Chapter 84

Although they were excited, there were more pressing concerns than naming the paper, specifically, how to quickly commercialize their innovation.

In other words, how to make money from it as soon as possible.

"The first priority is attracting customers," Aegor motioned for everyone to quiet down. "First, let's calculate. After trimming off the irregular and useless edges of the raw paper, how many uniform rectangles can we produce?"

The answer wasn't difficult to determine. Aegor folded a sample sheet himself and soon reached a conclusion: a single raw sheet could be divided into six pieces slightly larger than A4 paper, with minimal waste. However, considering the size of the printing plates and the ergonomic preferences for books, it should actually be halved again. That meant one sheet of raw paper could ultimately yield 12 sheets of a practical size, ideal for printing text and binding into books or pamphlets.

"How many sheets of raw paper can the workshop produce in a single day?"

Nina licked her lips, pausing to think. "Hard to say. The process from raw materials to finished paper requires time and effort. Adding lime, other powders, and firing can speed things up. If we hire more people, buy better equipment, and establish a steady cycle for all the steps, we could increase production significantly."

"Then expand as quickly as possible," Aegor suggested after a moment of thought. "Recruit locals you trust. Divide the papermaking process into several distinct steps, with each worker specializing in a specific task. Essentially, create an assembly line. This will not only speed up production but also make it harder for anyone to learn the entire process by poaching workers. To steal the technique, they'd have to recruit almost everyone on the production line, which would be impossible to do discreetly."

"Assembly line?" Nina bit her lip, considered it, and quickly grasped the concept.

"And what happens if they poach your workers openly?" Tyrion shrugged. "It's not a particularly complex process. Once production scales up, it'll be impossible to stop others from copying it."

"True," Aegor admitted. "That's why we need to move quickly. Before competitors start popping up, we must establish partnerships with as many wealthy patrons as possible to minimize their potential influence and dominate the market." He leaned back, his tone matter-of-fact. In a world without intellectual property rights, expecting to monopolize the industry was naïve. Aegor knew better than to waste time on fruitless endeavors. "First, collect the paper we already have and print a copy of the Seven-Pointed Star Bible. Take it to churches, bookstores, and general stores to showcase it, and try to negotiate some orders. Tyrion, you're good at that sort of thing, so I'll leave it to you."

"Why does everyone assume I'm good at this!?"

"You're certainly better than I am," Aegor quipped with a sly grin. He wasn't sure about Tyrion's business acumen, but as a member of the Lannister family, he was bound to have connections and charm. Making full use of everyone's abilities and influence was crucial in starting a business. "Also, we need to start recruiting more workers to ease the burden. Don't sit idle while we're waiting on major orders. Keep working and refining the production process. Send all finished paper to the printing press and have it made into calendars. If people want them, we'll sell them wholesale. If no one does, give them to me, I'll distribute them through the Night's Watch office as gifts. Every visitor will get a monthly calendar, and anyone who buys bonds will receive a year's worth. For those who invest in our venture, their homes will always be supplied with Night's Watch calendars."

"Not a bad idea," Tyrion remarked approvingly. Calendars weren't a new concept. In a world where seasons were irregular, significant dates like major festivals were recorded in the "Royal Calendar," issued by the Citadel and approved by the Iron Throne. However, paper was a luxury item, and anything made from it was rare. Wealthy officials who needed to keep track of time always had a calendar, but ordinary city folk often shared one among several households, or even an entire street. In rural villages, there might be only one for everyone.

As a non-essential luxury, paper calendars were a rarity. Using them as gifts was cost-effective yet impressive, making it a perfect choice.

---

In the workshop, Aegor naturally fell into the role of leader. The others didn't seem to mind; in fact, they often deferred to him. After assigning tasks, he suddenly remembered something else. "Of course, I won't just sit back and do nothing. I'll start gathering writers to create some adventure novels. Once we've ramped up our papermaking and printing, we'll start publishing books."

"Master, you've told me so many stories about your adventures before coming to Westeros. Those alone could fill a book," Arya said.

Aegor was about to tousle her hair to dismiss her comment, but then he paused. Why hadn't he thought of that? The girl had a point. To avoid slipping up when recounting his fabricated adventures, he'd been jotting down notes every night, outlines of incredible tales that could easily rival world-class adventure stories like Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Treasure Island, The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, or Around the World in Eighty Days. If he polished these outlines and handed them to a skilled writer or bard to refine, he could pass them off as his own biography of daring escapades.

The sales potential was enormous. These stories had universal appeal, requiring no special literary knowledge to enjoy.

Perhaps, Aegor thought, this could even enhance the Night's Watch's public image. Maybe he should become an icon of sorts?

He rarely acknowledged Arya's insights, but this time he gave her a rare compliment. "Good idea."

Tyrion's eyes gleamed with mischief as he leaned closer to Aegor and whispered, "Don't forget one more thing. It won't be respectable enough for the stage, but the public will love it."

"What are you talking about?" Arya demanded, her sharp ears picking up the whisper.

Aegor's mind raced. Something scandalous yet marketable… Of course! A little yellow book—risqué stories. There were no censors in Westeros, after all. He chuckled inwardly but reassured Arya, "Don't worry, I'll get you a book when the time comes."

Would it be a bad influence on the child? Possibly. But considering how little time Eddard Stark had spent raising her, Aegor figured he was doing more than enough.

With everything discussed, the only thing left was for everyone to carry out their tasks. The business was ready to begin in earnest.

"There's one last matter," Aegor said, remembering his earlier promise. This time, he had discussed it with Tyrion beforehand. "Previously, I mentioned giving you a tenth of the profits from the paper mill. That was unclear and incomplete, so here's what I'll do: half of this workshop will be yours, not just the profits, but the ownership. When we have enough funds, I'll buy the yard outright to serve as your permanent workspace and home. This is my acknowledgment of your contributions to the process and your innovations. However, in exchange, you cannot quit or start your own business without my permission. If you have new ideas or inventions, you must report them to the Night's Watch first. If you agree, one of you can come back to the Night's Watch office with me to sign the agreement today."

"Thank you, sir!" Neil quickly replied, surprising everyone with his decisiveness.

"Let Nina sign the agreement."

***

For every 100 PS = 1 extra chapter. Support me on patreon to read 30+ advanced chapters: patreon.com/Blownleaves.