Sam stared at the other man for a long minute, his mind racing with thoughts.

Getting called to meet the king or any other rulers was not something that would get any significant attention anywhere. Most rulers, be they queens, kings, emperors, or whatever else they called themselves, had public meeting times, where anyone who went through some kind of filtering process could present themselves and their issues or requests.

When the game began, a lot of people raced to be the first to display the splendor of those chambers, but ultimately, nothing really came out of it. The political – and magical power – of the royal house was such that no player-led organization could usurp it at the beginning of the game. The developers made sure to plan for longevity, and even if players could find a loophole, the system would anticipate it and adjust accordingly, ensuring they failed.

Naturally, later in the game's life, many player-led countries were born, or existing NPC countries were taken over by ambitious players, corporations, guilds, and even real-life polities. Though trying to tax people in real life, then forcing them to become part of the in-game country to tax them there didn't really work out well for them.

It was a case that was watched by almost everyone on the planet, interested in what would happen.

The countries in this future world were mostly stable, with war being held in the shadows or through proxies, so watching a regime change so abruptly was something that the other Sam eagerly watched. According to some popular streamers who were there, the burning of the government building was within the top ten of historical buildings being burned down due to a rebellion.

However, his case was different. He was not inviting himself to a public audience with the king and whoever was there.

No.

He was being invited by the king, personally, for an audience. And something told him it wouldn't be a very public one.

"Is it verified?" he finally asked after his thoughts calmed down.

Lord Silvercrest simply nodded, retrieved an ornate letter, and handed it over. Sam took it cautiously, noting its high quality and intricate seal, before taking out the letter and reading it. It said the same thing the friendly lord told him, albeit in many more words and a little more pomp and circumstance.

"It doesn't say when I should go…" he said out loud when he finished the letter, looking back up at the other man.

The lord nodded in understanding. "Yes. It is implied – heavily – that such summons is to be answered in all haste."

"Not ideal…"

"Indeed. You're not yet ready for the realities of the court," came the clipped and surprisingly serious answer from the man. "Alas, it seems, this is one mountain that you shall climb on your own. I firmly believe you're capable of it, young man!"

A little happy at the encouragement, Sam nodded in thanks. "Anything I need to know? Dress code? Protocols?"

The lord grinned, which caused a forboding feeling to course through Sam.

"As I expected, you're indeed a clever man! My darling and ever beautiful wife is waiting for you in the ballroom. She shall assist you with your quest!" The man declared, laughing loud enough that one of the panes in the window cracked.

Sam swallowed nervously, but let the stoic butler escort him toward the ballroom while another servant rushed in and began to swap out the windowpane.

A minute later, he entered the ballroom, one part filled with a desk and a blackboard, and another with several tables set for different occasions, while several maids stood ready holding some kind of cloth in their hands, their eyes shining with anticipation and eagerness.

The lady of the house, very much recovered from her ordeal, stood in front of the blackboard, holding a long stick in one hand, hair up in a bun, while wearing a starched white shirt, with a small overcoat and black skirt reaching over her shoes.

"Welcome, young Samuel! I have been expecting you! Now… let us start with your education in the subject of royal protocols!" she declared while smiling rather hungrily at him.

Sam just swallowed nervously.

'Hehe…I'm in trouble!'

It didn't help that as soon as the last words left the woman's lips, a screen popped up in front of him.

[New quest acquired!]

[SSS: Study, Scrutinize, and Survive!]

[Learn it well, and hopefully you will survive! Good luck!]

[Time Limit: 24 hours]

[Penalty: Too horrific to write down]

[Reward: You won't embarrass yourself]

Sam staggered out of the Silvercrest manor with his head stuffed full of new knowledge that he didn't really want to know. 'Really, why use two different spoons to eat a dessert?' However, his quest was completed, and the lady of the manor didn't punish him.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Hell, she even complimented his study habits, complaining how Lucrecia, for some reason, never really took to her lessons like he did. He made sure to keep his face straight when he listened to those complaints.

Still, it wasn't really useless time spent there, no matter the horrific tortures he had to endure.

He got a very abbreviated lesson on how to behave, how to talk, what not to do, and the maids made sure he had a proper outfit ready for the reception.

Sam would need to talk with Lucy for a spell, then he would be off to the capital city, Vividora.

Alas, as always, man plans, and the game system laughs…

As he walked through an alley, he saw one of those mysterious security agents standing in an alcove, covered in shadows and hidden from the eyes of the public populating their new town, looking directly in his direction.

There were no words, just a simple nod to the side before turning around and starting to walk away, the crowd parting in front of him, though seemingly not even seeing him.

Sam let out a quiet sigh and began following him.

'This better be important…' he grumbled to himself. Though after a few moments, he realized where they were going, and his thoughts did a one-eighty at the prospect of possibilities laid bare before him.

A few minutes later, the mute agent of an organization that nobody really knew about stopped next to a warehouse door, looked around, and nodded at Sam before indicating the door.

He eagerly returned the nod and, with a confident step, turned the knob and stepped through the threshold.

Instantly, he was met with a blonde missile, hugging him for all his worth.

"Ah! Samuel! You have returned! You must tell me stories!" came the eager voice of Lucrecia as she began to babble while hugging the stuffing out of Sam. True, thanks to his abilities, he didn't really feel it, but it was still awkward.

Thankfully, he was saved by another voice.

"Lady Lucrecia, I think, our young friend, has received enough of your magnificent hugs, don't you think?" Sam turned toward the origin of the voice and saw the smirking Fitzgerald, looking at the two of them with mirth in his eyes.

Lucrecia instantly let him go, letting out an adorable squeak before schooling her features. "Oh my!" She bowed a little before smiling at Fitzgerald. "I shall prepare tea for after your talk!" Then, without waiting for any reply, she rushed out of the room, a hint of pink dusting her cheeks.

Fitzgerald fondly shook his head. "That girl, I swear…" Then he turned back to Sam and offered his arm.

Sam accepted it and shook it. "Welcome back, Master!" He then looked around, trying to spot something that became an everyday artifact in the future, but currently would be one of the most interesting things in the world.

Based on the smirk on the older man's face, he knew exactly what Sam was thinking.

"Indeed, I have returned. And I see you and your group have finished the construction and managed to inaugurate the town!"

"Yes, sir!"

"And what a town! Such a splendid work! A magnificent creation!" he declared happily, and Sam was surprised that another screen popped up in front of him, despite his setting. Apparently, the system deemed this too important to leave for later.

[The quest, 'Peaceful land, peaceful mind' is completed!]

[You performed admirably and went beyond your master's expectations!]

"Er, thank you, sir?" he replied a little awkwardly.

The man, however, didn't let him marinate in that awkwardness. He grabbed his arm and tugged him deeper into the warehouse. "Now come! Let me show you what I have achieved!"

Soon, he was standing in front of a giant cube-shaped something covered by cloth. It looked odd but ordinary, yet his magical senses told him it was anything but that.

Fitzgerald grinned at him, then grabbed a rope from somewhere. "Ready?"

Then, before Sam could reply, he tugged hard on the rope, and the cloth went flying, revealing what had been hidden.

There was a wooden frame holding up a few miscellaneous things, and the previous cloth, and in the middle, on a stone platform, stood a circular artifact, standing perpendicular to the ground, with runes covering every inch of its surface.

Sam couldn't help but smile. "Is that…?"

"Indeed, it is, my young friend! It is indeed my greatest creation! Something that will change the world!" the man exclaimed proudly, standing next to the portal that was very familiar to Sam thanks to his inherited memories.

The portal was clearly a first-generation one, capable of transporting maybe a half dozen people in one direction at a time, but it would still revolutionize travel in the game. Later, they would create bigger ones for transporting cargo and entire guilds. Hell, there were even ones built directly for ships and other vehicles.

"Let me show you!" Fitzgerald said, then eagerly ran to a small plinth covered with even more runes and a glass button, lit up with red light. The man stood next to it and, with a manic grin, pushed it.

Instantly, the runes on the circular artifact – the portal – lit up, before blue light began to seep from it, which began to coalesce in the middle into a swirling two-dimensional portal.

"The other one is in the capital. We did a few experiments, but as my student, I wish that you would go through it first, officially, that is" Sam's runic master explained with a proud look on his face. Which almost instantly turned into a sheepish one. "Plus, if you end up in an unexpected place, I have the confidence you could take care of yourself."

"Is that a possibility?" Sam asked curiously. He had never heard of people not showing up when using these portals. When they used ramshackle self-made portals, made by madmen or dark guilds, yes, a few people vanished here and there, but official portals were pretty safe.

Fitzgerald thought about it for a second before waving his hand a little. "Less than one in a hundred million chance that the resonance between the portal and the dimensional layer desynchronizes and causes a catastrophic rupture. You will be totally fine!"

Sam filed that little tidbit away before cautiously stepping forward.

"Go on! It's perfectly safe! You won't even feel it!" came the encouragement.

Sam glanced at the man, then let out another sigh. "Fine, fine…everything for the advancement of runes, right?"

"Exactly! My student understands me so well!"

Squaring his shoulder, he took another step, then another, and before he knew it, he was standing before the swirling portal. It was rather different compared to the many portals he saw leading to the fractures. Those were inherently chaotic and haphazard; this was steady, calm, and organized.

Then another step…

And as he blinked, he stood in a different room, though similarly looking like a warehouse, looking at a bored-looking woman, dressed in a dress that was halfway covered in a rather highly enchanted armor, polished to perfection.

"Welcome to the capital, Adventurer Samuel. His Royal Highness is expecting you," she told him, with a look that she expected no disagreement.

Sam nodded, but then he was distracted by yet another screen.

[Congratulations! You helped create the first stable portal technology!]

[Congratulations! You were the first person to officially travel using the new portal technology!]

[You gained the title 'Porta Ambulo', denoting your achievement!]

[Porta Ambulo: Greatly decreases the chances of accidents with portals!]

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