The Speedrun Manual of Miss Witch - Chapter 169

Avena’s “plan” sounded very reasonable. Ciel naturally agreed to it.

Now that the matter of how to get in was settled, Ciel’s only concern at this moment was the banquet invitation list.

Avena told Ciel not to worry too much about this.

Although noble banquets were highly private and exclusive, they were not without any trace. After all, apart from some special banquets, no one would specifically take strict measures for secrecy regarding the guest list.

Moreover, the nature of the July 7th banquet itself did not involve transcendents. It was estimated that only a Tier 3 like Oppold would be invited.

To obtain the list, Avena offered two simplest methods.

One was through the butler—the preparation and invitations for typical banquets were managed by the noble family’s butler. Moreover, butler’s from different noble families often had connections, forming a covert information network.

Avena could use her butler to contact the other party’s butler and extract the guest list information.

The second method was more direct and crude.

That was to directly hypnotize the flower suppliers and invitation card makers. She could get information about some of the invited guests from them.

Besides these, there were also four or five other methods to obtain the list.

“Don’t worry. It’s just a small matter.”

Avena patted her chest, assuring Ciel that there would be no mistakes in this matter. Then, Avena’s eyes twinkled again, and she asked, “Want to practice in advance?”

“Practice what?” Ciel asked, confused.

“Practice being a maid.”

Avena said as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “Becoming a maid is not a simple task. And different families have different rules. If you don’t practice beforehand, others will see through your disguise at a glance.”

Avena looked Ciel up and down, who was currently leaning against the sofa. She shook her head with a serious expression, evaluating:

“You don’t look like a maid at all right now. Anyone who sees you will think you are in disguise… What kind of maid has that expression and demeanor? Someone who doesn’t know might think you’re a young mistress.”

As if to further convince Ciel, Avena continued, “Moreover, most of my servants and attendants have seen your appearance. You also need to make a perfect disguise to fool them as well.”

That… also makes sense…

Ciel nodded a bit reluctantly.

Anyway, she wasn’t planning to simulate next. She intended to rest and adjust her spirit. And getting the list would take some time. She was doing nothing with the remaining time. It seemed besides reading, she could only do the “practice” Avena mentioned.

“Alright.”

Ciel nodded, complying with Avena’s wishes.

Seeing Ciel nod, Avena stood up impatiently. She kept her face straight, maintaining an expressionless state, to prevent her lips from curling up too obviously with happiness.

“Okay. I don’t have anything planned for tonight. I will teach you.”

After saying this, Avena turned and walked towards the door, not giving Ciel any chance or time to object.

At this moment, Nia was at the end of the hallway, leaning by the window, watching the sunset outside, her mind blank.

She had lived too many years. She was in the habit of spending time in a daze, as if she were a real knight statue.

The sound of the door opening from the end of the hallway interrupted Nia’s time in a daze. She turned and saw Young Mistress Avena quickly walking towards her.

“Is there anything, Young Mistress?” Nia left the window and walked towards Avena, asking.

“Help me get a new maid dress.” Avena said in a low voice.

It seemed she didn’t even want her personal maid to do these things, entrusting them to Nia instead.

A maid dress?

Nia was a little stunned. For a moment, she couldn’t figure out what Miss Avena wanted this for. But soon, she remembered that Ciel seemed to still be in the Young Mistress’s room.

Sigh…

Nia almost immediately pictured the strong-willed Young Mistress Avena forcing Miss Ciel to wear a maid dress and then disciplining her. But she just sighed inwardly, still saying, “Yes, Young Mistress, just a moment.”

Nia went downstairs. In less than three minutes, she came up with a handbag containing a complete maid dress.

Avena took the handbag and quickly turned to leave. Nia, who was still contemplating what to say, watched Avena’s back. Only after she closed the door did she react.

At this moment, Nia’s mood was somewhat relieved, and somewhat complex.

She had watched Avena grow up almost from childhood. Nia was both relieved that Avena had found someone with whom she could open her heart, and worried that Avena might do something that would harm the other person, ultimately leading to her own injury.

However, Nia couldn’t interfere too much in these personal matters… She could only let the young people resolve them themselves.

Nia returned to the window, opened it, and continued to space out, letting the cool breeze blow on her.

As it turned out, Nia’s worries were unnecessary.

Ciel, who had already changed into a black and white maid outfit, was lifting her skirt a bit, pulling up her white stockings, looking at Avena, and saying somewhat helplessly, “It’s a bit big.”

“I’ll have a custom-made one rushed for you tomorrow.” Avena looked at Ciel, who was currently wearing a maid outfit and adjusting her skirt, and nodded inwardly.

As expected of my Ciel, she looks good in anything.

“Ahem.”

Avena coughed slightly, forcibly restraining the smile on her face. She sat down on the sofa and said, “Okay, let’s start. First, follow your intuition… Pour the tea.”

Ciel obediently walked to the table. Thinking about how maids poured tea in her memory, she poured a cup of tea for Avena. After placing it on the table in front of her, she stepped back, placing her hands in front of her, looking down at Avena.

At this moment, Avena picked up the teacup and took a sip. Then she looked up at Ciel, and saw that Ciel was looking at her expressionlessly, seemingly planning to stare until Avena gave her the next instruction.

“Maids should not stare at their mistresses constantly. Besides being silent and courteous, respectful boundaries are also important. Remember to be polite, lower your head, and do not look directly into your mistress’s eyes without permission.”

After Avena finished speaking, she continued to face the table, elegantly lifting the teacup and taking a sip.

“Yes, mistress.”

“Pfft—”

Ciel’s low, soft voice sounded beside her. Avena trembled from her toes to her brain. She spat out a mouthful of black tea without any aristocratic grace.

“Cough cough cough…”

Avena put down the teacup, her face flushed red, unknown if from choking or something else. She turned to look at Ciel, calmed her breathing slightly, and said, “Who… who taught you to call me that!”

Perhaps because she had made a fool of herself, to mask her embarrassment, Avena’s voice sounded a little angry.

“Uh… Didn’t you just say ‘can’t stare at the mistress’?”

Looking at Avena before her, Ciel looked a little puzzled. She didn’t understand why Avena was so agitated.

“Remember, you… you were hired by the manor, you get a weekly salary, you’re not a slave. Just call me ‘Miss,’ understand?”

Avena stared at Ciel, speaking haltingly. She looked angry, but in reality, she was masking her almost uncontrollable blush.

But she had to admit, when she heard Ciel call her that just now, there was a hint of excitement in her heart, for reasons unknown.

Avena was already regretting correcting Ciel so quickly. How nice it would have been to hear her call her that a few more times in a softer, more compliant voice…

“Understood, Miss.”

Ciel lowered her head, replying patiently. She seemed to be getting into character very quickly.

Next, Avena put Ciel through a series of tests. Although Ciel had never been a maid, she had seen many maids, and she was quite efficient at housework herself.

After correcting some minor flaws in etiquette and addressing, Avena could hardly find any fault with Ciel. Anyone who saw her would think she was a capable and beautiful maid.

Being too beautiful… was also a problem.

But this was easy to solve. Just needed some makeup.

In less than an hour, Avena found that she had nothing left to teach. At this moment, she stood before Ciel, looking at Ciel with her head lowered, racking her brain.

Ordering Ciel around felt great. She didn’t want it to end so soon. What to do, what to do…

Avena was almost certain that if she missed tonight, she might never have another chance to order Ciel around condescendingly again.