Chapter 171: I Will Remember

Chapter 171: Chapter 171: I Will Remember

Seraphina Sinclair still remembered what the waiter had told her when they were discussing the processing fees.

"Ingredients of A-level or higher are a rare challenge for a chef."

"It’s an honor for a chef to process such ingredients."

"If you can provide a steady supply of these ingredients, I won’t charge any processing fees. I would even be willing to barter, trading my own supplies for the opportunity to handle such precious materials."

’In other words...’

’The opportunity to process precious ingredients is, in itself, a form of payment.’

’The waiter is using the information it possesses to trade for the right to process the fish I catch in the future.’

Seraphina Sinclair raised a hand to her chin in a thoughtful gesture.

’In that case, this partnership isn’t the free lunch it seemed to be.’

This was a deal that would only approach fairness far in the future, once Seraphina Sinclair had personally caught A-level or even S-Class ingredients.

Until then, she would be the sole beneficiary.

’So... that’s why the waiter called it an investment, isn’t it?’

Seraphina Sinclair scooped another spoonful of porridge into her mouth. After swallowing, she spoke in a slow, deliberate tone. "A partnership is certainly possible. But we need to agree on the specific rules."

A flicker of joy passed through the waiter’s eyes. It quickly replied, "Please, go on."

Seraphina Sinclair set down her spoon, her fingertips tapping lightly on the table. "First, the appraisal service you provide must be guaranteed to be absolutely accurate. If I suffer any losses because of your misinformation, our partnership will be terminated immediately, and you will be responsible for compensating me accordingly."

"Of course!"

The waiter nodded without hesitation. "And you don’t need to worry about that. My appraisals are derived from the rules themselves. It’s impossible for me to lie or conceal crucial information."

"Second," Seraphina Sinclair’s gaze swept over the fish on the floor, "I can give you the right of first refusal for processing. However, the prerequisite is that I must be satisfied with the processing plan you offer. I reserve the right to choose other methods outside of your proposal. In other words, you have first priority, not exclusivity."

"Well..."

The waiter carefully observed the human’s expression.

’They say humans are insidious and cunning creatures,’ it thought. ’I must be careful.’

’Satisfaction is far too subjective. What if she really does manage to catch ingredients of Legend in the future, then goes back on her word and refuses to let me process them?’

The waiter abruptly cut off that train of thought.

The reality of the situation was that it was the one begging her to partner with it. It knew this was an investment.

’And all investments carry risk.’

’Her condition is essentially about not wanting to be tied down by me. Rather than waste time haggling, I’d be better off taking a gamble on her integrity.’

The waiter’s gaze wavered. ’What gamble?’ it thought wryly. It knew the truth better than anyone.

’The other waiters don’t even have a chance to make this bet.’

’I was lucky to have met this human and gotten this opportunity in the first place.’

’The opportunity is right in front of me. I can’t just let it slip by.’

’If I have to concede, I’ll concede. I have to seize this.’

"I can agree to all of your requests. I only hope that when you do come across those ingredients in the future, you’ll remember the words we’ve shared here today."

Seeing the waiter’s expression, as if it had just made a monumental decision, Seraphina Sinclair gave her own earnest promise. "I’ll remember."

Her gaze swept over the fish on the floor as she continued, "Now, show me your sincerity. Start by telling me the value of these fish."

At her words, the waiter instantly suppressed all emotion, its professionalism taking over. It crouched down, and a faint light emanated from its fingertips as it passed its hand over each of the fish in turn.

"The Lanternfish and Ironrust Catfish are very common, both basic D-level catches."

"The luminous lure of the Lanternfish has some niche use for lighting, but its value isn’t high. A whole one would fetch a buyback price of around 1,000 Black Fog Coins from a Traveling Merchant. The Ironrust Catfish is similarly low in value, and its meat isn’t tasty, so it’s only worth about 800 Black Fog Coins. Since processing them yields no special effects, I recommend selling both directly to a Traveling Merchant."

’800 Black Fog Coins?’

’001 only offered 200. It must have seen that I didn’t know their value and was planning to rip me off.’

Seraphina Sinclair lowered her gaze as the waiter’s analysis continued.

"This Iridescent Spinefish has some value. Its scales can be used to make many kinds of pigments and are worth around 1,500 Black Fog Coins. I recommend breaking it down and selling the scales separately."

"The Mistweaver Ray... the hide on its back is an excellent material for crafting equipment. This one is quite large; the hide alone is worth around 3,000 Black Fog Coins."

"And finally... the Blobfish and the Bronze Predator. These two are extremely rare."

The waiter took a soft breath, clearly growing excited.

"The Blobfish. After I process its gelatinous body, it can be refined into Waterdrop Condensate, which is a rare ingredient for certain Potions. If sold directly to a buyer who knows its worth, the price could be between 5,000 and 6,000 Black Fog Coins."

"As for this Bronze Predator," the waiter’s tone grew serious, "its value lies in two main areas."

"First, its armored scales. They’re a material for crafting underwater equipment. A single scale is worth over 500 Black Fog Coins, and you can generally harvest five to six of them from a specimen this size."

"Second are its sinews, which are a key material for making powerful bowstrings and special ropes. You might not have a use for them now, but in the future, they’ll be priceless—so rare you can’t find them even if you have the money. Each one is worth at least 5,000 Black Fog Coins, with no upper limit."

Seraphina Sinclair’s gaze fell upon the fish.

’A fish worth at least twenty thousand Black Fog Coins, and that crook 001 tried to buy it for a mere 2,500.’

Seraphina Sinclair pressed her lips together, her fist clenching tightly beneath the stone table.

’Good thing I’m not an idiot. Not only did I refuse to sell the fish to that Traveling Merchant, I even robbed her. If I hadn’t, I don’t know how I’d stomach this rage.’

The waiter reminded Seraphina Sinclair to store the fish to preserve their freshness before continuing. "Aside from these materials, the most valuable part of the fish is the meat itself. With the exception of the Bronze Predator and the Blobfish, the effects of the other meat are no different from the fish I processed for you previously."

Seraphina Sinclair’s interest was piqued. "And what about those two?" she pressed.

The waiter didn’t keep her in suspense. "The flesh of the Bronze Predator is extremely tough and contains a unique, savage energy. If eaten raw, it’s not only hard to digest but can also cause one’s internal energies to roil, even inducing mild mental agitation."

"But if I process it, slow-cooking it with calming herbs, I can make it into Fiery Sun Meat Soup. Eating it will not only bolster your Constitution, but it will also increase your Strength."

’I get it!’

’It boosts both Constitution and Strength.’

"As for the Blobfish, its flesh may look unappetizing, but it actually contains a pure energy and can be made into a fish aspic. While it won’t strengthen your body, it’s incredibly nourishing for the mind."