Chapter 234: What Nonsense Are You Talking About

"Amazing, isn't it?"

Noticing the disbelief in Erina's eyes, Alice couldn't help but laugh.

"So, you can rest assured. I'm not just saying this casually—right now, I really can't devote all my attention to culinary arts anymore!"

Of course, Alice wasn't entirely abandoning cooking.

It wasn't about competing in culinary tournaments as she once had. Now, her only reason for cooking was simple: to make delicious food for Ryuji.

But even so, Alice had decided to dedicate more of her time to training with Cursed Energy.

"..."

Erina remained silent.

She wasn't an idiot, the meaning behind Alice's words was crystal clear. How could she not understand?

Her hands, clenched into small fists, tightened further.

Alice had found something she desired, something worth pursuing. But what about her?

For the longest time, Erina had believed that cooking was everything to her. She was willing to sacrifice anything in pursuit of culinary perfection.

But now… she wasn't so sure anymore.

"Jealous, are you?"

Seeing Erina's silence, Alice, as if inspired by some sudden thought, leaned in close with a teasing smile.

"It's not too late to regret it now, you know."

"...Huh?"

Erina, momentarily stunned, snapped out of her daze and looked at Alice in confusion.

What on earth was she talking about?

"Come on, isn't it obvious?"

Alice shrugged, looking as though her words were the most natural thing in the world.

"You didn't really think I could keep Ryuji all to myself, did you? You're a beautiful girl, Erina. If the two of us teamed up, our chances would definitely be higher, don't you think?"

Erina couldn't tell if Alice was joking or being serious.

But still…

"T-Team up?! What nonsense are you spouting?!"

The implications of Alice's words hit her all at once, and her face flushed bright red.

She stared at Alice in disbelief. How could she say something like that so casually?

Was this really the same Alice as before?

"Think what you want."

Alice shrugged again, unfazed by Erina's reaction. She neither denied her words nor bothered to explain further.

"Anyway, there's still time. Think it over carefully, and let me know what you decide. Even if you say no, I won't hold it against you."

It was just a spur-of-the-moment thought, after all, a suggestion she'd thrown out on a whim.

Alice had expected Erina to react this way, so her response didn't surprise her.

As for whether Erina would ultimately agree, Alice didn't really care.

If she agreed, great. If she didn't, that was fine too. Alice wasn't going to force her.

"I…"

Watching Erina stammer, unable to form a coherent response, Alice decided she wasn't interested in wasting more time on the subject.

She walked past her cousin, heading toward the house.

As she walked, she waved a hand dismissively and said, "Take your time to think about it. Let me know once you've decided."

"I'm going to familiarize myself with this thing called Cursed Energy."

With that, Alice disappeared into her room.

"..."

Standing off to the side, Senzaemon had been silent throughout the entire exchange.

As a grandfather, it was impossible for him not to feel a little conflicted about the situation.

Still, given his age and experience, Senzaemon was well aware of one thing, this was undoubtedly a win for his granddaughter.

After all, becoming a Jujutsu Sorcerer was something countless people wished for but couldn't achieve.

And yet, Alice had done it effortlessly.

If nothing else, it was clear that the Nakiri family would continue to thrive in the future, and Alice would undoubtedly play a key role in that.

In this era, Jujutsu Sorcerers had become far too important. And now, the Nakiri family had one of their own, a Jujutsu Sorcerer within their bloodline.

Take the Yukinoshita family, for example.

They had once been a third-rate conglomerate, but with Yukino Yukinoshita, a Jujutsu Sorcerer—among their ranks, opportunities had come flooding in.

Top-tier families were lining up to collaborate with them, and in just a short time, the Yukinoshita family was on the verge of becoming a first-rate conglomerate.

This only underscored how vital Jujutsu Sorcerers were in today's world.

As far as Alice's situation was concerned, there was no stopping it now.

More importantly, this was something Alice wanted for herself. If Senzaemon tried to interfere, it would likely do more harm than good.

However, when it came to Erina, Senzaemon felt it was necessary to say something.

"Erina."

Noticing his granddaughter deep in thought, Senzaemon spoke gently after some consideration.

"Don't overthink this. You don't need to feel pressured by Alice's decisions. Everyone has their own path, and if yours is cooking, then focus on that wholeheartedly."

He was worried that Erina might feel compelled to follow Alice's example, not because she wanted to, but because of some internal pressure.

That was something Senzaemon absolutely didn't want to see happen.

As far as he was concerned, the most important thing was for his granddaughter to live a happy life doing what she loved. Nothing else mattered more.

"Besides, now that Alice is a Jujutsu Sorcerer, the Nakiri family already has one. There's no need for you to become one as well! Hahaha!"

He let out a hearty laugh, trying to ease the mood.

His words weren't just for show they were meant to reassure Erina that the Nakiri family didn't need her to sacrifice anything.