I sipped the tea Illness-san had brewed, adjusting the flavor and testing various combinations as I refined the recipe for My Original Blend.
Both Illness-san and Nebula had done such a wonderful job that every version tasted delicious, making it hard to choose. Ultimately, however, I narrowed it down to a single recipe based on my own personal preferences.
The tea was full-bodied and robust, finished with a subtle sweetness that provided a deeply soothing sensation.
"It turned out... quite well, didn't it?" Illness-san remarked in her slow, gentle way.
"Yes. I couldn't have done it without you and Nebula. Thank you both."
"We only provided a small amount of assistance, but I gratefully accept your thanks, Master," Nebula said with a bright smile. "Now then, while we could consider it finished as it is... since this is your precious original blend, let’s add a bit of magic to it."
"Magic?"
When I questioned her, Nebula produced a handful of dried leaves from seemingly nowhere.
"Yes. Though I don’t mean we will literally use magic; rather, it’s a final bit of ingenuity. These are dried leaves from the World Tree."
"World Tree leaves possess healing magic power, so they are used in many medicines," Illness-san added as a brief explanation. "However, compared to the fruits and such, the power is truly faint. They don't have a massive effect, so they are a common enough commodity."
I recalled hearing about this before. Aoi and Hina had told me that World Tree leaves were sold in Yugfressia, the land Lilliwood-san ruled. Adventurers often used them to enhance the effects of potions by steeping them and adding the extract to the mixture.
"These are Nebula's Leaves of the Spirit Tree, so they might be slightly different from the ones you know, but the fundamentals are the same," Nebula explained. "The leaves themselves don’t possess a major effect, but adding them allows the faint healing magic power to provide a relaxation effect. A whole leaf would be too much, so if we finely crumble about an eighth of a leaf and mix it in... there! Now it’s complete!"
"The relaxation effect is a nice touch. Thank you, Nebula."
"If I could be of use to Master, then I am happy as well!"
Thanks to Nebula's final bit of ingenuity, the tea was even better than before. My Original Blend was finally finished. For the time being, using my real name felt a bit too direct, so I planned to ask Anima to sell it alongside the other products from the Black Tea Brand under a name that obscured my identity—perhaps by just using my initials.
"Master, may I make a suggestion?" Nebula asked.
"Hmm? What is it?"
"Given that this is My Original Blend, I expect your friends will naturally want some as well. However, many of your friends are individuals of high standing; if they were to go to commercial stores or trade associations seeking it, it would likely cause a massive stir. Therefore, while it may be a bit of trouble, why not prepare a portion for your friends now and send it to them directly? I think it would be even better to include a note stating that if they desire more, they should send a letter to you or Anima-san rather than contacting the merchant guilds."
"I see. You’re right, if they went through regular channels, it might cause a scene... Yeah, let's do that. I’ll make enough for my acquaintances and send it out to them."
When she put it that way, it made perfect sense. Even if I obscured the name, the people close to me would surely figure it out. It would be a headache if they tried to buy it from the distributors, and in some cases, the frantic inquiries might go to Lilia-san instead of me. To prevent that, I decided to send My Original Blend along with a short letter.
"How about individually packaging them for a single cup each?" Illness-san suggested.
"Ah, that would make them easy to send, and it ensures the balance of the blend won't be disrupted when they use it. But they won't keep as long as they would in a tin, right?"
"It will be fine. I can use magic paper to apply Status Preservation Magic. I can set it so the effect dissipates the moment the package is opened."
"I see, that's a great idea."
Using the magic paper often utilized for things like Random Boxes to handle the packaging was an excellent solution. Kuro had used it to make instant foods before, so I knew there were no issues using it for ingredients.
Of course, I couldn't perform that process myself, so I would have to rely on Illness-san’s strength. As she busied herself preparing the magic paper, she glanced over and gave me a smile. Her expression carried a quiet, kind reassurance that told me I didn’t need to worry about the extra work.
I decided to gratefully accept her goodwill and resolved to get her a proper thank-you gift later.
Absolute One: "Stay, sit down."
Stomach Pain Flag: "Ah, yes..."