High School of Demon Hunting

66: Chapter 66: Bronze Coins Can Also Be Generous_1

66 -66: Bronze Coins Can Also Be Generous_1

Beta Town is a small town outside of Alpha Academy.

The affluent and generous elite wizards of First University are the best customers in the eyes of all merchants in the wizarding world.

The youthful and naively innocent students in the school are the best candidates for cultivating loyal customer bases.

However, the heavily guarded First University is not a good place for business.

Strict security protocols constrain the merchants’ logistics, while exorbitant campus rents devour their profits.

Yet capital flees from war and disputes—its nature is timid.

Away from the wizarding world of First University, peace seems exceptionally fragile.

Any smart demon would not hesitate to expend a few pawns to break the paper-thin defenses of the small markets and plunder the rich spoils within.

Thus, under the dual threat of demons and profits, the merchants of the wizarding world choose a compromise.

They open markets outside the defensive circle of the four institutions of First University.

One must admit, this is indeed a good solution.

Powerful demons refuse to risk opposing First University to rob a few shops; weak ones would never risk their lives for a bit of gold by testing the boundaries of First University’s defensive circle.

As for First University, it does not mind having a few merchants taking shelter under its wings.

In fact, many of the school’s senior professors hope to use the school’s power to protect more weak wizards.

As time went by, the markets started by the merchants outside the four institutions have decayed in three places.

The tall walls of Jiuyou Academy restrict the students’ movement, and the diverse resources within the academy make the merchants’ products seem insignificant.

The deserted entrance gradually led traders to abandon this mediocre market.

Atlas students prefer a simple and unencumbered lifestyle, viewing the colorful goods in the market outside the academy as divine trials.

When traders realized they weren’t making a bronze coin off their goods but were instead losing money to the monks constantly begging for donations, they quickly abandoned the loss-making market.

The market outside of Starry Sky Academy was destroyed time and again during the students’ reckless brawls, to the point where the mild-tempered and far-sighted merchants were no longer willing to invest a single bronze coin in this area.

Thus, the market in this location went bankrupt.

Only Alpha Academy, with its philosophy of freedom, allowed the market to slowly rise outside the castle moat.

With the slow passage of time, this small town gradually grew into the only commercialized town affiliated with First University.

Following Nicholas, the freshmen were listening to his brief description of Beta Town’s history, which was filled with its prosperous atmosphere, and they kept expressing admiration.

“So who’s in charge of this town now?” Zheng Qing couldn’t help asking: “Do the merchants in the town still need to pay taxes?

Are there any requirements to open a shop in the town?”

“The town belongs to the school, and the school’s labor committee manages the tax collection.

Although the school doesn’t care about this small amount of tax, rules are rules.

Each merchant who opens a shop in town has to pay a jade coin to the school every year.” While speaking, Nicholas stopped before a trickster playing poker cards by the roadside.

Zheng Qing, deep in thought, also stopped.

The scholarship of the public expense students is very limited.

According to Thomas, the scholarship was just enough for Zheng Qing to complete his compulsory courses in a regular manner.

If he wished to take a few more elective courses, he would need to find a way to raise funds to purchase textbooks and experimental materials.

Let alone the remedial fee he would have to pay if he failed a compulsory course.

Being prepared for rainy days has always been Zheng Qing’s motto; he won’t wait until the last minute to plan in a rush.

Therefore, making money, a topic that seemed relatively far-off for other students, began to weigh heavily on his mind.

Listening to Nicholas’s introduction, Zheng Qing was a bit tempted.

If he opened a small shop in town, he might be able to solve his problems fundamentally.

Young people are always full of ambition and impulsiveness.

He didn’t consider the issues of cost, benefits and other operational matters; he didn’t consider what kind of business could generate profit; he didn’t even think about whether he had enough capital to start a shop, or whether he had time to run it.

He simply felt that by opening a small shop, he could have peace of mind.

And just like that, he made the cheerful decision.

The clinking sound of bronze coins colliding interrupted his train of thought and daydream.

Zheng Qing looked up.

Nicholas was throwing a handful of bronze coins into the box in front of the trickster.

The trickster was standing in a dark corner of the street, with a rusty iron box in front of him.

If one didn’t look carefully, it would be hard to notice his figure.

The passing wizards glanced over the corner and didn’t deign to pause on this shadowy figure for a second.

He was dressed in an old brown robe with thick patches sewn on the hem, and he wore a pointed hat.

His long beard and messy hair hid his face, and all Zheng Qing could see were a pair of focused, but unilluminated eyes.

He’s focused on the playing cards in his hand.

The cards are flipping lightly in his fingers, creating layers of afterimages.

His fingertips traced rapidly, snapping one note after another.

Each snap, a set of cards disappears; each snap, another stack of cards springs from the emptiness.

The crisp collision of bronze coins and the iron box awakened the trickster.

He lifted his cloudy eyes to see the tall, thin figure in front of him, putting away all the playing cards:

“Merlin bless you, kind sir.”

The old trickster clumsily performed a wizard’s salute, his voice filled with excitement and nervousness.

Then he clapped his hands together forcefully, and countless playing cards surged out from all directions, stacking in front of Nicholas to form a magnificent castle.

“That’s what Alpha Castle looks like!” a newbie shouted excitedly.

The clear snapping sound kept ringing non-stop.

The cards collapsed in a splendid manner, then quickly piled up to form another building.

“That’s Jiuyou Academy!” Another newbie yelled : “That’s the main teaching building!

And the Book Mountain Library!”

“The shadow wall in the forecourt!”

“And surrounding walls!”

The newbies of Jiuyou were thrilled, pointing at the buildings they vaguely remembered.

“If his craftsmanship is to your satisfaction, you should show appropriate generosity,” Nicholas reminded them sulkily from behind.

The newbies woke from their dream, generously opening their wallets.

The hat in front of the old trickster soon filled up with shiny bronze coins.

Clearly, the sight of these bronze coins had startled the old man.

The crisp snapping sound ended abruptly, and Jiuyou Academy collapsed in a roar.

“This is the value of your craftsmanship.” Nicholas respectfully returned a wizard’s salute to the old trickster, then turned and walked away.

The other newbies were a bit at a loss.

Some newbies clumsily saluted the old man, but more newbies chased after the fast-paced Nicholas.

Zheng Qing nodded to the old man in a friendly manner and left quickly.

Behind him, the old trickster covered his face, crying silently.

Not far away, the guide for the newbies was heard speaking in excited and hurried voice:

“The school did not require me to lead you in visiting this street.”

“But I believe that before you start studying, it’s necessary to remember something.”

“You are ignorant newbies, so you still retain respect for this craftsman.”

“I hope you remember such respect.”

“I hope even more that you do not forget this respect because of others’ gazes.”

“The wizard’s world is not only made up of the profound experiments and powerful professors from the top university.”

“There are also many weak wizards and simple tricks.”

“For them, bronze coins are very generous.”