The Apothecary Diaries - Vol. 1 Ch. 3 - The Imperial Court's Nymph

[MangaDex]

 

[Blazezalb]

Square Breadix

 

[Kaarme]

Chocolate in the past used to be something else, I see.

 

[lividus]

Can't say I've ever gotten horny by eating chocolate. Guess I've become immune then, as a result of my childhood pocket money ?

 

[AgentKuga]

"make any victims"

 

[Glomoro]

People still think chocolate is something of an aphrodisiac now, it's not just some old timey notion. The reason you've never noticed that effect is likely to be any of the following on their own or in combination with each other. The purity (milk chocolate has less actual cacao in it than dark chocolate, for instance). Other ingredients interacting with the cacao (the stuff mentioned here didn't seem all that special but that could also be the author's fault for finding the wrong recipe if this one wouldn't actually work). The placebo effect (let's face it, most of the things people call aphrodisiacs just... aren't, so if they seem to work for some people that's possibly some mind over matter shit). The individual taking them (how many variations of anti-depressants do you think there are, just because no single one of them works on every single patient?).

 

[JaneJeon]

@Glomoro oh, I thought it was the alcohol, not the chocolate. Interesting, because I eat a lot of sweets (including chocos) and I've never gotten horny(?) off of it, whereas the moment I get drunk it's snuggle+BJ city

 

[Callidus]

I'll just point it out that there's a reason why you give out chocolates on Valentines Day.

 

[Glomoro]

@JaneJeon Alcohol probably isn't strictly speaking an aphrodisiac, but can have a similar effect. Rather than increase in sex drive, what people probably tend to experience from alcohol is more like a reduction in inhibition. So, instead of your body chemistry telling you it wants to do the deed it's more like your mind is more open to it. The difference gets pretty subtle since the effect is essentially the same.

It's also pretty plausible for a lot of supposed aphrodisiacs to be consumed alongside alcohol or have it mixed in them, so I wouldn't be all that surprised if this is the true culprit. Another example of an aphrodisiac is oysters right? Wouldn't be weird to have a few glasses of wine or something with such a dinner.

 

[GingaBishoujo]

*Takes peek to see if something happened*

YURIFICATION! YURIFICATION!

 

[ichi24]

She's right

He would make such a fine trap

 

[Arvadiel]

Now that, is something you don't learn everyday.
*sniper wide smile*

 

[Madcat6204]

MaoMao casually checking under their skirts is so... her.

 

[kuma]

emm, cacao is not exist in japan, until meiji revolution. it wasn't even common in old world until late 17th century. so i tough the settings is quite modern? or is it fantasy?

 

[Pyxios]

@kuma For starters, this story is a historical one. So, it is neither modern nor a fantasy, but rather old and realistic. To answer the former, I cannot say as this story takes place in Imperial China and not in Japan. As to whether or not cacao beans existed Imperial China during the 17th century, the answer is: yes. Many trade routes were open at the time which gave many opportunities for cacao beans to enter China.

Furthermore, in a letter written by Buenaventura Ibañez, a prominent Franciscan (A Christian Group in China at the time), on March 5, 1678, requested a cargo of cacao to be sent from New Spain with all the accoutrements necessary to make chocolate as a present for the “King of Canton”. This suggests that access to chocolate may have been restricted to only the upper echelons of society, as demonstrated in this very chapter.

 

[kuma]

@Pyxios while it is introduced into china very early, their use is still very limited, more limited than simply upper echelons. it's quite boggling that it was said the first Western "influence" was opium, so it was their first western culture shock. china is historically very closed, so it's probably harder for chocolate to be common enough to use in prostitution. chocolate common use would harder than simply first introduction. gunpowder for example has introduced in europe since mongol conquest in 13th century, but their use isn't common until last decade of 100 years war in 15th century.

later chapter mentioned "educated in the west", so i guess it's quite modern. but still, lot of aspect also kind of weirdly modern too, like tobacco. which during early introduction also see as "western influence" and forbidden to posses.

 

[Shirayuki_yona]

The cover for this chap is too funny

 

[Ahan1899]

This is why I refrain from reading historical themed mangas. I always get hooked right away and forced to wait for months for them to update...

 

[RandomDoge]

I guess I now know why I'm always rock hard...

 

[Formacetpropion]

Thats sexual harassment!!