In The Name Of Ingrad! (14)

It took time, but after I received word that everyone had written down everything they remembered, I gathered them and began examining them one by one.

And I told them to bring me everything related to the corresponding items, whether they were medicinal herbs or ordinary vegetables, making the maids busy. However, when I said it was something that had to be done, everyone actively stepped forward, and it did not take very long before nearly every food ingredient, except for those that could not be obtained because of the season, was laid out.

‘There are many. But that also means there are quite a few overlaps…’

I paid attention to those overlapping items.

I selected several vegetables that were not present in households showing poisoning symptoms, but were present only in families that had no poisoning symptoms at all. Then, as I examined each of them one by one and sought knowledge from Pharmacy, I realized that information about the vegetables I picked up and examined was being transmitted in detail as expected, and I began writing all of it down one by one.

I also wrote down how they should be eaten properly, and after a while, I was able to pay attention to one plant.

“What is this called?”

“It is called Haegeumcho. It grows along coastal cliffs and the like, and it is a fragrant plant that mainly grows in areas where sea winds blow.”

‘Is it a plant similar to minari?’

It could be called the only vegetable that contained an explanation saying it helped release toxins that accumulated in the body. And it was also a vegetable eaten by most households that did not show poisoning symptoms.

“How is it mainly used?”

“It is used at the end when boiling fish soup, to enhance the taste and aroma.”

I was able to learn that it was used in a similar way to crown daisy or minari, and when I examined every vegetable aside from Haegeumcho, it seemed the answer was indeed in Haegeumcho.

“Does Haegeumcho grow in the Forest of the Demon Dragon as well?”

“The aroma of the Haegeumcho that grows there is too strong and harsh, so we do not use it. Besides, it has an extremely bitter taste, so there are cases where it ruins the taste of food…”

Since it was the Forest of the Demon Dragon, where effects became stronger, I wondered if a kind of maximization had occurred. So after thinking for a moment, I asked the women a favor.

“If you are not too busy and have some spare time, I would like to obtain this Haegeumcho in large quantities. And specifically the kind that grows in the Forest of the Demon Dragon.”

“May I know what you intend to do with it?”

At the words of one of the women, who carefully asked the question, I said it was to make “medicine,” and also informed them in advance that I would pay them generously before sending them back.

“Is that Haegeumcho really going to become the answer?”

At Debik’s question, I shook my head and said,

“I learned that symptoms of heavy metal poisoning are not something that can be resolved in a short period. So I am thinking of turning this into a kind of pill and having people take it long-term. Besides, since it has a function of expelling things harmful to the body, it seems it will faithfully serve as a health supplement as well.”

“There are many people. Surely… if it is becoming a problem, there must be those in serious condition as well.”

“The goal is to save everyone if possible, but I do not know whether that will be easy.”

After hearing my words, Debik spoke as though asking why I would say such a thing.

“When one looks at what Your Majesty has done thus far, have you not almost never failed? I believe that this time as well, you will accomplish the great deed of saving many of your people.”

I wanted to tell him that was excessive faith.

“I hope so…”

After that, it took two days until Haegeumcho was harvested and brought into the castle, but in the meantime, I had roughly finished preparing to make the medicine, so I thought the timing was appropriate as I looked down at the made-in-the-Forest-of-the-Demon-Dragon Haegeumcho.

“The color is definitely deep, and even just looking at it like this, the aroma is incredible, isn’t it?”

It was a fragrance that slightly reminded me of the spice called “sancho,” which was used in places like Gyeongsang-do back when I was on Earth. It might have felt that way because the aroma was so strong, but first, I plucked one leaf and held it on my tongue.

“Mm… it’s definitely bitter… If it gives off a bitter taste just by touching my mouth like this, then it would be unsuitable for food.”

“It definitely seems hard to use in food.”

Beni, who had been assigned as today’s assistant, said that to me from beside me while helping with various tools.

“Do you like Haegeumcho, Beni?”

“No. Haegeumcho is a spice favored by people living on the coast. And since it is quite expensive and often controlled by nobles, it is difficult to come across.”

“So it is even controlled… is that it?”

“Items that produce fragrance are generally often used by nobles as luxury goods. Since this has a unique aroma, I heard that after drying it well, they combine it with several other fragrant things and use it as something like a scent pouch.”

‘A scent pouch… Come to think of it, there didn’t seem to be separate perfumes either…’

If I had to name something similar to perfume, fragrant oil was about all there was. Even that was an expensive luxury item, so only some noblewomen used it. I recalled that, in general, when doing laundry, they infused water with medicinal herbs that had a pleasant scent and rinsed clothes in it to add fragrance.

“Beni, how would you feel if you could have the scent of roses coming from your body?”

“Roses…?”

After thinking for a moment, she looked at me and spoke with a subtle gaze.

“I think it would be nice if I could give it off when seducing Your Majesty, but the work of a maid is not that simple. I think even the ‘soap’ Your Majesty supplied us with is amazing. At first, it felt unfamiliar, but now I feel stranger when I do not use it.”

After telling her I understood, I thought it might be good to consider the perfume business as well.

Smell occupied quite an important part among the human senses.

No matter how wonderful a person was, if they gave off a foul, reeking smell of sweat, it was only natural that their favorability would drop a notch. Even rough men would be like that, so how much more so would women, who could not help but be sensitive? I thought there was certainly a possibility it would become a major hit.

However, that was that, and now was the time to focus on this.

“I’m going to manufacture it as pills, so I’m planning to make powder. Can you help with that?”

“You mean emergency drying, right?”

“Yes, and please grind it finely. I need to think about the mixture.”

“Are you going to add another function separately?”

At Beni’s question, I nodded.

Honestly, I thought it would be good if multiple things could be resolved at once. However, since I had to find medicinal ingredients that matched the components of this Haegeumcho, I could not leisurely do other things.

After pushing the work onto Beni like that, I moved to the place where the medicinal ingredients were displayed and began comparing each one against Haegeumcho.

I knew there was a limit to what Pharmacy told me, but right now, I had no choice but to rely on it, and it was then, while I was examining the medicinal herbs.

“Unexpectedly, does this have good compatibility with it…?”

It had good compatibility with a medicinal ingredient that greatly helped produce blood. So I took out all the recipes for the Blood-Replenishing Pill and compared them with Haegeumcho one by one. I was able to see that all of them blended together without major side effects, and after seeing the effect when manufacturing them together as medicine, I put aside my concerns and turned back to say to Beni,

“Do we have some Blood-Replenishing Pill ingredients in stock?”

“Blood-Replenishing Pill? I’ll be right back!”

Beni rushed out in a hurry, and thanks to that, I had to do the work she had been doing, but the quantity was not large. After all, it was only enough to manufacture an experimental batch, so I had not prepared much.

A little while later, I watched the process of thoroughly drying the Haegeumcho, putting it into the grinder, and turning it into fine powder, and then I saw Beni enter the workshop together with Matilda.

“You called for me?”

“Ah, I wanted to know how much stock of Blood-Replenishing Pills we have. How is it?”

“If it is Blood-Replenishing Pills, we are always putting great effort into stockpiling enough for two million people.”

“Two million… Was it ten days’ worth per person?”

Matilda said that was so. After thinking for a moment, I explained the current state of the kingdom to Matilda and informed her that there was a problem with the rock salt being brought into the country.

Then she asked with a serious expression.

“We cannot cut off trade with them all at once. If they demand evidence, what do you intend to do?”

“There would not really be a method. But gradually reduce our future trade network. And as for the rock salt we have brought in, it will need to go through a refining process.”

After thinking over several processes that came to mind, I continued speaking to Matilda.

“I do not know what grade of rock salt will come from the Dragon Mountains, but at least from now on, let us establish a certain standard for importing salt.”

“When you say a standard, what sort…?”

“We will separately designate grades for rock salt. Unlike the grades used until now, we will designate new grades unique to our Ingrad and only bring in rock salt that meets them. And in the case of the trading companies we currently have contracts with, have the contracts terminated in order of highest volume by paying a small penalty.”

“…The backlash will be fierce.”

“We cannot bring in poison and let our people die, can we?”

Besides, if the volume brought in was large, putting all of it through secondary refining could be called a major problem as well. Unless we had separate factory facilities and refined the salt before distributing it to the people…

For the moment, I settled on not bringing in any salt aside from the minimum amount necessary.

After delegating part of the work to Matilda like that, I gestured to Beni and had her manufacture Blood-Replenishing Pills.

Beni had now also reached a level where she could handle medicinal ingredients to a certain degree, so I had asked her to do it. Beni made the Blood-Replenishing Pills quite well, and as though inserting something in the middle of that process, I began adding the powdered Haegeumcho and creating several kinds of mixtures.

“Why are you dividing them like that?”

“To find the best mixture condition. I also need to experiment. Besides, right now, it is fortunate that there is no demand for Haegeumcho, but if that were not the case, it could cause a massive loss of funds, so it is right to find the proper amount for the sake of the effect as well.”

“I see…?”

Beni had an expression that said she did not quite understand, but she followed the instructions well.

After that, starting from the ones with a lot of Haegeumcho to the ones with little, I made various types, then ordered them distributed to the maids in the castle.

I did not specifically say that I was experimenting, but I told them there would be an interview once after ten days to check their progress, and I had to give an additional order that they thoroughly take the distributed Blood-Replenishing Pills.

‘Now… do I just wait for the results…?’

It could be called a time of endurance in its own way.

After that, I began manufacturing various kinds of medicines and broadly examining how Haegeumcho could be used, and as that work continued for quite a long time, the smell of medicine-making began to drift strongly through the castle after a long while.

However, several sharp-eyed maids and others lingered near the workshop and asked me to develop various medicines, and among them, there was one suggestion that particularly drew my interest.

“You mean your lips are severely cracked?”

Certainly, I could see that the maid’s lips were split open and in a terrible state, and after realizing that there were quite a few maids in that condition, I said,

“A new cosmetic has occurred to me… so look forward to it.”

At those words of mine, the maid and the other women working in the castle cheered.