."
"Oh? There's more to this?" Senzaemon looked surprised, even hesitant. "Daichi-kun, what exactly does Director Luo want with me?"
Daichi didn't elaborate fully, only hinting: "Probably related to what Mana-san has been doing in America."
At this, Senzaemon immediately understood.
Though Mana Nakiri had ostensibly left the Nakiri family to strike out on her own, the ties were far from severed.
In essence, she had moved beyond the Nakiri family's sphere of influence to establish herself anew in America.
And Senzaemon was well aware of her achievements—even Sōe Nakiri's Research Department in Europe had received numerous orders from the European branches of the SDS.
So the SDS was hardly unfamiliar to Senzaemon.
'Still... Special ingredients, is it? At my age, I doubt I can delve into research anymore. But for Erina and Alice to get involved—wouldn't that be too soon?''
Senzaemon knew all too well how extreme the properties of yokai flesh, monster meat, and exotic plants could be.
To put it bluntly, they represented the absolute pinnacle of ingredients in the current world.
And in Senzaemon's view, exposing his granddaughters—especially Erina, with her God's Tongue and exacting standards—to such ingredients now would do more harm than good.
'So... Perhaps Alice would be the better choice?'
A decision began to take shape in Senzaemon's mind.
Just then, the white Lexus came to a stop at the foot of the steps.
Click.
The car door opened.
A man in a pristine white suit stepped out of the car, his sharp figure cutting an imposing silhouette as he surveyed the crowd.
"It seems I haven't arrived too late."
Facing the gazes of those present, Luo Shu smiled faintly as he advanced with measured steps.