102: Fekand Corporation

"Welcome to the Fekand Corporation headquarters factory. Since you're being treated the same as regular visitors, I'll take my leave now. Please enjoy yourselves to your heart's content."

"Thank you. We'll take our time and make the most of it."

Today, our group—me, Vilijanira, Memokshi, and Joharis—is visiting the Fekand Corporation factory.

So, after being greeted by the person we met at the tea gathering, we enter the factory.

As usual, I’ve already transferred the data to Memokshi beforehand for the factory tour, and she’ll provide explanations as needed.

As always, even though this system—where we hand over data to a guide android for explanations—is essentially limited to wealthy individuals who can afford their own dedicated androids—it’s still incredibly convenient for anyone.

With accurate data prepared, the company no longer needs to allocate extra personnel.

Customers can receive explanations tailored to their own interests and knowledge.

Whether it's an android providing data or a bodyguard, they can operate in whatever way suits the individual's preferences.

That's the gist of it.

"Then, Master Vee. I'll begin the explanation. Feikando Corporation is the leading company in canned seafood products on the planet Flaretanbo, and it's not an exaggeration to say that this town has been built around Feikando's headquarters and factory."

"Looks like the entire town functions as one giant factory."

"Smells good, doesn't it?"

"Considering it's a food processing facility, cleanliness is clearly maintained."

The headquarters factory of Feikando Corporation prominently features the facility producing the contents of canned goods, but other buildings are also present, including factories for manufacturing cans, an airport involved in handling goods, and office buildings for administrative work.

For now, at a glance, there seems to be no disturbance.

And as Joharis said, the pleasant aroma of food—likely leaked during the process of making the canned goods—seems to drift throughout the entire factory complex.

"The main products manufactured at the corporate factory are canned fish such as mackerel, sardines, and tuna. These are consumed almost entirely within the Flaretanbo star system and rarely leave it."

"That makes sense. When distributing beyond a star system, it's usually products based on local flora and fauna unique to that system."

"Those with a fairly sharp sense of taste can tell the subtle differences in flavor between star systems, though that's not exactly common."

"Wow, really? It's strange that creatures with the same name taste different."

Joharis seemed unaware of this, but that's indeed the case.

To explain in a bit more detail:

Biological lifeforms that grow within each star system are actually divided into three types.

The first type consists of organisms introduced from outside, naturally reproducing during planetary colonization, originating from another star system but adapted to each individual star system.

The second type originally existed on the planet itself, but their taste, ecology, and appearance resemble well-known existing organisms, hence being given names derived from those familiar species—only the name's origin lies on a different planet.

The third type comprises organisms unique to the planet or star system, with no resemblance to any known existing species.

That's the gist of it.

So even though they're both called "samma," the samma from the Flaretanbo system and the samma from the Hiratratsumi system can actually taste quite different upon close inspection, and when you examine their genetics or mods, they turn out to be entirely different organisms.

And if you truly have a refined palate, you can even tell that samma grown in a different star system tastes distinct from the original samma.

That's why each star system and planet develops its own unique cuisine, each with its own distinctive flavor.

"By the way, if there's a headquarters factory, are there branch factories too?"

"It seems so. Due to considerations about ingredient freshness, there are small-scale factories located across various regions of the planet Flaretanbo. Some even produce less than a thousand barrels per year, simply because the catch of fish and shellfish in those areas is limited."

"Ah, so even though there's not much of it, the factory's still running... means it must be tasty, huh?"

"Looks like it. Can't tell from the notes, though."

"Yeah. It's a premium canned good made from unique creatures found only on Export Planet Flaretanbo. I've heard of it before."

"Seems so. It's said to cost over a hundred times more than regular canned goods, yet it's still in short supply."

Fish are being processed in a continuous assembly line right in front of us.

However, humans are still the main workforce, with machines serving only as assistants.

Apparently, human-led operations in such areas are still faster, cheaper, and produce higher quality results.

Incidentally, fishing vessels in the Flaretanbo system are generally not seagoing ships with hulls fixed to the water's surface, but floating ships that maintain altitude through modifications and move accordingly.

The basic method involves moving to above the desired water sphere using a floating ship, then catching fish by scooping them up with nets, including the entire water sphere.

"By the way, about that canned food, could you buy it directly from the headquarters factory...?"

"That's not possible. The purchasing destination is generally predetermined each time it's made, so even the small remaining amount must be kept at the headquarters."

"I see~"

"However, canned goods from other star systems are reportedly sold regularly and can even be eaten in the cafeteria. Naturally, staple foods that go well with the cans are also provided."

"I see. Then our lunch for today is decided."

"Yep."

"This is... quite the advantage!"

And so, today's lunch was settled.

We had decided, but since the canning production process itself was enjoyable to watch, we continued walking along the factory tour path at our usual pace, occasionally stopping to observe.