When they finally arrived in Noir days later, much sooner than a group their size should have but still not fast enough to make much difference, it was much too late.
The manor that, according to their map and Maria's messages, had been the site of Dark Magic was a smoking ruin. Literally smoking, as black (visible) smoke still billowed up from it, likely from deep and secret underground chambers that were on fire. The grounds around it had been colonized by homeless people from the slums, ruining what had once been an ostentatious garden. The mayor and several other people were unconscious in the local hospital, the smoke of Dark Magic wafting from their heads. A group of children had been left in the charge of the owner of an inn, who reported they had been given enough money to feed and house the children until the Ministry arrived.
The princes immediately sent out the royal guard to restore order in the town, which included putting down some blatantly lawless elements and a local garrison from La Sable across the border who had 'unofficially' decided to join in the fun. Black-armored elites had made short work of them, supported by more lightly-armored regulars, while also pacifying criminal elements. Prince Alan had needed to get his hands wet to put out the fire at last, while his brother had put his considerable skill into kicking what government the place had left into shape.
The stash of evidence Maria had told them about was still there. A note dated two days before they'd arrived had explained that she was in the pursuit of a suspected wielder of Dark Magic, and had included a recounting of events since her last letter.
"I'm amazed she managed to find the time to make paperwork about this," Alan said as they considered the next sheet containing the recounting. "I shouldn't be, because Maria clearly has a few belts loose, but I am."
"Be nice, that's the woman who saved you all from a mad Dark Magic wielder," Rafael said, finally let out of his ropes.
"That Dark Magic wielder was you," the Third Prince pointed out.
"Yes, so I know what I'm talking about," Rafael said confidently.
"You're still a little crazy, aren't you?" Alan said.
"I was on a two-man student council for most of a year," Rafael said with a shudder, staring into infinity as it stared back at him. "Never mind being possessed, that is not an experience conducive for a sound mind."
"Nicol seems to have come out of it pretty well," Alan said.
Rafael gave him a level look. "How can you tell?" he said flatly.
There was a pause.
"That is an excellent and disturbing point," the Third Prince muttered nervously.
They looked at each other, then put their hands together and, at an unspoken signal, separated and each formed their hand into a gesture. They looked, the quickly reset then did it again, and then one more. Alan grunted and Rafael sighed in relief as the Third Prince smiled smugly.
"Ass," Alan said, before opening tuning the page and reading out loud.
"I assaulted the manor in broad daylight immediately after sending my message…"
Maria assaulted the manor immediately after sending her message, despite it being just past dawn. Time was of the essence, after all. The so-called knights of Cainhurst of a later day had committed a great many abductions to satisfy their masters' thirst, and she knew well how little time the taken had once they entered their captor's domain.
The fence was high, and for once seemed made more for security than décor. Not high enough though. She spun and leapt, effortlessly launching herself up and over, landing lightly on the fence. Her eyes flicked to the windows on this side of the mansion– no movement. No guards patrolling either. They must have been confident about their fence. She unslung the satchel she'd been carrying over her shoulder and drew the long wick she'd had to hastily make. The tip had been treated with saltpeter to make it burn slowly at first, and Maria had cut it to a five-minute burn, then tied it around a splinter of wood to keep it straight. Lighting it with a striker, she gently dropped the satchel to the ground on the inside of the wall.
Then she ran like a maniac to the back entrance, careful not to be seen.
She waited.
Around five minutes later, there was an explosion as her little bomb, made with some of the gunpowder she'd mixed after she'd bought some of the Sulphur available in this city, went off. There was a commotion, and two of the three guards stationed at the rear entrance ran to see what it was.
Good enough.
She lunged at the remaining guard, her bare fist striking him in the stomach to knock the wind out of him before she tapped him on the head. Dark Magic flared, and the man fell unconscious. He'd wake up naturally later or if roused., since she only used a little Dark Magic on him. Hiding him in the guard shed, she dashed for the manor.
She heard more cries of alarm as she drew a firebomb from her pocket and, lighting the rag on the end, threw it towards another shed, before she ran at the manor wall, spun and leapt, slamming threw an upper floor window.
Now inside, engulfed in the eldritch darkness of Dark Magic, she started to search the house.
She was mostly able to take out the few guards she saw with surprise, and the two who saw her coming didn't last very long as she lunged at them from far enough away to make them feel they had time to ready themselves against her.
Eventually, she found a door thick with the smoke of Dark Magic, separate from what was permeating the house already. Outside, there was still a commotion. Apparently her fire had spread.
Drawing the sword, she kicked the door open.
The room beyond was well-furnished but empty, save for a bookshelf from which more black smoke emanated. Maria strode towards it, and was about to keel for some sort of trigger like what Lady Claes had activated in the storage room many months ago when the shelf simply slid sideways under hear hand like it was on a well-oiled track. Behind it were stairs leading down.
The screams of children faintly echoed upwards, sounding muffled.
Turning, Maria dragged another shelf until it partially blocked the now-revealed opening. It would bottleneck the way and make it difficult for anyone getting out. Squeezing past it, she descended the stairs, sword in hand. At the bottom was another door. Closed but unlocked. She pushed it open gently, and the screaming got louder. Maria peeked through the crack.
She saw children locked in cages. Two children were lying on the floor, bound. Candles and lamps lit the room, and there were several men. Some were guarding the children, kicking the cages in a futile attempt to get them to be quiet. A dark-haired woman was talking to a man, while other men in were making notes and talking amongst themselves. Eldritch flame emanated from the woman, as if she were a font of black fire.
On the floor was a large, familiar circle, inside which were inscribed with runes and geometric shapes.
One of them man knelt down next to one of the children and drew a knife, looking towards one of the men taking notes.
Maria kicked the door open.
Violence ensued.
"I prioritized disabling the guards. Some I had to kill. By the time I was done, the woman and some of the men had escaped. I disabled those still present with Dark Magic and set about freeing the children," Alan read. "I used Dark Magic to render them calm as time was of the essence, and proceeded to take them outside. As we were leaving the manor, the mayor arrived with some armed men. I expected to have to explain myself, but he immediately ordered we all be killed to eliminate all witnesses. I objected, and he ran away. After I took the children back to my inn and paid the innkeeper to watch over them, I proceeded to hunt down the Mayor, in hopes he would lead me to the other escapees. My hopes were fulfilled, as I saw him meeting with the dark-haired woman who was a likely Dark Magic wielder as well as some other men of wealthy dress. I trapped them in the building by setting fires outside the windows and proceeded to confront them. Many of the man attacked me with weapons, who I subdued as I could. Those whom I caught, including the mayor, I put to sleep using Dark Magic.
"I am now proceeding to follow the trail of the Dark Magic wielder. I will try to be back at the Academy by Eyre. Sincerely, Maria Campbell, Incumbent Student Council President."
For a moment, there was silence.
"I was wrong," Alan said. "She more than a few belts loose."
They had to tie Rafael up to keep him from stealing a horse and riding after her. Again.
Matters were simplified– or complicated, depending on one's perspective– by three of the men who had been subdued by Maria's Dark Magic being identified as other escapees of the Dieke matter. The fact they'd found employment in another group who coincidentally happened to also be dabbling in Dark Magic so quickly was disquieting, to say the least.
Still, this meant the princes could officially take over the matter as an extension of their ongoing investigation. Sirius and the other Light Magic Wielders managed to rouse the cursed men. According to Rafael, who'd know, Maria had used a very light touch, such that it could be exorcised by Light Magic, but would keep the men under long enough for the ministry to arrive before they woke up on their own.
"You're actually proud your girlfriend is better at Dark Magic than you were, aren't you?" Alan said.
"Very busy, more men to revive," Rafael said loudly, and ran away from that conversation, leaving Alan chuckling.
They restored order in Noir, interrogating the captured men for any others who might have been involved in or related to the Dark Magic being done at the manor, capturing several members of the underworld who had 'supplied' the kidnapped children. While they were at it, they cleaned up what they could of Noir. It was surprisingly easy, since the corrupt mayor and his cronies, realizing they were going down, were willing to drag as many people with them as they could. The task was finding out who was innocent and merely pulled in by spite, something that would have taken months of interrogations and witness testimony.
The Third Prince, multi-talented pain in the ass that he was, managed it with three days of interviews of those arrested, freeing several men and woman who were innocent of no wrongdoing but pissing off evil people.
There was a reason he was top contender to ascend the throne, after all.
They eventually heard from Maria again after she sent a message to the Ministry from the town of Axis (known for an astrological observatory the Ministry maintained in a nearby mountain, as well as its hot spring baths), saying she'd lost track of the Dark Magic wielder after five days. This was duly relayed to the princes in Noir, who were almost ready to consider their part there done, and leave the mopping up of the local, non-Dark Magic corruption to the Royal Guard detail who would be staying there to do the equivalent of looming sinisterly and smiling widely with too much teeth. By then it was already the third week of Therendor and moving into the fourth, and the princes had started getting… irritable.
"Seriously? This is the longest you've been away from Lady Claes since you were eight?" Rafael said as they sullenly drank together at the inn Maria had left the children at. The Third Prince had claimed them as Wards of the Kingdom, to be raised and educated at the Kingdom's (his) expense, and would be coming with them when they left. He figured after what they'd been through, they deserved some sort of implausibly fortunate fairy tale ending. After all, a few kids wasn't much to feed, clothe and educate until they came of age, right? He drew the line at letting them call him Uncle Prince though. Which was fine, since when they learned that Rafael knew the 'amazing hero' who'd rescued them, they hadn't stopped hanging around him whenever they could.
"You wouldn't understand," the Third Prince said. "After all, you seem unable to comprehend how wonderful she is. Which as her fiancée I absolutely encourage, but still!"
"I had a front row seat to the nonsense you all got up to around her," Rafael said. "I'm happy to stay out of that and be with a nice, normal girl."
Alan fell off his seat laughing.
"Oh, hex you. Maria is wonderful," Rafael said.
"She crossed half the country to buy Sulphur," the Third Prince said as Alan struggled to get back on his chair. "Most people spend their break from school with their families and loved ones, you know."
"I'm sorry your highness, but I can't return your feelings," Rafael said blandly. "My heart belongs to Maria."
Alan fell off his chair again, laughing even harder.
Omake: In Another Looking Glass Rip-Off With My Maria 01
Maria stared at the stranger on the other side of the student council room's table who had come from another world by accident. It was a familiar face, if with longer hair, but the eyes were cool verging on cold, the face an impassive mask of tranquility. She seemed an utter stranger, an incomprehensible existence barely of this world. The way she was looking faintly disappointed at the tea made her seem like a completely alien being
"Ah! These snacks are delicious!"
"I know, right? Maria makes the best sweets ever!"
At least the other Katarina was the same, her sunny smile and wonderful radiance lighting the room despite it being midday, completely like their Katarina. The others were staring, enraptured at there being two of her, now. Normally, Maria would be doing the same, but her attention kept getting drawn to the stranger in dark trousers(!) who…
… was looking right at her.
Maria jumped slightly, blushing in embarrassment at being caught out. Before she could stutter apologies for her rudeness, however…
"Ah, Maria, are you all right? What's the matter?" Katarina said.
"Eh? Ah, I'm sorry, was it because of me? I'm sorry Maria!" the other Katarina said right on top of her.
"N-no, it's all right," Maria said.
However, the dark stranger said, "Lady Claes, what has your mother told you?"
"Eh, I know, I know. I'm sorry for referring to you improperly Miss Campbell," the other Katarina said, bowing her head to Maria in apology.
"Do not bow, Lady Claes. A noble never apologizes to commoners such as we except in truly extraordinary circumstances," the stranger said.
"Eh?! But that's so rude!"
"Nevertheless, it is the proper behavior expected of a noble."
"Are you really Maria?" Mary said disbelievingly. Indeed, others at the table shared the look as well.
"I am, Lady Hunt," the stranger said, speaking with Maria's face and nothing else. "I apologize if my behavior is insufficient to the standards expected when meeting nobility."
"It's the exact opposite!" Sophia cried, seemingly not able to take it anymore. "You're being much too formal! We're all friends here, right?"
"It would be most improper for a commoner to be friends with the nobility," the stranger said. "Much less to refer to them informally."
"S-sorry, but Miss Campbell is a real stickler for protocol," the other Katarina said apologetically. "Even when she's making me the most delicious sweets, she apologizes about them not being any good, even though they're the best in the world!"
"As the Student Council President, I behooves me to have refreshments in place for our guest," the stranger said blandly. "Unfortunately, I doubt my own creations are suitable for a noble palate, but they are all I have to serve."
"No, really, they're delicious Miss Campbell!" the other Katarina said, sounding frantic to reassure the girl who seemed to insist on putting herself down. "The best ever! Please don't stop making them!"
"You are too kind to a lowly commoner such as I, Lady Claes," the stranger said. Maria could only boggle at someone– she refused to see this person as herself!– who would continue to put themselves down in the face of a Lady Katarina who clearly thought very highly of them
"Student Council President?" Prince Jeord said. "How interesting. I hold that title in his world. I'm most curious to hear how… Miss Campbell came upon it."
"It was all random chance, I assure you," the stranger said. "I am sure the Third Prince would have attained the title as well had he not allowed himself to neglect his studies while Lady Claes was in a coma for many days."
"Ah, I really should apologize to them, their grades went down because of me… if only I hadn't been such a casul… " the other Katarina said, looking embarrassed.
"Don't feel bad, everyone is a casul at some point," Katarina said, patting her hand.
"Wait, Katarina was in a coma for days?!" Keith exclaimed.
"Ah, don't worry, Miss Campbell helped invent a revolutionary medical procedure that kept me alive," the other Katarina said. "And she really helped a lot when we confronted the president, I mean ex-president, about him being a Dark Magic Wielder."
"She did?!" Maria said, surprised. When she had tried, she'd been shackled to a wall in a secret room for her trouble.
"Yeah, she went all whoosh! Then she swished! And then she whump-whump powed!" the other Katarina said, making energetic gestures.
"…" the student council said blankly.
"Wow! No way!" Katarina said, stars in her eyes. "Really?"
"Yeah!" the other Katarina said just an enthusiastically. "She was all 'Please stand down!' and when he refused she was all shwing and hi-yah and shoryuken!"
"That's so cool!" Katarina gushed.
Everyone was staring at them now.
"Please pardon my presumption," the stranger said, "but did anyone understand that?"
They all shook their heads.
"Ah. How unfortunate for us all," the stranger said.
"The president… didn't capture you?" Maria asked hesitantly. Had this stranger succeeded where she had failed?
"Capture me? Why would he?" the stranger said, tilting her head curiously.
"No, Maria captured him," the other Katarina said with a wide smile. "It was so romantic!"
"Eh? Really? Maria went the Rafael Route in your world?! That's supposed to be the hardest route!" Katarina said.
"I know! They held hands and everything!"
"Lewd!" Katarina an Sophia both squealed.
The stranger blinked, looking confused, and suddenly Maria had an image of a dizzy kitten. "What is lewd about holding hands? Surely even in noble society such a thing isn't salacious?"
"Wait," Mary said, looking astonished. "You mean that despite being near Katarina, this Maria is… with another man? How is that possible?!"
Jeord straightened as he realized the ramifications, eyeing Maria herself. Maria suddenly felt in grave danger. They were going to get rid of her by having her fall in love with someone else, weren't they?!
"Oh, it was so romantic!" the other Katarina gushed. "Maria saved Rafael from being possessed by an evil spirit of Dark Magic! And then–"
"Lady Claes, if you continue speaking, I will mysteriously lose the ability to make sweets," the stranger said levelly.
The other Katarina froze, a look of horror dawning over her. She turned and Maria found herself in the other Katarina's considering gaze.
"What will you do when we get back home?" the stranger said.
The other Katarina wilted. "Yes Miss Campbell," she said meekly.
Keith stared at the stranger. Then he turned to Maria. "Maria, please teach me how to make sweets so I can finally get Katarina to behave."
"I never realized Maria possessed such an overwhelming power," Mary muttered, chewing on her thumbnail.
This was the stranger's fault. Maria had heard Katarina mutter the phrase 'doom flag' a time or two. For the first time in her life, she felt she had a sense of what that meant.
How had it come to this?!
Omake: Recipe Exchange
Maria Campbell: "Wait, why do these recipes all need blood...?"
Lady Maria: "Oh, wait, those are my experimental recipes, I haven't perfected those yet. Ignore those."
Maria Campbell: "So much blood... there's more blood than flour..."
Lady Maria: "As I said, those recipes are still experimental."