The Speedrun Manual of Miss Witch - Chapter 265

Pickman was a mysterious and powerful person. If she brought her friends to see him, she had to be cautious. If her father Edward were here, it would be fine, but Edward had gone out for something. Isabella felt a little unnerved at the thought of going to the art studio filled with paintings.

However, Ciel and Avena didn’t seem to mind these things.

To Isabella, Pickman was indeed mysterious and terrifying… But he was only a Tier 1 “Blood Painter.”

A Tier 1 couldn’t cause much trouble in their hands.

Isabella led Ciel, Avena, and the others out of the reception room and walked up to the art studio on the third floor. Finally, Isabella stood in front of an art studio door, raised her hand, and knocked on the door.

Not long after knocking, the door of the art studio was opened.

Although it was noon, the curtains inside were all drawn. The candles in the middle of the art studio were the only source of light.

A thin, tall young man with slumped shoulders looked at Isabella at the door and mumbled, “What…”

His gaze just followed Isabella and fell upon the four people behind her who were looking at him. Instantly, his originally mumbled voice disappeared. His slumped shoulders and bent waist also straightened.

Pickman swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. He stiffly turned his head to look at Isabella and said, “Ex… Excuse me, is there something you need?”

Even his tone became much more polite.

Ciel’s gaze swept across the interior of the art studio. After not seeing Mond’s figure, she looked at Avena beside her.

Avena noticed Ciel’s gaze. Immediately, a purple halo radiated from her pupils.

Seeing the purple halo, the experienced Pickman’s pupils slightly constricted. He subconsciously turned to rush into the art studio—his accumulated paintings were inside the art studio. Inside the art studio, his mental influence would reach its limit.

But just as Pickman was about to move, he found… that his body was completely unable to move.

Shadows on the floor, illuminated by the light from outside, showed white shadow chains wrapped around his shadow, preventing Pickman from moving even an inch.

This happened within a brief instant. Without Isabella even noticing, Pickman was successfully mentally controlled.

At this moment, Ciel raised her hand and gently patted Isabella. Just as Isabella was about to turn around, she raised her hand and pinched her chin with a force she could barely resist, twisting her gaze towards Avena.

Avena also focused her energy at this time. With just a glance at Isabella, Isabella’s eyes lost their focus.

For the next few minutes and what had just happened, no matter what happened, Isabella would have no memory of this time. This would become a blank area for Avena to fill.

Isabella was directly pushed into the art studio. The others followed into the art studio.

Pickman, whose mind and body were controlled, could not escape. He was easily interrogated—he had just seen Mond yesterday. Mond had not left Ansu City, and she seemed to have other plans in Ansu City in the coming days.

Because Mond promised that after the plan was completed, she would take Pickman away from Ansu and go to Pharos Country together.

It seemed that Mond, realizing something had happened to Lafayette, intended to accelerate the process of spreading the cholera. She planned to leave immediately after the cholera was released.

Pickman’s mind was already branded with a “Sadhana Mark.” Tara could easily command him, but a “Sadhana Mark” could only make someone loyal and have faith. It couldn’t erase someone’s memory. At times like this, it was better for Avena to make an appearance.

Obtaining memories was too simple for a “Psychologist.” Pickman could not retain the memory of seeing Ciel and the others. And before Mond was found, Pickman could not die, to avoid alerting the enemy.

And through Pickman, Ciel also learned of a specific address where Mond would be in the coming days…

With these conditions, it was enough to capture Mond.

After fabricating a memory and restoring everything, Ciel and the others took the confused Isabella back to where they were before. After having lunch with the bewildered Isabella, they left the Stuart Art Trading Center.

As for dealing with Mond, it was also very simple.

She was a Tier 3 from the Society of Merriment. It would be easy for Ciel to kill her first… But she wasn’t just a member of the Society of Merriment. She was also a member of the Pharos Medical Association and the daughter of a Grand Duke from the Devo Federation.

If something were to happen to her, it would not only trigger an investigation by transcendent organizations but also cause a serious diplomatic incident.

Ansu was currently in chaos and turmoil. If a Grand Duke’s daughter were to die here now, it was hard to imagine what kind of incident it would trigger…

After all, Avena’s family was still here. Ciel didn’t want to make Ansu too chaotic.

Erasing Mond’s memories of Adele and having her leave Ansu with the subconscious suggestion to “leave Ansu as soon as possible” would suffice.

Another crucial reason was that Ciel couldn’t have a Tier 3 member of the Society of Merriment die every time she went somewhere… Although they wouldn’t retaliate just because one member died, if they were to mistakenly believe this was a hunt targeting their members, they would definitely take action.

Since she had done it several times before, the plan to subdue Mond went quite smoothly. The only minor drawback was that she used the same plan as last time. Ciel transformed into the “Subverter” save file, which cost 5 Fate Points. This instantly subdued Mond and then allowed Avena to modify her memory.

After finishing everything, clearing away all traces, and leaving Mond’s house, they all got into the carriage to return.

This time, they didn’t return to the Roswell family mansion, but came to Ciel’s new home—this was Ciel’s “third first time” at her new home.

Not until she returned to her room with Avena and lay down on the bed did Ciel let out a long sigh.

The matter that had troubled her for so long… was finally over.

Only some minor details remained to be dealt with… For example, Ashford still retained memories of Adele. This needed to be dealt with after Ashford woke up, or simply have Avena secretly erase his memories under the guise of “physical therapy.”

“You look very relaxed.”

Avena climbed onto the bed and looked down at Ciel below her, saying calmly, “I haven’t seen you show an expression like this in a long time… Before, you were just faking a smile.”

“Is that so?”

Ciel raised her hand and wrapped it around Avena’s slender waist. She slowly tightened her grip, pulling her towards her.

Their bodies were pressed tightly together.