Chapter 144. What the Goldwins Can Give

Chapter 144: 144. What the Goldwins Can Give

Arthur’s last words stayed in the room for a few seconds. More than the Goldwins needing him, Carlos would need the Goldwins.

Carlos did not like the way it sounded. Not because it was completely wrong.

He knew very well that one-year-old or even six-month-old territories could crush Ironroot if their Lords decided to take him seriously.

Some of them would have more troops than Carlos had people. They would have proper equipment, older buildings, and things Carlos had not even heard about yet.

But that did not mean he had to sit here and agree to every condition Arthur threw at him.

"I know I will need help," Carlos said. "I just don’t want to become a man in shackles, Uncle. I have only been able to do so much because there was no one telling me what I could and could not do." Carlos spoke.

Arthur’s expression changed a little. He did not look amused now.

"That is fair," he said. "Nobody is going to put you in shackles, Carlos. We help nurture the younglings with potential. Not root them so that they have slow growth." He spoke but was not done.

"But support is never free, Carlos. Not from a company, not from an organization, and not from a family."

"Then I will read the terms before I accept them."

Arthur nodded.

"Smart boy. But before any terms are even discussed by the main family, there is something that needs to happen first."

Carlos waited.

"Someone has to inspect your territory."

Elena’s hand tightened beneath Carlos’s. Carlos looked at Arthur carefully.

"Inspect my territory?"

"Yes. A family evaluator needs to see what you have actually built. Your production. Your troop buildings. Your food operation. The protection around your territory. We cannot give you a Level 4 evaluation because you said you own eight military barracks and thirty-five troops."

Carlos did not like that either.

"And the Agricultural District?"

Arthur shook his head.

"The evaluator cannot enter the Pocket Dimension if they were not granted access during the Beginner Period. That rule is already known. But they can see the System record that you own the District. They can confirm the claim exists."

Carlos thought about it.

That was better than having strangers walk around the channels or near the Seasonal Seed Store.

He would not let someone from the main family enter Ironroot and think they could walk wherever they wanted either.

Arthur listened without interrupting.

"I am not promising that I will show you everything, Uncle. But what I will show you might be enough for the family to make the decision."

Evelyn finally spoke from the side, "That is an alright boundary for a preliminary inspection, Mr. Carlos."

"Preliminary?"

"It means the family can decide whether you are worth meeting properly," she said. "It does not mean they receive ownership rights or permanent access."

Carlos gave a slow nod and Arthur placed both hands on the table.

"Okay, we will go and get you your inspection soon. Just be ready for it." Arthur spoke as he closed the book. There was nothing more to talk about.

It was at that moment that Carlos stopped to think about whether he should tell this to them or not. But it was an important decision.

"There is one more thing. Like I told you before, my pocket dimension settlement’s right of access was challenged by a group of lords. I defeated them but I think they were from big families."

"Oh? Tell me about them."

Carlos leaned back into his chair and started explaining.

"Five Lords attacked the Agricultural District," Carlos said. "They damaged one of the channels and tried to put pressure on me. They wanted me to give them shared control of it."

Arthur’s face went still.

"Names?"

"Leon Arkwright was leading them. Selene Morrow was there. Julian Soren too. I did not get the names of the other two and forgot to do it after defeating them."

Arthur did not react immediately.

He reached for Evelyn’s tablet instead. Evelyn walked forward and put it on the table. Arthur searched the names one by one, his eyes moving across the screen.

"You did not kill any of them right?" He asked casually.

"No, I did not."

"Arkwright," he said first. "Morrow. Soren."

Carlos waited.

"Their families have influence," Arthur said. "They have old Lords and money. Truth be told, if even one of these families decides to target you for the next few days, your settlement and territory will all be gone. And I am not saying this to hasten your decision to join the family."

Elena looked worried again but Carlos did not.

"Are they stronger than the Goldwins?"

Arthur looked at him.

"No."

He placed the tablet down.

"Not bigger than the Goldwins. Not close enough that they can do whatever they want to someone who is properly under Goldwin protection."

Carlos did not miss the word properly.

"And suppose I am not a part?"

"Then you are a new Lord from a weaker Goldwin branch who has made enemies from three influential families in his first month." Arthur spoke bluntly. "The situation does not directly say you are helpless. If not the Goldwins, then there are other organizations too. But the Goldwins tend to help family members with potential."

Carlos remembered Julian’s face when the chain had wrapped around Leon’s throat. He remembered Leon acting confident until he could not breathe.

They had thought Carlos was weak before. With them reaching their families now, they could try again. If they didn’t, that would be idiotic.

"I did not kill any of them," Carlos said. "They left alive. I made them trade their troop buildings for Common ones through a recorded System trade."

Arthur’s eyes narrowed.

"You took their troop buildings?"

"They attacked a place under my control. I gave them a choice or they would have died."

Arthur stayed quiet for a moment.

"What buildings?"

Carlos did not answer that question fully. Not yet.

"The best one is the Marsh Troll Barracks. The others are fine."

Arthur watched him, then gave a small nod.

"I see, then all your problems will be tackled with your next decisions. If you agree to a proper Goldwin evaluation, it will not make every problem disappear. The families of those Lords will still hate what you did. But they will understand that touching you has a cost. They will have to think about what happens after they do it."

"And whatever I need?" Carlos asked. "You said the Goldwins will give it to me."

"As long as you keep showing a bright future," Arthur said. "You will get protection, information, market connections, resources when there is a reason for them. If your territory needs a person with knowledge, the family can find one. If you need a fair introduction to an older Lord, it can happen. But you have to keep building something worth supporting."

Carlos looked at his mother.

Elena still looked uncomfortable in the office, even after Arthur had admitted the family had treated them badly. Carlos knew she did not want him to agree only because he felt angry about the past.

He looked back at Arthur.

"Fine. I agree to the inspection."

Arthur’s shoulders eased.

"Good. I will arrange it soon."

Carlos nodded.

That was not an agreement with the Goldwins yet. It was only a door opening.

Arthur stood from his chair. The discussion had gone on longer than Carlos thought it would.

"Evelyn will take you and Elena home," he said. "Try to rest. You will have enough things to think about before the evaluator arrives."

Elena stood too. She did not look at Arthur for long.

"Thank you for bringing him back to me," she said, though Carlos did not know if she meant it.

Arthur gave her a quiet nod.

"I am glad he came back too."

Evelyn led them out of the office without saying much. The same quiet hallways and dark walls were there, but Carlos did not look at them now. He had seen what the Goldwins were offering.

He had also seen the price behind it. The black car waited outside.

During the drive, Elena sat beside Carlos in the back seat. She looked out of the window for most of it. Carlos did not force her to speak. There was too much they both wanted to say, and neither knew where to begin.

Evelyn drove them to their home before evening.

When the car stopped outside the building, Evelyn got out first and opened Elena’s door. Then she came around for Carlos.

"I will contact you once the inspection date is decided," she said.

Carlos nodded.

"Alright."

Evelyn looked at Elena.

"Mrs. Goldwin."

Elena only gave a small nod back.

Evelyn returned to the car. The black vehicle left the street slowly before turning out of sight.

Carlos stood outside his home with his mother beside him.

For the first time since returning to Earth, there was no Goldwin office around them.

Only the home he had missed without realizing it.

Elena opened the door.

"Come inside," she said quietly.

Carlos followed her with a smile.