Plant Paper (Anime)

Light Novel

Anime

This Article is based on the Anime! The Anime is an adaptation based off the Light Novel and Manga and might contain different terminology from the source material.

Myne using a small Suketa

Plant paper is produced from plant fibers using a method inspired by the ancient Japanese process for making washi paper.

Industry

Myne and Lutz originally develop plant paper as a way to fulfill their bargain with Benno and become merchant apprentices at the Gilberta Company. Later, Myne begins expanding the industry by setting up a workshop at the Ehrenfest cathedral orphanage.

In Ehrenfest, plant paper cannot be used for legal contracts or other official documents. However, the comparative cheapness of paper compared to parchment is expected to created high demand for the product in short order. Plant paper made from feytrees, such as trombe, exhibit some unusual magical properties that make them especially useful for certain purposes.

Types of Paper

There are several different types of paper that Myne and Lutz make, but all are produced using approximately the same method.

Name	Produced In	Information
Trombe Paper	Ehrenfest Central District	This paper is made from the branches of freshly grown trombe. To most people trombe trees are a big mystery and no one can predict where one might grow, making trombe wood a rare and very valuable good. Myne later discovered the connection between trombe and taue and is thus theoretically able to grow trombe at will, but due to the danger of trombe it was decided to keep production of this type of paper at a low level and sell it as a premium product, with volrin paper making up the bulk of production. The paper is very easy to work with and of the highest quality. Just like furniture made from trombe wood, trombe paper is highly resistant to fire, making it even more valuable than it's otherwise high quality already does.
Volrin Paper	Ehrenfest Central District	Volrin is one of the most common species of trees in Ehrenfest. Since it's so easy to find or cheap to buy it is well suited as the basis for the budeoning paper industry. As a component it is harder to work with and yields a lower quality result than trombe paper, but the rarity and danger of Trombe makes volrin paper a very attractive alternative.

Method

Materials and Tools

Name	Origin	Information
Storage Building	Bargained for with Mark on the first trip to the lumberyard	The building where Myne stores Paper making materials and works at
Pot	Ordered by Myne and bought by Benno	It is measured to be big enough for Lutz to carry. The pot is used to boil wood.
Weights	Ordered by Benno	Used to press out the water and tororo from the paper after it dries a little
Steamer	Made from wood that was ordered from the lumberyard by Myne and paid for by Benno	Measured to fit around the pot; made from Schwalnuss, a dry and hard wood, resistant to steam, and easy to work with. Used to steam the wood.
Block and club	Ordered as a set from the lumberyard. Ordered by Myne and paid for by Benno.	Made to hit wood fibers until they are “fluffy like cotton”.
Stand	Wood ordered from a lumberyard (Schwalnuss). Order written by Myne and paid for by Benno	Was replaced by boards and boxes as to not waste time or money
Screen	Made by a craftsman with Bamboo and spinne thread. Paid for by Benno.	Works with the frame; made the size of a postcard. Results in the suketa.
Frame	Made by Lutz	Works with the screen; made the size of a postcard
Edile juice	Bought at the market by Mark and Lutz with Benno's money	Sticky, used to make the tororo
Ashes	Ordered by Benno	Used to boil with the white bark
Cutting board	Brought from home	To cut off the outer bark efficiently
Bamboo sticks	Made by Lutz on the fly	Used to stir the ashes and white bark does not need to be bamboo specifically. Any stick, ladel or similar stirring-tools from any number of materials will do
Tub	Ordered by Benno	Used to hold the tororo and fibers
Draining bed	Made from wood ordered by Myne from the lumberyard and paid for by Benno	To dry out the filtered paper
Rake	Ordered from craftsmen	For the production of bigger paper, a rake is used instead of sticks for more efficiency

Process

1. Find wood from a young tree with lengthy, strong fibers
2. Boil the wood near a water source
3. Soak the wood in water
4. Peel off the outer black bark
5. Bring the black out bark back to the storage building to dry completely
6. Soak the black bark in the river for an entire day
7. Peel off the outer layer of the water-logged back so that only the inner white bark is left with a knife
8. Boil the white bark with ashes for about a bell while stirring occasionally
9. Wash off the ash from the white bark with the sun hitting it and then leave it in the river for a full day. Can also be done with a bucket
10. Remove knots and broken bits from the fibers of the white bark
11. Peel and crush edile fruit, mix with water to make the tororo
12. Beat the fibers until they are fluffy
13. Place the fibers into the tub with the tororo, adding water as you go. Regulate the stickiness and stir, preferably with a rake
14. Place water inside the suketa, swishing it up and down side to side to spread out the pulpy water and make even paper
15. Take the screen out and place the paper on the drying bed to dry out
16. Use weights to press out the water even more as well as get rid of the tororo's stickiness
17. Stick the pressed paper on a board to dry even further. Usually one would use a paint brush here to get rid of air bubbles
18. Gently peel of paper so that it doesn't rip