[Ding—!]
[Congratulations, host. Your Familia member Erina Nakiri has awakened the special ability Gourmet Cells.]
[Gourmet Cells (Excellent Rank)]
[These are cells that allow the user to evolve by consuming gourmet food. Although only in their initial state, they can still provide unexpected benefits.]
Compared to the 50,000 Points gained from recruiting her, Erina Nakiri's awakened ability shocked Luo Shu even more.
Even the next day, Luo Shu couldn't resist reopening the notification he'd received the previous night and couldn't help glancing repeatedly at Erina Nakiri, who was eating breakfast beside him.
At this moment, Erina—already on her sixth serving of breakfast—blushed furiously and exclaimed:
"Will you stop that already? How many times have you stared at me since morning? Is my face really that fascinating?"
As soon as she said it, Erina felt a sense of embarrassment.
Ugh, who praises their own looks like that?
"No, it's just..." Luo Shu hesitated before finally admitting helplessly, "I'm just surprised by the ability you awakened."
"...You already mentioned that yesterday. Something about my ability being special."
Erina deftly and elegantly cut a filet mignon into small pieces with her knife and fork, speared one, ate it, dabbed her lips with a napkin, then smiled playfully at Luo Shu:
"But such astonishment doesn't suit your status, my dear god~"
When she'd received the system message revealing that the man before her was a newly born deity and she'd become his Familia member, Erina had been utterly dumbfounded.
Yet after a night's reflection, she found the situation both infuriating and amusing.
What angered her was that the contract wasn't an SDS membership application at all. What amused her was Luo Shu's stunned reaction to her awakened ability—so different from his usual calm, composed demeanour when teasing her. The contrast was downright hilarious.
This very contrast thoroughly entertained Erina.
"I just didn't expect your ability to be this extraordinary..."
Luo Shu sighed, looking completely resigned.
Gourmet Cells!
From Toriko, these cells would let you grow stronger just by eating delicious food, eventually capable of devouring entire planets.
Though only in their most primitive form, they undeniably hinted at Erina's future potential.
This woman could literally eat her way to power, potentially even reaching godlike strength.
Among Luo Shu's Familia members, only Kurumi Tokisaki—whose peak form rivalled Almighty God—could match her in potential.
Wasn't Erina Nakiri supposed to be the heroine of a cooking anime? How did she awaken such a broken ability?
Oh, right, Toriko was a cooking anime too? Never mind then.
Just then, Luo Shu suddenly heard Erina's voice.
"Ah—"
He opened his mouth automatically, and a forkful of beef was deposited inside.
Blinking, he stared at the now-feeding-him Erina, chewing the meat with a strange expression before asking:
"Have you gotten bolder recently, or is it just me?"
"That must be your imagination," Erina replied with forced nonchalance as she continued eating.
Could she admit that after learning Familia members were bound to their god for life, she'd tossed and turned all night? That she'd hastily applied light makeup at dawn before inviting Luo Shu to breakfast?
How could she possibly say something like that out loud?
Erina Nakiri quickly changed the subject: "Speaking of which, Luo Shu, when will you introduce me to those companions of yours?"
She hadn't tossed and turned all night for nothing. She'd read extensively within the Divine Pantheon Reconstruction System and learned about many who had already joined Luo Shu's Familia.
As future comrades, Erina felt it necessary to meet them in advance.
Luo Shu wasn't surprised by Erina's eagerness and simply explained:
"If you have time, you can come with me when I leave the resort later. We'll visit the Hidden Management Department's base near Akihabara - it serves as the Familia's headquarters in Tokyo."
"Near Akihabara?" Erina's eyes lit up. "Does that mean we could visit Akihabara afterwards?"
Hearing this, Luo Shu gave her a peculiar look before replying: "No one would stop you if you wanted to go, would they?"
"Ah... I suppose not." Erina answered insincerely.
Could she admit that she'd never been able to browse romance manga there properly before because she always had attendants in tow? She was too embarrassed to say so, so she kept quiet instead.
Speaking of attendants... where was Hisako?
A crucial question suddenly occurred to Erina.
...
Totsuki Resort, first-floor elevator lobby.
Ding.
A bleary-eyed Alice Nakiri yawned as she stepped outside, only to jump in fright when she turned right:
"Who's there! Why are you blocking the path?!"
When Alice finally focused her vision, she realised the person obstructing the way was none other than her arch-rival Erina's lackey - that girl called Hisako Arato.
Alice stared blankly at Hisako, who was hiding behind a wall with her backside facing out while sneakily peeking around the corner:
"Hey, lackey, what are you doing hiding here?"
"Wait, isn't the breakfast area behind this wall? Why are you hiding instead of eating?"
Curious, Alice walked over... then heard sniffling sounds.
"Hold on, are you crying? What's suddenly got you so upset? Hey, stop crying, cheer up a bit."
Alice gently patted Hisako's back before mimicking her posture, peering cautiously around the wall.
Instantly, Alice spotted Luo Shu and Erina Nakiri sitting together at a table in the dining area, chatting and laughing.
"What's going on here?"
Alice gaped in astonishment:
"Did I miss something last night?"
"How come after just one night, that stuck-up Erina is having breakfast with a boy? And actually laughing together?"
"Wait, wait, wait - did Erina just feed someone with her own fork? No way! Didn't she claim to have mysophobia, hating when others use her things and calling my saliva disgusting?"
Alice's eyes widened in disbelief:
"Hold on... could it be that Erina is... in love?"
"Waaah!" Hisako's sobs grew louder beside her.
"After just one night?!"
Alice exclaimed in shock.