VOLUME 5 CHAPTER 13

The Next Day.

After deciding that the girls live combat practice would be against the undead, I started making preparations for our trip to Trail Canyon. Because of that Ive been making medicine since this morning but because there were so many, I still havent finished yet despite already being past afternoon.

Rai, Im filling up the next batch. [Ryouma]

Kyuhon. [Rai]

In front of me was a giant saucer on top of which was a giant mortar, and on that mortars side was a metal rod connected to Rai.

Im standing on the crane situated above that. A simple crane looks exactly like the planks seen in movies that pirates use to push people out of the s.h.i.+p. Anyway, I took a pot full of cut and dried centipedes, and threw it into the mortar. Rai started grinding that down, and I went to prepare the next batch.

The sound of grinding and knife chopping filled the room. Their sounds rang together at a steady pace. Gradually, the knife slowed down, until eventually, it finally stopped. A monotonous job, but its not bad.

It was then that Riera, Kanan, and s.h.i.+va-san came.

Ryouma-dono, we got that thing you asked us. [Riera]

Weve already brought it to the lab. [Kanan]

Thank you. [Ryouma]

The girls said theyd help out during their spare time, so I asked them to pick out some stuff for me.

More specifically, I asked them to gather the moss and the mold of the moss slimes and the mold slimes growing in a room in the tunnels. They like places that are dark and damp, so Im raising them there where its dark and has plenty of magic power. In exchange, they can grow me lots of blue molds and slimy luminous moss.

Once I finish filling five barrels of pulverized centipede, Ill go work with those. These centipedes are big and hard, and even small ones would take an adult some time, so its going to take a while.

It wasnt until it was almost evening when I finished pulverizing the centipedes. Before taking the barrels of powdered centipede, I thanked Rai by feeding him some hay and branch from the tree slimes, then I went to the lab.

I should start with the easier one first. [Ryouma]

I picked out the barrels full of blue mold from the barrels at the corner of the room, and used Alchemy to separate it into its components, and produce penicillin.

Penicillin coming from blue mold is common sense back in my previous world. I used Alchemy again, and

Its done! All the penicillin I need, and I barely broke a sweat. [Ryouma]

Normally, itd take a lot more knowledge and work to make one, but with Alchemy, everything becomes so much easier. Although, finding the right mold took a while since they all look similar.

Oh, dont get me wrong, Im not complaining or anything. In fact, easy work is great since its convenient, but the G.o.d of Magic, Fer Noevir, doesnt seem to like Alchemy. I think its because Gayn just randomly made it up. And with him being a serious G.o.d compared to Gayn and the others, the rushed job probably rubbed him the wrong way.

Were not very close, but he is a G.o.d, and hes never really said anything unreasonable. He never told me not to use Alchemy or warned me about it.

Our relations.h.i.+p? I guess its of kind like a boss and his employee? Oh, but of course, hes not as cold as the bosses back in my previous life.

As I was thinking that to myself, I finished making the penicillin. And then I used that penicillin to make all sorts of ointments from ones that stop bleeding to ones that treat burns, and even shallow wounds like scratches and grazes. I always bring these with me whenever I go to the Trail Canyon.

Theyre necessary especially since the undead at the canyon have started picking up the weapons left by other adventurers, and because they cant maintain their weapons, their weapons are all rusted and covered in mud, making catching teta.n.u.s highly probable.

Anyway, Ill just seal the remaining penicillin, and store it somewhere cold for when I make more ointments.

Now, wheres that slimy luminous mossHmm? [Ryouma]

As I was just about to get to work on the next one, Mich.e.l.le, s.h.i.+va-san, and Remiri-san entered the lab.

Ryouma-kun, is there anything we can help with? [Mich.e.l.le]

Trainings over for the day, so let us help out. [Kanan]

Oh, I guess the other ones are making supper then.

You came at a good time. Crush these chopped mosses until theyre all syrupy. [Ryouma]

They wont be using the giant mortar for this, and will instead be using a simple mortar and pestle. I take one for every person, and they start crus.h.i.+ng moss. Meanwhile, I grab my cauldron, and start the fire.

While working, s.h.i.+va-san asked me what kind of medicine I was making.

Im making potions of all sorts from antidotes to ones that recover health. Also, because of this moss special trait of storing mana from the air to glow, the resulting potions will last longer than normal. [Ryouma]

Its like a preservative for potions.

When s.h.i.+va-san heard that, he asked.

Does it matter that the moss stores mana? Ive also used a lot of potions back in my days, but Ive never paid much attention to the ingredients. [s.h.i.+va]

Its outside of his specialty, so it cant be helped.

Medicine in this world is divided into three categories: Medicine, Magic Medicine, and Potion.

Medicine is medicine, its effects are solely dependent on the combination of ingredients, and has nothing to do with magic.

Magic medicine is similar but uses ingredients br.i.m.m.i.n.g with magic power to create various effects.

Potion is actually a kind of magic medicine, but its only the ones that have instant effect that are truly known as potions.

In a sense, a potion is really just healing magic that utilizes the magic power of its ingredients. Which is why its effects wane as time pa.s.ses, until eventually, it becomes completely useless.

In other words, it has an expiry date.

So, adding the liquid of the moss to the formula will give the potions a longer expiry date. [Ryouma]

So, thats how it is. [s.h.i.+va]

Around this time, the water started boiling. So, I gathered the liquid moss, and added it into the cauldron. Therere some slimy parts, but thosell coagulate in the heat. So, I just wait a little bit, then I scoop them out, wring them, and then throw them away. Meanwhile, Mich.e.l.le started asking a bunch of questions.

Can you only use that liquid for potions? [Mich.e.l.le]

Of course, not. You can also use it for other stuff like killing undead, for example. Since the stored mana is light mana, having one or two vials with you can be a lifesaver. [Ryouma]

Mich.e.l.le thought for a while then she spoke.

Can you use that in place of magic jewels? [Mich.e.l.le]

In place of magic jewels? [Ryouma]

If it stores magic power, then its the same as magic jewels. Cant you use the magic power that normally gets used for healing for something else? [Mich.e.l.le]

Its possible but its not easy. [Ryouma]

The moss certainly stores magic power, but that magic power is gradually vanis.h.i.+ng. So, unlike magic jewels it has an expiry date. It wont last long in liquid form either, as itll only get worse with usage. And theres no point in storing magic power into it yourself since thatll just be wasting your own magic power.

Frankly speaking, its much better to just go and buy some actual magic jewels. Its way more convenient and will save a lot of ha.s.sle, but apparently, Mich.e.l.le had a different opinion.

Can I get some of that liquid? I want to try something. [Mich.e.l.le]

Mich.e.l.le said that with a serious face. And as she got three vials from me, she thanked me.

Im borrowing the magic training room for a bit! Ill report my findings later! Sorry, I couldnt help out today! [Mich.e.l.le]

As she left the lab with those words, Remiri-san spoke.

Ara ara Seeing Mich.e.l.le-chan like that sure reminds me of my days as a royal court magician. [Remiri]

Really? [Ryouma]

There were a lot of people like her back there Shes talented too, so who knows? She might actually be a royal court magician one day. [Remiri]

She laughed as she said that.

By the time we were done working, Sebasu came to let us know supper was ready. So, we went to get Mich.e.l.le, and when we entered the training room, Mich.e.l.l was there drawing magic formations with sparkles in her eyes.

Along the way, she told me that she tried to use the moss liquid in place of magic jewels for the ink, and she succeeded. Alchemy had to be used to balance the water content, but with this discovery, the cost of magic formations would greatly go down. Mich.e.l.le had a huge smile as she happily reported that.