Garrett spent a lot of effort, including saying things like "Then I'll cancel the contract with the little snake and give it to you," before finally getting the little snake back.
Sarella looked at the little snake, eager to try it out. She seed to want to use it as a bracelet, armlet, necklace, and even considered using it as an earring. Judging by her gaze, an anklet seed like a good idea too.
Garrett didn't want to communicate with the little snake one day and be forced to see sothing he shouldn't.
Interest denied, Sarella pouted and grumbled, taking out a semi-transparent piece from sowhere. She thrust it in front of the little snake, and before Garrett could see clearly, the snake excitedly lunged forward, opened its mouth, and swallowed it. It vanished into the air without a sound, resembling a tadpole in shape.
A wave of joy ca through their ntal connection. Garrett closed his eyes to feel it and shrugged at Sarella.
"It says it will take half a year to digest. After that, it should be able to advance a rank."
"If it's not enough, there's more." Sarella proudly raised her thumb and pointed at herself.
"I have plenty!"
Well, of course, there was plenty. Judging by the shape, it was probably Sarella's shed scales.
Whether Garrett himself advanced, trained his ntal power, or the little snake advanced, it all took a long ti. Given Garrett's conditions, as old Morgan said, "It's so good it makes young warriors jealous," so he just practiced.
And every day after practice, there was magical beast at to eat. Burp.
The Mage Tower was enveloped in peace and tranquility. As for the hospital, the casters could naturally eat whatever they wanted. The barbarian warriors were well-fed, and there was plenty of at. The nurses and poor patients?
Oh, at least they could eat their fill.
But that was limited to the Mage Tower and the hospital, or rather, limited to the casters and the wealthy in Nevis. In other places, including the outskirts of Nevis, the situation was worsening.
"It's so cold."
Garrett ran three laps around the training ground behind the hospital, took off his weighted vest, cast [Endure Elents] on himself, and sipped warm soup. While drinking, he looked up at the sky, frowning.
"It's already sumr, and it's still so cold."
Yes, this year's spring and sumr were abnormally cold. Spring ca too late, snow didn't lt, and plants didn't grow. It was already early sumr, and the sky was still covered with leaden clouds. Continuous cold rain fell day after day.
The ice and snow on Igor Peak still hadn't lted, can you believe it?
In previous years, at this ti of year, Garrett would be wearing just his scrub clothes, maybe with a white coat, walking around the hospital. This year, in early sumr, he still had to use spells to keep warm.
"Fortunately, we were prepared." Anita ca out from the research building in the backyard, stood beside him, and frowned as well.
Apart from leading the streptomycin research project and the dragon breath's effect on mold project, she still followed the habits of a priest of the God of Nature. She regularly visited the surrounding countryside, villages, and slums. From what she saw, the situation was not optimistic.
"We have warned all nearby farrs and lords that the climate is abnormal this year and not to plant as they usually do. It's best to plant fast-growing vegetables. But so still didn't heed the warning."
The sown wheat grew poorly. By this ti, it should have been heading, but it wasn't. The cold weather and continuous rain made it grow stunted. Just by looking at the height and shape, Anita knew it was stunted.
Without heading, it couldn't flower, and without flowering, it couldn't bear fruit. Wheat that couldn't bear fruit or fill with grain had no value even for early harvest as green wheat. The seeds sown were wasted.
Planting thirty pounds of wheat seeds per acre, ten acres needed three hundred pounds. For a small farr, those seeds could feed their family for several months.
Just thinking about it made Anita's heart ache. Garrett's face didn't look good either. Sitting under the rain shelter, looking at the heavy clouds overhead, he sighed deeply.
"I only hope my friends have stockpiled enough food to get through this disaster."
Elder Elwin, Bishop Baldhead, Uncle Karen's family... well, they should be okay. The bishop of the Temple of the God of War, in the town's power structure, wouldn't have too hard a ti.
As for the elder of the God of Nature, as long as he didn't spend too much energy taking care of the poor and exhaust himself, he should be fine. Uncle Karen was the captain of the city guard and had been transferred to logistics. Brother Raymond was also about to be promoted to captain.
Their family in Hartland City, with a middle-level status, should be able to get by even in a year of disaster. At worst, they could take refuge in the Mage Tower.
Garrett had written letters to Mage Gelman and Mage Elliott asking for help. Tonight, he would write another letter to check on them and send so supplies back.
Garrett thought silently. Brother Lynn was traveling in the New World. Although he didn't know where he was, in a year of disaster, the situation would be chaotic. He hoped Lynn could take care of himself.
And the Dwarf Kingdom, Prince Rossegar—no, now King Rossegar—had to take care of the entire kingdom during the disaster, which must be very stressful.
As for Bernard's tribe, he didn't know how they were doing, if they could survive the famine. The barbarians in the wasteland had it the hardest, misfortune always finding those most in need. The more barren the land, the harder it was to withstand a disaster.
"Boss, boss!"
Bernard ca running, shaking the ground. Garrett paused, almost choking on his soup.
"Bernard, what's up?"
"My tribe is here!" Bernard's loud voice echoed across the training ground. Those lifting stone locks, dragging stone rollers, or working in groups pounding the earth all looked over.
"My tribe, they're all here! This year is terrible, the deer herds arrived a month late. The elders couldn't wait any longer and brought the whole tribe! Boss, you promised them work, right?"
The two-ter-tall man bent down, staring at Garrett with a face full of anxiety. Garrett chuckled.
"What's there to worry about? I said they could co, and I won't go back on my word. Don't worry! Unless there's an unexpected problem?"
"Uh..."
Bernard's face twisted in agony. Garrett didn't press him further. He finished his soup in one gulp, set the bowl on a small table, and got up to go outside.
Behind him, the barbarians who were free put down their training tools and followed, pretending to sneak or casually pass by.
Garrett sighed. These barbarians, when it ca to acting, wouldn't even make it as extras. Couldn't they just follow confidently?
Even if they followed, he wouldn't kick them back.
He followed Bernard to the back door of the hospital. The door, used for transporting large goods, food, and experintal animals, slowly opened under the barbarians' strength. Outside, a large crowd stood silently, carrying large bags and carts, anxious and uneasy. At a glance, there were more than a hundred, maybe more than two hundred, even five hundred?
A crowd of barbarians, even if they ca seeking help, their sheer presence was intimidating. Garrett glimpsed the city guard cavalry watching from the end of the street.
If this wasn't a hospital, or rather, the Mage Tower, the city guard might have already co to question them, or even set up a guard. They probably wouldn't dare attack, as a squadron of city guards wouldn't stand a chance against a crowd of barbarians with big bones and clubs.
"How many people are in your tribe?"
Garrett couldn't help but ask. Bernard scratched his head and gave a predictable answer.
"All relatives, all nearby relatives."
Garrett:
Fortunately, he had prepared well. He had stored enough food and at for ten tis their population for three years. As long as they didn't bring more people, they should be able to manage.
"Bernard, take them to settle in—no! Don't mix with the security. Let them take a collective bath and change clothes. Then, they can stay in the houses opposite the training ground. For the next fourteen days, no one leaves!"
"What?!"
Bernard jumped up. Not living together wasn't a problem, taking a collective bath and changing clothes was fine too, but staying indoors for fourteen days?!
"Boss, this..."
They would go crazy! Even the won and children of the barbarians, unless immobilized, would be running around outside in all but the worst weather.
"Obey orders!" Garrett's face turned stern.
"These people have co a long way, who knows if they're carrying any diseases. Bernard, your tribe may be strong and healthy, but this hospital has many weak patients, pregnant won, and infants—"
Bernard instinctively took a step back. Garrett, looking serious, turned to the barbarians.
"Fourteen days. Each family in one room. Food and clothing will be delivered to the door. No going out, no climbing through windows, no breaking walls. No contact with others!"
"If you're sick, I'm a healer, I'll treat you. Once everyone is confird healthy, I'll give you work and food. But if anyone disobeys, they'll be kicked out imdiately!"
The barbarians were restless. The tribe elder coughed, about to speak
when a terrified scream ca from the back of the crowd.
"The sky! The sky is burning!"
Everyone looked up. The sky, previously covered in leaden clouds, turned blood-red from west to east, from the zenith to the horizon. The ominous blood clouds coldly shrouded everything below, heralding disaster.
Garrett took a deep breath.
"The blood of the Goddess of Paria stains the sky red."
The entire sky was covered in blood-red, never to fade...
A year ago, Lady Endorf's prophecy still echoed.
The sumr of the year without sumr had truly arrived.
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