104: Comparing Ficand Cans

"Hmm, heheee~"

"Looks like fun, doesn't it?"

"I understand that expectations can be met by this point."

"Oh, Lady Viridiani, you're over there too, I see."

"That's right. I'll make a note of any alertness needed during meals, so please don't worry."

At Ficand Corporation's customer dining area, customers can order around 100 different types of canned goods at any time, in addition to various main dishes, salads, and beverages.

Inside those cans, you'll find everything from classic items like mackerel in miso sauce and tuna flakes to unique canned goods made from seafood exclusive to the Flaretanbo star system.

Now, which one should I choose?

While I could theoretically eat every single can—my stomach isn't that picky—it'd be wise to limit my selection when considering factors like money, time, and attention.

For now, I'll go with white rice as my staple, regular leafy greens for the salad, and water for the drink... yeah, I'll stick with these four.

"Wait, just four...?"

"We could split two... no, let's make it three instead."

"Ah, that works out well."

And so, the selection is finalized.

The four items are: canned water-packed oysters, oil-packed sakiyou fish, liver stewed enfiankou, and fish roe preserved in syrup.

Incidentally, the Vilijiani clan also chose two ordinary cans and one slightly unusual one.

"Then, I'll begin."

I focus my attention on the can in front of me.

First to eat is the water-packed Bowlschip oyster.

The Bowlschip oyster, also known as the Dokusen oyster, is said to form colonies in the shape of bowls at the bottom of seawater spheres. These colonies block intrusions by other fish and shellfish while monopolizing plankton reproduced within the sphere, allowing the oyster colony to grow.

Due to these characteristics, the taste and quality of the oyster vary significantly depending on its position within the colony. This one, however, is reportedly a typical individual from the middle layer.

As for the taste—delicious.

The oyster’s subtle sweetness, a faint saltiness, and the umami it has built up burst forth in the mouth with each bite of its firm flesh, delivering a pleasant, briny aroma to the nasal passages.

Yet this exceptional flavor is not due to the oyster being a Boulechipp oyster, but rather because it’s a canned product from Fikando Corporation.

It's because the oyster was slowly simmered for a long time until its tough muscles softened, then sealed in a can while maintaining that state.

Hmm, it's so delicious it makes the chopsticks move.

"This one's good too."

Next, the marinated sakiyō fish.

Sakiyō fish were also found in the Iwāni Nature Conservation Park—fish that could read the movements of water spheres and keep darting from one spot to another.

The most striking feature is its four eyes, presumably to ensure wide and stereoscopic vision, and it seems to be packed with ingredients good for the eyes.

The head of this sakiyōu fish is chopped up, mixed with oil, marinated, and boiled—this is what ends up in the can.

The taste... has a somewhat unique odor and greasiness, with a slightly invigorating, eye-opening kick.

But at this level, it's just a matter of personal preference—some might even find it appealing.

Other than that, there's nothing particularly unusual about it.

Hmm, actually, it might taste better when added to soup or broth rather than eaten on its own.

"Ah, now this is a premium item."

Third item: liver stew of the Enfiankou.

The Enfiankou is a fish found in the deep sea of planet Flaretanbo, and it's also a species with limited catch volumes.

As for its characteristics, it lives on the seafloor and crawls from one water sphere to another, allowing it to breathe air and enabling prolonged activity outside water.

Thus, it's not just a regular anglerfish, but rather an Enfiankou... amphibian... a creature of the amphibious type, so to speak.

As for its taste... ah, this... though I personally don't enjoy alcohol, when paired with it, it's incredibly delicious.

It seems the dish is made by simmering liver until it dissolves into a sauce, mixing it with well-cooked white meat, and sealing it in a can. The flavor is extremely rich—just one bite is enough to make you eat several spoonfuls of white rice.

Even though it's so intensely flavored, the saltiness, sweetness, bitterness, and umami blend together perfectly, leaving no off-notes at all—truly delicious.

Ah, my spirits are lifted...

"This is the last one."

"Sat, can I have a little of the syrup-pickled one as dessert?"

"Good one."

Finally, the syrup-pickled fish roe.

The fish that produces these eggs is a species unique to the Flaretanbo star system—apparently a fish with almost no fishy odor in its flesh.

The roe is soaked in sweet syrup, apparently.

I tried it, and...

This isn't something to eat with a meal—it's meant to be enjoyed as a dessert.

The fish roe, expertly rid of its characteristic fishy odor and marinated in high-quality sugar, glistens like a gemstone.

When you bring it to your mouth and bite down, there's a slight resistance before it pops, releasing a sweet filling that spreads throughout your mouth.

Combined with the faint scent of fruit, it feels almost as if you're eating a fresh fruit.

If we're treating it as a side dish, perhaps we could serve it with crackers instead of rice, top it with cheese, and then place this on top?

If adjusted properly, it looks quite delicious.

Thank you for the meal.

Thank you for the meal!

And so, finished eating.

Each canned food was extremely delicious and thoroughly satisfying.

Ah, since the salted sardines are reasonably priced, I'll pick up a few from the store.

Some of the ingredients might even be useful for certain research purposes.

With that, we left Feekand Corporation, thoroughly satisfied.