Because the testing process was straightforward, the effectiveness of the Thorn Ghost Vine powder was quickly determined. While it did possess the ability to replenish a small amount of magical power, this was but a minor aspect of its overall potency.
The true benefit of the Thorn Ghost Vine powder lay in its ability to enhance one's affinity for magic after consumption.
The significance of this affinity was self-evident. To become a mage, one must be able to sense magical power. If one happens to be a mage with an exceptionally high magical affinity, their learning pace, magic recovery speed, and rate of advancement would greatly surpass those of a mage with only average affinity.
Professor Derick further informed Ina that although the Thorn Ghost Vine powder could enhance magical affinity, the increase wasn't limitless, and consistent, long-term use was necessary for the effects to manifest.
Ina, hesitating, asked, "Professor, do you think people would be interested in buying food products made from this powder?"
Professor Derick raised an eyebrow; this was a treasure that could enhance one's innate talent! Ordinary people, lacking the necessary affinity to become mages, might awaken their magical potential with this powder. Mages would find it even more essential. Even a renowned mage like Derick had never abandoned his exploration of the magical path.
Unneeded by Ina herself, she considered selling it. Could she really doubt that people would want to buy it?
"As soon as word gets out about its effects, every mage will be clamoring for it," Professor Derick declared with a grand wave of his hand. "If nobody else wants it, I'll buy the entire stock myself."
"My concern is that it has a rather peculiar taste," Ina said, presenting a biscuit she had made with the Thorn Ghost Vine powder to Professor Derick.
Accepting the biscuit, Professor Derick proclaimed passionately, "No true professional shies away from hardship. Knights swing their swords hundreds of times a day, warriors train until exhaustion, and mages are constantly memorizing spells. A mere biscuit with an unusual taste is nothing in comparison."
With that, he took a hearty bite of the Thorn Ghost Vine biscuit.
"Ugh!" he exclaimed.
Ina wore an "I knew it" expression. She hadn't named her creation "Moonlight Biscuits" because she discovered that, to improve the taste, the ancient races from the Old God relics had added many other ingredients to the original recipe. Even then, the taste was rough and astringent, both sour and bitter. Ina's biscuit was made from pure, unadulterated Thorn Ghost Vine powder, and the flavor was, quite frankly, something else. She'd tried one herself and immediately spit it out, needing to eat five apples just to suppress the lingering aftertaste.
Professor Derick rinsed his mouth, his face a shade paler. "Can't the taste be improved upon?"
"It's not impossible, but don't get your hopes up too high," Ina responded. "Would anyone even buy it like this?"
Professor Derick nodded fervently. "Absolutely! Never underestimate the determination of a mage seeking to reach the pinnacle of magical prowess."
To enhance their magical affinity, mages had been known to resort to bizarre behaviors, including chewing raw magic crystals or attempting to turn their bodies elemental – truly radical endeavors. Merely consuming a foul-tasting food seemed trivial in comparison.
"Even if people can tolerate the taste, I still need to convince a larger audience of its real benefits in enhancing magical affinity," Ina mused, propping her chin in thought. "The catch is that its effects require long-term consumption, making it hard to showcase a quick example for promotional purposes."
Professor Derick proposed a solution, "Given the uniqueness and rarity of this... potion," he labeled the Thorn Ghost Vine biscuit, "a mere hint of its existence will suffice."
Ina caught on immediately, "Could this hint, perhaps, come from you?"
Professor Derick nodded. "It would be my pleasure. I'm just concerned about how much of this powder you have in stock. If too many people find out, it could lead to an unseemly scramble." It was a win-win situation, and Professor Derick saw no reason to decline.
Recalling the abundant Thorn Ghost Vines in the Old God relics, Ina assured, "That won't be an issue for now."
Ina left Professor Derick's lab under his admiring gaze "The world of mages is fortunate to have you." If the Thorn Ghost Vine powder truly had such effects, then the species in the Old God relics that primarily consumed it surely possessed considerable magical talents. They had simply lived in magic-less environments, rendering any innate talents useless.
To better illustrate the concept of magical affinity to Ina, Professor Derick provided some data. With 100 being the maximum affinity, the average individual sits around 10-20. Reaching 30 makes one eligible to be a mage apprentice, although many plateau at this level.
Only those with an affinity above 50 have the potential to become mid-level mages, depending on their learning capabilities and dedication. While there are exceptions of low-affinity individuals achieving greatness, most renowned magic academies set their standards around this 50 mark.
The Star Academy, aiming to expand its recruitment, lowered the magical affinity requirement to 40. This enabled a large number of talented commoners to access magic, increasing the number of low-level mages.
According to Professor Derick's estimates, consuming more than 50g of Thorn Ghost Vine powder daily for over a year could possibly improve one's magical affinity by 5-10 points. This was a significant advancement, as aside from a few rare treasures scattered across the continent, no potion had ever been known to change magical affinity.
Though Ina had no doubts about the market demand for the Thorn Ghost Vine powder, she was still concerned about its taste for the consumers' sake.
She invited Eulanda, Alcota, and Lilith for a taste test. She had wanted to include Lusen in the group but discovered he had graduated from the academy and was now traveling the continent. Even Eulanda didn't know his whereabouts.
First, Ina had them taste the original, unmodified Thorn Ghost Vine biscuit. She then presented versions made with added honey, flour, and powdered sugar.
After trying the original, Eulanda grimaced, "Are you sure this hasn't gone bad? Even the bread I left out for a month didn't taste this weird."
"It's freshly made, no older than two hours," Ina assured.
"Keep that taste in mind, and then compare it with these three versions." Taking advantage of their still-fresh memory of the taste, Ina quickly invited them to try her modified biscuits.
Lilith opted for the one with powdered sugar. Given the bitter and astringent taste of the Thorn Ghost Vine powder, there seemed to be no simpler solution than adding sugar. However, even after adding a potentially fatal amount of sugar, the bitterness persisted, if not intensified. Lilith shook her head, "It seems even more bitter."
The version with added flour did dilute the unique taste of the Thorn Ghost Vine biscuit, but it also made the biscuit heavier, almost twice the size of the others. This made the challenging consumption process even longer. Alcota voiced her preference for the pure version, arguing that at least the ordeal would be over faster.
However, the version with honey was unanimously preferred over the other two. It was only slightly better, but better nonetheless.
"Is Dragon Flame Restaurant launching these biscuits? They can't possibly be for human palates," Eulanda asked Ina apprehensively.
Quick to distance herself, Alcota clarified, "As a half-elf, I think I can speak on behalf of elves when I say—these aren't made for our tongues either."
Ina laughed, "It's not exactly food, more like a potion. That's why I wanted to improve its taste."
Lilith suggested, "Why not turn it into an instant mix? It might be more comfortable to drink it down quickly than to chew bite by bite."
Lilith's suggestion sparked an idea in Ina. The ancient ruins had used the Thorn Ghost Vine powder as a staple, especially since water sources weren't abundant, leading to the creation of Moonlight Biscuits. Ina had been aiming for a similar food product, but in hindsight, a drink seemed more palatable.
She immediately mixed a measured amount of the powder with water and added a spoonful of honey. The judges pinched their noses and drank it, eventually agreeing that this form was the best.
Relieved that the tasting session was over, the three of them took deep breaths, sipping water continuously to rid their mouths of the bitter Thorn Ghost Vine aftertaste. As a gesture of goodwill, Ina quickly served freshly baked lemon madeleines to compensate for the discomfort they had endured.
Madeleines, also known as shell cakes, resemble little shells. These tiny delicacies can be consumed in just two bites. Ina had added fresh lemon zest, carefully selecting only the outermost skin of the lemon, avoiding the bitter white pith.
These lemon madeleines were freshly baked, at their most delicious. Eulanda picked one up, its golden color reminiscent of a tiny, plump shell. She broke it apart, immediately greeted by the creamy scent of milk combined with the refreshing aroma of lemon. Still haunted by the bitter taste of the Thorn Ghost Vine biscuit, she hurriedly stuffed the madeleine into her mouth.
The outside was slightly crisp, while the inside was exceptionally soft and delicate. Ina had also incorporated some vanilla seeds, making the madeleines sweet and aromatic without being greasy.
Lemon madeleines paired best with black tea. Ina brewed a pot of peach black tea, serving it to the three of them while introducing another way to enjoy the madeleines.
"Soak the madeleine in the black tea and immediately eat it. It's said to offer a unique taste."
Lilith curiously asked, "Dip the cake in tea?"
"Yes, just for a moment," Ina replied.
Lilith was the first to try this method of eating. She carefully dipped a lemon madeleine into the aromatic black tea, then quickly lifted it out and popped it into her mouth.
"How is it?" Alcota asked.
Lilith nodded vigorously, swallowing the morsel in her mouth before speaking. "This way of eating is less rich and not as dry. The delicate peach fragrance of the black tea pairs wonderfully with the lemon flavor of the madeleine," she explained.
She reached for another lemon madeleine and praised it in a straightforward manner: "Delicious!"