A Hospital in Another World?

After half a month of secretive planning, 【Viper】 Aleso realized for the first time that Garrett’s routine had changed.

——He didn’t show up at the clinic today!

Mr. Viper had been scouting the clinic vicinity for five consecutive days. Disguised as a wealthy man, a running errand servant, a poor patient, and a beggar; by carriage, on foot, squatting across the street with a broken bowl. After observing for five days, he concluded:

Around eight o’clock, Garrett always arrived riding his silver moon deer, kicking up dust all the way to the doorstep, spirited and ready to start his shift.

Whether sunny or cloudy, windy or rainy, without exception, always within five minutes.

...... It was exactly like his time praying in the church. Mr. Viper couldn’t understand why he came so early every day when the clinic was his own target and no one else was managing him.

If Garrett heard his question, he would definitely respond that he was used to clocking in at the hospital from his previous life.

The emergency department was packed with patients 24 hours a day; if one person was late, their colleagues had to carry an extra burden, so everyone tried their best not to be late......

But today, Garrett didn’t come!

Mr. Viper, huddled with his broken bowl across from the clinic, sneezed seven or eight times in the cold wind before he could be absolutely certain:

Today, Garrett really changed his routine.

Where did he go?

Garrett was pulled to the White Tower. In the fifth-floor meeting room, surrounded by an oval table, sat a room full of people. Each spot was piled high with newspapers, flyers, and notes.

The council member, Master Grom from Black Crow Swamp, sat at the head, his expression grave:

"The issue of smallpox vaccination becoming mandatory for all citizens is now facing substantial resistance. ——Today’s meeting is to internally discuss the situation and figure out how to proceed."

Garrett, silent, began flipping through documents. At the top of the pile, occupying the largest area and with the strongest visual impact, was a tabloid with a bold headline:

"Turn People Into Cows?"

Indeed, the worries of fools are similar. Garrett sneered and looked below the headline. Next to it was a cartoon with exaggerated bodily language and bizarre faces. Cow heads, cow noses, cow horns, all sorts of appearances.

Even though the tabloid was of poor quality, the vivid strokes of the artist could not be hidden. Especially the expression on the cow face, unknowingly deformed, yet proudly depicted with great detail.

Garrett burst out laughing. Across the table, the Minister of Emergency Management, Mage Colin, used a newspaper to cover half of his face and stared at him discreetly:

Smallpox was your doing, and you’re laughing!

"Where did this thing come from? Can it be banned?"

Master Grom’s expression was dark. Mage Colin raised his head, and before he could speak, Garrett had already taken the lead:

"It can’t be banned! ——Anything officially banned will definitely spread even faster!"

"That’s right." Beside Minister Colin, a thin, small mage with mouse whiskers murmured:

"Our intelligence department is also responsible for monitoring public sentiment. Recently, citizens’ views on the smallpox vaccine have rapidly turned negative, and it seems there are hidden manipulators behind it."

"No need to suspect, there definitely are manipulators, more than one or two." Another city hall official with a dark expression added:

"In the past week, the number of citizens voluntarily vaccinated against smallpox has dropped by 50%."

"My people have heard concerns in various business associations and taverns, saying that the council plans to levy heavy taxes..."

"Some merchants are inquiring about the situation, preparing to move their assets..."

Officials and clerks provided information in a clamorous fashion. There was no choice; local authorities had more immediate power, and with a necromancer master present, they had to pretend to be righteously indignant—

And it was said that this year’s bonus was tied to the number of vaccines administered.

Master Grom silently listened to their complaints. After about a quarter of an hour, he picked up a coffee spoon and tapped the rim of his cup:

"What’s the situation now?"

"Excluding the army, city guards, academies, and other organizations, 7,728 citizens have been vaccinated on their own. We’ve raised funds, not counting contributions from the council, totaling 15,275 gold coins." Someone immediately responded:

"The plan was to start promoting vaccinations for one silver coin per person at the beginning of next month, at the same time, to push for mandatory vaccination for all citizens. But now, we still have a significant funding shortfall, and public resistance is strong."

"Your Excell

ency, do we really need to vaccinate everyone?"

"Yes!" This question exploded in the meeting room. Taking advantage of the fact that there was safety in numbers, from the action personnel of the Emergency Management Department to the clerks of the city hall, everyone chattered:

"Those who don’t want to get vaccinated, just let them be, after all, getting smallpox is their own problem!"

This was purely indifferent, as they themselves and their families were already safe;

"And those poor people, even if they don’t die from smallpox, will die from something else. Is it worth it for the council to enforce the law and drag them out for vaccination?"

This was from a frontline action officer, well aware of how daunting the task was;

"Even if we’re selling the vaccine, having sold that much, we should have made enough, right? Those paupers, who can’t save five copper coins in a month, aren’t worth squeezing dry..."

This... probably had poor relations, not knowing who the inventor of the cowpox vaccine was (or not knowing Garrett was present), pointing at the monk and scolding the baldness...

Garrett stared ahead, his gaze vacant, pretending not to hear. However, Master Grom did not let him off, directly calling his name:

"Master Nordmark, do you think mandatory vaccination for smallpox is necessary?"

"If it can be done, of course it should be done!" Garrett blurted out. The room suddenly fell silent, followed by a robust voice from behind the door:

"Easy to say!"

"Why are you here so early..."

Master Grom sighed and stood up. As he moved, the meeting room burst into action.

Garrett turned his head along with the others. Just then, the heavy doors of the meeting room burst open, and a man taller than 1.8 meters and weighing over 180 kg, broad-shouldered and wide-waisted, strode in:

"If I don’t come now, Nevis City will be turned upside down by you guys!"

"Lord Count Agil."

"Lord Count Agil."

In the meeting room, the clerks of the city hall saluted unevenly. Garrett also bowed his head—this Count Agil was one of the most powerful lords near Nevis, with Count Inverness to the north and Nevis City sandwiched in the middle.

It was said that a thousand years ago, Nevis City belonged to the domain of Count Agil, later gifted to the council for use. The original deed of the gift was still preserved in the Tower of Heaven!

This count himself was not to be underestimated. Garrett had heard from Archmage Carlisle that the current Count Agil was a level 15 high-order knight, wielding the inherited weapon 【Flame Sword of Gold】, capable of contending with a level 18 archmage for a short duration.

During the previous conflict with the Radiant Church, Count Agil had also led his troops alongside the council. The relationship between the two parties was quite close. It was because of this closeness that he could barge in directly and participate in the meeting.

The giant nodded casually, ignoring everyone else, and walked directly to the other end of the oval table, standing opposite Master Grom. He pressed down on the tabletop, and the heavy elm long table nearly flipped over:

"How many people die from smallpox in a year? Is it worth such a big fuss?"

This wasn’t about how many people died, but about competing with the Radiant Church for the narrative, a direct order from a legendary mage!

Master Grom’s words reached his lips, but in front of a room full of people, he hesitated to speak outright. He was about to order everyone to leave when suddenly a clear and bright voice rang out:

"According to the past 20 years’ death statistics, in 1163, smallpox deaths were 278. In 1167, 327. In non-epidemic years, the average death toll is around 300. In epidemic years, like 1170, the death toll was 5,738—"

"Who are you?"

The count’s gaze, sharp as a hawk, shot over.

His physique was robust, his face determined, and his eyes bright and commanding. Just turning his head like that, the two young mages beside Garrett involuntarily stepped back.

Yet, Garrett remained unmoved. His eyelids lowered slightly, he bowed politely, his tone even:

"Garrett Nordmark. Greetings, Your Excellency the Count."

"You’re the inventor of the cowpox vaccine?"

Count Agil stared at Garrett, his gaze stern. Seeing that Garrett remained unaffected, he grunted, his tone slightly softer:

"You’ve done your homework. ——So, for 300 people a year, you plan to turn Nevis upside down? Then what about cholera, typhoid, scarlet fever, so many other plagues,

do you plan to turn the city over several times for those?"

With this remark, everyone in the meeting room stared at Garrett. Master Grom frowned, wanting to explain for Garrett, such as the promotion plan wasn’t set by the youngster—after thinking it over, he waved to the people inside:

"Everyone, please leave."

The attendees exited noisily. Master Grom motioned for Count Agil to sit down and gestured for Garrett to do the same:

"Sit down, take your time talking. ——Saral, little Garrett barely broke even in this incident, he hardly made any profit. He developed the cowpox vaccine not for his own gain—"

"That’s no reason to cause such a stir." In private, Count Agil’s demeanor softened a lot, he sighed deeply:

"I saw something amiss outside, felt someone was causing trouble, so I came over specially. But then again, you guys are too hasty..."

Before he could finish his sentence, the noise outside grew from soft to loud, rapidly approaching. In a moment, Minister Colin of the Emergency Management Department knocked on the door, not waiting for an answer, he hurriedly pushed the door open:

"Urgent report—impoverished people incited by someone, storming Garrett’s hospital!"

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