I poured myself some tea made from tea leaves procured from a new route Maha had developed.

It seemed that the locals used it without fermenting it, as with green tea, but after trying it, I thought it would taste better fermented, so I fermented it like black tea.

I preferred it that way not only for its taste, but also for its medicinal properties.

[This tea has a very sour taste. It’s good for when you’re tired, but it wouldn’t suit everyone’s taste. Its aroma is harder to bear than its flavor. It’s pungent and somewhat prickly.] (Maha)

[I think so too. I’ll have to make some improvements before I can sell it in stores. No… Rather than making it suitable for all, it’s better to give it even more aroma, sourness, and medicinal properties. By nature, it has a stimulating effect and neutralizes fatigue, so rather than as a cure, I’ll put it on sale as a kind of tonic that you can drink to keep yourself moving for an hour or two.] (Lugh)

I had a feeling that this could be done by processing the tea leaves in some way.

And if we could produce it the way I hoped for, then it would be in high demand on the battlefield.

[If the demons and monsters become more active in the future, sales of luxury goods will decline. This trend is beginning to emerge. The aristocrats are also starting to arm themselves against monsters and demons and reduce their spending on luxury items. In order to make up for that, we should have a product that can be sold to the military.] (Lugh)

It was just an idea, but I was sure it would be the right choice.

[Good idea. If the military has a regular supply of it, we can sell it in large quantities and on a regular basis. The fact that Orna has a monopoly on sales channels is also a strong point. Considering the medicinal properties of our drink, we have a good chance of succeeding. Leave the marketing to me.] (Maha)

[As expected of Illig-sama, I could smell the profit from just one tea. I have to learn from you.] (Beruid)

This kind of thing was my specialty.

After all, some herbs were used as medicine, and others as poison.

As an assassin, I was quite adept at handling them.

[I’ll make some improvements in that direction and send them to Maha once I’ve completed it. Also, Maha. If possible, I’d like you to keep purchasing these tea leaves from local farms and peasants like you did last time.] (Lugh)

[Understood. I’m surprised you like them so much.] (Maha)

[It’s for the medicinal properties. And it’s something that’s not easy to find on this continent, after all.] (Lugh)

No matter how much knowledge and skills you had, you couldn’t do anything without materials.

If there were tea leaves containing effective active agents that I could not find in this country, I wanted to stock as many of them as possible.

…Besides, I needed this ingredient not just for our products, but for my personal use as well.

[I’ll keep working on it. And with good timing since I’m going to have my regular duties thrust upon Beruid, so my hands will be free.] (Maha)

[These are my responsibilities now. I wanted to try my hand at something new myself, but unfortunately, that plan is still in the rough. Until then, I will focus on preserving and developing it.] (Beruid)

[I’ll be counting on you two.] (Lugh)

I could truly rely on these two.

If I tried to do this by myself, it would’ve taken up too much of my time.

I would’ve liked for the three of us to talk for a while longer, but I really wanted to spend some time with Maha.

[Beruid-sama, I’m sorry, but I need to talk to Maha alone. Can you give us a moment, please? …No wait, you said earlier that you had something important to tell me, right? I’m all ears now.] (Lugh)

Beruid was making a big deal out of it. It had to be a fairly serious matter.

[Thank you very much. I was thinking of telling Maha alone, but then I thought it wouldn’t be fair, so I decided that if I was going to say it, it would be when you are around, Illig-sama.] (Beruid)

His expression suddenly stiffened and he looked at Maha’s face, then at mine.

[Maha, please marry me. Illig-sama, I would like your permission to do so.] (Beruid)

Maha and I looked at each other.

I was shaken, but Maha remained calm.

Then she smiled sadly.

[I’m surprised. I never thought that the scion of the Balor Company would say such a thing to a commoner like me. Isn’t there a better match for you? Both for you and for Balor.] (Maha)

[There is no better woman than you, Maha. Working together, I fell for you from the bottom of my heart. It doesn’t matter what your pedigree is. Your skills are worth more than any family background or rights. Above all, I fell in love with your beauty and strength. I’m serious.] (Beruid)

[Yes, I can tell. Then I’ll answer seriously too. I’m sorry.] (Maha)

She bowed her head.

She gave him an immediate reply without a moment’s hesitation.

It should’ve been unthinkable to refuse a proposal from the scion of the Balor Company, yet she did just that.

Even though she could’ve become one of the richest people in the world if she accepted.

[I guess… I don’t even have to ask you why. I knew it. But that’s why I wanted to say it. You’re a coward, Illig-sama. Even though you’re aware of her feelings, you ignore them and keep her bound by them. …I have to go.] (Beruid)

[Wait.] (Lugh)

[Please rest assured. I will do my job properly. I will think of love and work as two separate matters. This will be my pride as a merchant.] (Beruid)

Beruid left the room.

I didn’t think he would propose to Maha.

No actually, there was nothing strange about it.

Maha was an attractive woman, after all.

[Maha, are you sure about this? If you tied the knot with the heir of the Balor Company, you could do any business you want. Also, you could make your dream come true.] (Lugh)

[It’s okay. I belong to you, Illig-niisan.] (Maha)

Maha hugged me.

Even after what happened, she was the same as ever. And for some reason, she was in a good mood.

[Were you happy to be proposed to?] (Lugh)

[What are you saying? Of course not. I’m happy because you got jealous for me. You’re supposed to be acting as Illig right now, yet you got so upset you revealed your true feelings. Haven’t you noticed the tone of your voice going back to normal?] (Maha)

[How embarrassing. I still have much to practice.] (Lugh)

There was no way I could pretend not to be upset in that state.

Maha will be taken away from me. The moment I thought that, I felt as if I had swallowed lead.

In my previous life, I had never been this distraught.

Even when I was close to death.

This was probably because I had become human.

[As someone who’s always been jealous, that was a great sight. You should be jealous once in a while. That’s how I feel all the time. Even yesterday, you went to such a sketchy place with your cute girlfriend.] (Maha)

[How do you know about that?] (Lugh)

[This city is the center of the intelligence network I’ve laid out. Even when you act as Lugh, I’m informed of everything.] (Maha)

[…You truly are a capable one.] (Lugh)

[Yes, I am. I’m convenient. So never let go of me. In fact, if you don’t keep me close to you, I might go away someday.] (Maha)

[What can I do to prevent that?] (Lugh)

[I think there’s only one way to keep a woman in your life.] (Maha)

I understood Maha’s request.

However, I couldn’t grant it.

[I brought you a souvenir. Cream puffs from Courlogne, your favorite.] (Lugh)

[Fufu, I see you’re taking this pretty lightly. But I’ll forgive you for today. I’m a patient girl. I can still wait.] (Maha)

[Sorry.] (Lugh)

[But don’t expect me to wait forever.] (Maha)

[I’ll keep that in mind.] (Lugh)

I’d seen how easily people changed their mind so often that I was sick of it.

That’s why I didn’t want to take advantage of Maha’s love.

[Alright. Let’s get down to business. I finally got what you wanted, Illig-niisan. The secret ingredient used by tribesmen from a continent far to the south, across the sea, to put themselves in a trance during soul-calling ceremonies. It’s a dried mushroom called marsh.] (Maha)

Maha laid out the dried mushrooms from a leather bag.

I crushed them with my fingers and rolled them on my tongue.

[…Exactly what I wanted. With this, I can make a new trump card.] (Lugh)

[What will you use it for?] (Maha)

[A drug. Remember the one I synthesized that removed the brain’s limiters and temporarily increased the amount of mana released?] (Lugh)

It was thanks to this that I was able to survive the demon’s attack on the academy.

[Yes. I had a hard time gathering the ingredients for that one.] (Maha)

[I’ll make a drug this time as well. It’ll be designed to temporarily increase my concentration to the limit and improve my brain’s processing ability.] (Lugh)

[What will be the use of that?] (Maha)

[The thing is I’ve become a little too powerful for my body to keep up. I want to be able to unleash my full power when a strong enemy actually shows up. The other reason is that I want to experiment with my skills. You see, there’s more you can do with skills than simply using them. I realized it when I watched the hero fight. And the key to this is concentration and processing ability. To get to that point, I’ll need this drug.] (Lugh)

That’s why I wanted to synthesize it.

What I was trying to create was based on the drug refinement from my previous life.

I was relying on folklore and rituals scattered throughout the country to collect the right ingredients.

I was convinced that I could tell by tasting them with my tongue here and now. That they were what I was looking for. If I mixed them with all the drugs I had gathered so far, I could get the one I wanted.

The tea leaves that I served to Maha and Beruid today were also one of the ingredients.

[Sounds rather risky. But considering what you’re trying to achieve, this is necessary, huh. Leave it to me. I’ll quickly set up the infrastructure to ensure a stable supply.] (Maha)

[Yeah, thanks for that. Sorry I keep asking you favors.] (Lugh)

I owed Maha too much.

I was hoping to return the favour someday.

[It’s okay. I plan for you to compensate me for that. With a date. Wouldn’t it be unfair if you had a date with your adorable girlfriend, yet you didn’t go on one with me after all my hard work? I’ve made reservations at a very nice restaurant.] (Maha)

[I see, let’s call Dia and Tarte over then.] (Lugh)

[That’s out of the question. I told you this was a date, right? I’d also booked a hotel room, but I’ll cancel it. I can’t expect a man of your character to get intimate with another woman the day after he and his girlfriend had their first time together.]

[Thank you for your consideration.] (Lugh)

[You’re welcome. Hmm-hmm, yes. Based on his reaction just now, I have a feeling that if I give it some time and Illig-niisan is in a situation where he can afford to make excuses in his mind, then I could make it work. And that’s when I’ll set my trap.] (Maha)

Better stay on my guard.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to have that kind of relationship with Maha, but I didn’t want to be swept away into doing that kind of stuff.

[Dia and Tarte are gentle and easy to work with, but when I’m with you, I’m constantly being pushed around.] (Lugh)

[I don’t think I can compete with those two… as a gentle woman who treats her man with due respect. I’m going to compete with my own charm. Which is why, leave it to me to escort you on our date.] (Maha)

After that, I was escorted by Maha and enjoyed our date.

Being led like this wasn’t so bad once in a while.

I was glad to have gotten the ingredients for the drug before fighting the demons.

It would definitely be one of my trump cards.

And this was just an assumption, but once I took this drug, perhaps if I used【My Loyal Knights】more thoroughly, I could choose which skills to give to Tarte and Dia.

Once I returned to Tuatha Dé, I would immediately start compounding and experimenting with the drug.