‘I guess this wasn’t really about the agreement. Not solely at least’, Severin at last began to understand just why the previously so composed woman now seemed so annoyed. With him in particular.

He also understood now was not the time to dwell on the matter.

The protocol from here on out was very clear and brooked no further waste of time.

He turned his attention back to the floating blue screen, and for the last time Severin made sure that all the right people had made it onto his portal payment exemption list; which sadly didn’t mean these people could actually use the service for free, but that it was on Severin to bear the cost for them; the corresponding amount would be automatically deducted from his account.

Jasmine and Singerton, of course, were the names that topped the list. Followed by the former’s private security detail.

Then the names of the two ranks of soldiers currently facing each other, standing at attention. Only one half would actually follow them to then be stationed on the other side.

And lastly, a good fifth of the list was comprised of the names of the laborers, crafters, and enchanters responsible for the construction of the barracks-cum-embassy back on Severin’s mountain and its eventual magic reinforcements and security measures; not all the details Severin was actually privy to.

This last group would be added only temporarily; after their task was done, their names would be removed immediately and a few new ones would then take their place-namely the non-military personnel that would only be dispatched once everything was in order.

A moment of hesitation, and Severin also made sure his V.I.P. membership card holders would also be automatically added to the same exception list.

This would include Samuel, who after the situation at Milly’s had largely been defused, decided to stay back at the inn as to reign in his mentees as well as the more adventurous patrons whose curiosity might’ve otherwise gotten them into trouble, but also of course also the [King] himself.

Now, Severin strongly doubted he would ever see Ringald personally step through the portal, but then again, the membership, or more precisely the privileges associated with it, were, after all, temporarily transferable to another person.

With these matters taken care of, Severin turned to Singerton, and gave him the okay.

“Ready.”

The officer didn’t act immediately.

With a doubtful look, he once more turned his attention to the strange mosaic on the ground, the small box with its sole red button, and then towards the scion, who in turn also gave him the nonverbal go-ahead.

But again, he didn’t yet press the button.

He shifted his gaze towards the unimpressive, and in fact very ordinary-looking man and stared at him.

And then, after a couple of seconds, Singerton simply shrugged his shoulders as if to say, not my head that’s going to roll when this turns out to be one big ruse.

Click

With that, the stone platform that had looked so out of place began to float upwards, revealing a similar stone panel, one that was level with the surrounding ground, right underneath it.

Severin knew everything that was now happening in front of him was mirrored on the floating mountain a few thousand kilometers north-west from here.

Apart from a few surprised exclamations, no one had yet really reacted to what was happening when the floating disk came to a sudden halt at a height of about five meters, which also corresponded to its diameter and that of its grounded twin.

The phenomenon demanded everyone’s attention and by now even the most discipled of the soldiers was breaking stance to take a closer look.

Just in time to see a speck of dark light appear right in the middle between the two stone discs, which then rapidly expanded into a perfectly shaped, dark column that seemed to connect the two stone circles.

And still not a single word.

Some-particularly the construction workers who were waiting a bit farther removed from the rest-hadn’t known what exactly to expect, and those who did hadn’t quite believed it.

The people belonging to the latter group had no more of an idea of how exactly a proper portal had to look like than those of the former, but this would certainly do.

Everyone recognized something significant had just happened, though some only because of the silence of the others.

As the perceived architect of this construction and the one least caught off guard, Severin realized it was now up to him to take the initiative again.

He approached the pillar of dark light and, as he came closer, noticed its dark color wasn’t as solid as it had first appeared.

Moving shadows and hazy shapes that looked somewhat familiar could be seen within. And flickering lights.

He reached level with the small pedestal, stopped his steps, and put his right hand on top of it.

“To register myself,” he explained to the stunned onlookers, not wasting time explaining that normally this was also the step where a small prompt would ask for coinage to be inserted into the small slot. Nor did he explain that classless people would only be asked to pay a nominal fee of a few coppers, opposed to multiple gold coins that would otherwise be demanded. And of course, there also was no need to mention the fact that once this hub was officially opened for business in just a day or two, a handful of chosen officials sent by Malcos would also demand a fee from the visitors; one that wasn’t dependent on a person’s class, but on their actual occupation, with the maximum rate reserved for adventurers and merchants.

The sound of his echoing steps followed by his three words that pierced the silence was enough to bring most of the people back from their thoughts and wonderment.

The [Princess] was among the first to react, and when Severin tore himself from the fascinating sight in front of him, she was already approaching the small pedestal he was still occupying.

He gave her a curt nod and made way and towards the portal.

Just two steps and he had reached the light.

Thinking that if the System had meant him any harm, he would already be dead was somehow very reassuring to him and with more confidence than he probably otherwise could have mustered, Severin took a deep breath.

Then the third step.

And then he was gone.