Misaka Mikoto was stunned for a moment. She hadn't expected that Nakiri Alice would be the chef. At first glance, she had assumed the other girl was simply an ordinary staff member working in the cafeteria.
Still, she quickly returned a polite greeting. After all, as the saying went, one could not strike a smiling face. Even so, she couldn't help but feel a trace of doubt. Alice looked only a few years older than her—was her cooking really as impressive as they claimed?
Seeing her reaction, Noa casually stepped in to explain.
"Alice comes from a world where gourmet cuisine is everything," he said. "She's the daughter of a major food industry conglomerate. She's been trained professionally since childhood, so her cooking skills are unquestionable."
He paused slightly, then added with a faint smile, "At the very least, she's far better than most top chefs in ordinary worlds."
Nakiri Alice scratched her cheek lightly, looking a little embarrassed.
"Hey, it's not that exaggerated," she said. "It's just thanks to Noa's guidance and environment."
"Oh… oh!"
The moment Mikoto heard that explanation, her entire attitude shifted.
Her earlier hesitation vanished almost instantly, replaced by genuine respect. Without further hesitation, she stepped forward and grabbed Alice's hand with surprising enthusiasm.
"Please! Let me try your cooking!"
Alice blinked once, then smiled knowingly.
"Of course."
She then guided Mikoto toward the serving area. Since she still had duties to perform, she couldn't prepare a special meal just for her. Instead, she carefully recommended several dishes that best represented her skills.
What followed was immediate and overwhelming.
"Oh my god… this is amazing!" Mikoto exclaimed after her first bite. "How is this even possible? This is beyond common sense, right?! This really is another world!"
She continued tasting dish after dish, each one more impressive than the last. There was no disappointment—only increasing shock and delight. Noa's earlier words suddenly felt completely justified.
This was not just "delicious."
It was the best food she had ever experienced in her life.
There was no comparison.
Meanwhile, Nakiri Alice simply smiled softly and returned to the kitchen, continuing her work without interruption. Praise like this, while appreciated, was something she had grown somewhat accustomed to in the Great Tree Village.
By the end of the meal, Mikoto had not eaten "a hundred million pounds" as Noa jokingly claimed—but she had still consumed several kilograms of food, far beyond what she normally would.
Only when she finally leaned back in her seat, completely full, did she realize what she had done.
"…I'm sorry. I kind of lost control just now," she said, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks.
There was no helping it. Her reaction had been far too obvious, almost embarrassing in hindsight.
But the food had truly been unfair. It wasn't her fault—it was simply too good.
Noa waved his hand lightly, unconcerned.
"It's fine. Most first-time visitors react like that. You don't need to worry about it."
Hearing that, Mikoto visibly relaxed.
If everyone acted like this on their first visit… then it didn't feel so embarrassing after all.
Yes.
That was it.
She hadn't made a fool of herself alone.