Su Nian gazed at Lise, who stood before her, a shadow of her usual self, and instantly grasped the gravity of the situation.
She knew well enough.
In the past, Lise was a woman of few words, always lingering quietly by Amy’s side as Amy chattered away with her endless energy.
“When was the last message you received from her?” Su Nian asked without hesitation.
If they were to find someone, reaching them through a magic phone would be the simplest solution.
“It was last night, after we parted ways,” Lise replied, opening her magic phone to double-check as she sifted through her memories.
“Last night, I found it odd that Amy didn’t respond to my messages. I thought maybe she was exhausted and had fallen asleep.”
“But this morning, Amy didn’t show up at Magic Feather Fantasy.”
“I went to her house and asked around. Even her brother is missing…” Lise’s voice trembled as she spoke, her soft sobs breaking through as she imagined the horrors the siblings might be facing.
As an ordinary person, Lise had only one person she could turn to—the formidable mage in her eyes, Miss Su Nian.
“Let’s go,” Su Nian declared, her resolve unshaken.
“We’re solving this case!”
Without a second thought, she decided to search for her friend Amy.
Though she hadn’t known Amy and Lise for long, they had become fast friends.
They’d bonded over discussions of dance and song, their work intertwining with casual chats about what to eat during their downtime.
Beyond that, though, Su Nian had grown weary of her current life.
Being a magical girl idol and academy mentor brought admiration and respect, but it lacked challenge.
It was like playing a game on easy mode—cleared without effort.
As for that wretched Horned Demon… that was a challenge far too steep.
For now, she could only endure, collecting humiliation points from him, biding her time until she could ascend to Saint rank and seize her chance.
But this new event—the disappearance of her friend—was something she couldn’t ignore.
At this moment, she felt a spark of excitement, though her heart ached at the thought of Amy coming to harm.
True, her own situation was far from ideal, still needing someone to free her from the Horned Demon’s grasp.
But when a friend called for help…
She’d answer the call.
No more words—loyalty was what mattered in this world!
Su Nian strode out of Magic Feather Fantasy, her departure stirring a fragrant breeze that swept past the waiting crowd.
Those in line gasped, thrilled to catch a glimpse of their idol in the flesh.
Next, she scoured the city for any trace of Amy, leaving no clue unturned.
After questioning countless people, a passerby whispered a chilling tip: last night, Amy had been forcibly taken by a group clad in opulent attire, likely lackeys of some noble.
A dark premonition coiled in Su Nian’s chest.
She resolved to dig deeper along this lead.
‘Nobles, huh?’
A thought flickered in her mind.
Amy had lived peacefully in Academy City all this time, never crossing any nobles.
The only noble who’d recently arrived was one man…
Theodore Morsen!
During her investigation, Su Nian unlocked a new skill.
By channeling her magic, she could sharpen her sight and hearing, allowing her to pick up the faintest traces of evidence.
This ability led her to a trove of clues.
Every sign pointed to one person: Theodore Morsen, the eldest son and heir of Duke Morsen’s family.
Footprints at Amy’s last known location, a button torn off in a struggle, and a fragment of jewelry distributed by Magic Feather Fantasy—all found by Su Nian.
A letter left by Amy’s brother, Evan, revealed he’d gone searching for her and vanished as well.
At Viscount Vere’s estate, where Theodore Morsen was temporarily staying, Su Nian found another piece of Magic Feather Fantasy’s signature jewelry.
It seemed Amy had left these clues deliberately, hoping someone would find her.
Su Nian even secretly recorded a conversation among Viscount Vere’s guards, where they mentioned Amy and her brother—an undeniable piece of evidence.
Her efforts hadn’t been in vain.
She’d succeeded!
But as she prepared to storm the viscount’s estate to rescue her friend, she hesitated.
In an instant, she recalled her reckless charge into the Shadowmoon Manor, chasing leads on the Horned Demon.
Not only had she failed to uncover anything useful, but she’d also ensnared herself in trouble.
She’d heard that Theodore Morsen’s entourage, sent to protect the duke’s heir, numbered at least a hundred strong.
Their power was likely formidable.
Perhaps she needed to think this through calmly.
Yes.
She could report the case.
With the evidence she’d gathered, she could urge the patrol department to intervene, accusing Theodore’s men of violating Red Crown Kingdom’s laws and demanding their arrest.
Without delay, Su Nian took Lise and the collected evidence and rushed to Academy City’s patrol station.
She wasn’t naive, though.
She split the evidence into two sets and made a backup of the recording—one for the patrol department, one for herself.
In her past life, she might’ve trusted the authorities blindly.
But not here.
Su Nian and Lise stormed into the patrol station.
She marched straight to the officer at the desk and laid out her evidence before him.
“Officer, look at this!” Su Nian’s voice was earnest yet urgent.
“These are the proofs! My friends Amy and her brother Evan are missing, and all the clues point to Theodore Morsen.”
“He sent his men to kidnap my friends. They’re at Viscount Vere’s estate right now, their lives in danger. Please, send someone to investigate immediately!”
The officer picked up the evidence, flipping through it casually.
His expression, initially serious, shifted to unease when he heard the names Theodore Morsen and Viscount Vere.
He raised his head, a trace of helplessness in his eyes.
“Miss, I understand your concern, but investigating the viscount’s estate requires orders from above. I’ll take the evidence for now, and we’ll look into it as soon as possible,” he said, his words practiced and evasive.
It was clear.
Neither Theodore Morsen nor Viscount Vere was someone he could afford to cross.
Leading a search party to their doorstep?
That could cost him not just his career but his life.
Su Nian’s eyes widened in disbelief.
That was it?
“Time is critical, sir!” she pressed, her voice rising.
“The evidence is right there! Are you saying you’ll do nothing just because it’s the viscount’s estate and the duke’s heir is involved?”
A few patrol members, drawn by the commotion, gathered around.
One of them, who’d seen Su Nian perform and considered himself a small fan, stepped forward to calm her.
“Miss Su Nian, please don’t make this harder for us. We really can’t handle this. The Morsen family’s influence is too great. If we get involved, we won’t just fail to help you—we’ll bring trouble on ourselves.”
“And honestly, Miss Su Nian, for your own safety, you should stay out of this. The Morsen family… their waters run deep.”