The Speedrun Manual of Miss Witch - Chapter 21

“Sorry, sister, for keeping you waiting so long.”

Ciel sat opposite Lichie and took a sip from the coffee cup in front of her.

Only in Lichie’s presence did the restless turmoil in her heart finally begin to subside. The violent emotions that made her irritated with everyone around her gradually dissipated.

The faint throbbing in her head and the burning sensation in her chest—this was far from her usual state.

Ciel had always been someone who sought peace, keeping a low profile to maintain a tranquil life.

Now, the violent impulses and fleeting whispers in her mind seemed to be the result of the potion’s influence.

The potion… could it really change someone’s personality so drastically?

Thankfully, this was happening in a simulation. Anything she did here wouldn’t affect reality.

From what Uris had explained earlier, it seemed that potions weren’t limited to just one type. Beyond the “Avenger” and “Ascetic” potions, there were likely more.

If drinking more potions amplified these effects, Ciel couldn’t be sure she’d be able to suppress the violent thoughts catalyzed by them in the future.

“No… I only waited a little while,” Lichie whispered, subtly wiping at her eyes with her sleeve, her head bowed as she cupped the coffee in her hands.

She had rarely been to the city center, and even less to places as upscale as this café. If not for Ciel insisting she wait here, she might never have stepped into such a beautiful establishment in her life.

“What’s wrong?” Ciel’s sharp eyes caught the oddity in Lichie’s demeanor. Tilting her head slightly, she tried to see Lichie’s face, but her sister only lowered her head further. “Are you upset?”

“No…” Lichie took a deep breath and finally lifted her head. But the moment she saw Ciel, she froze.

“Ciel?” Lichie’s voice rose slightly in surprise. “Your hair?”

It wasn’t her fault for reacting this way. Her sister, who had always had waist-length, beautiful red hair, now sported shoulder-length curls. While it was still stunning, the change felt strange to Lichie.

And perhaps it was just her imagination, but Lichie felt that her sister’s gaze was now sharper, more intense than before.

“I stopped to get a haircut earlier,” Ciel smiled, smoothly delivering the excuse she had prepared on the way. “Does it look good?”

“It looks great,” Lichie nodded, smiling as well. “You look like one of those noble ladies.”

She didn’t question where Ciel got the money for a haircut. She knew her sister often earned pocket money by ghostwriting homework for noble girls.

Suddenly, as though remembering something, Lichie reached into her pocket and took out a small gift box, handing it to Ciel. “Happy birthday, Ciel. Congratulations on graduating.”

Graduation?

Ciel blinked, momentarily taken aback.

She had completely forgotten that today was supposed to be her graduation ceremony.

But based on the trajectory of events in this timeline, it seemed she hadn’t attended the ceremony and had instead stayed home to prepare.

Ciel carefully took the gift and opened the box to find a delicate rose-shaped brooch inside.

“It’s beautiful. I love it. Thank you, sister~” Ciel didn’t hold back her praise and immediately pinned the brooch to her robe.

“That’s good,” Lichie said, her mood lifting as she saw her sister’s joy. However, the longer she looked at Ciel, the more she felt that something about her had changed.

But she couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was.

Was it the new robe? That might just be what Ciel wore for her graduation ceremony. But what about the bandages on her hands? And earlier, she could’ve sworn she heard her sister scolding someone at the door—something her usually timid sister would never do.

“Good evening, ladies.”

A polite voice interrupted Lichie’s thoughts, startling her. She quickly lowered her head, while Ciel turned to face the newcomer.

…

Ten minutes passed.

In the short time they had spent in the café, Ciel had already received seven or eight finely crafted business cards.

It was as though the people in the café rarely saw someone dressed in a robe like hers. They were eager to introduce themselves, hoping to leave an impression on her.

Some were minor nobles, but most were merchants, all seemingly convinced that knowing her could bring them some benefit.

Ciel accepted the cards but soon left the café with Lichie. She felt that wearing this robe here was drawing far too much attention and thought it best to go home and change.

After all, the matter had already been resolved. She just needed to wait and see how events would unfold.

The two walked under a shared umbrella, strolling through the drizzling rain on their way home. Along the way, they talked about various topics, including Ciel’s decision not to attend university.

Lichie’s attitude toward her sister skipping university seemed to have changed. She now agreed that working at the police department, earning money, and saving for school was a more practical approach.

The disparity between people had become all too clear to Lichie during her time in the café. She let go of some of her more naive ideas and came to understand an important truth.

—If something isn’t meant for your social class, forcing it will rarely yield good results.

She could now somewhat empathize with Ciel’s feelings. Surrounded by wealthy and noble classmates, Ciel had to face unimaginable pressure, whether in her studies or social interactions.

Lichie joked about the events in the café, turning them into a humorous story, but Ciel remained silent.

She realized that while she had considered the café a safe meeting spot, she hadn’t fully accounted for Lichie’s feelings.

Fortunately, once she returned to reality, she could ensure that such incidents wouldn’t happen again.

As they entered the muddy streets of the Clock Tower District, they had to watch their steps to avoid puddles.

Walking along South-North Stone Street, just before reaching their home, they heard commotion ahead, accompanied by the occasional bark of a dog.

A large crowd had gathered, loudly commenting on something. A sharp police whistle sounded, followed by a few curses, and the crowd began to disperse, revealing a cordoned-off area.

“What happened?” Lichie asked.

“I don’t know,” Ciel said without changing her expression.

As they approached the police line, a man in a police cloak and a tall, brimmed hat quickly stepped in front of them, blocking their path.

“Didn’t you hear? Everyone clear out! Stay back from here.” The man’s tone was impatient, as though tired of repeating the same command.

“Officer, we live at 44. We need to pass through here to get home,” Ciel explained. “We were just returning from the city center.”

“Oh, sorry about that. There’ve been too many people crowding around,” the man said, sounding apologetic as he removed his hat to reveal a slightly balding head. He gestured for them to follow. “Come on, I’ll escort you through. Just don’t touch anything at the scene.”

“Officer, can you tell us what happened?” Lichie asked curiously.

“May the Goddess help us. Damn gang wars. One of the Blackwater Gang leaders is dead. Thankfully, all the victims were gang members,” the officer explained as he continued walking forward.

As they passed through the scene, Ciel overheard a group of officers discussing.

“Hey, this seems like an easy case to close—just a mutual shootout.”

“Boss… these two guns look identical.”

“My gun also looks identical to yours, idiot.”

“Yeah, but I feel like the number of bullets doesn’t add up. Can I open up the bodies and check?”

“You want to cut him open? Goddess, are you a savage?”

“Report! Two more bodies found in the alley—also Blackwater members!”

“Report! Found two notebooks in the black-robed guy’s clothes. One looks like it belongs to the Savior Goddess Church, but it’s blank. The other one looks like a diary.”

“Savior Goddess Church? Let me see… Everyone, stop what you’re doing! You, get on a horse and take these damn notebooks back to the investigation department!”

“Yes, sir!”

After passing through the scene and walking a short distance further, the officer stopped in front of 44, gesturing for them to go ahead. “Here you are, ladies. Best not to go out at night for now.”

“Thank you, Officer,” Lichie said, then pulled Ciel into the house and closed the door behind them.

The officer lingered for a moment, frowning as he looked at the ornate patterns on the girl’s robe. He felt like he’d seen them somewhere before but couldn’t quite place it.

Before he could think further, a voice called for him to wrap things up, and he quickly brushed the thought aside, hurrying to join his colleagues.

What’s there to think about? She’s just a young girl who came back from a shopping trip.