117 - Preparations for the School

  In the days that followed, Nexha couldn't shake off the thoughts of guilt; he only tried to overlay them with other thoughts. The village was changing. Trades were becoming more organized, the small trading market was growing, and now, more than ever, he saw the need for something bigger—something that would help everyone grow together.

  While moving around the platforms in his wheelchair, observing the villagers adapting to the new trading system, he felt a genuine happiness. But his main project at the moment was the school.

  Not just a place to learn reading and writing—after all, he was already planning a writing system. Unfortunately, paper couldn't be used underwater, so he thought of using bamboo strips, like he had once seen in a documentary about the East. But that would be for when people became interested in it. His primary goal was to teach Krahs to make his role as leader easier, and later, reading and writing would naturally become more popular.

  His initial plan was to create a learning center that taught survival, construction, cooking, healing, and, later on, even forging. There were so many valuable skills that needed to be passed down, and now that the village was becoming more organized, it seemed possible.

  The location he chose for the classrooms was the base of the platform structures, making better use of the space while covering some of the original support beams. He would build walls and partitions to create more defined and functional environments. One of the reasons for this was that the beams were too exposed, and barnacles had started to accumulate. Additionally, the "lucky crabs" had begun gnawing at them, which, over time, would weaken the structure.

  By transforming this space into something useful, the merfolk would keep it clean, and the new walls would protect the precious beams. However, he still had to redo some calculations to ensure the structure could support the additional weight. Fortunately, Ayla helped him.

  The second reason for choosing this location was accessibility. Most villagers spent more time underwater, so to ensure that learning reached everyone, the school needed to have spaces suited for them. And underwater was the ideal place.

  If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

  But there was another dilemma... Who would teach? He was already too busy with the cooking classes.

  Nexha began observing the villagers with a more analytical eye.

  Helen could teach bamboo weaving and how to create sturdy structures—without a doubt, he would invite her to be a crafting teacher, though only after she had more time when her children were born.

  Nalu knew more about raising and caring for young ones than anyone else there. She had a high chance of becoming responsible for a daycare or a course for new parents.

  Jasper, despite being so small, had an intuitive passion for forging that Nexha deeply appreciated. One day, Nexha swore he would be the best teacher to teach little Jasper how to forge.

  Lilay, despite his carefree attitude, had learned a lot about hunting from Krahs. With his insatiable appetite, he would be easily persuaded to become a hunting instructor. Nexha doubted anyone would refuse to learn how to hunt or fight from the chief’s most skilled hunter son.

  Still, he knew that simply appointing people as teachers wouldn’t be enough. Teaching required time and effort, and no one could afford to abandon their own work without something in return.

  If knowledge had value, why not treat it as something worthy of trade, just like any other resource? If classes were paid for—not with money, but with services, food, or materials—teachers could sustain themselves while educating others.

  But this idea might meet resistance. He had already learned that change was not easily accepted by everyone. He wished his actions wouldn’t generate negative opinions that could get someone expelled from the village. There were sixty people—now it seemed like ten had been expelled. He knew some might have done something wrong, but the thought that his actions had led to someone being excluded from this wonderful place he had helped build made him uncomfortable.

  Nexha sighed, left his wheelchair, and sat at the edge of one of the platforms, watching the horizon. To make this school a reality, he needed to convince people that learning was a useful investment. And, more importantly, he needed to organize everything in a way that actually worked.

  With these thoughts in mind, Nexha decided that the best way to start was by listening to others. He would talk to Ayla about the structure, to Nalu about teaching the younger generations, and to Krahs about the village elders to understand which knowledge was disappearing over time. The more information he gathered, the stronger his idea would become.

  He stood up, feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety. This was big. Maybe as big as bringing fire to the village. But now, he knew he didn’t have to do it alone.

  And this time, he would get it right from the start.