Chapter 40: Let's Make Nutritious Crops
The mass production of the medicine is now in sight, so next is the development of a mass-producible Syringe. First, after securing enough for use within the territory, I want to deliver it to the territories of other nobles. While I can’t distribute it for free at that time, I consulted Father on how much to sell it for.
“Let’s see. Although we certainly have labor costs and material costs, so we can’t give it away for free, it’s difficult to set a price since there are no similar products. We’ll leave that to the Levant Trading Company.”
“It certainly is difficult. I feel a bit unsure about completely leaving it up to the Levant Trading Company.”
“Ha ha ha. The specialist knows best. If you wanted to make a lot of profit, you could set the price yourself, but for us, a reasonable price is fine. The Levant Trading Company won’t do anything terrible.”
I see, is that how it is?
Speaking of which, the Northernford Branch of the Levant Trading Company seems to be completing soon. Another problem is that producing enough quantity to spread throughout the Kingdom will take time. It will surely take a considerable amount of time for it to reach all patients.
Is there anything else I can do in the meantime? If I do nothing, many people will surely be sacrificed. I want to live a leisurely life in the Frontier, but I don’t want many people to die when I could do something. According to the Elder, this will also be a battle against darkness.
According to my past life memories, measures against Tuberculosis included being in sunny places for sterilization by Ultraviolet Rays and ensuring proper nutrition. Calling on people to be in sunny places is one thing, but is there anything better than Wheat for them to get nutrition?
There is no guarantee that the drought-resistant Wheat will yield a good harvest. For example, if cold weather damage occurs simultaneously, it won’t be a bumper crop. Ideally, I want something that doesn’t require much effort and doesn’t take much time to harvest, but there’s no way such a convenient crop exists… No, it does exist.
Potatoes! They grow even in barren lands and cold places, and they are so nutritious that they are called the “Apples of the Earth” in France. They are the ace of Famine Relief Crops, sometimes called the “Poor Man’s Bread.” Sweet Potatoes are also a good crop, but they don’t grow in cold lands.
Since I haven’t seen them before, it seems Potatoes don’t exist in this world, but is there anything similar? When I obtained and Appraised various Tuber types, there were some small, hard Tubers rich in Starch. There was also a large Tuber that wasn’t very nutritious.
Again, the Elves helped me search for materials. As expected, their knowledge of plants is reliable. I lined up the two types of Tubers, strongly visualized a Potato, and activated Production Magic.
After the warm light faded, a familiar Tuber appeared. Yes, it looks like a Potato. But what about the contents? While being mindful of the Potato‘s weaknesses, I Appraised it. The result was: “Something Resembling a Potato: Grows even in barren, cold areas. Rich in Starch. Has Toxicity. No Continuous Cropping Damage.” I did it, I was able to create it!
By the way, the word Potato (Jagaimo) only means something to me since it doesn’t exist in this world. Could it be that Appraisal Magic displays the result according to the Mage‘s thought process? Appraisal Magic is full of mysteries.
It’s also great that it doesn’t have the Continuous Cropping Damage problem that Potatoes have. Since I created it based on an Otherworldly Tuber, it seems to be something different, even though it resembles the Potato from my past life. But it does seem to have Toxicity.
Can I remake the Potato with Production Skill so everyone can eat it safely? I tried to activate Production Skill with the image of it having no Toxicity, but the Magic Power gathered at my fingertips scattered. It seems the skill won’t activate without a slightly more concrete image.
The toxins in Potatoes were Solanine and Chaconine, contained in the sprouts and the green parts, I recall. Since this Tuber closely resembles a Potato, there is a high possibility it contains the same toxins.
I visualized removing the genes that produce Solanine and Chaconine, and pictured a scene where everyone was smiling while eating the harvested Tubers. This time, the Magic Power gathered at my fingertips did not disappear, and a Magic Circle floated above my palm. Good, the skill seems to have activated successfully.
When I Appraised the Tuber that appeared after the light vanished, it displayed: “Tuber Resembling a Potato: Grows even in barren, cold areas. Rich in Starch. No Toxicity and no Continuous Cropping Damage.” With this, I was able to remove the Toxicity.
By the way, can’t I do something about the name “Tuber Resembling a Potato“? Since it didn’t exist in this world, perhaps the Appraisal result will be reflected if I give it a name.
If I were to name it, what would be a good name? Potato in English? Was it Pomme de Terre in French? Just calling it a foreign word for Potato won’t do, so I’ll try changing it slightly.
How about Pomte, an abbreviation of Pomme de Terre? It has a slightly cute sound, which is nice. When I Appraised it with that thought, it actually displayed “Pomte.” Appraisal Skill truly is deeply mysterious. Anyway, this Tuber is Pomte from now on.
The materials for making Pomte, both the small, hard Tuber and the large but less nutritious Tuber, were found in ordinary land, not the Sea of Trees, so I was able to collect a large number quickly. After that, as usual, I gathered the Workshop craftsmen, explained the method, and demonstrated it.
As always, Theo was able to create it immediately. It seems even his regular Production Skill is fine without activating Replication. And the craftsmen also started being able to do it after practicing.
However, only I could remove the Toxicity. Perhaps the image is too difficult for the craftsmen. It seems I have to work hard on this until we secure enough Seed Tubers.
Lately, the Workshop‘s role has increased, so we need more manpower. When I consulted Father, there seemed to be many applicants who wished to work at the Workshop, so we decided to increase the staff. If that happens, the Workshop building will become too small, so I’ll have to build another one.
Just as I thought that, Smith, the Steward, arranged land right next to the current Workshop for me. Wow, Smith is too competent. I am very grateful. Also, managing the Workshop staff will be tough once we increase the numbers. Carpenter, the coordinator, is busy maintaining the highway. Theo and Mabel also have other manufacturing work.
I wish someone who isn’t a manufacturing craftsman but can handle the Management would be available. Anyway, since I was able to create a certain amount of Pomte, I had them planted in the farm within our Directly Controlled Territory. If Pomte is similar to Potatoes, it should grow fast and be harvestable in about a hundred days. I’m not in a desperate hurry this time, so I don’t have to push myself like with the new variety of Wheat.
I thought I could finally take a breather, but then I received a summons from the Royal Family.
