Messer's Surprise Two

Aside from specially hosted banquets, the custom in this world is to drink wine only at dinner. Bringing it out at other times is usually reserved for celebrating good news. Of course, some individuals enjoy drinking it regularly, but they would not casually bring it out to treat guests outside of a meal unless they had specifically invited them for a tasting.

After filling a glass with each of the red and white wines, Donald smiled mysteriously. Without offering a detailed explanation, he said, "Master, please taste a glass first, and you will understand!"

Messer took the glass Donald handed him with a puzzled look. Inside was a liquid as magnificent and alluring as a ruby. He brought it to his nose and sniffed gently; a fragrant, mellow, and sweet aroma rushed into his senses. Unable to resist, he took a small sip, and the old mage was immediately conquered by the delicious flavor.

Just as he was still intoxicated by the fine wine, a gentle warmth rose within his body. The physical strength and mental energy he had consumed during his alchemy work were actually recovering bit by bit.

"This is..."

Although the recovery of his physical and mental strength was slow, it was ten times faster than normal rest. Even an ordinary person would easily notice it, let alone a mage, a profession highly sensitive to fluctuations in mental energy.

"Is this wine or an alchemical potion? Little Donald, tell me quickly!"

The old mage grabbed Donald's shoulders, his voice trembling with excitement.

Donald laughed and said, "Teacher, don't be so agitated. This special wine is something I invented based on a recipe for a recovery potion. It has the taste of a premium vintage while retaining some of the effects of a recovery potion, and it has absolutely no side effects. I thought it would be perfect for mages to drink while resting, so I brought some for you to try!"

Messer was, after all, a man of great experience and soon returned to his normal state, though his expression still carried a deep sense of excitement.

"Forgive me! I was too excited! Little Donald, you don't realize—if this invention of yours can be mass-produced, it could very well be one of the most valuable mage inventions of the last century. Although the effect of this wine isn't overwhelming, its strength lies in being gentle and sustained, with almost no side effects. If mages could drink this magical, restorative wine regularly, it would not only cultivate their mood and improve their physical constitution, but also significantly reduce the time needed for rest, thereby increasing the speed of spell research and advancement!"

Donald's original intention was that "charity begins at home"—if he had something good, he should first supply the mages of the association who had looked after him. Otherwise, if the mages obtained it from merchants elsewhere and discovered the source, they would surely hold a grudge against him.

Rather than that, it was better to come and promote it directly. If the mages weren't interested, that would be another matter entirely!

Of course, that possibility was slim.

However, possessing the Book of Truth, an heaven-defying artifact that left him never lacking in general auxiliary items, Donald had underestimated the temptation this restorative beverage held for mages! Even his teacher, Messer, the number one mage of North Shire, was acting this excited!

Hearing his teacher's words, Donald said with some difficulty, "Mass production is quite difficult; for now, I can only produce it in small quantities. But if it's just to supply the mages of the association, that shouldn't be a problem!"

Upon hearing this, Messer immediately asked with excitement:

"Really?"

"Of course. I brought fifty bottles of this special wine today, and I should be able to provide this amount every month from now on!"

Having received Donald's confirmation, Messer immediately wanted to summon the mages of the association to share the good news. However, he was stopped by Donald.

"Teacher, don't be in such a hurry to notify everyone. You still have one more glass you haven't tasted!"

"Another glass? Ah, right. This red wine has the effect of recovering fatigue, so the white wine you brought must have other functions, right?"

Seeing Donald smile without answering, Messer decided to test it himself. He picked up the glass of white wine and downed it in one gulp.

"This feeling is quite marvelous. My mental energy is recovering faster, and it has also become slightly purer. Does this white wine specialize in mental energy?"

Although the effect of a purification potion is not bad, it is usually diluted. For a mage like Messer, whose mental energy had already condensed to a high degree, being able to feel these changes was proof that the wine's properties were extraordinary.

Donald nodded and said:

"Correct. This white wine has a different recipe than the red. It has a slight effect of purifying and recovering mental energy, and it also provides a tiny bit of resistance to negative mental states, such as curse spells. It can even help ordinary people ward off certain illnesses!"

This time, Messer didn't get excited. Instead, he looked at Donald carefully—staring until Donald felt a bit uneasy—before sighing and saying:

"Little Donald, you truly are a blessing to us mages of North Shire! First, you successfully awakened your talent as a Summoner, and now you've given us such a surprise. It seems your potential for growth is even greater than I imagined. Perhaps the first Ninth-Rank Archmage of North Shire will be you!"

Even with Donald's thick skin, he couldn't help but blush at the old mage's praise.

This wasn't something he had researched himself; it was merely a blended concoction he had cobbled together using the magical abilities of the Book of Truth. If this were in his past life, it would surely be labeled as a counterfeit. Haven't you noticed that even large wineries don't dare to openly admit how much blending goes into their products?

"Teacher, you praise me too much. You and the mages of the association have helped me so much; this small return is only right. Besides, this wine isn't free—I'm here to earn the mages' money!"

"If you didn't come to earn our money, there might be mages begging you to take theirs!"

Hearing Donald's small joke, Messer couldn't help but laugh with a childlike spirit.

"Alright! Let's not keep everyone waiting. Such a good thing should be shared by all. If we can supply all the mages of North Shire with this, in less than ten years, it will surely greatly enhance the strength of our North Shire mages!"

"However, if you promote this wine directly to the public, it will likely cause trouble. Those greedy merchants and nobles will probably swarm you like blood-sucking insects. Since the production isn't high anyway, let's just sell it all to the mages of the association. Even if there were twice as many mages, they could handle it! Even if outsiders find out, they wouldn't dare to scheme against the entire body of North Shire mages!"

"Thank you for the reminder, Teacher. I was getting a bit carried away."

Donald had previously feared that bringing out potions directly would cause trouble, which is why he had taken a different path by introducing these two wines. He hadn't realized his consideration was still lacking, failing to foresee the impact these premium wines would have on the outside world. Hearing the old mage's words, he felt a lingering fear, but fortunately, this hidden danger had been resolved by his teacher's advice.

Messer, walking out first, offered a kind consolation: "Don't blame yourself. It's a good thing for a young man to have spirit and drive. By the time you reach my age, even if you wanted to be impulsive, it would be difficult! Come, it's time to announce this good news to everyone."

Donald smiled at this. In his past life, he had been nearly thirty, but his straightforward nature remained unchanged. After merging with the soul of this world, the innocence, simplicity, and wild imagination of a youth became even more pronounced. If it weren't for the survival threats he faced upon first arriving in this world, which forced him to mature rapidly, he would never have made the series of calculations and plans for his future.

Under Messer's summons, Donald held an impromptu wine tasting, and the introduction of the two premium wines caused a sensation among the mages of the association.

Facing the enthusiastic mages, Donald did not sell the batch at the fifty Gold Sol price he had decided on earlier. Instead, he sold all fifty bottles he had brought to the mages at a price of forty Gold Sol per bottle.

If it had been merchants or nobles, he would have demanded a higher price without hesitation. But these mages were a group of kind and principled people—at least those he was close to were—and they were worth befriending.