There are different kinds of inks used on this continent. On a larger scale, these inks can be classified into three major categories:
Runic Ink / Mana Ink / Natural Ink
Royal/Nobles' Ink / Common Text Book Ink
Used daily common ink
Runic Ink: Used to Draw Magical Runes on Weapons, Arrays, or Grimoires.
Royal Ink: (Diluted Runic Ink) Belongs only to a minor individual and is used solely by them on official documents. (Royal identification mark on them using blood). These are very expensive to make and unique in their own way. Each Kingdom, Empire, and Groups belonging to a similar level as them (e.g., Archmages' Academy, Adventurers' Association, Blacksmiths' Association—many more) use these kinds of inks to sign, imprint, or as stamp-seal official documents.
Mana Ink: Made by mixing natural ink with mana crystal dust and boiling it. Used to make runes by students and beginners. They are similar to Royal Ink, but the quality is far lower. They are used in Nobles' official documents, often bearing the family's identity mark.
Common Ink: Used by everyone in day-to-day life. Made from special plants, coal, or other natural methods.
"The Runic and Mana Ink have an identification magic in them. Thus, each is unique in its own way. They have many more magical features which I guess you don't want to know now, right?" Helena asked while introducing various inks to her son.
"No. Thank you, Mom. Can you help collect these three types of ink?" I asked Mom with a pitiful gaze.
Sigh, sigh. "Naughty son, who only shows love when he needs something. Oh God! What sin did I commit to have a son who seems to have forgotten his love for his mother!" Helena exclaimed melodramatically, addressing the sky with a mix of frustration and theatrical flair.
Startled by the sudden change in his Mom's mood, Zeun was caught off guard. Deep in thought, he realized what his Mom said was true.
It had been a long time, since he had shown any kind of physical intimacy towards his Mom. It had been more than two years since he drank his Mom's milk. Thinking this, he blushed a little but soon calmed himself down.
Feeling guilty for his Mom, he went near her and hugged her. "Don't worry, Mom, I shall always... No!... I am born to love you, Mom. It's just that I was a little caught up in these busy days with training and all... umm so... hahh... I'm sorry, Mom. I will surely spend some time only for you."
Helena's heart warmed. Embracing her son back, she whispered in his ear, "I love you too, son. But why are you keeping a distance between us? You also don't sleep with Mama. Is there something going on in your mind, Zeun? Tell your Mommy, please." Helena asked, looking into her son's eyes. She senses his hidden maturity and wonders if he's holding something back or dealing with internal struggles he hasn't shared.
Feeling her gaze, Zeun's heart raced as he hugged her again, this time even tighter. "Mom, I need..." He stopped himself, feeling that this wasn't the right thing to say. He wanted to tell his Mom that he needed money and power to help her cure herself from the curse, but he couldn't.
He, more than anyone else, understood the depth of pain she must have endured upon realizing that the curse would thwart her journey to become stronger.
Since that night, his mother underwent a transformation. Though outwardly the same jolly and carefree Mom, a discernible fracture lingered within. The calmness in her eyes betrayed the depth of her true pain.
"What do you need, son?" Helena asked in her same gentle and loving tone, still keeping her son in her embrace.
"...I... I need to go to school," Zeun blurted out. But inwardly, 'What the...! What did I just tell? I don't want to be separated from her... How should she feel? She might be sad... no no no,' I was just going to deny but...
"Oh! You want to go to school... That's very good, but wait until you become eight years old. Then you can go to school in Caspara. Is that okay?" changing the topic.
"Yes, yes, very okay!" I nodded vigorously.
"Mom, do you have a dragon as a mount? If so, then I can ride the mount to go to school and return with it too," I said innocently, of course knowing the obvious answer, but...
"A mount, you say. Hmm... although I don't have a dragon, but if it's a mount then... okay, now let's go. I shall try to get the ink as soon as possible. Now go..." She shooed me away before returning to her room.
Zeun: "?????"
Time Skip: Two Years Later
Zeun was sitting in a closed room, tinkering with books and a few instruments; mana was overflowing in the room.
Helena's voice could be heard from downstairs, "Baby, I'm going to visit your aunt with sis. Do you need something?"
"Yeah, buy me a bottle of the best ink you can! Also, buy some useless papers that will be discarded. The more, the better!" Zeun shouted from outside.
"Okay. You'll get them soon."
For the next few months, Helena purchased various printed materials—exam papers from academies, torn and damaged books, newspapers, and the like—typically discarded by others since recycling wasn't a common practice in their world. Zeun seized this opportunity to gather as much paper as possible because most of the papers were free of cost or a minor price of a few copper coins at most.
Zeun had grown a little taller than before but was still cute as an eight-year-old child, with his mesmerizing blood-red ruby eyes and silky black hair coming over his eyes. He would soon be going to attend a Kindergarten School in Caspara City (that was his initial plan).
"Son, I don't get it. Why are you collecting these useless papers? All my storage items are full because of your junks," complained Helena.
"It's all right, Mom... umm... please bear with it for a few more days... and ummm... just take all necessary items in one storage ring and pass the rest to me," Zeun said, a bit hesitant.
"A-and... umm... Mom... What's the total expenditure for collecting those discarded paper bundles? And... um... how much gold coins are left?" Zeun asked, lowering his head, feeling guilty and worried about how much money was wasted.
"Haha... don't worry about that. The expenditure was on transport, totaling a hundred gold coins. Don't worry about it. We still have more than fifty gold coins," Helena said. "This is the transportation fee for the next two to three years... I paid them in advance since the head of the merchant association is a good friend of mine."
~~
Currency Exchange Rate:
1 Platinum Coin (PC) = 100 Gold Coins (GC)
1 Gold Coin (GC) = 100 Silver Coins (SC)
1 Silver Coin (SC) = 100 Copper Coins (CC)
1 Copper Coin (CC) = 100 Iron Tales (IT)
For context, one sack of rice costs 2–4 Copper Coins, which is enough for a family of 3–4 commoners to live with full stomachs for more than a month.
"Hmm... there's approximately 4 tons of paper in each of these rings," I muttered to myself. "...Also, the fifth ring seems a bit smaller."
'So now I need to find any runic parchment or runic ink... then I can conclude my deduction with proof.'
Zeun discovered that standard ink has minimal impact on recycled paper, while Mana Ink papers tend to develop a slight oiliness from mana crystal dust during the recycling process. Consequently, natural ink struggles to adhere to the paper, creating a sensation reminiscent of writing with fountain pen ink on laminated paper.
He concluded that the same phenomenon would happen with runic parchment or pages. But unfortunately, not a single runic paper or writing was found among these tons of discarded paper.
Sigh. "I guess I underestimated runic inks' value. Since making normal recycled paper is settled and can be mass-produced without any problem, all I need now is to do various experiments with 'Mana Papers' and study its results—yes, I named the laminated papers as Mana Papers for its simplicity."
~~
A week later, within an inn in Caspara City, the lament of a child echoed. "Mom! I don't want to go to school anymore. It's dull, and everything the teacher covers, I've already mastered. The students act like robots, endlessly training without any study or play. I believe it's more worthwhile to spend time with you until my awakening ceremony. That way, I can enhance my skills and make more discoveries, especially about paper."
Observing her son's tantrums, Helena sighed. This wasn't just any school; it was a place for lower-class nobles, children from vast branch families. Unlike the main noble lines, these families often struggled for resources, and their children bore the heavy burden of their parents' ambitions, forced to strive relentlessly to rise in rank and secure their family's future. This intense pressure, combined with strict noble instructors and rigorous family education, pushed them to mature prematurely, explaining the robotic, play-free training Zeun found so stifling.
"Okay, fine. You can continue your practice as usual. I sense that you might reach your body's mana capacity limit within a year. Once you hit that limit, follow the instructions in this grimoire to form a magic circle in your gland."
Zeun eagerly accepted the grimoire from his Mom, curiosity sparkling in his eyes as he read the title, 'First Magic Circle Formation.' His eyes lit up with joy, and in his excitement, he couldn't resist hugging his Mom and planting a grateful kiss on her cheek.
"Thank you, Mom. You're the best!" he exclaimed, his love for her shining as brightly as the magic in the pages of the book.
While deeply engrossed in his studies and meditation, Zeun requested his Mom to discreetly sell ten bundles of recycled papers each week, aiming to avoid drawing unnecessary attention.
The modest house they rented on Caspara's outskirts transformed into an unexpected paper auction hub. Influential officials and nobles began competing for each paper bundle, driving prices to an astonishing 6 to 8 golds per bundle. This unexpected turn of events resulted in a weekly income of approximately 80 golds.
Immersed in his routine of study and meditation, Zeun remained oblivious to the fact that his humble paper business had stirred up the entire noble faction in the Voldamort Kingdom. Unbeknownst to him, even the royals had taken notice.
As trouble loomed on the horizon, the question arose: How would Zeun navigate the impending challenges? Let's find out...
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End of Chap
THANKS FOR READING :-)
elab and expl as usual
Time Skip & Zeun's Progress: The "Two Years Later" immediately establishes a significant passage of time. Zeun is now eight, the age for school in Caspara. The overflowing mana in his room suggests his training is progressing exceptionally well, while his continued requests for "useless pape
Financial Clarity and Helena's Foresight: Zeun's guilt-ridden inquiry about the expenses is a direct callback to previous financial anxieties. Helena's response provides crucial information:The "hundred gold coins" spent on transportation over two years is a substantial sum, highlighting the scale of Zeun's paper collection.The remaining "more than 50 gold coins" reinforces their limited direct cash flow, but the prior payment for future transportation suggests a level of planning and wealth management by Helena.The revelation that the "head of the merchant association is a good friend of mine" is a significant plot point. This indicates Helena has powerful and well-connected allies, which could be invaluable for Zeun's future business ventures or for understanding the larger political landscape, hinting that she isn't as isolated as previously implied.rs" confirm his ongoing paper-making project.