Chapter 97: Success

Women naturally love beauty.

Even in a wizard world where power resides in oneself, this is still the case.

Take Selin Witch, for instance: she is very particular about her appearance—her hairstyle, eyelashes, lip color, makeup, accessories, and clothing—she cares about all of them.

However, Lin Ke discovered that in the East District, only a few stores specialize in women's clothing, accessories, personal care products, and cosmetics.

Fragrances, aromatherapy essential oils, perfumes, and similar items are sold only at pharmacies.

As for fragrances, whether sourced externally or as specialties offered by various pharmacies, they are primarily practical,

they emphasize calming, soothing, and relieving the mind, helping to ease the fatigue from a day of study, research, or work,

In terms of scent, they are almost all a single type, with little variation.

Lin Ke wondered: if one or several fragrances were developed that retained their practical effects but emphasized scent more to enhance charm, would there be a market, and would they be popular?

Compared to perfume, fragrance still differs in many ways: it is lighter and more elegant, not as strong, and thus more suitable for most female wizards' daily use.

Without rushing to discuss this idea with Selin Witch, Lin Ke decided to first conduct a round of development; once he had interim results, he could produce some samples for comparison and market estimation.

After several days of effort, the preparations for the fragrance research laboratory are complete.

Everything is ready; now is the perfect time to begin the fragrance research work.

Thus, the laboratory, which had been idle for a few days, started up again.

This time, unlike when he previously developed Lixuan grass aromatherapy essential oil and had not yet studied pharmacy or alchemical pharmacy, many advanced pharmacy methods and alchemical pharmacy techniques were unavailable to him.

After listening to Selin Witch's half-hour lecture, reviewing and advancing his studies over the past few days, and with the bonus of his magic potion aptitude, Lin Ke can now skillfully apply advanced pharmacy methods and some basic techniques of alchemical pharmacy in his research.

Moreover, having several fragrance products from the pharmacy as references, the development of fragrances based on extracts of several aromatic plants proceeds rapidly.

In less than three days, interim results are already imminent.

This day is Wednesday of the fourth week of the vacation.

At night, in the laboratory on the third basement floor of the experiment building.

Mo Li, who was packaging the fourth sample, suddenly recalled something and said, "Lin Ke, this afternoon Selin Witch gave me a few bottles of Lixuan grass aromatherapy essential oil and asked me to tell you that the trial production of Lixuan grass aromatherapy essential oil has succeeded."

These past few days, being busy with research, Lin Ke didn't wait for Mo Li to finish work as before; instead, after lunch he hurried back to the academy.

Mo Li didn't mention it specially, so Lin Ke truly didn't know that Selin Witch's improved Lixuan grass aromatherapy essential oil had already gone into production.

Wait a moment.

Lixuan grass aromatherapy essential oil...

Lin Ke couldn't help but recall how, when his aromatherapy essential oil research hit a setback, he turned to exploring fragrances, and a flash of inspiration struck him.

Perhaps, back then he thought Lixuan grass leaf extract was unsuitable for fragrance development, likely because his own knowledge base wasn't broad or deep enough.

It wasn't that Lixuan grass leaf extract couldn't be made into a fragrance; rather, at that time he lacked the ability to turn it into a good fragrance.

If we remove the auxiliary ingredient sleepy flower pollen, reduce some of its positive effects on meditation, and add one or two aromatic plant extracts, turning it into a liquid fragrance is entirely feasible.

When this inspiration struck, Lin Ke felt there was great potential.

He didn't have time to reply to Mo Li; he grabbed paper and pen, sketched and scribbled, designing on paper the material ratios, the pharmacy methods needed, and the alchemical pharmacy techniques…

Seeing this, Mo Li didn't disturb Lin Ke and swallowed her unfinished words.

She had originally wanted to ask: if she started using Lixuan grass aromatherapy essential oil and other potions every night during deep meditation, how soon could she reach the standard for promotion to second-rank witch apprentice?

This afternoon, Selin Witch not only gave her a few bottles of aromatherapy essential oil, but also told her a piece of news.

That is, Linke Grand should have already become a second-rank witch apprentice long ago; he just never publicized it.

Mo Li didn't know why Selin Witch told her this news.

But after hearing it, she inevitably felt a pang of disappointment.

Even though she strives hard to catch up, the gap only widens.

She does not want the gap between them to keep growing!

So she prepared to take out the magic stone that was half-bought out of the patent for Lixuan grass aromatherapy essential oil, the first-season dividend from the Silver Star Flower hybrid breeding, and use them all to purchase potions that enhance meditation effects.

With multiple approaches, even if the magic stone is completely used up, Mo Li will achieve promotion to second-rank witch apprentice in the shortest possible time!

Having made up her mind, Mo Li dismissed the thought of asking Lin Ke.

Let's just do it like that.

After all, this is her own matter.

Just as Lin Ke often says, one's own affairs are decided by oneself.

One's own choices are borne by oneself.

At this moment Lin Ke finally stopped writing, didn't bother with Mo Li, and dove straight into the pile of bottles and jars to start a new round of experiments.

With the double boost of his botany and magic potion aptitudes, Lin Ke's recent inspiration surged like a mighty river, continuous and unending.

If everything unfolds as his flash of insight suggests, using Lixuan grass leaf extract as the main material, adding a plant fragrance called bitter root as an additive, first treating it with advanced pharmacy methods, then elevating it with alchemical pharmacy techniques, the resulting fragrance product would perfectly match Lin Ke's expectations.

It both calms the mind and purifies the spirit, exerting a soothing, tranquilizing, and mind‑relaxing effect, while also giving off a delicate, enduring fragrance that enhances a woman's charm.

Lin Ke couldn't wait to see the new experimental product.

Mo Li gathered her thoughts and hurried forward to help.

After about half an hour, all operations were finished.

Next, it's just a matter of waiting for time.

After tidying up the laboratory, Lin Ke and Mo Li left, each returning to their dormitory.

On the way, Mo Li was unusually quiet, a stark contrast to her usual liveliness, and didn't say a word.

Lin Ke sensed something was off, but didn't think much of it.

A maiden's feelings are always poetic; emotional fluctuations are quite normal.

Hmm.

The next day, Thursday, clear skies.

Lin Ke came to the lab early in the morning.

He timed it, waiting for the glassy daylily fragrance's original liquid to be fully prepared, then immediately extracted a few drops of it.

The original liquid was diluted to normal concentration, divided into several small black bottles, and that became the sample.

Carrying several bottles of evenly mixed sample out of the experimental area, Lin Ke came to the living/office area.

Opening a bottle of sample, with no other operation, he simply let it sit, allowing the liquid fragrance to evaporate and the scent to spread.

After a light sniff, Lin Ke's face showed a satisfied smile.

To have Lin Ke describe the feeling this fragrance gives, the first line of poetry that came to his mind was:

Sparse shadows slant across clear shallow water, faint fragrance drifts with the moon at dusk.

Although this line describes a scene, plum blossoms, the feeling it gives Lin Ke matches this fragrance.

Fresh and elegant, the scent is lingering and profound.

This means that, in terms of development, this fragrance has succeeded!

Taking the sample, Lin Ke met up with Mo Li.

He took the orbital transit train to the East District.

The pharmacy.

Witch Selin leaned on the counter, leisurely sipping a coffee-like energizing hot drink.

Seeing Lin Ke holding a refrigerated box, she instantly became interested.

From the moment he revealed the idea of developing this fragrance, only a few days have passed?

He could already produce results—his actions are truly swift, and development truly smooth.

"Let me have a look."

Witch Selin set down her hot drink and greeted him proactively.

Lin Ke stepped forward, placed the refrigerated box on the counter, and lifted the lid.

After a burst of cold air, five crystal-clear, differently labeled fragrance samples appeared before Witch Selin.

"Which one are you most satisfied with?"

Witch Selin didn't grab it directly, but asked playfully.

"This one."

Lin Ke pointed to the glassy daylily fragrance just finished this morning, his heart full of anticipation.

Witch Selin caught that, her interest rising, she reached for the No. 5 glassy daylily fragrance, opened the cap, and gently fanned above the bottle with her right hand.

The glassy daylily fragrance's fresh, elegant, lingering scent instantly spread.

The aroma is fragrant, alluring but not vulgar, pure but not seductive.

Almost instantly, Witch Selin took a liking to this scent.

Then, Witch Selin carefully savored the calming, soothing effect hidden in the fragrance.

For her, a third-rank witch, this effect is obviously extremely weak, nearly nonexistent.

But for a witch apprentice, this effect is very noticeable and can be of great help in daily life.

After all, whether studying or researching, it's tedious work, often encountering setbacks, easily causing emotional fluctuations and accumulating negative emotions.

Having such a fragrance indoors, soothing the mind while also letting one carry a delicate, elegant scent, is indeed quite good.

The only shortcoming is that it might have a slight effect on a first-rank witch, but for a second-rank witch it's barely better than nothing.

However, this is a technical problem, not unsolvable.

Linke Grand's exposure to pharmacology and alchemical pharmacology is still too short to fully develop his creativity.

Witch Selin, with a thought, immediately came up with no fewer than ten ways to greatly enhance this glassy daylily fragrance.

"Why are you thinking of using glassy daylily again? Tell me your inspiration and ideas."

Witch Selin capped the bottle, without even sampling the other four, and directly asked.

"The overall R&D strategy for fragrances is differentiated competition."

Lin Ke replied, "The fragrances currently on the market, the specialty fragrances launched by various pharmacies, all emphasize practical effects.

Meanwhile, perfumes, fragrances, and incenses actually also serve to enhance feminine charm.

Based on this idea, I, while not weakening the fragrance's practical effects, focused on strengthening its role in enhancing charm."

"Hmm..."

Witch Selin pondered for a moment, then continued asking, "Since glassy daylily has already been developed into incense essential oil and fragrance, have you not considered extending it further to develop a perfume?

This way, a series could be formed, with different functions.

Incense essential oil highlights the meditation-promoting effect, fragrance is used in daily life, being both practical and charm-enhancing, while perfume further amplifies the charm-enhancing effect."

Great minds think alike.

Lin Ke certainly had this idea too, replying, "I've considered it. But I wasn't sure whether this fragrance would be accepted by the market and welcomed by female witches, so I didn't rashly develop a perfume."

Witch Selin nodded, seeming thoughtful.

At this moment, Lin Ke timely presented the fragrance market research report he had prepared earlier, hoping to secure investment.

Witch Selin glanced at the report, which filled several pages but could be summed up as "give money," and couldn't help but laugh.

Little guy, small in stature but big in scheming, with too many tricks.

(End of chapter)