“That’s your store?”, one of the people asked incredulously as the group approached the strange building that stood out like a sore thumb not only because of its remarkable size but also because it was the only manmade structure so closely outside the city; from an elevation, one could see what Severin suspected to be some farm and its fields in the distance, but that was about it.

“No, but we will pass through there,” Severin said.

“But there is nothing else here,” was immediately pointed out and Severin thought the only reason his own reply of,” You will understand once we are inside” was not challenged because of the increased military presence around said building, with every of the serving men and women uniformed in the same familiar and somewhat reassuring colors of Malcos.

Whatever was going on with that annoyingly evasive man, at least they could be sure there wouldn’t be any danger, were the thoughts of more than one of Severin’s companions. Knowing that Severin had the Guild’s initial approval and the fact that he might very well be a classbearer, despite his ordinary looks, surely helped as well.

Luckily for Severin, the same military presence that reassured these people also made them swallow any further questions and soon enough, they actually reached the building itself.

Instead of being turned away as his three companions half expected despite Severin’s words,-since that was exactly what they had observed happening from a distance when a curious passerby stopped to inquire with the guards- a voice reached out to them.

“Back already?”

Understanding the question was largely meant as a pleasantry and a way of greeting, Severin tried his best to suppress a frown from appearing on his face and forced himself to an amiable nod,” All done. I hope.”

“Glad to hear. But who might these people be?” That question was, of course, the officer’s real objective, Severin understood.

“Staff and clients from the Free Worker’s Guild,” he explained. “Preparing for the storm, so to speak, Sir Singerton.”

No sooner had he completed his sentence and Singerton expressed his understanding, did Severin notice a sudden change in said group’s demeanor.

“Si- Sir Singerton?” the guild’s inspector croaked with a breaking voice; the other two seemed just as startled.

‘Or rather star-struck,’ Severin realized as he recognized the look in their eyes to be the same as the one that people gave Samuel whenever they recognized the half-giant.

Apparently, the officer was a much bigger deal than he had realized.

‘Which makes sense considering Singerton’s responsibilities in this matter are exceeded only by that of the [King’s] daughter herself.’

Conveniently, for Severin, the man was gracious enough to humor his admirers and,-after making sure Severin himself hadn’t told them more than he was supposed to -took it upon himself to go into more detail and introduced to them the use of these facilities after swearing them to secrecy; something they were more than willing to comply with.

The result was better than Severin ever could have hoped for.

Not only did they accept the fact that this was a teleportation station far more readily than they would have if it was anybody else who had made this claim, he noticed how his own status in their eyes also rose as they began to understand Severin’s own role in this matter.

By the time they reached the circle of light in which the fuzzy images of a courtyard could be seen, Severin’s previous grievances and fatigue of the day, seemed almost forgotten and when he and his three companies side by side stepped towards said light-apparently it was found that this traveling arrangement guaranteed that nothing and nobody would get tangled up during the transportation process- Severin’s posture might have looked a slight bit more upright than before.

Another step and Severin was almost back home.

This time around, to Severin, the atmosphere felt far less oppressive than it had earlier; whether it was because he had already once experienced it, because of his currently elevated mood, or simply because the three people next to him seemed even more unsettled than he had been, was unknown probably even to Severin himself.

With no danger of anyone following behind them, he gave his guests a short opportunity to take in their surroundings and find their bearings and checked with the System;

what he saw improved his mood even further.

‘Maybe not so bad a day, after all,’ Severin thought as he looked at the newest dish that must have unlocked during his absence.

On a different occasion, he might have felt shortchanged by the fact this new dish consisted of only two new ingredients-milk and eggs; the oil, salt, and pepper had already been provided anyway- but now, besides being able to appreciate the obvious benefits that came simply by having another new product available to sell, it also reminded him of a different issue he had almost forgotten.

That was the matter of trying to replicate Milly’s pasta dish he had tasted a week prior, and the question of whether or not it contained eggs; now he could find out and either way was all but guaranteed to make some progress in regard to his still outstanding [Mix and Match I] quest.

Making sure nothing else demanded his immediate attention, Severin quickly stepped forward and off the small strip of his own property surrounding the portal, before either Emily or Bandur could call out to him.

“Almost there “, said Severin with a smugness that, in their current state, was missed by the others and led the way towards the half-closed gate.

He slowed his steps for the others to catch up with him and which it also allowed someone else to reach him before he stepped back into his own realm.

“Sir! Lady Jasmine sends word that the official opening would take place in the morning of the day after tomorrow.”

Another bit of welcome news; whatever was planned inside the arena the next day, the actual opening would take place only the day after, buying Severin some more valuable time.

He acknowledged the young page’s words and deliberately said, “Give the princess my thanks.”

If one of his guests hadn’t immediately made the connection before, then now even the slowest of them would have caught on.

Judging by the gasps behind him, Severin’s assessment was indeed correct; he didn’t wait and with a smile on his lips led on and outside.

The view that revealed itself was that of a sea of clouds surrounding the mountaintop, his own business, the Society’s branch office, and that of the many visitors who all had arrived by regular means and who now wouldn’t leave the mountain unless it was via the still restricted portal.

To the unexpecting, Severin was sure, this sight would be quite impactful in its own right.

“Now we have arrived”, he proclaimed and didn’t have a single doubt left in his mind that he had already succeeded with what he had set out to do; the inspection would be a mere formality.