I’m posting these in quick succession to get closer to the Kakuyomu release pace.
Our stay at the Hephaestus System docks was finally drawing to a close.
As a final touch before our departure, we were gathered in an unused nook located right next to the engine room.
"...Alright, connection complete. Exhaust bypass is operating normally."
Mina operated her terminal, and with a sharp hiss, steam began venting into the area partitioned off by reinforced glass—the "Onboard Farm" we had hastily constructed.
It was a simple setup that recycled the engine’s exhaust heat and the humidity from the ship's purification system. However, the thermometer inside quickly climbed past fifty degrees Celsius, and the humidity hit eighty percent.
A human would have been boiled alive within minutes in such an environment, but for that specific plant, it was paradise.
"The environmental data reproduction rate is at ninety-eight percent. It should grow fine like this."
"I’m counting on it. This is going to be our future pantry, after all."
I stared at the Heat-resistant Ivy seedling planted in a container—which was actually an old ammunition case.
It was still just a spindly little sprout. It wasn't going to multiply overnight, and it would likely be a while before we could actually harvest anything.
Even so, this was a massive step forward.
"Alright, we’ll leave the farm alone for now. While we wait for it to grow, how about we get some food in our systems?"
"I'm in. I'm starving."
We moved to the kitchen in the living quarters.
Today's menu had already been decided.
I was going to cook a dish using the remaining ivy—the crunchy, bean-sprout-like shoots—that we had gathered back in the Heat Exhaust Sector.
"First, I need to make the sauce."
I lined up several bottles on the counter, all items I had scrounged from the local markets.
The "Soy Sauce-style Seasoning Liquid" the old man at the ramen shop used had been his own original blend, unfortunately, and wasn't sold commercially.
However, he’d given me enough hints.
Using a base of amino acid liquid derived from plant protein, I added caramel, salt, and...
"This spice."
It was a brown powder with a pungent, sharp odor I’d found at a shady market stall.
The component analysis had labeled it as a "Mixed Spice Containing Capsaicin-like Substance." In short, it was something spicy and fragrant.
Using those ingredients as a base, I tossed in a generous amount of dried garlic powder and let it simmer, thinning the mixture with synthetic alcohol.
Sizzle...
A sweet and salty, almost charred aroma rose from the pot.
It was a far cry from real soy sauce, but the aggressive, savory scent was incredibly whetting. It was perfect. A dish like this didn't need delicacy.
"Akito, I feel like I could eat rice with just the smell of that."
"Don't be impatient. The star of the show comes next."
I set a bowl-shaped piece of armor plating that I’d repurposed into a makeshift wok onto the high-output stove and clicked the ignition.
With a roar, blue flames enveloped the metal.
Once the pan was hot enough to smoke, I added the oil.
First, I tossed in small strips of Synthetic Meat. I fried them until the surfaces were crispy, burning off the distinctive smell of artificial fat.
Then, I threw in a literal mountain of the washed ivy shoots.
Ssssshhhhhhh!!
A violent hiss erupted as a massive cloud of steam billowed up.
This was the critical moment. If I cooked it too long, the moisture would leak out and leave the dish soggy. I tossed the pan vigorously over the high flame, searing the ivy while ensuring it kept its crunch.
Finally, I swirled in the special sauce I’d prepared.
Sizzle-crackle!
The sauce caramelized against the hot metal, and a savory aroma exploded through the room.
Once I was sure everything was evenly coated, I killed the heat.
"It’s done. 'Industrial District-style Stamina Meat and Vegetable Stir-fry'."
When plated, the meat and vegetables were coated in a dark, glistening sauce that shone with an oily sheen.
And to go with it—
"...Is this rice?"
Mina stared curiously at the white grains served in a mug that was standing in for a rice bowl.
It was "Synthetic Carbohydrate: Rice-type" I’d picked up at the market. It was a product made by molding starch paste into granules and drying them; the packaging claimed it would become just like rice when reconstituted with hot water.
"It looks like white rice, at least. Don't expect much from the taste."
We sat down at the table and put our hands together.
First, I took a bite of the stir-fry.
"...Mmph!"
Mina’s eyes lit up.
It was rich. It was salty. And it was very oily.
However, the intense seasoning was perfectly balanced by the crunchy texture and juiciness of the stir-fried ivy. The scent of garlic and spices kicked through my nose, and the junk-food umami of the Synthetic Meat seeped out with every chew.
"Wow... it makes a sound."
As she chewed, Mina seemed startled by the noise echoing in her mouth.
"It’s actually crunching. And when I bite down, water comes out from inside... Is this really a plant?"
It made sense that she was surprised. Up until now, any "vegetables" she’d eaten were likely nutrient-extracted pastes or freeze-dried powders in soup.
The experience of biting through plant fibers, breaking the cell walls, and tasting the actual moisture inside was entirely new territory for her.
In the end, it might just be a weed that grew on factory exhaust or some artificial plant modified for environmental survival, but that didn't change the fact that it was a "living plant."
"Yeah. The best part of a vegetable stir-fry is that texture."
I immediately shoveled in some of the synthetic white rice.
It was bland. The texture was a bit crumbly, lacking any stickiness or sweetness. If I’d eaten it alone, it would have been nothing more than flavorless grains.
But when paired with this heavily seasoned side dish?
The rice neutralized the saltiness of the stir-fry, while the fat from the meat compensated for the rice’s blandness. They mingled in my mouth, elevating each other into a perfect balance.
"...It’s so good."
Mina followed my lead, tapping her food against the rice to let the sauce soak in before stuffing her cheeks. Even though I hadn't taught her, she seemed to have instinctively mastered the "etiquette of a set meal."
"This white stuff doesn't have much taste on its own... but when I eat it with the meat and the ivy, it’s amazing. The flavor becomes just right."
"Right? Using white rice as a staple and shoveling it down with a side dish—that’s the ultimate way to eat."
I looked down at the rice in my bowl, and for a moment, a distant memory overlapped with the present.
"But you know, Mina, real rice is even better. When you chew it, it’s sweet and smells wonderful. It’s so good you almost don't even need a side dish."
"Wait, even better than this?"
"Yeah. If I ever get my hands on some real shining silver-shari, I'll let you try it freshly cooked. It’ll blow your mind."
It was a dish made of imitations and synthetic ingredients—essentially just a bean sprout stir-fry. But the addition of fresh ingredients, the fact that we’d built the environment to grow them ourselves, and the effort we’d put into cooking it served as the best possible seasoning.
We shoveled the food down ravenously, finishing the meal in no time at all.
Along with a full stomach, a pleasant warmth spread through my body.
"Thank you for the meal. ...Akito, I could eat this every single day."
"I hear you. Once the ivy in the farm grows more, I'll make it whenever you want."
I started clearing the empty plates and glanced over at Lucia.
She was expressionless, but I had the feeling she was staring at the empty dishes with a hint of envy.
Lucia didn't have a sense of taste yet. Installing a Taste Sensor Unit and an Organic Conversion Furnace wasn't going to be cheap.
But now that I’d started down the path of cooking, there was no way I was going to let her miss out. I was definitely going to let her taste something delicious. To do that...
"Well then, now that we're full, shall we go earn some more credits?"
I brought up my terminal and opened the Mercenary Management Organization's mission page.
The list of reasons why I needed to make money was growing longer by the day.
A Chinese restaurant's bean sprout stir-fry really is something special.
If you enjoyed this chapter or are looking forward to what happens next, please consider leaving a "★" rating! It might just help Akito upgrade his dinner tomorrow. Thank you for your support!