Pope Augustus

After some twists and turns, and Katerina's careful selection, the newspaper staff has been determined, and work can finally resume.

"Your Holiness, the recruitment for the Rome Newspaper has been completed. Here is the list of personnel for each position. Please take a look." With that, Katerina handed over a stack of papers.

Augustus knew it was impossible for anyone he knew to be on the list; if there were, it would surely be a namesake. He symbolically flipped through the pages. Since he had no concept of the newspaper's structure and hadn't specifically learned about the Rome Newspaper's situation before, he didn't make much sense of it.

"You've done an excellent job! Thank you for your hard work." That's always the right thing to say, Augustus thought.

"Through this reform, the number of newspaper staff is now only about one-fifth of the original, and the monthly salary expenditure is approximately one-third of the original."

"So many reductions? Won't operations be affected?" With such a large proportion of layoffs, it was false to say he had no worries at all.

"No, the efficiency will certainly be higher, not lower," Katerina guaranteed.

Augustus nodded. He would only know the specifics once the newspaper officially began operations.

"That's good. Everything should prioritize efficiency; there's no need to be too stingy with money." Sacrificing efficiency to save money was not what Augustus wanted.

"You can rest assured, I certainly understand that improving efficiency is the most important thing. The main goal is, of course, to improve efficiency, and cost-saving is just a byproduct.

However, I must remind you that while the current expenses of the Rome Newspaper might not seem like much to you, if you still wish for the Rome Newspaper to develop further, streamlining staff and saving costs now is very necessary."

"Further development? What is that? Do you already have a long-term plan?" Katerina's words clearly had a deeper meaning, which piqued Augustus's curiosity.

"Have you ever considered the Rome Newspaper opening branch offices across Europe?"

"Branch offices? What are those for?" Knowing such a thing existed didn't equate to knowing its purpose.

"Newspaper branch offices are responsible for the news gathering and editing functions of the newspaper in various locations, while also performing duties such as overall planning, service, coordination, and supervision of local affairs," Katerina patiently explained.

"That's excellent! We must do it. I will support it to the best of my ability." Wasn't radiating the newspaper's influence throughout Europe and even wider precisely what Augustus wanted?

What's written in a newspaper most needs to be read. If the newspaper's influence is limited to the Papal States, no matter how much it can deceive, it's mostly deceiving its own people. Compared to deceiving all of Europe, the strategic significance is far different. How could he not strongly support a feasible plan proposed by Katerina?

"It's just that if we open branch offices on a large scale, the cost will be substantial. Moreover, many aspects of the newspaper are still in the exploratory stage, and we are not confident of immediate success. If problems arise, it could affect our newspaper's reputation," Katerina said with a slight worry.

As for the cost, Augustus was still not worried. A drop in the bucket was insignificant, and a hundred drops would still not cause fundamental damage. Katerina probably couldn't truly imagine how wealthy he was now, but there was no need to deliberately correct her or show off. It was always good that Katerina was willing to be frugal.

However, the potential impact on reputation truly could not be ignored. Opening branch offices everywhere only to end up disgraced was more than just embarrassing. It would not only become a laughingstock for all sectors of society but also make future collaborations for the newspaper more difficult.

"Let's select a few places to open pilot branch offices, and then expand the scope once we're sure there are no problems. What do you think of that?" Augustus asked in a consulting tone.

"That's what I was thinking too!" Katerina replied excitedly, then seemed to remember something and continued hesitantly, "It's just..."

"Are there any other issues?"

"It's just that I'm wanted by nine countries," Katerina said a little awkwardly.

"What?" Augustus's tone rose a few octaves, then he thought about Katerina's books. Well, it made sense.

"Is it a big problem?" Katerina asked cautiously.

"It's fine. Faol should be able to communicate and resolve it. It's not some major feud, and most Catholic countries should still be willing to give the Papal States some face. Oh, and you're only wanted because of your writing, right?"

"I also attempted to assassinate a general of the Ottoman Empire who indiscriminately killed during the war, though it wasn't successful. I'm wanted by the Ottoman for that," Katerina said, rubbing her head somewhat sheepishly.

"Damn it! How many more glorious deeds do you have that you haven't told me about?" Although he hadn't held out much hope for the Ottoman side anyway, this was too shocking. Originally, thinking that heroes come from all walks of life, he hadn't asked much about Katerina's background. Now, Augustus felt it was very necessary to have a new understanding of the person in front of him.

"That's pretty much it. There's nothing else, right?"

"Really nothing else?" Augustus asked suspiciously.

"Probably... not."

"Alright, I believe you. If there are any other situations, you must tell me in time so I can respond early, understood?" Augustus still felt lingering fear.

"Mm, absolutely. For the pilot branch offices, do you have any specific targets in mind?"

"It's not about what targets I have in mind; it's about which countries you've offended less," Augustus said meaningfully.

"Actually, they're all pretty similar, and they should all be negotiable, right?"

"Alright, fair enough. Then I'll suggest places, and you tell me if they're feasible."

"Please do."

Augustus thought for a moment. "How about Vienna, the capital of Austria?"

"The distance from Rome is moderate, there's a large flow of people, a wide range of news sources, and high demand for information. The conditions in all aspects are excellent. Significant events have always occurred frequently within the Holy Roman Empire, and wars, both internal and external, are common. It's very suitable for establishing a branch office."

Augustus nodded in satisfaction, then thought again. "How about Madrid, the capital of Spain?"

"The distance from Rome is also suitable. As the capital of the empire on which the sun never sets, we can better understand the situation in the colonies from here and also learn about Spain's movements earlier. It's also very good."

"I've only thought of these two. Do you have any other good recommendations?"

"For now, it's just a pilot program, and two are enough. For others, let's open them after the pilot program proves successful, shall we?"

"Good, I'll listen to you. So, it's decided: Vienna and Madrid. First, let Faol resolve your wanted status. Afterwards, if there are any other issues, Faol can also step in." Since Faol recommended her, this great and glorious task naturally falls to Faol.

"Thank you for your support," Katerina expressed her heartfelt gratitude.

"Oh, by the way, if you don't mind, I hope you can take some time to write a self-introduction for me, telling me about your background and past. I'd like to understand more." If it couldn't be explained in a few words and she couldn't remember everything at once, then he'd just have her write it down.

"Of course, I'll complete it as soon as possible." Not only was she not dismissed for being wanted by multiple countries, but he also proactively offered to help resolve her wanted status. Katerina's trust in Augustus greatly increased.