Kaylee and I brought Cally to the drawing room. Along the way, I ordered the servants to prepare a room for our new and unexpected guest. With the addition of Cally, things were starting to get a little cramped at the House Sturm townhouse. This many guests put a burden on the servants. However, neither Kally nor myself considered turning Cally away. She was our friend and comrade.

That said, perhaps I needed to meet with Crawford and leave for Eastwatch sooner rather than later. This would ease the servants' burden, and free up room in the townhouse.

When we arrived at the drawing room, Kaylee sat right next to Cally, while I sat across from them. We didn't bother with tea since it was so late. Instead, we opted for wine. Watered down wine, since both Kaylee and Cally were still young. While they were mentally much older, they still had the bodies of fourteen year-olds.

"So," I said after taking a sip of my wine. "Tell us. Why did you run away from home?"

"Yes," Kaylee said, looking concerned. "Did something happen?"

Cally nodded and heaved a sigh.

"I got into an argument with my parents," she said. "After thinking about it for a while, I decided not to attend the Solarian Imperial Academy."

I raised an eyebrow at her, before sharing a look with Kaylee.

"Why not?" my sister demanded. "The Solarian Imperial Academy is the most prestigious academic institution in the entire Solarian Empire. Graduating from there can guarantee a bright and prosperous future for anyone."

Cally snorted.

"Under normal circumstances, yes," she said. "However, these aren't normal circumstances. Or have you forgotten why we regressed?"

Neither Kaylee nor I had an answer to that.

"With everything going on," Cally continued. "I realized that attending the Solarian Imperial Academy would be a waste of time. Yes, it would guarantee my future and elevate my House's standing. However, that's less important than dealing with the demonic threat." She gestured to Kaylee. "You come from a great House. The connections and alliances you make at the Solarian Imperial Academy will be a great boon in the fight against the demons. However, I come from a regional House. I would need to work twice as hard for half the result, or even less."

After thinking about it some more, I decided that she was right. House Icefall had a great deal of influence in their home region, but little outside of it. Even if she made connections and forged alliances, they would be with other regional Houses. At best, she'd befriend scions from a lesser House.

That, or she'd be known as Kaylee's lackey. Cruel, but true. That was how high society worked.

"But I was looking forward to spending more time with you," Kaylee said, sounding despondent. "Do you know how much I've missed you?"

Cally gave her a fond smile.

"I've missed you as well, and I looked forward to attending the academy with you." Her expression hardened. "However, I'm better off remaining as an adventurer and fighting the demons that way."

"I know, but…" Kaylee started to say, before trailing off. She grabbed Cally's free hand and laid her head on the latter's shoulder. "I understand. Sometimes, we need to make sacrifices for the greater good."

"I assume your parents opposed your decision," I said.

Cally grimaced and nodded.

"Yes," she said. "We argued for several days after I told them. They even planned on confining me until the new semester started, but I ran away before they could. And that's how I ended up here." She patted Kaylee's hand. "Thankfully, I had your letter. Otherwise, I wouldn't have even gotten into the Sun District, let alone make it to this place."

Kaylee snuggled closer to Cally.

"Regardless, I'm glad you're here now," she said.

"Perfect timing too," I said. "Anna and I are planning on going to Eastwatch to deal with a situation there. You can join us."

Cally blinked at me.

"Eastwatch?" she asked. "Why? That place isn't supposed to fall for another five or six years."

I looked at Kaylee.

"You didn't tell her?" I asked.

Kaylee scoffed.

"Of course not," she said. "What if someone intercepted the letter? I planned on telling her after she arrived."

Cally looked between the two of us.

"Tell me what?" she asked.

My sister and I shared a look, before I gestured for her to take the lead here. Kaylee gave Cally a brief summary of my deal with Crawford. Rather, she attempted to. However, as soon as she mentioned Crawford's name, the temperature in the drawing room plummeted.

"What?!" Cally asked, scowling. "That scoundrel is here? And you sought him out? Voluntarily?"

Kaylee sighed.

"Yes, I did," she said. "It was necessary at the time. Even if it wasn't, we needed to meet with him anyway. He's one of us. More than that, his network extends to almost every corner of the Solarian Empire. You know that as well as I do."

Cally's scowl deepened.

"That didn't mean you needed to see him yourself," she said. "You should've left it up to Anna or Gabriel."

Kaylee shook her head.

"It was the fastest way to meet him," she said. "A life was at stake."

Cally frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Kaylee continued with her summary. As she spoke, Cally calmed down and the temperature in the drawing room returned to normal.

"I see," Cally said. "While I still don't like your decision, I understand why you made that choice." She made a disgusted sound. "I should've kept the bastard frozen for longer."

Oh, right. When we met with Crawford, Kaylee mentioned that Cally once froze most of Crawford's body, leaving his head free.

"What did Crawford do?" I asked, unable to contain my curiosity any longer.

"He-" Cally started to say, but Kaylee cut her off.

"Don't," she said.

"But-"

Kaylee gave Cally a warning look.

"Don't," she repeated. "It's my business. I'll tell Gabriel in my own time."

Cally looked frustrated, but nodded. I looked between the two of them.

"Why can't you tell me now?" I demanded.

"If I do, you'll want to kill Crawford," Kaylee said. "We can't have that, since you're going to be working with him in the near future."

I narrowed my eyes at her.

"I want to kill him now," I said. "It's clear that he did something to you. That alone is enough for me to hold a grudge against him."

Cally gave me a look of approval.

"Gabriel," Kaylee said, giving me a serious look. "Drop it."

I held my sister's gaze for several moments, before sighing.

"Fine," I said. "However, you're telling me the truth after Eastwatch."

Kaylee nodded.

"Very well," she said.

Silence fell over the drawing room. Cally and I were both frustrated, while Kaylee refused to budge. However, before the silence turned awkward, Cally spoke up again.

"So, what else have I missed?" she asked. "Your letter didn't say much and the Icefall region is far from Sunheart, so I haven't heard much."

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Kaylee and I took turns telling Cally everything that happened ever since I left the Icefall region with my parents. My engagement with Anna, founding Clan Sturm, the secret alliance with House Montgomery, etc. Other than making the occasional comment, Cally sipped her wine and listened.

"You two have been busy," she said. "Meanwhile, I've just been lounging around at home. I feel ashamed of myself."

I shook my head.

"You were spending time with your family," I said. "Nothing wrong with that."

"Even so," Cally said, still unconvinced.

"Think of it like this," Kaylee said. "You were reminding yourself why we're fighting the demons in the first place: to protect our loved ones."

Cally smiled at my sister.

"Thank you," she said. "You always know what to say to cheer me up."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Cally was clearly biased towards Kaylee. Then again, considering the bond they shared, I didn't blame her.

"Is there anything else?" Cally asked. "Or is that it?"

She took a sip of her wine.

"Gabriel found the Spider and befriended him," Kaylee said with a mischievous grin.

Cally choked on her wine and started coughing. She thumped her chest a few times to clear her throat.

"What?" Cally asked, voice rough.

She gave my sister an incredulous look.

"What's wrong?" Kaylee asked with a faux innocent expression on her face.

Cally looked between me and my sister.

"Is this a joke?" she asked, sounding uncertain. "If so, it's not a funny one."

I sighed.

"No, it's not a joke," I said. "I befriended Harvey, or the Spider as you knew him in the First Timeline. However, I didn't know who he was at the time." I gestured to my sister. "Neither did Kaylee, until we gave him a haircut." I gave Cally a hard look. "Not that it matters. Before you say anything, Harvey is nothing like the Spider you know. In this timeline, he's a shy boy with low confidence."

While I didn't say it outright, the 'Leave him alone' was implied. Cally gave Kaylee a questioning look. My sister nodded.

"Yes, it's true," she said. "Harvey isn't the Spider yet." She gave me a sideways glance. "And it's unlikely he'll ever become the Spider, thanks to my brother's interference."

Cally put her wine down and rubbed her forehead.

"How do you keep doing this?" she asked, looking right at me.

I tilted my head.

"What do you mean?"

"Somehow, you keep making connections, or already have one, with key figures from the First Timeline," Cally said with a serious expression on her face. "Me, Anna, Kaylee, Blood Demon, and now the Spider." She gestured to my sister. "Hell, you even met Crawford thanks to your sister. Don't you find this strange?"

She… made a good point.

"I don't know," I said in a quiet voice. "Maybe this is all a coincidence, or maybe there are greater forces at work." I shrugged. "In the end, it doesn't matter. All I care about is protecting my loved ones and saving Lumina. Everything else is secondary."

After a while, Cally nodded.

"You're right," she said. "Still, if there is something more going on, you should at least be aware of it." She gestured to herself and Kaylee. "Your sister and I know that we're instruments of the gods' will. What about you?"

I nodded.

"Perhaps you're right," I said. "Still, we can worry about that later. Why don't we get you settled in? We have a party going on. Feel free to join us if you want."

With that, Kaylee and I helped Cally settle in. Afterwards, Cally decided to rest in her room instead of joining the party. My sister stayed with her while I tended to the others.

And that was how we spent the rest of the evening before heading to bed.

The next day, I sent a message to Crawford, asking to meet with him some time soon. He agreed and proposed a date a few days later. I accepted, before informing Kaylee, Cally, and Anna about the meeting.

Afterwards, I spent the next few days settling my affairs and preparing for my departure for Eastwatch. In addition to the journey itself, I also finished with all the work necessary for Clan Sturm. Mother and I had already done most of it, so I spent the next few days dealing with the rest. Mother, realizing that I was planning to leave soon, didn't say anything. However, her demeanor made it obvious that she was worried about me.

I also ensured that Harvey and the twins wouldn't suffer in my absence. I trained with all three of them to ensure that they had a solid foundation before I left. That way, they'd make progress even while I was gone. However, I hadn't anticipated the… difficulties I ended up facing.

The twins threw themselves into training with great enthusiasm. Too much enthusiasm. In order for them to switch over to the Swirling Mist cultivation technique, which Teacher created specifically for the Mist Sword style, I asked them to unravel their cultivation. They already cultivated with one of Clan Thorne's cultivation techniques.

To avoid any conflicts or difficulties in their cultivation going forward, they needed to start all over again and lose all their progress thus far. While difficult, it wasn't as bad as losing their mana core. They didn't need to go that far.

To my surprise, and alarm, the twins didn't hesitate to unravel their cultivation. In fact, they were eager to. So much so that they almost injured themselves in the process. By some minor miracle, they made it through alright.

After making sure they were okay, I lectured them both on their reckless behavior. When I finished, I made them kneel with both of their arms raised in the air for the rest of the day as punishment.

Training Harvey proved both more and less difficult. The latter because he was more obedient and less reckless than the twins. The former because he was embarrassingly out of shape.

In order to form a mana core, Harvey needed to temper his body and reach a minimum level of fitness. Otherwise, he would die. The problem was, he grew winded after a short lap. That was how unfit he was. I anticipated something like this, since Harvey was a thin scholar who spent more time reading and studying than exercising, but I hadn't realized it would be this bad.

Even Training Elixirs wouldn't help, since they also required a minimum level of fitness to use. This wasn't a problem for most people, since they met that requirement. Even I met that requirement, back when I first returned to Lumina, after going through the Incident. That's how low it was. However, Harvey didn't. Honestly, I found it kind of impressive, in a morbid sort of way.

If I compared Harvey's situation to a race, he was someone who hadn't even made it to the starting line.

Dealing with Harvey and the twins gave me a headache on the first day. Despite this, I made an effort to keep my annoyance and frustration in check. Lashing out wouldn't help anyone. So, I mustered my patience and kept going.

Things improved in the following days. The twins learned their lesson and didn't rush ahead. While they remained enthusiastic, they weren't as reckless. I gave them each two manuals: one for the Swirling Mist cultivation technique and one for the first volume of the Mist Sword style. I wrote these out some time after I made my deal with Grand Elder Luther.

Afterwards, I gave the twins a demonstration of the manuals' contents, including the one for Swirling Mist. The cultivation technique that I practiced, the Storm Dragon technique, was a variation of the Swirling Mist technique, so there was a lot of overlap. When I finished, I tasked them with studying the manuals and practicing their contents. I then turned my attention to Harvey.

Dealing with him was simpler. I just needed to put him through an exercise routine that increased his physical fitness, one that pushed him to his limits. Whenever he faltered, I pushed him to keep going. However, I made sure not to push him too far. Otherwise, I'd achieve the opposite effect.

Harvey endured all this without complaint, his eyes burned with determination.

The twins also gave Harvey advice and guidance. After all, they were his seniors when it came to martial arts. Their help encouraged Harvey and helped him make the most of his training. This also strengthened the bond between the three, which reassured me.

Cally made herself at home in the House Sturm townhouse, settling in without issue. She spent her days with Kaylee, the two of them making up for lost time. I was a little worried that something would happen when she met Harvey. However, my worries proved unfounded. She was a little stiff and awkward around him, but otherwise remained polite and civil. That was enough.

The days passed like this, one after another, until it came time for my meeting with Crawford.

The meeting took place at noon, in Crawford's home. Well, home was an understatement. His residence was so opulent and luxurious, it rivaled the mansions and manors of most Houses. Due to the lack of windows, it was easy to forget that the entire place was underground.

In addition to myself, Leroy, Kaylee, and Anna, Cally joined us for this meeting. After discussing it with her, we decided that she would come with us to Eastwatch. We worked well together in the Icefall region, so I saw no reason not to include her. Besides, she was a regressor, so the situation in Eastwatch concerned her as well.

The five of us met up in the Earth District, before we headed to The Crow's Nest, the tavern that Crawford owned. To avoid attracting attention, Kaylee wore a nondescript outfit while the rest of us wore our adventuring gear. My sister and I also wore hoods to hide our distinctive hair. When we arrived at The Crow's Nest, we met with Dagger, one of Crawford's people. She led us through the secret passageway that led to his residence.

Crawford himself met us in the front hall. He wore an outfit similar to the one he wore when we first met: a white shirt with the collar left open, a pair of black pants, and black boots. A gold earring dangled from his right ear.

The moment he saw us, Crawford gave us a charming smile. Rather, he gave my sister a charming smile while ignoring the rest of us.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Lady Kaylee," Crawford said, in a suave voice.

"Crawford," Kaylee said, an indifferent expression on his face.

Anna scoffed.

"Ugh, look at him," she said, scowling. "Acting all chummy, as if we've forgotten what he's done."

Crawford's smile stiffened and he glanced at Anna, a cold look in his eyes.

"Maybe I should freeze an arm or a leg," Cally said. "Just for good measure."

She didn't sound like she was joking. In response, Dagger pulled out a pair of… daggers.

"I don't know what they teach you House scions," Dagger said in a languid tone. "But the rest of us consider it rude to threaten a person in their own home."

Crawford sighed.

"Dagger, it's fine," he said. "Lady Cally was just joking. She and I are old friends."

Cally gagged.

"Don't say that," she said. "People might get the wrong idea and think I like you."

"Enough," Kaylee snapped. "We have business to attend to. Stop playing around."

I crossed my arms and grinned.

"Oh no," I said. "This is all rather entertaining. Keep going."

Crawford and Cally both gave me sharp looks. Meanwhile, Anna shared my grin and Kaylee rolled her eyes. Leroy just sighed. Dagger kept her attention on Cally, daggers still drawn.

"Lady Kaylee is right," Crawford said, focusing on my sister again. "Please, follow me." He looked at Dagger. "Return to The Crow's Nest."

Dagger glanced at him.

"You sure, Boss?" she asked.

Crawford nodded. With reluctance, Dagger sheathed her daggers again and headed out. However, she gave Cally a hard look before she left.

With that, the rest of us followed Crawford. He brought us to a large library deep within the residence. It took up two floors, with a balcony wrapped around the second floor. Large glowstone chandeliers filled the library with warm yellow light. Plush rugs covered the hardwood floor. Large floor-to-ceiling bookshelves occupied both floors. They were filled with books that covered a variety of topics.

A long wooden table occupied the center of the first floor. A map of the city of Eastwatch covered most of it.

Crawford gestured for us to sit at the table. Kaylee and Cally sat next to each other, while I sat next to Anna. Crawford walked over and stood at the head of the table. Instead of sitting down, Leroy opted to stand behind me.

"So, what's the situation in Eastwatch?" I asked without preamble. "When we last met, you said that one of your people died while looking into suspicious activity."

Crawford nodded, a serious expression on his face.

"Yes," he said. "To put it simply, people are going missing in Eastwatch and I think the ruling House is involved."

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