Chapter 1

Now then, what kind of special training shall we focus on today?

When you think about ranking show staples, isn't it like... telling apart premium cuts of meat and stuff~?

Expensive... violins... maybe. Flower arranging... could be... another one...

Indeed.

They might also throw in questions about proper etiquette, like dining manners.

Wait, have they actually had etiquette stuff on the show?

Not in the main competition, but there have been such questions in past preliminary rounds.

I've heard that during a food-tasting challenge, someone committed taboo chopstick manners and was heavily penalized.

Taboo... chopstick manners...?

It refers to chopstick etiquette violations.

Things like hovering your chopsticks around while deciding what to eat, or stabbing food with your chopsticks.

Both are strictly off-limits.

Seriously?! Chii might've slipped up and done that once or twice before...!

Me... too...

Not to worry! That sort of knowledge is not daunting at all once you've learned it.

I, Sakujiro, have already compiled a list of etiquette to study!

Whoa...!

That's our Sakujii! Always comin' in clutch!

However, for challenges where experience matters, like proper chopstick grip, we'll need actual practice.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither is a ranking king! Come, let's start our training!

Woo-hoo!

I'll... do my best...!

Kirokkuma, your chopstick grip is super clean! It's like, practically textbook perf!

Thank... you... very much.

You too, Natsuyaki-san. It's slightly stiff, but your grip is correct.

Aw, thanks! Chii practiced like craaazy ‘cause I had to teach my li'l sisters, y’know~!

But Chii started out doing it freestyle, and all the bad habits just stuck. So having to teach the proper form was like a total nightmyaare~

I... understand. Since I'm... left-handed... teaching my right-handed sister... is pretty... challenging.

Wait. Kirokuma, your li'l sis is learning chopsticks right now?

Yes... But lately, I've been... busy... so I haven't been able to... teach her much...

Ooooh…

Hey hey, Kirokkuma! If it’s okay, Chii kinda wants to practice together with your sis!

...Huh?

I mean, Chii’s gotta practice anyway, right? If your sister joins us, you still get to teach her too.

It's a total win-win, doncha think?!

B-But... Won't that... cut into your... practice time, Natsuyaki-san...?

Teaching others is also a path to improvement. By instructing beginners, you can recall fundamentals that are easy to overlook.

Exactly! So pleeease ask your sis!

...Okay.