Chapter 417: Please Return the Spice to Me!

Although Sui eagerly anticipated the day when he would collect all the 'Seven Collector's Knives', he had only acquired four so far. Completing the set would take some time, and he knew it was largely a matter of luck. Unless he stumbled upon a special kitchenware gift package, the remaining knives might elude him for a while. However, he did recall that unlocking the hidden attributes of five 'Collector's Knives' would grant him another as a reward, which meant he only needed to collect one more.

——

One day, Sui attended Jun Shiomi's spice class, where the assignment was to prepare a dish using two or more spices. After some thought, he pulled out a small bottle from his pocket, no bigger than his little finger, and poured a small amount of powder into his hand.

This powder was the phosphorus dust from Butterspice ingredients he had been collecting. Though he had given most of it to some girls, he kept two for himself. Of course, unlike Erina and the others, he didn't wear the charms in his hair—that would make him look odd. Instead, he kept them hidden under his shirt. 

What frustrated him, though, was how little phosphorus powder the Butterspices produced each day, which explained why they were sold at such low prices. It took several days to gather enough to fill even this small bottle from two Butterspices.

In recent days, Sui had been studying the spices created by the Butterspice ingredients, experimenting to find the types of dishes they suited best. So far, they seemed most effective in soups, enhancing the fragrance and freshness while making the ingredients taste richer and more delicious.

"Hey, Sui-kun, is this the phosphorus powder you've been collecting?" Megumi asked, intrigued. A butterfly landed gracefully on her braid, resembling a bow.

"Yeah, but this is all I've managed to gather," Sui replied, a little sheepish.

He couldn't help but feel speechless recalling the events of the past few days. After he had gifted Erina her second Butterspice, she had gotten so carried away with her pride that she posted several glamorous photos on Twitter. The sudden change in her demeanor caused quite the buzz online, with people joking that Erina must be in love, given how girlish she had become. Only Sui knew that Erina was merely trying to show off to Alice.

Sure enough, the very next day, Alice had come to him in tears, begging for her own Butterspice. After receiving one, she left in high spirits. 

"I've only collected a little bit over the past few days as well, but it was all used up by Ryoko and the others," Megumi continued with a chuckle, remembering how even Isshiki had asked for some to study.

"Eh? Sui, what spices are you using here?" A familiar voice interrupted. A girl with a baby face approached, sniffing the air in surprise.

"P-Professor Shiomi!" Megumi exclaimed, startled and nervous at the sight of the lecturer.

But Shiomi paid her no mind, adjusting her glasses as her curiosity grew. "May I take a look at that?" she asked, gesturing toward the small bottle in Sui's hand.

"Sure, no problem," Sui agreed casually.

Shiomi took the bottle and sniffed its contents, her expression growing more intrigued. "What kind of spice is this? I've never encountered anything like it before."

As the youngest genius professor in Totsuki's history, Jun Shiomi's expertise in spices was unmatched. Yet, this was the first time she had come across a scent so unique.

"It's so fragrant—there's a freshness reminiscent of pinewood, mixed with the subtle elegance of laurel. What on earth is this made of?" Her brows furrowed in concentration as she tried to pinpoint its origin. Suddenly, an idea flashed in her mind. "Wait, let's call Hayama-kun over! He needs to take a look at this!"

Once Shiomi set her mind to something, she dove in completely. Without hesitation, she pulled out her phone and called Hayama Akira, disregarding her class entirely.

"Jun, I'm in the middle of class," Hayama said, exasperated on the other end of the line.

"I don't care! Get here now!" Shiomi shouted, breathless with excitement.

With no choice, Hayama sneaked out of his class, using the excuse of a bathroom break.

"This is it! Smell it and tell me what it's made of," Shiomi exclaimed the moment Hayama arrived, handing him the bottle.

Sighing in resignation at his adoptive mother's fervor, Hayama took the bottle and gave it a sniff. Instantly, the indifference in his expression was replaced by surprise.

"It's... pine cones, laurel, rosemary... but no, this isn't a simple combination of spices. This must be a completely new spice! Jun, where did you get this from!?"

Shiomi's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "Just as I thought!" Without another word, she grabbed Hayama's hand and declared, "Let's go to the lab and analyze it right away!"

The surrounding students exchanged puzzled glances. What would happen to their class now that the lecturer had abruptly left?

Sui, still processing Shiomi's single-mindedness, couldn't help but laugh awkwardly. Clearing his throat, he called out, "Um, Professor?"

"Huh? Oh, the class—don't worry about it! Everyone passes today, class dismissed!" Shiomi responded quickly.

"No, that's not what I meant," Sui said with a wry smile. "This bottle of spice—could I get it back now? It's mine, after all."

Shiomi froze, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. She had completely forgotten the bottle wasn't hers. Quickly hiding it behind her back, she looked at Sui with pleading eyes.

"Sui, could I borrow this spice for a little research?" she asked, eager to study the unfamiliar substance.

After considering for a moment, Sui relented. "I can give you some."

He, too, was researching the spice's potential applications, but he didn't want to immerse himself in it too much. Spices, after all, were complex—each had its own unique qualities and needed to be used correctly in cooking.

For instance, white pepper works best ground into a fine powder for barbecues, stews, or seafood, where it neutralizes strong smells and adds freshness. Fennel seeds, with their sweet aroma, are ideal for beans or poultry, while the sharp, spicy flavor of amomum villosum complements meat and fish.

Perhaps Shiomi could help him research the butterfly spice further, discovering which dishes and cooking methods would best suit it.

"Really? That's fantastic!" Shiomi exclaimed, her excitement palpable.