The following morning, Edmund rang Graymont's bells.
It was not the first time the main square had gathered much of the city, but this time, people arrived with a different kind of curiosity. Rumors about the new furnace had begun circulating among the blacksmiths, miners, and merchants, and no one seemed to have a clear idea of what the young lord intended to do with it.
When Edmund climbed onto the small stone platform in front of the administrative building, the square was already full.
There were miners who still had some of the mine's dust on their clothes, merchants who had temporarily closed their stalls, and families who had simply come because any announcement by a noble usually meant changes in taxes, new jobs, or some problem that would eventually affect them.
Bram stood a few steps behind Edmund with two of his assistants. Several tools made during the initial tests sat on a table.
Nails, bolts, a horseshoe, a small iron axle, and two thick blades of the same size.
Edmund waited until the murmuring died down.
"As some of you have seen, over the past week I have been inspecting Graymont's mines, forges, and workshops."
Edmund used the foundations of the speeches he had learned to give when presenting projects in his former life, a skill he never thought he would use again.
"And I have reached a simple conclusion. This city can produce much more than it currently does."
The silence deepened.
"I do not only believe that we can extract more ore. We can also process it better, allowing us to manufacture higher-quality tools and sell them at prices accessible both to our workers and to those who depend on them."
Edmund pointed toward the furnace they had laboriously transported to the central square for the presentation.
"That is why, with this furnace, we will begin constructing an iron factory in Graymont, where every blacksmith will be able to use it free of charge."
Immediate murmurs broke out. The blacksmiths reacted most intensely. They were not stupid enough to misunderstand Edmund's intentions, and although the idea of a better furnace excited them, the offer seemed like a deal in which they were selling their souls to the devil.
Edmund raised a hand and waited for the murmurs to calm down.
"Working there will not be mandatory."
"No blacksmith will lose his forge for refusing to participate. No worker will be forced to abandon his trade. The factory will be a new option for those who wish to become part of it."
"We will hire blacksmiths, assistants, and workers willing to learn. Everyone will receive a weekly base salary. Workers who produce more or take on new responsibilities may receive additional payments according to their role and experience."
This provoked a much more animated reaction among those who were not in a good financial situation. In Graymont, as in many other places in the world, a blacksmith's work did not always guarantee a stable income. Many depended on the orders they received and on their customers' ability to pay.
A regular salary was something very different.
"Furthermore," Edmund continued, "during the initial period, the products manufactured in the factory will be exempt from the internal taxes that currently make them more expensive to sell. I want the savings to reach the buyers and production to increase before we begin demanding more revenue from this industry."
A merchant raised his voice from the back. He had arrived expecting to do business with the crowd once the lord finished his affairs, but he had become intrigued by the speech.
"And how much will they cost, my lord?"
"Until now, a batch of one hundred nails costs eighty copper pennies. Once the factory opens, the same batch will cost fifty pennies."
Several people began murmuring in surprise.
"Horseshoes, which currently sell for eight pennies each, will cost five pennies each. Simple bolts will go from six pennies to four, and small iron axles, which usually reach fifteen pennies, will sell for ten pennies."
Edmund allowed the crowd to absorb the figures.
"These will not be temporary prices meant to attract buyers. They will be our initial prices. If we manage to increase production and reduce waste even further, we may lower them in the future."
The merchant frowned, somewhat doubtful about the prices. He had worked with iron all his life and took pride in having traveled throughout the territories of Border Princess in his youth. Because of that, he knew these prices were much lower than those in any place he had visited.
"How can you sell them so cheaply?"
"Because we are going to produce them differently."
Edmund pointed toward the pieces.
"Until now, every blacksmith has purchased his own charcoal, obtained his own iron, maintained his own tools, and manufactured each piece from beginning to end. That means many of you are paying to do things you do not need to do."
Some of the blacksmiths looked at one another.
"In the new factory, we will separate the tasks. Some workers will prepare the metal. Others will manufacture the pieces. Others will finish and inspect them. This will allow each person to do their job better while wasting less time and material."
Edmund picked up a blade.
He handed the blade to Bram.
"Show them."
Bram put on his gloves and placed the blades on a wooden block.
"This blade was made with the iron we normally produce in Graymont."
Bram picked up the blade and showed it to everyone. No one doubted his claim, as it had the dark color characteristic of the territory's poor-quality iron.
Bram took the second blade in his hands and demonstrated it to the crowd. Not only was its color much more uniform, but its sharp edge could also be seen at a glance.
"This one was made with iron from the new furnace."
Edmund then took both pieces and showed them to the crowd before suddenly striking them against each other as hard as he could. The strength of an experienced blacksmith was not insignificant, and the greatest difference soon became clear when the poor-quality iron blade chipped while the new one remained without a scratch.
"Same size, same purpose, and both pieces received the same amount of care. The only difference was the iron used."
Edmund allowed the noise to continue for a few seconds before speaking again.
"I do not want Graymont to continue selling mediocre products at high prices simply because we do not know another way to work and only harm one another in the process."
He pointed toward the mine, which could be partially seen from the square.
"We have ore. We have charcoal. We have workers. We have blacksmiths capable of producing high-quality goods thanks to a lifetime of dedication, despite the insufficient materials that have prevented them from truly developing their talent. What we lack is organization and unity to fight against adversity, and I am not only talking about a factory, but also about the people."
His gaze swept across the square.
"That is what I am going to change, and I declare it before all of you."
Edmund picked up one of the horseshoes.
"Starting this week, we will begin building the factory. We will need workers to prepare the land, transport materials, raise the structures, and build the furnaces. Blacksmiths who wish to join may speak with Bram after this meeting."
He then looked at the other inhabitants.
"And I do not need only blacksmiths. I need assistants, porters, apprentices, carpenters, masons, and anyone willing to learn a trade."