Chapter 630: Preservation Solution

As I prepared the ingredients, the Royal Magic Pharmacists in the compounding room gathered around.

“Teacher Julius, is this a new magic potion?”

“Yes. It’s called preservation solution, and it protects ingredients. It may prove useful to you, so I’ll teach everyone how to make it.”

“Thank you!”

“With that solution, it should be possible to maintain the quality of ingredients even in places without an ice store or similar facilities.”

Everyone was excited by the opportunity to learn a new magic potion. That was exactly how Royal Magic Pharmacists ought to react. Otherwise, teaching them would hardly be rewarding.

Naturally, Lady Fabienne’s eyes sparkled as she wrote down every ingredient I gathered.

We needed medicinal herbs, green neutraliser, powdered Yellow Slime, and Shine Lemon. Everything was already in stock, so we could begin at once.

First, I heated the green neutraliser until it was just below boiling. Meanwhile, I ground the powdered medicinal herbs and Yellow Slime powder together in a mortar until they were completely uniform.

The Shine Lemon required nothing more than slicing.

Once the green neutraliser reached the proper temperature, I gradually added the blend of herbs and Yellow Slime powder while carefully observing the reaction. At the same time, I channelled mana into the liquid.

As I explained the sensation to everyone and continued adding powder, the green neutraliser lost its colour and became transparent.

“Once it reaches this state, extinguish the flame. Add the sliced Shine Lemon and leave it until the residual heat dissipates. Then it’ll be complete. Ah, remember to remove the Shine Lemon at the end. Don’t eat it under any circumstances. It should have absorbed all the unpleasant-tasting components.”

“So the Shine Lemon adds its own component while removing undesirable ones,” Lady Fabienne said. “This is most instructive.”

“I see. I had no idea Shine Lemons could be used in such a way.”

Lady Fabienne and the Royal Magic Pharmacists murmured in admiration. I answered their questions while we waited for the mixture to cool. In the meantime, I appraised its properties.

Preservation Solution: Highest quality. Preserves quality. Effect: Extra large. Duration: One thousand years. Tasteless and odourless.

Oh. This was dangerous.

A thousand years was far too long! Was I trying to make a mummy? This felt like trouble. I would have to exercise tremendous care when modifying skin lotion. At the very least, the effect would need to be weakened.

“Lord Julius? Is something wrong?”

“Lady Fabienne, appraise the finished preservation solution.”

“What?”

I whispered so only she could hear. Contrary to my expectations, however, she barely reacted.

“It’s of the highest quality. As expected of you, Lord Julius.”

“Is that all?”

“What? Oh, of course it also possesses the effect of preserving quality.”

I tilted my head, and Lady Fabienne mirrored me. Apparently, she couldn’t yet appraise the strength or duration of an effect, nor its smell and taste.

…I should tell her. The information might help raise the level of her Appraisal skill.

“The truth is…”

“What?!”

“Shh! You’re too loud.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

Everyone glanced towards us for an instant, wondering what had happened. When they saw our faces close together as we whispered, however, they politely looked away.

That wasn’t the situation, but for now, it was fine. As long as they didn’t send Father some strange report.

“What shall we do?” Lady Fabienne whispered.

“We have no choice but to use it. It still achieves our purpose. If we begin developing a weaker preservation solution now, we won’t be able to plant the clover seedlings today.”

There had to be a reason its effect had become so powerful, and we would need to investigate. We were unlikely to discover the answer immediately, however, and time was short.

I used magic to cool the solution from warm to room temperature. I hoped this might lower its quality slightly, but nothing changed.

“Teacher Julius, we shall try making preservation solution ourselves at once.”

“I look forward to seeing the result. Please show me later.”

“Naturally.”

After leaving the compounding room, I searched for Rosalia and the others. They were apparently enjoying tea together in the salon. Perfect. I asked that Lady Fabienne’s flower crown be brought as well, then headed there.

Rosalia, Mira, Mother, and Sister-in-law Daniela were all in the salon.

“The preservation solution is complete. I would like to apply it to everyone’s flower crowns immediately.”

“My, that was remarkably quick,” Mother said. “You should rest for a little while too, Julius.”

At her urging, Lady Fabienne and I sat down. Tea was brought at once. While we enjoyed it with everyone, I asked a servant for a new spray bottle.

If I filled the bottle with preservation solution and sprayed it evenly, coating the flower crowns should be simple. I was glad the solution was thin and watery. If it had been viscous, matters would have become much more complicated.

After leisurely savouring my tea, I began the coating process. First, I explained how everyone should use the solution.

“This spray bottle contains preservation solution. Spray it evenly over the flower crown to protect it. The effect lasts more than long enough, so one application will suffice.”

“Oh, is that so?” Mother replied. “How convenient. Could it be used on ordinary flowers as well?”

“I believe so. However, if we did that too often, florists might go out of business.”

The frightening thing about this preservation solution was that it preserved fragrance and flavour as well. Naturally, it also preserved an ingredient’s original effects, so using it in a magic potion wouldn’t add any strange properties.

“You’re right. Then perhaps we should use it only for flowers received from someone special.”

Hmm. Had I just taught them the formula for an outrageous magic potion? I absolutely had to inspect the preservation solution made by the others later. Depending on the results, it might need to become a forbidden magic potion.