Secure a new escort vessel

Though Shinosuke has decided to return, he must first acquire a new escort vessel.

With that in mind, Shinosuke headed toward the Free Merchant Guild.

He needed to collect the reward from his previous job and discuss compensation for the sunken Cerberus.

Additionally, since the Free Merchant Guild deals in used ships, he also planned to take a look at those options.

Since Seyla and Milena were out working aboard Ira's ship, Shinnosuke had come to the Free Merchant Guild with Marks. There, Linna, who was aware of the situation, had already prepared everything.

"Good morning, Shinnosuke-san. The calculations are complete. Incidentally, this compensation amount is the minimum guaranteed by the Free Merchant Guild, so there's still room for negotiation. My superior specifically instructed me to explain this point as well."

As she spoke, Lina presented the compensation for escorting the refugee convoy, along with the sum the guild was providing as reimbursement for ships lost during the recruitment drive—forced participation, in Shinnosuke's case.

Shinnosuke frowned upon seeing the amount offered.

With that compensation, he could only afford a used cargo ship—or a small escort vessel vastly inferior to Cerberus.

"It seems we can't proceed exactly as I hoped."

"I apologize, but compensating every sailor according to the extent of their damages results in this amount. This already includes an increased payout for those who lost their ships. Of course, if you're not satisfied with this offer, I can escalate it. Considering Shinnosuke's contribution, there's still room for further adjustment."

Lina spoke with a guilty expression, but if she had fully compensated every single escort ship crew member for their losses, the guild would have collapsed.

In truth, losses incurred by free merchants are generally their own responsibility—unless something truly exceptional happens.

It's already a blessing if they receive any compensation at all, even a little, through guild-issued assignments.

This is truly the world Shinno-suke described: "Accidents and bento boxes are your own responsibility."

Shinno-suke paused to consider, then decided to put off any decision on compensation for now and instead confirm details about his other objective.

"What about the used ships?"

When Shinno-suke asked, Lina showed him a list of secondhand escort vessels handled by the guild.

"Currently, our guild holds seven escort vessels in stock, but only three match Shinno-suke's capabilities. The others would still leave change even at the compensation amount we proposed, but they're merely cargo ship conversions suitable for rookie sailors—armed poorly, I believe."

Indeed, four of the escort vessels Lina showed were clearly below the standard required for C-class escort vessel operations and were therefore out of the question.

The remaining three ships were a small patrol vessel retired by the coast guard, an aging destroyer that had already been decommissioned when Shinosuke joined the space fleet, and a frigate—none of which stood out in the slightest.

Though Shinosuke, without a ship of his own, couldn’t afford to be picky, these were vessels his life and that of his crew would depend on, through thick and thin. Compromise wasn’t an option.

“These ships won’t do,” he said.

Rina nodded in agreement with Shinosuke's words.

"That's right. While cargo ships are one thing, decent secondhand escort vessels sell out quickly. And even though the union deals with used ships, they don't primarily focus on buying and selling vessels. If you're looking to purchase a ship, it might be better to contact a specialist dealer."

As Linna had said, there was nothing worthwhile among the used ships held by the guild, so Shinnosuke decided to head toward his next lead.

"Understood. I'll check elsewhere. Please keep the compensation amount on hold."

Leaving the guild with Marks, Shinnosuke secretly had higher hopes for the place he was about to visit—his true priority when it came to purchasing a ship.

That was why, before securing a ship, Shinnosuke had only stopped by the guild to check how much compensation they could expect and what budget they could negotiate with.

The place Shinnosuke and the others headed toward was Saikouji Industry.

Shinnosuke and Saikouji Industry had an agreement regarding data provision from Cerberus, but since the ship had sunk, continuing the contract was difficult. They hoped to discuss the matter and, if possible, negotiate for a more favorable vessel to be lent.

Upon arriving at Saikouji Industry, the two were directed by the receptionist to a separate room.

There waiting for them was the usual sales representative and two engineers.

"Welcome, Mr. Kashimura."

"Yes, I'm sorry, but we've already sunk the Cerberus. I'm here to discuss something important with you."

"We've heard about the XD-F00 from Mr. Marks. Actually, we'd like to consult you—more precisely, we have a request to make."

"A request? What might that be?"

The sales representative pointed to the terminal's monitor as Shinosuke tilted his head in curiosity.

There, displayed before them, was an endless array of shipwrecks.

"Is this... the wreckage of Cerberus?"

Yes. Upon receiving news from Lord Marks, we immediately dispatched our salvage vessel to retrieve these remains. Naturally, we were unable to recover every piece, but we've collected as much as possible. What we're requesting is that you purchase the entire lot for us.

"There was a similar situation when the engine was damaged, but is there really value in something like this debris? It's my ship's wreckage, but it's essentially space debris at this point."

One of the engineers spoke up in response to Shinosuke's words.

To us engineers, these items are a goldmine for data collection. Even fragments smaller than ten centimeters can provide valuable insights when compared with the final data you've provided.

Though Shinnosuke is someone who is neither clearly understandable nor clearly incomprehensible, even if he's an object that couldn't be recovered in the first place and must remain as space debris, if someone goes out of their way to retrieve it and then asks to sell it, there's no reason to refuse. For Shinnosuke, it's an unexpected income—something that didn't exist before, so he doesn't care about the amount.

"I understand. I'll gladly hand it over if it can be of use to Sai Kou Ji Industry's research and development. The price is up to you—whatever you offer is fine."

After checking the amount proposed by the representative, it was admittedly quite high, but still within a reasonable range for a ship component purchase.

Since Shinnosuke saw this as a sudden windfall and had no intention of wasting time on it, he accepted the offer at Sai Kou Ji's quoted price and decided to move on to the main topic.

Now, regarding my own matter, the contract to provide navigation data to Psychoj Industry, which was contingent upon the loss of Cerberus, has come to an end with this data delivery. Nevertheless, I intend to continue operating as a free trader in the future, and to do so, I will need to acquire a new escort vessel.

"So, you're suggesting we consult your company, then?"

The salesperson's eyes sparkled.

"That's right. While we're considering护卫 ships from other companies, I'd like to start by checking out the护卫 ships made by Saikouji, which we're already familiar with."

"This is a sales representative's duty—I must keep Mr. Kashimura tied to us. The thought of Mr. Kashimura boarding a ship from another company sends a chill down my spine."

Saying that, the sales representative taps away at their terminal.

"There's no need to worry about matters within Psychoa Company. I'm an independent, free trader, and I maintain a clear separation from the company on this issue. My relationship with Psychoa is not business—it's purely personal, like family."

There was no deceit in Shinnosuke's words, and his elder sister Emilia understood that well.

Even with some interference, to Psychoa Company, Shinnosuke is just one among countless business partners.

"I understand that. Chairman isn't the type to make such a decision. What I'm truly afraid of is losing a valuable source of real-world data. If that were to happen, it would be an incalculable loss for our company."

Saying this, he shows the monitor.

There, numerous destroyers, frigates, corvettes, and other vessels were displayed.

Each was either a current-model vessel or one from the previous generation—capable enough for escort duties, and the pricing seemed to allow for maximum concessions, making them within reach even for Shinnosuke.

While current-model ships were beyond Shinnosuke's budget, he could afford them with a loan, no problem.

I'd prefer a destroyer or frigate with more payload capacity than the Cerberus, since Psycho-J Company ships feature a modular unit structure and have an excellent weapon base, allowing me to customize the armament exactly to my liking.

"Indeed, all these vessels are impressive. The current-model destroyer, the Griffin class, and the frigate, the Kagerou class, are especially appealing."

The attendant, watching Shinnosuke speak while looking at the monitor, smiled knowingly.

"I confidently recommend both the Griffin-class and the Kagerou-class. But if you're fond of these ships, I can recommend this one with even greater confidence. It shares a similar origin to the XD-F00..."

With that, the attendant switched the monitor.

Upon seeing the ship displayed on the monitor, Shinnosuke was stunned.

"Is this a Yukikaze-class vessel?"

"Yes. This is the prototype experimental ship XC-F01 Fubuki, Yukikaze-class."