The cloth still covered the object.
Beorn stood at the end of the table, turning a wooden letter block between his fingers. The frame had already been set before the girls arrived. He had no practical reason to handle the type. The motion looked more like he was gathering his thoughts.
"Every settlement in the protectorate gets its decrees, notices, and orders the same way."
He started to explain. "A clerk copies them by hand, one letter at a time. One town means one copy. Ten towns means ten clerks spending ten afternoons writing the same thing."
He returned the block to its tray.
"The real question is what happens when making another copy costs nothing."
Beadu eyed the covered object. She had been staring at it since the previous lesson ended.
"Some of us have been exercising remarkable restraint, so if you please just told us what it is."
Aestrith remained in her corner, studying the shape beneath the cloth.
"He's talking about producing text in quantity."
"Indeed."
