Kays Translations

Chapter 436: How Does It Taste?

Caro stared intently at the small pot as steam began to rise from it. After I showed Leon how to make an elementary healing potion, he completed one without difficulty. Now it was Caro’s turn to make her first elementary healing potion.

The key to making a high-quality magic potion was not allowing it to boil. Whenever it seemed about to boil, the pot had to be pulled away from the heat at once. Once someone could judge that moment correctly, they could already be called a capable magic pharmacist.

Caro swiftly pulled the pot away from the fire. After repeating the process several times, she completed her very first magic potion. There were no problems with its quality; the knights could use it immediately.

“It’s finished, right?”

“Yes. You made an elementary healing potion properly. You still haven’t quite mastered the timing, but if you keep making them, you’ll learn to judge it naturally.”

“So it’s something you learn by feel, isn’t it?”

Caro gazed at the completed magic potion with deep emotion. Leon watched it with a serious expression as well. Was he thinking that a rival had appeared? Surely not. No older brother would burn with rivalry against his adorable little sister. Probably.

“To think she could make one so easily… Does Caro have talent, or is Master’s teaching simply that good…?”

Leon fell into thought. I believed it was the latter. Caro’s handling was still rather unsteady, and I had given her a great deal of advice. Leon, who had succeeded after seeing the process only once, clearly possessed far more talent.

“It’s because Julius taught me well. I couldn’t make one just by watching, the way you did, Brother.”

“Is that so? Well, I do have more experience than you, Caro. I suppose it’s only natural.”

Leon scratched his cheek shyly, embarrassed by his little sister’s praise. Good, good. Everything seemed fine. I was relieved that we had not planted a seed of conflict within House Mulan.

Since this was a special occasion, we decided that everyone would taste Caro’s first magic potion. Naturally, we would taste it too.

“There’s almost no difference from the one I made.”

“The refreshing aroma seems slightly weaker, though.”

“Perhaps I took too long. Next time, I’ll try to work a little more boldly.”

It tasted the same to me, but Caro and Leon could apparently detect a slight difference. Since Appraisal gave both potions the same result, the difference must have been very small. Perhaps the siblings’ palates were simply more refined after growing up in a marquis’s household.

Caro saved half of the potion. After confirming that there were no problems with the taste, she decided to let Axel drink it. Knowing Axel, even if it tasted dreadful, he would probably insist, “It’s delicious, it’s delicious,” simply because Caro had made it.

When we returned from the compounding room to the salon, everyone who had gone to train arrived at almost exactly the same time. Axel and Ijidol appeared to have showered before returning, because both carried a clean, refreshing scent.

They had apparently washed with soap. House Mulan seemed to keep a regular supply of fragrant soap. As expected of them.

“Good work, you two. How was the shower?”

“No problems at all. As I thought, that’s the greatest magic tool ever made.”

“Thanks to it, we can train without worrying about sweat.”

As expected, the shower magic tool was a great success. I sincerely hoped it would spread throughout the kingdom so everyone could enjoy the same comfort. Its only drawback was the slightly higher consumption of magic stones. Still, if demand for magic stones rose, adventurers would hunt more monsters. That, in turn, would make towns and villages across the kingdom safer. There seemed to be nothing but benefits.

“How did things go on your side?”

“Heh heh heh. About that…”

I looked towards Caro as I spoke. She nodded once, then produced a potion with a stiff expression. Axel and Ijidol tilted their heads at the half-filled vial. Marchioness Mulan did the same, while Lady Hilda, who knew what had happened, watched everyone with obvious delight.

“Um, Caro, what is this?”

Axel looked bewildered when the potion was placed directly in front of him. Sensing what had happened, Ijidol and Marchioness Mulan looked back and forth between Caro and the vial with expressions that plainly said, “Surely not.”

“This is an elementary healing potion I made. We’ve already checked the taste, so there shouldn’t be any problems. Since it’s the first potion I’ve ever made, I wanted Axel to try it…”

“You truly made this yourself, Caro?”

Marchioness Mulan looked stunned. Axel pressed the corners of his eyes and actually began to tear up. He was taking this very seriously. I did not think it warranted quite that much emotion. Looked at another way, he was volunteering as a test subject. Caro might make him taste every experimental potion from now on. Poor Axel.

“Of course I’ll drink it. Um… Marchioness Mulan, would you like to try some as well?”

Axel tried to be considerate, but to Marchioness Mulan, who knew only the dreadful potions of the past, it sounded like an outrageous suggestion. She stared at him as though he were a demon. Reading the atmosphere, Ijidol quickly said that he would like to try it too. Ijidol truly was a thoughtful and kind boy.

“Well then, excuse me.”

“Mm. It has a refreshing scent.”

“It really does.”

The severity faded from Marchioness Mulan’s expression, replaced by curiosity. Axel and Ijidol drank the potion as casually as though it were water, while the Marchioness watched them as if she were witnessing the impossible.

“It’s sweet and delicious. This is a very well-made elementary healing potion.”

“It really is delicious. I could drink this without the slightest hesitation.”

Perhaps surprised by their reactions, Marchioness Mulan’s eyes widened. Caro looked delighted by Axel’s enthusiastic praise. Learning that something she had made could help another person would surely give her confidence. This would be an important first step for her as a magic pharmacist.

The world was still overflowing with foul-tasting potions, so the road ahead would be difficult. Even so, gaining one more ally was worth celebrating. After seeing Axel and Ijidol’s reactions, Marchioness Mulan was unlikely to object to Caro becoming a magic pharmacist.

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