The cathedral in Collport looked just like it had when they left, with white marble and intricate golden sculptures decorating the front. That wasn't very surprising, considering it had only been four days, but Nova still felt like it was odd.

Merchants and townsfolk bustled past the open square, dressed in simple clothes rather than white robes. The sight lifted a weight Nova hadn't realized he'd been carrying.

"Does it feel nice to be back home?" Sar asked. Her hand traced one of the cathedral's marble columns as she squinted against the morning sun. "Back to simple problems. No more spatial rifts or crazed Cardinals."

Nova watched a group of children chase each other across the square. No white robes, no rigid formations—just normal kids being kids. "It does. Finally feels like I'm back on track. In control."

"Ah." Sar's hand dropped from the column. "Speaking of which, I'll speak to the bishop about finding a place for your children. Though I doubt he'll be as... accommodating as the Cardinals were."

"Will he need convincing?"

"He might." Sar's grey eyes caught the morning light. "But that will be my job. You just need to wait."

"Good." Nova glanced at the massive cathedral doors. "How will I know when it's ready?"

"You'll need to speak to the bishop moving forward. He can contact me if it's needed. If you're not in a hurry, I can probably get you some more info in—"

"No need." Nova cut her off. "I trust you'll value your life enough to get it done."

Sar's shoulders tensed slightly. "...You really don't like me, do you?"

"Not particularly. But there is a sliver of respect, and no real dislike. Just not enough to overcome what you represent."

"I guess I'll have to be satisfied with that..." Sar's eyes dropped to her white robes. "As long as I wear this, I'm guessing we won't be friends?"

"It's a good guess." His tone left no room for argument. "I'll see you around, Sar."

A slight smile crossed her face as she waved goodbye. Then she turned to the cathedral entrance, walking through its doors and leaving their sights.

Annelie stretched in the morning sun, rolling her shoulders. "So, how does freedom taste?"

"Fantastic." Nova lifted his arms above his head, working out the stiffness from teleporting. "How about you, Millie?"

"Fanstick!" Millie bounced on her toes, grinning at him. "Where do we go?"

"Well, we can go wherever." Nova's lips curved into a smile as he watched her excitement. "But I have a place in mind. A certain fishmonger is probably waiting for us to return. And we have quite a story to tell."

"Quinn?" Millie's eyes lit up at the name. She seemed eager to meet the man, which was unusual given her distrust for adults.

"Yes, Quinn." Nova glanced toward the castle perched on the coastal cliff, rising above the rest of the city. "Then we can plan ahead some more from there."

His mind brushed against the souls and materials hidden in his core. Soon he'd show this city exactly what kind of power he'd brought back. But for now, it was enough to breathe the free air and feel the sun on his face.

'Finally back where I belong. Time to get to work.'

Salt and fish filled the air as they made their way down toward the docks. Seagulls swooped between the crowded buildings, snatching scraps from merchant carts. Nova had suggested taking a few shortcuts, but both girls wanted to see the city. Millie had been particularly convincing.

"And that's another tavern," Nova said, pointing at a wooden building with a large rudder above its door. Through grimy windows, a burly bartender swept sawdust off worn floorboards.

"Ooh! And they also serve stupid juice?" Millie still had the curiosity of a tiny child in a new city, despite the twelve previous taverns they had passed. She peered through the dusty glass, leaving small clouds on the window.

"Every tavern has stupid juice. That's what makes them taverns." Nova gently tugged her away from the window. "Though most wait until the sun sets to serve it. Oh, and that's a soul trader." He pointed at the building he had visited more than nearly any other in the city.

"They trade souls?" Millie pressed her face against Nova's arm, suddenly less eager to explore.

"They trade souls. But they're not very good at it." Nova steered them past the shop's entrance, keeping his head down. He didn't feel like being recognized right now.

"Speaking from experience?" Annelie caught on to his remark, staring at his face with playful eyes.

"Me? Why would I ever need to trade souls that can be traced back to the boss of the underworld of the city, putting my entire identity and plan at risk?"

"...You really do need me."

"Let's not jump to conclusions."

"Nova, Nova!" Millie tugged at the sleeve of his robe, pointing across the street. Smoke rose from a chimney, carrying the scent of roasted fish and fresh bread. "Can we eat there? Please?"

"Maybe, but after visiting Quinn." Nova smiled at her enthusiasm. "We're almost—"

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"Is that him?" Millie darted toward a shop nearby. The door had the sign of Nihil carved into the wood, showing it was under protection.

"Not quite. I'll let you know." Nova caught her collar before she could burst inside. "Quinn's shop is much nicer. And less fond of criminals."

Annelie leaned close to Nova's ear, keeping her voice low. "The mark by the door?"

"Good eye." Nova glanced at the mark again. Sharp angles formed the unmistakable sign of Nihil's protection. "Yeah, that's the sign of that boss. We need to discuss them as well later."

"Sure." Annelie stepped back from the door, brushing dust off her robe. "I'm no stranger to crime lords. Although I've never been one myself, unlike you."

"I'm always a crime lord when the rules are unjust." Nova released Millie's collar, letting her bounce back to her feet.

"Yeah yeah, no need to get philosophical."

"Is that it?" Millie's voice rang out across the street. She pointed excitedly at a shop with fresh fish displayed in neat rows behind clean windows.

"It is." Nova smiled at her enthusiasm. "Go bother him for me, will you?"

Millie sprinted toward Quinn's shop and disappeared through the door. Nova watched the entrance, noting the properly arranged fish and tidy counter. Everything looked normal, but something felt off.

A head suddenly poked out of Quinn's shop, adorned with red hair and freckles. Her green eyes lit up as she spotted Nova.

"Larena?"

She waved him over hastily, looking very eager to speak to him.

A cold knot formed in Nova's stomach. 'This can't be good…'

He rushed into the shop with Annelie close behind. The bell above the door chimed cheerfully, completely at odds with Larena's expression. Her usual composure was gone, replaced by barely contained panic.

"The king sent someone," she said before Nova could ask. "An overseer. He's already reviewing all the Garden records."

"Just one second, Larena." Nova held a finger up, studying the scene by the counter. Quinn towered over Millie, but his massive frame seemed softer somehow as he smiled down at her. The girl showed none of her usual fear of adults as she bounced on her toes. "Quinn, can you show Millie around while we talk?"

"Yeah, sure thing." Quinn crouched down to Millie's level, his weathered face creasing with warmth. One giant hand settled gently on her shoulder, making her look even tinier by comparison. "You wanna check out your new room, girl?"

"Yeah!" Millie's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Does it have a bed?"

"Well, of course!" Quinn's deep laugh filled the shop. "Can't have you sleeping on the floor now, can we?" He poked her cheek with surprising gentleness, drawing another bright smile from her. "You want to sit on my shoulders?"

"Really? Can I?"

"Of course! Come here." Quinn lifted her from the ground with ease, putting her on his shoulders with practiced movements. Millie squealed with delight as he settled her onto his broad shoulders.

"I'm so tall!" Millie cheered, reaching her hands up and nearly touching the roof.

Quinn turned toward Nova, his eyes catching briefly on Annelie before settling back. "Welcome back, Nova."

"Good to be back, Quinn. Watch the doorways."

The big man ducked carefully as he approached the door to the stairs. "Don't worry. I've done this before. Many times..."

Nova sighed, watching them disappear up the narrow stairway. He hoped Millie could help mend that broken heart, but it would be a long process.

'If anyone can do it, though, Millie is probably one of them.'

He turned back to Larena, knowing this needed his full attention. "When did he arrive?"

"This morning. I grabbed what documents I could and left before he could question me." Larena ran a hand through her disheveled hair. "He's going to find the harvesting delays, Nova. And he'll force Newark to restart everything."

"...Why would the king send someone? Is that normal?" Nova leaned against the counter, watching her nervous movements.

"Not that I know of. Someone might have messaged the king in secret…"

Nova sighed. He should have expected this might happen. The caretakers at the garden knew how vital their work was to the king. After the assassination attempt and the explosion, someone clever enough might have connected some of the dots and sent word to the capital.

"This could be an opportunity to gain an ally close to the king, Nova." Annelie stepped forward, causing Larena to stare at her strangely. "If we manage to blackmail him or get him to agree to a contract, this could solve future problems instead of being a bad thing."

"That's a good point..." Nova tapped his fingers against the counter. "The contract spell only works if both parties are willing, though. I think the best course of action would be to speak to Newark first. He's stuck between a rock and a hard place, unable to act against both me and the king."

"Depending on if your bargaining chip is still intact." Annelie crossed her arms, all business. "I think we need to act before the overseer can send anything back to the king." She turned toward Larena, who still gaped at her. "I take it you are the guard captain? In that case, it shouldn't take him long to figure out what has happened."

Larena's eyes darted between Nova and Annelie. "Nova, did you actually find a way to clone yourself?"

"Even better." Nova's lips curved into a slight smile. "This is Annelie, another reincarnator. We know each other from a previous life, and she is someone I can trust completely."

"It's nice to meet you, Larena." Annelie put her hand forward with a warm smile softening her small face.

"It's a pleasure," Larena replied, taking her hand in the usual greeting in this world. Her eyes still held uncertainty as she studied another child-sized reincarnator. "I'm surprised there are more people like Nova, though."

"Yeah, so are we." Nova shifted his weight against the counter. "This is the first time either of us have met other reincarnators. I met her in Damascus."

"What?!" Larena's jaw dropped. All thoughts of the overseer vanished from her face. "You've been to the Holy City?"

"Yeah, long story. I'll tell you later." Nova waved off her shocked expression.

"I bet it is. Wow..." Her voice trailed off in wonder. "You really are something…"

"Anyways, are you suggesting we go threaten the overseer now, Annelie?" Nova steered the conversation back to their immediate problem.

"It depends. How strong can we expect him to be?"

Larena's face grew serious as she considered the question. Her fingers traced absent patterns on the counter. "He is probably close to Newark in power. I get the same sense of danger from them both."

"That makes it harder..." Nova's brow furrowed in thought. "I will need to grow my power before confronting them. Maybe we could infiltrate the garden so we can keep an eye on things while I get stronger?"

"Me too?" Annelie perked up at the suggestion of infiltration.

"Sure, I doubt they'll notice a new face in the crowd." Nova glanced at her childish features with a slight smirk. "You blend in quite well, after all."

"What should I do then?" Larena asked, folding her arms. The morning sun through the window caught her red hair, making it glow like fire. "I don't want to just watch."

"...We could use you to set a trap for the overseer." Nova tapped the counter as he thought through the plan. "If you call him to your office while we hide, we can probably catch him off guard. But is it safe for you to return?"

"Not completely, but I won't be in much trouble." The panic from her earlier mannerisms had faded, now replaced by determination. "I've only followed Newark's orders, after all. There's nothing connecting me to you."

"Okay. If you're confronted, tell him to meet you in your office tonight. That should leave me enough time to prepare."

Larena nodded, already looking ready to leave. "I'll see you later, then. The kids will be happy to see you, but try not to let them reveal anything."

"That won't be a problem. We won't be far behind. Good luck."

Larena bowed lightly to them before slipping out the door. The bell above the door chimed softly in her wake.

'I guess I'm forced to use the materials earlier than expected. Maybe I'll even use enough souls to unlock my next fragment. The life steeped in combat and war…'

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