Lucas took the opportunity to add some water to the small basin as well, then placed it right in the middle of the large basin. As the saltpeter slowly dissolved in the water, it began to absorb a massive amount of heat. Slowly, the water in the small basin began to crystallize into ice, transitioning from a light frost until it finally formed a solid block of ice.
"Master, is this also magic?" Mina's eyes widened as she looked earnestly at Lucas.
"There's ice!" Annie cried out in excitement upon seeing the ice formed in the small basin.
It was the middle of summer right now, yet ice could actually be produced using just water and stones. This was simply too incredible.
"Master, you really do know magic." Nicole flipped her hair, looking at Lucas with absolute certainty.
Hearing this, the corners of Lucas's mouth twitched. With a smile, he asked, "Do you want to drink an iced beverage?"
"Iced beverage? What kind of magic is that?" Annie's eyes were still fixed unblinkingly on the block of ice.
Nicole silently took out her notebook and began to write. It was another new vocabulary word. She also recorded the entire ice-making process Lucas had just demonstrated.
"Nicole, go to the inner storehouse, grab some cola, and bring it to the dining room." Lucas said to Nicole as he stood up.
Nicole nodded and instructed the maids outside the door to carry the ice and saltpeter over to the dining room.
"Master, this method of making ice with saltpeter must not be leaked," Mina suddenly spoke up, her eyes staring at the saltpeter.
If other nobles or merchants found out that saltpeter could make ice, it would be disastrous. There was no telling what crazy things they might do.
Just like being able to grow green vegetables in winter, this was another unbelievable feat. One had to remember that normally, only nobles with ice cellars had access to ice, and even they had to use it sparingly.
Lucas nodded, turned to Mina, and said, "Lock down this information. Do not let it leak out for the time being."
He naturally knew that it wasn't the right time to make the ice-making method public yet. No matter what, it would have to wait until next year at the earliest.
"Yes." Mina nodded seriously, immediately pulling out her notebook to jot it down.
Mina and Annie followed Lucas to the dining room, where Nicole was already waiting with the cola.
Lucas opened two cans of cola and poured them into several cups. He then smashed the newly made ice into small pieces and dropped them into the cups of cola.
Hiss...
The ice cubes hissed as they touched the cola, and bubbles slowly rose to the surface. This sight completely mesmerized the beast-eared girls watching from the side.
"Here, drink up." Lucas picked up a cup of cola, took a sip, and let out a sound of satisfaction.
One should drink iced beverages in the summer. Being able to drink iced cola even in this alternate world was truly one of life's great enjoyments.
Seeing Lucas drink, the beast-eared girls also picked up their colas and brought them to their lips.
"So cold, this is way too delicious!" Mina took a sip and shivered.
"Cola was already delicious to begin with, but adding ice cubes makes it so much more refreshing." After saying that, Nicole took another sip, feeling as if the summer heat had been completely driven away.
"Another cup." Annie finished her cup of iced cola in two or three gulps and looked longingly at the remaining cola set aside.
"Iced drinks are good, but don't be greedy, or your stomach won't be able to handle it," Lucas warned. Seeing the beast-eared girls' satisfied expressions, he worried that they wouldn't have enough self-control.
"Okay," Annie pouted and put down her cup.
"Alright, here, take this cup." Lucas shook his head with a laugh and handed over his half-drunk cola.
He began to think, feeling that he should build an alternate-world version of a refrigerator. Otherwise, they would only be able to drink slightly iced beverages like this; he still wanted to eat things like ice cream, after all.
Soon, he had a flash of inspiration. He strode toward the study, and the curious beast-eared girls quickly followed, not forgetting to carry their colas with them.
Upon reaching the study, Lucas grabbed some paper and began to draw. After a while, he looked up and said to Annie, "Instruct the people at the artisan workshop to build two nested iron boxes. Here are the blueprints."
Annie looked at the blueprints and asked curiously, "Master, what is this?"
"You'll know later," Lucas chuckled lightly. He wasn't even sure if it would work himself; he had to test it first to find out.
Annie rolled her eyes. The Master was getting better and better at playing mysterious. Just as she was about to call someone to deliver the blueprints, she saw Helen, Ayesha, and Nancy returning from outside.
"You guys are cheating! Drinking cola while we were away," Ayesha pouted as she ran over, her eyes looking eagerly at Lucas and the others.
Lucas just smiled and said, "Don't worry, there's still more."
Seeing Ayesha acting spoiled, Nancy felt that Ayesha was very free and comfortable here—much better off than she had been in Bella's territory.
"Huh? Master, what did you add into this? Why is it so icy cold? It feels so nice." After finishing her drink, Ayesha's eyes widened in amazement.
"The Master added some ice cubes," Nicole said softly, bringing out a few more cups and adding ice cubes and cola to them.
"Ice cubes?" Ayesha stared suspiciously at Lucas.
"Come over and give it a try," Lucas said with a smile, looking at Helen and Nancy.
"Wow, it really is delicious," Helen said in surprise.
"So comfortable, the heat is completely gone," Nancy exclaimed.
"Lord Lucas, are these ice cubes from an ice cellar?" Helen asked. She remembered the Lord saying before that it was best not to eat the ice from ice cellars.
"I'll have Mina tell you later," Lucas said gently. Some things were better left unsaid too plainly.
Nancy was currently present. If she found out that saltpeter had this kind of effect, the nature of their relationship might change. After all, he wasn't familiar with Bella and didn't know what she might do.
Mina also knew what the Master was concerned about, so she said to the rabbit-eared girl, "That's right, I'll tell you later. Let's drink our cola first."
Helen nodded without saying anything. She wasn't stupid. Given Lucas's personality, he wouldn't usually hide things from them. Since he wasn't saying it now, it meant this matter couldn't be known by outsiders—like Nancy, who was currently present.
"..." Nancy frowned but didn't say anything either. She knew her place. If she were in his shoes, she wouldn't let others know about confidential matters either.
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