Chương 110: Chapter 2.47: Circles and Challenges

Arryn stopped a few steps from Favius.

"Dominus," he murmured before pausing. Every eye in the hall was on the pubescent boy.

"Yes?" asked Favius, mirroring the boy's uncomfortable shifting.

"I... I was sent forward because..." Arryn hesitated and briefly looked up, yet his eyes did not quite meet Favius's.

"Because I'm familiar with you." Favius clicked his tongue. Makes sense that they would send the guy who knows the strange aristocrat to speak with the strange aristocrat, but still. He looked over the almost thirty people who were supposed to work for him and let out a long breath.

"All right," he proclaimed.

"I believe you're already familiar enough with the basics to know that our workshop will be making paper, sizing paper, and printing on paper." He lowered his voice and addressed Arryn.

"Go back to them. I want to speak with three representatives for the people who think they will work in each of those three groups." A brief smile flashed over Arryn's face before he bowed.

"Yes, Dominus." He twisted to the side before turning back to Favius, flushed red, and bowed. After that, he spun on his heels in earnest and returned to the group with almost indecent haste. Favius's shoulders slumped. By the gods, this is so annoying. Whenever he really gets engaged and we talk about woodcarving and printing, he's relaxed, almost in a flow. But as soon as he thinks about who I am and what's going on, he just freezes up. Well, I am a high noble. Even if I am rather atypical.

He briefly glanced at his two sisters and recalled various interactions. He's probably not even doing anything wrong, at least when interacting with the average noble. Favius shook his head and refocused on the huddle that had formed in the lower tiers of his papermakers' group. Favius studied them all. Maybe a quarter of them were women, and while the ages skewed heavily towards the younger side of things, a few older people could be found as well. Most likely the skilled professionals Serran found.

Caliga winked at him, and Urania smirked. Beside them, Vibia studied the interaction with raised eyebrows. Finally, two people walked forward before the same man who had pushed Arryn earlier pushed him forward again, this time more gently. Favius barely managed not to laugh. Looks like he failed to get rid of his responsibilities yet again. He studied the other two. The first was a young man wearing well-made clothing. Favius narrowed his eyes. Leather bracers and an ornate belt. Lots of leather in general.

But it's still in the fiery Cindrathi style, so... He bit his lip and looked at the other person. She was a young woman, most likely in her early twenties. Her expression made Favius instantly raise an eyebrow. What's she angry about? Maybe she just has one of those faces? I shouldn't judge her by the very first impression. He studied her clothing. It was intensely red and decorated with orange flames. The only extraordinary items were two silver rings and a simple pendant showing the symbol of the Daughter.

The three of them stopped and bowed in unison.

"Dominus," began Arryn.

"I believe..." He paused, but the young man nodded and gave Arryn an encouraging smile. Well, bonus points for that. Favius waited patiently as Arryn gathered his courage.

"You know me and have worked with me, Dominus. But for all others..." He paused and took a deep breath.

"My name is Arryn. I was born on this estate and have been carving wood ever since I could hold a knife. I was chosen..." His head twitched to the side and his eyes hardened before he froze and switched his gaze to Favius.

"To represent the printers."

"Arryn, I'm certain you'll continue your work with all the competence and diligence I've grown accustomed to." For the first time, Arryn truly met Favius's eyes and gave him a tight smile.

"I hope to prove myself worthy of the Dominus's trust." Favius nodded and turned to the young man.

"And who might you be?" asked Favius.

"Gaius Lucas." He inclined his head.

"Journeyman tanner and citizen of Cindrath, at your service, My Lord." Favius raised an eyebrow.

"You're a trained tanner. What made you leave the collegium?" Gaius's smile was surprisingly relaxed, and he chuckled.

"To be honest, My Lord, the city air never quite agreed with me." A few chuckles rose from around the room.

"I apprenticed under my uncle, but I've known for a long time that I wanted to work in the countryside." Favius raised an eyebrow.

"You left a collegium because you preferred the country air?" That cannot possibly be it. Favius's eyes flicked to Serran and then over to Brutus. The men just smiled politely, apparently at a loss at what to say. Yet he seems genuine. Favius took a deep breath and relaxed. I should remember Sirrana's lesson. Not everything is a plot. After all, given how much the cities here stink, it's perfectly reasonable to leave for the countryside.

"But still," asked Favius, "you finished a collegium apprenticeship, and then you were expelled by the collegium?" Gaius laughed.

"No, no, My Lord. Not all collegia..." His eyes flicked over to the women.

"Are highly jealous and secretive. For us tanners, it is quite common to remain an associate in good standing while working for familiae, after all." He shrugged.

"Better to ensure competent handling of the hides after butchery than accept damaged raw materials." Favius whistled.

"In that case, I hope you're going to enjoy what you'll be doing."

"Certainly, My Lord, my father and master celebrated my rather generous contract." He grinned.

"And this sizing is certainly an interesting application of my art." Favius studied the man again, narrowing his eyes slightly, which only made the man smile more broadly. Could I have actually gotten a straightforward, normal working-class person here? Favius let out a breath and turned to the woman. I'll ask Sirrana about him. He shook off the thought, and as soon as his eyes met the woman's, he noticed that unlike Arryn's avoidance or Gaius's disarming friendliness, her glare was cold and direct.

"Claudia Merula, alchemist's apprentice," she said, inclining her head precisely. Favius tilted his head to the side. Stolen novel; please report.

"Apprentice, you say?" He gestured at Gaius.

"Not a journeyman?"

"No," she replied, and silence settled over the conversation. Unfriendly face. And she isn't a talker. Well, too bad. She's a chosen representative.

"Please explain why you are still an apprentice and not a journeyman." Claudia's nose scrunched before she exhaled.

"I left the Collegium of Alchemists shortly before finishing the fifth year of my apprenticeship." She raised two fingers, and Favius saw many of the observers, especially Serran and Vibia, frown in disapproval.

"I am nonetheless useful. I can lead the less educated workers where they need guidance. I did not fail my examinations. I simply..." She paused.

"... left." She made a cutting gesture. Favius narrowed his eyes.

"I do not doubt that you are useful. But why did you come here? Wouldn't you have made a lot more money by finishing your apprenticeship?" Claudia swallowed and set her jaw.

"I came to serve the Dominus loyally. Yet..." She thrust forward her chin.

"My affairs are my affairs. I believe that is all the contract requires." Favius's brows furrowed in confusion. All right, she's confrontational. And unwilling to talk about why she dropped out of her apprenticeship. His eyes flicked to Serran. Why, by Oblivion, as the locals would say, is she here?

"Excuse me," murmured Favius. He walked over to Serran, gestured at the Majordomo, and they walked out of the room into a side chamber. Murmurs rose before Favius had even closed the door. He looked at Serran.

"Serran, what's going on with that woman?" The Majordomo grimaced, shrugging.

"She is indeed rather abrasive, Young Lord. I already had my own..." The man's lips twitched.

"Encounters with her." Favius rotated a hand in the air, and Serran sighed.

"The Collegium of Alchemists is notoriously jealous and secretive. I did not expect to find anyone with alchemical training for sale. She is a lucky find despite everything." Favius narrowed his eyes.

"But with her personality, surely she was expelled for a reason."

"I thought so as well and even paid an information broker to do my due diligence. However..." He shrugged and began ticking off one thing after another.

"She was not involved in any kind of crime. She was considered one of the most talented apprentices in her year. And then there were..." The man's expression soured, his third finger half raised.

"Rumors about a misalignment between her desires and those of her master." Favius raised an eyebrow.

"She was thrown out because—" Serran shook his head.

"At first I thought so. But those rumors could not be substantiated. Quite frankly..." Serran shrugged broadly.

"The information broker told me that he believes they were started by her fellow apprentices to explain her expulsion, because there is little indication of anything in that direction happening before she left." Favius clicked his tongue.

"That kinda explains why she is here," he murmured. But his thoughts were racing. Having someone with alchemical training could be useful, if only for her contacts. Though, of course, I have that alchemist woman Brutus is dating already. But just understanding how local alchemists think and getting a good overview of their chemistry... Then again, she probably is the closest thing to a trained laboratory technician I can get my hands on. Favius let out a long breath.

"But still, the way she acted out there..." Serran chuckled.

"Alas, Young Lord, any kind of leader can lead a perfect team. Yet it is the mark of a good one to deal with real and imperfect people and still achieve results that exceed expectations."

"You are right. But still, she'll need some watching. And if you can figure out what actually happened to her..." Serran nodded and made a note on a folded piece of rag paper. A smile played over Favius's lips as they walked back towards the auditorium. It seems our dear Majordomo has independently invented the notebook. Favius stepped through the door, and all murmuring died in an instant. He confidently walked back onto the stage. For a long moment, he studied the assembled crowd.

Despite Claudia, I think Serran has done a stellar job hiring the right people. Yes, I think they'll do what I need them to do. He cleared his throat, and all eyes fell upon him. Favius let a breath of pneuma run through his body and, based on a recent technique Marcus had explained, tried to use it to make himself appear as he wanted to appear. Confident. Smart. Authoritative. Not that I'm going to become a charismatic cultivator, but...

He let the crystalline clarity of pneuma cleanse his thoughts and adjusted his posture.

"It has been a pleasure meeting you all. Truly, seeing so many young, ambitious, skilled people here for this project makes me believe..." He emphasized each of the following words with a sharp hand gesture.

"We can achieve what I want." Smiles and nods could be seen throughout the audience, yet he pointedly ignored the critical expressions on some familiar faces, first and foremost among them Vibia and Claudia.

"All of you were specifically chosen. You are not here merely to follow orders. You are not here to be common laborers. You are here..." Favius raised a hand and pointed towards the high ceiling.

"To understand, improve, and develop the future." A smile played over Favius's face. Goddamn it, am I channeling my inner Silicon Valley CEO right now? Well, it's not as if what I'm doing is something fundamentally different.

"We will be building something that has never been seen before in the Republic, in terms of our products..." He gestured to a table that had been set up on the side, where beehives, samples of soap, and paper, both clean and printed, waited.

"Yet also..." He gestured broadly at the crowd.

"In terms of how we will work together." He studiously ignored Vibia whispering into Serran's ear and continued.

"You may have noticed that there is no one among you who is not literate and numerate." He smiled as the audience studied the people sitting around them.

"That is no accident. Two defining features will make working in this familia's workshops different from any other place where you have worked before." Favius raised a finger.

"Firstly, there will be no permanent foremen. No strict hierarchy below me, my sisters, the Majordomo, and, of course..." He pointed up and behind himself.

"My father and sworn protector." Murmurs, confused whispers, and troubled expressions filled the hall, and Favius waited several heartbeats for the hubbub to die down. Serran was outright staring, while Caliga and the twins were simply nodding along. Gaius had an intrigued expression, while Arryn just nodded. Claudia was apparently no more or less angry than she had been before. Favius paused, and Caliga obliged with the question they had discussed beforehand.

"But then who will be in charge?" she called, gesturing broadly like a theater actor. Favius grinned.

"Those who know how to do things will be in charge." Nods and smiles spread through the crowd, but Favius raised two fingers.

"Yet what we are doing is entirely novel in so many ways. Therefore, I do not believe there is such a thing as existing expertise that would justify a permanent position of leadership." The expressions fell into confusion again, but Favius did not give them time to rally. He snapped his fingers.

"Authority cannot and must not be its own purpose. It must follow the efficient solving of problems and adapt to whatever is needed for the smoothest running of the enterprise." Caliga stepped forward into the center of the auditorium, and their eyes met. Favius nodded.

"Exactly," she continued.

"Instead of work gangs, there will be work circles." She held up five fingers.

"A circle will have five to ten people, and they will be flexibly organized around tasks and allowed to adjust and adapt themselves, found new ones, or break apart if that is needed for the workshop as a whole." Favius studied the faces and noted that their expressions had transcended anger or pure confusion. Some people were simply staring. Most had thoughtful expressions, as though trying to understand what was actually being said. Well, this was always going to be the riskiest part.

But if I don't establish something like this early on, getting rid of the old structures will probably become impossible.

"I already mentioned that there will be no permanent foremen, yet leadership is a necessity when doing anything. Therefore, you will rotate on a five-day cycle, with one person taking on the role of coordinator. They will ensure that everyone else can work smoothly."

"Furthermore," Caliga picked up, holding four fingers high in the air.

"Every worker will spend only half their work time on a primary task. A quarter of your time will be spent on other tasks within the group so you may understand the context of your work and learn. That way we gain as many perspectives as possible on everything." The announcement was met with humming and hawing. No applause, but Favius studied the faces again. The younger ones are more intrigued, but many of the older ones... His eyes again fell on Vibia's icy expression and crossed arms.

I don't think they are happy about this. They probably mentally assigned themselves as foremen already. Well, tough luck.

"The last quarter," continued Urania, "will be spent in other work circles or other workshops, in more of an observing, coordinating, and administrative function. Do not worry about chaos." She waved her hands through the air.

"We have already worked out schedules for the beginning, though..."

"In time," Favius took over, "even the making of those schedules will become the responsibility of the circles. That way everyone, including me..." He pointed at his chest.

"Will develop a deep understanding of our work that is resilient, adaptable, and promotes that which is most important:" He pointed towards Urania, who gave a signal to an attendant waiting beside the door.

"Learning," his youngest sister proclaimed as she walked into the center of the auditorium. Favius smiled tightly as he noticed Vibia gesturing intensely, her words indistinct, yet her agitation obvious. Three servants entered the room carrying piles of new wax tablets, each of their edges painted in three different, intense colours. Well, I hope whoever this woman in my life was—girlfriend, or... He bit his lip. Wife. I hope she's proud of what I'm doing. After all, I'm not a complete novice.

Sure, this was never my area of expertise, but I did read some of her papers on this. And after all, even on Earth, cooperatives were simply politically and historically disfavored while in practice being slightly more productive than the average company. So it's not as though I'm attempting something utopian here. But still, he grimaced as Vibia finally stepped into the center of the room, giving Urania an apologetic smile. Urania's eyes flicked to Favius, and Favius let out a breath.

Well, so this bullshit is happening sooner than I expected. He nodded at Urania, and she gave her assent to whatever Vibia wanted. The woman stepped into the very center of the room and turned around, addressing Favius while gesturing at the entirety of the crowd.

"Young Dominus, I know this is unusual, yet I feel I would fail in my duty if I were to remain silent." She paused, her eyes resting on Favius, and he gave her a small hand gesture. Her eyes widened, perhaps in surprise, but she continued with perfect confidence.

"While those proposals are interesting, they are also highly unusual. And given the stakes that you yourself mentioned..." She shook her head, and Favius could almost believe the sadness on her face.