NOVEL WEB Chapter 42
Mixing And Hand Cream
“Nice to meet you.”
“Welcome.”
Yuuri, who bowed politely, was greeted with a smile by the famous Miss Leone. It’s known among those familiar with her that if you don’t call her Leone, she gets upset. Only Ali and Brook continue to call her Leopold despite knowing this.
This is the perfume workshop attached to the back of Leopold’s perfume shop, Rainbow Drops. The second floor of the shop serves as Leopold’s residence. Here, she concocts perfumes for sale or custom orders. Only a few people are allowed to enter this workshop. Yuuri is permitted today because he’s like an apprentice for the day.
The other day, Yuuri spent a day at Bright’s workshop to get used to his blacksmithing skills. As a result, he got used to the skills and somewhat understood the meaning of blacksmithing in this world. Today, under Leopold’s guidance, he will try using the mixing skill.
If blacksmithing is the foundation of crafting, then mixing can be said to be the foundation for combining liquids and powders. Perfume making, which Leopold excels at, and pharmaceutical mixing, which she used to do, are derivatives of this skill. Essentially, the mixing skill is useful when the materials are liquid or powder.
“Well then, let’s practice mixing today.”
“Okay.”
“Yuuri-chan, have you ever done any perfume mixing?”
“I haven’t made perfumes, but I’ve helped make things like aroma oils, shampoos, and soaps.”
“Oh, you’ve done quite a bit.”
“My family liked making them.”
Yuuri laughed gently, though it’s unusual for a high school boy to hand-make such items. His mother and sister were into making additive-free products at one time, and he joined them. However, this was only possible because he could easily get materials and tools in modern Japan. Yuuri thinks it’s impossible to recreate them in this world since he can’t get the materials.
“Well, think of it more as scented water than perfume today. I don’t intend to have an amateur do perfume mixing.”
“Understood. I was just told to try using the skill.”
“Despite having the mixing skill himself, Ali pushed it onto me…”
Leopold muttered in exasperation, but her expression was soft. Although her words were complaining, her face showed genuine kindness. Yuuri, curious about something he had been wondering for a while, decided to ask.
“How did you and Ali meet, Leone-san?”
“Oh my, haven’t you heard anything?”
“No.”
Leopold seemed surprised as Yuuri honestly nodded. That fool hasn’t told you anything, she muttered, her tone soft despite the complaint. There was a sense of familiarity in her words.
Leopold chuckled at Yuuri’s puzzled look and placed a water jug and small bottles of fragrance materials on the table. She started working and spoke cheerfully.
“I was an adventurer with Ali and Brook a long time ago.”
“What? Leone-san, you were an adventurer?”
“Yes. I was a pharmacist back then, gathering materials to make recovery potions for my companions and to sell. Brook was on the front lines, and Ali was the scout.”
“Wow, you were amazing, Leone-san.”
“Not really, just a decent adventurer.”
Yuuri felt relieved, smiling as he understood why Ali was so informal with Leopold despite their seemingly different backgrounds.
“So, you were a member of the Scarlet Lynx, too?”
“Oh no, Yuuri-chan. We teamed up before Ali and Brook joined the Scarlet Lynx.”
“Huh?”
“Ali lost an eye and retired from the front lines. I opened this perfume shop that I’d wanted to for a long time, Ali joined Scarlet Lynx at the invitation of their former leader, and Brook followed.”
Leopold’s face showed a playful smile, indicating she enjoyed her unique position. Yuuri, having learned some important facts, simply thought, “That’s why they’re so close.” He wasn’t one to dwell on others’ pasts.
Restarting their work, Yuuri followed Leopold’s instructions, smelling the scents in the small bottles. The natural fragrances tickled his nose, though some unusual ones made him frown. He was told these were for repelling monsters. The scents that monsters disliked weren’t unpleasant to humans but were unfamiliar to Yuuri.
In short, it felt like a mix of various nice scents that stopped just before becoming overwhelming. Yuuri thought it must be challenging to make. He wasn’t wrong. Only someone with Leopold’s adventurer knowledge and experience could make monster-repelling perfumes, something even the craftsmen in the royal capital couldn’t replicate.
To get back on topic.
“It’s done.”
“…You really are exceptional in many ways.”
“Sorry?”
With a cheerful “Ta-da!” Yuuri presented the small bowl, causing Leopold to look genuinely exasperated. The task was simple: mix fragrance with water to create a pleasant scent. Creating a desired fragrance by mixing scents is challenging. The decision to make it scented water rather than real perfume was to use fewer materials.
…For some reason, Yuuri had quickly reached a satisfactory result. It must be because his Mixing skill was level 50. It was the same as with his blacksmithing. In fact, everything seemed to go this way for Yuuri, who didn’t see it as anything unusual. However, to those around him, he seemed like a prodigy. Despite his dreamy and easygoing appearance, his abilities were extraordinarily high.
…It seemed like a waste of high-level skills.
Since the lesson ended in an instant, Leopold was at a loss. But being the positive and strong person she was, she quickly moved on. Watching Yuuri happily mix water and fragrances, Leopold noticed his rough fingers. Yuuri’s hands were rough from taking on the cooking, cleaning, and laundry.
The state of his fingers showed how diligently and happily Yuuri worked on household chores. Muttering softly, Leopold took a small container of hand cream she had made for herself from the medicine cabinet.
“Yuuri-chan, here, use this.”
“What is it?”
“Hand cream. Your fingers are so rough from all the waterwork. If you don’t take care of them, they’ll get hurt.”
“Wow, thank you. Even at the pharmacy, there are recovery medicines and ointments for injuries, but no hand cream…”
“Yes, it’s not sold much in stores.”
It’s not profitable, Leopold said bluntly. When Yuuri tilted his head, Leopold explained further. This kind of ointment is usually made according to family recipes passed down through generations. It’s like each family has its unique remedy. Yuuri innocently thought of homemade miso or grandma’s aloe remedies. It’s similar.
“…But since you made it, Leone-san, this hand cream must be really good, right?”
“Of course. I don’t compromise on what I use for myself. Sometimes I share it with customers, and it’s well received.”
“Why not sell it then?”
“Yuuri-chan, people make their own hand creams, so they wouldn’t buy it.”
“No, I mean, add a fragrance to it.”
“…What?”
Leopold was stunned by Yuuri’s simple suggestion. For a moment, her natural male voice came out, but Yuuri didn’t notice. He thought it would be rude to point out the natural parts that slipped out from people like Misses or Newhalfs. So, Yuuri pretended not to notice. Usually oblivious, Yuuri was actually considerate.
“Yuuri-chan, what did you just say?”
“Well, I mean, if you mix fragrance into the hand cream, making it slightly scented, it could promote your shop…”
“Oh my! How do you come up with such great ideas!?”
“Gah!”
Leopold suddenly hugged him, pressing Yuuri against her unexpectedly muscular chest. Overwhelmed with emotion, Leopold didn’t notice Yuuri’s muffled voice. Hugging him tightly, Leopold kept praising him. Though it didn’t matter, Yuuri started feeling suffocated and patted Leopold’s leg for release. Finally, Leopold let him go.
“Sorry, I got a bit carried away with excitement.”
“No problem… So, um…”
“Of course, I’ll make it. Scented hand cream. It might increase customers who like my perfume.”
“Let me know when it’s done. I’ll come buy it.”
“Oh no. I’ll give you the prototypes as gifts, Yuuri-chan.”
Leopold smiled as if it was obvious. Yuuri looked surprised. He remembered getting an aroma pendant similarly. It seemed he would also get the scented hand cream this way. While a modest Japanese person might hesitate, Yuuri, who often received food from elders, thanked her. He was genuinely happy.
Later, the scented hand cream, which had never existed before, became a popular luxury item among women.