kscans

Chapter 241 - The Snake Wine Debate (Part 2)

"Ah, Yuri-kun, you might find it strange, but ‘tonic and revitalizing effects’ is actually a weak point for so-called recovery potions."

"Is that so!?"

Adon kindly began to explain about "potions," but...

"When the diseased or injured part is clear, you just have to restore it to its original state. Recovery medicine or healing magic can handle that. In contrast, a vague goal like tonic effects is a field that recovery medicine and healing magic are not good at."

The term recovery-type "potion" was smoothly replaced with recovery "medicine," but neither Yuri nor Adon noticed. The former because he didn't know the difference, the latter because he knew it too well to be conscious of it.

"...I had no idea..."

Yuri was left momentarily stunned, having been told a fact of this world that neither his Appraisal master nor his Guide mentor had taught him, a fact more important than the difference between "potion" and "medicine." At this point, such a trivial matter had been blown to the far reaches of his mind.

Then, with the addition of Adon’s wife’s sigh-filled accusation, Yuri’s attention was diverted in yet another direction.

"Because of that, most medicines of this type are shady. And yet this man, his eyes dazzled by the promise of ‘tonic effects,’ buys every new product that comes out..."

"W-well, it’s not like they’re harmful, so it’s fine, isn’t it?"

When Yuri discreetly glanced around, both his old friend Old Man Audel and Dona shrugged their shoulders, feigning ignorance. It seemed Adon’s tonic hobby was widely known.

Just as this unexpected weakness of the seemingly steadfast merchant Adon was revealed, he said,

"A-anyway, Yuri-kun. What kind of thing is that snake wine? I mean... how is it made...?"

It was obvious he was desperately trying to change the subject, but just as the ever-polite Yuri was about to answer,

(...Wait a minute? Does distilled liquor exist in this country?)

He had already used Appraisal on the snake wine he bought during the day and knew it was a type of poisonous snake steeped in distilled liquor. From that, it seemed certain that distilled liquor existed in this world, but...

(...I haven't seen any distilled liquor until now, have I?)

As mentioned before, the technique of "distillation" itself was known in the Rivairein Kingdom, but the idea of applying it to alcohol production had not emerged. Alcohol as a solvent, occasionally used in alchemy, was known, but that was methyl alcohol obtained from the dry distillation of wood. It was known to be poisonous, due to an unfortunate accident, so no one had thought to drink it. For some reason, no one had tried to distill alcoholic beverages, so, at least in this country, the existence of drinkable alcohol, the fact that alcoholic beverages contained alcohol, and the possibility of creating stronger liquor through distillation... were all, strangely enough, completely unknown.

On the other hand, distilled liquor itself was known, as imported goods from overseas occasionally arrived, but it was thought to be a liquor made with some mysterious, secret method.

Yuri was unaware of these underlying circumstances, but it seemed a revelation struck him that carelessly revealing his knowledge of distilled liquor would lead to nothing good.

"...I hear it’s poisonous snakes steeped in strong liquor. I don’t know what kind of snake is suitable as an ingredient, or what kind of liquor is used for steeping, though."

And so, for once, he succeeded in playing dumb completely.