Beta Town is a small town outside Alpha Academy.
Those wealthy and generous high-level Wizards from First University are the best customers in the eyes of all merchants in the Wizarding World. The young and naive students in the school are the best choice for cultivating a loyal customer base.
However, the heavily guarded First University is not a good place for business. Strict security protocols restrict merchants' logistics, and high on-campus rents devour their profits.
But capital is fleeing war and conflictâits nature is timid. Far from First University, peace in the Wizarding World seems extremely fragile. Any clever demon would not hesitate to waste some of its cannon fodder to break through the paper-thin defenses of small markets and plunder the rich spoils within.
Thus, under the dual threat of demons and profit, the merchants of the Wizarding World chose a compromise.
They set up markets outside the defense perimeters of First University's four academies.
It must be said, this was indeed a good idea.
Capable demons would not bother risking enmity with First University to rob a few shops; less capable demons certainly wouldn't risk their lives for a bit of gold to test the extent of First University's defense perimeter.
As for First University, it did not mind a few merchants taking shelter under its wings. In fact, many Old Professors at the school hoped to use the school's power to protect more Little Wizards.
As time passed, three of the markets opened by merchants outside the four academies withered.
Jiu You Academy's tall walls restricted student access, and the rich and diverse resources within the academy made merchants' products pale in comparison. The deserted storefronts gradually led merchants to abandon this meager market.
Atlas students were accustomed to a simple and ascetic life. They viewed the colorful goods in the market outside the academy more as a test from above. When merchants found that they not only couldn't sell a single copper coin's worth of goods but also lost money due to monks frequently coming to solicit donations, they decisively abandoned this loss-making market.
The market outside Starry Sky Academy was destroyed again and again by the students' rampant brawls, so much so that even the most good-tempered and far-sighted merchants refused to invest another copper coin in that land. This market went bankrupt.
Only Alpha Academy, upholding the concept of freedom, allowed the market to slowly rise outside the castle's moat.
As time slowly passed, this small town gradually grew, becoming the only commercialized town affiliated with First University.
Following behind Nicholas, the new students listened to the ponytail upperclassman's brief description of Beta Town's history, feeling the prosperous atmosphere of the town, and praised it repeatedly.
"So who governs this town now?" Zheng Qing couldn't help but ask, "Do the merchants in town still need to pay taxes? Are there any requirements for opening a shop in town?"
"The town belongs to the school and is managed by the School Affairs Committee for tax collection. Although the school doesn't care about this small amount of tax, rules are rules. Every merchant who opens a shop in town needs to pay one jade coin to the school, annually." As he spoke, Nicholas stopped in front of a Trickster playing poker cards by the roadside.
Zheng Qing lowered his head thoughtfully and also stopped.
A Publicly Funded Student's scholarship was very limited. According to Thomas, those funds were only enough for Zheng Qing to properly complete his mandatory courses at school. If he wanted to take two more elective courses, he would need to find a way to raise funds for textbooks and experimental materials. Not to mention the retake fees if he failed a mandatory course.
Being prepared has always been Zheng Qing's motto; he wouldn't make hasty plans at the last minute.
Earning money, a matter still quite distant for other students, thus began to weigh heavily on his mind.
Listening to Nicholas's introduction, Zheng Qing was a little moved.
If he opened a small shop in town, it might fundamentally solve his problems.
Young people are always full of ambition and impulsiveness.
He didn't consider operational issues like cost and benefit; he didn't consider what business to do to make money; he didn't even consider whether his initial capital for opening a shop was sufficient or if he had the time to manage it.
He simply felt that opening a small shop would make him worry-free.
And so, he happily decided.
The clinking sound of copper coins interrupted his thoughts and reverie.
Zheng Qing looked up.
Nicholas was dropping a handful of copper coins into the box in front of the Trickster.
The Trickster stood 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 spot him. The eyes of passing Wizards slid past the corner, disdaining to linger in that shadow for a second.
He wore an old brown robe, with thick patches sewn onto the hem, and a pointed hat on his head. Long beard and messy hair obscured his face; Zheng Qing could only see a pair of focused but cloudy eyes on his face.
He was focused on the poker cards in his hand.
The cards danced nimbly between his fingers, creating layers of afterimages. His fingertips rubbed quickly, producing a series of crisp snaps. With each snap, a string of cards disappeared; with each snap, a stack of cards popped out of thin air.
The clear clinking of copper coins and the iron box startled the Trickster.
He raised his cloudy eyes, looked at the tall, thin figure in front of him, and put away all the poker cards:
"May Merlin bless you, kind young master."
The old Trickster awkwardly performed a Wizard's greeting, his voice a mix of excitement and unease. Then he clapped his hands together heavily, and countless poker cards rushed out from all directions, piling up into a magnificent castle in front of Nicholas.
"That's what Alpha Castle looks like!" A new student shouted excitedly.
Crisp snaps sounded continuously.
The cards magnificently collapsed, then quickly piled up into another building.
"That's Jiu You Academy!" Another new student yelled, "That's the Main Teaching Building! And Shushan Library!"
"The screen wall in the front courtyard!"
"There's also a wall around it!"
These Jiu You new students were extremely excited, pointing out the buildings they had just vaguely remembered.
"If his craftsmanship still satisfies you, then you should show corresponding generosity," Nicholas reminded them sullenly from behind.
The new students, as if waking from a dream, generously opened their purses one after another.
The hat in front of the old Trickster was quickly filled with shiny copper coins.
It was clear that these copper coins had frightened the old man.
The crisp snapping sound abruptly stopped, and Jiu You Academy collapsed with a crash.
"This is the true value of your craft." Nicholas respectfully returned a Wizard's greeting to the old Trickster and turned to leave.
The other new students were a little at a loss.
Some new students also awkwardly bowed to the old man, but more new students quickly chased after Nicholas, who was walking away swiftly.
Zheng Qing nodded amiably to the old man and also quickly left.
Behind him, the old Trickster covered his face, silently weeping.
Not far away, the new student guide's urgent and excited voice came:
"The school didn't require me to bring you to visit this street."
"But I believe it's necessary for you to remember something before you study."
"You are ignorant new students, so you still retain respect for this craftsman."
"I hope you remember this respect."
"I hope even more that you do not forget this respect because of others' gazes."
"The Wizarding World is not only composed of the profound experiments and powerful professors at First University."
"There are also many Little Wizards and simple tricks."
"For them, copper coins are also very generous."