With the successful production of three types of paper, each possessing unprecedented softness and uniformity, a new challenge now lay before little Kourosh; a challenge that, if not solved, would render all his efforts in inventing paper fruitless: finding a suitable pen for writing on this new medium. He knew well that paper, although a great revolution in the medium of writing, could not unleash its full potential and become a universal tool without an efficient writing instrument suited to its delicacy. The common tools of that time, such as the metal or wooden styluses used on clay tablets which left rough and uneven lines, or the reed pens that were suitable for papyrus and parchment but did not hold ink well, were not ideal for the soft and delicate surface of Kourosh's newly emerged paper. He needed something that would both make writing easy and allow for the uniform distribution of ink, so that fine and legible lines could be inscribed on the pages.
Kourosh's mind, with its unparalleled speed, recalled the various types of pens in the modern world: from fountain pens with their ink reservoirs to ballpoint pens that provided smooth and flawless writing. But he had to adapt these advanced ideas to the materials and technology available in that ancient era; a great challenge that required creativity and reverse engineering. He thought about new rooms in his paper-making workshop; spaces that could be converted into specialized sections for producing writing instruments, where each stage of pen-making could be carried out with precision. This expansion of the workshop was a sign of his ambitious vision, which went beyond producing a single material to creating a complete writing system, including paper, pen, and ink; a system that could make knowledge easily accessible to all.
His first focus was on making a reed pen, but with special and revolutionary optimizations. The existing reed pens were often thick and messy, did not hold ink well, and created uneven lines. Kourosh tasked the nurses and slaves of the new section with collecting thinner, more durable reeds with a more uniform texture from the riversides and marshes around Anshan. Then, using his knowledge of precise cutting and the principles of fluid mechanics, he taught them how to cut the nib of the pen at a suitable angle and with a precise slit, so that it would both absorb ink well and draw a fine, uniform line on the soft paper. These small and seemingly simple optimizations made a huge difference in the quality of writing and turned the pen into a more efficient tool.
Alongside the pen, suitable ink was also of vital importance. The common inks of the ancient era were often made of soot and water, which spread easily, did not have a stable color, and faded over time. Kourosh remembered the basic formulas of modern plant-based and mineral inks he had read about in twenty-first-century chemistry books. He encouraged his nurses to experiment with various natural materials in a new section of the workshop: from the extracts of colored plants and berries to iron-containing minerals. His goal was to create an ink that had a dark and lasting color, dried quickly, and did not spread on the paper or bleed into its fibers.
After numerous experiments and many failures, each of which brought new lessons, they finally arrived at a suitable combination. This mixture included soot obtained from burning specific woods, the gum of trees like gum arabic for adhesion and to prevent the ink from spreading, and water as a solvent. This new ink had greater stability, created clearer lines on the paper, and did not fade easily after drying. Kourosh even thought of adding natural acidic substances like diluted vinegar or the extract of some fruits to create a chemical reaction with the gum, making the ink more permanent and preventing the growth of fungi, although these experiments were in their very early stages and required great precision.
Kourosh's paper-making workshop had now become a place of creativity, numerous innovations, and scientific experiments. Every corner of it was dedicated to a part of a complex production line; from the pulp-making basins for paper to tables for the precise cutting of pens and small containers for mixing ink. The nurses and slaves, although unaware of the overall work and the final purpose of these inventions, carried out little Kourosh's instructions with precision, loyalty, and curiosity, unaware that they were creating tools that would, in the future, transform the fate of literacy and knowledge in the empire and immortalize their names in the history of industry.
Kourosh, watching the first fine lines being drawn with the optimized reed pen and the new ink on his own papers, had a deep and satisfying smile on his lips. This pen and ink were not just tools for writing; they were the keys that could transfer his ideas from his mind to reality, easily record knowledge, and deliver it into the hands of ordinary people. This was a vital step on the path to building a thousand-year empire founded on knowledge, enlightenment, and awareness, and not merely on military power.
These new writing tools would allow Kourosh to disseminate government decrees with greater speed and accuracy, record commercial documents with more clarity, and most importantly, to mass-produce his educational books. This revolution in writing laid the foundations for a more efficient administrative system, a more dynamic economy, and a more literate society. Kourosh knew that with this pen and ink, he could spread wisdom throughout the empire and guide the people towards a brighter future.