Evelyn

  ***

  I’ve been stupid. Even though there are no demons near the capital, normal crimes will still happen even with the city guard patrolling the streets. I know that I can’t save everyone but that doesn’t mean I’ll let innocents get hurt if I can help it.

  A week after Mr. Hopkins informed the css, I’ve been on the lookout after school for any creeps abducting kids. So far, there has been no luck. Luckily no students have been taken, but unluckily that means the Shadows won’t get involved. Their job is to protect the Empire as a whole. As cold as it is to say, they can’t simply abandon their duties to look for a few kids. Because of that, and due to 38 being elsewhere, I’m dealing with this by myself.

  Flying around the city, invisible as a magical girl isn’t working. I have stopped some petty crime, but no signs of the kidnappers. After day four, I overheard some guards talking about another victim. Knowing that I wasn’t finding anywhere I decided to do a B&E. In the dead of night, I squeezed into the local guard headquarters through a window and did some snooping. With so few people around, and since they were actively looking into the kidnappings, it was easy enough to find reports on it.

  Let’s see… Seven victims in total. They were children from ages five to thirteen across the city. As for the time they were reported missing, it was usually nearing night time when they were expected to be home. In all likelihood, they were taken during the day, so my night patrols were likely useless. Good to know.

  It seems like they’ve been checking people leaving the city, so they’re still within the walls, that is unless they manage to find a gap in the defenses. Now, how often and how many are being taken? First report: one missing. Two day gap, two missing. One day, one missing, two days, three missing. All of it is happening retively soon, so it’s possible that whoever is doing this is in a hurry. But for what? Is there some sort of event happening soon that’ll let them leave the city under a distraction? Maybe a visiting trade caravan? As far as I know, there is no event that’ll cause the guards to be distracted. No holiday or festival in the near future. So, do they have a deadline or not?

  It is possible that none of this is connected, but I doubt that. Reading more documents, I saw that they were all commoners with no magic. Could this be important in finding them? What should I do…? Ah! I know!

  Nissia

  ***

  Watching as students entered the css, I was gd to see that all of them were accounted for. Well, not everyone. It seems that once more, Evelyn is taking time off for her health. Viliness or not, I can't help but feel sorry for her. School barely started and she’s already missed so many csses. I know that this is a pce for nobles to socialize, but her guardians should consider homeschooling her. Regardless, all my cssmates appeared to have arrived safely.

  Since we were first told of the kidnappings, me and my roommates have been keeping an eye out for any suspicious movements. So far we’ve seen nothing, but then again, we stay in the dorms and as far as we know, no student has yet to be kidnapped. When are we going to get involved? And who is going to be the student who gets kidnapped? Even though school has just started, no events have happened. What gives? Maybe I need to act like my game counterpart. If I was the saint, what would I do…? I suppose I would get involved… Yeah, I don’t want to do that. What if I get kidnapped? There are three other saints here, why would anyone go and try to save me when my repcements are right here? If I were to get kidnapped, could I even save myself? No. I don’t have fighting experience and my magic is still in its infancy. I need to be stronger… After css, I’ll go and talk with my roommates. We need to start seriously training. If we want to get involved.

  Evelyn

  ***

  With my hands finally unbound, I was thrown into a cold stone cell with nine other children. Looks like my pn to get kidnapped was successful. Wearing some not quite shabby clothes that I bought in a neighboring town as Melody, I rubbed my wrists. Without my neckce my hair was bck and given that I rarely made any public appearances, my face wasn’t known. As far as anyone was concerned I looked to be the daughter of a merchant. Behind me the cell door was smmed shut and locked from the outside as one of the kidnappers yawned.

  When I was snatched, I was gagged and stuffed in a bag, so I don’t actually know where I was taken, but at least I know that the children taken before me were safe. Also, Because of this, I’m now certain that 38 is outside the city. If she or the others were nearby I wouldn’t have been taken at all, even if I told them my pn. So, I truly am on my own. Luckily I’m a magical girl, so I can bst everyone away whenever I want. Although I won’t do that quite just yet.

  “When’s the boss arriving?” I heard from outside the door.

  “Hopefully soon.” Another voice said. “The guards are getting too nosy so we’re going to need to act soon.”

  “I kept telling him to take it slow, but no.” The first voice muttered. “Him and his deadlines.”

  “I just hope that he keeps up his end of the bargain…” The voices faded away.

  I put my ear to the door, but was unable to hear anything else. Dang. Right, well now is the waiting game. Sighing, I looked to the others in the room with me. Six girls, including me, four boys. A few of them looked hungry and tired, but I can’t bme them. Sighing, I took a seat against the wall by myself. Even in the same room as the victims, I can’t see any simirities that would have painted them as targets. If they were after ransoms, a few of the kids didn’t look like they had families who could pay it. I wonder what their goal is? Trying not to physically tire myself, I started to think of a pn.

  My main priorities are to save the kids and catch the criminals. But I also wanted to know what they were doing and why. Though now that I thought about it, I could just leave that to the guards and ask 38 about it when she comes back. That aside, how can I take these guys out? Uncle told me not to tell anyone about me being a magical girl, and transforming in front of all these kids and the criminals would definitely give it away. So, let’s leave that for a st resort. Right now, I’ll rely on my training, and these brass knuckles that I have tied up under my arms! It’s a good thing these guys only took my bags and didn’t bother searching me. Well, that's not fair to them, I did have a knife which I had “hidden” in my boot that they found. So, they certainly took the bait and didn’t bother looking any more.

  Putting my hands under my arms to try and “keep warm” I loosened the knots, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

  Lloyd

  ***

  Sighing, I folded the letter from my parents. I’m sure that Lna is doing the same in her room. Ever since school started, we’ve been getting letters from our parents asking us how we were doing and if we needed anything. Had it ended there, I wouldn’t be so annoyed. In every letter that they have sent, they have been heavily recommending that we get closer to Evelyn Eytell. It was never any other noble, always Evelyn. Why do they have such a high opinion of her? Have they not heard the rumors? Not only that, but she's missed many csses and fails to participate in most magic csses. It’s obvious, not just to me, but the whole css that she is getting preferential treatment. All because she’s a Duchess? We all know that the real power lies with her uncle, Aaron Eytell.

  Honestly, I wish that I could just be done with her. Every day in css I can feel her staring at me. It’s creepy! Not only that but she’s always so quiet! She never says anything and simply watches us! What does she want!? If anything it would be a relief if she did anything else! Seriously!

  Not only that, but she puts on a nice girl facade when she’s socializing with some minor nobles. I’m not sure what she’s pnning, but I’m sure it’s nothing good. Even without knowing her fate in the game, I can tell that she’s going to be a troublemaker.

  Also, why is she so tall? I know that girls hit puberty before boys, but she’s tall even when compared to girls her age. When am I going to get taller? I want to be taller. I was kind of short in my past life, so it would be nice to be tall. And why is her hair so obnoxious? It’s like she’s really trying to say, “Hey! Look at me!” It’s so annoying.

  And another thing!

  Evelyn

  ***

  Hearing footsteps, I untied the brass knuckles and sat at the side of the door, just out of immediate view. Given that there were no windows, it was dark, but my eyes had adjusted to the light already. Looking at the door, I saw a faint orange glow growing brighter. Alright, now let’s close an eye so my night vision isn’t ruined.

  There was a jingling of keys and the turning of a lock before the door was pushed in. I’m lucky it wasn’t thrown open or I would have been hit.

  “Alright, get up.” The man who snatched me said. “Start moving or I’ll drag you along.”

  Hearing this, the kids became scared and hurried to their feet. A couple had limps and only now did I notice the bruises. I guess I got off easy. Getting to my feet as well, I decided to help the one with the most severe limp. Saying nothing, I quietly supported him from the side, keeping my head down, I risked a gnce at the snatcher. He had a very bright candle, and he wasn’t alone. With him in the hall were three others. They each had wooden clubs that I very much didn’t want to get hit by, with the snatcher having a short sword as well. Being the st two out of the cell, the snatcher gave us a good long look before muttering to himself and locking the door behind us.

  From there, we were led down the hall. All the windows were covered, so I couldn’t even tell what time it was, although I think it may be night time. Keeping track of my surroundings, I knew that we weren’t being taken the same way we entered. A back entrance maybe? Arriving in a rge warehouse loaded with wooden boxes and a single cargo carriage, I saw a total of six people, not including the three who were escorting us. One man, the guy in yellow robes, seemed to be the man in charge. Watching us with interest as we entered, he seemed to search for something.

  “No injuries I take it?” He asked.

  “Nothing serious.” Said the snatcher.

  “Good.” He nodded. “Put them in the boxes. We leave in an hour.”

  “Care to honor our agreement as it’s taken care of?” The snatcher asked.

  The man in yellow looked at him, us, and his group before finally speaking up.

  “Fine.” He said after a moment. “You three help with the packing. You three with me.”

  “What, you don’t trust me?” The snatcher asked.

  “Would you?” He asked.

  “Not for a moment.” He said.

  Breaking away from us, the snatcher, the man in yellow, and the guards with him left the rge space into a separate hallway from what we entered.

  “Alright, get a move on!” Said one of the kidnappers, giving me a shove.

  Me, and the kid that I was helping fell to the floor as the other children started crying. Maybe they thought they were going to be ransomed off. Instead, it looks like they were never going to see their families again.

  With ten kids to deal with, the remaining adults started dragging them off to some open boxes. Seeing one of them approach me, I helped the kid with me sit up. Not a moment ter, his wrist was grabbed and he was dragged to his feet. Hurriedly getting to mine, I quickly looked around. Each kidnapper was holding a child in each hand, though they weren't too careful as many of the kids stumbled. With only five of them in the room, now may be my only chance. Finally putting on my brass knuckles, I struck out at the kidnapper. Throwing all my weight behind my punch, I hit him on the side of the head and his eyes spun. The kid who was being dragged off by him opened his eyes wide and gasped, but among the crying around us, this went unnoticed.

  Taking his club, I threw it at the back of the head of the next closest one and ran to a third.

  “Gah!?” The kidnapper cried as he fell to the floor.

  “Huh?” The third turned to see one of his buddies fall.

  Jumping up, I punched him in the side of the throat and our bodies collided. As we fell to the floor, I heard the two others shout in arm. Giving another quick punch to the side of this guy’s head, I stood up as they rushed me with their clubs. With one swinging down aimed at my head, I slipped to the side and punched the side of the man’s knee. I don’t think I broke it, but he fell to the floor crying in pain. Once more my fists hit a skull and another kidnapper stopped moving.

  “Ah!” My arm was grabbed and a club swung down on me.

  Putting my arm up to defend myself, I felt a sudden rush of pain. Luckily I was used to pain, and this guy was leaned over awkwardly. Falling back, I pulled him off bance and narrowly avoided having him nd on me. With him still holding onto my arm and my other one having trouble moving, I started kicking with my heel. Three, four, five kicks and this guy finally let go of me. Making sure that the club was no threat. I punched the man in the head multiple times. Ah? I may have broken his face. No time to worry about that.

  Grabbing this man’s club, I ran to the door that the head snatcher and the guy in yellow’s group entered. The kids were screaming and crying but there was nothing I could do about that at the moment. Is there any way I can block this door? And just like that, it was kicked open. Jumping to the side, I hid behind some boxes as they ran out of the door. Seeing this, the kids who were captured decided that they didn't want to be captured anymore, and thought that it was a good time to run.

  “Get them!” The man in yellow shouts.

  As four of them ran off to catch the kids I took a moment to use my magical girl powers to heal my arm. Okay, let’s take out this guy in the robe first. He kind of looks like a wimp, so it shouldn’t be too hard.

  “There and there!” He pointed out where the kids were running, though since he was behind everyone, nobody saw what he was doing. “Hit that weird looking one and make it stop crying!”

  Running up behind him, I jumped up and punched him in the back of the head. And he fell like a sack of bricks! That’s one. Looking up, I saw that they all had their backs towards me, so let’s take advantage of it. Feeling confident, I ran up behind the nearest one.

  …

  Alright! Good job me! All the kidnappers are out cold! Ha! That was too easy. For a few minutes, it mainly consisted of me running up to them and punching them in the back of the head until they stopped twitching. Smiling to myself, I looked at my brass knuckles in appreciati- Oh. They were covered in blood. I've got blood on me… Yeah, that was more messy than any of my work as a Magical Girl. I probably look crazy to anyone watching. Taking off the brass knuckles, I started tying the kidnappers up and healing any particurly bad looking injuries. I would also heal the kids, but they were off hiding or something. Seeing an open window, I figured that they probably all escaped by now.

  Now then, let’s search these guys and see if they have anything useful on them… Nope, just money, and a lot of it. I went ahead and put that all in a bag. I don’t need it, so I’ll donate it to some orphanages or something ter. Anyway, with that done, I couldn’t help but feel proud of myself. I managed to beat these guys up without magic! Well, that’s not exactly true. I did have to heal myself, so I’m not as good as I would have liked. Well, whatever. Let’s head home. Transforming into my magical girl form I cleaned myself up, turned invisible, and flew off to leave a note with the local guards telling them of the kidnappers.

  Grayburne