108: Flaresuden Corporation

"We've arrived."

"Yes, this is Flaresuden Corporation."

Today's visit is to Flaresuden Corporation.

Flaresuden doesn't appear to be as large a company as Feikando, with factories, headquarters buildings, and warehouses scattered along the ordinary boundary between the city's interior and outskirts.

The scenery spreading beyond the city limits is unique to the Flaretanbo star system... but overall, it's basically just an ordinary snack company.

"Nothing out of the ordinary, and no particularly unique features. Just feels like an ordinary rice confectionery company."

"That's right. Flare Sudden's products are all pretty standard—classic, straightforward, and typical rice treats."

With that settled, we decided to conduct a routine inspection, buy some products at the souvenir shop—or rather, the company's own sales outlet—and take a break at the rest area.

Yeah, it really is just an ordinary company.

There are no legal violations, no harassment, just ordinary people making products and selling them normally—there's a wonderfully peaceful atmosphere.

"Hmm, personally, I like the shrimp powder-covered crackers."

"The flavored crackers are also delicious."

"The sweet puffed snacks are great."

"As rice confections, we've prepared green tea. Please, Vee-sama, Sata-sama, Joharis-sama."

Yeah, it's truly peaceful.

The cracker's shrimp flavor and just-right saltiness pair perfectly with a slightly bitter, warm green tea—truly delicious.

"It's possible that people come here specifically for this kind of serene atmosphere..."

"I think it's real. There might be a shift in direction due to everything that happened with the Black Foul Shark incident, but places like this—so removed from noise and chaos—should definitely be preserved."

"In fact, I think an environment where people aren't crowded, yet still have everything they need for daily life, is rare and precious, even in the universe."

"That's true. Still, the needs of visitors and residents differ significantly, so I think it's essential to research thoroughly beforehand if one intends to actually live here."

Time flows smoothly.

Meanwhile, ahead of our line of sight, a sphere of muddy water floats in midair, rotating slowly, with rice stalks growing on its surface, catching the sunlight.

The object, which from a distance resembles a moss ball, turns out to be a "rice paddy ball"—a specialty of the Flaretanbo star system.

Considering the influence of Flaretanbo's Sw, this form appears to be the most suitable for cultivating rice, the primary staple food.

"If you're going to live here, you'll need to think about all sorts of things—just like anywhere else. It didn't matter much to me, but I'd recommend looking into waste management carefully."

"Is that so?"

Generally speaking, areas with poor waste disposal conditions are often said to have worse治安. Whether it's due to a large number of dropouts, criminal organizations taking root, or some other factor, the reasons vary.

"Yeah, I get it. There are definitely a lot of people who can't even pass the adult certification, and that kind of thing makes the whole area feel dirty. Whether it's because they're growing up in such an environment, or because people like that are drawn to such an environment, I can't tell."

"Ah, I see."

It's a bit late to bring this up, but the adult certification is generally granted once an individual of a given species has developed the reproductive capability necessary to have children.

Obtaining it requires no specific exam—just a little paperwork, a short wait, and answering a few extremely simple questions.

Of course, it also accounts for special cases like myself, or individuals who, due to illness, cannot have children.

Therefore, if someone clearly appears adult, not having it would be unusual—so people who look adult but don't possess it are treated as outcasts.

That's precisely why even sky pirates typically possess it—please understand just how easily obtainable it is.

You might ask, what's the point of a qualification that almost anyone can acquire?

Even so, it holds value as a form of identification that cannot be forged.

Moreover, based on my past experiences, people who can't obtain this qualification are almost certainly unreliable individuals. Therefore, avoiding having such people within my inner circle, refusing to join forces with them, or being cautious about letting them board a modern spaceship—essentially keeping them out of environments where their presence could be detrimental—actually serves a meaningful purpose.

Though it may sound like idle talk, one should infer from the fact that only those with this qualification are considered for membership—even among minor or emerging space pirates—that there's more to it than meets the eye.

Incidentally,

The issuing authority for the adult qualification certificate is nearly independent from the imperial political and economic system. There is a well-known anecdote from the past when certain nobles and their associates attempted to mandate an oath of loyalty to the empire or the emperor as part of the qualification process. Even the emperor at the time was brought into cooperation to ensure that such individuals were removed from the body responsible for determining the examination content.

As a result, in today's empire, the agency issuing adult certification has become an untouchable entity.

Well, since His Majesty the Emperor hasn't attempted to remove them, they're probably cooperating behind the scenes, with no noticeable abnormalities on the surface.

"Anyway, shall we start looking into the places we postponed due to the Maeglinia incident tomorrow?"

"That's right. We should start compiling information on the next destination, the Nelianipotts system, soon."

"Understood, Lady Vee."

"We'll continue to ensure safe transportation from tomorrow onward."

Incidentally.

Today, too, the workday ended without incident.