The Sperm Whale departed from the commercial colony and entered the shipping lane toward the technical colony of Techne Prime.
It was only a few hours’ journey to the first gateway. We decided to use that time to hold a welcoming party for our newest passenger—Professor Stein.
"...Hmph. For all this ship’s shabbiness, the kitchen alone has been quite extensively remodeled."
Seated in the break space, the professor snorted as he surveyed the kitchen. A commercial-grade high-power stove sat prominently amidst a tangle of exposed piping. To a trained eye, I suppose the unusual output capacity of those pipes was hard to miss.
"It was a makeshift job," I said modestly. "We didn't have the funds for proper, factory-installed equipment."
"Hey, that’s rude! I’ll have you know it’s technically very sound. The heat exhaust efficiency and everything else is perfect!" Mina—the one responsible for the work—pouted in protest.
While it certainly looked like Frankenstein's monster, its performance was guaranteed.
"Now then, here is the snack you’ve been waiting for."
I pulled a piping-hot dish from the oven.
Camembert Rôti.
That was the common name for it. I had taken a wheel of the high-end Camembert cheese I’d bought, sliced off the top, drizzled it with a bit of white wine, and baked the whole thing in the oven. To finish it off, I’d added a generous drizzle of honey and a dusting of freshly ground black pepper.
The price of those toppings alone was enough to buy several weeks' worth of General-Purpose Synthetic Food 'Tasty Cube'. To the side, I’d served slices of soft, lightly toasted bread.
"Ho... Instead of simply slicing it, you applied heat."
"Applying heat makes it gooey, and the honey and pepper help reinforce the aroma where it's lacking."
The professor poked the edge of the cheese with his knife, swirled the melted center onto a piece of bread, and brought it to his mouth.
The saltiness of the hot cheese, the sweetness of the honey, and the kick of the black pepper all hit at once. The total cost for the ingredients was... well, better not to think about it. Sophisticated calculations are unnecessary when you’re trying to enjoy a flavor.
He chewed thoroughly before washing it down with wine. This was genuine brewed alcohol I had received personally from that old man at the Logistics Department—Brigadier General Victor. It had a robust profile, strong enough not to be overpowered by the heavy cheese.
"...Not bad. A calculated application of heat to compensate for the youth of the ingredients. I shall give it a passing grade."
"Well, thanks for that."
Mina, Lucia, and I took our seats as well. Mina stuffed her cheeks with cheese, exclaiming, "Wow, look at it stretch!" while Lucia watched her with a look of envy, just like she always did.
"However, it is a lamentable state of affairs," the professor began grumpily, tearing off another piece of bread. "Despite the existence of such rich ingredients in this galaxy, the masses consume nothing but those abominable 'Tasty Cubes'. Industrial products where taste and aroma have been completely digitized and standardized. That isn't a meal; it is mere refueling."
"I agree. It’s about as bland as it gets."
"But it’s also an undeniable reality," I added with a wry smile. "Preservability, portability, nutritional value, and cost—in the context of life in deep space, there is no food more rational. You don't have to worry about rot, and you get a consistent level of quality every time. One has to admit it was an indispensable invention for humanity’s expansion into the sea of stars."
I complained about them plenty myself, but if they didn't exist, I might have starved long ago. The fact remained that its clay-like texture had kept countless people alive.
"Hmph... Rationality, is it? That is precisely what robs humans of 'fluctuation'. A meal should be an act of enjoying uncertain elements." The professor stirred the cheese, looking dissatisfied.
"By the way, Professor. You're an authority on bioengineering, right?" I changed the subject and gestured toward Lucia. "The reason we're heading to Techne Prime is to give her a sense of taste. Is there anything your expertise could do for her?"
The professor narrowed his eyes behind his glasses, giving Lucia a long, scrutinizing look. Then, he shook his head dismissively.
"It is outside my specialty."
"Wait, really?"
"I am an expert in biological engineering. I understand organic cells and genetics, but the refitting of a mechanical android is outside my jurisdiction. Just looking at the wiring of electronic circuits gives me a headache."
A blunt rejection. Mina let out a disappointed "Ehh..."
However, the professor wasn't finished. "...But the concept of 'taste' itself? That is very much my domain."
"What do you mean?"
"Taste is not merely the reception of chemical substances. It is an 'emotion' that arises when the brain processes signals and links them with memories and feelings. It isn't a simple matter of slapping sensors on a machine. You need a process that allows that thing's electronic brain to recognize flavor as a form of 'pleasure'."
The professor stared directly into Lucia's eyes.
"If it were just for analyzing chemical components, you should be able to do that even now. But to feel that something is 'delicious,' you need a heart... or a high-level processing system equivalent to one. It is not a problem of hardware, but of software—no, perhaps it is a problem of the 'soul'."
"...The soul," Lucia whispered softly.
I see. So it wasn't just about the sensors. It went much deeper than that.
"Well, once we reach Techne Prime, I can put you in contact with a hardware expert. I might be able to offer some advice regarding the 'definition of taste' itself, though."
The professor bit into his bread, maintaining his prickly demeanor. It wasn't a total rejection; there was still a chance.
"In that case, there's one more thing I want to show you. I think this will be right up your alley."
"What is it? Another rare ingredient?"
"Well, there are ingredients involved... but it's something far rarer than that."
We moved toward the Engine Room. On the way, we passed a section of the corridor partitioned off by glass.
"...Hm? What is this?" The professor stopped in his tracks.
It was the onboard farm we had built. Inside, the Heat-resistant Ivy planted in the containers was growing lush and green.
"A farm!?" The professor pressed himself against the glass. "This plant... it's Heat-resistant Ivy native to the Hephaestus System. Don't tell me you are cultivating this for consumption? It’s known to be non-toxic, but I didn't think anyone was eccentric enough to actually eat it..."
"It’s surprisingly good. Very crunchy."
"Hmph... But what is truly remarkable is this environment. You're maintaining a hot and humid climate in such a restricted space without a dedicated circulation device?"
"We're bypassing the engine's heat exhaust and the output from the purification system," Mina explained, puffing her chest out proudly. "We're replicating the native environment at practically zero cost."
The professor groaned. "How crude... yet entirely rational."
"But what I really want to show you is further back."
We guided him to the reserve console in the Engine Room. Sitting there was the pumpkin-shaped Bio-core. It pulsed with a gentle light, absorbing a trickle of electricity from the generator.
"...And this is?"
The look in the professor's eyes changed instantly. His grumpiness vanished, replaced by the intense focus of a scientist.
"We found it while investigating an experimental agricultural plant for the military. The plants took over the server and fused with the machinery."
"A fusion of flora and machine... Spontaneous bio-cybernetics!?" The professor rushed to the console. With trembling hands, he operated the terminal, reading the data streams flowing from the core. "Unbelievable...! The plant's vascular bundles are serving as a substitute for optical fibers, and the chlorophyll is functioning as a photovoltaic conversion element... Furthermore, it has developed its own thought routine!?"
"This guy can even communicate. Right now, it's handling the management for the farm we just passed."
"Wonderful! This is precisely the kind of evolutionary possibility I have been seeking!" The professor’s eyes sparkled like a child’s as he stared intently at the core. He seemed even more excited now than he had been about the cheese. "Captain! Let me take data on this thing! No, I want to transport it to my laboratory for a full analysis! This discovery will turn the academic world upside down!"
"Ah—I'm afraid taking it with you would be difficult."
"Why!? To have a sample of this caliber..."
"It can't survive unless it's directly connected to our generator. If you rip it out, it'll wither. Besides, it’s currently handling all the environmental controls for our farm, so we'd be in trouble if it left."
It seemed I had successfully ignited the professor's intellectual curiosity. It looked like we wouldn't just be getting his help as a gourmet connection, but as a technical consultant as well.
With the eccentric professor on board, the Sperm Whale continued its journey toward Techne Prime. This trip was turning out to be much noisier than I had imagined.
Author's Note: I hadn't heard the term "Rôti" used quite like that before. Mina was supposed to be a more composed character, but oh well. Eat up, Mina. If you enjoyed this chapter, please hit the "★"! It might just help Akito's dinner get another upgrade tomorrow. Thank you!