rantor: SFBaka


    “Um, Micah Corporation… This seems to be the ce.”


    “Here huh……”


    “Uwaah……”


    My and Elma’s faces are probably making the same apprehensive expression right now. Cause, y’see, this Micah Corporation’s hydroponic farming facility is actually the spitting image of Sierra Corporation’s cultured meat processing facility…… The two of them both dealt with food products, so the designs of their facilities are identical. Is that it? Cause apart from the differences in signage, the facilities are practically twins.


    “A-Anyway, let’s enter first.”


    “Yeah……”


    “Okay……”


    The three of us resigned ourselves in our hearts and entered beyond the facility’s front gate.


    “Oh, so the interior is actually quite different.”


    “You’re right.”


    We still weren’t able to spot any other people apart from ourselves just like when we arrived at the meat nt, but unlike there, this hydroponic farm seemed far more brightly lit. Why the difference in illumination? The interior of this facility is evidently brighter and just looked more proper.


    “Wee, everyone. You’re the tour group led by Hiro-sama, are you not?”


    “Yes.”


    The staff who weed us was a youngdy who was a shining example of a normalpany receptionist. She looked prim and proper in her uniform which resembled something worn by a stewardess. She was leagues better than the shady-looking male receptionist in that meat processing nt.


    “I have been assigned as your guide for today’s tour. It has been a long time since we’ve had people visit us. The staff are really looking forward to– Um, what is it, dear guests?”


    My face slightly cramped from the feeling of de ja vu. Mimi and Elma were probably feeling the same as me. The receptionistdy tilted her head in puzzlement at our reactions.


    “Oh, uh, well, we just came from a tour of Sierra Corporation’s cultured meat processing facilities y’see. So, uh……”


    “Ah…… That iprehensible tour overflowing with weirdness, that really seems like someone’s bad joke gone terribly wrong…… No, although it’s bad manners to talk about others behind their backs, that kind of tour was a little bit too much, wasn’t it? We hired the same contractor to construct both our facilities, so that’s the reason why our buildings are so alike.”


    The receptionistdy exined as she gave us a wry grin. It looks like she was quite familiar with that otherpany’s tour details.


    “Please do not worry. I can guarantee that ourpany’s tour is a proper one. At the very least, it won’t cause our guest’s faces to turn all blue.”


    The receptionistdy then gave us a sunny smile. Her smile managed to dispel the cloud of anxiety that had built up deep in our chests somewhat.


    “We’re really counting on you……”


    “Yes, please be at ease. You all will need to be sterilized before we start our tour. Please enter that door over there.”


    The room the receptionistdy guided us to was something simr to the sterilization room found inside Sierra Corporation’s facility. Will white smoke go *pushuu inside here as well? Is that smoke even safe? I hope it doesn’t have any negative effects on the body or something. Well, the technology here is really advanced, so I guess there’s no need to worry… I hope?


    We followed the instructions and walked out of the room after sterilization. What was waiting inside was not a freaky gond, but a corridor with transparent ss walls serving as a barrier. It looks like we need to walk with our own feet to see the various sights during this tour.


    “Uwah, it’s so bright.”


    “Yeah, it is. It’s really simr to real daylight.”


    “There’s an exnation here. Hm. It seems it’s a specialized light source which emits a wavelength that is more suitable for growing crops.”


    “……So it’s like a sump.”


    I remember a certain game having a simr facility which allowed you to grow and harvest crops regardless of the season. I guess it uses up quite a bit of power, but with the technology in this world, I think they already have a variety of energy sources avable. Even my Krishna boasts a power generator with ridiculous output that makes use of unknown tech.


    “I wonder what kind of crops are those?”


    “Hm? Yeah, I’m curious as well. They look like watercress.”


    Watercress is often used as a garnish or side dish to things like steak after all. It seems they were raising crops that look really simr to watercress here.


    “It says here that it’s a vegetable that’s high in nutrients. It has a bit of a sharp taste when eaten fresh. It’s one of the raw ingredients used in the contents of food cartridges, it seems.”


    Elma read and ryed to us the contents of the exnation written on the ss partition. Fumu, I see. I heard that stuff like algae and krill-creatures were the main ingredients used in food cartridges, but I guess they use these vegetables as well.


    The nts resembling watercress were taken care of by various robots; drones that flew around the vast cultivation area and robotic arms moving on rails stretched out all over the farm. It was almostpletely automated.


    While observing such a sight, we arrived at an area where a great number of circr pools were installed.


    “Green-colored pools…… Algae?”


    “It seems so. It’s an area specialized for growing the algae type used as one of the main ingredients in food cartridges.”


    This area was also automated. Robot arms were harvesting the algae withs. There were also ones that sprayed brown-colored powder on top of some of the pools.


    “What is that brown powder? Fertilizer?”


    “Let’s see…… Ugeh.”


    “What’s wrong?”


    “That’s made from domestic waste collected from starships, it seems.”


    “Domestic waste……”


    “Oh……”


    In other words, it’s those things that are solidified and turned into blocks. They not only consist of human waste but also garbage and wastewater from the bathrooms of the ships. Our ship also produces them, of course. And a waste collectionpanymissioned by the port administration office would regrlye to collect them.


    “Well, it’s a ssic case of recycling. Those came from people like us in the first ce anyway.”


    “Well, you’re right. But…”


    “It feels a bit weird though.”


    “Well, back on Earth, where I’m from, it was normal to use things like droppings for fertilizer. I think the use of human droppings has decreasedpared to back in the past, but they would still make use of animal dung or the remains of seeds squeezed out of their oil. Things like that are quitemon. They did use human excrement liberally in the far past though.”


    In fact, the practice might still be going strong, but I haven’t seen an actual fertilizer pool anyway, so I really wouldn’t know. I’m not too familiar with agricultural stuff. The most I know are basic things.


    “Fumu. As expected of someone who grew up on a backwater.”


    “Don’t call it something like a backwater. It sounds weird. But it’s true that I think this world’s technology is extraordinarily advancedpared to where I’m from.”


    As we discussed along the way, we managed to reach another pool area.


    “It looks like this is the krill culturing area.”


    “So it’s like a zoonkton culturing area. It seems domestic waste is being used as feed here.”


    “Speaking of which, I think I heard something like that as well back in the cultured meat factory.”


    “Well, we didn’t have the leeway to listen to the exnations given back there anyway……”


    An image of a flesh-colored pool shed in my head. It was followed by the image of factory workers with gleaming eyes, cutting out the meat of a tentacle monster the size of a train…… Yeah, it was a sight that would gradually grind your SAN points to dust. Maybe the reason we didn’t manage to remember most of the exnation was because our SAN points went critical.


    We then came to an area thatpletely looked like an industrial factory next.


    “Oh, this is where they put together the food cartridges.”


    “It looks pretty rough.”


    “They are putting all the raw materials together and throwing them all into the processing machine.”


    The raw materials are sent via a conveyor belt to a processing machine ande out on the other side as a kind of paste.


    “It’s ‘that stuff’, isn’t it?”


    “Yes, it is.”


    “What the heck is ‘that stuff’ you two are going on about?”


    “The local specialty of Alein Tertius colony……”


    “Ah……”


    Elma disyed a look of pity after seeing our expressions. Fufu. I will never forget that appearance. Mimi gazed at the light-green paste with her empty-looking eyes. My eyes were probably looking the same – an expression devoid of emotion. Hahaha…


    “That paste is further processed and stuffed into food cartridges, it seems.”


    “Looks like it. And the auto-cooker processes it further and finally ends up on everyone’s stomachs.”


    “It looks like the high-end cartridges aren’t made in this area.”


    Just like Mimi said, the only things made here are ordinary food cartridges, it seems. High-end cartridges are five times more expensivepared to ordinary ones. The taste, while not five times more delicious, is easily twice as good as normal food cartridges.


    “I kind of want to take a look at how they are making high-end cartridges. I guess there are more raw materials used on them, right?”


    “I don’t think it’ll differ that much though.”


    When we moved on, we found ourselves at a ce that looked like a dining hall.


    『『You can enjoy freshly prepared food from our quality food cartridges here! Automatic cookers from different makers affiliated with ourpany are waiting to serve you! Please enjoy them to the fullest! We also ept purchase consultations!』』


    A signboard with these words written on it greeted us. It seems there really were auto-cookers from different manufacturers lined up inside. But there were none from the Tetsujin series though.


    “I see. This part of the tour was well thought out.”


    “They don’t have many visitors, it seems. Can they still make any profit?”


    “Those who apply for this kind of tour are mostly rich folk, right? Auto-cookers are quite expensive. If they can manage to sell a few units every time, themissions would be quite hefty.


    “I see.”


    I nodded and pressed the button on the wall which says『Press Here for Food Cartridges』. A live image of food cartridges being transported from the production line was disyed on the Holo Disy together with realistic BGM. And presto! The cartridges came out from the wall along with shy sound effects. It was quite interesting.


    Mimi and Elma also tried it out. It seems there were several differentbinations of BGM and live-video feeds being used. What they got to see were different than mine.


    “This is fun.”


    “It sure looks like something that would be really popr with kids.”


    We walked towards the auto-cookers while giving out each of our impressions.


    “Which auto-cooker brand should we choose?”


    “Are their performances really that different from each other?”


    “Why don’t we order the same menu from all of the brands andpare them?”


    “That’s a great idea! Let’s do it.”


    Thus, the three of us ordered omelet rice from a different brand. When they were done, we shared the food with each other and startedparing.


    “Nm…… It does taste different, right?”


    “Yes. The voring and textures are quite different from each other.”


    “Let’s choose our favorite then… I personally prefer the one made by Kirsch Company.”


    “I prefer the one by Murakumo Company.”


    “I also like the one from Kirsch Company as well.”


    By the way, the one produced by Shiimazu Company wasn’t that bad either. It was delicious enough.


    “So the taste of the food really differs per brand huh. Each manufacturer has their own specialties, I guess.”


    “That’s probably true.”


    “It’s impossible to try everything.”


    There may be brands that make more delicious curry rice, and there may be some which specialize in Japanese cuisine. Everything our Tetsujin makes is top ss though. It isn’t a premium brand for nothing.


    By the way, I tried ordering dessert pudding from the cooker made by Shiimazu Company, and it was excellent. As I thought, each maker had their own respective specialties.


    “I guess rich people can buy multiple brands in order to enjoy each maker’s respective specialties, huh?”


    “If one has arge enough space to install multiple cookers and the money to buy them, it would be a symbol of luxury.”


    “But I think to buy a high-end machine like Tetsujin, that is able to prepare a wide variety of delicious dishes, is more economical and efficient.”


    “Yeah, that’s right.”


    In order to install multiple auto-cookers, you’ll need a veryrge space. In starships, living space is quite a valuablemodity. If one wants to get arge living space, one has to pay appropriate costs. In that case, installing a single high-end product like Mimi suggested is certainly more efficient and economical.


    We drank some tea to wash down the food we ate and left the hydroponic farm afterward.


    “Alcohol? Alcohol?”


    Elma was skipping excitedly along the way due to our next destination. Our next stop is a liquor manufacturing nt after all. Elma’s tension was increasing at a constant pace, with no signs of slowing down.


    “I hope the next one is decent as well.”


    “Yes. But I think it will probably be alright though.”


    I and Mimi smile at each other as we watched Elma happily skipping about.