Python script I am trying to solve

I have this challenge I have been trying to solve. Here is the script :

import hashlib

def takingPotion(memory, key):

    result = bytearray(len(memory))
    for i in range(len(memory)):
        result[i] = memory[i] ^ key
    return bytes(result)


if __name__ == "__main__":

    # Ryan's memory is all scrambled.
    memory = 'd4e0b9f4fcf4f6ebe0b9f1f8effcb9fbfcfcf7b9faecebfcfdb7b9d0b9ebfcf4fcf4fbfcebb9f7f6eeb7b9daf7dce2fdaaaae9aaebc6a8f7c6e0a9ecebc6f1aaadfde4'

    # The lost recipe is here, but it is a foreign language.
    lostRecipe="c5a5e3dcb87d3538b366b24f459c436a"
    
    # Enter the proper potion formula to cure Ryan.
    recipe = input("Enter mental cure recipe: ")

    # Mixing the potion to see if it matches the formula in his head.
    mixRecipe = hashlib.md5(recipe.encode())    

    # Is it the right formula?
    if mixRecipe.hexdigest() == lostRecipe:
        # Extract the ingredients from the formula to get the proper mix.
        ingredient = int((recipe[0] + recipe[1]).encode(), 16)
        isCured = takingPotion(bytes.fromhex(memory), ingredient)
        print (isCured.decode())
    else:
        print ("It didn't work!")

I think it is supposed to be much simpler than trying to crack the MD5 hash in the script. I cannot seem to understand how to resolve this in a simple way.

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