The Speedrun Manual of Miss Witch - Chapter 11

「Future」

「Saint Year 741, June 17, 7:46」

「Countdown: 23:59:59」

Ciel opened her eyes, met by the familiar sight of her ceiling and the slowly fading silver-white screen.

She propped herself up, sitting on the bed. In the simulation, she had slept for an hour. Though her mind still felt fatigued, her physical exhaustion had eased slightly.

Reaching for her canvas bag, she placed the two notebooks she had exchanged back into it, leaving her own journal in its place.

This simulation differed from reality by only an hour, so there was no need to record anything in her journal—she’d simply been asleep the entire time.

Donning her newly purchased black cloak, Ciel tucked her knife and revolver, loaded with three bullets, into the canvas bag.

Fully prepared, Ciel slung the bag over her shoulder, stepped out of her house, locked the door behind her, and headed straight toward the matchstick factory where her sister worked.

She pretended not to notice any potential follower, nor did she try to conceal her movements, ensuring she wouldn’t alert them.

Ciel only needed the stalker to believe her actions were reasonable.

Crossing two blocks, she arrived at the matchstick factory where her sister worked. By this time, the workers had mostly finished their meals and were chatting in small groups outside the factory, waiting for their shift to start.

Ciel quickly spotted the familiar blonde figure standing at the entrance. Her sister had her back to her and appeared to be arguing with three men. From afar, their gestures seemed intense—almost as if she were angry.

Ciel instinctively quickened her pace, but as she got closer, she realized something was off. It didn’t look like her sister was being harassed.

The three burly men stood before Lichie like scolded children, heads bowed, mumbling nervously as they were berated by her.

“What do you mean you ‘just lost track of her for a second’? At least she’s back now…”

One of the men glanced past Lichie and noticed Ciel approaching, quietly signaling her arrival to Lichie. Her sister turned her head, surprised to see her.

“Little Ciel?” Lichie turned and, upon recognizing her, quickly strode over, taking Ciel’s hand and leading her away from the factory entrance. “It stinks here. Why’d you come?”

The noxious smell of phosphorous fumes hit Ciel as soon as she got close to the factory. The sharp, pungent odor brought to mind images of rot and decay.

“I told you to wear a mask, didn’t I?” Ciel stared into Lichie’s eyes.

Ciel had made some makeshift cotton masks for her sister. While she knew they wouldn’t be very effective, they offered a small sense of reassurance.

Prolonged exposure to phosphorous vapors often led to a condition known as “phossy jaw,” a common occupational disease among matchstick factory workers. It caused severe necrosis of the jawbone, leading to rot, and, in extreme cases, death.

In this era, the disease was virtually untreatable. This was why Ciel had been so desperate to find a job herself, rather than attending university—she needed to get her sister out of this environment first.

“We haven’t even started yet.” Lichie shrugged nonchalantly, smiling at Ciel as if it were no big deal.

A lack of education and awareness about occupational diseases left Lichie unbothered by her working conditions. She simply believed that if others could work here, so could she.

“I’m heading to the Savior Goddess Church at the Clock Tower District later,” Ciel said.

Coming here to speak with Lichie served two purposes: to ensure her sister wouldn’t worry or look for her if she returned home early, and to avoid arousing suspicion in the stalker following her.

If Ciel, who never went to church, suddenly decided to visit, it would inevitably seem suspicious.

But if she spoke to Lichie, a known believer, before going, the eavesdropping stalker might piece together their own assumptions, lowering the risk of alerting them.

“Oh… Huh? You’re going to church?” Lichie raised an eyebrow, then playfully pinched Ciel’s cheek. “That’s great. Say hi to Priest Mel for me.”

In the Clock Tower District, the Church of the Savior Goddess dominated as the primary faith, followed by most of the workers.

The church distributed free food daily, offered small coins to those who attended prayers on rest days, and had even achieved a significant win for the workers—the one-and-a-half-hour break granted at 6:30 PM every day.

The massive clock tower towering over the district’s center was built by the Church of the Savior Goddess. It was also part of the church itself, with the bell tolling at 6:30 PM each evening to remind factory owners to let workers rest.

Lichie was naturally a devout follower and had brought Ciel to the church for prayers multiple times. However, after realizing there were no priests capable of casting holy light magic, Ciel lost interest in attending.

After all, she was an atheist.

Bidding farewell to Lichie, Ciel walked along the main road toward the church.

The journey was uneventful, and she soon arrived at the church’s entrance.

It was Thursday, not the Sunday rest day, and the time for food distribution had long passed, so there weren’t many people around. Only an elderly nun in a plain black robe was sweeping dust from the church steps.

“May the Goddess relieve you of your suffering.”

As Ciel ascended the stairs and passed by the nun, the woman pressed a hand to her chest and greeted her.

Ciel gave her a slight nod but remained silent. She wasn’t a believer and had no need to exchange such blessings.

Inside the church, Ciel glanced around and found it surprisingly empty. Even the “Good Luck Box,” which usually attracted a small crowd, was unoccupied.

The Good Luck Box functioned similarly to a donation box but with a twist. Wealthier individuals could deposit coins, while others could press a button beneath the box to receive a few pennies in return. Whether donating or retrieving money, it symbolized a plea for good fortune.

Ciel approached the box, pressed the button, and caught the three coins that fell out, silently mouthing, “Goddess bless me.”

「Really? You’re asking for help while taking their money?」

The silver-white screen flickered before her, displaying the system’s text.

“Taking money counts as a blessing,” Ciel retorted inwardly. After a moment’s thought, she deposited one coin back into the box and whispered, “Goddess bless me.”

Double the blessings—surely, if the Goddess existed, she’d be touched.

The church’s nave was entirely empty. Even the priest who typically stood at the sermon altar was nowhere to be seen. Ciel had come specifically to find this priest.

Was he out? Or perhaps eating?

Maybe the Goddess had answered her prayers—just then, the door to the side corridor opened, and two people emerged.

Leading the way was Priest Mel, a kindly elderly woman in a black robe adorned with the Savior Goddess Church’s oval insignia. She walked while quietly conversing with the person beside her.

The other figure was shrouded in a black ceremonial robe, far more intricate than Priest Mel’s simple attire. White embroidery traced the edges of their cloak. Their face was obscured by a white mask, marked with simple geometric patterns symbolizing eyes and a nose, but beneath the nose, the mask was featureless and blank.

Noticing Ciel near the Good Luck Box, Priest Mel smiled and nodded before continuing to see her companion out.

Ciel stepped aside politely, allowing the two to pass. But as the masked figure moved past her, she overheard snippets of their conversation.

“High Priestess Uris… If there’s any news here… we’ll notify you immediately…”

High Priestess Uris?

The name from the notebook—she had been promoted to High Priestess and was associated with the Savior Goddess Church’s extraordinary side?

Ciel instinctively looked up at the retreating figure. She hesitated, debating whether to approach, but before she could decide, the church’s front hall was left with only Priest Mel and the nun sweeping the steps outside.

A faint trace of confusion flickered in Ciel’s eyes.

What was I here for again…? Oh, right. I was looking for Priest Mel…

No. That’s not it!

「【Calm Mind Lv.1】」

A cool sensation flowed through Ciel’s mind, clearing her thoughts instantly. She remembered her purpose.

“High Pri—” The name had barely left her lips when she felt a pair of warm hands gently encircle her neck from behind.

“You’re in pain…”

An ethereal voice whispered softly by Ciel’s ear.

“But it’s alright. The Goddess will make everything better…”