The next day, Pablo went out and began to ask.
He was not used to this type of work: direct selling of sothing he owned. But the logic was simple.
He needed soone who wanted a place to live and had enough money.
He wandered through the village and spread the news quietly.
"I am selling my house. Whoever wants it can co and see."
---
The First Buyer
He ca on the second day.
A man in his forties, thin, apparently looking for a place far from his noisy wife, as the neighbors said about him.
He looked at the house and walked around it.
Then he looked at the stone path and the river behind.
"How much do you want?"
"Fifteen thousand."
He stepped back.
"Fifteen? For a room?"
"A painted room with full furniture and a path to the river."
"Seven thousand."
"Fifteen."
He shook his head and left.
---
The Second Buyer
She ca on the fourth day. A woman in her fifties looking for a place for her son who was about to get married.
She examined everything with a mother's eyes looking for flaws.
She grabbed the wall of the room and shook it.
"The wood is not new."
"But it is solid."
She looked at the furniture.
"This is worn out."
"But it exists."
She looked at the stone path.
She paused for a mont. This clearly pleased her.
"Ten thousand."
"Fifteen."
"The location is far from the village."
"Quiet has a price."
She let out a long breath and left.
---
The Third Buyer
He ca on the seventh day.
A young man in his twenties who wanted independence from his family.
He liked the place from the first look. His eyes lit up when he saw the stone path and the river.
But he started negotiating strangely.
"Ten thousand."
"Fifteen."
"Eleven."
"Fifteen."
"Twelve, and I'll add two cows."
Pablo looked at him.
"Fifteen, no cows."
"Twelve and a half."
"Fifteen."
This continued for ten full minutes, numbers not moving from Pablo's side.
In the end, the young man left frustrated.
---
After a week of attempts, Pablo sat in front of his house.
Three people and no agreent.
People here know that construction is cheap and that anyone can build a similar room with effort and patience.
But the location cannot be copied.
And the stone path and the nearby river cannot be created everywhere.
He needed the right buyer.
---
The next day, Pablo heard a na in the market.
A man nad Famin, who owned three houses in the village that he rented to residents.
A man who saw houses as investnts, not just shelters.
This was the right buyer.
---
Pablo found him in the market. A man in his fifties, plump, with a kind face and eyes that calculated quietly.
He wore better clothes than most villagers.
Pablo approached him.
"I heard you invest in houses."
Famin looked at him with surprised eyes, then smiled slightly.
"A child talking about investnt."
"A child who owns a house and wants to sell it."
Famin looked at him differently this ti.
"Speak."
---
Famin ca the next day to see the house.
He walked slowly around it, touched the walls, examined the furniture, and walked inside.
Then he stopped at the beginning of the stone path and looked toward the river.
He remained silent for a few seconds.
"This path, did you build it?"
"Yes."
"By yourself?"
"Yes."
Famin nodded slowly.
He returned to Pablo and stood in front of him.
"How much do you want?"
"Fifteen thousand."
He did not erupt or walk away like the others did. He just let out a calm breath.
"The location is good and the path is special, but the furniture is worn out and the paint is not top quality."
"But the structure is solid and the location is not common."
"Thirteen thousand."
"Fourteen."
"Thirteen, and I will be the one to improve it later at my own expense."
Pablo looked at him.
Famin was speaking with a rchant's logic, not a haggler's logic. He knew the value of what was in front of him and knew what he wanted to add.
"Thirteen thousand."
Famin extended his hand.
"When do you want to complete the transaction?"
"After eighteen days."
Famin nodded.
"Alright. I will co on the eighteenth day with the full amount."
---
The next day, Pablo went to Savia's house.
He knocked on the door.
She opened with her usual face.
"Ready."
She looked at him.
"To leave?"
"To teach."
She understood imdiately.
She turned her head inside.
"Roki."
After a mont, a young man appeared, about the sa age as Pablo. Tall, thin, with eyes that looked at the ground more than ahead. His black hair was disheveled and his clothes were simple.
Introverted, clear from the first look.
He glanced at Pablo quickly, then looked at the ground.
Savia said quietly:
"This is Roki. My nephew. Teach him."
Then she entered and closed the door.
---
Pablo and Roki stood facing each other for a second.
Roki did not speak.
Pablo said quietly:
"Co."
---
In the room between the trees, Pablo began to explain.
The right wood and how to choose it. The hole and how to dig it. The thod of arranging the wood and how to control the air. The ti you wait.
Roki listened with lowered eyes, but his attention was clear.
He did not ask much, but when he asked, his questions were precise.
"Why the hole instead of above ground?"
"Because the hole controls the air more. Above ground, the fire takes what it wants."
Roki nodded and returned to his silence.
They spent two full days: the first for explanation, the second for application.
When Roki opened his first hole and looked at the ready charcoal, the result was good for a first attempt.
Pablo looked at him.
"Not bad."
Roki did not reply, but sothing small moved at the corner of his mouth.
---
The next day, Pablo went to Savia.
She opened the door before he knocked.
"He learned?"
"Yes. His first attempt was good."
She nodded.
She reached her hand into her pocket and took out four thousand Beli and handed them to him without additional comnt.
Pablo took them.
He turned to walk away.
"Pablo."
He turned around.
She was looking at him with her usual eyes. No warmth, no clear coldness.
"The deal was good for both of us."
He nodded.
"Yes."
She closed the door.
---
Pablo returned to his room and gathered everything he owned.
Thirty-six thousand one hundred from before.
The weekly charcoal in the recent days: an additional one thousand eight hundred.
Four thousand from Savia.
Thirteen thousand would co on the eighteenth day from Famin.
The total when he boards the ship: fifty-four thousand nine hundred Beli.
Less than sixty thousand by five thousand one hundred.
He closed his eyes.
Still short.
But he had eighteen days ahead of him.
He had managed to provide the vast majority. He would not fail over this remaining amount.
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