Two days later.
With only five days remaining before the end of the year, I was busy with my morning duties at the hospital when the maid Libiola arrived to fetch me.
“Master Ryoma, it is nearly time for your appointment.”
“Thank you. I’ll be right there.”
Today, I had reserved a meeting room at the Guard Force headquarters. The plan was to have lunch with Serge and the others while consulting them about the preserved foods I had been developing.
I quickly tidied my workspace, left a brief word for Dr. Mafrar, and departed the hospital.
As for the preparations… well, the maids had handled almost everything already, so I only needed to perform a final check.
Before long, Serge, the Chairman of the Morgan Company, arrived alongside Pioro, the Chairman of the Saionji Company, and his wife, Kurana, right on schedule.
“Everyone, thank you for making the time to see me today.”
“The pleasure is ours. Thank you for the invitation.”
“I’ve been lookin’ forward to this all day!”
“It has been quite some time, Master Ryoma.”
“It has, Kurana-san. Please, come in and take a seat.”
And so, the luncheon began.
“Without further ado, please choose your menu for today’s lunch. Since these are still prototypes, the variety is limited, but I have prepared plenty of each, so please feel free to take whatever catches your eye.”
Three wooden boxes sat upon the meeting room table. Inside were numerous glossy pouches, each labeled with a dish name and its date of manufacture.
“Oho! The texture is a bit different from the usual, but the material is certainly Waterproof Cloth. Yet, the contents seem to be liquid. Indeed, if one makes a bag out of Waterproof Cloth, it can hold liquid… but this doesn't appear to be a type of vinegar pickling.”
“It ain't just the bag that’s different, I reckon. Look at this one—it was made two months ago!”
“And I have one here that is nearly three months old.”
The guests chatted excitedly as they made their selections.
The main feature of today’s lunch—and the focus of these prototype preserved foods—was, quite simply, Retort Food.
As Serge noted, I had modified the coating from the usual formula to one closer to a Hardening Fluid Plate. Furthermore, by lining the material with Aluminum Foil, I had created a specialized Waterproof Cloth with excellent heat resistance and light-shielding properties, using it as a substitute for a Retort Pouch. After filling the pouch with the finished dish, removing the air, and sealing it, I used a Pressure Cooker custom-ordered from the Dinome Workshop to perform heat sterilization.
The materials were different from the retort foods back on Earth, but the procedure was essentially identical. Maintaining a state of high temperature and high pressure was difficult with magic alone; I had been failing repeatedly since before I went to the Fatma Territory, but the arrival of the Pressure Cooker had finally allowed me to clear that hurdle.
In the past, I’d attempted to use barrier magic to pressurize the pot, but I couldn't vent the excess pressure effectively. The results were usually disastrous—either the prototype exploded and sent shards and food flying everywhere, or I was so timid with the heat that the sterilization was incomplete.
Only after I grew accustomed to barrier magic and my control improved to the point where I could sense the barrier’s precise strength did I occasionally succeed, but even then, it was mostly down to luck. Looking back, it felt less like an experiment with food preservation and more like intensive training to strengthen my barrier magic.
However, ever since I started using the Pressure Cooker from the Dinome Workshop, those issues had vanished. I could perform high-temperature, high-pressure cooking reliably, which meant I could steadily produce Retort Food with no damage to the pouches and sufficient sterilization. I was truly grateful to Master Dinome for crafting such a masterpiece.
Thanks to him, I felt I had achieved a level of quality even higher than I had anticipated. While I couldn't mass-produce them yet, that wasn't an issue since we were still in the testing phase.
“I verified the samples with Appraisal magic when I brought them in, so their safety is guaranteed. And in the unlikely event that something goes wrong, there is a hospital right here in the same building.”
“Havin’ you bring up the hospital right now actually makes me feel less at ease, y’know?” Pioro said with a laugh as he picked the oldest item from the selection.
As the head of a company dealing in food, he was likely curious about how the flavor held up over a long period. Kurana did the same, selecting the oldest sample of a different dish.
“In that case, allow us to warm them for you.”
Lulunese collected the chosen pouches and began heating them in a pot placed atop a magic tool that functioned like a Tabletop Stove.
“While we wait for those to warm up, I thought we might discuss another matter.”
Right on cue, Lilian brought out hot water she had prepared separately from the warming pot. Libiola then brought over transparent cups I had made by molding Hardening Fluid Plates. Although I had explained the process to them beforehand, their movements were so perfect that there was truly nothing left for me to do.
“First, let us have a cup of tea.”
“These vessels are the same as the ones I saw at the wedding. They are quite something even without color… No, the issue at hand is the contents, I suppose?”
“You put ‘em in the cups and you’ve got a pot here, so that means we’re supposed to pour the water in, right?”
“There is a line inside the cup; please fill it up to that point.”
“Then allow me to pour.”
With graceful movements, Kurana poured the hot water from the glass kettle. Instantly, an aroma similar to coffee wafted through the room.
“Oh, what a wonderful scent. It resembles ‘Caffee,’ yet it seems to be something else entirely.”
“This is a Dante Root Infusion. It is a tea used as medicine in certain regions.”
“As expected of you, Pioro-san. And you too, Serge-san, to recognize it by scent alone. I had originally hoped to make this with black tea, but I wasn't quite satisfied with the flavor. So, I tried it with Dante tea this time.”
To be honest, I was far from being a man of distinction when it came to flavors. With my palate and nose, I couldn't distinguish between coffee and Dante tea. I hadn't drunk coffee since coming to this world, and even if I did a side-by-side comparison, I’d probably be easily fooled if someone told me they were just from different regions.
I wondered if the head of a major company needed a palate that refined. Based on the conversation, it seemed something called "Caffee" existed; I made a mental note to ask Pioro to source some for me later. While I was musing, everyone was already savoring their Instant Dante Coffee.
“The taste isn't bad at all.”
“You’re right. But it doesn’t seem like you just ground the tea leaves into powder, either.”
What I had prepared was Dante tea with the moisture removed via a Freeze-dry Method replicated through magic. There were several points I could use to market it, but given the manufacturing costs, the profit margins were questionable. Therefore:
“I think it would be fortunate if this sold well on its own, but the real topic is the ‘manufacturing process.’ I’ve applied pharmaceutical technology to food processing. What would you think if we could do the same for other dishes? Assuming, of course, that they could be consumed just by adding hot water, and that they would have little change in flavor while lasting a long time in storage.”
“Now that is a fascinating prospect.”
“Since that method removes moisture without using heat, it should have a wide range of applications. It would work for soups, of course, but I believe it could also work for boiled rice, noodles, or legumes. It could even be used for drying herbs and fruits.
However, it isn't without its drawbacks. I made what we have here using my own magic, but if we consider mass production, we would have to commission a craftsman to build a magic tool with the same effect. Furthermore, we would have to continuously consume expensive Mana Stones for the manufacturing process. The mana consumption is also high, making the production costs quite substantial. As a product, it would end up being a luxury item.”
I had heard that freeze-drying required Ice Attribute Mana Stones, which were extremely expensive. The reason was obvious: they were primarily used for food preservation and cooling.
Especially in the summer, they were indispensable for nobles, high-end grocers, and luxury restaurants. Since everyone scrambled to buy them up at high prices, there was demand throughout the year. And while consumption dropped in the winter, Mana Stones were easy to store, so the price rarely fell.
Apparently, it was possible to run an ice-based magic tool using No-Attribute Mana Stones, but the mana efficiency was much worse. Depending on the stone and the tool, if the consumption was only three times that of an ice stone, it was considered a lucky case.
Incidentally, for instant tea, the mainstream method was apparently something called “Spray-drying,” but Master Dinome had told me that trying to do that with a magic tool would be even more complex and expensive than freeze-drying, requiring a massive amount of Mana Stones.
“Even if it's pricey, if the quality is high enough, it might sell well to the wealthy and the nobility. There’re plenty of folks who won't touch preserved food and insist on havin’ their ingredients and chefs travel with ‘em, but not everyone can manage that.
However, if you want it to circulate among the general public, you gotta make it so it's somewhat cheap to produce, can be mass-produced, and is sold at a price commoners can afford while still makin’ a profit. That’s the direction you’re lookin’ in, ain't it, Ryoma? And so, weighin’ those conditions, you figured this other preserved food was more realistic than the tea?”
“Exactly.”
“Hah… you’re quite the tease, sayin’ all these things just to get our interest and then makin’ us wait.”
“Fufufu… in that case, we’ll have to examine this ‘realistic’ new preserved food with a very critical eye.”
“Hahaha…”
I had confidence in the retort food. Even I thought I had made something better than expected. However, when a beautiful woman laughed like that, it made me feel a bit nervous—or rather, a bit intimidated.
“Well, it is still in the prototype stage, so I would actually appreciate the scrutiny. I've only just managed to get it into a decent shape, so I’m sure there are points that need improvement.”
As we talked, it seemed the prototype retort food had finished warming.
“Pardon us. These are quite hot, so please be careful.”
The three maids distributed deep plates and the food pouches to the four of us.
First, I used a knife to cut open the top of the pouch and transferred the contents to the dish. Because the cloth was coated with a substance close to a Hardening Fluid Plate, it was difficult to open by hand.
Observing me, the other three also used their provided knives to open their meals. They emptied their chosen dishes into their plates and began inspecting the appearance and aroma.
“Oh… is this truly a dish made several months ago? Not only is it not spoiled, but it has such a delicious aroma. It is as if it were prepared just moments ago.”
Serge expressed his excitement honestly.
On the other hand, the two who specialized in food products remained silent, but they were already reaching for their spoons. After each took a bite, they savored the food thoroughly for a few seconds before giving a slow nod.
“It’s good. This is a proper ‘dish.’”
“Yes, it is entirely different from preserved foods like dried meat or vinegar pickles.”
“Then I shall as well… Oho! I used to eat preserved foods often back when I was peddling, and I even tried my hand at cooking many times when I grew tired of them, but the seasoning always ended up simple and crude. If this had been on the market back then, I would have sought it out even if the price were somewhat high. It is marvelous that this flavor can be preserved for approximately three months.”
“Regarding the shelf life, about three months ago was simply when I started the manufacturing of the prototypes. I believe they will actually last much longer. Provided the pouch remains undamaged, I expect them to remain edible and maintain their flavor for about a year.”
Following the Saionjis' confirmation, Serge shared his impressions. When I corrected the misunderstanding regarding the preservation period, his eyes widened in surprise.
“A whole year? That is a remarkable length of time.”
“While I don't have the verification results yet, it is theoretically possible.”
After all, there were successful examples back in Japan. If I had grasped the key points and successfully replicated them, they should last that long.
“And also…”
“We have them ready.”
The maids brought over several pots they had prepared.
“Inside this pot are things like potatoes and beans that haven't been seasoned like the dishes you have there, but have simply been boiled in water and preserved in the same way.”
The manufacturing process was the same, but these were Water-boiled Packs rather than complete meals. By adding a “soup base” made using the Freeze-dry Method and stirring it in, the Instant Potato and Bean Soup was complete.
Furthermore, by taking dry noodles boiled in another pot and tossing them with a retort sauce, the Tomato Sauce Pasta was finished.
The three of them had likely realized it already, but seeing two additional types of dishes prepared in the blink of an eye made them certain: the potential for Retort Food wasn't just for preserving meals. Their gazes became noticeably sharper.
“This technology could be used as portable rations for long-distance travel, or for emergency stockpiles… Of course, it could also serve as rations for adventurers or the military. And if the contents are tailored accordingly, it could even be used for nobles or patients with dietary restrictions.”
When someone is too ill to cook, having something like rice porridge would be a great relief. Depending on the illness, there are things one cannot eat, and preparing meals within those restrictions is a lot of work. Making them taste good is even harder.
For the wealthy or nobles who can hire personal chefs, this might not be a major issue. But for everyone else, it becomes a daily burden. Since humans cannot survive without eating, the problem of food is always present. I felt strongly that food preservation technology would have a massive impact on such issues.
That was exactly why I had a specific plan.
“Regarding this matter, I intend to consult with the Jamil Ducal House on how to handle the rights. Unfortunately, they are busy this time of year, so the report will have to wait until next year. Regardless, I also need to conduct more experiments to verify exactly how long it can be preserved.”
Once I had gathered enough data, I thought it might be best to sell the process and the rights to the Duke's family and let them handle the management. I felt the rights to retort food were simply too significant for a commoner like me to hold.
“However, if it is decided that we will manufacture and sell this as a product, I would certainly like to ask for your assistance. What do you say?”
It seemed the answer to that question had already been decided.
“There ain't no way I’d say no to this! It depends on what Master Reinhardt decides, but if it’s gonna be a business, I’ll help you out with everything I’ve got!”
“I am a layman when it comes to cooking and ingredients, but I can certainly be involved in the procurement and improvement of the Waterproof Cloth pouches. I've only just built the factory, but perhaps I should add a few more buildings?”
Both gave me a favorable reply. Serge, even while joking, was quite enthusiastic.
“If we were to mass-produce the pouches, how much preparation time would be needed?”
“For small-scale prototypes, we could start almost immediately. However, for mass production, it would likely be next spring at the earliest. Currently, the Slime Products Factory is at full capacity producing regular Waterproof Cloth, rain gear, and the rubber products like the non-slip materials you taught me the other day.”
“Indeed, everyone’s first priority right now is dealing with the heavy snow.”
“Yes… but fortunately, sales are strong, so there are no issues with funding. Once the demand for snow-countermeasure goods settles down, I believe we can allocate the manpower. Let us at least prepare so that we can move as soon as instructions come from the Ducal House.”
“I agree. I don’t think there is any need to rush.”
From then on, we continued to enjoy the meal in a peaceful atmosphere, discussing the uses and marketing of retort food and potential products for the factory.
Eventually, the luncheon came to an end.
“Thank you for the wonderful meal today.”
“Man, that was delicious! And more than that, it was a meal that got my heart racin’!”
“Master Ryoma, thank you truly for today.”
Enjoyable times always seemed to pass in an instant. Considering this would likely be our last gathering of the year, I felt a bit reluctant to see them go. However, they were all busy people. I decided to at least see them to the exit and left the room with them.
When we did, we were met with an unexpected sight.
“Master Morgan, are you finished?”
Outside the door stood five armed men. They had been waiting in a formation that surrounded the entrance to the meeting room.