Nova pushed open the door to Quinn's shop. Dusk hung over Collport, and the smell of fresh fish filled the warm air. The shop was closed, counters cleaned and ready for tomorrow's business. The clatter of plates and laughter came from upstairs.

'Millie's still up then,' he thought, smiling softly. 'Her spirit seems to have bounced back completely after the accident. And not just because we did what we could to help her—she's resilient.'

He climbed the creaky steps, feeling much older than he was—at least physically. The door to the living area stood half-open, letting out the glow of magical light.

"And then the woman said he was a fool!" Millie's voice rang with delight.

Nova stepped into the doorway. Quinn and Millie sat at the small table. A half-eaten meal of smoked fish and bread lay before them. Quinn leaned forward, chin resting on his hand, watching Millie affectionately. The fishmonger's face looked years younger without its usual tired lines.

"Nova!" Millie spotted him first. She jumped from her chair and ran across the room. "You missed dinner! Quinn made the best fish!"

"Did he now?" Nova smiled as Millie grabbed his hand, pulling him closer to the table.

"It's just smoked flatrock." Quinn stood and wiped his hands on a cloth. "There's plenty left if you're hungry."

"I could eat." Nova let Millie pull him toward the table. The aroma of smoke and salt made his stomach rumble. "How was your day?"

"Quinn took me to the adventure place today!" Millie bounced on her toes. "And he's going to teach me to smoke fish tomorrow, and I'm going to learn to cut fish, and—"

"Slow down." Quinn laughed and ruffled her hair. "You'll talk Nova's ear off."

Nova met Quinn's eyes, seeing the light within them shine brighter than ever. 'I'm so glad he made that decision. It's better for everyone—even if his wife seemed hesitant during the meeting.'

"How did it go with the church?" Quinn asked, putting another set of dishes on the table for Nova. The plates clinked softly against the wooden surface.

Nova sat down next to Millie, seeing the runes she had carved into the fish with her cutlery. Despite her days being filled with activity, she always made sure to get some form of practice in. "Better than expected. There's this academy near the border of the upper district."

"Oh, the Burgenstone Academy? Don't tell me they made room in the dormitories there?" Quinn's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"No, the whole place is ours now." Nova took a bite of the smoked fish. The flavor burst across his tongue, rich and perfectly seasoned.

"What?! But that place is huge, isn't it?"

"It's perfect. All we need now is transport and more caretakers. I think we'll keep the youngest in the castle for now, at least until we have the manpower to take care of them." Nova tore off a piece of bread, using it to soak up the fish oil on his plate.

"...What the hell did you do for the church?" Quinn stared at Nova with a mixture of awe and suspicion.

"Language," Millie said sternly, pointing a finger at Quinn. Her small face took on a serious expression that looked comical on her young features. "And I already said it all, didn't I?"

Quinn clasped his hands together and bowed jokingly in apology. "I'm sorry, Miss Millie. I just don't quite see how taking baths and sneaking through the cathedral like spies made them give him an entire academy."

Millie was about to respond, but then she seemed to realize Quinn had a point. She pinched her chin with furrowed brows. "...Was it to pay for destroying our room?"

Before Nova could respond, heavy footsteps sounded on the stairs. The old boards creaked in protest, making it obvious who was arriving. Millie squealed with excitement and ran to the door.

"Anny!" She stopped short as Annelie's drakeling form filled the doorway. Red scales caught the lamplight, gleaming like fresh blood. "You almost feel like a grown-up when you're that big."

"Heh, that's the point, Millie." She ducked her head to avoid the ceiling beams, carrying a polished wooden box under one arm. "Sorry I'm late." Her transformed voice rumbled through the small room.

"Is that for me?" Millie asked, pointing at the box.

"Sorry, little one." Annelie's scaled lips curved into a smile, revealing slightly sharper teeth than normal. "This is for Nova."

"What is it?" Nova asked, eyeing the box with interest. The wood looked expensive, dark and polished to a high shine.

Annelie set it carefully on the table, pushing aside the dinner plates. "Open it."

The box was simple but well-crafted, with a hinged lid and metal clasps that gleamed in the lamplight. He undid the clasps with a soft click and lifted the lid.

Inside, nestled in velvet lining as dark as midnight, lay a single ingot. It was merely the size of his palm, with a silvery surface that seemed to shift and swirl as he looked at it. The metal gave off a faint chime when his fingers touched it, resonating with a pure, clear note.

"Mithril." Nova's eyes widened. This metal was familiar even from his previous lives, famed for its incredible tensile strength compared to its weight. Harder and much lighter than steel. "Where did you find this?"

"I have my ways." Annelie's scaled form seemed to puff up with pride. "I spoke with some contacts at the Adventurers Guild. They had these locked away for a special buyer who never showed."

"This must have cost you..." Nova lifted the tiny ingot, feeling its perfect balance in his hand. The metal caught the light, almost seeming to glow from within.

"It did put a small dent in our savings… But after you told me how much stronger you might become, I felt it was worth it."

"You're probably right. And I'm guessing they gave you a discount as well?" Nova smiled at the thought of the traders faced with Annelie's drakeling form.

"I made no threats," Annelie said defensively, making Nova think she had used other methods at the very least.

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"What is it?" Millie stood on tiptoes, trying to see into the box. Her small hands gripped the edge of the table for balance as she stretched her neck.

"It's a special metal." Nova held the ingot where she could see it. "It will help me get stronger."

"Stronger than Anny?" Millie asked, glancing between Nova and Annelie's imposing drakeling form.

"Much stronger," Nova promised. He smiled as he saw the sharp stare coming from Annelie's direction.

While they talked, Quinn had set the table for Annelie as well, barely fitting the plate next to the box. Then he stepped over and tussled Millie's hair. "Come on, Millie. Time to get ready for bed."

"But I want to see Nova get stronger!" Millie protested, looking up at him with sad eyes.

"Another time," Quinn said firmly. His tone was gentle but left no room for argument. "We need to be up early for the fish market tomorrow."

Millie's shoulders slumped, but she nodded. "Okay. Goodnight Nova! Goodnight Anny!"

"Sleep well," Nova called after them as Quinn led Millie to the bedroom.

Once they were alone, Nova turned to Annelie. "I hoped you would find something today. I just finished setting up the barrier at our new home."

"How is it?" Annelie settled onto a chair that creaked under her weight.

"Better than expected. It's a former academy near the upper district. We can start moving children there tomorrow."

"That's great!" Annelie's scaled face brightened with genuine excitement. "But you have to pay Newark first, right?"

"Of course." Nova crossed his arms, thinking through the logistics. "I think we'll only pay for the ones over two years old, though. We don't have enough souls for all of them anymore, and the little ones will require more looking after."

"Sounds like a good plan." Annelie's gaze returned to the mithril ingot resting in its velvet nest. She gestured toward it impatiently. "What are you waiting for?"

Nova picked up the ingot again, feeling its weight in his palm. "Nothing, I suppose."

He sat cross-legged on the floor and placed the ingot before him. The metal sang faintly as he positioned it. Nova closed his eyes and began to channel his essence into the metal.

The metal began to glow with inner light. Its boundaries blurred as its metal essence flowed out of the solid metal. Nova drew the essence into himself, guiding it through his meridians with practiced skill.

The mithril's power flowed through him, seeping into his bones and muscles. It entered his system with ease, almost eager to bond with his body. Each particle found its place, strengthening his Metal Saint Physique from within.

[Body Cultivation skill Metal Saint Physique {Grade 4} has reached the fifth level.]

[Your mastery over metal essence has deepened significantly. Physical Resilience increased to 5000.]

Nova opened his eyes, feeling the new power settle into place. "That should do it."

"Let's see, then." Annelie leaned forward expectantly.

Nova nodded and focused his will. The five elements within his body stirred, searching for balance. Fire, wood, earth, metal, and water—each pushed against the others at first, then began to harmonize under his guidance.

[You have learned the skill: Grand Element Unification of the Fifth Level (Master - 28%) {Grade 8}]

[The five elements have achieved greater harmony within your body, enhancing all physical attributes to a massive degree. Each element strengthens the others in an endless cycle. Maintaining elemental balance requires less effort than before. Disruption may result in medium damage.]

His body began to glow. The warmth of transformation spread through his limbs as they lengthened. In moments, he stood before Annelie in the body of a late teenager, nearly fully grown.

"What?! You grow?" Annelie asked in surprise, looking him up and down. She was still taller than him, but the difference had reduced significantly. Her scales shifted as she circled him, studying the change with fascination.

"Right, you never saw my previous form. It's just temporary, I'm afraid. Probably to accommodate the power in my body now." Nova's voice had deepened with his transformation, sounding like an adolescent version of himself.

He examined his hands, now larger and stronger. His new pants barely stretched to accommodate his new size, but his shirt had ripped in a few places around his shoulders and arms. The power flowing through him felt balanced and controlled, but incredibly mighty at the same time.

"The fifth level is much more stable," he said, flexing his fingers. "I can maintain this form longer without strain."

"...How strong are you now?"

Nova smiled, feeling the immense power at his command. He quickly checked his stats, not overly surprised at the result. "My body now has just over two hundred thousand in all aspects."

Annelie sighed heavily. Her scales receded into her skin as she shrank back to her young self, like she was deflating. Her borrowed clothes hung loosely on her small frame once the transformation completed. "How am I supposed to fight that?"

Nova smiled, although he felt a bit bad. He released the transformation, shrinking back to his child form as well. The glow faded from his skin as his limbs shortened. "If I don't use that form, I think it would be a pretty even fight. Can you feel what my Soul Power is at now?"

"No, you always hide it," Annelie grumbled, crossing her small arms.

"It's close to sixty thousand. My physical attributes are all over forty thousand due to my regular body cultivation." Nova sat back on the floor, feeling oddly light after experiencing the denser form.

"Hmm… That could make for a good fight." Annelie tapped her finger against her chin thoughtfully. "I bet you have tricks up your sleeve, though."

"And you don't?" Nova raised an eyebrow at her, remembering her absolute confidence before.

"Me? I would never hide anything." Her face became a picture of innocence.

"Right." Nova didn't even try to hide his skepticism.

"I am as honest as can be!" Annelie spread her arms dramatically, nearly knocking over a cup in the process. She had barely touched her food.

"—She lied, unconvincingly," Nova replied, unconvinced. "If you still want to do the spar, wait until we get the children in their place. Is twenty caretakers remotely enough to take care of that many children?"

"Normally I'd say no, but these kids are so used to managing on their own that it should be fine. It is dangerous to let them run freely in an academy, though. Stairs, desks, pools, windows, nearly anything can be a source of danger."

"Right..." Nova stared at the empty mithril box, considering the logistics. "I guess we need to lock their bedrooms at night, at the very least. It might be possible to create an advanced protection spell to avoid injuries on campus, but that would be a challenge, even for me." He looked up at Annelie. "You took care of the food supply, right?"

"Yeah, we just need to ask and it will be delivered." Annelie brushed a strand of hair from her face. "But I haven't hired any chefs yet."

Nova frowned. "We will need some. Try figuring out who made the food in the academy earlier, and see if you can hire them. They should have plenty of experience making food for large crowds."

"Will do." Annelie nodded. "I have more interviews with new caretakers tomorrow, so I think we'll be fine after a while."

"Yeah, we can adjust." Nova stood and brushed dust from his clothes. "I think I'll head to the castle now, just to get the deal over with."

"Sure." She quickly stuffed a large piece of fish in her mouth, barely chewing before swallowing. "Compared to your other visits to the governor, it's still early."

"That's true." Nova moved toward the door. "I was planning to talk to Larena first, and ask if she wanted to be the new headmaster."

"Oh yeah, that's a good plan. There's no one we can trust more, and she seems to have a good handle on leading."

Nova smiled, reaching for the door handle. "Then it's settled. You don't have to stay awake for me tonight."

"Aww, but you know I love to snuggle up to you." A teasing smile played across Annelie's lips.

"You can't really joke about that when I wake up with your arms around me every morning." Nova crossed his arms, giving her a pointed look.

"I can't control that." Annelie shrugged, but she couldn't quite hide her smile.

"Maybe we should get a bigger carpet—or even another bed or two. I feel like we'll be staying here for the foreseeable future, after all."

"...It's up to you," she replied, getting up from the chair and walking after him. "For now, I'm going to rest my head on the soft carpet again."

"You do that. Good night."

"Night."

As Annelie went up to the bedroom, Nova descended the stairs to the ground floor. The teleportation formation had been moved to the basement for easier access. It was also a more familiar environment for the children that arrived, being made mostly of stone.

'I guess she's perfectly fine with sleeping like we're doing now. It's not like I mind—it's just fun to tease her when I get the chance.'

"Normal Anny!" Millie's voice sounded from upstairs once the bedroom door opened.

Nova smiled to himself. Millie was always a good reminder of why he was doing all this. She was one of thousands—tens of thousands on a national level. But they lacked the power to save them all.

'...At least I'll buy the freedom of a thousand or so tonight.'

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