Althea looked around the room. There were about five others in Winona's team according to the attending nurses. And, unlike Winona, they were receiving the most urgent care due to their horrible states.
Among them, there was an old woman with white hair hyperventilating. She was wrinkled and a bit unsightly, but one could tell from her features that she was very beautiful in her youth.
Althea knew that it must be Winona's grandmother.
Other than their first residents, this was the first time she had met an old person. Winona really protected her well, despite all the badmouthing the girl did behind her back.
The others were bloodied and someone even lost an arm. Lily, Sheila, and Betty were working extra hard to save them.
Fortunately, the group stabilized and, except for the one who died on arrival, the other five should survive.
"They're fine," Betty said, obviously overdrawn from using too much ability.
Althea kindly gave her her exclusive top-quality Sprite to help her spirit.
Betty blinked as she held on to the well-made porcelain bottle. This was only accessible to Althea's friends, no one else.
Betty was extremely touched. "Thank you," She said. Even at her level, the lord's potion had a very good effect. This was just as she needed.
She did not dare mention to pay, however, because value couldn't be attached.
Instead…, Betty just swore to continue to work hard for the lord.
…
The siblings sat in the waiting room for a while, chatting as they waited for Winona to finally regain consciousness.
Soon, the figure on the bed shifted and she slowly opened her eyes.
Althea's worried face morphed into a relieved smile. "Hey," she said, sitting on the mattress. "How are you feeling?"
Winona gaped, startled, and smiled weakly when she realized it was Althea. "Could've felt better."
Winona was just about to start acting like a baby when her peripheral view caught sight of Ansel, who had been watching their interactions with crossed arms.
Winona stiffened a little and she inexplicably blushed in shame.
Althea flinched at her expression and she couldn't help but feel worried, "What's wrong? Is it painful?"
Winona looked at Althea pitifully, and the latter immediately scooted near her and gently patted her head. "Your grandma and most of your teammates are okay. They're recovering."
The blonde blinked and looked at her, making Althea smile. "I arranged your home for you, you can move in as soon as you're discharged."
"Thank you," Winona said, wrapping her arms around the woman, and resting her chin on the other's stomach.
From her position, she could see the redhead behind, frowning, and Winona couldn't help but send an arrogant smirk in Ansel's direction.
But then she also caught sight of her companions in adjacent beds and she suddenly remembered she had a mission.
She parted from Althea, face uncharacteristically somber. "But… there's something else I need to talk to you about."
Althea's eyebrows rose in curiosity, but she patted the other girl, telling her to relax. Stress was not good for recovery.
Winona shook her head, knowing that the issue was too urgent. "Vismont is asking for help from Altera. Matthew said they're willing to be a subsidiary to Altera if they were rescued."
"What?"
"His NPC told him of this option and it was the only way he could see for the territory to survive."
Matthew started hiring Aborigines late. He didn't have any good ones left to hire.
So when the monsters attacked, he could barely hold on.
They were lucky the mobs were on the weaker part of the spectrum—only at level 5—which could be handled by level 2 walls and aborigines to some degree. Otherwise, else they'd have perished even before Winona could reach the gate.
In fact, if Althea hadn't given her those weapons she wouldn't have survived.
Her grandmother was with her when they fled. When Matthew found out they were going to Altera, he didn't stop them, instead he asked them to send the message and asked ten guards to guide them.
It was just that only a handful were left.
Betty, who had been watching from the side, was very surprised by the proposal.
Based on her knowledge, subsidiary territories were at least 2 levels lower, more a whole rank different. Territories generally only accepted subsidiaries when they were at Town Level, because no territories below would be willing to be under them otherwise.
This was a big commitment because this meant their territory would be constrained to pay Altera 10% net income tax every month—no matter what.
And why would a territory be willing to be under another? It was in exchange for a little protection or backing.
And this 'help' was manoeuvrable. The superior territory could just send 10 people before the territory war (still within the level cap) and that was it, the contract wouldn't be breached.
Those people might even just watch in the sidelines if they wanted to.
This was a somewhat unfair trade that usually happened when one territory really needed the protection of the other and couldn't find a better alternative.
Althea also seriously considered this. Although Vismont could not compare to her, all territories generate a lot of money. The variance was the economic wealth, infrastructure, and satisfaction of the common people.
At least, she knew Matthew took care of his people, despite all of his shortcomings. He was worthy to save.
"I submitted the request to the territory and received an immediate response," Althea said, playing the role of the elder-not-the-lord role quite well. "It agreed, unsurprisingly.
"I'll do it. We'll go right now." She said, standing up, and everyone ebside her flinched.
"Why are you coming?" Ansel asked and Winona nodded, but was still weak to sit up.
"You don't have to come." Winona said. "If it's troublesome you don't even have to—"
Althea shook her head to stop her. Althea wasn't being impulsive.
Seeing her unchanging state, Winona tried to convince her more. "What about the territory?"
"It'll be fine without me," She said, confident.
The aborigines mentioned the average level of monsters around villages was level 7 or 8.
With Oslo, Drake, and Hugo along with the sentries in the territory, she didn't worry too much. At worst, some low-level secondary fence would be sacrificed again.
"I want to train more," she told them, "And I… haven't explored any other territory since coming to Altera.
"Shouldn't we take a look at the new subsidiary?"