The proportion of repeat customers is always the standard for measuring the success of a restaurant, and Izakaya are no exception.
Turning new customers into regulars, and regulars bringing in new customers—this cyclical form is precisely a marketing strategy for Izakaya.
It cannot be denied.
For regulars like Rindo,
the scale effect she brings also represents the vitality of this Izakaya.
If one day, Rindo and other regulars lose interest in the Izakaya run by Sosuke, it would mean that the "life" of this Izakaya is coming to an end.
...
"Shopkeeper, you were right after all."
"Among those new students, there are always some astonishing geniuses!"
Exhaling a breath of alcohol, Rindo recalled today's Shokugeki match and couldn't help but sigh softly.
She vaguely remembered that when she served as an admissions examiner, she had never seen Alice Nakiri in the examination hall.
The only plausible explanation was that she had enrolled in Totsuki Academy as a special admission student.
However, what she found even more unpredictable was that this special admission student dared to challenge the entire Sweet Dessert Cuisine Research Association on the very first day of school.
And in the end, she managed to utterly defeat Hakuren Shirogane, a second-year student, with an unexpected molecular dessert dish.
"What?"
"Didn't you say last time that the cooking of those new students was all very poor?"
Upon hearing this, Sosuke knew that something after the start of school had stimulated Rindo, and he couldn't help but ask.
"Hmm!"
"It was indeed very poor."
"But at Totsuki, there's also a type of special admission student who can bypass the entrance examination directly."
"Another young lady of the Nakiri family enrolled in Totsuki as a special admission student, and she certainly stole the show today!"
Putting down her glass, Rindo began to describe the details of today's Shokugeki match.
...
Strong desire to win.
Sometimes, that is precisely a false impression.
What is truly unacceptable is one's own worthlessness.
Even among all new students, Alice Nakiri's current strength is absolutely at the top tier!
But she wants to win against Erina too much; this obsession and desire will lead her to make erroneous judgments on some matters, especially the disparity between them in reality, which often makes her feel worried and anxious.
Therefore, on the first day of school, she did something that shocked the entire Totsuki Academy.
"Haste makes waste."
"She is too eager to show herself, and I'm afraid she will suffer a backlash later."
At this moment, hearing about Alice's deeds after the start of school, Sosuke frowned.
Strictly speaking, a desire to win has no good or bad; there's no need to suppress or cultivate it.
However, if one is overly pursuing success, overly pursuing the victory of a goal, then when facing failure, that sense of frustration and defeat will make her even more distraught!
In fact,
in Sosuke's impression,
Alice's concept of winning and losing wasn't that strong.
Her showdown with Erina was also because the cake she made in her childhood did not receive Erina's approval.
Perhaps she would be more mischievous than Erina in many things, but Sosuke appreciated her frank and genuine personality.
After all, as another young lady of the Nakiri family, getting along with her would certainly be much more harmonious than getting along with Erina.
"Indeed, revealing her trump card so quickly now will likely make her an easier target for other students later on."
"How cruel and intense is the competition at Totsuki? It seems that a special admission student like her, who transferred in temporarily, hasn't truly experienced it yet!"
Rindo nodded in agreement with Sosuke's words, indicating her strong approval.
However, her performance and her cooking in that wonderful Shokugeki match gave Rindo a strong feeling: if she continued to grow, she would probably completely threaten the position of the Elite Ten in the near future.
To say she is the closest to the Elite Ten is not an exaggeration at all!
...
"Wow!"
"I haven't been to the Izakaya for several days, has it changed so much now?"
Just then, a group of people arrived at the Izakaya.
Leading the way was a girl with chestnut-blonde hair tied in a bun.
As soon as she pushed the door open, the refreshed dining environment of the Izakaya immediately stunned her, and then her eyes couldn't help but light up.
"Oh my! If it weren't for Spring Fruit Pavilion next door still being there, I would have thought I walked into the wrong place."
Sakaki Ryoko, who followed closely behind, covered her mouth, her expression somewhat surprised.
She now felt both unfamiliar and familiar with this Izakaya.
Then, Isshiki Satoshi, Marui Zenji, Ibusaki Shun, Aoki Daigo, Sato Shoji, and the transfer student Yukihira Soma, all walked in one after another.
Especially the new customer, Yukihira Soma, who, immediately after entering, kept surveying this unfamiliar Izakaya with his eyes.
Amazement!
Excitement!
Contemplation!
Doubt!
His expression on his face began to become exceptionally complex.
Perhaps for him, who had also run a restaurant, this distinctive Izakaya gave him an inexplicable sense of goodwill.
But on the other hand, he also found it difficult to understand why the Polar Star Dormitory residents had to come all the way here just to hold a welcome party for him, the transfer student?
"Shopkeeper, th-this... these are some cookies I made myself."
Then, Tadokoro Megumi, who slowly entered the Izakaya, gritted her teeth, mustered her courage, and with a slightly flushed face, presented a box of exquisite cookies to Sosuke.
"Tadokoro Megumi, you were able to come with them, so you must have passed the first assessment after the start of school, right?"
Sosuke did not immediately accept the gift but asked with a smile.
"This... this..."
"Shopkeeper, I truly thank you for being able to pass the assessment smoothly this time!"
Tadokoro Megumi quickly lowered her head, extending the cookies in her hand further towards Sosuke, and replied excitedly.
"Hmm?"
"Thank me for what?"
Seeing this, Sosuke pretended to be clueless and asked.
"Shopkeeper, you don't know."
"The cooking theme for this assessment was actually Burgundy Beef Bourguignon."
"Fortunately, when I was at the Izakaya, you told me all the methods for this dish, otherwise I might really have been expelled."
"So, to express my gratitude, I made cookies, and... and I hope you'll accept them."
"Alright, alright."
"I've received your thoughtful gesture!"
Finally, Sosuke did not decline, as it would seem a bit affected if he didn't accept it.
And watching him finally accept the box of cookies, Tadokoro Megumi's heart inevitably felt even happier.
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