Maha bought tea from a new route and brewed it.

But when I tasted the tea, I thought it is better to ferment it and use it like black tea.
　But when I saw the taste, I thought it is better to use fermented tea like black tea.

It has a strong sour taste. It's good for when you're tired, but it's a taste for everyone. The aroma is even more spicy than the taste. It has a pungent and somehow unpleasant aroma.
I agree. We need to improve it a little more before we put it on the shelves. Rather than trying to please everyone, I'd rather make it more aromatic, more acidic, and more medicinal. It has a stimulating and paralyzing effect on the body, and I would market it not as a cure, but as a kind of reminder, to be taken to force oneself to move for an hour or two.

I have a feeling that this can be managed by processing the tea leaves in an ingenious way.
　And if we can get what we want, there will be a demand for it on the battlefield.

"As demons and monsters become more active in the future, sales of luxury goods will decline. This trend is beginning to emerge. The nobles have begun to prepare their armies against demons and monsters and have begun to reduce their spending on luxury goods. To make up for that, it's better to have products that can be sold against the military.

It's an idea, but I'm sure it's right.

'Good. If the army is willing to keep it on hand, we can sell it in bulk and on a regular basis. And with Orna's monopoly on distribution, it's a strong point. Considering the medicinal value of the product, we have a good chance of winning. Leave the selling to me.
'As expected of you, Mr. Irg, I can smell a profit from a cup of tea. I have to follow your example.

I'm good at this.
　After all, herbs are a kind of medicine, a poison.
　And being an assassin, I know what to do with them.

I'll give you an upgrade and send it to Maha when it's ready. And then Macha. And then, Maha, I want you to proceed with the purchase of this tea, preferably with the purchase of all the local farmers and peasants, like we did last time.
All right. I'm surprised you like it that much.
Its medicinal properties. It's very hard to find in this part of the world.
　No matter how much knowledge and skill you have, if you don't have the ingredients you can't do anything.
　There is no such thing in this country, and when it comes to tea leaves containing an effective ingredient, we want to stock up on it as much as possible.
　...And besides making it a commodity, we need this ingredient privately as well.

I'll get on with it. I'm just about to be forced to take care of my regular duties with the bellids, and I'll have my hands free.
I'm in charge. I'd like to try something new, but to my regret, the plan is still very rough. Until then, I'll just focus on protecting and nurturing them.
You're in good hands, guys.

It's really dependable.
　Trying to do this on my own would take up a lot of time.
　I'd like to talk to you three for a while, but I'd really like to have some time with Maha.

'Mr. Beluid, I'm sorry, but Maha and I need to talk to you alone. Could you excuse us?　 I'm listening.

The bells and whistles were loud and boisterous. It's quite a big deal.

'Thank you. I was going to talk to Maha alone, but I didn't think that would be fair, so I decided that if I was going to tell you, it would be when Master Ilg was there.'

Suddenly his expression hardened and he looked first at Maha's face and then at me.

'Maha, you must marry me. I would ask Master Irg's permission to do so.

Me and Maha look at each other.
　I'm upset, but Maha's is calmer.
　Then she smiles sadly.

'I'm surprised. 'I'm surprised that a sergeant of the Valor Chamber of Commerce would say such a thing to a commoner like me. Couldn't he have found someone better?　For you and for the Valor Chamber of Commerce.
'There's no better woman than Maha. I worked with her and I fell in love with her. It doesn't matter what your family background is. Maha's skills are worth more than any family background or rights. Most of all, I fell in love with Maha's beauty and strength. I'm serious.
'Yes, you're serious. Then I'm serious about answering you. I'm sorry.

He lowers his head.
　Without a moment's hesitation, she answered immediately.
　There was no way she would be proposing to the sergeant of the Balor Trading Company and instantly turn him down, but she did.
　If she accepted this, she would be one of the richest people in the world.

'I don't need to ask you why....I don't need to get it. I knew that. But that's why I want to say it. Master Ilg is a coward. He's aware of her feelings, yet he ignores her and yet he binds her. ........I'm going.
Wait.
Don't worry. I'll do my job well. I'll keep my love life and my work separate. I'm a proud merchant.

Beluid left the room.
　I didn't think he was going to propose to Maha.
　No, it could have happened.
　Maha is an attractive woman.

'Maha, are you sure that's a good idea?　If you are linked to the heir to the Valor Trading Company, you can do any business you want. And I can make your dreams come true.
It's okay. I'm your brother Irg's.

Maha hugs me.
　As usual after everything that's happened. I don't know why, but I'm in a good mood.
I knew you were happy about the proposal, didn't I?
I knew it. I knew it. What makes me happy is that my brother Irg is jealous of me. You're supposed to be acting like an Irg now, but you're so upset that you're losing ground. Haven't you noticed your tone of voice has returned?
'It's embarrassing. I'm not quite there yet either.
　You can't say you're not upset about this.
　Maha will be taken away from me. The moment I thought that, I felt like I'd swallowed lead.
　I had never been so distraught in a previous life.
　Even if it was at the edge of death.

I guess that's because I'm a human being now.

'I'm always jealous, but that's a good sign. You should try being jealous once in a while, Irg. I am always jealous. Yesterday, I was in a place like that with my sweetheart.
How do you know that?
This city is the center of the intelligence network I put out there. Even if I'm acting as a rogue, I'm getting all the information I need.
You're really good at that.
Yes, I am. I'm useful. So don't let it go. As a matter of fact, if you don't hold on to it, it might go away someday.
How do I stop it?
'I think there's only one way to keep a woman around,'

I know what Maher wants.
　But I can't give her what she wants.

"I've brought you a gift. "Maha liked the cream puffs from Clareigne.
'Hmmm, you got a pretty good deal on that one. But I'll let you off the hook for today. I'm a persistent person. I can wait a little longer.
Sorry.
But don't expect to wait forever.
I'll keep that in mind.

I've seen how easily people's feelings can be transferred, as much as I hate it.
　That's why I don't think we should take too much advantage of Maha's love.

Good. Let's cut to the chase. At last, I got what brother Ilg wanted. Across the seas, on the far southern continent, the ingredients for a secret potion used by tribes to go into a trance during a seance ceremony. It's made from dried mushrooms called marshes.

From the leather bag, Maha laid out the dried mushrooms.
　I crush them with my fingers and roll them around on my tongue.

"....right around. Now we can make a little something special.
What do you need it for?
A potion. Didn't you once create a potion that removed the brain's limiters and temporarily increased the amount of magic released?

It was because of that that we were able to survive during the attack on the school by the demon race.

''Right. It was hard to gather the materials.''
Again, we create a potion. Its efficacy temporarily increases your concentration to the extreme and improves your brain's processing power.
What would you use it for?
I've gotten a little too strong for my own good. I want it so that when a real powerful enemy shows up, I can give it all I've got. The other thing I want you to do is to experiment with your skills. Skills, you don't just use them, you can go deeper. I realized that after watching a brave man fight. The key to this is concentration and arithmetic power. To reach that realm, you need a potion.

That's exactly why I wanted to make a drug.
　What I am trying to make is based on drug refining in my previous life.
　In gathering the ingredients, he relied on lore and rituals scattered throughout the region.

I'm sure I'll taste it right here and now. It's safe to say that it's safe. I'll mix this with all the other drugs I've collected so far, and I'll have the medicine I need.
　The tea leaves you gave Maha and Beluid today were part of the mix.

So fancy. It's a lot of fuss, but we'll need it, considering what my brother Irg is trying to do. I'll take care of it. I'll make sure we have a stable supply of tea for you as soon as possible.
Yeah, please. Sorry to keep asking.

I owe Maha too much.
　I hope to pay it all back someday.

Good. I'll get paid for it. Go on a date. How can I not have a date with me when I'm working so hard on a date with my cute little girlfriend?　I have reservations at a very good restaurant.
Well, let's get Dia and Tart in here.
No. I said it was a date. I have reservations at the hotel as well, but I'll cancel that one. As expected, it is impossible for Brother Ilg to have another woman in his arms the day after his first experience with his girlfriend, because of his character.
Thank you for your concern.
''You're welcome. Hmmm, based on your current reaction, I have a feeling that if it takes a while and Brother Ilg has a situation where he has room in his mind to make an excuse, he can do it. That's when I'll make the move.

I'll warn you.
　It's not that I don't like being in that kind of relationship with Maha, but I don't want to get swept away and do that kind of thing.

'Dia and Tart are quiet and easy to do, but with Maha, you're left to be pushed around.
'A submissive woman who stands up for her man I don't think I can compete with those two in that direction. I'm going to compete on my charm. So, you'll have to let me escort you on your date.

And so, afterwards, I was escorted by Maha to enjoy my date.
　It wasn't bad to be led like this sometimes.
　It was good that I got the ingredients for the potion before I fought the demon race.
　It would definitely be one of the trump cards.
　Besides, perhaps, but in a situation where I used the medicine, if I use [Knights Following Me] deeply, I can choose a skill that I can pass to Tart and Dia. I feel like that.
　Once we get back to Touahade, let's get to mixing and experimenting with the potion as soon as possible.