Riches and Bitches: I have a gate to an isekai and leveling-up system!

"There's no fucking way."

In the short time that I spent on leisurely activities with Fay, Makary managed to not only figure out the plan of things but also make his people actively implement it all.

Just by seeing the massive difference between the camp from before we left and when we arrived back, I started to get some hopes that maybe, just maybe, we could keep up with the unrealistic schedule.

In other words, Makary proved his value, reinforcing the strength of his voice in any sort of discussion that could follow.

And it just so happened, that the next point was too crucial for me to agree to any changes on.

"I'm the only one who can survive such a journey," I stressed out the reality of any attempts at crossing the starlight plains.

My hands tightened into fists as I could do nothing but hold back my curses.

'As if this topic wasn't already one hell of a mine for me to step on, given how…'

I turned my eyes towards Fay for a second, only to quickly turn them away, worried about spooking her out.

'Even if I'm going to bring it up soon… it's okay to just let this topic rest for now,' I thought, before turning my attention right back to the former mafia boss and currently an executive of the colonization effort of the modern humans in this strange, new world.

"You are too crucial. No matter what you say, without your ability to open the gate once it closes, we will be stranded here. And as much as some of my men would enjoy such possibility…"

Makary hesitated for a second before stealing a quick glance at some of the documents that lay scattered on the table in front of him.

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Stealing a glance of my own, I could only breathe out a long sigh.

'So it's all about ammo and supplies, huh?'

By now, any attempts at taking control of this area and dealing with the empire from the position of strength relied on considerable shippings from the hangar of the other side of the gate.

There was also a whole other topic of how Makary's men back home struggled to keep up with the purchases of all the stuff we needed here. A challenging task all on its own, only further complicated by how they had to tread really carefully not to attract any unwanted attention.

After the showdown at the gates to Makary's compound, there were bound to be eyes everywhere, monitoring every last move of his men. And while it was only a matter of time before someone would figure out what was happening…

Neither I nor Makary nor anyone else involved on our side had any desire for that time to come sooner than absolutely necessary.

It was all about ammo.

Without ammunition, Makary's power would turn into a mere illusion, something that would work only until the second someone decided to come out and shout, "Check!"

It was all about foodstuffs.

Without proper supplies, Makary's own men would be hard-pressed to find something to sustain them, not to even bring up the many thousands of war captives that were about to fall upon Makary's shoulders.

He could only uphold his responsibility of taking care of them as long as the gate continued to operate at the rate predicted by the engineering corps setting up the conveyors all around it.

It was all about… everything.

In a year, this place would likely become self-sufficient. With a mix of dealings with the locals, improvised and early industry, and all sorts of other means and options, Makary's force could remain in this world long time, perfectly fine without the connection back home. Explore more stories at empire

But for now?

A single hour without the goods flowing through my gate would mean losses that would be hard to compensate for!

"Listen, it's not like I will be gone for several weeks or anything like that," I finally gathered enough mental strength, wits, and air in my lungs to bring up the main point.

The one thing that I kept at the bottom of my mind since the first mention of the stable gate in my system.

"If everything works out as I expect it, I will be able to return every few days to resupply and give the report of progress or anything."

I spread my arms wide open before shaking them once.

"Listen, right now I have one gate that allows one to pass freely between the worlds. But don't forget the gate I can open to return back to where I last used it!"

Before, my main worry with portals was about what would happen if I ended up erasing the return portal that laid back home. If I overwrote it by somehow setting up a new, local gate… I would end up in the very same situation that Makary was worried about. And while if it were to happen to me, my type of problems would be much different, less pressing…

The fact would still remain that instead of having the wonders of the modern world to back up any and all ideas I had, I would have nothing more but my own memory of those things to use by slowly implementing modern solutions and profiting off them.

"Isn't it possible to only use it every few days?" Makary pointed out what he already learned from when we could do nothing but wait for my ability's cooldown.

"Eighty hours to be precise," I brought up the concrete number. "Eight hours short of four days. Meaning, if we time everything perfectly, the gate will be down only for sixteen hours every four days."

The stable gate was on a time limit. Precisely speaking, three days since I opened it. In other words, in a bit more than two days, I would have to open it up again. That would give me three days to venture into the starlight plains before I would be forced to port back home, reach Makary's compound, and walk through the gate to reactivate the gate as it goes down. But from then…

From then, I would still have to hurry and return back as soon as I got all my supplies ready. Then, by walking back into Earth through the stable gate and then right into my personal portal, I would end up back where I left Fay's world, with eighty hours cooldown for my portal… and only seventy-two hours left for my stable gate operating time.

Taking into account all the possible delays, it would be safe to say that for every eighty hours, the stable gate would be down for ten.

"Once the gate will reset, I will try my very best to make it last longer. If it's possible, we could eliminate any kind of downtime for it, leaving just the dangers of the road to solve."

I didn't bother sitting down at the table, opting to be the one pacing around and expressing my thoughts not only with words but actions as well.

And, to no small degree of satisfaction, I could observe Makary's eyes following my movements as his face retained the same, tense look that indicated he wasn't really going to give up on his position either.

"Don't you go putting those dangers as something small," Makary spoke right as the frown on his face deepened. "I'm not trying to say that you are weak… Listen, I could agree to eight or even ten whole hours of the gate's downtime. I could even agree for you venturing out with a suitable set of guards…"

The middle-aged man shook his head before putting his hands together as if to pray before nodding them a few times toward me.

"But there's is no way I will let you go through this already dangerous land with just a few people! And I cannot allow you to go any further than the distance my men could cover within an hour, maybe two."

At this point, my frustration started to amass.

It wasn't the first time we bounced off each other like that.

But between the two of us, I was the only one who understood the horrors that awaited anyone who stepped into the starlight plain. The horrors of mental torture only I had enough endurance within our entire faction to survive.

As such, I was absolutely the only one who could challenge those starlight plains, just like my main questline requested me to do.

"You don't need to worry about any danger falling upon him," Fay suddenly turned on her talkative mode as she stepped out… while still grasping at my hand with her own. "I'm already nearing the pinnacle of strength. In fact, we are both just a step from reaching it," Fay pointed out something that I, due to my unwillingness to take that last step, largely ignored.

"I'm sorry, but that doesn't really help, dear," I spoke out before Makary could react to Fay's words.

As much as I dreaded it, the moment of truth finally came.

'And the truth shall set you free, huh?'

I thought, before blinking my eyes a few times and then turning to face Fay while pulling on her hand to make her turn back towards me.

"Fay, dearest, I'm sorry, but I cannot allow you to step into the starlight plain. Not when it was designed to keep your kind away."