Chapter 28 – School! A New Beginning!
Chapter 28 School! A New Beginning!
"Seventeen islands and twenty-six villages are scattered within a hundred miles of the Mina Islands.
For the kingdoms of the East Sea, these overseas islands are like a chicken rib; the benefits are far less than the investment.
The unpredictable ocean, the sea kings that roam the waters, and the pirates that plunder merchant ships are all dangerous variables. They must be entrusted to the navy for management.
However, the naval presence requires the local kingdoms to provide military expenses, which is enough to make every king feel the pinch."
"Therefore, it would be better to simply give up and hand it over to the navy for management.
As for taxes, the navy would have the final say, thus offsetting a portion of the military expenditure."
Crowe pointed to the nautical chart he had obtained from the navy and began to speak eloquently.
A person's character is often related to their experiences. They are innocent and passionate when young, worldly and sophisticated when middle-aged, and nostalgic and stubborn when old. Their character is not static.
From a notorious conman in the kingdom to the manager of the Arkham Merchant Guild, Kro experienced something he had never felt before.
People used positive words to describe him, respected him, and liked him. This sense of accomplishment gave Kro immense satisfaction, and he liked this feeling—simply put, a sense of social recognition.
For this sense of recognition, Kro naturally worked hard, especially since he had recently made a mistake that almost killed Guina.
"After conducting on-site investigations, I discovered that the environment of each island is different. Some are suitable for growing fruit trees, some are suitable for coffee, and some are excellent ports… Arlong and his gang relentlessly exploited the local residents, causing widespread fear and anxiety, which damaged the economies of each island. It is not surprising that they eventually became deserted islands."
Kuro pushed up his glasses and said, "A pirate is still a pirate. He only knows how to plunder, not how to manage!"
"But we are different."
Lister leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head, feet propped on the table, and agreed: "Indeed, we are different. I prefer to make the pie bigger, but before that, we must ensure the pie is safe. Colonel Rat is someone we can cooperate with, but we must be wary. At the appropriate time, we must show him our strength. In addition, within six months, I hope that more than one-third of the people in the 16th Naval Division are our own people, so that after Colonel Rat is transferred, the new commander will not deny the agreements signed by the predecessor."
Kro nodded and said, "It might be a bit difficult for other branches, but according to the intelligence department's investigation, the 16th branch is plagued by serious corruption from the commander to the marines. With Bailey in place, everything will be easy."
"Not only should we corrupt them, but we should also assimilate them. It would be best to send some people in. There is a kind of bird called a dove that never builds its own nest. Instead, it puts its eggs in another bird's nest and lets the birds incubate and feed them."
At this point, Lister suddenly asked, "Are there any islands that are also unsuitable for development?"
Kro nodded. There were too many islands in the ocean for Lister to mention. He pointed to the nautical chart and said, "This one, Bird Island, is named for its resemblance to a seabird. The surrounding waters are full of reefs and whirlpools, making it difficult for merchant ships to navigate. It's close to the calm zone, where sea kings—even super-large sea kings—roam, making it extremely dangerous. The island has tall vegetation and is home to many ferocious beasts and birds of prey. There's a village of over a hundred people who live by hunting. All things considered, its development value is too small."
"Oh, perfect timing. I'm planning to build a school where all school-aged children from the islands can enroll," Lister said.
"School?"
"It's a place for learning."
There are currently no schools or similar institutions in the East China Sea.
This world is clearly divided into classes. At the top of the pyramid are the Celestial Dragons, who control the World Government. Next are the royal families affiliated with the World Government, ruling various kingdoms. Then come the kingdom nobles, who are involved in commerce, agriculture, and all other industries. Next are artisans and commoners working in various trades. Finally, there are slaves. The Kingdom of Tequila Wolf on the East Blue Bridge has a large number of slaves. Most of the people in the country are from nations that refused to join the World Government or are criminals.
The children of nobles are born with privileges, and their education is provided by learned scholars hired by their parents.
Children of commoners often rely on their parents for education, but are limited by their parents' knowledge, mastering mostly their parents' skills and crafts, forming a father-to-son craft model. Some commoners break out of this model and become apprentices in places like kendo dojos or libraries, learning from masters.
Children of slaves are born slaves and possess knowledge that their masters require or allow them to acquire.
Therefore, institutions like schools were forgotten—or rather, unnecessary for the nobility. What they needed were obedient commoners and slaves who worked hard. The "policy of keeping the people ignorant" was the best way to achieve this.
Building a school was an idea Lister had long ago, but the conditions were not available before. Shells Town was not a good choice. The destruction of Ohara was still fresh in people's minds, and the World Government was quite sensitive to the spread of knowledge. Therefore, Lister needed a secluded and low-key place to carry out his plan.
The villagers, who had suffered greatly from pirate oppression, began to rebuild their homes.
"Really?"
"Yes, it says that starting today, all the fruit on the island will be purchased and exported by the Arkham Chamber of Commerce, and the purchase price will be guaranteed to be no lower than that of other buyers."
In Cocoyasi Village, villagers gathered around the bulletin board, listening to Sheriff Ahui's explanation.
The island where Cocoyasi Village is located has a pleasant climate, belonging to the subtropical monsoon rainforest, with plenty of sunshine—perfect for growing fruits, especially citrus. Therefore, Cocoyasi Village is also known as Orange Village.
"It's fine. If Mr. Arkham hadn't defeated the Arlong Pirates, we don't know if we would still be alive," someone said.
Mr. Arkham was the villagers' name for Lister.
"That's right. I heard that Mr. Arkham is willing to provide supplies for the reconstruction of the village at half price. The newly delivered grains, vegetables, and other goods are much cheaper than before."
"Yes!"
"What else? Ahui, what else does it say?" Not many villagers are literate. In this resource-scarce sea, books are both the least and most precious things.
"Mr. Arkham has set up a training camp that anyone between the ages of six and eighteen can enroll in. It lasts for five months and is held twice a year."
"Training camp?" the villagers asked, puzzled.
"It's a place that teaches things like kendo, cooking, and forging!" Ahui explained.
"It costs money, right?"
"Yes, how much?"
The villagers chattered amongst themselves. Learning a trade these days isn't easy. First, you have to find a suitable master and become an apprentice. You can't just become an apprentice whenever you want; it depends on the master's mood or whether you must offer a considerable sum of money. During the apprenticeship, you get no income other than food and lodging. Whether you can learn the true skills is another matter entirely.
In short, knowledge is a valuable asset. Learning a skill can lead to a respectable job, such as a police chief or a doctor. Such jobs offer high social status and stable income, which is far better than being a farmer who depends on the weather for a livelihood.
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End of this chapter...