Kays Translations

Chapter 46: A Stamina-Recovery Potion

I examined the finished water with Appraisal.

Distilled Water: Highest Quality

The apparatus worked properly, but its efficiency was terrible because it lacked a proper condenser tube. I hadn’t expected producing a single glass of distilled water to take so long.

Now I understood why the dismantled apparatus had been gathering dust. Grandmother probably used ordinary well water directly when making her potions.

Whether she used distilled water or well water, her finished potion would still be of the lowest quality. If the result remained the same, there was no reason to spend extra time distilling the water.

“This apparatus will need improving.”

“Did it fail?” Rosalia asked.

“No, it worked. I simply think I can make it much more efficient.”

“Then you’re going to make another magic tool. Please teach me how to make one too.”

Her eyes sparkled. She had apparently become interested in magic tools after receiving the Starry Sky magic tool.

There was no harm in teaching her the basics, but first I needed to finish the work in front of me.

“All right. I’ll teach you how to make a simple magic tool.”

“Thank you! I love you, Big brother!”

Rosalia threw her arms around me. At this rate, I was going to become hopelessly devoted to my little sister. After patting her head for a while, I returned to work.

I would begin with an elementary healing potion and then try the new recipe I had planned.

I poured distilled water into a small saucepan and brought it to a boil. After adding more cool distilled water to lower the temperature, I mixed in the powdered herbs and heated the liquid carefully without letting it boil.

The solution gradually turned green.

“What are you making?”

“An elementary healing potion. It can heal scrapes and even fairly deep wounds.”

“Does it taste good?”

“Would you like it to?”

“It should be delicious.”

I understood. She wanted a potion that was pleasant to drink. In that case, I would make it as refreshing as a soft drink, although its green colour wasn’t especially appetising.

I removed the pot from the heat and filtered out the remaining solids. Then I returned the liquid to the saucepan, warmed it gently, and added a small amount of flavouring herb. Finally, I adjusted the sweetness with sugar and a little salt.

I tasted it several times until the balance seemed right.

“That should do it.”

Elementary Healing Potion: High Quality; refreshing and mildly sweet

The Appraisal result was promising. Whether the knight order adopted the recipe would depend on the opinions of those who drank it.

“I want to taste it too,” Rosalia said.

“Only a little.”

I gave her a spoonful.

“It’s refreshing.”

“Is it easy to drink?”

“Yes.”

Excellent. I had produced an elementary healing potion that even children could take without complaint. Perhaps it could eventually be marketed specifically for young patients.

Next came an entirely new potion. The ingredients included several spices obtained from the kitchen; ordinary cooking ingredients could sometimes serve as potion materials.

I intended to make a stamina-recovery potion. It had been an essential item in the game, yet apparently didn’t exist in this world.

When I had asked Lionel, he had said he had never heard of such a thing. Since it would be extremely useful, I planned to create one and have the knights test it.

I filled the saucepan with distilled water, added chilli pepper, garlic, and medicinal herbs, and let the mixture simmer. A fierce, pungent smell filled the room, making Rosalia grimace.

“You don’t have to force yourself to watch. Move farther away.”

“Yes, Big brother.”

She obeyed immediately. She had clearly been enduring the fumes for my sake, but a child shouldn’t have to do that.

My own eyes were beginning to sting, so I protected them with a thin film of water magic while I continued working.

Before making another batch, I would need protective goggles. Perhaps people had abandoned stamina-recovery potions because the process was so unpleasant. Worse, if a lowest-quality version retained this fierce flavour while losing the beneficial effect, it might be little better than poison.

I filtered the red liquid and divided it among several small bottles. Then I examined one with Appraisal.

Elementary Stamina-Recovery Potion: High Quality; harshly bitter

The potion had the intended effect, but the taste was a problem. I sampled a little. It was drinkable, but certainly not something anyone would consume willingly.

For now, I had completed the day’s planned work. All that remained was to deliver the potions to the knight order and observe the results.

I wondered whether anyone would volunteer to become my test subject.

“We’re finished for today, Rosalia. Let’s return to the salon for tea.”

“Yes, Big brother.”

When we stepped into the corridor, I was carrying the crate of finished potions. Lionel stood nearby, apparently guarding the room so that no one would interrupt us.

He immediately took the crate from me, which was a great help because Rosalia wanted to hold my hand.

“Lord Julius, what’s in the box?” Lionel asked.

“A gift for the knight order. I’ll explain everything after tea, so please make sure no one drinks anything before then.”

“Understood.”

Lionel escorted us to the salon before carrying the crate towards the knights’ quarters.

Previous chapter | TOC | Next chapter