episode_0004

Creating a storybook for noble daughters.

The first step was to obtain materials to make the book.

“While I’m at it, I guess I should make a new Ada too.”

At first, there was no money or technology, so the quality of the books produced could not be said to be good.

However, since the customers this time were not family but very picky aristocrats, not only did I have to select each and every material that went into the book, but I also had to leave the work to experts.

“Master, I have brought leather, paper, and sewing craftsmen from the territory you mentioned.”

I searched around the territory for craftsmen of the three materials necessary to make a book.

The butler brought everyone in without me having to go out myself, but for some reason, they didn’t look very happy.

Craftsmen sitting on the sofa in the living room with stern expressions without even drinking the tea served for the guests.

‘That’s an expensive car, but it’s a waste.’

Even though the meals my family and employees eat are poor, the tea and refreshments provided to the visiting guests are a matter of noble honor, and most of our living expenses are spent on them, so they are so valuable that we don’t even touch them.

“Master, we too are people who know grace. Since you have already made up your mind, please raise taxes.”

As soon as I sat down at the head of the sofa in the living room to greet them, I started saying something incomprehensible.

“What does that mean?”

“There is no need to hide that the author’s situation has become difficult. We all know you did it for us, so there’s no need to repeat it.”

No, so what does that matter now?

“That’s right. We were all prepared. Everyone can make sacrifices to overcome the crisis in the territory.”

My headache hurts.

What on earth were these guys imagining when they gathered here?

“The reason I called you is not to raise taxes.”

“Then just voluntarily in the form of a donation?”

“No, it’s not like that, it’s to entrust you with work.”

The craftsmen nodded with a puzzled expression at my words.

“Oh, if that’s the case, of course we should give it to you for free.”

“No, I will give you money!!!”

Going crazy. If word got out about our family’s lack of money, even the people in the territory would see us as beggars.

***

“Of all the leathers used for book covers, sheepskin is definitely the best.”

Indeed, there were many cases on Earth where leather made from sheep was used as a recording medium before paper was invented.

This was commonly referred to as ‘parchment’, and the leather was tough and had a very long lifespan, making it excellent for preservation.

In particular, in the case of book covers, which often contain text or pictures, dye is said to be widely used because it engraves well and lasts for a long time.

“To cut ten pieces of the highest quality sheepskin to this size, it would cost at least 30 silver.”

The expression of the leather craftsman who hesitantly told me the amount darkened. I think it’s probably because I’m worried about money.

‘I thought leather would be the most expensive, but it’s cheaper than I thought.’

Rather, I liked it.

“Of all the paper used in books, the highest quality paper is the hemp paper with magic stones scattered on it. It gently scatters light so you can read books without light even at night, and no matter how much time passes, it does not deteriorate.”

A magic paper that is made by grinding and scattering the material that comes out when you kill a monster called a ‘magic stone’.

I also knew of the existence of this paper.

I have seen the family genealogy once because it is the only book in our family that is written on horse-covered paper.

“The price varies depending on the number of pages of this children’s book… .”

“The number of pages will probably be around 30.”

“Then you need 50 silver for 10 books.”

Wow that’s a crazy price. If I hadn’t received money in advance from the nobles this time, I would never have even dared to buy it.

But you can’t save money on ingredients when making it.

“The best thread used to bind books is silk thread. It is soft, light, and discreet, leaving no traces of binding.”

The silk thread is said to be silk, and although this is a very expensive item, the amount used is very small compared to the clothes, so it was okay.

“So, is it correct that leather is 30 silver, paper is 50 silver, and sewing is 20 silver including labor costs?”

The craftsmen nodded in unison at my words.

“We will pay you in advance! Please hurry up and get the work done as quickly as possible.”

When I immediately had my butler hand out the money I had prepared, the craftsmen’s eyes widened.

The money I received from the nobles as a reward was 14 gold. There was no way it would have been a waste to spend less than a tenth of that amount on production costs.

This is also thanks to the use of the highest quality ingredients, so the price can be lowered even further if you want.

“Now then, I have to do my job.”

Now that the basic foundations of the book were laid out by experts, I had to fill in the substance of the book.

First of all, the first was a children’s book written solely for Ada.

All of this had to be made into a work for each lady.

In the part where the text in the children’s book is written, all places where Cinderella Ada is written are marked as blank.

And this is done on the hemp paper that the paper craftsman brings.

All you have to do is move it as is, leaving only the blank spaces you marked.

Later, copy this using the Magic Tower printer and write the names of the daughters of each family in the blank spaces.

This was a really simple task so it didn’t take much time.

The problem was an illustration of the most important female protagonist, Cinderella.

You can copy the prince, fairy, and other backgrounds the same way, but Cinderella must be drawn separately.

A children’s book just for one person.

If I wanted to make it easier, I would have just drawn a pretty Cinderella and made it as is.

‘My pride as an otaku doesn’t allow that.’

As I was a subculture enthusiast from the beginning, I knew how touching a customized service for each customer was, so it was something I could not compromise on.

For example, games that allow you to customize your character and choose a separate name usually provide a much deeper sense of immersion.

Some people may scoff at the idea of projecting oneself into a game character, but small details can affect quality.

‘If you don’t get overly immersed in it in the first place, it means that the work is not a masterpiece.’

Personally, I think that being overly immersed in a work is only possible if you have a lot of love for that work.

Having affection for a work means that it is a good work, and to create such a work, one had to pay attention to even the smallest details.

‘No Ada, from now on call me Cinderella Ada!’

Just looking at Ada, who has been stubborn about changing her name ever since she read a book featuring a Cinderella who looks exactly like her, this is difficult, but it is the right direction.

***

The work proceeded smoothly.

Employees’ motivation is not bought with other things, but with money.

The craftsmen who received the deposit quickly made or obtained the necessary materials and brought them to me, and I also proceeded with the work accordingly.

‘Welcome, Rupert. Baron Sleepy has already told you.’

When I went to the Magic Tower with the completed manuscript, the wizard guided me.

And for the first time, I was able to see a printing press in this world that looked completely different from the printing press on Earth.

The external appearance of the printing press was a long cylindrical pillar, and the surface was filled with all kinds of magic ‘runes’ letters.

And at the bottom of the pillar were the inks and dyes needed for printing, which each user had to fill in with what they needed.

Jiying

A printing press from another world that is similar in sound to Earth.

Let’s place the original and the paper to be printed on something that looks like an altar on either side of the printer.

Like magic, the letters and pictures were engraved exactly as they were on the paper to be printed.

‘Oh, that’s right, it’s magic.’

I’m not a wizard and I don’t know how it works, but the method of use was quite simple, so I suddenly thought that it would be nice to have something like this, so I asked the wizard who was working on it.

“Can only wizards use this?”

The wizard shook his head and responded to my words.

“Crafting is only possible at the Magic Tower, but it can also be used by ordinary people, not wizards. There are actually some cases where you purchase it directly.”

“So, what is the price of this?”

“Yes, the one you are looking at is an old model, so you can buy it for about 50 gold.”

give up.

***

After engraving text and pictures on the leather that will become the cover and handing it to the leather craftsman, the leather craftsman begins to add the leather to the pre-cut plywood.

Finally, the cover was completed.

The next hitter is a sewing craftsman. I stack the paper with the illustrations and text on it, which I put a lot of effort into, in the right order, and then weave them together tightly, one by one, with a needle and silk thread.

Indeed, what makes a skilled craftsman different is that the first book I made was one I asked a maid in our family who is said to be the best at sewing.

Comparing it to what the craftsman did, there was a clear difference in the crookedness.

Not to mention the cover.

The cover I made had already become rough and loose with leather, so much so that it was embarrassing to compare.

Thanks to the skill of the craftsmen, the covers and inside pages of 10 volumes were completed in an instant, and now it was time to put them together.

The finishing process is to apply glue to the frame of the inner paper and attach it to the leather-covered plywood cover.

After completing all the processes, the children’s book was finally completed.