The verdict was delivered, and Garrett Nordmark triumphed completely.
He had barely begun to relish the joy of victory when he was swiftly enveloped by the crowd. Female enchantress mages rushed towards him, encircling him eagerly as they bombarded him with questions:
“Mage Nordmark, does a cesarean section hurt? Is it truly pain-free?”
“Mage Nordmark, my sister is about to give birth, can we book a delivery at your clinic?”
“Mage Nordmark, how many mothers can you care for in a day? Isn’t it overwhelming when there are too many?”
“Mage Nordmark, what are the accommodations like at your clinic? I heard from Viola that we need to bring our own shelter cabins?”
“Mage Nordmark…”
Garrett: “…” Can you not crowd so close, just let breathe, please?
Fortunately, Cirella ca to his rescue. The silver dragoness stepped forward, raising her head high and standing shoulder to shoulder with Garrett. She raised her voice and huffed loudly—
“Hmph!”
Even in her humanoid form, which lacked full power and was suppressed by the magic circle of the tribunal, the slight aura of her dragon might was enough to make the female mages pale and instinctively step back. The quick-reacted ones hurriedly cast an [Inspiration Spell] on themselves—
This elf lady is too fierce!
We’re not trying to hit on your boyfriend! Most of us are married with children, or at least married! We’re just here to talk about childbirth!
The circle slightly relaxed outward, and Garrett exhaled in relief, giving Cirella a grateful glance. Then, with practiced ease, he mustered a reassuring smile, raising both hands to calm them down:
“As for the safety and personal experience of cesarean sections, I plan to write a paper on it soon and seek a journal for publication. Regarding the capacity issues of the Oak Grove Clinic…”
He chuckled sheepishly:
“Currently, our designated obstetrics building is ant for dical research, primarily serving impoverished mothers, so the conditions are limited. As for a better-equipped facility, we can’t afford to build one yet…”
Can’t afford?
Cirella perked her ears. Is Garrett short on funds?
“How much do you need? I—”
I’ve saved a lot, a lot of gold coins! Enough to cover the ground under one of my legs!
Garrett, if you need it, I can lend it to you first!
Garrett made a “stop” gesture with an expressionless face.
Borrowing money is not an option, not from Miss Silver Dragon; her money is absolutely off-limits. His hospital is a veritable gold-eating beast; whatever money cos in, goes right back into dical investnts.
All investnts would ultimately benefit the poor of Nevis City and even beyond. This ant, once invested, there would never be a day to repay it!
He resud his smile, facing the female mages:
“A building that ets dical cleanliness standards is temporarily out of reach, and we don’t yet have the trained staff to independently conduct cesarean operations. For now, you’ll either need to bring your own shelter cabins, or endure the conditions of the obstetrics building…”
“Then build one!”
“Exactly! Build one!”
“We can all chip in! I’ll donate 100 gold coins!”
“I’ll also donate 100!”
“When will we ever save enough this way! I’ll go back and ask our ntor to fundraise, or use the research funds! It’s just one building, it can’t be that hard!”
“It’s true! Building isn’t expensive, just the magical formations are pricey, let’s talk to the teachers and the alchemy workshops…”
“Build a building! At least 50 wards!”
“50 wards? That’s not enough! We need 100!”
Garrett listened, sweating profusely. Ladies, female mages, a VIP maternity building with 100 wards, what are you thinking!
A VIP ward caters to the wealthy, specifically those who can afford childbirth costs, including surgery and divine arts, above 2,500 gold coins!
Even Beijing Union Hospital, with its international departnt’s maternity wards, doesn’t have that many rooms! That’s Union Hospital!
Beijing’s 21 million residents, plus those from other regions who are eligible to stay at Union, those paying big money out of pocket, they don’t even fill that many rooms!
“What are you asking for 100 beds for, the whole of Nevis, how many rich enough to spend 2,500 gold coins on childbirth without flinching co together in a year!”
“Wait… wait… how many female mages in all of Nevis give birth each year? Even if you include the wives of male mages, how many really?”
The entire tribunal hall fell silent in an instant.
The defendant had already
slipped away, and so had the judge and the court clerk, uninterested in this topic.
Of those remaining, not a single one specialized in demographics, municipal services, or statistics. It turned out no one could answer that question…
“This is a question for .”
Suddenly, a voice sounded at the entrance of the tribunal hall.
Garrett looked towards the source, only to see a tall, red-haired man parting the crowd and striding in. Following him was an elderly white-robed female mage, her eyes warm and smiling kindly at Garrett:
“Mage Nordmark, it seems you’ve taken all our jobs!”
“Archmage Morton… you… this is…”
Garrett inquired, confused. Archmage Morton was a renowned dical mage he had interacted with before:
The disciple of his disciple had once stolen a penicillin strain from his magic tower. After the incident, Archmage Morton even sent his own disciple off to the New World.
During the anthrax outbreak, Archmage Morton and his disciples had assisted Garrett. They had always cooperated pleasantly—but who was this female mage he brought along?
Have I t her before?
Attended her lectures?
Her attire suggested she might be from the curse division, possibly also dical-focused, perhaps obstetrics?
As he searched his mory, nearby, Nurse Sally stepped forward and exchanged a smile with the female mage. Archmage Morton took the opportunity to introduce:
“Don’t recognize her? This is Madam Dorothia Exler, a 13th-level archmage of the dical division. Her Love Infant dical Center has been dedicated to the dical magic research on pregnancy and childbirth among female mages for years—”
Ah, it seems I really have taken their livelihood…
Garrett felt a twinge of embarrassnt. The old lady stepped forward, taking his hand. Her palm was dry and warm, and as she smiled, the crow’s feet around her eyes softly gathered:
“Mage Nordmark, you have traversed a path that we have long been unable to clear. You have provided trendous protection for our won, for all mothers and babies!”
No, no, I’m just standing on the shoulders of giants. Garrett reflexively thought to modestly downplay his contributions, but before he could speak, the old lady continued smiling:
“—Compared to that, we receive substantial funding from the council each year, yet we fail to achieve what you have, which is truly shaful…”
That money, can I have it?
Garrett’s eyes sparkled. And then, almost imdiately, a thought quietly floated into his mind through a psychic link:
“Mage Nordmark, could I perhaps bring a few students to the Oak Grove Clinic for training? —The funding can be negotiated…”
emmm, it sounds like a tide of prosperity is coming!
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