The area we were led to was a complete departure from the junk shop we’d just left; a grim, desolate atmosphere hung in the air.
The corridor lights were dim, and the passersby carried a tense, edgy aura.
Amidst that, Emulgand came to a halt in front of a special environment equipment specialty store protected by a heavy, imposing door.
Inside, the space was packed with massive mining exoskeletons and high-performance spacesuits designed for work in a vacuum.
In one corner that exuded an almost out-of-place sense of luxury, Emulgand stopped in front of a mannequin.
On display was a heavy-duty protective suit with a spherical visor reminiscent of a deep-sea submersible.
Its surface featured multi-layered composite armor, and a large life support unit was mounted on the back. It was radiation-proof, gas-proof, heat-resistant, and cold-resistant—a full-face environmental shield suit capable of handling any extreme environment.
Its imposing silhouette made it look more like a suit of power armor than simple protective clothing.
"A Class A environmental protection suit equipped with a gravity control field... the All-Range Environment-Sealing Exoskeleton 'Xeno-Guard Mk.IV,' isn't it? With this, it's possible to operate even in Biohazard Level 4 contamination zones."
"Xeno-what? That’s quite a mouthful. ...So, we need this to descend to the professor's coordinates?"
She nodded with a serious expression, staring intently at the spec sheet on the display.
"Yes. I have my own specialized suit issued by the research institute, but Akito-san and the others don't have anything suitable."
Saying so, she pointed to a slightly smaller—though still quite rugged—suit displayed next to it.
"There is the local climate and atmospheric composition to consider, of course, but also pollen and spores released by unknown plants, as well as biological aerosols, bacteria, viruses... The risks on an unexplored planet are immense."
"I saw the logs in Lucia-san's records, but during that incident with Pumpkin, you were incredibly lucky."
"...Ugh."
I was at a loss for words when Emma pointed that out.
At the time, I’d somehow managed through sheer momentum and luck, but apparently, from an expert's perspective, it was a hair-raising situation.
"We can grasp the general environment through orbital scans, but we can't account for localized dangers. Especially since this mission involves investigating the ecosystem itself, I want to ensure we're fully prepared. ...Besides, this is the first time you all are doing a full-scale planetary investigation, right?"
I could tell she was putting our safety first.
She was usually a bit flighty, but her crisis management skills in a professional setting were exactly what you'd expect from an expert.
"...So, what’s the damage?"
I glanced at the price tag.
...It was expensive. It didn't even compare to the parts Mina had just bought. The number of zeros was off by two.
As I instinctively massaged my temples, Lucia calmly chimed in.
"It is a fair price, Master. Because demand for environmental protection suits of this class is extremely low, the effects of mass production do not apply. It possesses airtightness equivalent to military standards, multi-layered filters capable of blocking even unknown viruses, and an autonomous life support system."
"With these specs, it’s practically a steal-n... Besides, with gear like this, if an emergency happens, it's already too late. If the suit tears or the filter clogs in the field... there's nothing we can do."
Emma's words were filled with conviction—the persuasiveness of someone who knew the harshness of fieldwork firsthand.
Certainly, if equipment failed on an unknown planet, it meant immediate death.
As for me... well, if I used my psionic abilities to manifest a barrier, I might be able to manage for a short time.
There should have been abilities corresponding to Status Ailment Recovery and Instant Recovery among my powers as well.
But I hadn't even verified if they would actually function in this world.
Plus, I couldn't keep the abilities activated indefinitely, and it was unclear how well they would work against unknown bacteria or viruses.
Above all, it was better not to gamble with my life.
I knew I needed to practice my psionics, but I'd kept them sealed until now, fearing I might accidentally break something if I tested them inside the ship.
Once we touch down and find a safe, open space, verifying and training my psionic abilities will be priority number one...
"Understood. It's a necessary expense. This isn't the place to be stingy."
It was an investment in the very core of our journey. To secure safe ingredients and to protect the lives of my crew.
"Lucia, what about you? Do you need a suit too?"
"No. My chassis has been treated with anti-contamination and extreme-environment coatings. The risk of internal erosion by aerosols is negligible."
"I see. Then just for me and Mina."
"Lucia, handle the payment. Two suits."
"Understood. ...A wise decision, Master. I believe that when it comes to expenditures for maximizing the probability of survival, compromise is unnecessary."
When Lucia operated the terminal, an approval signal chimed.
Emulgand breathed a visible sigh of relief.
"Thank you, Akito-san. ...With this, I can search for delicious things together with everyone."
"Yeah. ...Still, that was a good purchase. Is that everything for the preparations?"
"Yes! All that's left is to wait for our departure!"
Having finished our shopping, with each of us satisfied for our own reasons, we quickened our pace back to the docks.
Our goal was an unexplored star system.
What awaited us there—the finest ingredients, or something else entirely?