Tokyo Wingman King

The extra spicy curry truly lives up to its name.

This shop, which uses the name Sapporo, would look perfectly natural even if you replaced the words "[Sapporo]" with "[Kolhapur]" from Andhra Pradesh, India, or "[Fortmill]" from South Carolina, USA.

The mere smell alone is enough to make many people tighten their sphincter muscles and produce an instinctive avoidance reaction.

But in the face of Asama's increasingly abnormal physique, what others see as a fiery red magma hell is just a slightly scalding borscht in his mouth. A few spoonfuls of Carolina Reaper pepper powder, which can send an ordinary Japanese person to the ICU, becomes as docile as white pepper used by Cantonese people in soup.

Traditional soup curry is more like soup than curry, but the bowl in front of Asama is much thicker than a typical soup curry, with an excessive amount of chili powder acting as a thickener.

However, the chili powder did not mask the umami flavor of the broth. Asama could taste the rich sweetness in the spicy soup, which included the flavors of herbs such as licorice, dried tangerine peel, ophiopogon japonicus, Solomon's seal, goji berries, and cordyceps flowers, as well as a refreshing sweetness from onions, tomatoes, and shrimp.

The large chicken leg in the soup curry should have been stewed and then roasted, so the meat can be easily removed from the bone. The tender and juicy chicken leg meat is a perfect match when dipped in the super spicy curry sauce.

Broccoli, pumpkin, and various mushrooms were fried until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, coated in spicy sauce, tasting somewhat like the fried foods I ate in many southern cities in my past life [fried]. The lotus root slices weren't soft or crispy; I don't know if it's a variety issue, but they were a bit lacking.

Pour the curry sauce over the turmeric rice, then mix in the yam puree, burdock puree, and apple puree on the side. It's sticky and delicious, and goes very well with rice.

After trying all the ingredients in the soup curry, Asama understood the confidence behind this restaurant's pricing, which was 50% higher than the average price of curry shops in the area. The ingredients, the taste, and the attention to detail were all impeccable.

Ryuzoji Chanwa across from him seemed to have almost finished eating; he had been staring at him ever since the table partition was lowered.

Asama knew that Ryuzoji was waiting for him, so he performed a live mukbang (eating broadcast) in front of her.

The shop assistant holding the timer's eyes widened as he watched Asama's spoon move faster and faster, gulping down the soup curry and turmeric rice in no time.

Without getting a drop of water on it, it only took 6 minutes, which is 3 times faster than the previous record!
The customer didn't break a sweat or even turn red in the face. Could it be that the kitchen put the wrong chili powder in?

The shop assistant began to doubt the reality before her.

"Do I consider this a successful challenge?"

Asama finished the soup curry completely before picking up the latte from the table and taking a satisfied sip. Mmm, sweet and sour, the mango yogurt flavor was subtly infused with hints of ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom.

"Um, let me check with the kitchen first," the clerk said hesitantly.

Although the shop assistant didn't know how Asama cheated, he was convinced that Asama had definitely cheated.

The store manager, who had been watching this area closely, jogged over, patted the employee on the shoulder, and smiled at Asama.

"No need to confirm, sir. You not only succeeded in the challenge, but you also broke our store's record. I'll process your refund now. You can take a photo and sign it at the challenge wall at the entrance as a souvenir."

"Wait a minute, your restaurant doesn't need to give me a free meal or take photos. I just wanted to try something spicy out of interest."

Running a restaurant is actually quite difficult. Since this restaurant uses high-quality ingredients and the food tastes good, there's no need for them to act as price judges.

There was no need for a complimentary meal, yet both host and guests were thoroughly entertained. The manager specially gifted two small snacks. Asama placed one of them in front of Ryuzoji Seiha as a reward for her agreeing to lower the barrier between them.

"Everyone who sees it gets a share, class monitor."

Ryuzoji looked at him with a subtle expression.

"Is it really okay?"

"Of course, no problem. I'm already full. I can't finish all these desserts by myself."

"I'm talking about extra spicy curry."

Asama looked surprised and laughed.
"Is the class monitor concerned about me? She's so kind."

Ryuzoji's face instantly turned grim.
"Don't flatter yourself. I'm worried about whether you can keep your promise. That extra-spicy curry soup just now, just by the smell, you knew it wasn't meant for human consumption. You wouldn't have done that on purpose so you could skip the first day of tutoring, would you?"

"But if you're really worried, shouldn't you have stopped it beforehand?"

"I simply lost to curiosity."

"curiosity?"

"I want to know just how embarrassing it is when you cry from the spiciness," Ryuzoji explained.

Asama looked at Ryuzoji Seiha, trying to find the source of malice in her eyes, but unfortunately, apart from her frighteningly serious scrutiny, there was no malice in her eyes.

The two stared at each other for a long time, the girl's gaze showing no sign of wavering.

Asama suddenly turned his face away, looked at the menu again, and said...
"Our class monitor's sadistic tendencies have unexpectedly surfaced. Is this a common trait among rich young ladies?"

Ryuzoji, however, seemed to have won, continuing to stare expressionlessly at [Shinichiro Kondo's] profile.
"Why do you keep emphasizing this? You're clearly a rich person, yet you're unexpectedly resentful of the wealthy. Kondo-sensei, I strongly suspect that you came to KKIS with some ulterior motive."

Asama ordered another pineapple latte, and casually remarked,

"I laid my purpose bare before you long ago, but you covered your eyes. Einstein never agreed with Bohr's quantum entanglement until his death, and time has finally given the answer—the locality framework that Einstein adhered to is not a golden rule in the quantum world. You see, even scientific giants can be trapped by preconceived notions and prejudices. If someone had dared to break free from these constraints earlier, perhaps humanity would have already colonized Mars."

Ryuzoji sneered.
"You don't seem to object to resentment towards the rich at all."

Asama shrugged.
"I do have a bit of resentment towards the rich. This mentality can perhaps be explained by [neighborly envy] and [inter-class competition] - people in the same circle are not necessarily friends, and are more likely to become enemies."

I discussed this in detail in my elective course, "The War of Power." If you, class monitor, are interested, I can give you a 8% discount—it's basically the price of one or two outfits. You see, the Bible also mentions that the wisdom of the wise is equivalent to gold earrings and fine gold ornaments. Clothes will wear out, but wisdom only becomes sharper with use.

By the way, there are only three spots left for this course, so if you miss it, you'll have to wait until next year.

Ryuzoji Seiwa showed little interest in Asama's sales pitch, simply scooping a spoonful of pudding into his mouth with an elegant flourish. A course worth 5000 million yen seemed less appealing than a small dish of 260 yen snacks.

"Are you really not going to consider it?"

Asama pressed for an answer.

Ryuzoji Seiha spoke with a gaze that seemed to see right through Asama.

"Kondo-sensei, you said you and I are in the same circle, but I've never heard of any Kondo family member who could cause such a ruckus in the Kujo family's KKIS like it's their backyard. Or are you someone from the Kujo family?"

"As expected, the gaze and suspicion of others are infinite, so proving oneself is an endless matter. Should I bring over the lie detector?"

“Okay.” Ryuzoji didn’t hesitate at all this time.

"Forget it, such a fun machine will affect your study progress."

"Are you scared yourself? Kondo-sensei, you like to lie."

"Suspecting your neighbor of stealing your axe is not a healthy mentality, class monitor."

"Since you've admitted to having [neighborly jealousy], it's normal to be suspected, right?"

Asama said helplessly.
"There's a difference between being suspected and being falsely accused, class monitor."

Seeing the familiar expression on Asama's face, Ryuzoji couldn't help but laugh.

In Asama's view, this smile was no longer a hostile smile like a sneer, a mockery, or a sneer.

Ryuzoji probably didn't realize it herself, but after she relaxed her tense face, her smile was as golden as if it were filled with sunshine, transforming into a perfectly fine day.

As for why I relaxed, was it because I talked about poop and pee?

In order to have a more scientific encounter with this "Forbidden Flower" from the Orient in the future, Asama decided to study more toilet jokes in his spare time.

There are 40 minutes left until 7 p.m.

The two walked out of the soup curry shop and quickly blended into the nighttime crowds at Jimbocho subway station.

Did you bring your lecture notes?

“Of course, don’t underestimate teachers.” Asama patted his briefcase, which contained printed documents.

"He does look somewhat like a teacher." Ryuzoji nodded in satisfaction.

"You don't look like a student at all."

Asama looked at the girl ahead of him, who was deliberately walking two steps ahead of him. Her ponytail, tied with a silk ribbon, swayed from side to side as she walked. "Because I don't need you to teach me later, I have my own learning pace," the girl said, tilting her head slightly.

"You're so amazing, why don't you become a teacher and teach Hinata and the others yourself?"

"That's inefficient."

"Isn't it because you lack patience? Class monitor, your aversion to stupidity is impossible to hide."

Ryuzoji then put on a dangerous smile again.

"Can I take it that Kondo, you're saying Kohinata, Serizawa, and Sakai are idiots?"

"People who come to KKIS are either stupid or bad. I'm saying they're good people, smart class monitor."

The girl stopped and looked at Asama with disdain.

Before you call someone a bad person, please take a look in the mirror.

"Making others accompany you to tutoring for your own selfish reasons, so you think people who don't value other people's time are good people?"

"The purpose is just, and the process is not evil. Do you see any problem with that?"

"Your views on justice and evil are just your own opinion. Rather than discussing that, I'm more concerned about whether you have suitable teaching materials at home. You can't possibly bring me here to teach everyone without even a whiteboard, can you?"

"Those things were prepared a long time ago. Isn't it a bit too late for you to start worrying now?"

After finishing speaking, Ryuzoji Chanwa turned around and disappeared into the 7-Eleven convenience store next door.

She said that her family hadn't prepared anything, so she had to buy some snacks and drinks to treat the female students in Class 9 of Grade 1.

"It's my treat today. Help yourself to whatever you want, but no cigarettes or alcohol."

"These days, you only see teachers smoking and drinking in front of students in light novels and manga, right?"

Asama doesn't have a habit of eating snacks, but he'll occasionally have some with Katsuko Asama. The wide variety of snacks available at convenience stores holds no appeal for him.

Have you tried this?

Ryuzoji asked, holding a bag of fried fish skin.

"No."

"what about this?"

Ryuzoji picked up another bag of snacks labeled "mayonnaise squid flavor" and asked.

"Never eaten."

Ryuzoji then picked out three more savory dishes, but Asama shook his head at them all.

"As expected of the young master of the Kujo family, he never eats commoners' food?"

"Class monitor, I hope you understand three things. First, I'm not the young master of the Kujo family; second, we've eaten at a humble restaurant together at least twice, so there's no such thing as 'never eating there'; third, my reason for not eating snacks is simple—a sign of maturity is not eating snacks."

"Kondo-sensei, you don't look mature at all. You're more like a high school student our age."

Ryūzō-ji seemed to be pointing something out.

"As teachers, it is an essential course to bridge the age gap and connect with students."

"How disgusting! Are you trying to have a teacher-student relationship?"

"Is it even possible to have a teacher-student relationship like this?"

Asama then showed Ryuzoji the allergic symptoms on his arm.

"You mean, if you didn't have gynophobia, you would really make a move on your own students?"

"Class monitor, even if I didn't have gynophobia, I only like mecha. Unless it's a girl who can transform into a Gundam, she has no appeal to me."

In which work did EVA Unit-5 make its first appearance?

"The Movie: Resurrection 2".

How many horns does the Unicorn Gundam RX-0 have?

"Two."

"What are the names of the mechs piloted by 02 and Hiro?"

"That doesn't even qualify as a mecha! It must be excluded from the mecha category!"

Hearing Asama's fluent answers, Ryuzoji Seiwa nodded.

"Your mental age is at the level of a high school student."

"No, in front of mechs, even an old man can be called a boy."

Ryuzoji let out a mocking sneer.

"Who just said they were a mature adult?"

"Men are inherently a superposition of maturity and immaturity; what exactly they are depends on your way of observing them."

Ryuzoji ignored Asama, his face cold, and turned to focus on choosing snacks.

The girl was very efficient at picking out snacks. In no time, she had filled a basket to the brim. In addition to popular classic snacks such as dark chocolate pecans, cheese fries, butter sandwich cookies, red bean dorayaki, preserved plums, twisted fries, and milk pudding, Ryuzoji Chanwa also had a dozen cans of grape-flavored Fanta hooked on her finger.

Why do you only buy grape-flavored Fanta?

"Is there a problem with needing to replenish sugar after mental exertion?"

Asama shook his head.
"There are clearly more options for replenishing sugar, right? What's so great about these carbonated drinks?"

Ryuzoji gave a disdainful smile and took a bottle of Pocari Sweat.

"Then you can drink this, but you're not allowed to drink Fanta later, not even a drop."

"it is good."

Two hours later, Asama desperately wanted to strangle the person who had so readily agreed to the terms. He had greatly underestimated his dependence on the special carbonated drug.

After shopping, Asama helped Ryuzoji carry two plastic bags as they walked deeper into the alley. Fewer and fewer people were on the road, leaving only the sound of their footsteps echoing through the narrow lane.

A short while later, Asama arrived at the high-end apartment building where Ryuzoji was renting.

The other members of Class 9, Grade 1 have all gathered.

Wearing thick-soled leather shoes, Lena Sakai was dressed in an open, shiny leather jacket with a large lapel, over which she wore a cropped white shirt with a tie. She paired it with a low-waisted black pleated skirt and black semi-transparent over-the-knee stockings, looking nothing like someone who was there to study.

Miya Serizawa wore a light brown knit cape with a large beige bow, over which she wore a white long-sleeved undershirt, a beige knit maxi skirt, and flat shoes. She looked soft and languid, not like someone who would be working hard.

Like Ryuzoji, Kohinata Sakura wore a hoodie, but not Ryuzoji's trendy black hoodie with a red skirt. Instead, she wore a plain gray hoodie with khaki pants, looking extremely simple, and with black-rimmed glasses on her face, she looked like someone who was meant to be a student.

"Class monitor~ Long time no see~ Sorry to bother you today."

Rina Sakai was the first to spot Ryuzoji, waving and running over with a smile.

"Huh? What are you doing here?"

Sakai suddenly noticed that Asama was standing behind Ryuzoji. Her expression shifted for a moment, and she couldn't help but ask.
"Didn't the class monitor say he'd just have dinner and be right back? Why is Kondo here too? Did you two just go on a date?" (End of Chapter)