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Renz was left with two choices: play dumb and pass it off as a slip of the tongue, or lay all his cards on the table. However, Senzaemon Nakiri was, after all, the Old Man; with his age came profound understanding. The small gestures and subtle details between Renz and Erina would have been very difficult to hide from him. As he grew closer to Erina, the Old Man would eventually find out anyway.

If Renz pretended ignorance, it might backfire, making the Old Man suspicious of his true intentions. Renz didn’t have to reveal all his cards, such as having already registered their marriage with Erina, he could keep that hidden. But the matter of dating, there was no harm in revealing that. Sometimes, it’s better to be straightforward.

"I really like Erina, and we’ve officially started dating," Renz began, immediately hitting Senzaemon Nakiri with a mental shockwave. "My previous words were a slip of the tongue, but I felt I should tell you about my relationship with Erina.

If you’re not comfortable with my addressing you that way, I can change it," Renz explained. Conjecture was one thing, but there was no concrete proof. For Renz to state it so directly made Senzaemon Nakiri feel like spitting out a mouthful of old blood. Although he was mentally prepared and had anticipated it, he was still caught off guard by the young man’s directness.

Senzaemon Nakiri was so flustered by this quick attack from the young man that he didn’t know how to continue the conversation. The young man had directly said to his face, "I like your granddaughter, and I’m dating her." Senzaemon Nakiri pondered, In this situation, they would only be dating if Erina also agreed, right? So what’s the point of asking him, her grandfather?

"Dating, you say?" Senzaemon Nakiri mused aloud, mentally counting Erina’s age. "She’s 17. She’s dating at 17." This young man before him had good culinary skills, but he wasn’t much older. Could he take care of his granddaughter? He certainly didn’t want a scoundrel who was only after the "God’s Tongue" fame, who would date Erina for a while and then dump her. Senzaemon Nakiri deliberated; he wouldn’t intentionally thwart Erina’s romantic life, but some guidance was absolutely necessary.

"What do you think of Erina?" Senzaemon Nakiri’s expression turned serious as he asked, wanting to hear Renz’s evaluation.

"Erina?" Renz smiled at the Old Man’s question. "She has quite a few minor flaws. Sometimes she’s very arrogant, sometimes she throws tantrums, and sometimes she’s completely unreasonable. But actually, it’s fine. Everyone has flaws and strengths. Erina has strong judgment and opinions, she’s decisive in her actions, and despite her sharp tongue, she has a kind heart.

She’s actually a girl who’s very good at taking care of others." Renz listed her qualities one by one. Renz knew all of Erina’s flaws and strengths. Sometimes, Erina was indeed difficult to like, but no one in the world is perfect. And as for emotions... they require mutual understanding and tolerance. If one can’t even accept the other’s flaws, how can they live together? Renz also had many flaws, and Erina accepted them just the same.

However, Renz truly couldn’t imagine what his life would be like without Erina. For Renz, cooking and gaming were just hobbies, interests that spiced up his life, but Erina was like the water of life. He could live without games and cooking, at most he’d be bored, but if Erina were gone one day, even with cooking and games, Renz would have no interest in continuing to live.

Senzaemon Nakiri nodded slightly. Renz’s answer was simple, but it was enough. It wasn’t full of empty flattery; he seemed like a very down-to-earth young man. But this didn’t mean Senzaemon Nakiri was ready to hand over his beloved granddaughter to Renz just yet.

"Can you support yourself?" Senzaemon Nakiri’s gaze was as sharp as an arrow, seeking to pierce through Renz’s defenses and into his heart. A person who couldn’t even support himself, how could he provide financial security for Erina?

"Yes," Renz replied, unperturbed. He had confidence in that.

"Can you support Erina?" Senzaemon Nakiri then asked. As he posed this question, he scrutinized Renz’s facial expression. With the Nakiri family, Erina naturally wouldn’t worry about her livelihood. But what if the Nakiri family were gone one day? Furthermore, Senzaemon Nakiri certainly didn’t want a grandson-in-law who couldn’t support himself and only sought shortcuts.

Renz genuinely hesitated with this question, mainly considering if he could support Erina if he didn’t marry into the Nakiri family and had to start from scratch. He paused for a few seconds, but then, in the next second, he gave a firm answer. Without the Nakiri family, he could still support Erina. At worst, he’d work tirelessly in his twenties, participate in all sorts of cooking competitions, become a workaholic to earn prize money, and use that as capital to start from scratch. With his peak culinary skills, Renz was still confident.

"Of course," Renz said.

"It’s not a good habit for young people to boast," Senzaemon Nakiri thought Renz still underestimated Erina’s spending habits. When Senzaemon Nakiri asked Renz if he could "support himself," he meant merely sustaining life. But when he moved to the second question, about "supporting Erina," it wasn’t just about feeding Erina; it was about providing her with a good life. Keeping Erina well-fed and comfortable.

"You might not have understood my question clearly," Senzaemon Nakiri continued. "It’s about ’supporting,’ not just ’feeding.’ And you, young man, have you considered children? After you and Erina marry, will you need to consider raising children? Does their education cost money? Without the Nakiri family, do you need money for a place to live? Even with exceptional culinary skills, opening a restaurant requires money, right?" Senzaemon Nakiri said calmly, "All these things require money.

Of course, I’m not opposing your relationship with Erina, but you need to think clearly. Once your relationship is successful and you enter the bonds of matrimony, do you have the ability to make your wife happy? That is a man’s duty, not just a legal obligation." Senzaemon Nakiri’s words were essentially a "warning."

He most didn’t want to see Renz and Erina start a family while still dating. That situation would be the most difficult to handle. After saying all this, this young man, at the very least, should weigh whether he can bear this responsibility.

"I hope you think these issues through as your relationship deepens and your affection grows," Senzaemon Nakiri took a deep breath. At this moment, he suddenly remembered the main reason he called Renz over: to have Renz transfer to Totsuki Academy. The young man had talent in cooking; he had considered inviting him before, but now it was imperative. If he didn’t keep this brat under his watchful eye, what if he couldn’t control himself? Wouldn’t that be disastrous?

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"Grandfather!"

Bang—

The door to the principal’s office burst open. Erina stormed in. She walked over, placing her hands on the principal’s office desk, her gaze fixed on her grandfather, Senzaemon Nakiri.

"Whether he can support me or not," she declared. "You don’t need to ask. I can support myself."

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