CHAPTER 70: CHAPTER 62: PAPER MILL STARTS OPERATION!

Little Lucky was placed in the magic healing circle, then closed his eyes amidst a burst of green light.

It was only then that Lin Ke noticed that this "Little Phoenix" he thought was actually had a bent beak.

Goodness, in the last life in a place full of pals, Lin Ke wasn’t bent, but now Lin Ke’s bird is bent?

"Well, that’s fine."

Lin Ke realized it was a little parrot and didn’t mind.

Whether it’s a phoenix, a parrot, or a country chicken, it’s going to be his companion now!

A child doesn’t dislike a mother’s ugliness.

Wait, is it a mother doesn’t dislike a child’s ugliness?

Also not right.

Anyway, that’s roughly the meaning.

Lin Ke joyfully watched the little parrot before him, waiting for its wounds to heal before picking it up.

He had raised budgerigars in his previous life, so he knew that keeping a chick warm is very important.

"Thank you, teacher, let’s go back!"

...

Hatching a parrot as big as two palms naturally stirred Fulon and the others’ curiosity.

But it was just curiosity, after all, women prefer fluffy or handsome and beautiful things.

They weren’t interested in this featherless creature.

However, since Lin Ke liked it, of course, everyone in the castle liked it too.

Lin Ke had someone prepare velvet carefully selected to line a small basket and brought milled millet and oats to make mush for Little Lucky as food.

Then Lin Ke had to get busy with his own things, and naturally, there were servants to take turns caring for Little Lucky.

Perhaps, when Little Lucky grows up a bit, its terrifying talents will start to show?

...

The first thing for Lin Ke to do was to set up everything for the papermill.

The materials for making paper had already been experimented with and properly proportioned, and only the purchase of some papermill equipment remained.

This was another huge expense.

Iron resources were overproduced in the previous world, and although not rare in this one, they were still a hard currency.

Buying those large iron pots for boiling water required special orders since the blacksmiths at Azanen Castle couldn’t make them.

There were also all sorts of wooden tools to be crafted, which were quite troublesome.

With Butler Billy not around, John was swamped with all the logistical work, so Lin Ke had to manage and coordinate everything himself to get operations running.

However, this also demonstrated Butler Billy’s role.

Usually, Lin Ke had everything laid out for him, from clothes to bathe in, and from delicious breakfasts to brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and supper.

All thanks to Butler Billy’s strong capabilities.

Still, Madame Antova’s role was also apparent.

Upon seeing the castle in chaos, she took over management personally.

Now that the lady was handling these trivial matters, Lin Ke naturally agreed.

He focused on assigning the number of people for each process in the papermill, arranging some guards for confidentiality work.

Once arrangements were in place, he went to the factory entrance.

There were over two hundred people, mostly elderly, though some young folks too.

Lin Ke didn’t think much of it; after all, papermill work didn’t necessarily require young people, and if the elderly could handle the workload, they could do it too.

"Everyone, I am Linke Azen."

Lin Ke, accompanied by two guards, walked to a wooden platform in front of the factory, smiling at the villagers below.

"Young Master!"

"Hello, Young Master!"

"Young Master is so handsome!"

The crowd of old men and women showered him with compliments, as life’s experiences had taught them that speaking well was never wrong.

Lin Ke felt a bit embarrassed; he was more used to applause and salutes than such sudden and insincere praises.

Though it was quite endearing, all were speaking the truth.

But he raised both his hands and pressed them down: "Everyone, please quiet down and listen to me."

He used his amplification spell to lower the crowd’s volume.

The villagers quieted down, eagerly looking at Lin Ke.

They came because it was said there were jobs here!

"Everyone, I will recruit fifty people as factory workers for trial production..."

As soon as Lin Ke began speaking, the crowd’s expressions changed, one by one their eyes widened, even finding it hard to believe.

Only fifty people?

What could they do?

In this era, a lord who couldn’t hire or afford professionals typically conscripted laymen in the hundreds.

For instance, building castles, managing estates, and such.

They even suspected Young Master Lin Ke was just toying with them?

"Everyone, everyone! This is just the first batch!"

Lin Ke raised his voice, trying to seem more approachable: "Later, other factories will need work from others, and even the whole village might not be enough!"

Until mechanization and automation were realized, manpower remained the cheapest and easiest resource to obtain.

"Every small month, you’ll receive a wage of three silver coins! Each year, based on your performance, there is also the chance for rewards! Note that the minimum reward is a gold coin!"

Lin Ke announced loudly, knowing that to make money, you had to spend it first.

The calendar of Naseng is divided into twelve small months and four big months, established by a powerful professional [Astrologer] according to the four seasons.

It is said that this legendary [Astrologer] was a follower of the Insomnia Emperor, who once killed the Goddess of Fortune, and now even raises a deity for the Insomnia Emperor to handle the seasonal changes.

The Moon of Budding, the Moon of Flowing Fire, the Moon of Abundance, the Moon of Stillness, four large months, and twelve small months.

In essence, they are spring, summer, autumn, winter, and the twelve months, each month having thirty days.

Upon hearing the terms Lin Ke stated, the villagers buzzed with excitement.

"Is there really such a good thing?!"

"A gold coin! Every year there’s potential for a gold coin reward!"

"And each small month offers so many silver coins!"

"Is this really true!"

"Oh, Sun God... no, Lord Azanen above, am I dreaming?"

They only caught the key phrases, and thus were extremely amazed.

Lin Ke laughed, pointing to a specific guard at the side of the platform: "Everything I said is being recorded by the Memory Stone, and I guarantee it in the name of Azanen!"

All the villagers’ gazes fixed simultaneously on one guard holding a Memory Stone that was black and slightly glowing.

Yet the villagers didn’t care much about what a Memory Stone was; upon hearing Lin Ke promise in the name of Azanen, they already believed him.

Nobles typically wouldn’t put their honor after their lives.

In other words, nobles were willing to protect what the noble’s name bestowed with their lives.

"However..."

Lin Ke spoke up again.

The villagers immediately focused tightly on Lin Ke, not daring to breathe.

Lin Ke had taken their emotions on a rollercoaster; they feared he would bring bad news again.

"... However, there are certain procedures in worker selection, and signing a nondisclosure agreement with me is mandatory, or you cannot be employed."

Lin Ke finished and then explained what the nondisclosure agreement was, leaving time for the villagers to react.

Yet the villagers weren’t interested in asking much about the nondisclosure agreement; instead, they cautiously looked around at each other, seeing everyone as a competitor.

To them, subjects were inherently the private property of the lord; what difference did confidentiality make?

Of course, to Lin Ke, it was different.

Contracts had long existed, though now oral contracts were most popular in Naseng.

An oral agreement signed in a noble’s name could be more reliable than a paper one at times.

Some even had their deities as notary; many deities could impartially handle countless agreements with just a sliver of Divine Power.

For instance, the previous King of Gods seemed to have tried to trick him into signing some unequal treaties.

But nowadays, paper contracts are seen as outdated.

It’s much easier to swear by the name of a deity.

Nonetheless, however Young Master Lin Ke wanted to handle it was up to him; the villagers were all eyeing those fifty positions now.

"So, the interview begins!"