Culture and civilization are indeed complicated matters.
As an experienced mercenary who has completed missions in places like Whale Song Cliff, City of Knowledge, and The Empire, and ultimately choosing to settle long-term in The Empire, 'Foreigner' Green Tide is actually quite familiar with these concepts.
Not to mention anything else, just dietary habits alone can clearly distinguish people from different places.
In Whale Song Cliff, they never lacked salt or seasonings, but have always had a scarcity of high-quality sugar. Combine that with the Descendants of the Sea frequently going to sea to fight, needing to replenish large amounts of food that can quickly provide energy at critical moments, fructose remains the most common energy fuel, hence the habit of eating sweet things developed there.
