A Hospital in Another World? Chapter 1001: Governor of the Storm Islands: Where Are My Men? Where Is My Fleet?

Archmage Byerbo and the Serpent God engaged in a heated debate for nearly half an hour before reaching a preliminary agreement:

1. The Eagle God Kingdom would provide all necessary safety and convenience for Garrett's research, including but not limited to supplying food, various medicines, and materials for researchers and prisoners of war, as well as guarding the prisoners.

2. In return, once Garrett's research yielded results, they agreed to sell the potions to the Eagle God Kingdom, allowing them to distribute the potions under the guise of divine gifts. The preliminary price was set at one large gold nugget for every 1,000 potions.

3. Consequently, the Eagle God Kingdom agreed that once the potions were completed and began to be supplied, they would no longer use outsiders as live sacrifices.

4. Conflicts between outsiders within the kingdom would be handled by the council; conflicts between outsiders and citizens of the Eagle God Kingdom would be handled through consultations between the council's mages and the kingdom's rulers.

The agreement was finalized, with two gold plates created, each inscribed with the terms of the agreement. The Eagle God, the Serpent God, the council's two level-18 mages, Tlatoani, the Golden Eagle Leader, and Chivacoatl all left their marks on them. One gold plate was hidden in the temple, and the other was taken back by the mages to be stored in the secret vault of the Tower of Heaven in Nevis.

Originally, there was a suggestion from a mage to make several copies to place at the temple entrance, the market, the Mage Tower, and the research institute. However, this was immediately opposed:

Doing such a blatant act of selling divine power would be best kept private with a copy placed in the Mage Tower's warehouse in the Eagle God Kingdom for internal viewing only. Publicly displaying it would make the citizens of the Eagle God Kingdom realize that the so-called divine power was actually the result of mage research, thus losing its mystical appeal and value.

Moreover, the Serpent God and the Eagle God would never place this agreement openly at the temple or market entrance, as buying things from others and presenting them as their divine gifts would be embarrassing enough.

The next day, under the bright sunlight and strong winds, the solar sails of the airships billowed. The mages, carrying their personal belongings and accompanied by their golems, boarded the airships one by one.

Archmage Byerbo pulled Garrett aside beneath the airship, speaking softly:

"I can't stay here forever. While you're in the Eagle God Kingdom, you must know how to protect yourself. Try not to leave the research institute, but if you must, go with Cirilla or Haines."

"As for the research institute, just do enough work to get by. You're now at level 10, on the verge of advancing to a higher-level mage. You need to broaden your horizons..."

"The more you see and experience, the steadier you'll be when you take the step into 'Materializing the World of Meditation.' At least a third of the mages stuck at this stage were those who stayed in their laboratories in their youth, unwilling to explore the world."

"Keep those combat records safe and study them when you have time. Even if you can't reach the combat prowess of senior mages, you should at least know how to protect yourself."

Garrett nodded at each point. As Byerbo continued, Archmage Haines grew impatient:

"Hey, are you done? The whole team is waiting for you! Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on little Garrett. He won't get lost!"

Byerbo: →_→

That's precisely why I'm worried!

We're entrusting a promising Conjuration mage to you. What if he gets influenced by your ways?

He hasn't even started studying under the Immortal One or the high-level necromancers yet, and he's already accepting the title of 'Plague Lord' because of you!

If he spends a year and a half working with you in the research institute, fully shifting towards necromancy, that would be terrible! Necromancy can't match the power of Conjuration! Playing with plagues and bacteria won't lead to legend status.

Despite his reluctance, Garrett's path was ultimately his own to walk. Byerbo firmly patted his junior's shoulder and boarded the airship. The sails unfurled, and the airship ascended into the sky.

"Finally, they're gone," Chivacoatl sighed in the temple, leaning on a bare gold staff and looking skyward. He had been stifled for months.

Those people resembling the "White Ghosts" but claiming to be "mages" didn’t pillage like the White Ghosts, but their methods were equally ruthless.

In the one or two months they stayed, they stripped the temple bare, taking gold, silver, gems, and precious feathers.

The most frustrating part was that it was his own subordinates, the Snake Women, who had agreed to this arrangement and personally collected and respectfully delivered these valuables.

"Finally...gone?"

Tlatoani, stroking the gold rings on his robe, watched the airship until it became a speck in the distance before exhaling deeply:

"I was worried they wouldn't leave... If they stayed any longer, it would be too late..."

If they didn’t leave before the rainy season of Tenochtitlan, the airship wouldn’t be able to fly in the strong winds and torrential rains.

If those mages stayed another half year, Tlatoani’s position would be unstable. Even the Eagle God and the Serpent God wouldn't dare provoke them!

The temple was quiet. Neither the Eagle God nor the Serpent God showed any miracles. The mages only took worldly treasures, but they provided tangible benefits.

At least, capturing that gold-clad figure would have been impossible with the Eagle God's own power alone. Otherwise, a significant portion of the blood sacrifice would be needed to heal, rather than fully enhancing strength.

Burp...

Those outsiders were truly delicious! When could they get another batch of White Ghosts...

Although they agreed not to use outsiders for live sacrifices, that only applied to adventurers entering the Eagle God Kingdom. Those White Ghosts who invaded with armies might still be negotiable for consumption with the mages.

The Eagle God tucked his head under his wing, and the Serpent God coiled up and closed his eyes quietly.

In the capital of the Storm Islands, Rahabana, Governor Francisco Bamonde was anxious and restless.

The fleet sent to the Eagle God Kingdom had been gone for two or three months. In this time, there had been no news, let alone a victorious return.

How were they doing?

Was the battle going well?

Had they perhaps found the Eagle God Kingdom's wealth so enticing that they got rich and forgot to return?

Or were they still in a standoff with the native forces, trying to advance strategically?

Or maybe the Plague Demon was doing so well that the Eagle God Kingdom was nearly wiped out, and even half of their soldiers were infected?

After all, although the Church's cowpox vaccine claimed to protect against smallpox, its effectiveness was always questionable.

He paced back and forth in his study, the wooden floor creaking under his feet. Though most of the expedition forces belonged to Deputy Governor Alfonso, he had also lent some of his elite troops.

More importantly, even Archbishop Telamo had taken a group of clergy with them!

And the rainy season was approaching.

Before the rainy season, a small fleet usually transported the gold and silver collected from the Storm Islands to the Brolin Kingdom.

The cargo of this fleet required joint signatures from both the governor and the archbishop before sealing the containers...

Otherwise, how could they distinguish between official Storm Islands' assets, private belongings, kingdom and church shares, and personal profits?

But the archbishop was still in the Eagle God Kingdom. Who would act on his behalf? Would the kingdom recognize the substitute's mark?

His position as governor depended on constant tributes to the kingdom, the Radiant Church, the queen mother, the king's mistress, the king's favorites, and domestic ministers.

Otherwise, how could a court earl, the son of the former king's mistress, hold this position?

Archbishop Telamo—if you can't return on time, at least send a message!

"Perhaps I should send a ship to check?" Governor Bamonde pondered, stroking his two-pointed mustache.

"Send a fast ship to see... Even if the troops are on the plateau, there should be some left at the port. They can point the way to the archbishop to get a response..."

At that moment, there was a loud commotion outside. His most trusted adjutant knocked forcefully on the mahogany door of the study:

"Governor! Governor! You must come quickly! There's an emergency!"

Slightly annoyed, Bamonde opened the door and walked down the corridor to the reception hall, where a man with a tricorn hat and a strong smell of cheap tobacco stood nervously. Seeing the governor, he took off his hat and bowed respectfully.

"This is Captain Juan," the adjutant explained. "Captain Juan was at the port where our expedition fleet docked half a month ago. He has urgent news for you."

"What is it?"

"Honorable Governor, I could hardly believe my eyes..." Captain Juan straightened up, his light blue eyes filled with fear. He spread his arms wide:

"You know, the port where the fleet docked, though small, had many good things. We often stopped there for redwood, leather, and exotic birds, all very famous."

"Get to the point!" Governor Bamonde snapped impatiently. Captain Juan nodded repeatedly:

"Yes, yes, the point. Two months ago, I

saw our fleet there and even did some business with them. But this time, not a single ship was there! Not one!"

Returned?!

Governor Bamonde's eyes lit up, but he quickly realized it was impossible. Captain Juan was already back; Alfonso’s fleet would have returned by now if they had sailed back.

Even if they encountered a storm, some ships should have returned by now.

"And there's a tower! A very tall tower!" Captain Juan gestured with his hands:

"A strong light, bright white light, shone from the top of the tower, visible for miles at night! The tower was engraved with an evil six-pointed star..."

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