Chapter 25

At the age of eight, I ended up getting involved in alcohol production.

When I think about it again, it feels like I’m doing something really bad.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

“It’s not you, Helcof. If you’re being asked to produce more, it means it’s selling well, right?”

In the empire, unlike in Japan, it was not prohibited to make alcohol individually, but permission was required to sell it.

That’s why Helcof sold it to someone he knew who dealt with alcohol.

After all, we didn’t have any sales channels.

I had only intended it as a trial.

But Helcof’s acquaintance, after tasting it and finding it sellable, eagerly asked for more, and as soon as he received it, he put up "sold" signs.

“I didn’t expect it to sell out and even become a rare item in the palace. It’s quite surprising.”

“I thought the quality was good, but still, wow.”

When Ikt returned to the production site, he laughed at the unexpected turn of events, while Wearrel shook his head, saying it was beyond his expectations.

Perhaps there was a preconception that it was made by a child.

To be honest, I had the same underestimation.

“There have been people who distilled alcohol before, right? I wonder why.”

I thought while operating the still.

There were completed stills available, and books mentioned the distillation of alcohol.

This still only required monitoring the heat, so I was grinding herbs picked from the garden to extract them as fragrances.

Helcof also looked at the still, which is an alchemical apparatus, with renewed interest.

“What is the alcohol for?”

“It’s to purify it to a state called ethanol. It can be used as medicine and as a solvent.”

Ikt raised a possibility in response to my explanation.

“Perhaps that’s why it wasn’t considered as a beverage.”

“It’s possible that it existed before but was lost, right?”

Wearrel nodded in agreement with the two of us.

But I was still uneasy about it.

“Is alchemy really that obsolete? I think it’s a great technology.”

“Well, from the perspective of a prince who can understand complex terms and even create intelligent entities like Sefiras, it might seem that way. But magic is easier to use and has greater effects.”

“I object.”

I raised a point.

Helcof’s words were hard to ignore.

“Alchemy is a practical technology. Even if it’s difficult to master or create, it can become a powerful tool.”

In response to my counterargument, Ikt tried to mediate.

“Public perception is as Helcof says. It’s also considered impractical.”

“But there are so many related books, and it’s written that it was used to develop this capital in history.”

The imperial library I can access has a certain number of alchemy-related books.

While some of the content was intentionally made difficult to read, it was still usable.

Then Wearrel said something unexpected.

“It’s referred to as a legend, but it is indeed written in the palace’s library as historical fact.”

Wait, does that mean it’s treated with skepticism?

But things like geological modification and water supply, which are more scientific, are done through alchemy, not magic.

After all, they can still be used today without a continuous supply of magical power.

“Could you, Your Highness, possibly recreate those ancient legends?”

“I can. It would require equipment and personnel, but the principles are clearly written. It’s a logical method, not just a legend.”

My answer made the attendants exchange glances.

They weren’t doubting me, but they were skeptical about alchemy.

At the same time, because they could use magic, they found the many steps in alchemy difficult.

I realized this late because the attendants were too kind to say it outright, but alchemy is often looked down upon.

(If Sefira hadn’t told me, I might not have noticed. Alchemy is treated as an inferior technology that merely imitates magic.)

(I object.)

Sefira, who was born from alchemy, spontaneously joined my thoughts.

Because Sefira had casually read through the books, I noticed the derogatory remarks about alchemy.

This revealed the low status of alchemy as a field of study.

(Many mages write papers that denigrate alchemy alongside the rise of magic. This is unacceptable.)

(The spread of biased views due to the prevailing trends is concerning. I recommend a correction.)

(That’s a bit much to ask of me. I’ll do it if I get the chance.)

In my previous life, it was treated similarly, as superstition or fraud.

The only recognized effect was the extraction of poisons, which made it seem dubious.

“Alright, let’s start with something close to us.”

“Prince Asha?”

Ikt tried to follow me as I stood up, so I entrusted him with grinding the herbs.

“Helcof, do you know what essence is?”

“Not really, I’m not familiar with alchemy.”

“Essence, or elixir, is an alchemical item.”

Wearrel answered.

There is an alchemy school in the Academy Kingdom of Lukiusaria, and Wearrel has been provided with alchemical equipment from there.

Since he had read the books I was reading, he knew about it.

“What is the general perception of essence?”

Ikt, while moving his hands, explained.

“It’s often marketed as a way to extract and contain elemental attributes for practical use. However, it can only do things like ignite fires or produce small amounts of water, and magic is still more effective.”

Essence has four attributes: earth, water, fire, and wind.

It is a liquid that can be dissolved in a medicinal solution and is also called an elixir.

I took out a test tube containing the four elemental essences I had made.

“Okay, let’s try this. Helcof, who can only use body enhancement.”

“What is it, Professor Asha?”

I like Helcof’s enthusiasm.

I sat Helcof in front of a smaller still, which is used for distilling wine.

I had him set up the dried leaves of a herb called snow crystal flower, which resembles snowflakes.

First, I used the fire essence to light a magical fire.

“This adds the power of magic, making it faster than the usual method. Next, use this mortar. Mix the earth essence with this powder thoroughly.”

The wind essence is mixed with the liquid produced after distilling the snow crystal flower leaves to cool it down.

This further enhances the effects and saves time.

“Then, as you add the distilled liquid to the mortar, slowly add the water essence.”

The result was a silvery, viscous liquid with a metallic sheen.

“Now, add this to the beaker of ordinary water.”

Helcof followed the instructions without understanding what he was doing.

As soon as he added the silvery liquid to the water, the contents of the beaker froze instantly.

“Oh, wow! It’s really cold!”

“Congratulations, Helcof. You’ve achieved the same effect as a water magic spell, which is difficult even for a water mage.”

I said proudly, and Helcof was speechless.

Ikt, who could use water magic, smiled wryly.

“Even I can’t do that, Helcof. Indeed, to learn this in such a short time and without a water affinity, it’s a remarkable skill.”

“And it’s a practical skill. If I follow this method, I can also instantly create ice.”

Wearrel, as always, understood quickly.

This is a significant difference from the alchemy in my world.

Thanks to the existence of magic, what was once considered dubious becomes reality.

And scientific thinking can also be applied.

“I still don’t know much about the world, so there must be better uses. Sorry, Ikt, I’ve been grinding for a while.”

I took the mortar from Ikt, and since it was sufficiently ground, I used it for scent extraction.

Hmm, I feel like I’m just making alcohol, which seems a bit off.

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Next: Magic and Science 2