Nitroglycerin: One Drug, Two Uses (Bonus Chapter, Please Follow and Vote with Monthly Tickets!)

"Connor."

The old butler moved the basin and jars aside, clearing some space.

Theus took a wad of cotton from the tray, flattened it with his hand, and placed it on the ground. Then he unscrewed the nearby bottle and dripped several drops of liquid onto it.

Connor's expression was complicated as he stared at the bottle with reverence.

"This substance is called nitroglycerin. This name will one day resound throughout the world."

Not just its name—its sound would resound throughout the world too, Connor silently sighed.

Theus carefully put away the bottle, then picked up an iron hammer and handed it to Alexei.

"This is a medicine that can treat heart disease, with one additional use."

A medicine for heart disease.

Alexei was somewhat disappointed. Treating heart disease was certainly impressive, but the market for such medicine would not be very broad.

If it was cheap enough, it could indeed make some money, but its potential was limited. Demand for this medicine was not high.

The nobles trusted the Church more, and there were not that many of them to begin with. As for the poor? When the poor developed heart disease, they generally did not even know it. With no one to diagnose them, they simply died in obscurity.

But why had Theus handed him a hammer?

"Smash it."

"Smash it!?"

"Yes. Smash the cotton... and you'd better stand farther away."

Alexei was full of questions. Wasn't this medicine? Was this how it treated heart disease?

Still, he obediently brought the hammer down—without using too much force.

BOOM!!!

A cloud of smoke and dust rose up. Alexei covered his mouth, coughing as he stumbled back.

"Cough, my lord, is this the—cough cough—medicine for heart disease you mentioned?"

Theus grinned.

"It really can treat heart disease, but it's also