I’ve Become a S*ave Bride - Chapter 30
“When did they find that out in Ecaron? ”
“Not long ago. It was discovered quite by chance.”
Her expression changed subtly as she continued her explanation. Perhaps that’s why? A story that would normally not pique his interest suddenly became intriguing.
“How did they discover it?”
Lenette slightly averted her gaze. Then, staring into the void, she continued her explanation.
“There were those who realized that substances like grease, which don’t wash off easily with water, can be removed well using liquor.”
“Who are they?”
“Um… they’re probably the technicians who work with metals or something like that.”
What is this feeling? It seems like she’s beating around the bush despite knowing the exact situation.
Kazen furrowed his brow slightly before relaxing it again.
It wasn’t something he could just grab her by the collar and demand the truth about, and even if he did, she wasn’t the type to spill it.
Well, he didn’t want to resort to such rough methods with her anyway.
“So…”
“Yes?”
“The story isn’t over yet.”
“Ah…”
At that, Lenette awkwardly shrugged her shoulders.
“I don’t really know what happened after that… The technicians had a habit of using liquor to remove grease… and I think they continued that practice even on the battlefield…”
It felt like she was intentionally trailing off.
But even if he knew, Kazen pretended not to and continued the conversation.
“So, the technicians discovered the usefulness of liquor?”
“Yes.”
“Do metalworkers in Ecaron also act as physicians?”
“Not at all.”
“But how was their discovery utilized in medicine?”
“Well… it’s said that only the metalworkers had relatively minor injuries and faster recovery rates. So… the physicians dug into this and found out about it. I’ve only heard about it vaguely, so I don’t know the details.”
As Kazen listened to the story, he couldn’t help but chuckle.
‘Vaguely heard, huh?’
She must have been one of those physicians who “dug into” it.
As if she sensed his thoughts, Lenette added,
“It’s a very famous anecdote. It’s even mentioned in children’s stories.”
“Who said that?”
“……”
When Kazen casually responded, Lenette bit her lip.
She seemed to be trying to downplay it, but unfortunately, she knew too much for someone who claimed not to know. It was as if she had experienced the process herself.
“Anyway, you can distill liquor and use it for that disinfection or whatever, right?”
“Yes.”
“Lenette, you can make that.”
“…It’s one of the things that those who studied divine medicine in Ecaron can do easily.”
Is she worried about it sounding too special? She keeps adding more explanations.
“Got it. I just need to buy any liquor?”
“It’s better if it’s liquor with fewer impurities, if possible.”
“Understood. I’ll prepare it.”
Kazen moved his feet again.
Then, Lenette, who had been wearing a somewhat reluctant expression, moved as well.
* * *
A few days later.
“Refined liquor is an indispensable element in Ecaron’s divine medicine.”
The result of that statement was immense.
“I can’t believe this….”
Lenette quietly stared down at the jars of liquor before her.
“Did they bring back every type of liquor from the village?”
There were enough jars of liquor to fill the entire backyard of the abandoned palace.
“I didn’t mean to imply that this much was necessary.”
Lenette blankly gazed at the new jars of liquor still coming in through the back door.
“People really… have no sense of moderation. No sense of moderation at all.”
She grumbled for a moment, but what could she do? It was something she had brought upon herself.
‘Why did I let my guard down without realizing it…?’
She had spilled facts that didn’t need to be said.
It was a perfect blunder on her part.
‘I talked too much that day….’
About herself and about Ecaron’s medicine.
In fact, contrary to what she had told Kazen, the history of discovering the “uses of distilled liquor” was not widely known in the Ecaron Kingdom. In other words, it was a piece of relatively high-level information that few people knew.
‘What if he finds out that I know something like this….’
How would he react?
‘It seems that their need for doctors is quite desperate.’
What if he resolves not to let her go?
‘That would make it even harder to escape.’
She needed to express her value to him, but at the same time, she shouldn’t overemphasize that value.
However, it seemed she had overemphasized it that day.
‘I must not make the same mistake again.’
With that determination, Lenette shook her head vigorously.
“It’s already happened anyway. What can I do about it? And we do need the liquor, right?”
Lenette said to the servant standing nearby.
“I need a large pot. Ideally, I also need a lid shaped like this.”
She explained while drawing on the ground with a twig.
‘If only we had an Ecaron-style distiller, it would be a bit easier.’
If you don’t have teeth, you have to chew with your gums.
What she drew was not a professional distiller made of copper. It was a distiller made of common pottery, with a conical lid placed on top of a jar.
“After filling the jar with some liquor, I’ll place a ‘high-necked dish’ inside where the liquor will collect during distillation.”
“Will you cover it with a lid like this?”
“Yes. But the cone of the lid will be facing inward, not outward. At this time, you need to adjust it so that the tip of the cone is positioned above the ‘high-necked dish.’”
“Understood. I will prepare the tools as closely as possible to what you described.”
“Thank you.”
Once everything is prepared and the liquor is boiled at the right temperature, they can obtain a liquid that is called ‘alcohol’ in Ecaron.
Of course, the specific liquid that comes out at the start of the distillation cannot be used, as it has been proven to be toxic.
What Lenette intends to use is not the initial liquid but the liquid obtained after processing in the same way several more times. This is the ‘alcohol.’
“I also need cold water to use as cooling water. Can you get some?”
“Yes. The water stored in the basement is quite cold.”
“Great. Then please do that.”
Lenette rolled up her sleeves and took a deep breath.
The amount obtainable with a primitive distiller is very limited, and its purity is also low. Plus, it’s very cumbersome.
But what can be done? It has to be done.
“Please install this in the location I mentioned to everyone else.”
“Yes, I understand.”
* * *
“Is this the distilled liquor?”
“Yes. But even if it’s called ‘liquor,’ it’s better not to drink it carelessly. The purity is too high.”
Lenette retrieved the small vial from Kazen’s hand again.
“Are you worried I might drink it?”
“No. You said you don’t like liquor.”
“Then?”
“There isn’t much because we don’t have a proper distillation machine, so the yield is low.”
This was a roundabout way of saying not to carelessly carry around and waste the precious alcohol.
For some reason, he willingly stepped back.
“I’ll warn the others.”
Kazen was that serious about ‘medicine.’
Perhaps because of this, he brought up a topic he usually wouldn’t discuss.
“Isn’t it stuffy here?”
Lenette’s hands, which were organizing the vials, momentarily stopped. She usually managed her expressions well, but for some reason, she kept revealing her true feelings in front of him.
“So it really is stuffy.”
“……If I said it wasn’t, that would be a lie.”
“You’re quite honest about this.”
His words carried a hint of truth, but Lenette pretended not to notice.
“But it’s not to the point where I can’t stand it.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“Then I almost made an unnecessary consideration.”
“Consideration…?”
In the end, Lenette let go of the vial.
“Are you saying… I can go out alone?”
Finally ready to converse, Kazen leaned against one arm of the chair and smugly raised the corners of his mouth.
“Yeah. But you’re saying it’s not to the point where you can’t stand it, so it’s not really a meaningful consideration.”
“……”
He knows what he’s doing.
He clearly understands that she wants to go out freely, yet he says that.
‘So annoying.’
In the end, what he wants is for her to say, “Please allow me to go out.”
Lenette briefly squeezed her eyes shut and then opened them.
“It’s not to the point where I can’t stand it, but it would be nice if I could go out whenever I want.”
Kazen continued to nod, as if encouraging her to speak more.
He looked as if he were her superior, which irritated her, but what could she do? Their position differences dictated that.
“Basically, Ecaron and Tajet are different. The names and appearances of the herbs are all different. So it’s not easy to gather the necessary herbs through Najan.”
Kazen seemed to have received this information as he nodded.
“That’s why it’s better for me to see and collect what I need for medicine directly.”
“Is that all?”
“What do you mean?”
“The reason you want to go out.”
“Yes.”
This time, her answer came without a hint of hesitation. It wasn’t a lie.
‘Everything has its order.’
And in her opinion, what she needed to focus on right now was not creating an escape route.
It was necessary to blend in naturally among the locals here.
Thus, what she said now was sincere, without a hint of falsehood.
“Right now, I’m only interested in how to translate the medical skills I have in this empire.”
