Eleven-year-old Sharath Virayan Darsha had formally entered the toughest phase of his everyday life: morning knight training.
Morning brought each day's clang of swords, horseback riding, and hours of strict discipline, leaving him much less time for research and invention. Princess Madhu, remaining by his side, showed remarkable patience as Sharath struggled to balance armor, sword swings, and scientific discoveries.
[🐧NEUROBOOP]: Observation: human time mismanagement persists. Expected result: mild chaos, a few casualties. Efficiency level: 43%. Humor level: 92%.
Under the looming knightly responsibilities, Sharath realized that it was time to conquer the next horizon of his empire: paper manufacturing. The goat skin parchments were costly, pungent, and time-consuming to manufacture. He envisioned a future where cheap, mass-manufacturable paper would drive literacy, administration, and, of course, fountain pen sales.
Apprentice InductionPrior to any machine being operated or pulp being pressed, Sharath had a meeting in the hall of the estate. Lord Darsha, Princess Madhu, and Thermo the cat were present—although Thermo's input was restricted to periodic eye-rolling.
"Today," Sharath started, pacing about like a miniature CEO, "we shall initiate apprentice induction. Every one of you will specialize in a part of the paper-making process: pulping, pressing, drying, and quality control. Training is compulsory, and yes, you will be offered contracts and incentives by Lord Darsha himself."
The artisans, a group of iron smiths, carpenters, and weavers, nodded warily, their eyebrows lifting with a mixture of curiosity and horror.
[🐧NEUROBOOP]: Observation: people intimidated by exact planning. Chances of sabotage: low but humorous. Comedy multiplier: high.
Sharath had given the apprentices little notebooks in which to record failures, successes, and observations, a system he termed "progress documentation," although Thermo doubted whether it was anything other than a way of keeping the apprentices occupied while Sharath clandestinely experimented with improved designs.
The First Paper TrialSharath started by soaking plant fibers in water to make them pliable. He hand-pulped the mixture, a backbreaking process eased somewhat by the grunting of apprentices under his intense tutelage.
[🐧NEUROBOOP]: Pulp consistency: dubious. Apprentice morale: low but rising. Odor: similar to a swamp occupied by frogs with a fondness for vinegar.
The pulp was applied to wooden frames with fine mesh lining to create sheets. These were pressed to drain excess water and allowed to dry. Two days later, Sharath had his first set of paper. Slightly yellowed, brittle, and full of holes—but technically paper.
"Behold," he declared to Princess Madhu, holding a sheet aloft, "the future of communication, slightly flawed, but functional."
The princess giggled. "It looks… edible?"
[🐧NEUROBOOP]: ObServation: human enjoyment of food-like appearances observed. Warning: thin sheets will suck up ink eagerly. Catastrophe likelihood: excessive in pen trials.
True, when Sharath tried out his fountain pen, the ink penetrated through, making several holes and making the sheet nearly useless. A tiny pool accumulated under the paper as the pen ran freely like a teeny-tiny river.
[🐧NEUROBOOP]: Failure registered. Paper integrity: breached. Level of human embarrassment: mid. Comedy level: maximum.
Second AttemptSharath did not lose hope. Taking careful notes from NeuroBoop's step-by-step instructions, he varied the pulp content, layered fibers more intentionally, and introduced a gentle alkaline solution to enhance strength.
[🐧NEUROBOOP]: Step 1: soak fibers for longer. Step 2: beat until fibers are even. Step 3: layer evenly. Step 4: press with mechanical weight rather than elbow grease. Step 5: dry in low heat, turn often. Step 6: test with fountain pen, repeat.
A week of tests later, the second batch of paper. More pale, stronger, and resistant to fountain pen ink without ripping.
Princess Madhu examined it with pleasure. "This really works!"
Thermo yawned. "At last, paper that can withstand human exuberance. A little impressive, negligible smell."
Dinner DemonstrationAt dinner that night, Sharath introduced the paper to Lord Darsha.
Lord Darsha's forehead creased. "Sharath… why construct paper? We have goat skins already."
Sharath leaned forward, eyes alight with the blaze of innovation. "Father, paper is less expensive, easier to make, and can be done on a large scale. Goat skins are pricey, pungent, and time-consuming. With this, we can revolutionize writing in the whole of the Dukedom."
[🐧NEUROBOOP]: Observation: adult resistance detected. Recommended strategy: wow with vision and statistics. Sarcasm optional.
Lady Ishvari, ever pragmatic, nodded in approval. "And the smell is… dramatically diminished?"
Sharath smiled wryly. "Yes, mother. No goats were injured during the making of this paper. Except perhaps for prior farm visits for inspiration."
Lord Darsha rubbed his beard in contemplation. "Guard the formula. I will invite your grandfather, Bassana the merchant, to negotiate funding and distribution."
Arrival of Lord BassanaLord Bassana turned up at the Darsha estate a few days later. His reputation as a cunning merchant and industrialist had preceded him. He picked up the paper, swirling a sheet around in his fingers.
"Very interesting," he pondered. "A bit yellow, but durable. Fountain pen test?"
Sharath did as he was asked, and Bassana's eyes widened. "Intriguing. You have achieved mass-production potential already. Now, the question: at how low a price can we sell it to still make a profit?"
[🐧NEUROBOOP]: Observation: human attention turns to economics. Chance of negotiation soap opera: high. Rating for comedy: moderate.
They invested hours debating the industrial chain. Apprentices would prepare components, while specialist workers took care of sensitive operations. Sharath proposed contracts where artists were given incentives per successful sheet to ensure motivation and accuracy.
[🐧NEUROBOOP]: Observation: strategic genius observed. Chances of monopoly formation: extremely high. Estimated wealth increase for Sharath: astronomical. Comedy: internal commentary only.
Negotiations and AgreementsBy the week three of the partnership, the deal was sealed:
Turnover funding from Lord Bassana for 30% share.
Technology, infrastructure, and technical expertise from Sharath for 50% share.
Lord Darsha would fund the rest for 20%.
Sharath's mind computed the long-term gain: apprentices trained up, infrastructure constructed, and empire growth locked in.
[🐧NEUROBOOP]: Observation: peak efficiency. Chances of artisan rebellion: low. Amusing mishaps during mass-production experiments: unavoidable but charming.
Lord Bassana laughed. "You, young fellow, have a knack for monopolies and empire-building. Just be sure, sell too cheaply and you destroy your market; too pricey and the people will rise up."
Sharath smiled. "I plan to strike the ideal balance, grandfather. And of course… optimize comedy in the workshops along the way."
Thermo twitched his tail. "Ah yes, more humans, more mayhem. Wonderful."
The First Mass-Production TrialApprentices started manufacturing sheets systematically. Sharath supervised:
Pulping fibers – apprentices stamped and pounded while he balanced chemical ratios.
Pressing – mechanical presses took the place of elbow grease.
Drying – rotated sheets for even moisture.
Testing – fountain pens handled gingerly to ensure durability.
Small catastrophes followed: ink spills, pulp spills, and one apprentice splashing a supervisor with water by mistake.
[🐧NEUROBOOP]: Observation: level of chaos: 87%. Sense of humor: high. Cat appreciation: low but sarcastic nod recorded.
By the third day, the initial batch of mass-produced paper had survived all the tests. The paper was slightly yellowed but working, smooth enough for use with fountain pens, and amazingly tough.
Princess Madhu applauded. "This will revolutionize villages, schools, and scribes!"
Sharath grinned, silently slapping NeuroBoop on the metaphorical back. Mission: accomplished. Comedy: achieved. Progress: maximum.
Lord Darsha, ever pragmatic, mused: "With this technology, and apprentice training, we can scale infrastructure projects far faster than before. This Dukedom will lead the Empire in production efficiency."
By month's end, Sharath had inducted apprentices, made working paper, and proved its use with fountain pens. His training as a knight went on every morning, wedging research time out of the day, but his strategic vision and hands-on governance let both learning and inventing go together successfully.
[🐧NEUROBOOP]: Observation: little human still beats adult expectations. Chance of empire-wide infrastructure revolution: high. Comedy factor: continues.
And so went the chapter with Sharath gearing up for the next step: refining the industrial chain for large-scale production, while entertaining the estate, apprentices, Thermo, and NeuroBoop.