With the firm decision made in the solitude of little Kourosh's mind to create paper, leveraging the vast knowledge of the twenty-first century, he immediately turned his analytical and forward-thinking mind to the practical dimensions of this revolutionary idea. The task ahead was immense: reconstructing a technology that existed thousands of years in the future, using only the primitive and limited resources of the ancient world. He knew the general principles of papermaking, but the precise details of material science, applied chemistry, and process engineering, which were once considered commonplace in the modern world, now presented great challenges. From extracting cellulose from plant fibers to finding natural binding agents and methods for uniform drying, each stage required a deep understanding of hidden sciences. However, his unparalleled eidetic memory was a treasure trove of information that allowed him to recall the main components and basic processes of papermaking with exceptional precision and to plan for their implementation in this ancient era.
Meanwhile, Kourosh's mind operated like a relentless workshop. In silence, he categorized and organized his vast knowledge; from basic chemical formulas for softening fibers to designing mesh molds for forming sheets. The excitement of bringing this knowledge from the future to the past surged within him, but at the same time, the weight of responsibility and the difficulties ahead made him pause and reflect. He knew that each step was not just an invention, but a battle against the limitations of the era, and this battle required patience, intelligence, and unparalleled perseverance.
The first practical step for Kourosh was the precise identification of suitable raw materials in the nature surrounding Anshan; a land that, with its fertile plains and the green mountains of the Zagros, held abundant natural resources. He remembered that paper could be made from various types of plant fibers; from the dried stems of plants to the bark of trees and even the fibers of old and worn-out fabrics found in every home. His curious eyes, during his childhood games in the gardens and courtyards of the palace, searched for every bush, every tree, and every plant that had the potential to be turned into paper pulp. He thought about the properties of plants like flax, hemp, and even some species of reeds and bamboo that grew in the region, and in his mind, he tested various combinations to find the best material.
The main challenge was adapting this modern and advanced knowledge to the primitive tools and traditional methods of the ancient era. He knew that to pulp the fibers and separate the cellulose fibers, he needed plenty of water and a method for softening the materials; perhaps by using long soaking in water or boiling in large ceramic or metal pots that existed at that time. Then, to flatten the pulp and form uniform sheets, he needed some kind of sieve or mesh mold and a pressing tool that could remove the excess water and compress the fibers so they would stick together. This process, in the mind of a three-year-old child, became a series of complex puzzles that had to be solved, but he took immense pleasure in solving puzzles and overcoming challenges, seeing every obstacle as an opportunity for innovation.
To begin these secret and sensitive experiments, Kourosh needed someone he could trust, someone who would support his "childish" and seemingly meaningless curiosities without too many questions and follow his instructions to the letter. He thought of the nurses and some trusted handmaidens who were always by his side and were amazed by his unusual intelligence. Perhaps he could convince them that this was a new and fascinating game; the game of making a "better surface for painting" or a "smoother leaf for writing imaginary stories." With gestures, sounds, and even simple drawings in the dirt, he tried to guide them towards the basic materials and methods, although this required patience, much repetition, and unparalleled cleverness to hide the main purpose so that the secret of this great invention would not be revealed.
The first experiments were, naturally, met with numerous failures; failures that, each time, made Kourosh's resolve stronger. The pulps did not form correctly, the sheets tore or became stiff and unusable after drying, sometimes they had an unpleasant smell or spoiled quickly, wasting countless efforts. But every failure was a new lesson for Kourosh and his unwitting companions. With unparalleled patience and perseverance, he continued his efforts, each time refining the smaller details of the process; from the amount of soaking the fibers to the pressure applied to the pulp. This relentless resistance to failure was a sign of his iron will, which was being forged from childhood and was driving him towards his great and revolutionary goal.
With every effort and every sheet of raw paper that took shape, Kourosh clearly understood the immense potential of this invention. He saw how this new material could become a powerful tool for recording and disseminating knowledge. Paper was not only light and portable, but it also allowed for quick and easy writing. In his mind, he pictured libraries full of paper books, schools full of literate students writing on white leaves, and commands that reached the farthest corners in the blink of an eye. These dreams made him more determined to continue and to overcome any obstacle.
With every attempt, Kourosh came to the conclusion that paper production was not just a simple invention, but a complex, multi-stage process that required precision, much trial and error, and a deep understanding of the properties of materials. But he never gave up on his goal. He knew well that success in this field would open new doors for his future empire and pave the way for his informational and educational revolution. Paper was the bridge between ancient knowledge and modern wisdom, a bridge that could bring his linguistic revolution to fruition, spread literacy to all classes of society, from peasants to nobles, and release knowledge from the monopoly of a few.