Chapter 142: Base Construction
Avileton now can be described as backward in every aspect. Rodney didn't say he wanted to turn this place into a modern city, but at the very least, it should be comfortable for him as a modern person.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
In the meeting room, several clones appeared, and he said, "Let's start by building a school. Even if we're poor, we can't neglect the education. We'll establish schools and find some literate people to serve as teachers. Robin, take some time to guest-teach history. Let these kids know about the history of this world."
"Understood," Robin smiled and asked, "Captain, are you planning to nurture the next generation?"
"No!" Rodney shook his head and said, "I just want them to know how vast this world is and how insignificant they are. Learn from history, and avoid doing foolish things. Children, it's only children in whom I'm willing to believe in their inner purity."
Truly, he speculated about the adults in this world with the worst intentions. He had seen the ugliness of adults many times, and he didn't want these children to grow up to be like that.
Furthermore, the values of adults were already formed, and trying to change them was very difficult. But children's values were the easiest to shape, and he wanted to start from scratch.
In this world, education was really lacking. Most of those who received formal education were children of noble families. It was extremely rare for commoners to be literate, and there were many who couldn't even recognize a single character, and it wasn't just a few.
One reason was that the nation's power couldn't reach many areas, and the other was the lack of importance given to education. The rulers didn't see the need to invest resources in educating a group of commoners when they could use that money to improve their own lives.
People like Luffy, Ace, and the others had been running wild since they were kids, and even Cap couldn't control them. As long as they didn't die and could read, it was enough.
The main issue was the lack of importance given to education. The rulers didn't care about the commoners at all. As long as they didn't die, as long as they could get money, it was enough.
But Rodney believed that knowledge was power. Even though he had once wanted to blow up schools and build the largest public restroom on the ruins of a school, it was just a fantasy. He couldn't really do that. He might have said he disliked schools, but in reality, he had some nostalgia for them.
Only through the establishment of schools could children gain knowledge and understand how vast the world was. They wouldn't act recklessly when faced with challenges.
Even if they didn't produce geniuses, it was still better than having these children grow up to be pirates.
"Also, Brook, when the school is built, you will go to school just like Robin. I remember the Rumbar Pirates' slogan is 'Make crying children smile again!' Even the 'Crimson Solitude' admires you, so I believe you can guide these children onto the right path. Don't teach them nonsense!"
Rodney had absolute confidence in Brook's abilities. The "Crimson Solitude" set sail because of their admiration for Brook, and the Rumbar Pirates were somewhat similar to the Straw Hat Pirates, adventurers disguised as pirates who took care of children.
"Yohoho, I won't teach them nonsense either. By the way, who is this 'Crimson Solitude'?"
"I'll tell you later," Rodney chuckled and said, "I and my clones will work on drafting a charter in the next few days. Prepare yourselves, it might be a bit busy. What I want is not just a force but a city that can make people happy. From today, from this moment!"
"Understood!"
"Oh oh oh!"
...
The matter of building schools was put on the agenda, and Rodney and his clones worked tirelessly to draft laws, or rather, unwritten rules, to govern the residents here. He couldn't remember all the laws himself, so he discussed them with his clones based on his memories. They first enacted a Personal Hygiene Law.
It mainly targeted those who littered. Those caught would work as cleaners for a day, responsible for garbage collection and street cleaning.
The regulations specify where garbage should be disposed of and where it should not. Robin, the top-notch secretary, was a great help in this regard. The execution was swift, and a group of reformed pirates temporarily became sanitation workers, targeting those who littered.
After a few days, there was no more garbage on the streets. More and more regulations were enacted, and some people grew tired of it because they no longer had the same freedom as before.
However, after a period of adaptation, they found that the ordered freedom was unexpectedly comfortable.
They didn't have to worry about being robbed on the streets, as any thieves would be caught by the security team. They didn't have to worry about being oppressed because the security team managed that. The once fierce pirates were sealed by Rodney's technique and offered no resistance.
Recalling the situation from before, the pirates felt fear.
"This is called the 'Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal' as long as you don't do as I say, you'll end up like this."
A pirate with the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal suddenly fell to the ground, convulsing and foaming at the mouth. After a few convulsions, they couldn't move anymore.
The pirates were terrified. They couldn't have imagined that this man would have such a vicious technique.
At this point, Rodney added, "As long as you do as I say, keep this incident a secret, and follow the rules I've established, you won't have any problems."
"Furthermore, as long as you do well, I won't mistreat you. When your sins have been offset by your merits, there will be rewards. Now, I will teach you how to be qualified security officers. If you don't do well, this will be your fate." He pointed to the "corpse" on the ground.
"Yes, Captain Rodney!!!"
They all replied loudly, fearing that they would end up like that unfortunate soul if they didn't comply.
After they left, the "corpse" on the ground disappeared with a thud. The Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal could paralyze someone's entire body if they tried to talk about the caster. If they complied with Rodney's instructions and kept the incident a secret, they would be fine. The fear of this technique would force them to obey.
Avileton was moving towards order, which was what Rodney wanted to see. The matter of building schools had also been settled. In addition to some intellectuals in the town, he had selected a group of literate people from among the pirates. These people had studied before, and a few of them were even doctors, but they couldn't survive in their own country and had to become pirates.
Regarding these people, Rodney would have killed them without hesitation in the past because his motto was to kill a thousand to avoid letting one go. However, now he needed manpower and didn't need to be so picky. It was best to have them contribute to Avileton.
He wasn't building just one school but several so that children from faraway homes wouldn't have to spend too much time on the road.
He issued an order: unless a child was needed for household chores, they must attend school. School hours were from 9 AM to 3 PM, including lunch, and textbooks, paper, and pens were provided.
Although the time was short, many children were willing to attend. For these kids, the knowledge was novel and interesting, like the door to a new world had opened before them.
Teaching them was quite simple: familiarizing them with everyday words, basic arithmetic, and a bit of history, music, and physical education. Rodney aimed for a well-rounded education, covering knowledge, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics, and labor skills.
As for what kind of individuals they would grow into in the end, he wasn't sure, but he would start by teaching them. In just one month, with the help of his clones and Robin's team, Rodney completely transformed Availiton, which was once chaotic and disorderly, into something entirely different.
After settling things here, Rodney headed to Tesoro, where he still had business to attend to.