"How is that possible?"
Merlin chuckled lightly.
At this time, Yol took over the topic with a smile:
"Although these people possess some well-informed intelligence, they won't provide it for free. They will charge an appropriate fee for intelligence or guiding."
The former Merlin had followed newspaper reporters in and out of the Flevance port for quite some time, so he had some understanding of the attire and demeanor of such people.
At this moment, the three of them stood at the port, looking like newcomers who didn't know where to go or understand the place.
Instantly, some guys who made a living from this kind of thing were like sharks smelling blood.
Scrutinizing gazes were cast over one after another.
However, most of these gazes quickly left. In the end, only a young man wearing a peaked cap hurried over.
When the young man reached a position two meters in front of Merlin and the others, he stopped and revealed a simple and honest smile:
"Hello, everyone. You look unfamiliar. Are you tourists who just arrived on Petrel Island? I wonder if there's anything I, Monde, can help you with?
"I'm responsible for this port area during this period. Whether you want to stay in a hotel, eat, or find someone, you can tell me.
"I'm very familiar with this town."
His words carried a natural simplicity that easily made people feel good about him. Merlin looked him over. His figure was well-proportioned but not thin, his finger joints were distinct, and there was a thick layer of calluses between the thumb and forefinger of his palms.
Moreover, judging from the stride length and breathing frequency when he came over just now, he didn't seem like an ordinary person.
Merlin narrowed his eyes slightly, then asked: "This brother doesn't look like someone who lacks money, right?
"Also, you said you are responsible for 'this period' and 'this area'? Is it convenient to elaborate? I'm a bit curious now."
Merlin got straight to the point: "We are new here and plan to stay for a while. We want to buy a house. Do you have any good connections?"
Monde touched the brim of his hat, a flash of surprise in his eyes, and grinned:
"It's nothing I can't say. I'm a formal student of the Rock Heart Sword Dojo.
"The port here is jointly managed by our Rock Heart and two other forces in the town. This area of the port is divided into three parts, and you happen to be standing in the area we are responsible for right now. That's why I came over.
"As for 'this period,' it's because in our Rock Heart Sword Dojo, some students from poor families who can't afford tuition will be assigned by the teacher to work at the port for a period of time every now and then. First, to earn some extra money to pay for tuition. Second, if we encounter people interested in learning swordsmanship, we can introduce them.
"Like the second point, if I can recruit new students, the teacher will also give me a commission from the tuition paid by the other party."
Merlin's gaze was somewhat subtle. Is this guy really naive? Is this information free? However, at this moment, Merlin became somewhat curious about the owner of the Rock Heart Dojo. Good methods, good temperament—worthy of being a merchant's son.
However, at this moment, there was a curiosity in Merlin's eyes:
"Listening to you, the business at this port is done by two other families together with you. Don't you have conflicts?"
Hearing this, Monde raised his chin with some pride at this moment:
"On Petrel Island, our teacher is the strongest one. Therefore, they all give face to our Sword Dojo.
"Besides, the students in our dojo are very united.
"Our Eldest Senior Brother, who is also our teacher's son, is a strong man who is about to reach the realm of a Breath of All Things (Iron-Cutting) Swordsman!
"And half a year ago, our Eldest Senior Brother personally killed a pirate with a bounty of 30 million Berries!"
Seeing that the admiration in his eyes didn't seem fake, Merlin's heart moved slightly. If what he said wasn't fake, then this Rock Heart Sword Dojo was probably not that simple.
After all, intelligence about the realm of Iron-Cutting Swordsmen wasn't common knowledge that everyone on the street knew in the North Blue.
Speaking of this, Monde asked curiously:
"By the way, do you want to settle here? If you want to buy a house, you can buy a house from our Rock Heart Sword Dojo.
"Our teacher has many properties in the town, and our dojo is involved in almost all the real estate business on the island.
"What type of layout do you want?
"Is it a bustling area in the town? Or an area closer to the outskirts of the town, closer to our dojo? But I recommend the outskirts area. Although it's a bit remote, it's safer. After all, our Rock Heart Sword Dojo is nearby."
Chatterbox?
Watching him spill out various information he knew like pouring beans, Merlin's gaze became very subtle, and he looked at him with somewhat complex eyes:
"Don't you charge money for this information you mentioned?"
Monde was stunned suddenly, the corners of his mouth twitching violently. He looked at Merlin wanting to cry but having no tears:
"I forgot that this can't be said for free. Um, how about you give me whatever amount you see fit?"
Merlin couldn't help sighing. Yol on the side covered her mouth and snickered, while Lami sighed like Merlin.
This is a simpleton!
At this time, Merlin chuckled lightly:
"I won't give you a single Berry."
Monde's mouth twitched, and he sighed with a bitter face. However, at this time, Merlin smiled and said:
"If I buy a house on the outskirts under your recommendation and enroll in your Sword Dojo, how much commission will you get?"
Monde's eyes widened, looking at Merlin with surprise and suspicion. "Really? You're not teasing me?"
But in an instant, Monde smiled brightly and said: "As for how much my commission is? That depends on what type of house layout you want to buy, and what type of dojo student you prepare to become."
Speaking of this, Monde hesitated for a moment, but continued:
"If buying a house, like a detached house with a small yard starting from a hundred square meters, it might cost tens of millions of Berries. I can get a 5% commission from that.
"As for students,
"The first type is special work-study students like me. During the period of learning swordsmanship, there will be some work tasks arranged by the teacher from time to time to earn living expenses.
"The second type is ordinary students who can pay normally, one hundred thousand Berries per quarter. This kind of student doesn't need to do the time-consuming tasks I do; they just need to practice swordsmanship according to their own will.
"And the last type is VIP students. This kind of student also pays the quarterly tuition in one lump sum, but the tuition for such VIP students is 1 million Berries per quarter.
"But there are very few wealthy students like this here.
"And for ordinary and VIP students introduced by me, I can also get 5% of the tuition they pay each quarter to deduct from my own tuition."
Hearing this, Merlin gradually outlined the image of a shrewd merchant dojo owner who was obsessed with money in his mind.
"Then is there any difference in teaching quality between the three different types of students?
"It can't be the same, right?"
Yol asked curiously at this time.
Monde grinned and shook his head:
"Of course it will be different.
"VIP students are taught personally by the teacher or the Eldest Senior Brother and Eldest Senior Sister. It's a professional teaching model where every question is answered.
"Mmh, our Eldest Senior Sister is also the teacher's daughter. She is nineteen years old this year, very beautiful, and her swordsmanship is also superb, second only to the teacher and Eldest Senior Brother.
"As for work-study and ordinary students, at the beginning, the senior brothers in the dojo teach the basics. And the teacher only gives collective lectures from time to time."
Hearing this, a smile appeared in Merlin's eyes:
"Teaching with clearly marked prices is not bad. Although it lacks some human touch, there are gains and losses after all!"
In Merlin's view, the most important ones in this unique teaching model should be work-study students and VIP students.
One is the direct line cultivated by oneself.
One is the financier cultivated by oneself.
Only benefits, no harm.
And the dojo owner who could think of this teaching method should also be an interesting person.
"Let's go!" Merlin said to Monde. Monde was stunned, somewhat puzzled, but said anxiously:
"Are you driving me away?"
Merlin was speechless:
"Buy a house! Apply for admission."
Hearing this, Monde's eyes widened first, then he nodded with a beaming smile:
"Okay, okay, I'll lead the way right now."
Monde led the way in front, and Merlin, Yol, and Lami followed behind. At this time, Yol asked hesitantly in her eyes:
"Have you decided to stay here?"
Merlin nodded lightly, speaking calmly:
"The environment here is good. Let's stay for a while and see! As for the future, we'll talk about it later."
Yol also nodded lightly in response.
Under Monde's leadership, walking through streets and alleys, a moment later, the four arrived at the entrance of a detached storefront in the center of the town.
Monde spoke: "This is our dojo's housing sales location. There are some floor plans of houses to look at here.
"Whichever one you like later, I'll take you to see the house you picked."
Taking the lead into the storefront and arriving at the counter, Monde smiled naively at a middle-aged man in his fifties behind the counter:
"Uncle Shui, I brought people to buy a house!"
Uncle Shui, who was reading a newspaper, looked up and saw it was Monde. He immediately smiled with squinted eyes:
"Business is here! You kid are lucky today."
Saying this, he looked Merlin and Yol up and down, didn't dawdle, and began to introduce the housing resources he had on hand.
Soon, Merlin and Yol took a fancy to a small villa located on the edge of the town, close to a lake area.
A not-too-big, not-too-small villa with a yard, covering a total area of two hundred square meters.
A moment later.
Under Monde's leadership.
They arrived at a street on the edge of the town and arrived at the gate of the house they had chosen.
This was a house with a small villa style and a two-story internal main building structure.
The house was surrounded by a three-meter-high courtyard wall, and the iron fence-like gate was open.
After entering through the gate, what came into view was a spacious small courtyard. On the right side of the small courtyard, there was a small pond connected to groundwater, with a rockery standing above the pond.
A bluestone path led straight to the villa entrance.
Merlin and the others entered the villa.
Water and electricity were already connected in the villa.
The first floor was the living room, kitchen, and a bathroom.
There were five rooms on the second floor: one master bedroom, three secondary bedrooms, and a study.
There was a separate bathroom in each living room.
And a tea pavilion was built on the roof of the second floor.
Although the villa wasn't big, it had a warm feeling of home. Merlin, Yol, and Lami were all very satisfied.
So they went back to pay simply and neatly.
A total of twenty-one million Berries.
In an instant, a small half of the total savings was gone.
Then, under Monde's leadership, Merlin and the other three began to purchase furniture and daily necessities in the town, and finally found someone to transport them back to furnish their rooms.
At 7:00 PM.
After everything was done.
They treated Monde to a big meal.
Merlin made an appointment with Monde to go to the dojo to go through admission procedures at nine tomorrow morning.