“Magic origin element?” hearing these words, Louie opened his eyes wide. The name sounded quite lofty.

He looked towards Marches, whose excitement was yet to die down. The old fellow was holding one of the crops in his hands. At first, Louie thought it might be a yam. After all, in many Earthen legends, yams were auspicious crops with many magical features. He was wrong, however, as a second look confirmed it to be Japanese horseradish. In other words, wasabi.

On Earth, most exported wasabi was not 100% pure. Rather they consisted of horseradish or mustard mixed with some kind of neutral ingredient with food coloring added. The average person could not afford to eat pure wasabi as it was a very difficult plant to grow. It required careful control of the environment as well as a delicacy in cultivation. To top it off was the two-year growth period it needed to reach maturity. In the US, a pound of wasabi could go for between $50 to $150.

‘So, it’s not yams…’

Louie was a little disappointed but soon perked up. It did not really matter if it was yams or wasabi. Although wasabi was rarer and more expensive, it wasn’t too hard to find. He could easily find dozens of it to eat if it improved his magic power. 

“Magic origin element? What is that?” Louie gazed at Marches who looked excited and asked.

“You don’t know?” said Marches before he instantly covered his mouth in fear. Redressing himself and speaking with a far more deferential tone, he continued, “Master, the magic origin element is a rare ingredient that can typically only be found in a plant called the ‘Heart of Mismisella’. It is a rare and important ingredient that can help mages advance significantly. It can be said that all mages have a close relationship with the plant.”

“You said that wasabi… I mean, the plant that you are holding has a substance that is only found in the Heart of Mismisella?”

“Yes, master. This plant contains the magic origin element. This is a great discovery for the magic community. Finally, there is an alternative to the Heart of Mismisella!” Marches said fervently.

“What is the use of the magic origin element then?” Louie was not in a hurry and carefully listened to Marches’ explanation.

Marches was not surprised that Louie did not know what magic origin element was. Although every mage knew about it, his new master had likely slept for several millennia. The scholars of his time would likely have been completely ignorant of the plant.

“Let me explain further, master. Mismisella is the name of the God of magic. Legend has it that he was the first person to discover the magic origin element and the only plant that contains it was named after him! The magic origin element can be made into a foundational magic potion. Every mage is required to take it, as it can develop their physique and make their bodies more adaptable to magic!”

Marches continued, “If an ordinary person is forced to learn spells, their bodies will gradually be eroded by the magic power used and they will eventually die. Only one in a million people can do it without a foundational magic potion, but because of the plant’s rarity, its price is quite steep, and there are also processing costs to consider. Even if you give ordinary people spell books, they won’t be able to use them without drinking the magic potion. That’s why the plant became vital to mages and was also named the magic origin element.”

Hearing this, Louie was a bit disappointed. He thought that as long as he ate a lot of wasabi he would be able to become invulnerable. Novels were indeed just nonsense.

The name might have seemed profound, but the actual function was decidedly less so. Still, at least it was a fairly pertinent name.

Louie doubted that the God of magic was like Shennong, the Chinese Farmer God who tasted hundreds of herbs before finding the one he needed. He also doubted that the magic origin element was the sole reason behind Mismisella becoming a God.

“Then, other than creating the foundational magic potion, what other uses does it have?” Louie asked persistently.

“Master, the magic origin element is also very useful for high-ranked mages. It can create magic potions to speed up the recovery of magic power and spirit, which are critical to mages’ abilities. That’s why the Heart of Mismisella is also the basic currency in the magic community.”

Marches said respectfully.

At this time, Louie understood why Marches was shocked. It was not because he was shocked about the quantity, but because he found the currency of mages in another plant.

This was indeed an unparalleled discovery.

Louie took a look at the wasabi that was probably a couple of pounds. It was probably brought by one of the ship’s crew members to improve the taste of food. At that time, Louie brought all the edibles of the ship with him, but he did not notice the wasabi mixed in.

“How much magic potion can you make with this plant?” Louie suddenly asked.

Marches pondered for a bit and replied, “Probably sufficient for a low-rank mage’s demands for more than a year.

Louie’s eyes lit up.

Although wasabi was expensive on Earth, it did not mean it could not be grown. If he could bring more wasabi and manufacture magic potions, then wouldn’t he be able to create his own legion of mages one day?

Even if they were only low ranked, with enough of them working in concert, any force would be wary of approaching the city. And the mages might eventually raise their ranks as well.

If Louie could properly harness the powers of many low-ranked mages, he would likely possess the means to make Dragon City far more developed than its surroundings.

Moreover, since this was also the mage’s currency, perhaps it could also be used to recruit some powerful helpers. When the time came, he might even be able to establish his own magic council and become its first chairman.

With this thought, Louie felt that these wasabi were treasures!

He pointed at the wasabi and said, “From now on this will be called ‘Heart of Louie’... no, wait, let’s call it ‘Louie’s Essence’.” 

It was better to call it ‘Louie’s Essence’ and make them into magic potions. This way the mages would be drinking his essence.

TL NOTE: Don’t ask me about the yam thing. It’s probably from a different work by the same author or a different one.