The evening afterglow cast its gentle light over the Red Tide Territory.
Inside the smokehouse near the hot springs, rows of golden smoked fish hung on wooden racks. Their slightly wrinkled skins glistened faintly under the light, releasing a rich, smoky aroma that filled the air.
Louis stood nearby, eyes scanning the fish that had been smoked for hours. He reached out and gently pressed one with his fingers. The fish's surface was dry and springy. He nodded in satisfaction.
"L-Lord…" a hesitant voice broke the silence.
Sally stood to the side, her hands nervously twisting in front of her apron. Her eyes were filled with anxiety. She feared that her efforts might fall short of expectations.
Louis looked at her and offered a rare smile. "The smoking is excellent. The texture and color are both quite good."
Sally exhaled sharply, a smile of relief spreading across her face. "I-It's all thanks to the method you taught us. Without your guidance, we wouldn't have managed it…"
"You all have skill," Louis replied as he casually tore a piece of fish and placed it into his mouth. Though the texture was dry and firm, the smoky aroma deepened with each chew, filling his senses with a surprisingly pleasant flavor.
Beside him stood Silco, arms folded, yawning with exhaustion. The dark circles under his eyes were nearly touching the ground. It wasn't that Louis deliberately overworked him—Silco was simply the only other person in the entire territory who could read. So, naturally, he had been assigned to a grueling 996 schedule: 9 AM to 9 PM, six days a week.
To reward him, Louis had brought him along today to enjoy the freshly smoked fish.
"Here, try one," Louis said, handing him a smoked fish.
Silco blinked and took a bite. A hint of surprise crossed his tired expression. "It tastes better than I thought it would."
"This is Sally's hard work," Louis said with praise.
Hearing her name again, Sally flushed and waved her hands frantically. "N-No, no. We just followed your instructions. I-I wouldn't know how to do any of this on my own…"
Louis listened to her modesty, but his gaze remained fixed on the smoked fish.
The Red Tide Territory lay deep in the cold Northern Region, a land where food sources were scarce. Fishing was essential to survival, yet each winter and early spring brought freezing rivers and no catches. To prevent famine, he had to devise a sustainable method to preserve food through the long, harsh season.
That's when he thought of it—using geothermal heat to smoke fish.
"Hot spring smoked fish? Are you serious?" Silco had asked skeptically when Louis first proposed the idea.
"Compared to simple air-drying, smoking removes more moisture and extends preservation time," Louis had explained.
It was worth the risk. He selected the meticulous and nimble Sally and appointed her to lead a team of women to carry out the initial tests.
The process began with preparing the fish. They sliced open the bellies to remove the internal organs, but left the skin intact. The skin helped hold the meat together during smoking and trapped the aroma, making the final product more flavorful.
Next came curing. The fish were coated in coarse salt and left to cure for several hours up to an entire day, depending on weather and humidity. This removed the fishy smell, enhanced freshness, and extracted excess moisture to prepare for smoking.
After curing, they constructed the smoking racks. Using branches, bamboo strips, and vines, they wove the framework near the hot spring zone. On both sides of the racks, they built simple windproof and insulating barriers to maximize the penetration of geothermal steam into the fish meat while minimizing heat loss.
Then came the actual smoking. Geothermal energy was unstable and fluctuated, so smoking had to be done in multiple rounds over two to three days. High heat would harden the fish, while low heat compromised preservation. Each batch required careful time and temperature control.
Though tedious, Sally's relentless efforts led to a small-scale breakthrough. The fish currently hanging on the racks were not just food—they were hope. They represented the Red Tide Territory's best chance at making it through the cruel winter.
Louis nodded slightly. "We can expand production now."
Sally's eyes widened in surprise. She and her group had worked day and night to perfect the process.
In this world dominated by martial strength, women held a low status. But if they could take charge of a critical task like food preservation, their standing in the Red Tide Territory might change.
She hesitated, then softly asked, "Lord, do you mean... you want us to manage the entire smoked fish operation?"
Louis gave her a neutral look. "You've done well, haven't you?" His eyes swept over the racks. "If we're scaling up, it only makes sense to put experienced hands in charge."
Sally's heart pounded. Her grip on her apron tightened as a rare feeling of security and recognition washed over her.
"Thank you, Lord!" she said, bowing deeply. Her voice trembled with emotion.
Louis smiled faintly. "I should be the one thanking you."
Just then, a Knight approached, bowing respectfully. "Lord Lambert has returned."
Louis's eyes lit up. A successful smoking test and now Lambert's safe return—two blessings in one evening.
He quickly made his way toward the residential area. There, three travelers had just arrived, their cloaks still carrying dust from the road.
Lambert dropped to one knee, his voice steady. "I have not failed my mission."
Louis nodded, relief flickering in his eyes. Lambert's presence always inspired confidence.
"You've done well," Louis said sincerely. He turned to the two Elite Knights behind Lambert. They looked more worn than Lambert, but neither uttered a single complaint.
"We'll go over your report tomorrow," Louis said, smiling. "Tonight, get some rest. Tomorrow's commendation ceremony will have rewards worthy of your effort."
The three men bowed in unison. "Yes!"
"Leave the seeds with the attendant, and rest."
Without hesitation, they handed over several bags and took their leave, weariness visible in every step. Even with fighting qi to support long-distance travel, exhaustion always followed.
Louis watched them disappear into the shadows, then turned back and entered his office. The attendant followed closely, arms full of the bags of seeds.
Once inside, the seeds were placed neatly on the desk. Louis motioned for the attendant to leave, and once the door clicked shut, he moved toward the bags.
He sorted through them one by one, guided by prompts from his intelligence system. Eventually, he picked out the seed he had been waiting for.
It was reddish-brown, with a smooth surface that could easily pass for an ordinary cranberry seed.
If it weren't for the system's information, he might have dismissed it entirely.
But this was no common seed.
This was the frostblood redberry, a demonized plant native to the extreme northern zones. After consumption, it could strengthen the body and had a remarkable effect on the condensation of fighting qi for Knights.
Successfully cultivating it could transform the Red Tide Territory. It would become a land not only capable of surviving harsh winters—but one that offered strategic, coveted resources.
A specialty that high nobles would fight to obtain.
Louis looked at the tiny seed in his hand and saw not just a fruit—but a future.
A future paved with survival, power... and prosperity.