Prologue

A few days after chapter 26, "Just Desserts" of Allez Cuisine! Gourmet Battle Girls…

“Tetsuya-kun, come here.”

Hesitantly, Tetsuya Shirogane approached his father, his hands shaking. This was the first time he’d been in the same room as his father in a long while—probably since the day his father wished him well on the first day of junior high, and that was last April.

Takashi Shirogane was sitting in his armchair like a bored king on a throne. Behind him was the grand fireplace, and above that was a portrait of his late wife, Hibiki, done in oils based on her wedding photograph. She was frozen in time forever as a beautiful bride, before her life was tragically cut short.

“You know why I’ve called you here, Tetsuya-kun,” Takashi said. “I want you to pick up where your brother left off.”

“You want me go to go Umami Gakuen? But I already sent you that brochure on—”

“As of next week, you are officially announcing your intentions to attend Umami Gakuen in the Washoku Division. You have already been registered with the National Professional Gourmet Battle Association, and your first week of Gourmet Battles has been scheduled,” Takashi said, handing his son a sheet of paper. Tetsuya took it and looked it over—it was a list of famous chefs in the area, their specialties, their star rating and a list of their weaknesses and other juicy gossip.

“Father, if I’m going to Umami Gakuen, I want to be in their food sciences division,” Tetsuya said, looking into his father’s eyes. They glared back at him.

“You are picking up where your brother left off. That is final,” Takashi Shirogane bellowed. “Don’t you remember? The cold stares and the gossip? When you came home from kindergarten with cuts and bruises?”

“This isn’t what Mama would’ve wanted!” Tetsuya yelled back. Takashi grabbed his son by the collar of the shirt and pulled him close, with surprising strength.
“You do not speak for your mother,” Takashi hissed. “I do. And if you refuse me, today is the last day you will see sunlight.”

Tetsuya flinched. “Then…can we compromise?” he asked.

“What is it.”

“I join the Yoshoku Division. It’d be easier if I was in the same division as her, right?”

A smug smile crossed Takashi’s lips as he nodded. “You have a point, Tetsuya-kun. Very well. Your training begins tomorrow. I have written your letter of resignation from the soccer team, and it awaits your signature.”

“Yes, Father.”

“You will rise above and surpass your mother, and no one will stand in your way.”

“Yes, Father.”

“And that includes Vanilla Sakamoto. Bring her down by any means necessary.”

“…Yes, Father.”