Ch.334The Cradle of Life. Orcran Swamp (4)

Victor and his party members left the museum and began walking down the street where the headquarters and branches of pharmaceutical companies—Orkran’s greatest pride—were located.

Surprisingly, there weren’t many hospitals, which was characteristic of the dangerous swamp. This was because there weren’t many injured people, only fatalities.

“There are various types of medicines, but the most actively researched in Orkran are crude drugs.”

“What are crude drugs? Do you mean herbs?”

“Crude drugs are… substances found in nature that have medicinal effects on humans or animals, or are used because they’re believed to have such effects. They can be classified as plant-based, animal-based, or mineral-based. People often think swamps only contain plant-based crude drugs, but in fact, there are many that belong to the latter two categories as well.”

“Oh? Are there that many animals and minerals in the swamp?”

“Where plants grow abundantly, herbivores gather, and naturally, carnivores gather to prey on them. Also, because swamps block oxygen by their nature, at the very bottom of the swamp, you can mine minerals that haven’t oxidized because they haven’t been exposed to oxygen.”

Victor nodded after hearing the explanation.

Who was it that said? A place that’s good for me to live is also good for others to live.

A swamp isn’t entirely filled with sticky mucus. While that does make up the majority, it’s a vast ecosystem with flatlands, mountainous areas, and forests, so it wasn’t strange at all that there would be animal colonies or mineral deposits.

“So all these places produce medicine?”

“That’s correct. The companies gathered here are also the ones that employ adventurers. That’s why whenever adventurers flock here, these companies’ wallets dry up, and when new medicines are released, their wallets fatten up again—a cycle that repeats itself.”

“New medicines…”

In truth, the medicines produced in Orkran could be made by pharmaceutical companies on other continents as well. After all, other pharmaceutical companies hadn’t been idle for the past 1,203 years.

However, at least on the Hurichel continent, it was difficult to withstand the dominance of the pharmaceutical companies established in Orkran. Having started making medicines when everyone was struggling, they enjoyed tremendous monopoly and first-mover advantages. Above all, if anyone wanted to establish a pharmaceutical company or deal with medicinal products on the Hurichel continent, it was impossible to do so without considering the Orkran swamp.

Pharmacists had no choice but to go to Orkran, where infrastructure and personnel had been accumulated for over 1,000 years, and merchants had to come to Orkran to purchase the most diverse and effective medicines.

Some medicines had even evolved from brand names to generic terms, and this small region of Orkran alone accounted for more than 20% of the continent’s GDP—which says it all.

“Could we see the process of making medicine?”

“Ah, of course. Our Orkran always has tour courses prepared for people like you.”

“Oh, wonderful.”

Unlike for others, the welcoming committee guided the Iron Walker party to a special tour course.

In the process, about 300 visitors who were already on tour were adorably kicked out, but when a god is making a visit, what does it matter!

*

Upon entering the tour course, the Iron Walker party collectively gasped in amazement at the panoramic view of the factory.

The entire side of the factory was made of transparent glass, and soon, with a clunking sound, the platform began to move like a conveyor belt.

The welcoming committee members started explaining each stage of the factory as they gradually passed by.

Clank! Clank-clank!

“First of all, we prepare well-dried herbs. The reason for drying them is that as moisture evaporates, the volume shrinks, allowing more to fit in the same space, and the medicinal components become concentrated through the drying process.”

Crunch! Whirrr!

“Next, we cut the herbs into small pieces and grind them. If they weren’t dried, this process would produce a paste instead of powder, which is why dried herbs are essential.”

Rattle-rattle-rattle!

“Once the powder is made, specially processed minerals are ground very finely and added as supplements. Potassium, lithium, and other metals are essential for our bodies.”

Swoosh…

“Then, we put the powder into a well-cleaned large container and mix it thoroughly. During this process, coarse granules are added to hold the particles together. Without them, we’d get a gruel instead of a dough, so they’re absolutely necessary.”

Press… Bang! Press… Bang!

“After that, the prepared dough is squeezed onto a sterilized conveyor belt and compressed with a sterilized press to form pills.”

Plop! Plop!

“Finally, to prevent them from dissolving in the mouth and esophagus, and to make them palatable for children, we coat them with sweet glucose. This thin glucose film also serves to prevent the medicine from deteriorating.”

Click! Click! Click!

“After rapid drying with ultraviolet light, the pills are placed in special packaging and vacuum-sealed for shipment. These medicines will now be distributed throughout the Hurichel continent and exported to the other 12 continents to help those who are suffering.”

The voices of the welcoming committee members were filled with pride as they explained. It was completely understandable.

The pride of saving precious lives rather than taking them—and doing so not through incomprehensible magic or rituals requiring sacrifices, but purely through the products of the world to save humanity—was certainly not something to be criticized.

This was especially true for Victor, who had a harrowing past where he had to kill to survive.

“An impressive factory. I can feel that these machines are truly fitting for the home of those who save lives.”

“Your words are too kind.”

“That’s enough modesty. Excessive humility is disproportionate (excessive modesty is rather impolite).”

“In that case, I apologize for my rudeness.”

“I believe we’ve seen everything there is to see. Where will we be staying?”

When Victor asked this, the welcoming committee bowed again and guided the Iron Walker party to the tallest hotel in Orkran.

The hotel’s appearance was quite unique—it looked as if it had been carved out of a tree. The exterior was covered with moss and flowers, and upon entering, a rich aroma like brewing medicinal herbs filled the air.

“The Kanezaka Hotel has maintained its number one position in Orkran for 30 years. Though its history isn’t very long, as you’ve just seen, it has gained great fame for its unique exterior and aromatherapy using herbal scents.”

“I see. So this scent is aromatherapy.”

What seemed impossible turned out to be true—they really were brewing medicinal herbs.

Besides that, the Kanezaka Hotel’s interior was entirely made of plants, with the most impressive feature being trees growing in the shapes of chairs and tables.

“Amazing, isn’t it? I hear they’re created and maintained with the help of druids.”

“Oh, indeed.”

Indeed, druids who handle plants could certainly create such strange “bonsai” creations.

“Please, sit comfortably. You must be tired from walking so much. I’ll have refreshments brought out.”

Victor nodded and enjoyed his rest sitting on the strange chair-tree.

Without realizing it, he had expended energy by blessing the entire swamp.

Perhaps after he leaves and the swamp reopens, Orkran might account for more than 50% of the Hurichel continent’s GDP.

“I’ll serve you some refreshments.”

“Oh, that looks delicious.”

The refreshments consisted of a deep reddish-brown herbal tea and soft pastries with leaves attached to their tops.

Taking a sip of the herbal tea, he found it bitter yet with a clean aftertaste—a quality tea that perfectly embodied the essence of tea.

“Hmm? Aren’t you all drinking?”

“It’s hot.”

“Hot?”

Victor suddenly realized that he was casually drinking tea that had just stopped boiling, barely below 100 degrees Celsius.

Since even gods couldn’t escape physiological reactions, he noticed Raisha blowing on her tea before drinking it. Recognizing himself as the source of all heat, Victor tossed a pastry into his mouth.

“Hmm. The texture is closer to rice cake than pastry. Very chewy.”

It had the texture of a cookie saturated with moisture, but the leaves attached to the top complemented both the aroma and texture, making it not unpleasant. Indeed, the leaves must have been added for this purpose.

After the short refreshment break, the Iron Walker party retired to their assigned rooms to rest.