"Mr. Natsuhiko."
The one who pushed the door open was Chrysa.
Behind her,
was a somewhat slender yet steady-looking middle-aged man.
He was the one Natsuhiko selected before leaving Suiyi Town, to take over Chrysa's job as the dojo manager.
He wore a meticulously neat butler's uniform, one hand placed on his abdomen and the other behind his back, eyes lowered, avoiding direct eye contact with Natsuhiko, maintaining a calm expression and a respectful demeanor.
He was neither the most highly educated nor the most capable, nor even the most experienced on the list Chrysa provided to Natsuhiko.
He seemed quite ordinary.
But there was one aspect of his resume that caught Natsuhiko's attention.
He had briefly served as the acting manager of the Luminous Dojo in the Hoenn Region's Luminous City.
Although the tenure was not long.
Mainly because he was not from the Hoenn Region, with his hometown being in Sinnoh, he ultimately chose to return.
Natsuhiko knew Mikkel, so he specifically called to inquire about him.
The evaluation from Mikkel summed it up as clear background, an honest person with decent abilities, but lacking in pioneering spirit.
Immediately, Natsuhiko finalized on him.
Natsuhiko didn't need someone extraordinarily capable, just someone with a clean, clear background who could manage a dojo's daily operations effectively.
"Chrysa, Yamato." Natsuhiko smiled and nodded.
Receiving the nod from both Natsuhiko and Chrysa, Yamato stepped forward to report on the dojo's earnings during this period, as well as the progress of the ongoing cup competition.
Chrysa would be leaving after this competition, so they were already in the process of handing over some of the responsibilities.
"Thanks to Mr. Natsuhiko's reputation, the Devon Small Cup Competition's level of attention has exceeded our expectations. Here is the list of participants who have registered so far, with some notable names marked for emphasis."
Yamato respectfully placed the list on Natsuhiko's desk.
"Thank you for your hard work," Natsuhiko said politely.
He set down the coffee cup and picked up the list, reviewing it from top to bottom.
It must be said, Yamato is indeed capable, having investigated these participants' backgrounds, highlighting those of particular interest to Natsuhiko.
But as he scanned these names, his heart sank.
Da Ye, Aliu, Wusong, Denji, Ali...
He twitched his mouth.
"Can I refuse their registration?"
What is this?
Turning a small competition into a preliminary for the Lily Competition?
Look at who they all are.
Are they really here to participate in the cup?
Their aim is clearly to find an opportunity to thoroughly pummel him!
"I'm afraid not, sir. Their participation is also crucial for the promotion of our small cup competition.
At this point, all audience seats, both season tickets and individual tickets, are almost entirely booked.
Moreover, numerous companies have invested in advertising spaces, and all designated stalls outside the dojo have been rented out.
Even the Devon Company didn't foresee the competition's immense popularity, so they increased their investment in this event.
And they've also applied to install a temporary screen outside the dojo for those who couldn't get tickets yet still come to experience the atmosphere live."
Yamato directly declined Natsuhiko's suggestion, subsequently listing on paper the profits the dojo had already garnered even before the competition commenced.
Clearly,
through this competition, the dojo has emerged from deficit earnings.
And has garnered substantial funding support, ensuring that for quite a long time, the dojo won't face financial concerns.
Natsuhiko waved his hand.
Of course he knew it was just a joke.
Most of these people naturally bring an audience.
Having experienced the era where traffic dominated, Natsuhiko is well aware of the value their participation brings.
"Moreover, the entire Suiyi Town also received a significant commercial boost; the profits of shops and inns have skyrocketed, which also constitutes long-term revenue for our dojo."
As an official institution of the League, the dojo undertakes part of the city's security, management, and educational duties, so a portion of the taxes collected from the city each year is allocated to the dojo.
The more developed a city is, the greater the dojo's annual revenue becomes.
Like Natsuhiko.
He had earlier invested substantially, acquiring many stores at the dojo's entrance while prices were still low, ensuring they fell under his name.
With Suiyi Town's development, simply the rental income alone now earns him substantial profits.
Not to mention those projects co-developed with Devon.
Natsuhiko established the dojo to make money, investing a considerable amount of personal funds for this purpose.
Now,
The money is finally starting to flow back.
Yamato handed Natsuhiko a financial report detailing the dojo's total earnings over the recent period.
"Thirty million, has it really reached this much?" Looking at the figure, Natsuhiko was somewhat taken aback.
How long has it been?
He had been away from the dojo for barely a month.
Before leaving, it was still in deficit, and now it's not only turned positive but also made thirty million Alliance Coins.
"This is just the initial revenue; many companies have only paid deposits for advertising spaces, with the balance yet to be received. However, these should gradually be credited in the coming days, and after my calculations, the dojo's final actual profit may exceed sixty million Alliance Coins."
Yamato appeared very confident.