The rich, steaming Ssanghwatang, with a raw egg floating gently on top, was enough to stimulate one's appetite at a glance.
"You may drink it, Your Majesty."
Once the imperial wizard confirmed its safety, the Emperor lifted the warm cup of Ssanghwatang.
"Hmm…"
Closing his eyes as if savoring fine tea, the Emperor took in the aroma before cautiously sipping.
The raw egg blended smoothly, sliding effortlessly down his throat.
His Adam's apple bobbed, and his once-calm eyebrows twitched ever so slightly.
"…Hmm?"
The Emperor stiffened in surprise, alarming the imperial wizard standing beside him.
"Your Majesty! Are you alright?"
Without answering, the Emperor took another sip—
Then another.
"Hmm! Hoo!"
Strange, involuntary exclamations escaped his lips as he drained the entire cup in one go.
"…I see now. This is Mandrake!"
The Emperor's exclamation sent a ripple of shock through the banquet hall.
—M-Mandrake?!
—How did they acquire something even I couldn't obtain?!
Mandrake was a rare, mystical herb that only grew in the Elven forests.
Among elves, it wasn't particularly valuable, but because it withered quickly once removed from the forest, it was almost impossible to find outside.
However, for our Magic Tower, obtaining Mandrake was surprisingly easy.
Since we were already growing hops for beer within the Elven forests, we had the perfect setup to process Mandrake on-site and transport it as a finished product.
"Maybe I should just build an entire factory inside the forest."
Of course, Mandrake wasn't just any common weed.
Even high-ranking nobles rarely got their hands on it.
The only reason we could was because Heindel, the Elven Elder, treated it as nothing more than backyard grass.
Well, considering he was the same elf who used the World Tree branch to age his brandy, it wasn't surprising that he had no sense of restraint.
Then again, we did supply him with alcohol, so I wasn't complaining.
"Hm, excellent."
The Emperor's face flushed, a clear sign of Mandrake's potent effects.
Loosening his imperial robes ever so slightly, he turned to me with keen interest.
"So, you're telling me this can be stored in a warming cabinet and enjoyed at any time?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. We've made it easily accessible for daily enjoyment."
"…Impressive. Truly remarkable."
The banquet guests, who had been silently eavesdropping, murmured in astonishment.
—Mandrake, available as a hot beverage?!
—How is such a thing even possible?!
The revelation shook the nobility.
Mandrake alone was already highly coveted, but a conveniently consumable version?
That was unheard of.
Although the standard Ssanghwatang wasn't as potent as Mandrake itself, what truly mattered was perception.
"Marketing is everything."
Just like how the first-ever Coca-Cola was marketed as a health tonic, Ssanghwatang would be positioned the same way.
And, of course, I did plan to produce limited-edition Mandrake Ssanghwatang from time to time.
I turned toward the Emperor, who was savoring the aftertaste, and asked,
"Your Majesty, may we share the Ssanghwatang with the guests?"
"Hm? Share it?"
"Yes, though not as potent as the one you've had, we've prepared a special batch for the banquet guests."
"Excellent idea. Make it so."
At the Emperor's command, Zion and Aria began distributing the Ssanghwatang throughout the banquet hall.
"This is Ssanghwatang! Please take one!"
"Oho! So this is it!"
"Give me one as well!"
The nobles scrambled to receive a cup.
Within moments, the entire supply was gone, and a hushed silence filled the hall.
Only the gentle sound of sipping could be heard.
And then—
"Hm?!"
"Hoo!"
"Th-This is…!"
The reaction was immediate and explosive.
"Hah, I was feeling cold, but now my body feels warm!"
"I'm sweating from my forehead."
"Excuse me, I need to use the restroom."
"I'll join you."
As the nobles rapidly downed their Ssanghwatang, their expressions varied—but each one was satisfied.
And no wonder.
"I made sure to add half a Mandrake root per batch—of course, they'd feel something."
While this did cost a bit, it was well worth it as a marketing expense.
But more importantly—
"Ah, this is delicious!"
"I never knew tonics could taste this sweet!"
The subtle, honeyed taste of Ssanghwatang completely captivated them.
Traditional potions focused purely on efficacy, making them bitter and astringent.
"This is something even I can drink."
"If you told me this was just a regular beverage, I'd believe it."
To the nobles, who had always viewed tonics as medicinal, the delicious taste of Ssanghwatang was a revelation.
It was both healthy and enjoyable—who wouldn't want it?
Zion was already being pestered by nobles asking for seconds.
"Yuri, this is a massive hit, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is."
I smiled, nodding at Lanya's excitement.
The guests here weren't just random nobles—they were high-ranking representatives from various nations.
Leaving a strong impression on them meant Ssanghwatang's massive success was all but guaranteed.
Simply put—
"This is a huge success."
"YES!"
Ranya awkwardly pumped her fist into the air.
And rightly so—this success was on an entirely different scale than anything before.
We hadn't just introduced Ssanghwatang to the Empire—we'd marketed it across all allied nations in one stroke.
"Told you it would work."
"...."
Aria clenched her fists tightly, still in disbelief.
Had the outcome exceeded even her expectations?
Just as I was about to pat her shoulder—
"KYAAAH!"
With a high-pitched squeal, Aria suddenly threw herself into my arms.
Startled for a moment, I then chuckled and held her close in return.
"Yuri! M-Me too!"
"Of course."
Ranya joined in, wrapping her arms around us as we celebrated our victory together.
This was the moment Ssanghwatang made its debut in this world.
*
The Imperial Banquet was meant to honor the Goddess of the Hearth, known as Hestia.
Traditionally, small hearths would have been placed throughout the banquet hall.
But not this time.
Instead, the air was filled with the warm hum of Air Fryers.
It was an unprecedented sight—an imperial banquet where Air Fryers had replaced the sacred hearths.
Yet, at its core, the festival still honored the Hearth Goddess.
Perhaps that was why—
"Are you Yuri Grail? I've heard so much about you! You're the Apostle of the Goddess, correct?"
"Ah… Yes?"
"Can you really hear Hestia's voice?"
"...."
I found myself surrounded by countless nobles, all eagerly questioning me.
Somehow, the rumor that I was the Apostle of the Goddess had become widely accepted as truth.
Especially among the Northern nobles, who seemed to have some strange fantasy about me.
Most of them were young noblewomen of marriageable age.
And so, I found myself trapped in a tiresome cycle of unwanted conversation.
—Questions about my age and preferences.
—Party invitations.
—Requests for a dance.
It was impossible to escape.
Just as my mental exhaustion was reaching its limit—
The crowd suddenly parted—
Like the Red Sea splitting before Moses.
And at the end of that cleared path, approaching with graceful authority—
Was Second Princess Christina.
"I'll invite you to our Britten territory. At the next party, we can—"
The woman chattering in front of me didn't even notice Christina approaching from behind.
"Huh? Why is everyone…"
Confused by the way people around us suddenly backed away, she turned around—
And instantly froze in place.
Blood-red eyes were staring down at her.
"He's with me."
"M-my apologies!"
Her face went pale, and she scurried away as if she had seen a ghost.
I clicked my tongue at the sight.
She really looked like she had just seen something terrifying.
In an instant, all the nobles around me scattered like the tide receding from shore.
'So, this is what it means to be royalty.'
I was impressed, in a way, and bowed my head slightly.
"Thank you."
"You should learn how to turn people down more decisively. Otherwise, pests like that will keep clinging to you."
"I'll keep that in mind."
I let out a wry smile.
Dealing with people in a setting like this felt completely different.
"So, what brings you here, Your Highness?"
"Must I have a reason?"
"No, of course not."
"Let's get some fresh air."
"Sounds good."
I was already getting fed up with the crowd, so I followed the Second Princess out onto the terrace.
The cool night breeze helped clear my head.
"Whew, this is exhausting."
It was my first time attending a royal banquet, and it was more mentally draining than I had expected.
Every word spoken; every movement made—everything carried some sort of meaning.
For someone like me, who wasn't used to this world, it was inevitable that fatigue would build up.
If the Second Princess hadn't shown up, this would have been a long, grueling night.
"Here, drink this."
"Thank you."
I took the Ssanghwatang she handed me, opened the lid, and drank it in one go.
As warmth spread through my body, my fatigue seemed to melt away.
Leaning against the railing, I gazed outside.
Was this what they called the Festival of the Hearth?
All across the vast imperial palace gardens, countless bonfires blazed, chasing away the darkness.
The flickering flames—red, yellow, blue—were mesmerizing.
As I watched them in silence, I suddenly asked,
"Your Highness, how are you so good at everything?"
"You, of all people, ask me that?"
"I don't know how it sounds, but I think I've just been lucky."
All I ever did was recreate things from my past life.
And even that was mostly with the help of others.
Because I was simply bringing things back, they seemed impressive—but in truth, I wasn't particularly exceptional.
That was why I didn't like standing in the spotlight.
Being praised for things I didn't actually accomplish felt burdensome.
Tonight made that feeling even more apparent.
But the Second Princess… she was different. She was a true talent.
I had only asked out of curiosity.
"That's a rather trivial thing to wonder about."
Suddenly, she stepped forward and took my right hand in hers.
Our fingers intertwined.
Startled, I instinctively tried to pull away, but she gently pressed her palm against the back of my hand, keeping it in place.
"How does it feel?"
"Huh? Feel…?"
Confused, I belatedly realized what she meant.
Her skin was soft, smooth… and cool to the touch.
A truly delicate hand.
But it wasn't just soft.
There was something else.
"You have calluses."
"From wielding a sword. I could smooth them out, but they would only come back again."
"...."
A swan appears graceful, but beneath the surface, it is constantly paddling.
The calluses on her palm were proof of her endless effort.
"To me, it looks like you've been working hard, too."
Her crimson eyes locked onto my heart.
Creating processed foods, running businesses—I had been constantly using illusion magic.
More than anyone else.
And the more I did, the more magic circles formed around my heart.
Five Circles.
For a 23-year-old, that was an extraordinary achievement.
Even Aria, hailed as a genius, was only at the Fourth Circle.
The Second Princess must have recognized my efforts through that.
But…
"My first circle was created by the Tower Master."
Overjoyed at gaining her first disciple, my Tower Master personally engraved the foundation of my magic.
"And the fifth circle contains Your Highness's mana."
Her magic had stabilized my incomplete Fifth Circle.
Ranya and Christina—my magic bore the imprints of their hands.
It was hard to say that my accomplishments were solely my own.
"Looking at it this way, it feels like I haven't done anything from the start."
Neither the processed foods nor my magic were entirely mine.
The realization left a bitter taste in my mouth.
"Hmm."
Just then, a familiar rose scent filled the air.
The Second Princess had moved in close—very close.
Her crimson eyes, as rich as spilled wine, gazed into mine.
The distance was too intimate.
"Y-Your Highness?"
"Then you just need to start creating your own beginnings."
It was just a shift in distance—Yet my breath hitched, and my body felt strangely hot.
It must have been the Ssanghwatang I had just drunk.
Only now did I realize—That wasn't just Ssanghwatang.
However…
"What's wrong?"
Her red eyes curved into a gentle smile.
She was breathtaking.
My heart pounded erratically, as if malfunctioning.
"Do as you wish."
A rose whispered softly into my ear.
As if her words were an undeniable command, I found myself unable to resist—
And I captured her lips with mine.
They were as soft as dew-kissed leaves after autumn rain.
Silky, warm, intoxicating.
A fragrant sweetness seeped into my mouth and fogged my mind.
The first kiss of my life melted through me, overwhelming my senses.
Then—
Just as I pulled away, something slipped between my lips.
"...!"
Something smooth, warm, and flexible—
Like a snake, her tongue coiled around mine.
A dizzying sensation flooded my mind.
My consciousness drowned in the sheer intensity of it.
Tongue against tongue, entwining like serpents.
A strange yet exquisite moment passed.
When we finally parted, a thin, glistening strand stretched between our lips before breaking.
"...."
She licked her lips and smiled.
A dangerously seductive smile.
I stared at her, completely dazed, breathless from her beauty.
Then, she asked—
"How was your first kiss?"
"…It was amazing."
A lingering sweetness remained in my mouth.
My first kiss… tasted like sweet herbal tea.
***
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