Nova looked at the sky, deep in thought. The vast blue expanse stretched above him, dotted with wispy clouds that drifted lazily in the morning breeze. He didn't like the comparison between the system and his formation, however similar they were. And unlike the system, he would take essence without asking.

'It feels like any justification I use would be cheap. The God of Order might have good intentions as well… Although I find that hard to believe.'

"You okay, Nova?" Annelie asked after the silence stretched between them. She tilted her head slightly, searching his face with an expression that suggested she'd noticed more than she let on.

"...Yeah. I think so." Nova blinked, refocusing on the academy grounds around them. "But let's not stick around for too long. I have other things to take care of today."

"Like what?" Annelie brushed a strand of hair from her face as a gust of wind swept across the plaza.

"Like visiting an old friend in the slums. If he's still there." Nova's eyes narrowed slightly as he thought of Nihil. The crime lord no longer had a place in the city.

"Oh, the crime lord?"

"Yes. He might survive the encounter, but his gang has ruined more lives than I dare to think about. Probably including Quinn's."

"Oh. I wouldn't mind doing it myself, then." Her face hardened as she put the pieces together.

"He's at peace now. It would be better if it just happened quietly, whatever the result might be."

"I understand. Will we take the carriage back as well?" Annelie glanced toward the gates where the magical vehicle had disappeared.

"We might as well. Us four will likely keep living in Quinn's house, so the carriage will be a familiar sight in the city after a while." Nova imagined the mornings of riding to the academy together, finding it to be a nice image. "Unless I get bored and make another teleportation formation."

In the distance, Millie's laughter rang out as Quinn chased her across the lawn. The sound echoed between the academy buildings, bringing life to the previously abandoned grounds. Millie had to slow down for Quinn to have any chance, and the realization seemed to hurt his pride somewhat.

"...Can I see my new office?" Larena asked, rejoining them. She looked a bit nervous, standing with stiff shoulders and twisting the cuff of her uniform. Maybe she had realized what kind of office it would be— one just as opulent as the one she currently occupied in the castle.

"Sure thing. It's right under that clock tower." Nova pointed at the main building, toward the large windows that gleamed in the sunlight. "That topmost window there, where you can watch over everything like a mother hen."

"...Well, I am going to worry," Larena admitted. The distant sounds of Millie's play filled the silence between her words. "But I don't want to be some scary watcher the kids will see from down here."

"How you rule your kingdom is up to you." Nova gestured toward the large, empty plaza that would soon be filled with rescued children. "You can play around with them if you want."

"This kingdom is ruled from the shadows." Larena gave a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Annelie chuckled. "Who knew I would be back in such a position."

"Better than fighting gods, right?" Nova asked, referring to her previous life fighting in a holy war for divine entertainment.

"Oh, you don't think we're going to?" She stared at him and raised an eyebrow.

"...Fair point." Nova sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. Unless something significant happened, that was where they were headed. "But don't worry, Larena. You'll have more control than you think. Especially as we move to greater targets."

Larena sighed, keeping her eyes on the clock tower. "I'm not sure that's making me less worried… I'll go have a look, then." She left the two of them alone and headed for the main building. Her pace was slower than usual, almost dreamy, like she still wasn't entirely convinced this was real.

"You don't want to run around and have a look?" Nova asked jokingly once Larena was out of earshot. He gestured toward the other buildings scattered around the plaza.

"I'm sure I'll be familiar with the place soon enough." Annelie stretched her arms above her head, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her face.

"Probably. I figured we could make ourselves a workshop of sorts." Nova's mind was already racing with possibilities—forges, enchantment tables, alchemical stations.

"Oh, how romantic!" Annelie pressed her hands to her chest dramatically, batting her eyelashes at him.

Nova ignored her. "Do you have any skills you'd like to use? Alchemy, forging, enchanting... shamanism?"

She shook her head, looking almost embarrassed. "I… didn't gather as many skills as you did over my many lives."

"Oh, that's not an issue. I gained most of mine in my last life." He shrugged. "And it's never too late to learn, is it?"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"...What do you think I should learn?"

"The best thing is something that interests you. That's what I've done so far."

"Hmm… Do you think dancing is a useful skill?"

"Eh, I don't think so. But you could try and see if any effects take form. We don't know the full potential of the system, after all."

"You just want to see me dance again, don't you?"

"It has been a while." He looked over at Quinn, who was now resting on the stairway to the library. If skills could be anything, he expected the man to have some for cooking food. But according to himself, he didn't. No one did. "It seems to focus on combat over normal day-to-day skills, though."

"Then I won't bother. I should spend my time getting stronger, not making useless stuff. You're the blacksmith."

"That's also a good option. And if strength is your goal… This world is very compatible with magic, so I suggest getting a better understanding of it. I can handle the crafting and enchanting."

"...Maybe I'll have Millie teach me."

"She's better than you, but she's the worst person to teach it to others, like I said earlier." Nova's tone was gentle despite his blunt words. "Have you figured out the Inner Blossoming Invocation?"

Annelie's shoulders tensed slightly as she averted her eyes. "...It's at adept. Low adept." The admission clearly cost her some pride.

"Nice work!" Nova's smile was genuine, with no trace of mockery.

"Shut up."Annelie kicked a stone across the road, sending it skittering across the cobblestones with a series of sharp clicks. "It increased my Soul Power by twenty-six after spending all my essence. A rounding error."

Nova felt her embarrassment clearly in her voice. She hated being bad at something, especially compared to him. "The goal wasn't to make you stronger, Annelie. It was to see how easy it was to learn, and to make you more familiar with magic. It's a long process which took me years."

"Sure, sure," Annelie rolled her eyes, knowing what he was trying to do. "Millie managed to get that Meridian thingy to work yesterday. Maybe I'm more suited to that cultivation stuff? I have a lot of experience with body control."

"Oh, that's a good point. I'll teach you some stuff later. I haven't explored it fully myself yet." He tapped his chin thoughtfully, already mentally cataloging techniques he could share.

"Great! I'm looking forward to it."

"Oh, you might regret those words." Nova smiled mischievously. "Cultivation is not fun. In fact, it's rather torturous."

Evening settled over Collport like a heavy cloak. Street lamps flickered to life throughout the middle and upper districts, but the lower district remained largely in darkness, illuminated only by occasional lanterns and the silvery glow of moonlight.

Nova slipped between buildings, easily blending with the shadows. The familiar smell of the slums greeted him—a mix of rotting wood, unwashed bodies, and the acrid tang of cheap alcohol.

'It's been a while since I visited this part of town,' Nova thought, scanning the streets ahead. 'Nihil's organization should still be active, even if they've stopped harvesting children.'

He rounded a corner and spotted a familiar symbol etched into a doorframe—Nihil's mark, signifying the building was under the crime lord's protection. A run-down tavern stood across the street, with windows glowing faint yellow. Patrons stumbled in and out, growing louder with each cup of cheap spirits.

'A great place to find some rats. Although, telling them apart from the rest of the drunkards might be a problem.'

He approached the establishment with scared steps, adjusting his appearance to look even smaller and more vulnerable than he already was. His small fists rubbed at his eyes as if he'd been crying. It wasn't subtle, but it didn't need to be. He just needed to lure out one of Nihil's people.

He hovered near the entrance, looking lost and afraid. Several patrons glanced his way, but most ignored him, too focused on their own miseries to care about a child's.

After several minutes, a man with a pockmarked face emerged from the tavern. His bleary eyes settled on Nova, narrowing with interest. A small tattoo on his neck marked him as one of Nihil's.

'Oh, right. Guess I was worried for nothing.'

"Hey kid," the man called, slurring his words slightly. "You lost?"

Nova didn't see a point in keeping the act up. His voice turned cold as he stood up straight. "I need to find someone."

The man didn't seem to notice the change. "Yeah? Who's that?" He took a step closer, bringing with him the smell of cheap liquor.

"Nihil," Nova said simply. His voice remained childlike but took on a sharper edge. "I have business with him."

The man froze, suddenly far more sober than he'd appeared moments before. His hand drifted toward a knife at his belt. "What's a brat like you want with the boss?"

"I'm going to meet with him," Nova stated simply. "Take me to him, and you'll live through the night."

Laughter burst from the man, echoing off the narrow street's walls. "You threatening me, kid? Did someone put you up to this?"

Nova didn't bother responding. Instead, he equipped the familiar fragment of Nova Noctis, sending his killing intent forward in a controlled wave. Not too much, but enough for him to be taken seriously.

The man's laughter died instantly as he felt the pressure bearing down on him. "W-what the fuck?" he whispered, taking an involuntary step back.

"Take me to Nihil," Nova repeated. "Now."

The man's hand trembled as he wiped sweat from his brow. "Follow me," he muttered. "But I can't promise he'll see you."

"He'll see me."

The criminal led Nova through a series of winding streets and narrow alleys. Every so often, he would glance back, as if hoping Nova had disappeared. But each time, the white-haired child was there, following silently with an unnerving steadiness.

They reached a large warehouse near the docks—a different one than Nova had visited during his previous encounter. Guards stood at attention near every entrance, keeping their hands near their weapons.

"Wait here," the man said, approaching one of the guards. They spoke in hushed tones, with the guard occasionally glancing toward Nova with obvious skepticism.

After several minutes of discussion, the guard nodded reluctantly and disappeared inside the warehouse. The pockmarked man returned to Nova's side, keeping a cautious distance.

"He's checking if the boss will see you," he explained. "Don't get your hopes up."

Nova said nothing. His eyes studied the warehouse, noting each entrance and exit. Through the windows, he could see movement inside—figures hurrying back and forth with surprising urgency.

'They're preparing for me,' he realized. 'Good. That means he knows who I am.'

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