I'm dropped off about a mile outside of the nearest town, probably to avoid people associating me with the Demon Lord. That's fine by me. I'm used to the exercise. It’s a little more strenuous than my usual morning run, but at least I’m not still wearing the heels that went with that green dress.

I check my phone reflexively, but my hope of finding a signal in this world is nonexistent. I turn it off and put it into the pouch I’d been given.

As I approach, some muscular guards take up defensive positions, spears crossed as if to bar my entry.

"Halt!" the first yells. "Who goes there?"

"My name is Hiyori Chiba. I was summoned to have tea with the Demon Lord, but he kicked me out of his castle." Honesty is the best policy, right? "I'm seeking sanctuary in your town."

They confer between themselves.

"Is that right?"

"You can see from what I'm wearing that I'm not from your world," I insist, surprised at myself for being able to make such a nonsensical argument. "And it should be obvious that I came from the direction of the castle."

"You aren't wrong. You don't look like anyone from around here. And there have been other girls who've claimed the same thing." The guard looks at his partner, who shrugs and lowers his spear. "We'll let you in, but at the first sign of trouble, we know who we're tracking down."

"Thank you!"

They let me pass beyond the large gate, and when I'm finally inside, the town is pure mayhem. Throngs of people crowd the streets; merchants yell and haggle with patrons; there's not a moment to hear yourself think. There's no way I'm going to be able to find the missing girls here.

Who's to say they haven't already moved on to another area? Who's to say they even made it safely here? Who’s to say any of them are still alive?

I give them all a small sum of gold and send them off to town. Sinensis had been nothing if not completely honest with me, so I'm inclined to believe I have a fighting chance. I steel my resolve. I'll rescue everyone, boys and girls alike.

My stomach growls, and I realize I can’t remember how long ago my last meal was. Sinensis didn’t serve anything to eat at his little tea party.

Following my nose, I make my way to what I guess you'd call the tavern. Food and drink are served to raucous patrons while armored hero types are gathered around a bulletin board. I take a seat at a table and, before I can do anything, I hear a glass shatter. Frothy liquid pools on the floor. The waitress who dropped it meets my gaze. Her eyes are wide, like a deer in headlights.

Do I look that odd? Or does she look a bit familiar? There's a flash of red around her neck that doesn't look like traditional clothing from this world.

"I'll clean up!" she announces to the room with a nervous laugh.

The waitress pulls a rag out of her apron’s large pocket and takes to the floor. Someone else is along to sweep up the pieces of broken glass, leaving her free to approach my table when she's done cleaning.

"Hiyorin?" she asks.

It all falls into place. The way her hair's a different color at the roots. The brown eyes. The red scarf that looked so out of place—

"Izumin?"

We'd been friends in middle school but never kept in touch after going to different high schools. She was one of the kidnapping victims. The first kidnapping victim. The reason I'd heard about the disappearances in the first place. This was Izumi Chisaka. That strange display of mine whirred to life again and printed Izumi Chisaka (level 1) above her head.

"It is you!” she says triumphantly.

“I came from the castle,” I blurt the truth out immediately. “I didn’t think I’d find you so quickly.”

She laughs. “You make it sound like you were looking for me.”

“I was looking for you.”

I motion for her to take a seat.

"After I get off work."

"You work here?"

"The apron didn't clue you in?" She laughs. "We all have to make a living somehow."

"Have you met any of the other kidnapping victims?"

“Kidnapping? Others? What are you going on about?”

“The Demon Lord—”

“Not so loud!”

“He didn’t stop at just you. He’s been summoning girls to meet him for the past year.”

“God, has it really been a year?” Izumi asks. Then she shakes her head. “No. Like I said, after work.”

I reach into my small pouch of gold pieces and hand one over to her. "Okay. If you wouldn't mind getting me something to drink? Anything but tea."

"Coming right up. Along with your change – not much around here is worth more than a few silver."

He sure is generous for a kidnapping egomaniac.

Izumi comes back with something that smells like spiced cider. As it turns out, it's really good! I would ordinarily listen in to the conversations around me to get a sense of this new place, using deductive reasoning like any good cop should, but I can’t deduce one thing from the next. Between the thick country accents and the absolute nonsense, I’m lucky if I understand every third word.

The sun is starting to set outside, and I'm tired despite my forced nap at the castle. I start to wonder how much longer she has to work. I'd love to catch up with her and get some answers.