Chapter 98: Return to Castle Edd
After resting one more night at Winterfell, Saelen set out early the next morning with Val and his cavalry, heading back to Castle Edd.
With Lady Catelyn absent, Jon chose to remain at Winterfell alongside Ygritte, intending to stay with Bran for a while.
Riding in shifts—each man with two horses—Saelen's group pushed hard and returned to Castle Edd in just a day and a night.
The sight that greeted them was noticeably different from before.
Around the castle, rows upon rows of new buildings had sprung up, spreading outward like a growing settlement. Beyond these, a crude outer wall had been erected—constructed from earth and timber, roughly four to five meters high. It looked simple and unfinished, but it still provided a basic layer of defense.
Saelen had little choice. Though he now had funds, there were far too many demands on them—and more importantly, not nearly enough manpower to construct proper stone walls. For now, a rammed-earth barrier would have to suffice.
He led the way into the castle and headed straight to the main hall. There, he instructed Gendry to summon all the key officials for a meeting. Gendry acknowledged the order and left immediately.
Saelen then had servants bring food. Sitting with Val, the two ate while waiting for the others to arrive.
Half an hour later, Maester Rosmund and Ser William entered the hall, accompanied by several administrators.
By then, Saelen and Val had already finished their meal. He dismissed the servants to escort Val away to rest, then took his seat at the head of the table, exchanging a few casual words with the gathered men.
Once the small talk ended, Saelen gave a light cough and began.
"I've been beyond the Wall for over half a year. The castle has changed greatly in that time—and that's thanks to all of your hard work."
His gaze shifted toward the maester.
"Maester Rosmund, how is the paper mill progressing?"
Rosmund thought for a moment before answering, "My lord, as per your instructions, we've only managed to establish a small workshop so far. The total workforce doesn't exceed a hundred."
He hesitated slightly, then added, "During this time, I've been leading the workers in improving the process. We can now produce paper suitable for writing."
"My lord, please take a look."
Rosmund took out several prepared sheets and handed them over. The others present leaned forward with visible curiosity.
Saelen accepted the paper with a smile and examined it closely. It was clearly an improvement over the first batch—still slightly yellowed, but far sturdier. When he tugged lightly at it, it no longer tore apart as before.
He picked up a quill and wrote a few words. The texture still felt a bit rough, but the writing came out clean enough. It couldn't compare to modern paper from his past life, but in this world, it was already a groundbreaking product.
"Good. This quality is already fit for sale," Saelen said with a satisfied nod. "What about production?"
Rosmund's expression turned uneasy. "The castle is short on manpower in many areas. The workshop has fewer than a hundred workers, most of them inexperienced. We're still in the trial phase, so output is unstable."
"On a good day, we produce around a hundred sheets—but at least half are defective. To achieve stable production, we need more workers and a steady supply of raw materials."
Saelen nodded. He realized he had been pushing too fast. Mass production required skilled workers and reliable resources—both of which took time to develop.
"In that case, take me to the workshop tomorrow," he said. "We'll sort out the entire production process once and for all."
"That would be best," Rosmund replied with visible relief. "Since the techniques come from you, your guidance will make a great difference."
With the paper mill discussed, Saelen turned to the porcelain workshop steward.
"And the porcelain factory—how is it progressing?"
The steward, Gene, immediately brightened. "My lord, everything is running smoothly. We've added five new kilns, bringing the total to fifteen large kilns. The workforce has reached seven to eight thousand, and output has doubled."
He spoke enthusiastically, clearly pleased. The porcelain factory had become immensely profitable—nearly half the castle's population was now tied to it, and his own status had risen along with it.
Saelen frowned slightly. "Does it really require that many workers?"
Gene's expression instantly stiffened, his earlier confidence replaced by unease.
"My lord, you may not be aware—porcelain production is extremely complex. From mining raw materials to transporting fuel, it requires a vast amount of labor to maintain steady supply."
He cautiously watched Saelen's expression, then continued once he sensed it easing.
"Combined with the workers directly involved in production, this number isn't excessive. And with plans to build more kilns, we'll need even more manpower."
Saelen listened quietly. Though he wasn't an expert, something about the explanation didn't sit right with him.
Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the deputy steward, Juan, who gave a subtle shake of his head.
That was enough.
Saelen understood. It seemed he would need to investigate the porcelain factory more thoroughly later.
The operation generated enormous profits each month. Previously, due to a lack of trustworthy personnel, Gene had been given full control—effectively making him untouchable within the factory. With such power, greed had taken root. Practices like skimming profits and withholding workers' wages had become routine.
That was why Saelen had appointed Juan as deputy—officially to assist, but in truth to monitor Gene. It had been a warning.
Yet judging from the current situation, not only had Gene not restrained himself—he might have grown even bolder.
This issue would require careful handling later. For now, Saelen set it aside.
He turned to another man.
"Marcus, how is the glassworks?"
The white-bearded elder replied promptly, "My lord, operations are stable. Most of the glass ordered for Winterfell has been completed. Occasionally, other northern nobles come to purchase glass as well. Our main client at present is House Manderly of White Harbor."
Saelen nodded, offering a few words of praise. Marcus visibly relaxed.
Finally, Saelen looked toward the weapons master.
"Torren, how is the giant armor coming along?"
Before leaving Last Hearth, Saelen had already sent word ordering full-scale production of giant-sized armor.
Torren answered steadily, "My lord, after twenty days of work, we've completed one full set. It's extremely heavy, so it's currently stored in the warehouse."
"If you're interested, you can inspect it at your convenience."
Saelen nodded in satisfaction. "Good. I'll take a look soon."
He then addressed everyone present.
"You've all done well. After further discussion with Maester Rosmund, there will be additional gold dragon rewards."
The group immediately bowed in gratitude before withdrawing.
As they left, Saelen subtly signaled to Juan, who gave a slight nod in understanding.