Summoned with an SSS-Rank Portal Skill

The house was stunning, as expected from a wealthy family. As they entered, the staff stared at William, Rebo, and Bruce, trying to figure out who they were.

The looks were mostly directed at William and Rebo. Bruce was already known to them, so he didn't draw as much surprise.

A tall, thin man with short, neatly parted hair and glasses approached them.

"Bruce, my dear friend," he said. "How are you?"

"I'm great," Bruce replied, gesturing to William. "This is the guy I told you about."

"A pleasure to meet you, William," the man said. "I'm Matthew."

"Likewise," William replied.

Matthew sized William up, just like the guards had, clearly skeptical that he could've killed all the magical beasts Bruce had mentioned.

He only believed it because of his trust in Bruce. Matthew couldn't imagine Bruce lying to him, but he suspected the number of beasts might be accurate while doubting William had taken them all down alone.

Regardless, he led them to a private room.

"Come with me," Matthew said.

The room was spacious, big enough to hold all the magical beasts William had stored in his spatial bag. It was empty except for Matthew, the current head of the family.

"Can you show me the beasts?" he asked.

"Sure."

William began pulling out the beasts he'd killed, one by one. Each had been killed in the same precise way, which made Matthew start to believe that one person had indeed taken them all down.

He stood there, staring at the pile of beasts, visibly shocked.

"The pelts are practically flawless," Matthew said. "That'll make them worth even more."

After a moment of thought, he named a price.

"How about 40,000 gold coins?"

It was a generous offer. Rebo, who knew more about market prices, had told William they'd likely get around 30,000 gold coins for the beasts.

Matthew was willing to pay more—maybe because of his friendship with Bruce or because the pelts were in pristine condition.

The kingdom's currency had a unique symbol, like every kingdom's. This made it impossible for William to use the money he already had stored.

If it were from a neighboring kingdom, he could've exchanged it, but he'd arrived in this kingdom through the portal of his skill—a completely different place.

"Deal," William said, extending his hand to Matthew.

Matthew smiled. "Give me a moment."

About five minutes later, he returned with several sacks full of coins. William didn't bother counting them—he'd know the exact amount once he stored them in his spatial bag.

"It was great doing business with you," Matthew said. "I hope we can work together again in the future."

They chatted briefly before going their separate ways. Bruce still had things to sell in the city, and Matthew, as the head of a wealthy family, had plenty on his plate.

William was now at ease with a hefty sum of gold coins stored in his spatial bag. It would sustain him for a long time. He wouldn't need to worry about money at the next stops before reaching the capital.

Rebo was thrilled. "Master, you're incredible. You made all that money in so little time."

For someone like Rebo, who came from a simple family, it was a fortune.

"That's what power gets you," William said. "You see that, right?"

"Yeah!" Rebo said. "I want to have that kind of power someday too."

Rebo desperately wanted to get stronger. Every incredible feat William pulled off made him want to follow the same path. It was good—it gave him ambition, motivation—but also harsh.

Harsh because William was extraordinarily powerful, with many advantages. Reaching his level would be no easy task for Rebo. In fact, it might even be impossible…

For now, the two enjoyed their time in the city, eating at nice restaurants and resting well until it was time to move on with their journey.

Bruce's carriage was lighter but not by much. Though he'd sold some goods in the city, he'd also restocked it with new cargo, so it was about the same.

"I'll most of my stuff in the capital," Bruce explained. "That's where the big buyers are."

William didn't ask for details, but he didn't mind. It was nice to have someone to talk to—otherwise, the journey would've been pretty dull.

"So, you're planning to stay in the capital for a while, right? Vacation, you said," William remarked.

"Yep, exactly," Bruce replied. "You're staying too, right? We can hang out and enjoy ourselves there."

Bruce was genuinely excited for some vacation time. William and Rebo, though? They were heading to the capital for something important, not to relax. But that was a secret Bruce wouldn't hear about.

"Yeah, we could," William said.

Just like that, nearly a month passed. During that time, Bruce stopped in a few cities to sell his goods. William and Rebo didn't bother chasing money anymore—they just took it easy all the way to the capital.

Speaking of the capital, it was a breathtaking place. It sat in the middle of a massive lake, connected by a long bridge.

The bridge led upward because the capital was built on a floating island! From a distance, William could see the towering city walls, gleaming white like fine marble. The massive city gate was flanked by two enormous statues on either side.

But the most stunning part wasn't the city itself—it was the journey to it. As they crossed the bridge, they could see the crystal-clear lake below and the gorgeous scenery stretching out around them.

Every person crossing the bridge couldn't help but stop and gaze at the stunning surroundings.

William and Rebo were genuinely shocked.

"This place is incredible," William said. "It really feels like a magical city."

"Right?" Bruce said, grinning widely. "I told you it's perfect for a vacation. You're gonna love it."

They continued along the long bridge and stopped at the gate, just like in the other cities. But unlike the previous stops, where the guards barely glanced inside Bruce's carriage, this time they thoroughly searched the crates.

William kept a close eye on Bruce, who stayed calm as the guards inspected his cargo.

After a while, one of the guards said, "You're free to go. Enjoy your stay."

They were cleared to enter. The massive gate swung open, and they stepped into the capital.

It was a breathtaking place. William immediately noticed the sheer number of people—far more than in any other city they'd visited. The streets were much cleaner, and there were guards everywhere.

It felt like a truly safe place.

"I think this is where we part ways," Bruce said. "For now, at least. I've got some things to sell and business to handle. But here's my address—come visit me in a few days."

Bruce handed them a slip of paper with his address and went on his way.

William and Rebo were now alone, with a mission to complete.

"Where do we even start to look for answers?" Rebo said.

"Didn't you say your mother worked in the capital for a while? Where did she work?"

"I think it was for someone, a noble or something."

That was their only clue, so that was the one they followed.