Chapter 172. Restoration Acolyte: A contract worth having

Chapter 172: 172. Restoration Acolyte: A contract worth having

Carlos entered Earth through his territory’s portal and arrived back at the house before travelling here.

He opened his phone, seeing a voice message from his mother: "Carlos, I will be at your grandpa’s territory for a couple of days. He has a bad back and I need to help him with some orders. I am relieved that you have Mira who will cook for you, so I am not stressing about it. Don’t worry. I love you, sweetheart. Will meet you soon~"

The voice message cut and Carlos chuckled. ’I might need to visit Grandpa’s territory soon too.’ Carlos felt very curious about a man who had so many years of managing a territory. It was bound to be good.

There was enough time to wash and change. He still felt strange seeing his hands clean while knowing someone in Ironroot was already cutting vegetables for another order.

Evelyn met Carlos near the office entrance soon.

"Arthur is waiting," Evelyn said. "The recovery contact is here too."

"Thank you."

Carlos followed her through the building. The wide corridor and polished doors were familiar now, though he still checked which way Evelyn turned before following. He did not want to wander into somebody else’s office because he had started feeling comfortable in the place.

"So how is everything? Did you get used to the mix?"

"Mix?"

"We call the phenomenon of the merger between the beginner period and the real Lord’s world as mix," she said with a smile and Carlos felt dumb. He knew he might have learned about it in school but he didn’t pay attention.

"It’s been good. I am still getting used to it."

"Take your time. There is no hurry."

Arthur stood when he entered. Another man sat beside the window with a folder across his knees. He looked older than Arthur, with gray beginning at the sides of his hair.

"Carlos. Sit down," Arthur said. "This is Nathan Reed. We have worked with him for recovery services before."

Carlos greeted the man and took the chair opposite him.

Nathan set the folder on the table. "Arthur tells me you have been choosing Hellbound. Five completed?"

"Yes, sir. We are preparing for the sixth."

"How many people usually go with you?"

Carlos explained the party from the fifth conquest. He described Kaia, the four Bearkin, Nessa and the two other Archers, then Two.

"That’s quite the variety you have. I like it," he spoke and wrote it down on a piece of paper.

He then asked what weapons they carried and how they handled injured members when a fight continued.

"Potions," Carlos answered. "Or we keep them behind the others until we can leave. We have two Troop Recovery Potions put away now."

"And after returning?"

"The same people who fought help look after the injured ones. My cook feeds everyone. We rest and see who can move properly."

Nathan nodded without writing anything else.

"That is where I can help you most."

Carlos had been hoping for somebody who could walk beside Brann and fix a wound before the next enemy arrived. He leaned forward a little.

"You don’t send people into conquests?"

"I can discuss expedition work. But the person available now is a Restoration Acolyte. She works better with a patient sitting still than somebody swinging a weapon beside her head. For your first contract, I would put her in your territory."

Arthur watched Carlos as Nathan continued.

"She can treat ordinary wounds and help close damaged flesh. She needs time and energy for it. A crushed joint still needs setting properly. An old missing limb does not grow back because she puts her hands over it. There are limits to her healing."

"Can she keep someone from bleeding out?"

"If they reach her in time."

Carlos looked down at the folder. It had the proposed service written plainly, without the enormous promises some traders put around a small item as he had hoped.

"Then I will still need to carry the potions."

"That’s a given. Healer or not, potions are what work in extreme urgency," Nathan said. "But with our service in mind, you can bring your injured people back to someone prepared to receive them. You don’t use every bottle on cuts that can be treated afterward. I can help with minimizing the potion use."

Carlos nodded in understanding. It made sense. He remembered returning with everyone looking at one another to decide who needed the last potion more. Having somebody waiting at Ironroot would already change that.

"What does the service cost?"

"200 Iron and 600 Copper Coins for three working days. One Acolyte. Her normal treatment supplies are included. You provide her food and a suitable place to work."

Carlos did the comparison in his head. Three food deliveries had earned more than two thousand iron. He could pay this without touching the grain or asking Arthur for another allocation.

But he could not reveal a perk he knew was special.

"Do the days start when she arrives?"

"When the recorded delegation begins. We can arrange it after you return to your territory."

"And who gives her orders?"

Nathan pushed the proposed terms toward him.

"You can direct the agreed recovery work inside Ironroot. Her ownership remains with me. No expedition, labour assignment or deployment outside your territory under this contract."

Carlos read that portion again. It reminded him of the goblin he had sent to Joren, except this time he was the person receiving help.

"If somebody needs treatment just before the third day ends?"

"We agree an extension before the return. I will have somebody checking the request. Ask before the final work period so we have time to arrange it."

"I wasn’t going to," Carlos said. "I just don’t want her disappearing while someone is open on a table."

Nathan gave a short nod. "Then the timing is worth discussing."

They added a requirement that Carlos contact him before the final work period if treatment would run beyond it. Nathan would confirm whether an extension was available rather than leave Carlos assuming one.

Arthur spoke after Carlos finished reading.

"This is a paid service, Carlos. My introduction doesn’t make Nathan’s people family resources."

"I understand, Uncle. I can cover it."

"Good."

Carlos thanked Nathan and asked where the Acolyte would be received. They agreed on an authorised arrival inside Ironroot, near the work area Carlos would choose after speaking to Mira. The transfer and payment would happen in the Lord World.

Before leaving, Arthur asked how the storage upgrade had worked.

Carlos smiled immediately. "The head cook has room now. We built the mill too, from an oil trade. And we have completed three orders of the food I told you about. The buyer renewed."

"The high-quality cooking?"

"Ultra-high-quality," Carlos corrected, then added, "I can send the completed meal record when I get back."

Arthur looked toward Nathan. The older Lord had stopped closing his folder.

"Who is cooking it?" Nathan asked.

"My Hearthkeeper. She reached Level Four yesterday."

"You have a good start. Use this leverage, young man," Nathan said. "There are Lords who can purchase excellent troops and still have trouble maintaining them."

Carlos knew that now. One of those Lords had been sending him twice the ingredients because owning raw meat was not enough.

He left the office with Nathan’s verified contact and the agreed proposal. Evelyn walked him back to the entrance, telling him to contact her if the meeting documents did not match the recorded terms afterward.

"What do you think about him?" Arthur asked with a confident smile while taking a sip of his coffee.

"As expected from a Goldwin heir. I am glad I didn’t show too much surprise for him making Ultra-high grade food from the get-go. It’s insane."

"That was news to me too." Arthur kept the cup down and sighed with relief. "With his help, I will be able to close some old scars on me. I will do everything to keep helping him," he spoke while side-eyeing Nathan, who understood.

"If that’s what you feel, I will help him out too when needed."

"Much appreciated, old friend."

At Ironroot, Mira was checking the first renewed food delivery when Carlos returned. He completed the twelve-meal transfer after she finished inspecting it, receiving Iron x720 and Copper Coins x1,440. Then he showed her the Acolyte’s food requirement: three Basic Cooked Meals daily.

"One person for three days," he said. "Can we keep her here?"

Mira added the meals to her count and nodded. They chose a sheltered space near the Lord’s Hut, where a table could be reached without carrying someone through the kitchen. Kaia helped clear the approach while Carlos contacted Nathan.

The agreement appeared after both Lords confirmed it.

--

[Temporary Troop Delegation]

[Owner: Nathan Reed]

[Delegated troop: Restoration Acolyte]

[Client: Carlos Goldwin]

[Duration: Three working days]

[Work area: Ironroot]

[Service: Recovery treatment within registered work area]

[Payment: Iron x200, Copper Coins x600]

[Food burden: Carlos Goldwin]

--

Carlos accepted and watched the payment leave. The Acolyte arrived after the transfer opened, carrying a small case against her chest.

He went to meet her himself with a deep breath.

Tomorrow, his people would enter another Hellbound conquest. This time, someone would already be waiting to help them when needed.