Returning to the royal castle atop the main peak, King Arnold naturally took his seat on the white iron throne, looking down at Minister Malvani and Vice Admiral Kuzan standing below.
From this moment on, the formal talks between the affiliated nation and the World Government officially began.
The previous welcoming and the courtesy shown along the way were merely private etiquette, fully respecting the other party. But now, as a king, he needed to display the appropriate demeanor.
"So, can you now tell me the real purpose of your visit to the Drum Kingdom?" the king asked.
Throughout the journey, the administrative minister and the vice admiral had been speaking in riddles, which had long piqued the king's curiosity.
"Your Majesty, King Arnold, I am here on the orders of the Administrative Council to discuss with you the matter of designating the Drum Kingdom as the 'World Government's Medical Development Partner Nation,'" Minister Malvani explained.
As he spoke, he pulled out a white scroll with golden threads from his robe and said, "This is the cooperation agreement. If you agree, you only need to sign it."
At the same time, the official who had been standing nearby stepped forward, took the scroll, and presented it to the king on the throne. The king casually took the scroll, unrolled it, and began to read.
As he read, a look of pleasant surprise appeared in his eyes.
This was indeed a great opportunity! The scroll stated that the so-called 'World Government's Medical Development Partner Nation' meant that the World Government would promote, support, and encourage the Drum Kingdom's research and development in the medical field.
Starting next year, as long as the Drum Kingdom's medical development passed the Administrative Council's review, the amount of the Celestial Tribute would be reduced annually, up to a maximum of fifty percent.
Additionally, the World Government and the Drum Kingdom would jointly establish a medical academy dedicated to the collection, organization, and in-depth research of global medical knowledge, and it would be required to serve the World Government free of charge.
Of course, the term "free of charge" only meant that the academy could not charge fees when its services were needed by the World Government. In reality, the academy's funding would primarily be covered by the World Government, with the Drum Kingdom contributing a smaller portion.
Moreover, it was specified that Dr. Kureha, who was already 117 years old, would serve as the first dean of the medical academy.
This made King Arnold's eyelids twitch. While Dr. Kureha was indeed the foremost figure in the Drum Kingdom's medical field, both in terms of skill and experience, her personality was notoriously eccentric.
Honestly, having her as the dean gave off a rather unreliable vibe. He continued reading.
The World Government hoped that the medical academy, led by Dr. Kureha, would establish a rigorous system for physician advancement, standardizing doctors worldwide. In the future, any doctor wishing to advance their rank would need to come to the Drum Kingdom for evaluation.
This made King Arnold's eyes gleam with excitement.
He wasn't foolish.
This was essentially positioning the Drum Kingdom as the global center of medicine!
"Quick! Send someone to fetch Dr. Kureha immediately. Tell her the World Government is looking for her, and it's a matter of great importance!" the king urgently ordered the officials below.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" The official quickly exited the castle hall.
At that moment, Minister Malvani from the Administrative Department spoke up again.
"You must have seen the proposal for establishing a medical school. I previously inquired about the other Drum Peaks, hoping to build the medical school on one of them. What do you think?"
"This..."
King Arnold felt a bit of a headache. Honestly, he wasn't keen on the idea, as it would mean commoners could easily reach the same heights as the royal family. However, the minister had already brought it up, and he didn't have a suitable reason to object. Moreover, he genuinely hoped the medical school would be established.
In the end, he gritted his teeth and nodded, "Alright, no problem. In a few days, I'll have the aerial cableway and cable cars set up on the left peak!"
"Hehe, regarding this matter, the World Government has already formulated a plan," Minister Malvani said, pleased that everything was going smoothly.
"Vice Admiral Aokiji will find a way to solve the transportation difficulties."
"Oh?"
King Arnold looked in surprise at the exceptionally tall Marine Admiral candidate. Kuzan, stroking his chin, thoughtfully said, "When I came in earlier, I glanced at the surrounding Drum Peaks and noticed they aren't too far apart. We could connect them all with ice bridges, allowing free movement between the peaks."
"What? Connect all eight Drum Peaks?!"
King Arnold stood up in astonishment, visibly delighted. This way, the seven previously unused Drum Peaks could be utilized, effectively increasing the kingdom's area.
"Yes, I highly recommend that your country relocate its citizens to the peaks. The towns are situated too low, right below the snowy mountain range, which is dangerous in case of an avalanche," Kuzan sincerely advised.
The population of Drum Kingdom isn't large. Even if one Drum Peak is used for the medical school, the remaining six can easily accommodate all the citizens.
"This..."
King Arnold was conflicted again. Allowing doctors to be on the same level as the royal family was one thing, but now even the lowest commoners were to be brought up?
As for avalanches, he truly didn't care. Although avalanches occasionally occurred, the citizens below had been living just fine for years. Yet, as before, Kuzan's reasoning was sound, and he had no suitable reason to refuse, especially considering Kuzan's future position as a Marine Admiral!
If they ever faced a powerful pirate attack, they would need his help.
"Vice Admiral Aokiji, even if we were to relocate the citizens, it wouldn't be an easy task. With the efficiency of cable cars alone, it would take years to complete."
"Yes, while we can't abandon the cable cars, they can no longer be the primary mode of transportation. So, for the most part, I'll create a staircase connecting the ground to the main peak."
"Given the height of five thousand meters, every kilometer will need a spacious platform for people to rest. Aha, no matter how you look at it, this is a massive project~"
Kuzan let out a helpless sigh. Ever since he had created a solid and practical icy battlefield for Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Garp, it seemed he had caught the attention of the World Government.
Now he had essentially become a construction team—well, a one-man construction team.
But he also knew that this was a great thing for the citizens of the Drum Kingdom. It was a task that could truly be called just, worthy of the justice he carried on his shoulders.
Therefore, he didn't harbor any resentment in his heart. Instead, he felt a bit of joy and anticipation, and his impression of the World Government had improved somewhat.
It would just be tiring for a few days, after all, his Ice-Ice Fruit had not yet awakened.