The Speedrun Manual of Miss Witch - Chapter 174

July 7th, Berren City, Sir’s Bridge District, Manor No. 5, Thornesby Manor.

“Work more efficiently, ladies and gentlemen. Many important people will be arriving later…”

Arthur Thornesby stood with his hands on his hips, directing in the garden. “Hey, my good man, can you have it ready before they arrive?”

The person he affectionately called his good man was a steady old butler. He slightly bowed towards Arthur and said, “Miss Roswell has sent many capable helpers. Everything is almost ready.”

“Hmph, thanks to the generous Miss Roswell. Where is my good wine? We must toast her well tonight.”

Arthur stroked his full beard and casually pointed to a blonde maid who was struggling to move a table. He said:

“Hey, little one, don’t move that. Let someone stronger do it. Go with this old fellow to the wine cellar and get a few bottles of good wine. Don’t let him hurt his back again. Please~”

It was evident that Arthur was in a very good mood today. He seemed to be trying to speak with an Ansu accent, but it looked a little comical with his large belly and movements.

Called out by name, Ciel, who was still slacking off, looked up at the wealthy merchant.

At this moment, she had already experienced this event in the simulation, so almost as soon as the wealthy merchant Arthur spoke, Ciel had already put down the table. After slightly nodding to Arthur, she followed behind the butler.

Everything was the same as in the simulation. Nothing had changed.

This day had finally arrived.

The previous two days, Ciel had been resting and recuperating. Besides drawing and reading, she did nothing that might interfere with future developments. Under her deliberate low profile, the past two days had passed peacefully.

After getting the wine, Ciel continued to slack off. Around four o’clock in the afternoon, she took out her stopwatch and glanced at the time. Then she fixed her gaze on a carriage that drove into the manor and stopped by the fountain.

Ashcroft. The family crest and inscription on the carriage once again told Ciel that the most important “actor” had arrived “as scheduled.” Only after seeing a familiar woman step out of the carriage did Ciel withdraw her gaze.

She turned and walked towards the back garden, stopping in the shade of a tree at the corner, seemingly waiting for time to pass.

One minute, two minutes.

Half an hour, an hour.

About 30 meters behind her, the things by the lake in the back garden were already set up.

As the sky gradually darkened, the musicians of the orchestra Arthur had hired from Ansu were already seated, tuning their instruments.

They seemed completely oblivious to the maid in the shade of the tree. They were just methodically doing their work.

The instruments were tuned. The white-haired woman in a tuxedo, who was leading, held a baton and stood before the musicians, seemingly preparing for the final rehearsal.

She lightly gripped the black and gold baton, gave a slight flick. The musicians, who had rehearsed countless times, began to follow her movements, playing their instruments. The gentle string intro began.

The soothing music seemed to cleanse the soul. As time passed, the music built up, gradually moving towards a grand climax.

The string players were immersed in playing, bows flying. The wind players puffed out their cheeks, their gaze focused. The percussionists struck accurately, striving for perfection. The conductor’s hands flew, guiding the rhythm of the entire orchestra with her body.

And in the shade of the tree not far away, the only listener, Ciel, had a silver-white system interface appear before her.

“Sigh…”

Ciel sighed silently in her heart.

The only imperfect point of the plan was that the “Subverter’s” golden hair had been washed away, and she wasn’t wearing a maid outfit anymore.

Good thing she wasn’t wearing pajamas when she saved.

“Load save file, No. 1.”

Silver specks of light seemed to peel away from Ciel. With just a twist of her body, her original golden hair and maid outfit vanished without a trace, replaced by a trench coat.

The female conductor of the orchestra seemed to sense something. She looked back during a pause in conducting, but found nothing unusual. Then she turned back, closed her eyes, and listened intently for any imperfections in the music.

At this moment, the guests were already walking towards the lakeside, led by Arthur. They all seemed unable to see the red-haired young girl leaning against the corner wall.

Only Oppold shivered abruptly as he chatted and passed by with someone. He made an excuse to leave and quietly took out his “Evil Eye” in the shade of the tree. After confirming there was no danger by dripping blood, he returned to the lakeside.

It was about time.

Ciel put away the stopwatch in her hand. She walked around the corner, heading towards the manor entrance, and walked directly into the banquet hall—and Lucy was walking in front of Ciel, completely unaware of Ciel’s arrival behind her.

After Lucy entered the corridor, Ciel leaned against the corner of the corridor, tossing the silver exquisite stopwatch in her hand, absentmindedly watching the stopwatch bounce up and down in her hand.

Only after hearing the commotion inside settling down did Ciel turn and step directly into the corridor.

“Not happy to see you again,”

Ciel turned the 【Overlimit Gear】, looking unenthusiastically at the Keyman who had raised her left hand towards Lucy lying on the ground, a hoarse, layered voice coming from her mouth, “Keyman…”

Silver light burst forth from the stopwatch. Ciel calmly watched the Keyman twist, shrink, and rot, until the eyeball in the center of her large, tumor-like brain faced her.

Buzz—

The beam of light had only been connected to Ciel for a few seconds when it suddenly exploded. The terrifying head before her burst open. Brain matter and blood splattered.

Ciel slowly stepped forward, bent down, and pulled out the ring on the Keyman’s left hand. Then she turned to look at Lucy, who was still trembling and lying on the ground, not daring to look up.

“Send the veil to Avena. Consider it a thank you gift from the intermediary.”

Ciel stepped over Lucy, who was lying on the ground, and said without turning back, “The rest is yours.”

When she reached the door, Ciel stopped. She turned back and stared at Lucy on the ground with silver eyes, smiling, “Do you want to try looking up and see if your two heads-up coin tosses worked?”

“You… You must be joking, Your Excellency…”

Lucy, who hadn’t been given the command to look up at this moment, lay on the ground, completely unable to move.

She had actually secretly glanced in the Keyman’s direction just now—she saw the Keyman rapidly corrupting, collapsing, and dying from explosion. In this situation, how could she possibly dare to look up at that “Subverter” sent by Miss Ciel?

Unless she had a death wish.

“Tsk… boring.”

The Keyman was dead. Her confidential letter had also been replaced with a command to “stay put.” There was nothing more to do.

Ciel stuffed the stopwatch back into her pocket and walked towards the door. Silver specks of light scattered from her body. The pink stardust in her pupils was also gradually fading.

About four or five minutes after Ciel left, Lucy, with trembling hands, supported herself and crawled up. She looked with lingering fear in the direction where the “Subverter” had left.

…And it was just as she had guessed.

The killing didn’t require her at all. She was just there to show her face and clean up…

How could there be a “Subverter” with such a powerful presence? And from her tone, it seemed she had already known that Keyman for a long time.

The fear in her heart slowly dissipated. She looked at the terrifying remains behind her. The fear in her heart was quickly overcome by excitement.

She had actually connected with such a powerful mysterious organization…

Wouldn’t she be able to earn a lot of such “extra income” in the future?

Did she gain the recognition of this organization?

Was this the great reward hidden beneath the great crisis described by that card spread…

Lucy quickly walked towards the corpse and began excitedly cleaning up.

Outside, the orchestra’s performance at the lakeside banquet also reached its climax, almost mirroring the excitement in Lucy’s heart. No one noticed what had happened here.

And at this moment, Ciel had already walked out of the manor, followed the path all the way to Avena’s manor entrance, pushed the door open, and walked in.

Returning to Avena’s room, Ciel didn’t change clothes. She just walked to the side of the bed and flopped onto it.

Finally, she could rest for a while…

Her tense spirit finally relaxed. Ciel slowly closed her eyes.