One's state of mind plays a crucial role in shaping one's life. It is, rather obviously, the case that the clarity and quality of one's thoughts often lead to more favorable outcomes.
Yet life was a cruel gamble, and some were doomed to be its victims.
Even the most successful, those blessed with the advantages of a decent upbringing, may still lose when they encounter the Filth that corrupts them.
These people were unaware; they wandered within its poisonous garden of deceit, never realizing that somewhere along the way, they had lost their path.
To some, those who fall are the treasures they seek; the poor choices and suffering of the lost bring joy to those who stand above them.
That is what the Malefactor's desire, and they will usher it through the Maryland Drug.
It all began with a seemingly harmless grass.
Avelrowe grass, found deep in the forest of the same name, was dangerous enough on its own, a severe hallucinogen at best.
But in the hands of the Malefactors, it became their most profitable, the poison seeping slowly into the already polluted veins of Gravenhurst. It was the core component of the Maryland Drug, sold as an escape for those too weary to face the drowning world of ink.
Upon seeing the grass in the store owner's hand, the servant felt an urge to refuse. Though her memories were lost, something within her remained unchanged, a fragment of her true self whispering that this creation was one she would come to regret.
"But I have no choice... I have no choice..." she murmured to herself, and wondered how many times she would repeat that lie to ease her conscience.
"Silvie, come. We have much to do..." Daishi gestured for her to step closer; it seemed he wanted this over as quickly as possible, before night reached the roofs of the buildings.
He gathered a few sprigs of grass and the Ink Potion, placing them neatly on the table alongside the rest of the apparatus.
The servant approached. Her steps were light, yet her heart was heavy, the weight of it hidden behind an ordinary and pale expression.
Daishi picked up a clump of Avelrowe Grass and held it between his fingers. "Normally, this is dried and rolled into a bundle," he explained. "When burned with a lighter, the smoke induces vivid hallucinations and a high."
"This grass is also banned for commercial use or possession without GPA permission, and those permitted to use it are mostly for medical purposes within hospitals."
Silvie had a vague sense of why it was used in hospitals. Still, if smoking it alone could cause hallucinations, why did Sir Daishi require the Ink Potion? And it certainly didn't help that it wasn't even a 'mythical ingredient.'
Daishi continued, noting that, while Avelrowe Grass wasn't a mythical ingredient, its use in the Maryland Drug was different. It wasn't smoked; instead, its essence was extracted and mixed with the Ink Potion, producing a remarkable effect on the mixture.
Once combined, the result was the Maryland Drug. Unlike the simple hallucinations from smoking the Avelrowe grass, which are random and uncontrollable, more akin to a short fantasy trip, this drug induced far more powerful visions and was faster to consume, as it came in liquid form.
Though the taste remains very bitter...
What made it unique was that the hallucinations were controlled; those who consumed it could, for a brief moment, dictate what they saw and felt by focusing on a memory or desire.
People who indulged in it used it to experience realities they would never otherwise have encountered with their pitiful lives.
It was not so different from shaping a Script, yet unlike the latter: the Maryland Drug created nothing. It only allowed one to interpret their desires, weaving illusions that felt real but birthed no reality.
"Forcing a reality you'll never feel..." Silvie muttered under her breath, the thought of somber.
The idea was unsettling. The world was so miserable that people needed controlled lies coursing through their bodies.
"Is it necessary to teach me this, Sir Daishi?" the servant asked cautiously. She knew her duties: to sell candies, to build resistance to Black Sea Ink, and, above all, to prove her loyalty to the Malefactors.
But this... this was something she wanted no part of.
The store owner set the grass down. "Of course. You'll make this when we need an extra hand, and perhaps, one day, you'll be the one to make and sell it yourself..."
"Consider this a favor. It will serve to prove your loyalty and bring you one step nearer to becoming a Scripter."
He paused... "You wanted that, didn't you?"
The servant's heart sank beneath the weight of its own conflicted emotions.
The thought of selling it herself was something she couldn't comprehend.
Yet the price of power was the erosion of her morals. She kept her expression composed, though she wondered why her conscience still rebelled against their work.
"I understand, Sir Daishi, I'll do my best..." she said quietly. Yet inwardly, she wondered, "What's stopping me from embracing it... from simply letting go?"
Why did the servant cling to morals whose source she could no longer remember? A Morality without memory, conscience without origin...
Before the store owner could speak, Silvie asked a question that had been on her mind.
"Sir Daishi, this Maryland Drug, it's too good to be true... There has to be a side effect..." It was a quick attempt to distract herself from the thoughts rooting at her conscience.
"Huh..." The store owner was surprised by her curiosity. To him, Silvie was a difficult woman to read, however, he didn't mind elaborating.
"Before learning the side effects of the Maryland Drug, it's better if you're aware of the side effects of Avelrowe Grass first, no?" he suggested.
"That makes sense, Sir Daishi. Let's start with that," the servant replied, agreeing with his sentiment.
Daishi didn't waste time explaining further. The side effects of burnt Avelrowe Grass, when smoked, were straightforward, much like those of a typical psychedelic drug: altered and heightened senses, dizziness, dissociation, impaired memory, and an increased heart rate, potentially dangerous for those with heart problems.
But even Silvie could tell that much. She pressed further, and Daishi let out a deep sigh, unwilling to hold back as he revealed the grim truth of its long-term effects.
With repeated use, Avelrowe Grass inflicted damage that could not be ignored, leading to its eventual ban by the GPA. It had been heavily abused by the poor, laborers and Nobility alike.
Memory loss became permanent, attention and focus waned, and users often developed a dependency on the smoke. Their lungs weakened, leading to persistent coughs and breathing difficulties, even among users as young as fourteen.
In some cases, prolonged abuse caused deeper damage to the mind, heightened anxiety, paranoia, or even episodes of madness that eroded one's sanity.
In the current state of the world, it was a slow venom, harming humanity more than it helped. Sir Daishi made it clear:
"It is one of the fastest ways to earn, and we are here to exploit it for Lady Evelyn's cause."
Silvie's image of Daishi solidified in an instant. The gentleman and baker she had known transformed before her eyes into a drug cook, unhesitant to exploit others for his own ends.
She was surprised to discover that morals still remained in her heart. Ignoring her unease, she asked, "What is Lady Evelyn's goal... Sir Daishi?"
"I need to know my mistress's goal, to know if it will justify the suffering I am about to contribute..." she murmured to herself.
The store owner went silent at her question. It was curious to see a conflicted expression cross his face, whether he was offended or annoyed, no longer concerned, the servant.
After a brief pause to gather his thoughts, he finally replied, "She'll be the one to tell you, Silvie, not me..."
Silvie took a deep breath. She found herself wondering what would become of her if she were taken by the Royal Guards, how her life might differ from this one, steeped as it was in organized crime.
"I see, Sir Daishi..."
Yet another curiosity surfaced within her. If Avelrowe Grass alone could wreak so much havoc on society, what then of the Maryland Drug? Driven by a need for grim context, she asked, and Daishi confirmed:
"The Maryland Drug is far deadlier in comparison. Everything I've told you, it does far worse, and you can die from consuming this..." He did not elaborate further.
His stern expression left no room for doubt, and the grim information was left for Silvie to ponder in silence.
Yet Silvie knew that beyond the physical and mental side effects lay the true danger.
The greater threat was that the Maryland Drug contained Black Sea Ink, and it was being spread among the people.
She bit her lip, sensing that pressing further, especially under Sir Daishi's current expression, would be both risky and unwise.
"What is Lady Evelyn's goal, to warrant the exploitation of such a thing?" she wondered inwardly.
"Is there anything else we must do?" she asked, setting her feelings and thoughts aside, believing it was the wisest course for her current situation.
There remained one final task: Silvie would be taught how to produce the Maryland Drug. As much as she opposed it, she had no choice.
Sir Daishi prepared the instruments needed to create a Maryland Drug. They used a new vial of roughly 2.5 ounces of ink potion; the remainder had been consumed by Silvie from a shot glass.
This time, they also required purified Calasi water, drawn from the dam where Red Sea water was purified into drinkable form, a process still mysterious even to the Malefactors.
Silvie was guided through the steps, beginning by crushing the Avelrowe Grass sprigs in a mortar. Soon, its inner fibers began releasing moisture.
They wore masks to avoid inhaling the fumes, and Daishi made it clear that they never consumed their own product. This gave Silvie a small measure of relief, as she refused to ever consume such a thing herself.
She remained meticulous, careful not to over-pulp the mixture, knowing any mistake could ruin the batch.
The next step was to gently heat the Calasi River water in a crucible over a low flame until it began to steam, making sure not to let it boil.
Then, Silvie added the crushed Avelrowe Grass to the warmed water. The instructions said to let it steep for five minutes, stirring it with a silver rod.
Shortly after, it was time to strain. Silvie poured the infusion through a copper mesh into a clean beaker. At this point, it was ready to mix with the ink potion.
"We're done..." said Sir Daishi as he poured the strained Avelrowe essence into a 2-ounce vial, mixing it with another 2 ounces of ink potion.
He shook it, completing the process.
Chapter End...