After Crawford's bombshell of a statement, the rest of us glanced at one another.

"That's a bold accusation," I said. "And a concerning one."

Crawford gave me a sharp smile.

"Why?" he asked in a mocking tone. "You find it difficult to believe that one of your precious Houses could be involved in anything untoward?"

I snorted.

"Hardly," I said. "If the House that rules Eastwatch is involved with the disappearances that you mentioned, then that will make it more difficult to deal with the situation." I returned Crawford's sharp smile with one of my own. "I don't know what you have against the Houses, but I am a transmigrator. Keep that in mind going forward."

Crawford looked taken aback by my words, before he cleared his throat.

"You're right," he said. "I apologize for my rudeness. I let my prejudices get the better of me."

I raised an eyebrow at that. He was prejudiced against the Houses, but wanted to romance my sister? That was an odd contradiction. My intuition told me that Crawford had a complicated history. Not that it mattered to me. All I cared about was keeping him away from my sister.

"Start from the beginning," Kaylee said. "How did you find out about these disappearances? And why do you think House Sandstrike is involved?"

House Sandstrike? Oh, right! That was the House that ruled Eastwatch. I had almost forgotten about them since they never had any dealings with House Sturm. It took me a moment to recall what I knew about them. They specialized in Earth magic, using sand in particular.

In fact, a collateral family of House Sandstrike used both Earth magic and Fire magic to create beautiful glasswork. They made a tidy profit by selling their pieces to minor nobles and House scions that visited Eastwatch.

"Make it quick," Anna said in a sardonic tone. "Just breathing the same air as you makes me sick."

She leaned her chair back and placed her feet on the table. Crawford glared at her.

"I understand that you and Lady Cally despise me for what I did," he said. "However, don't push me too far, Lady Annabelle. I'm only willing to endure so much abuse."

Anna snorted, but didn't say anything. After making sure that no one else would interrupt him, Crawford began speaking.

"I first learned of the situation when my people in Eastwatch noticed something strange," he said. "Several months ago, people started disappearing in Eastwatch. At first, it was only a few here and there. However, as time went on, it became more common. By this point, the number has reached about two dozen per week."

"Two dozen a week?" I asked. "That's not a small number. How has no one else noticed anything?"

Crawford gave me a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"The people going missing are all either commoners, or minor nobles at most," he said. "People of little consequence in the grand scheme of things." He shook his head. "It doesn't help that the people who went missing were all outsiders visiting Eastwatch, not residents."

"Even so," Kaylee said. "Those people had loved ones and friends, people who cared for them. Someone must have noticed something."

Crawford nodded.

"A few have," he said. "However, House Sandstrike hasn't done anything about the disappearances. In fact, they've done their best to suppress news of the situation. That is one of the reasons why I believe they're involved somehow."

"Not necessarily," I said. "Eastwatch is a popular vacation destination. If I recall, that's House Sandstrike's primary source of income." I glanced at Kaylee for confirmation, since she was more familiar with them than I was. She nodded. "If word gets out that people are disappearing in Eastwatch, no one will want to visit anymore. House Sandstrike could be suppressing news of the disappearances to prevent that from happening. Still terrible, though." I frowned. "However, I agree that it is suspicious."

Crawford gestured to me.

"I considered that possibility as well, Lord Gabriel," he said. "Which was why I sent one of my personal subordinates to investigate further. However, he didn't get very far before someone killed him."

"Who'd you send?" Anna asked. "Just out of curiosity."

Crawford's expression turned melancholic.

"Jackson," he said, his voice laced with pain.

Anna made a disappointed noise.

"Aw, I liked Jackson," she said. "Unlike you, he had a sense of humor."

"He also made the best blueberry pies," Cally said.

Kaylee sighed.

"The situation must be more dangerous than it appears on the surface if Jackson died," she said, sounding sorrowful.

"It's my fault for sending him there by himself," Crawford said in a quiet voice. "If I sent Dagger with him, perhaps he would've survived."

A strange feeling filled me as the others talked about this Jackson, someone they must've known in the First Timeline. For some reason, this made me feel like an outsider. An intruder.

The four of them shared a bond that I could never be a part of. They endured the literal end of the world together. I understood that. However, I couldn't help but feel excluded, and a little lonely as a result.

I thought of my team back on Earth. I shared a similar bond with them. We fought countless battles together, going through thick and thin. Along with Teacher, they were the closest thing to family I had on Earth. I felt a deep longing to see them again, but I knew it would never happen.

A lump formed in my throat. In that moment, I missed my team so much that it hurt.

A warm hand grabbed my own and pulled me out of my thoughts. I looked over and found Anna looking at me with a concerned expression on her face.

"Are you okay?" she mouthed.

I started to shake my head, but stopped.

"I'll be fine," I mouthed back.

Anna still looked worried, but didn't press it. However, she didn't let go of my hand. Her warmth drove away the pain. While I still missed my team, her presence helped me remember that I had people who loved me here on Lumina. I wasn't alone.

I focused on the others. It appeared that they hadn't noticed the little byplay between Anna and I. Or if they had, they pretended not to.

"To get back on topic," Crawford said. "Jackson didn't get far into his investigation before he died. However, he uncovered one important clue: all of the people who disappeared were attractive young men and women."

I frowned.

"How do we know that this is related to the demons?" I asked. "This could be an illegal slavery ring. Given what we know, that seems more likely."

Slavery was illegal in the Solarian Empire, by decree of the Sun Emperor himself. This was one of the few times he directly involved himself in the Empire's governance. Despite this, slavery still existed in one form or another. It lingered in the dark corners of the Solarian Empire.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"I don't," Crawford admitted. "However, I have a hunch. Eastwatch fell too quickly in the First Timeline. It barely put up a fight before the demons destroyed it. The city had long rotted from the inside before that point. I suspect that these disappearances are related to that somehow."

"A hunch?" Anna asked in a scornful tone. "You want to send us to Eastwatch on a hunch? What a joke."

"I'm not opposed to looking into this matter," I said. "At worst, even if these disappearances aren't related to the demons, we would still help innocent people."

Anna scowled at me.

"Well, when you put it like that, you make me sound like a scoundrel," she said.

I shrugged, before I gave her a smile. Anna rolled her eyes, but kept holding my hand.

"Gabriel is right," Kaylee said. "This matter is still worth looking into. If nothing else, we can confirm for ourselves whether or not the disappearances are related to the demons."

Crawford raised an eyebrow at her.

"'We?'" he asked. "I thought you weren't going."

Kaylee shook her head.

"I'm not," she said. "However, I can still offer help from behind the scenes. While House Sandstrike rules Eastwatch, they're not the only ones with a presence there. A collateral family of House Ironward lives in the city. The heir of House Ironward is a classmate of mine. I can ask him for help with this matter."

This was why connections mattered. While all of us were powerful in our own right, having help and support made things much easier. House Ironward were artificers. They specialized in creating enchanted items, defensive ones in particular.

"Sounds like a good idea to me," I said.

"What about the Murim side of things?" Cally asked. "Do the Clans have a presence in Eastwatch?"

I looked at Anna, the one most familiar with Murim in this entire room.

"Not really, no," she said, shaking her head. "Eastwatch is a vacation destination. There aren't a lot of opportunities to fight and grow stronger over there, so the Clans aren't interested in it. I mean, they visit the city, sure. They enjoy a good vacation like anyone else. However, no Clan has a permanent presence there. At least, not to my knowledge. Perhaps we'll find a few wandering martial artists, but that's it."

Wait a moment.

"Does this mean that the Adventurers Guild doesn't have a presence in Eastwatch?" I asked.

Anna nodded. I clicked my tongue with disappointment.

"Damn it," I said. "I planned on disguising us as a group of wandering adventurers and using that as our cover."

Anna raised an eyebrow.

"Is that even necessary?" she asked. "Why not just go as ourselves?"

I shook my head.

"That would attract too much attention," I said. "If House Sandstrike is involved in the disappearances, our arrival will make them more alert. Not only that, but if the demons are involved, then the demons worshipers are as well. They know that we disrupted their plans in the Icefall region. They would either try to eliminate us, or lay low and wait for us to leave."

"That's not necessarily true," Cally said. "However, it is better to be safe than sorry. Disguising ourselves is a good idea." She played with a strand of her snow-white hair. "We do stand out."

I pinched my chin.

"In that case, how should we disguise ourselves?" I asked. "A family on vacation? That seems common enough. We shouldn't attract too much attention that way."

"Oh!" Anna said. "I have an idea. We could be a married couple, while Leroy and Cally would be our siblings. No, cousins. That's more believable."

I blinked at her in surprise. Pretending to be a married couple with Anna? Now that sounded like a wonderful idea!

"You're incorrigible," Cally said, rolling her eyes.

"What?" Anna asked, giving her an indignant look. "It's a good idea."

Kaylee snorted.

"You just want to use this as an opportunity to seduce my brother," she said.

Too late. That ship sailed a long time ago.

"I mean, yeah," Anna said without an ounce of shame. "Fate gave me this chance. Why wouldn't I take it? Besides, Gabriel and I are engaged, which means we're already halfway married."

Kaylee sighed.

"That's not how that works, and you know it," she said. "I still find it difficult to believe that you're going to become my sister-in-law." She looked at me. "Are you sure you don't want to reconsider marrying this one?"

I lifted Anna's hand towards my lips and kissed the back of it.

"There's nothing to reconsider," I said.

Anna's expression melted.

"Aw!" she said. "You're so sweet. What did I do to deserve you?"

Everyone else made gagging noises, including Leroy.

"Please stop," Cally said. "I can't take any more of this."

Anna and I snorted in unison, but we said nothing.

"Would you be able to procure new identities, as well as some disguise rings?" I asked Crawford.

While I could ask my parents for help, they were busy with their own affairs. I didn't want to burden them even further. We were better off relying on Crawford.

"What makes you think I'm capable of that?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

I smiled at him.

"I'm sure you have all kinds of connections," I said. "Procuring what we need should be simple for a man of your talents."

Crawford scoffed.

"You think I'm someone who can be swayed by a bit of flattery?" he asked.

"Yes."

Crawford paused.

"Well, you're right." He made some quick calculations. "I can get everything you need. However, it will take me a few days."

I sighed. Now that I knew people were disappearing on a weekly basis, if not a daily one, investigating the situation in Eastwatch became more urgent in my mind. However, we needed to be careful. If the ones responsible discovered our presence and decided to run, we'd never be able to bring them to justice.

"We will, of course, compensate you for the trouble," Kaylee said.

Crawford flashed her a smile.

"There's no need, Lady Kaylee. For you, I'm more than willing to forgo any form of compensation. We are comrades in arms, after all."

Anna and Cally scowled at Crawford, while Kaylee remained indifferent.

"Very well," my sister said. "Thank you for your generosity, Crawford." She stood up. "If that's all, we should go. We have a lot to do, and not enough time in which to do it."

Crawford pouted.

"Do you really have to go?" he asked. "Why not stay and share a drink? Talk about old times?"

"No," Kaylee said, shutting him down.

Crawford looked disappointed by this, but recovered his composure right away.

"Very well," he said. "Until next time, Lady Kaylee. Hopefully, you'll be more amenable by then." He looked to the rest of us. "When I have everything ready, I'll send them to your respective homes. I'll also give you a way to contact my people in Eastwatch. They're not fighters or warriors, but they'll help you get situated."

I nodded, before I followed Kaylee's example and stood up. Anna and Cally followed suit. With that, we left Crawford's residence and headed back home.

I spent the next few days finalizing all the necessary preparations, before leaving for Eastwatch. Helping Mother with Clan Sturm, training Harvey and the twins, and so on. I also made sure to inform Andre, Richard, Lorelei, and Corrie about my trip. They offered to come along and help. However, I refused.

I was tempted. All of them were skilled martial artists, which could prove useful in Eastwatch. More importantly, I trusted all of them. However, that was the reason why I wanted them to stay with my family.

I needed them to help Mother with Clan Sturm, as well as watch over Harvey and the twins in my absence. Besides, Lorelei and Corrie were Mother's students, so it wasn't as if they could leave her to go gallivanting across the Solarian Empire. The four of them were disappointed by my decision, but accepted it.

Informing Harvey and the twins proved more difficult. When I told them that I planned on leaving for a while, Everard and Evelynn clung to me and insisted on coming along as well. Despite my attempts to convince them otherwise, they refused to let go. Harvey chose another approach. He put on a sad puppy expression and tried to guilt trip me.

In the end, I told Harvey and the twins that they were too weak to help me in their current state. If they wanted to be of use, they needed to train and get stronger. I felt like a dick for saying it, but it was true. With their current strength, the three of them would prove more of a hindrance than anything, Harvey in particular.

When I saw their hurt expressions, I resisted the urge to apologize. Coddling them too much would only hinder their growth. However, to my surprise, Harvey and the twins bounced back right away. They promised to train hard and grow stronger while I was gone. When I heard this, I smiled. It appeared that I was worried for nothing.

While I dealt with all this, Kaylee made her own preparations. She sent a message to the heir to House Ironward, asking for his help. He sent back a positive reply, along with a letter of introduction. As long as we brought the letter of introduction to the House Ironward collateral family that resided in Eastwatch, they'd be obligated to help us. There were limits to this of course, and House Sturm now owed House Ironward a favor as a result, but it was better than nothing. We didn't know what we were getting into, so any aid was appreciated.

And so the days passed, one after the other, until I received a package from Crawford. It contained the details of my new identity, two disguise rings, and a letter.

According to the letter, one of the disguise rings would give me average looks, perfect for investigating Eastwatch. The other disguise ring would change my hair and eye color, but nothing else. That way, I could still hide my true identity but use myself as bait if necessary.

I understood the logic behind this. I mean, the ones behind the disappearances were targeting attractive young men and women. I certainly qualified. However, using myself as bait was risky. I considered it a last resort, in case our investigation led nowhere.

When I tried on the first disguise ring, I chuckled. Like the one that Father acquired for me, before I left for the Icefall region, this one made me look like Brandon Norwood. The other one made me look like Grandfather Gabriel. It gave me red hair and green eyes. Considering House Sturm's poor relationship with Clan Leone, I wondered if this was Crawford's idea of a joke. Still, it would do.

With that, we finished any last minute preparations and said our goodbyes, before taking an airship to the city of Eastwatch.

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