• quirk •

recipe eight ; "being too mysterious is a crime"

| 08 |

The other stations erupted in confused murmurs, some were even snickering at the no-name girl's "idiocy" and "lack of neurons".

Whereas Doujima Gin in the observation room exclusive for instructors was still rendered speechless as he kept staring intently at the small surveillance screen, the other chefs behind him also leaned forward to have a look. Not to mention down there, witnessing the scene going on with his own eyes, Souma of Yukihira naturally was even more curious. But because of that very reason, nobody had seen that horrified look on Erina's rapidly paling face.

" Find out who she is. "

A command was unquestionably issued. The staff only compliantly nodded before retreating out of the room.

Still had his gaze fixed on the screen, Gin asked. " Which instructor in this room has graded this student before ? "

" I did. " Sekimori Hitoshi instantly voiced his answer, causing all eyes to fall on him. Two other chefs behind them also nodded as a silent confirmation.

" Well ? " Gin asked, eager, just as the previous staff came back.

" Yes, according to the profile, the student's full name is Ooka Minae, 17 years old. And. . . that is all that is written, sir. "

" What ? " Not only Gin, the others also looked similarly shocked.

The staff himself was not less troubled either as he struggled to find words to say. " Y-Yes, aside from the three stars marked on the top left corner, there is nothing but that information. "

" Give that to me. " Gin snatched the thin, thin piece of paper that truthfully contained nothing but her date of birth and legal birth name - exactly what his staff had just informed him. " Impossible. . . There couldn't be such little information. " There shouldn't be such little information. Tootsuki's information network had always been superior, no matter whose background it belongs to. Unless there was someone touching stuff behind the scene.

" Who on earth is she ? " Muttered Gin as he watched a large number of the hotel guests gathering at the girl's station - mostly the farmer families - in uncontained excitement. Moreover, they unexpectedly lined up orderly into two rows just to wait for her food.

" Her-herd mentality ? " Hitoshi sucked in a cold breath.

Herd mentality described how people can be influenced by their peers to adopt certain behaviors largely based on their emotional side, which in this case was curiosity. Many successful businesses, including chefs, utilized this mentality to draw in customers by showing a new and creative aspect of their business to grab the attention of their customer.

It also happened in her situation. The girl intentionally stood right in the front where everyone could see while displaying a different approach compared to other students. Wearing only a simple blue shirt and jeans with a yellow apron, she successfully pulled off a pleasant and familial image, giving a special impression to the elders who came from a humble background. Which was incredibly smart because all of them took up more than thirty-percent of the entire hotel guests, not counting their children and relatives which would add up around fifteen-percent. Plus, the good-looking appearance and that blinding smile, it was more than enough for just 200 dishes.