The duo endured more than a few odd stares as they walked to the cathedral. Their tiny size compared to the large backpacks probably didn't do them any favors. Several merchants paused their morning preparations to watch the strange pair of children carrying supplies that would burden grown adventurers.

"People are staring," Anny muttered, adjusting her pack straps.

"I don't blame them," Nova replied with a shrug. "We do make an odd pair."

Soon after, the two arrived at the cathedral. It looked as impressive as ever, white and gold colors dancing together in harmony under the morning sun. The grand spires reached toward the heavens, adorned with intricate carvings of saints and angels.

Without caring much for ceremony, they both walked straight to the giant doors and passed through into the cool interior.

The cathedral's cavernous main hall stretched before them, filled with flickering candlelight and the faint scent of incense. Sunlight filtered through stained glass windows, casting jewel-toned patterns across the stone floor. The soft murmur of prayers echoed from distant corners.

Immediately, a holy woman dressed in white robes walked up to them. Her expression hardened as she took in their small forms and oversized packs. She was clearly prepared to throw them out by the looks of her stern expression.

Nova held a hand up before she could speak. "We're here to meet the bishop. We have an agreement about using the teleporter."

The woman studied him briefly, narrowing her eyes as she took in his unusual white hair and the confidence that didn't match his apparent age. Then she shook her head dismissively.

"Children, this is no place for jokes. I'll have to ask—"

Before the woman could finish her words, Anny had grown into her tall drakeling form, pushing the limits of her stretchable clothes. Red scales rippled across her skin as she towered over the holy woman, whose words died in her throat. Several nearby pilgrims gasped and backed away, making hurried signs of warding against their chests.

"We're not joking," Anny said, her transformed voice rumbling through the cathedral. "Would you mind showing us the way?"

The holy woman's face drained of color. Her mouth opened and closed several times before she found her voice again.

"H-How could you do that in here? This is sacred ground! The system isn't functioning here!" Her hands trembled as she clutched a holy symbol hanging around her neck.

"Oh, right, I forgot about that," Nova replied with an innocent smile. "We're not used to relying on the system, you see."

With a mixture of fear and curiosity, the woman stared at them both. Finally, she composed herself, smoothing the front of her robes with shaking hands.

"...Come with me, then. The bishop will want to see you either way."

'Nice! Just had to show off a bit,' Nova thought, exchanging a quick glance with Anny as they followed the flustered sister.

They walked to the side of the large open space inside, passing by rows of wooden pews and elaborate shrines dedicated to various saints. Candles flickered in recessed alcoves, creating dancing shadows along the walls. The cathedral's vastness made their footsteps echo, drawing curious looks from the scattered faithful at prayer.

'This is my first time being inside this place… Not nearly as grand as the halls of Damascus, but absolutely not bad.'

They reached a staircase leading up through the thick outer wall. The steps were worn smooth by centuries of use, and small lanterns in brass holders illuminated their path.

(I miss Sar sometimes. She always made sure things went smoothly.) Nova projected through their rings as they climbed.

Anny's mental voice came back clear and amused. (Well, there's a reason she became the archbishop. You can't expect everyone to have that kind of competence.)

(Too true...) Nova agreed as they continued their ascent.

The stairs wound upward through the stone, occasionally passing narrow windows that offered glimpses of the city beyond. After several twists and turns, they reached a corridor lined with tapestries depicting scenes from church history.

'There's a richer past here than I give this place credit for. Crusades to the outlands, saints falling in battle, ancient relics retrieved from wars, and centuries of maintaining the order… The exact order I'm aiming to destroy.'

They soon reached a modestly sized but ornate door at the end of the hallway. The heavy wood was carved with intricate religious symbols and polished brass fixtures. The holy woman knocked on it lightly, barely making a sound against the massive door.

"Excuse me, Bishop Farley," She spoke loudly at the door, stealing glances at Anny's drakeling form. "I have two... visitors, here to see you."

A muffled voice responded from within. "Visitors? Send them in."

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She opened the door and signaled for the two to walk inside, carefully avoiding looking at Anny's transformed appearance.

The bishop's chamber was surprisingly modest compared to the cathedral's grandeur. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with leather-bound volumes and scrolls. A simple desk dominated the center of the room, covered with neat stacks of parchment and writing implements.

The bishop stood behind his desk with a curious look, which soon turned to understanding as he saw Nova enter. He was an older man, clean shaven, with kind eyes behind glasses with thick round lenses. His simple robes bore only a small emblem of his office.

"Ahh, the little angel! What brings you here?" he asked, sounding more welcoming and warm than Nova expected.

Nova stepped forward, setting his heavy pack down with a muted thud. "I wanted to borrow your teleportation formation to go to Bergrott. Would that be okay?"

The bishop's eyebrows rose slightly, then his face brightened. "Oh, that shouldn't be a problem."

"Great!" A smile of relief spread across Nova's face. He had expected some resistance after hearing Sar talk about the bishop in the past.

The bishop cleared his throat, adjusting his glasses. "For just three thousand Soul Power. Special price."

Nova's smile froze. "...What?"

"Yes!" The bishop spread his hands joyfully, as if he was doing them a favor. "It's barely enough to cover the cost, but I think you deserve it."

"The cost? All it needs to do is gather essence," Nova countered, knowing full well the functions of such a formation.

"Ah, but you must consider the time it will be out of use after you leave, plus the registration fee and the wear on our formation." The bishop's tone remained pleasant, but his eyes had taken on a calculating gleam. "We'll skip the outsider fee since you're a good friend of the church."

Nova and Anny exchanged glances.

(...You wanna fly instead?) Nova asked.

(Sounds good to me.) Anny replied immediately.

Nova turned back to the bishop with an exaggerated smile. "Well, thank you ever so much for the offer, Bishop Fartley. But I'm afraid we'll have to turn it down."

"It's Farley," the bishop corrected, losing some of the warmth in his smile. "And that is a shame. I wish I could have decreased the cost further, but it simply isn't feasible."

"No, I understand, Bishop Fartley," Nova replied, shouldering his pack once more. "We'll be taking our leave, then."

The bishop's smile thinned at the repeated mispronunciation. "I wish you safe travels! Sister Hilda will see you out."

Sister Hilda saw them out, maintaining a careful distance from Anny's drakeling form. As they descended the stairs, Anny returned to her usual form, letting the fabric of her clothes get a deserved rest.

"Damn, I didn't expect him to be that greedy," Nova muttered once they were outside the cathedral again.

"You think he was just bluffing?" Anny asked, squinting against the bright sunlight after the dim interior.

"Obviously. If I could charge three thousand Soul Power for the use of a teleportation formation, all our problems would be gone."

Anny paused at the top of the steps, adjusting her pack as she looked thoughtfully across the city sprawled below them. "Maybe that's something to think about?"

Nova shook his head. "No one could afford it, silly."

"Not at three thousand, sure. But what about three hundred?" Anny persisted, counting off on her fingers as if already calculating potential revenue.

Nova descended a few steps, running his hand along the smooth stone railing worn by centuries of faithful hands. "That's enough to hire fifteen people full time for an entire year. Few would even pay twenty."

"Well, we do need to explore other sources of revenue," Anny countered, following him down. Her footsteps were light despite her pack's weight. "Maybe a network of teleportation formations would be worth more than you think?"

"A network?" Nova considered the possibility as they reached the middle landing. "Hmm, possibly. But these are formations I would have to set up myself, including updating them every time a new location is added to the network."

"Or you could create a hub where all portals lead to, letting people choose their destination on their own."

Nova tilted his head, weighing the technical challenges. "Maybe."

The solution had merit, but the cost of setting everything up would be substantial.

They reached the bottom of the steps, standing now in the cathedral's wide courtyard. Peddlers sold candles and prayer beads from small carts, while city folk hurried past on their morning errands. The scents of fresh bread from a nearby bakery mingled with incense drifting from the cathedral doors.

"But let's discuss that later. We should get going," Nova said, glancing up at the sun's position. "I suspect I'll be the one who has to fly us there?"

Anny's eyes traveled up to the clear blue expanse above them. "You're still the fastest. Your sylph wings are almost a cheat when it comes to long-distance travel."

"Well, you'll have to hang on to my legs, then." He began shifting his heavy pack to his front, securing the straps so it wouldn't slip during flight.

"With pleasure." Anny's grin widened as she adjusted her own pack's straps, ensuring everything was secure for the journey ahead.

Nova rolled his shoulders, feeling the familiar tingle as his essence gathered between his shoulder blades, releasing his wings. They unfurled from his back in a graceful arc, shimmering with prismatic light where the sun struck them. The air around him stirred in response, creating a small whirlwind that sent fallen leaves dancing across the courtyard stones.

A collective gasp rose from nearby onlookers. Children pointed excitedly, while adults stared in amazement or made warding gestures against their chests. Within moments, a small crowd had gathered at a respectful distance, murmuring among themselves.

Ignoring the growing audience, Nova focused on his essence, letting power flow into the sylph wings. Then, with practiced ease, he rose from the ground, hovering a short meter above the courtyard.

Anny stepped beneath him, reaching up to grasp his ankles firmly. Nova lifted slowly, bringing her up from the ground. It wasn't the most comfortable way to travel, but neither of them seemed to mind.

"Have you gotten heavier?" Nova asked as he adjusted to her weight.

"Ha ha ha. It's the backpack, and you know it." She gave his ankle a warning squeeze, just shy of painful.

Nova grinned down at her. "Aren't you too mature to take that as an insult?"

"Not from you."

"Fair enough. Hold on tight."

With those words, Nova's wings beat downward with sudden force. The air compressed beneath them like a solid thing, throwing up dust and scattered leaves in a swirling vortex. The onlookers stepped back hastily, shielding their eyes as the pair shot upward into the sky, rapidly becoming smaller against the vast blue expanse above Collport.

Nova flapped his wings once again, sending them flying toward the southwestern direction, nearly following the coast.

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