The only thing left now is to produce it in bulk and properly commercialize it.
"First, stir this well."
The workers stirred the extract diligently, as Ghislain instructed.
As they stirred and cooled it for a while, the extract gradually thickened in consistency.
Ghislain scooped a bit with his finger and rubbed it gently.
The extract was instantly absorbed into the skin, as if melting in.
The workers approached Ghislain hesitantly and asked,
"Um, what is that, my lord?"
In other territories, commoners like them would never have dared to speak to the lord.
In fact, they wouldn't have even thought of speaking up in the first place.
But thanks to Ghislain's easy going nature and his habit of conversing informally with the estate's people, they now felt comfortable enough to ask simple questions.
"Is it some kind of medicinal ointment?"
"It smells really nice."
Ghislain answered with a satisfied expression,
"Oh, don't you know? This is called 'essence.' It's a concentrated product of all the good elements extracted from herbs."
"What do you use it for?"
"Nobles use it to take care of their skin. There are many who are obsessed with beauty."
"…Oh, I see."
The workers didn't quite understand, but they nodded, going along with it.
How could they know about products only nobles use?
Usually, nobles extract good elements from herbs and fruits to apply on their skin, or use steam to treat their faces.
Wealthy families even use holy power or magic for such purposes.
However, most of these efforts didn't yield significant results.
Consistent use could improve the skin, but the results weren't impressive compared to the money and time invested.
But this product is different. The worse your skin, the more dramatic and quick the effect.
"Hehe, this will become an essential item for nobles soon."
Ghislain grinned confidently.
Nobles, regardless of age or gender, tend to be obsessed with appearance.
Clean skin is a symbol of wealth, so if there's any product rumored to have beauty benefits, it would only be a matter of time before it catches on.
In his previous life, this product swept across the continent, making the Delphine Duchy a fortune.
"I'll need to do some testing."
It looked identical to what he had seen in his previous life when he used it himself.
Still, he needed to confirm that it really worked.
"Belinda will probably give the best assessment, right?"
Belinda secretly liked to dress up.
She was quite interested in skincare, so despite working as a head maid in a poor northern territory, her skin was fair and smooth.
Ghislain filled a low, wide glass bottle with the essence and went to find Belinda.
"Belinda, I'll give you this. Try applying it to your face."
"What is this?"
"It's a cosmetic. Really good for your skin."
"Oh my, really? Where did you buy this? This kind of stuff is so expensive... Did you buy it for me? Which brand is it?"
Belinda was surprised and began to bombard him with questions.
Ghislain, despite spending lavishly at times, was extremely frugal with luxury goods.
He wore plain clothes and didn't pay much attention to his appearance.
But now he had bought such an expensive cosmetic? A product used by nobles?
'Raising him has paid off…'
Belinda, touched for a moment, felt her mood drop with the answer that followed.
"I made it myself."
"…"
Ghislain was unapologetic, as if wondering what the problem was.
Belinda squinted at him with a displeased look.
"Excuse me, young master. Don't you know that you can't just use any cosmetics?"
"I know, that's why I made sure it's effective!"
"I never taught you how to make cosmetics. Where did you even learn this?"
Belinda had taught Ghislain from a young age.
But she had never taught him alchemy or anything about handling medicinal herbs.
So, who would believe him if he suddenly brought a cosmetic out of the blue?
"You do know that if I apply just anything and it ruins my skin, it can't be undone, right?"
Cosmetics are so expensive that many people go searching for even cheaper materials.
Some even apply lead or mercury to their faces.
Most of these attempts ended in failure.
If they were lucky, it would just be ineffective. But some people's skin worsened or they fell ill and wasted away.
Quack apothecaries who ruined nobles' faces with boils often paid for it with their lives.
"Actually, I don't want to apply it. My skin's already good, isn't it?"
Those who wield mana gain a bit of healing power and slower aging.
Belinda, being skilled enough to handle mana, had good skin already.
But with care, it would look even better, so Ghislain persisted.
"If you use this, your skin will look even better! It'll practically glow. Just trust me!"
"No! If my skin gets damaged, it's hard to fix even with holy power or magic."
Holy power and magic were so expensive that not everyone could use them.
And even when they could, it didn't guarantee results.
They could heal diseases and improve regeneration, which led to some improvement, but it wasn't miraculous.
"I appreciate the thought, but I really can't apply it. My skin is too important."
"Why won't you believe me? Haven't I already proven myself? I succeeded with the crops too!"
Ghislain grumbled.
Rejecting it outright without even trying it.
She could've at least pretended she'd try it.
Belinda gave a candid answer to this complaint.
"That was different. I could just watch to see if you succeeded or failed. This involves testing it on my own face. Who would volunteer for that?"
True, there was a big difference between silently watching and using her own face to test a product.
If something went wrong in skincare, it was nearly impossible to reverse.
"Hmm…"
Ghislain made a troubled face.
If he forced it on her, Belinda would probably just throw it away secretly.
Thanks to his new powers, his skin was smooth and healing ability stronger.
The product was so well-made that it would improve his skin, but it wouldn't show dramatic results.
Maybe he should find someone else.
Even after Belinda left, Ghislain lingered around.
Wendy, passing by, stopped when she noticed him.
Ghislain's face lit up as she waved her over.
"Hey, Wendy. Perfect timing. I have a gift for you. Try applying this."
"What is this?"
"It's a cream that's great for your skin. I made it myself. You trust me, right?"
"I'm busy right now… Sorry."
Wendy's body blurred, and she disappeared from view in an instant.
"Come on, is it really necessary to use mana to run away? You're just going to Claude, anyway."
Clicking his tongue, Ghislain went off to find Claude.
As soon as he entered his office, he saw Wendy hiding behind a pillar.
Resigned, he handed the cosmetic to Claude, who examined it with a suspicious eye.
"So you're saying this will be our territory's specialty product? A cosmetic for skincare?"
"That's right. Nobles are going to love it. They won't be able to get enough of it."
"Heh… heh heh heh."
Claude let out an incredulous chuckle.
'Time to place a bet!'
He was familiar with noble youths from his time at the academy.
He knew well how much effort nobles put into skincare.
Nobles would trade treasure chests of jewels for effective skincare products.
But making cosmetics isn't just something anyone can do.
It requires mastery in medicine, herbology, and alchemy to create a quality product.
'The lord never reads books. He practically has a wall between himself and studying.'
The books in his office were few, just some dusty volumes on military strategy.
For someone like him to claim he made cosmetics? It had to be nonsense.
Claude hid his inner thoughts and cautiously asked,
"Hm, as a specialty item… There's nothing like it in other territories, right?"
"Of course. I'm the first to make it."
'Aha!'
His claim of being the first seemed true.
He hadn't heard of anything like it recently.
'There's no way this will sell.'
A lord with no knowledge of pharmacology made it himself; there was no way it would work.
Even if it did, what noble would trust a cosmetic from an unknown backwater estate?
It was obvious it would fail.
Claude hid his delight at the prospect of canceling his slave contract and feigned a sulky expression.
"You just want to ruin my face, right? So I'll have to stay inside and work all day. Aren't I already your slave? Do you really need to go that far?"
"I'm telling you, this really works! Don't you believe me? I succeeded with the crops too!"
"That's different. It's a completely different field. I'm not the only one who wouldn't use this. Who would, and for what reason?"
Ghislain raised an eyebrow as if to say, 'Look at this guy.'
"Is that so? Then shall we make a bet? On whether it really works or not."
"Oh, I quit gambling… for how long?"
"I told you last time. Twenty years. But if I lose, I'll cut it down by ten and throw in five thousand gold."
"Hmm…"
Claude hesitated for a moment.
It was obviously nonsense, but the stakes were high, so he felt a bit apprehensive.
'I need to lessen the pressure a bit.'
"Alright, just give me a moment."
"What are you waiting for?"
"I'll bring someone to bet with me."
Claude hurried off to find Alpoi.
Alpoi frowned upon seeing him.
He still hadn't forgiven Claude for dragging him into a previous losing bet.
But Claude brushed off Alpoi's stern gaze.
After bickering for a while, Alpoi had become quite easy to handle.
"What? Why are you here?"
"I have a great idea. Hear me out."
"Get lost, I'm not listening."
"Now, now, just listen. It's a great chance. An opportunity for freedom."
"Freedom… an opportunity?"
"Yes, the lord made a cosmetic, calling it a specialty product…"
Claude enthusiastically explained everything he knew and guessed, persuading Alpoi.
"Didn't the Magic Tower also try this once?"
"…Yes, they did."
Magic research was expensive, so many magic towers ran various businesses.
Of course, many of them had tried making cosmetics, too.
Once successful, it was a goldmine.
But no one ever succeeded significantly.
This proved how difficult it was to create an effective cosmetic.
Claude smoothly persuaded Alpoi with his silver tongue.
"What happened at the Magic Tower? Did they make anything useful?"
"Even the 6th-circle tower lord couldn't make cosmetics. He did make high-end soap, though."
"Our lord claims he made something that even renowned mages and alchemists couldn't make on his own. Does that seem possible?"
Alpoi shook his head.
"It's really unlikely he made it alone. Maybe he got some help?"
"If there was someone capable, wouldn't they have gone to someone richer and more powerful than our lord?"
"…"
"Well? Ready to take another chance?"
"I quit gambling…"
Claude looked at Alpoi with a mocking smirk.
"One time doesn't count as quitting. Gambling is about resisting, not quitting. When the opportunity comes, you bet. That's life."
"Hmm…"
After a moment's hesitation, Alpoi nodded resolutely.
"Alright, this time, I'll trust you."
"Don't trust me, trust yourself. Believe in the knowledge and experience you've built. You're the Magic Tower's heir and the top mage in this territory. You're always the best, bro."
Claude gave Alpoi a light punch on the chest.
Feeling a surge of warmth, Alpoi nodded with a flushed face.
"Yes, I'm Alpoi. A man who never gives up."
For gamblers, it was quite a grand conversation.
But the mages nearby felt the fiery camaraderie and passion between the two.
"Let us join, too! Let's combine our efforts!"
"Yes, let's do this together! This time, we'll utterly shatter the lord's bluff. We will win!"
Claude and twenty-six mages strode forward with determined faces.
"...They're all out of their minds…"
Wendy, who had been escorting Claude and had witnessed everything, sighed in exasperation.
[T/L: Please support me and read extra chapters here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]