Chapter 30: Torrent city[1].

*1day ago*

Back at the Swordhearth family estate, the entire Swordhearth family, except Levi, and all of it's servants were currently standing in front of the Swordhearth family's personal portal. They were about to send off the count to the town of Torent in the North of count Raymond's territory.

Torrent was at the far north of the territory and as such it was a very long way from Estia—the count's current location. It would normally take a week to get there by carriage, and that was assuming that one travelled without stopping once. And that was impossible due to a multitude of reasons.

Portals were the latest in transportation technology. Making use of very special and ancient runes, one could move from one location to another in an instant. There were three types of portals in existence:

Local portals. They were the most common type of portal as they allowed people to move from one town to another. It was the portal that the count was about to use right now and even though they were very common, most people would go their entire lives without even setting eyes on one. They could either be owned privately, but a few of them could be seen in more developed cities and towns

There were also the Country portals. As the name suggested, they allowed people to move from a much wider range than the local portals. They were very rare that only very big organizations like the mage association and the council of Kings could posses them.

Then there were also the rumored Intercontinental portals. They were said to allow humans to move between continents. Most people dismissed their existence as merely that, rumors. But some others couldn't help but truly contemplate the possibility. The existence of a continent aside from theirs had already been publicized not long ago. Literally just about three months ago, but any and all information concerning said continent was not easy to come across. Even for a count of Raymond's status.

As long as the other continent did not create problems for them, the people would not care much about their existence. There was also tight security at the borders, so there was no worry about overly curious individuals getting ideas.

"Dad! Make sure that you remember your promise, okay?" Isabelle said to her father, reminding him before of what he promised a few days back like the spoilt brat that she was.

"Of course." The count responded with a very bright and gentle smile. Isabelle then proceeded to hugging him before returning back to where the others stood across the portal's podium. She was happy that she had accomplished her objective and had even forgot to wish her father safe travels.

She was a truly selfish creature. It was expected though as she had practically led the life of a pampered princess. Only working herself during training and private tutoring classes.

"Be careful. Come back safe, okay? Honey." Selina said to her husband while looking into his hazel brown eyes. She stroked his sideburns affectionately as her soft fingers danced across his facial hairs. If the count felt anything from that touch, then he did a heck of a job keeping it from showing on his face.

"There is no need for you to worry. It seems as though you have forgotten who it is that you got married to." Count Raymond said with a puffed out chest and gave his wife a kiss on her forehead, returning her loving gesture.

"Stay safe, dad." Aina offered her respects.

"Yes. I will." Raymond said simply. It seemed that he was still a bit angry at her daughter for what she said back then. Aina was not punished in any way for her statements though, but the atmosphere between her and both her parents was palpable. It was obvious that they were just doing this as a sort of formality.

"""""Safe travels. Count Raymond!""""" The staff present simultaneously said and the count responded with a small wave of his hand.

"It is a shame that my two sons aren't here to wish me a safe trip. But I understand that my son Alexander is studying hard right now, and the other one...what's his name again?" The count turned to Edward the head Butler and asked.

"Master Levi. Sir." Edward promptly responded with a respectful voice and the most impeccable of bows. His etiquette was unmatched throughout the estate, but then again it was only natural as he had been serving the Swordhearth family since even before the current patriarch was born.

"Ah yes, Levi. I trust that the search for him is going well, Mariam?" The count directed his question to Levi's personal servant. He asked to make it seem as if he actually cared about his son's well-being, whereas he did not.

Unfortunately, he wasn't fooling anybody with that question. Just the fact that he was about to leave town while Levi was still missing went a long way in showing just how much he cared about the young man.

Aina knew where Levi was, but she didn't tell Mariam about her discoveries. She also instructed Juan to keep shut about it and cover for John. A task she performed to the best of her abilities.

Normally, they would have been found out by now by the head Butler Edward, but he was too busy with things concerning this particular trip amongst other things. He was the only one that Raymond trusted for more important things and as such, he was often overworked. During these times, not once did he conplain or make known any sign of displeasure. This by itself was a great feat, considering his age.

Edward had not only charged with the task of preparing things for this trip, but he was also tasked with the invitation letters for Isabelle and Levi's birthday party. Raymond made big plans to invite some very big names to the party, and as such, there was a need to send out letters as early as possible. 

It was a sign of respect and courtesy.

The poor servant looked like she had aged a few more decades as her face looked pale and had wrinkles, probably from skipping several meals. She also had very dark circles under her eyes signifying to the fact that she hadn't been sleeping properly.

She was put in charge of the search team, but none of her teammates were very enthusiastic about searching for someone who almost nobody cared about, they also didn't feel comfortable taking orders from someone who was younger than them. So she was basically on her own during the entire thing.

Mariam had truly suffered. She had done everything in her power to find the young master, but she failed. She reported it to the local adventures and knights but to no avail. They couldn't do anything about a search when they had no leads. Levi had been missing for quite sometime now, so for all they knew, he could be at the other side of the continent by now.

When the count's question reached Mariam's ears, she shook a little. She knew that even if she couldn't eventually find the young master, they weren't going to punish her too severely, but she was genuinely worried about the young master.

"I-i-i....." She hesitated in her speech and threw a glance at her supposed teammates, but they all played dumb and one even casually whistled. The gesture, though insensitive, told Mariam all she needed to know.

"It's going fine, your lordship." Mariam said with a courteous bow. She lied. It was extremely obvious, but nobody cared enough to point it out.

"I see. That's good." The count said, there was no trace of emotion on his face.

He turned around to face the now active portal. The circular structure made of a very important mineral and had several runic carvings etched on to it now had a blue coloured portal inside. The portal shone and swiveled eeriely.

Raymond walked towards the portal while the people behind him bod him farewell by waving. He threw a knowing glance at Edward.

The old man had grey hair due to age and emerald green eyes which radiated intelligence, even more so than the count. He was well over seventy years but his firm muscular frame begged to differ. In fact, the only things that have away his old age were the hair and the numerous wrinkles on his face.

"The carriage which will pick you up as well as the guest house where you shall reside has been arranged at the gate of the portal."

All portals had gates which were like their exits. One entered through the portal and came out from the gate. The Swordhearth portal was connected to all the gates in the south of the country of Elentia.

"I have already stationed a few capable personnel who will give you a detailed report and the strike team have already been deployed a few days ago and are set to have arrived by now." A man who had been standing behind Edward uttered with a respectful bow.

The man looked as old as the count. He had red pupils and a black mane which flowed all the way down his shoulders. His frame was particularly muscular as his formal Butler uniform had problems housing those enormous muscles and threatened to burst apart.

"You should get a new pair of uniform.... Lucas" The count said with his indifferent face to the red haired man— Lucas. 

"No. I like my current pair the way it is,thank you very much." Lucas said, a hint of rudeness evident in his voice. He was the commander in chief of the Swordhearth family guards and probably the only person in the Swordhearth family that could speak to the patriarch that way.

Raymond promptly ignored the obvious taunt, and turned to his most trusted and respectful confidant for confirmation.

"The individual who the ruffian placed as the captain of the deployed squad is very capable. I have confirmed his competence with my own eyes, and you can too. After you meet him of course." Edward said, garnering a nod from the count. Just like that, all of Raymond's doubts had been eliminated. He trusted Edward that mu

There was a reason why Edward was still the head Butler for three generations now. One couad never catch him unprepared.

Raymond didn't even look back at the waving crowd and just walked straight through the portal.

*Whirr*

A whirring sound rang in his ears as he walked through the portal. His vision blurred and a vomit inducing feeling of vertigo came over him.

The feeling was one of the only downsides of travelling by portal. It was very unpleasant at first, but one could get used to it over time. Raymond had long since signed himself into the latter category.

The gate in the town of Torrent buzzed and the count emerged from it. The gate was situated in an open space, bit the uncharacteristic absence of people made it obvious that it was a private space.

Waiting for the count on the outside were all the things that the butler Edward promised.

There were up to seven men. Six out of which were wearing the normal butler attire, while the last person wore a formal but exotic suit and coupled with his protrded stomach, it was obvious that he was not just anybody. 

It was the baron situated in the north city of Torrent, baron Trent. 

He was a burly man with a short stature and a build which showcased a bit of muscle leftover from letting himself go.

"Welcome your esteemed lordship to the humble city of Torrent. I am a baron Trent Rothschild, a baron in these parts." Trent said with a bow, but Raymond promptly ignored. He seemed to have shed his old skin as his face carried an indifferent expression, but his eyes possessed an uncaring and demeaning coldness.

Trent was quite more than a bit pissed off with Raymond's ignoring him, but he could do nothing more than suck it up. After all, the difference between a count and a baron on the nobleman heirachy was in no way small.

The commanding gaze of the count looked directly into the eyes of each and every single one of the men. It was a test of sorts.

Six out of the seven men either winced or flinched at the count's direct gaze, but there was one who maintained his composure even then. He stood front and center and had a curly light blue hair and eyes.

"You.." the count pointed at the blue haired man before continuing.

"....what is your name? And your rank?" Raymond asked the blue haired man.

"My name is Alvin Ross your lordship. A-rank ice mage" The blue haired man—Alvin responded with a curt bow.

'oh? He didn't go on blabbering about things I didn't ask him, that quite good. This person seems fairly competent.' Raymond determined.

Raymond walked down the stairs of the podium and towards the coach which had been earlier prepared while asking, "Who are all these people?"

"They are all sevants who will serve as your personal guards, they are also members of the elite strike team that was deployed here not too long ago. Their ranks range from C to B-rank mages and are led by myself." Alvin said. 

It was quite ironic. B-rank's guarding an S-rank mage.

It would require at least five normal B-rank mages to hold down a single normal A-rank, and it would need about ten A-ranks to hold down a single S-rank. 

Raymond was in the higher end of S-rank and adding his sword skill to the equation, all six of them fighting together wouldn't be able to even touch a hair on Raymond's head, even on a bad day.

"I see. Get in, you shall give me an overview of the situation while we ride." Raymond said to Alvin.

"My pleasure." Alvin responded.

They both got into the couch and left the others behind wordlessly. The other mages who were left behind became quite confused, but Trent was experiencing a completely different emotion.

"Che....damn bastard." Trent muttered in a low tone as he walked towards his own coach which was parked at the side, two men in mild armour stood protecting it. He boarded it and immediately left while muttering unintelligible words, leaving the other five men in a daze.

It had all happened so fast as the count had seemingly appeared and disappeared nearly as fast as he arrived. It left the others deeply confused.

"Um.....so what do we do now?"

"I..I think we are meant to follow them or something. I don't know."

They had been told that all authority would be handed over to the count upon his arrival and his orders were final. But the count had just left without giving any orders and even their captain had abandoned them, and as such they were left completely and utterly perplexed.

A/N:

Alright people, I might start updating two chaps every two days since it seems I am becoming more than a little inconsistent. The schedule is not yet fixed, but expect the usual 7 chaps per week.

Oh and some of you my gut be wondering the sudden change of scenes. I am well aware of it and I thought you would all like to change scenery for a bit.

Special thanks to my loyal supporters halis_eren_balaban and Epic_Buddie123. Love you guys!!