The Speedrun Manual of Miss Witch - Chapter 24

“Great Eye of Order, guardian of the light of righteousness,
With your infinite wisdom and impartial power,
You maintain the balance and harmony of this world…”

“…Today, with hearts full of reverence and awe,
We sign this sacred contract under your witness…”

“…Witness our vows,
Safeguard our promises,
And guide us to never stray from the righteous path under your radiance…”

After nearly half a minute of reciting the prayer, the ordinary piece of paper bearing the contract began to emit faint blue light.

It seemed as though something was being inscribed onto the paper. A blue symbol, resembling a hieroglyphic sketch of an eye, was etched into the top of the contract by the glowing light, as if the eye were overseeing the words below.

“Please place your hand on it with me, Miss Ciel.” Avena placed her right hand over the eye symbol.

Ciel extended her own right hand, placing it next to Avena’s. The blue light dimmed abruptly, and the texture of the paper began to change, becoming coarse and layered, as if multiple crumpled sheets had been pressed together.

“It’s done.” Avena withdrew her right hand and turned to look at Ciel. “Now, will you tell me, Miss Ciel?”

“Can I keep this paper?” Ciel asked, pointing at the contract on the table.

“Of course. We can’t destroy this contract. If any external force attempts to damage it, I’ll be notified as well.” Avena nodded, watching as Ciel carefully folded the contract and tucked it away.

After securing the contract, Ciel turned to Avena and said, “I’ll tell you the truth. But I also have some questions I’d like you to answer… mostly about transcendent powers.”

“Of course.” Avena nodded, turned her body toward Ciel, placed her hands on her thighs, and adopted a posture of attentively listening, as if eagerly waiting to hear some juicy gossip.

Next, Ciel briefly explained Duven’s betrayal, Thomas’s schemes in collusion with the Blackwater Gang, and the layered sacrificial plan they had been plotting for six months to Avena.

Avena listened intently. When certain details matched her own speculations, she would unconsciously lean forward. From the way her toes lifted off the ground, it was evident how engrossed she was in the tale.

“My goodness… this could be turned into a knight’s novel.” After listening, Avena took a deep breath and curiously asked, “How did you uncover all of this, Miss Ciel? Didn’t they know you were a transcendent? Were you baiting them?”

“That’s another story.” Ciel had no intention of saying more; she had only agreed to tell Avena about her grudges with those individuals.

Avena was clearly unsatisfied. She could vaguely sense that the process of Ciel’s investigation might have been the most thrilling part of the story, likely tied to Ciel’s Reconstitution Ritual.

It was even possible that the entire sacrificial plot had been a triple-layered trap, with everyone else inadvertently becoming part of Ciel’s ritual while she turned the tables and used them as sacrificial components.

If that were truly the case, then Avena was even more curious about the finer details.

Although her face showed no emotion, Avena felt as though ants were crawling under her skin. The sensation was akin to reading a knight’s novel only to find it end on a cliffhanger, followed by the author announcing their retirement.

“My turn to ask a question.” Ciel paused to think for a moment before asking, “Which church do you belong to?”

“Me? I’m not affiliated with any church.” Avena shook her head, silently calculating how to get Ciel to reveal more juicy details. “In places like Berren City, there are plenty of transcendent organizations out in the open. Large ones like the Church of Order, the Arcane Society, and Deton Manor, as well as countless smaller, hidden groups.”

“Do they all worship different gods?” Ciel asked curiously.

“Some organizations are bound together by divine faith, while others adhere strictly to the principles of their paths. But ultimately, whether it’s a church or another group, they all operate according to the guidelines of their respective paths,” Avena explained, addressing a long-standing question that had lingered in Ciel’s mind.

It was indeed possible to gain power without worshipping a god—Ciel herself was living proof of that. Apparently, her case wasn’t unique after all.

Avena glanced at the old clock hanging on the wall and then back at Ciel, saying, “I’ve got thirty minutes. If I don’t head back soon, my family will come looking for me.”

Ciel had originally wanted to ask more about transcendent organizations and how to acquire potion formulas, but after some thought, she decided to change the direction of her questions.

With only half an hour left, she needed to focus on information that would be most immediately useful.

“For example, in this murder case—if I don’t want any transcendent organizations to find out, what should I do?” Ciel asked bluntly.

“Who do you want to kill?” Avena was very curious about how Ciel seemed to have so many enemies.

Of course, she didn’t know that Ciel’s targets were still the same group of people.

“If you still have enemies, it depends on who they are.”

After a brief pause, Avena said, “If it’s thugs like the Blackwater Gang, your previous method is quite effective. The police see their identities and close the case quickly, not bothering to investigate further.”

“Your mistake this time was leaving traces of transcendent activity that even ordinary investigators could recognize. That’s what got the investigation department involved. If you’d taken the notebooks and such with you, they would’ve dismissed it as a simple gang feud.”

Ciel nodded, mentally noting this lesson.

“Of course, if it’s just about killing gang members, you don’t even need to do it yourself,” Avena finally revealed the little scheme she had in mind. “You could come to me. I have plenty of ways to make them disappear—on the condition that you share your story with me in return.”

“Naturally, you’re entitled to one free favor since I got a much-needed piece of mystical material earlier… thanks to what you left behind.”

“Where can I find you?” Ciel asked.

“Hmm… either at the investigation department of the Berren City Police or at 15 Sir’s Bridge, West District.” Avena pulled a refined silver insignia from the inner lining of her police cloak and handed it to Ciel. “Show this to the gatekeeper and tell them you’re looking for Avena.”

“Alright,” Ciel nodded, accepting the insignia adorned with an intricate floral design.

Ciel then asked a few more foundational questions about transcendent powers. Before long, their time was up, and Avena bid her farewell and left Ciel’s house.

Shortly after she departed, the police outside began clearing the scene. The four corpses were quickly taken away, the barricades removed, and the rain washed away even the faintest traces of blood.

Standing in her room, Ciel looked at the silver insignia and the contract in her hands, nodding slightly.

She decided to linger a little longer to see if the contract truly held up.

This simulation had yielded a wealth of knowledge about transcendence. She now knew how to commit murders without drawing the attention of transcendent organizations and had made the acquaintance of a noblewoman with an intriguing background.

The insignia was something she was certain could be purchased in the system’s store.

As for the contract… could it be exchanged into reality through the system?

If it retained its effects after being brought into reality, it would grant Ciel an ally who would never betray her.

Someone who would never reveal her secrets, who wouldn’t harbor hostility or negative emotions toward her.

In other words, no matter what Ciel did to her, her favorability would only increase…

Ciel carefully tucked the contract into her pocket.

This contract might prove invaluable in the future.