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Chapter 34 – Potion Creation ①
Wataru and the others toured the makeshift pharmaceutical laboratory that had been set up in the barn.
Stella couldn’t successfully make potions here on Earth.
Despite the considerable effort invested so far, Wataru doesn’t think Stella would get angry.
After all, there was no guarantee that she could replicate the same results in a different environment or world.
He had her research various methods to see if replication was possible. If it proved impossible, they would abandon mass production on Earth and focus solely on importing the potions.
Because such alternatives were available, Wataru could watch Stella make potions without feeling overly tense.
In contrast, Stella, fully aware of her role, seemed incredibly determined.
She wore an apron woven from special protective material, prepared for any splashes of liquid.
The waist cord was pulled tight, accentuating her ample breasts.
“Well then, I’d like to start making the potion right away. Since this is a completely different world, I’ll make the most basic and simple potion.”
“I’m counting on you.”
“Yes, I’ll do my best to meet your expectations.”
For Stella, this was undoubtedly a high-pressure situation.
Wataru had negotiated with a noble to recruit her and spent over a hundred gold coins on equipment.
If she couldn’t even make a simple potion, her very reason for being would be lost.
Hmph! Stella snorted, tightening her sides and straining with effort. But her ample, un-elf-like bosom was squeezed tightly, leaving her apron in a ridiculous state.
Could she see the low areas near her hands like this?
Stella retrieved the dried herbs from the drying rack.
“This is Suehiro grass, one of the herbs purchased from the Pharmacist Guild. It’s effective even on its own, and it’s been properly processed. First, I’ll separate the leaf portion from the root portion. Since we’ll use both later, I’ll gather them on a plate.”
[T/N: Suehiro means “widely spreading” or “fan-shaped.”]
She cut the bundle of herbs with a small knife.
The knife was exceptionally sharp, and the herbs were cleanly separated with little effort.
Next, Stella finely chopped the large quantity of leaves. She placed them into a large mortar — knee-high when placed on the floor — and ground them into powder with a pestle, producing a grating sound.
A sharp, minty scent, refreshing yet distinctly pungent, filled the air.
Fortunately, the scent didn’t seem unpleasant to Cloche or Aire, who had keen noses. They watched, perhaps smiling slightly.
“Hmph, hmm! This needs to be ground slowly. Hup! If you rush it, heat builds up and causes failure!”
“If it’s difficult to talk, you can do it later.”
“Y-yes! It’s fine. I can do it properly!”
Stella worked with the utmost seriousness, but the sight of her wielding that thick rod was undeniably provocative.
Slightly sweaty and flushed, she moved parts of her body vigorously, making them jiggle and bounce. She was completely absorbed in her task.
Wataru swallowed hard and glanced around to see if he was the only one affected. But Mariel and the others were flushed too, so he realized they were feeling the same way.
Stella let out a heavy sigh as the powdering process finished.
Using something classic, like a stone mortar or a medicine grinder, might be worth considering.
The large quantity of powdered herbs was a pale green color.
“Transfer these powdered herb leaves into this jar and soak them in distilled liquor. It’d be a shame to waste what’s left in the mortar, so carefully transfer everything. All right, here goes.”
With a splashing sound, the distilled liquor poured into the jar.
She mixed it thoroughly with the herb powder and sealed the jar.
“How long does this need to steep?”
“At least half a day, up to a full day. Ah, so it won’t be ready today.”
“Well, that can’t be helped.”
“Yes… I expect it’ll be ready around noon tomorrow.”
She must have wanted to show the finished product as soon as possible.
Stella slumped her shoulders dejectedly.
“Don’t let this get you down and mess up the next step.”
“Yes, I’ll be fine. I’m pretty resilient, you know.”
She quickly regained her composure, though, and moved on to the next task.
Her reputation as an excellent alchemist seemed well-deserved. Each of her movements was fluid and precise.
Like a top chef efficiently handling orders, Stella’s hands moved without hesitation.
Wataru lit the portable gas stove — one of the few tools he had brought on Earth — and began heating freshly drawn well water in a small pot.
Her hands immediately moved to another task. This time, the subject was the roots of the Suehiro grass.
The roots were a deep brown, appearing reddish near the stem.
She cut them into several pieces.
“These roots aren’t powdered. After chopping them finely, we extract them directly in hot water.”
“Huh, so the extraction method changes depending on the part—alcohol for some and hot water for others.”
“Yes, exactly. To extract only the necessary components, temperature control and the extraction medium are crucial. It would be easier if we could just boil everything together, though.”
“I see.”
That probably means unnecessary components would leach out, too.
When small bubbles appeared in the pot of water, the roots were added.
Perhaps because they were boiled in water, brown patterns quickly spread through the clear liquid.
“This portable stove has such a consistent flame, and it’s really easy to handle. Thanks to that, I don’t have to worry about burning things, which is a huge help.”
“That’s good to hear.”
It seems this technology has its advantages, too.
Stirring the roots in the pot with chopsticks turned the water a deep, uniform brown.
The barn filled with the distinctive scent of the roots.
After deciding they were sufficiently boiled, Stella strained the roots through a cloth and let them cool.
Stella, who had been watching the pot intently, relaxed and looked up.
“That concludes today’s work. Normally, we do this kind of thing over several days, so we should already have some finished product. I completely forgot that this is a new workshop.”
“I’ll look forward to tomorrow. Stella, good work today.”
“Y-yes! Ah, thank you. ❤”
And so, the first day’s work was finished.
It was unfortunate not to see the finished product right away, but there was nothing that could be done about it.
Besides, if they were to mass-produce it, this wouldn’t be an issue.
The next day,
When they removed the lid from the pot, a refreshing herbal scent mingled with the strong aroma of distilled liquor wafted up.
Stella peered inside the jar and nodded happily.
“Mm, this looks good. I’ll start filtering the alcohol solution that the leaves were steeped in. Aire-san, could you help me tilt the jar to pour it out?”
“Okay. Like this?”
“Yes, slowly. That amount is fine.”
Aire tilted the jar full of the alcohol-infused liquid.
A strainer purchased from an alchemy shop was placed over the deep-set drip tray. The liquid passed through the strainer’s extremely fine mesh, leaving only the herbal powder behind.
The deep green liquid poured steadily.
“Don’t you use a filter cloth or paper?”
“That works too. But I prefer this metal strainer because it’s easier to clean afterward. Plus, with some herbs, filter cloth can leave residue, rendering it unusable for other things.”
“I see…”
“This leftover powder makes great fertilizer when spread back on the fields, you know.”
“Huh, that’s nice.”
Stella squeezed the remaining herbal powder from the strainer and placed it in a separate dish.
Perhaps because the components were extracted using distilled alcohol, the powder looked slightly pale despite being wet.
After filtering the liquid from the boiled roots as thoroughly as possible, two liquids—green and brown—stood side by side.
“Finally, we’ll mix the alcohol-extracted leaf components with the water-extracted root components at a ratio of three to one.”
“Wow, you can really do it all with just one plant.”
“Because your request was for the simplest version… More potent ones or those for different uses require more ingredients or slightly more complex processes.”
“I see. So you prioritized my request above all else.”
“Yes. Fulfilling your wishes is our top priority.”
At that moment, Stella’s eyes suddenly fixed on Wataru with an unclouded, crystal-clear intensity.
However, Wataru and the others were utterly absorbed in the extracted liquids and did not notice the change in her gaze.
Slowly and carefully, the two liquids were mixed together.
Surprisingly, this process was done entirely by visual estimation.
However, an inaccurate ratio wouldn’t produce the desired effect.
As the liquids blended, one could see the mixture transform, but this process wasn’t suited for mechanization.
Ultimately, as with a cooking recipe, precise standards such as “X grams of salt” would be necessary.
This would likely be troublesome for mass production.
Once both extracts were nearly fully combined, what could be called a “simple acute potion” was complete.
“Hmmm, it’s light brown, and the shade is different from any potion I’ve seen before. How effective is it?”
“Would you like to see?”
“Yeah. Please.”
“Understood.”
Without hesitating, Stella sliced the pad of her finger.
The skin tore cleanly, blood rising to the surface.
“Whoa!”
As soon as she poured the freshly made Simple Acute Potion over the wound, the skin instantly returned to its original state.
Stella nodded, satisfied with the confirmed effect. Wataru was left speechless, only able to watch the entire sequence unfold.
Stella smiled at Wataru, clearly pleased.
“There, that should be fine. It healed without a single scar. The potion is a success!”
“Stella!?”
“Y-yes!? What is it?”
“Stop suddenly hurting yourself. It’s bad for my heart. Especially since this was an experiment and we weren’t sure it would work.”
“I-I’m sorry. I was certain it had succeeded based on my senses alone. I’m sorry for worrying you.”
“Well, I’m just glad there’s no scar. Really, be more careful next time.”
Surprisingly, it was Aire and Cloche who came to the aid of the dejected Stella.
“Come on now. Even someone like me or Cloche would have probably done the same thing. Forgive her, okay?”
“Quite right. Onee-sama and I are used to injuries, and with potions available, we probably would have done the same.”
“…I understand your sense of things is different, but please try to avoid it as much as possible.”
“Nishishi, I’ll be careful. Hey, Stella, be careful next time, too, okay?”
“Yes, thank you, Aire-san.”
“No problem! I’m your senior, after all, nishishi!”
They could have healed her immediately with potions from another world, but it was far too nerve-wracking.
Above all, though, they were relieved it had succeeded safely.
There were still major questions to investigate, such as what would happen if they increased the ingredients and how far they could go with Earth-made tools, but knowing they could make it on Earth was the biggest breakthrough.
This might spark a medical revolution using Earth-made potions!
Thinking that, emotion welled up in their chest.
“Stella! Well done! You did great!”
“Whoa! Master!?”
“I’m so glad you came to us. Thank you.”
“No, I’m the one who’s grateful to be welcomed. Sob… Really… I’m so happy. I’m… I’m not good at this. I’m just…”
“Ahh!!! Master made Stella cry!”
“Ara, ara…”
“No, that’s not it! This is…what!?”
“Uuuu… Serves you right! I’ll get you back for this!”
He couldn’t help but hug Stella. Overcome with emotion, she shed tears.
For now, it would be best to hold her gently until she calms down.
——Thank you so much for coming.
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