Teaching Mode!

"How could that be?"

Merlin chuckled.

Yol smiled and picked up the conversation.

"Although these people have access to useful information, they won't provide it for free. They'll charge a reasonable fee for information or for showing you around."

Back when Merlin lived in Flevance, he had spent quite some time coming and going with newspaper reporters at the port, so he knew a little about how people like this dressed and behaved.

The three of them stood at the port, looking like newcomers who didn't know where to go and weren't familiar with the place.

In an instant, some of the people who made their living this way came swarming over like sharks that had caught the scent of blood.

One by one, they gave the group an appraising look.

Most of them soon turned away, though. In the end, only a young man wearing a baseball cap came over.

He stopped two meters in front of Merlin and the others, then put on an honest, friendly smile.

"Hello, everyone. You look like new faces. Are you travelers who just arrived on Sea Swallow Island? Is there anything I, Monde, can help you with?

"I'm in charge of this part of the port right now. Whether you're looking for a place to stay, somewhere to eat, or someone in particular, just let me know.

"I'm very familiar with this town."

His words carried an air of earnestness that easily inspired goodwill. Merlin sized him up. He had a well-proportioned build, but wasn't scrawny. The joints of his fingers were prominent, and thick calluses covered the webbing between his thumbs and forefingers.

Judging by his stride and breathing when he came over, he didn't seem like an ordinary person, either.

Merlin narrowed his eyes slightly, then asked, "You don't look like someone who's short on money, either.

"And what did you mean when you said you were in charge of 'this area' 'right now'? Would you mind explaining? I'm a little curious."

Merlin got straight to the point. "We've just arrived and plan to stay here for a while. We'd like to buy a house. Do you know anyone who could help us?"

Monde touched the brim of his cap, surprise flashing in his eyes. Grinning, he said,

"It's nothing I can't tell you. I'm a full-fledged student at Rockheart Kendo Dojo.

"Our dojo shares management of this port with two other local powers. The port is split into three sections, and right now you're standing in the section our dojo is in charge of. That's why I came over.

"As for being in charge 'right now,' it's because every so often, the teachers send students from poor families who can't afford tuition to work here at the port for a while. First, they can earn some extra money to help pay their tuition. Second, if they happen to meet someone interested in learning swordsmanship, they can introduce them to the dojo.

"For the second kind of work, if I manage to bring in a new student, the teacher gives me a commission from their tuition."

Merlin's expression turned a little peculiar. Was this guy really that earnest? He was giving away all this information for free. Still, Merlin had grown curious about the owner of Rockheart Dojo. The man had good business sense and a good nature. No wonder he was a merchant's son.

At that moment, curiosity flickered in Merlin's eyes.

"From what you're saying, your dojo runs the port businesses alongside the other two powers. Don't you ever come into conflict?"

At that, Monde lifted his chin with a hint of pride.

"Our teacher is the strongest person on Sea Swallow Island, so the others show our dojo respect.

"Besides, the students at our dojo are very united.

"Our senior brother—the teacher's son—is so strong he's almost reached the Iron Cutting Sword Master Realm!

"And half a year ago, our senior brother personally took down a pirate with a bounty of thirty million Beli!"

The admiration in Monde's eyes seemed genuine. Merlin's thoughts stirred. If what Monde said was true, then Rockheart Kendo Dojo was no simple place.

After all, in the North Blue, information about the Iron Cutting Sword Master Realm wasn't exactly common knowledge.

At this point, Monde asked curiously,

"By the way, are you planning to settle down here? If you want to buy a house, you can buy one from our dojo.

"Our teacher owns a lot of properties in town, and our dojo is involved in nearly all the island's real estate business.

"What kind of place are you looking for?

"Somewhere in the busy part of town? Or near the edge, closer to our dojo? I'd recommend the outskirts. It's a bit remote, but safer, since Rockheart Kendo Dojo is right nearby."

What a chatterbox.

Watching him rattle off every bit of information he knew, Merlin gave him a very peculiar look, tinged with complicated feelings.

"Don't you have to pay for this kind of information?"

Monde froze, the corners of his mouth twitching violently. He turned to Merlin with a look of utter despair.

"I forgot I wasn't supposed to give it away for free. How about you pay me whatever you think is fair?"

Merlin couldn't help sighing. Beside him, Yol covered her mouth and giggled, while Lami imitated Merlin and sighed, too.

What a goof.

Merlin chuckled.

"Not even one Beli."

Monde's mouth twitched. He sighed miserably, but then Merlin smiled and said,

"If I buy a house on the outskirts based on your recommendation, and enroll in your dojo, how much commission will you get?"

Monde's eyes widened. He looked at Merlin in surprise and suspicion.

"Seriously? You're not messing with me?"

A moment later, though, Monde broke into a radiant smile.

"As for how much commission I'll get, that depends on what kind of house you buy and what kind of student you want to be."

Monde hesitated for a moment, but then continued.

"If you buy a house, one of those detached homes with a small courtyard and at least a hundred square meters of floor space could cost over ten million Beli. I'd get half a percent of that.

"As for students,

"the first kind are special work-study students like me. While learning swordsmanship, we occasionally get work assignments from the teachers that let us earn money for living expenses.

"The second kind are ordinary students who can afford to pay their tuition normally. They pay one hundred thousand Beli per quarter. They don't have to do time-consuming tasks like the ones I do. They can just practice swordsmanship however they like.

"And then there's the last kind: VIP students. They also pay for a whole quarter in advance, but their tuition is one million Beli per quarter.

"There aren't many students here who can afford that kind of money.

"If I introduce an ordinary or VIP student, I can also get half a percent of their tuition each quarter, which goes toward my own tuition."

By the time Merlin heard this, he had gradually formed an image in his mind of the dojo's owner: a shrewd, money-grubbing businessman.

"Then what's the difference in teaching quality between the three kinds of students?

"Surely it's not all the same?"

Yol asked curiously.

Monde grinned and shook his head.

"Of course there's a difference.

"The teacher or our senior brother or senior sister personally teaches the VIP students, and they're happy to answer any questions. It's a professional teaching style.

"Oh, our senior sister is the teacher's daughter. She's nineteen this year, very beautiful, and an outstanding swordswoman. Only the teacher and our senior brother are better than her.

"As for the work-study and ordinary students, they start out learning the basics from the senior students at the dojo. The teacher only gives group lessons from time to time."

At this, a smile appeared in Merlin's eyes.

"Teaching with clearly stated prices isn't a bad thing. It may lack a little human warmth, but there are trade-offs either way."

In Merlin's view, the most important parts of this unusual teaching system were the work-study students and the VIP students.

One was the dojo's handpicked inner circle.

The other was the dojo's cultivated source of income.

There were benefits to both, and no drawbacks.

The owner of the dojo who had come up with this teaching system must be an interesting person.

"Let's go," Merlin said to Monde.

Monde froze, confused, then grew a little anxious.

"Are you telling me to leave?"

Merlin was speechless.

"To buy a house and enroll."

Monde's eyes widened, then he broke into a delighted grin and nodded.

"Great, great! I'll show you the way."

Monde led the way, with Merlin, Yol, and Lami following behind. Yol hesitantly asked,

"Have you already decided to stay here?"

Merlin nodded slightly, his voice calm.

"The place is nice. Let's stay for a while and see how it goes. As for what comes after that, we'll deal with it when the time comes."

Yol nodded lightly in reply.

With Monde leading them through the streets and alleyways, it wasn't long before the four of them reached the entrance of a detached shop in the town center.

Monde said, "This is where our dojo sells houses. You can look at some floor plans here.

"Once you've picked one, I'll take you to see the house you chose."

He led them inside and walked up to the counter. Grinning earnestly at the man in his fifties behind it, he said,

"Uncle Ah Shui, I've brought some people to buy a house!"

Uncle Ah Shui looked up at the sound of his name. Seeing that it was Monde, he immediately smiled.

"Got a customer, huh? You're in luck today, kid."

As he spoke, he glanced over Merlin and Yol. Without wasting any time, he began showing them the houses he had available.

Before long, Merlin and Yol settled on a small villa on the edge of town, near a lake.

It was a modest detached villa with a courtyard, covering two hundred square meters in total.

A little later,

Monde led them to a street on the outskirts of town and stopped at the front gate of the house they'd chosen.

It was a small villa with a two-story main building.

A three-meter-high wall surrounded the house, and its iron-bar gate stood open.

Inside was a spacious courtyard. On the right stood a small pool connected to an underground water source, with an artificial hill rising from its center.

A flagstone path led straight to the villa's front door.

Merlin and the others went inside.

The villa already had running water and electricity.

The first floor had a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom.

The second floor had five rooms: a master bedroom, three smaller bedrooms, and a study.

Each of the bedrooms had its own bathroom.

There was even a tea pavilion on the roof of the second floor.

The villa wasn't large, but it had a cozy, homey feel. Merlin, Yol, and Lami were all pleased with it.

So they went straight back to pay.

The total came to twenty-one million Beli.

In an instant, half of their total savings were gone.

Then, with Monde leading the way, the four of them went shopping around town for furniture and household supplies. Finally, they hired someone to transport everything back and furnish their home.

Seven o'clock that evening,

once everything was taken care of,

they treated Monde to a lavish dinner.

Merlin arranged to meet Monde at the dojo at nine the next morning to complete his enrollment.