The moment Akito set down his knife, a collective stir rippled through the gathered craftsmen, cutting through the heavy tension like a blade.
"Did you see that? He went through that snapper’s body as if it weren't even there..."
"No power blades, no mechanical assists, and look at those cuts. That’s no amateur imitation. That's the work of a master who's spent years in the trenches. That’s a real craftsman’s touch."
A wave of excitement swept over the area, nearly drowning out the mechanical hum of the market. Kai remained silent, his gaze fixed on the three pieces of snapper. The flesh gleamed with a pearlescent sheen. Finally, he clapped Akito on the shoulder in a silent gesture of respect.
"All right. I’ll give it to you. If you can dress a fish like that, it would be an insult to just show you 'luxury items' that are nothing more than expensive. Come on. I'll show you something more interesting."
Kai barked orders at a drone, leading us deeper into the facility. We entered a low-temperature isolation zone that was strictly off-limits to general buyers. Unlike the hulking snappers, these were tiny silver creatures packed in ice—countless little fish that looked like they could leap right out of the palm of your hand.
"These are Azurite Shiners. And those blue-glowing ones over there are Sapphire Horse Mackerel. They're too small. The cost of keeping them fresh all the way to a storefront just isn't worth the overhead. Most of them get tossed into the mincer and processed into base material for synthetic food. You almost never see these on the open market."
I picked one up to inspect its sheen.
The sensation against my fingertips was one of vibrant, fresh life, reminding me of the sardines and horse mackerel back on Earth.
To me, they were simple table fish, but they weren't suited for the gargantuan logistics of interstellar trade. These were ingredients that only truly came to life when carefully dressed by hand, one by one.
"Perfect. This is exactly what I was looking for. This is where I can really show off my skills."
I couldn't stop a smirk from tugging at the corners of my mouth.
Large catches like the snapper were great, but the true depth of Japanese cuisine was built on the backs of small fish like these. It wasn't just about simmering or grilling. I could cure them in vinegar, grind them into fish balls, or even deep-fry them whole. With these delicate silver fish, the possibilities were endless.
"I’ll take as many of these as you can load. And that Seaweed Soy Sauce too. I want it by the tankful."
"Heh, fine by me. Also, I’ll pick out some smaller, firmer Azurite Snappers to pack in for you. If you’re doing the butchery yourself, you’ll want some variety, right? You’ve got the look of a man who wants to try it all."
I responded with a short, knowing laugh. It seemed craftsmen could understand each other’s desires without needing many words.
A fleet of transport drones hummed into motion, packing these "jewels of the sea" into our containers.
Mina was fully absorbed in monitoring the newly installed freezer units, while Lucia calmly navigated the mountain of paperwork regarding the soy sauce transport, using Emulgand’s credentials as a shield. As for Emulgand herself... she had done more than enough just by flashing her ID. For now, she was busy double-checking the freshness of the fish being shuttled into the specialized freezers.
By the time the loading was complete, Kai pulled up the final invoice on his terminal and showed it to me.
"Two containers, a selection of professional-grade fresh fish, barreled top-tier Seaweed Soy Sauce, and all the installation fees. Grand total comes to five million credits."
"Five million, huh..."
It was about a million more than I had originally budgeted, but considering what we were getting, it was an absolute steal. I didn't hesitate to authorize the lump-sum payment.
"Appreciate the business. I knew you were a high roller, but a lone transport pilot? My workers were stunned when they saw the ship."
Kai watched the payment confirmation log with a satisfied look, then glanced up at me as if struck by a sudden thought.
"Where are you headed from here?"
"For the time being, we’re bound for the Imperial Capital."
Kai’s lips curled into a meaningful grin.
"Then that works out. I’ve got a few contracts floating around for the Commercial Colony 'Orbit.' It's right on your way—want to take them? You just dropped five million; you might as well replenish the coffers. After seeing you handle a knife, I trust you to manage fresh cargo. You look like you could handle the negotiations on the receiving end, too."
"Contracts?"
"Yeah. Some buyers are looking for high-end goods that require insane freshness management. With your ship's gear and your skill set, you're the perfect fit."
The list Kai pulled up showed the route to our next destination along with a very respectable reward.
"That’s a huge help, Kai. I’ll take them. Route the request through the Mercenary Management Organization."
"Done. Akito, make sure you show me that knife work again someday. Go out there and make something so good they'll never forget the taste of this sea."
We shared a firm handshake before heading back to the Sperm Whale.
Stepping back inside the ship, I felt a fresh breeze on my face, carrying with it the faint, salt-tinged scent of the tide.