"You guys don't need to worry so much," Kael said, glancing at the wary looks still lingering around the table. "Poison Cuisine doesn't always mean lethal. The dish you ate today counts as Poison Cuisine too—but instead of harming you, it actually benefits your body."
His explanation didn't exactly erase their unease, but at least he'd tried. The rest, he figured, he'd prove through results.
"Yeah, sure," Yuki Yoshino groaned. "That's easy for you to say! But seriously—this is way scarier than any Dark Cuisine I've ever heard of!"
The others nodded in agreement. In their minds, "Dark Cuisine" meant bizarre combinations that tasted awful—borderline inedible, sure, but not deadly.
Kael's dishes, on the other hand, sounded like something that could literally kill you if you blinked at the wrong time.
Left with no other choice, Kael promised not to serve them Poison Cuisine again. That finally eased the tension a little.
Though privately, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Someday, once his reputation spread, these same people would probably beg him to make Poison Cuisine.
And honestly, it was all just semantics anyway. Whether something was "poison" or not depended on its effect. If it healed you, it could just as easily be called Medicinal Cuisine—no one could argue with that.
"That reminds me," Satoshi Isshiki said suddenly, turning toward him. "Kael, you're a transfer student, right?"
"Yeah," Kael nodded. "Why? Is something up, Isshiki-senpai?"
"Not really a big deal," Isshiki replied with an easy smile. "It's just that there are only two transfer students this year—you and someone named Soma Yukihira. Normally, one of you gives a short speech at the opening ceremony as the transfer student representative."
He continued, "We originally planned to let you two decide between yourselves, but Erina Nakiri vetoed that. So after a vote in the Elite Ten, we decided it'll be you. Expect a call from the school tonight to confirm."
Kael wasn't surprised. In the original timeline, Soma had been the only transfer student, which automatically made him the representative.
But this time, things were different—and he could already guess what had gone down behind the scenes.
Erina Nakiri had personally failed Soma during the entrance test. She'd been sure he'd never make it into Totsuki.
What she didn't know was that Senzaemon Nakiri, her grandfather and the academy's director, had taken an interest in Soma after tasting his cooking. He'd overturned her decision himself and approved Soma's admission.
With Kael now thrown into the mix, the Elite Ten must have had to discuss the matter of who'd represent the transfers.
Erina was probably livid when she saw Soma's name back on the list—her personal failure walking right back into Totsuki as if nothing had happened.
Still, she wasn't an idiot. She knew only her grandfather had the authority to override her judgment. She couldn't stop Soma from entering, but she could make sure he didn't stand on stage as the academy's "new face."
She didn't know Kael well, but unfamiliar was still better than unbearable. So when someone suggested letting the two decide among themselves, she'd shot it down instantly—and everyone else in the room, not wanting to cross Erina over something so minor, had simply gone along with it.
And just like that, Kael became the transfer student representative by default.
"Transfer representative, huh? So I'll have to give a speech on stage?" Kael asked. "Got it. Thanks for the heads-up, Isshiki-senpai."
Public speaking wasn't exactly his favorite thing, but at least this spared him from being lumped in with Soma Yukihira's chaos.
With Kael's skill, he didn't need to worry about obstacles at Totsuki—he could handle any challenge, even if someone tried to play dirty. But just because he could didn't mean he wanted to deal with trouble.
If Soma took the mic at the ceremony, Kael could already imagine it: one reckless speech later, and the whole school would be out for their blood.
He smirked inwardly. If Soma ever did end up talking, Kael would make sure to distance himself immediately.
But now? He didn't need to worry about that at all.
"This is a perfect opportunity to make an impression, though," Yuki said excitedly, eyes sparkling. "Have you thought about what you're gonna say?"
"Not really," Kael said, shrugging. "I'll just pull a short speech off the internet and read it. Keep it simple."
Yuki groaned. "That's it? Really?"
Megumi looked just as surprised. "You're not gonna write your own?"
"Nope. Trust me, nobody wants to sit through some long-winded monologue on opening day," Kael said with a chuckle. "You've all been to those ceremonies before, right? The ones where the headmaster talks for like, two hours straight? It's torture."
The moment he said it, everyone froze—then started nodding furiously. The mental image alone was enough to make them wince.
"Yeah, okay, you've got a point," Isshiki said, laughing. "Short and sweet it is."
After that, Fumio Daimido showed Kael to his new room and explained the dorm's bath schedule. Since Polar Star had both male and female residents, bath times were separated by gender, and she made sure he knew when it was safe to use.
Each dorm room was private, thankfully—more like small apartments than shared spaces. That alone made things more comfortable, especially for the girls.
As Kael unpacked his things, though, his mind drifted to one particular scene from the original story—the infamous "bath incident."
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
Yeah... he wasn't letting that happen again.
Tomorrow night, he was definitely having a little "talk" with Soma Yukihira—just to make sure the fool didn't end up repeating history.