After Surviving the Apocalypse, I Built a City in Another World - Chapter 686

Chapter 686: Library
Knowledge was shared much more in Alterra, because people knew it would be good for the territory. This was still something the Golds hadn’t completely comprehended but had seen in many forms.

Not even counting Oslo’s upgrade, they had witnessed stores selling specific spices that demoed several recipes for free.

While they found out it was a ‘great marketing’ strategy (Otto learned a lot) to sell the product, most aborigines normally wouldn’t be willing to share recipes just by instinct.

They had also learned a lot about apprenticeships and the like, and they knew it wasn’t anything like the apprenticeships that they knew. An apprentice here would learn years ahead of his peers under another master!

They had also read the so-called newspaper (Oslo brought one home) to show that a school would be opening for an affordable price.

In the city, going to a similar establishment was something commoners could not afford nor would they even have the right to enter.

Here, by the way people were talking about it, it seemed that there was no stopping anyone—as if anyone who wanted to go would have a way to do so.

A school was like the paragon of sharing knowledge already, and now…, there was a library, which was an accessible place of knowledge.

The closest the nobles had to a library were rooms within their respective family estates. These rooms were also rarely accessible to outsiders. Oftentimes, even family members might not be able to get inside.

Rich families would even employ array masters to protect their libraries, setting it so only specific conditions had to be met in order for it to open.

For example, in the Bleuelle Lord’s house, only the lord and his heir had the right to enter this library, no one else. It was a tradition of sorts and they heard a few siblings would scheme against each other to get the right to enter.

This wasn’t actually indecipherable. After all, noble families tended to have a lot more access to papyrus and recorded knowledge. Some important knowledge that would likely increase a person’s strength was inside.

Oslo let the idea brew for a bit before pointing at the final building along the Southwest Avenue, near the gates. “The last building, which should finish construction in another hour, is the hospital,” Oslo said. “We’ll go there later.”

It was placed near the gates for easy access during mobs and beast tides. He also told them of its effects, as well as the rates discussed. “Employees of the territory would have a certain amount of free use,” Oslo told them. They were told nothing in the meeting earlier was top secret, anyway.

“Private companies would also have the option of providing the same to their employees, though they’d have to pay for it.”

The concept of employee benefits was still new to Oslo, what more to his siblings, but they could tell it was the territory caring for its citizens.

“Unbelievable…”

Otto looked at his brother. “I’m impressed.”

“Yes, so please help me get more drawing sets,” Oslo said, unable to help himself.

“Should we sell aether blueprints, then?” Otto asked, as business-minded as always. “I can find a way to make deals, provide the raw materials and the like.”

Oslo looked intrigued, though he did not answer definitively. “I’ll ask the territory, but they should agree as long as they obtain some shares.”

The two brothers looked at each other, their azure eyes bright as the skies above.

In the future, a single blueprint of Oslo’s unique buildings (except for sensitive ones like libraries) would sell for tens of thousands of gold each.

He would give most of the proceeds to Alterra, becoming one of the great sources of liquid funds for Alterra.

Of course, this was a story for much, much, later.

…

The Golds excitedly joined the queue to the library, looking forward to this new building type.

It was just that… they couldn’t enter.

[Please pay 100 contribution points for 2 hours of stay]

“So Library accessible only by Contribution Points.”

They looked at Oslo, who obviously knew this but didn’t say anything. Look at his smile, he was teasing them, watching their reactions closely—no doubt to make fun of them.

This time, someone (Obi) really did kick him.

The level difference was no joke and Oslo pretty much flew several meters away.

They were lucky Alterra’s rules were so specific. Playful Horseplay like this didn’t equate to prison time.

After all, somehow, the system could determine hostility as sentries could determine (as long as it was specified). So, if there was no real hostility, chances are, it’d pass.

Olga ignored this little scuffle and just wistfully looked at the people coming in, “I really want to be a resident here…” she mumbled.

But who’d give up citizenship of a city—let alone such a powerful one? For the most part, they would pretty much be immune to slavery even if they stayed in war-torn territories throughout the year.

Oslo, who was grappling with his brother (turning to ‘wild eye candies’ to the female population around), stopped as he heard of this.

He looked at his siblings and smiled, deeply understanding their dilemma.

“You don’t have to be residents, you can just stay here,” he said. “Didn’t you lease houses? It would be a pity if you don’t use them enough, right?”

That way, even if they didn’t have permanent residency, Alterra was still be getting their money!

Other than teasing them, this was another reason why he didn’t tell them about the requirements to enter the library. He wanted them to feel this longing emotion even more.

He had really thought a long time about this, especially during his time visiting Bluelle back them. The city was stronger for now, sure, but it didn’t feel as vibrant as Alterra. Alterra also had higher potential.

More importantly: They didn’t have to deal with that kind of lord who seemed to live to exploit his family!

When Alterra became a City, then they could easily shift their residencies! By that time, he believed the contribution points they accumulated would be enough even if the lord increased the requirements!

The other siblings didn’t answer but, internally, a part of them was feeling the same.

Regardless, they did not dare such a big decision on their own. This was something they had to discuss with their parents.

Not to mention, now that they had already seen Oslo’s buildings, they lost our final excuse to stay. This was the excuse that they told their parents—for them to stay long enough to see what Oslo would achieve.

This was so that they’d be there to congratulate him if he succeeded, and—in the likely event that he failed—they would be there to tease, er, comfort him.

But alas… they mused. Obviously, it was them that’d need comforting.