Chapter 113 — Drying What Will Matter Later
S.C. 1511 — Mid January
Foosha Village — Underground Lab (Herbal Corner)
The underground lab smelled different today.
Less like soil.
Less like experiments.
More like…
plants.
A whole pile of them.
Zemo sat beside the heap, occasionally pawing a stray leaf as if checking its quality.
Ren knelt down and exhaled.
"Today is the first step to setting up a herbal supply… for future trade."
Not medicine making.
Not experiments.
Just drying herbs.
Profitable.
Safe.
Useful.
Perfect for a beginner merchant.
---
Step 1 — Selecting the Right Herbs
Ren sorted through the pile.
He separated them into small bundles:
✔ Mint-like leaves (good smell → high value)
✔ Bitter green stems (great for pain relief teas)
✔ Mountain thyme (rare, hard to find → premium)
✔ Sleepy-root leaves (Makino uses these often)
✔ Sharp-leaf moss (low value but essential for mixes)
Zemo sniffed the moss, then immediately sneezed.
Ren nodded seriously.
"That means it's good quality."
Zemo glared at him.
Ren picked up a thick notebook and wrote:
Herbal Stock — Batch 01
• 5 types collected
• All from safe regions
• Zero contact with Compound X
---
Step 2 — Choosing the Drying Method
Drying herbs wasn't complicated… But drying them well was an art.
Ren considered the options:
Sun drying?
Too risky — sunlight through vents wasn't consistent.
Fire drying?
Too hot — herbs would burn.
Lantern warmth?
Possibly… but inconsistent.
Air-flow drying?
Yes. Perfect.
Ren tapped the wooden beam overhead.
The airflow from the ventilation tunnel was steady.
"This will be our drying wall."
Zemo stared at the wall like it had betrayed him.
---
Step 3 — Building the Drying Rack
Ren grabbed:
thin wooden sticks
twine rope
small KEA nails
a mallet
a knife
and a determined expression
He set to work.
TOK. TOK. TOK.
Zemo flinched at every nail like the wall was being assaulted.
Ren carved two long horizontal beams into the wall.
Inserted the sticks vertically.
Tied cross-twine in a grid pattern.
Soon…
A neat, square drying rack hung on the wall.
Zemo tilted his head.
Ren translated proudly:
"It means we're becoming real merchants."
Zemo blinked blankly.
---
Step 4 — Hanging the Herbs
Ren tied each herbal bundle with thin rope.
He hung them upside-down on the rack:
Mint → top row
Thyme → mid row
Moss → lowest row
Sleepy-leaf → far right
Bitter stems → far left
The scent in the chamber changed instantly.
Fresh.
Sharp.
Clean.
Zemo sniffed each—carefully.
He avoided the bitter stems entirely, as if they offended him personally.
---
Step 5 — The Small Heating Trick
Ren lit a tiny oil lantern beneath the rack—far enough to avoid burning anything.
Just enough heat to boost the airflow.
Warm.
Steady.
Efficient.
Ren checked the temperature with his hand.
"Good. Not too warm."
Zemo walked over, felt the warm airflow, and immediately sprawled on the floor underneath the rack like it was his personal heater.
Ren sighed.
"That wasn't designed for you."
Zemo did not move.
---
Step 6 — Notes for Future Trade
Ren opened the notebook again:
Herbal Drying System — Batch 1
Dry Time: 5–7 days
Product Uses:
• Makino's bar teas
• Minor medicine mixes
• Flavouring for preserved foods
• High-demand winter supplies
Trade Advantage:
Herbs weigh little → easy to transport
High value → perfect for small merchant groups
Low attention → good for secrecy
He smiled faintly.
"This is perfect for our early trade."
Salt was heavy.
Fish smelled.
But herbs?
Light. Quiet. Profitable.
A beginner merchant's dream product.
---
Step 7 — Zemo's "Quality Inspection"
Ren stepped back to admire the rack—
and saw Zemo gently tugging at a mint bundle.
"ZEMO— NO!"
Zemo froze.
Mouth full of leaves.
One leaf fell.
Ren put his hands on his hips.
"That is not your snack!"
Zemo dropped the mint bundle on the floor and backed away slowly…
as if the bundle had attacked him first.
Ren sighed, picked it up, dusted it off, and hung it again.
"You are banned from mint for two days."
Zemo made a dramatic whine.
---
Ending the Day
Ren dimmed the lantern and looked at the neatly hung herbs.
A small thing.
Not a scientific breakthrough.
Not a base expansion.
Just herbs drying quietly.
But this simple act meant:
future trade income
stable supplies
independence for the island
support for recruits
and the beginnings of a real merchant identity
Ren whispered:
"We're building our future… one dried leaf at a time."
Zemo curled beside the herbs, acting like their guardian.
Ren smiled.
Tomorrow, he'd work on cargo crates.
But today—
He had created another piece of the foundation.
---
End of Chapter 113