Even the cheapest dish cost fifty thousand in raw materials alone. And when preparing for battle, it was never just one dish a day—multiple recipes would be cooked, and the daily expense on special cuisine for the Naval District easily reached several million, even tens of millions.
If Yamato wanted to purchase at one hundred times the cost, that would mean billions per day. Aside from wealthy nations or Naval Headquarters, anyone else would go pale just seeing the numbers.
Hikaru himself was tempted, but in the end he could only shake his head.
"No. Special cuisine requires effort too. A single shipgirl can only make three dishes a day at most."
Yamato looked at the table piled with buff dishes, baffled. "But you have so many shipgirls. If each made three—"
"First of all, only a few have the talent for cooking. And even then, it takes time to master. Take Bismarck, for example. Even though she has recipes, her dishes often come out as failures, with shorter duration or weaker effects."
Hikaru paused, then quickly added a word of comfort. "I'm only using her as an example. Don't take it the wrong way."
What could Bismarck say? She only clenched her fists quietly and nodded.
Yamato, however, didn't care. "We'll take failed dishes too. And more than that—we're also desperate to receive your help with tactics training and breaking the level cap."
Her attitude made Hikaru bristle.
"I don't know if it's arrogance or too many years at the top rotting your brain," he snapped back without mercy. "But you've never treated my Naval District as an equal partner. All you want is to squeeze benefits out of us, expecting my shipgirls to slave away as your cooks for some pocket change? Listen well—we're at war right now. Must I spell it out for you so bluntly?"
Yamato stood as if struck by lightning, frozen in place.
"Ella, take her to a guest room. Let her rest and bring her some food."
Hikaru gave the order casually, not sparing Yamato another glance.
The little girls all covered their mouths, not daring to make a sound.
Lexington scooped a spoonful of fish soup and lifted it to Hikaru's lips, stroking his hand gently to soothe him.
Hikaru wasn't truly angry, only determined. If he didn't lay it out clearly, the other side would cling to false hopes.
He was already furious enough at the spy devices Bismarck and the others had discovered on that yacht, though he'd held it back for Yamato's sake, since she seemed innocent and had even helped him.
But old ties or not, if Yamato insisted on bringing Headquarters' interests into everything, then business was business and personal was personal. It needed to be made clear.
Yat Sen quietly sent Changchun to fetch a food box for Yamato, while Ella supported her toward the door. At the threshold, Yamato stopped and turned back.
"I hope you understand—I have no selfish motive. Every proposal I've made is for the sake of all shipgirls, and all humanity. For the greater good."
"Divinity aids those who aid themselves. Or, in the old words: 'Heaven helps those who help themselves, and all is auspicious.' The world doesn't need a savior. We just need to each do our own duty well." Hikaru waved her off. "Come find me again once you've figured that out."
No matter how friendly Yamato acted, she was still an outsider. Once she left, the atmosphere in the dining hall instantly lightened.
Saratoga seized the moment while Changchun was away in the kitchen, plopping into her seat and clinging to Hikaru's arm with pitiful eyes. "Brother-in-law, we still haven't gotten our battle rewards!"
Ranger chimed in, "That's right! You promised an MVP reward."
Prince of Wales set down her glass of red wine, her eyes fixed steadily on Hikaru.
Hikaru sighed, putting down his chopsticks. "Fine. Let's hear your achievements, one by one."
What followed was a flurry of chatter—each shipgirl rushing to boast of her own deeds, dragging her sisters along as witnesses, until Hikaru's head was spinning.
"Enough, enough—I get it already." Hikaru cut them off. "I'll record your merits now, satisfied?"
Recording merits was no casual matter. It was part of the larger defense of the Naval District, tied directly to the awarding of medals.
And those medals were system rewards—far more potent than the Pillar of the Nation medals Hikaru's group had once received.
The only pity was that in the past, shipgirls had earned many medals, but none could ever manifest in the real world.
[End of Chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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