The Speedrun Manual of Miss Witch - Chapter 277

Collective memory is difficult to distort. No matter how hard they tried, many ordinary people would feel their memories were chaotic and even become aware of the power of the mystical side.

Just thinking about it was a headache.

Of course, Ciel wasn’t overly concerned about this.

After all, this was just a simulation. After she left, let chaos reign.

In the evening, with the hallucinogen’s influence gone, the first to wake up, as expected, was Avena.

As someone also on the “Listener” path, after the influence of the memetic infection was gone, she immediately realized that her subconscious had been modified and successfully corrected her false consciousness using her backed-up memories.

When she realized what she had said to Ciel while under the influence, she immediately pulled Ciel into the room.

“When… when did you start to ‘wake up’?” Avena pressed Ciel against the wall, her lips tightly pursed, and asked.

“This morning.” Ciel replied with a smile.

Avena gently bit her silver teeth, lowered her voice, and threatened, “Forget everything, or I’ll help you forget!”

At this moment, Avena’s cheeks were flushed, as if Ciel were to say a single “no,” she would immediately flare up and bite.

Forget? Forget what?

Ciel thought of the scene of Avena “seducing” her in a sheer nightgown earlier, and she suddenly understood.

“I’ll never forget it in this lifetime.” Ciel said honestly.

“You’re not allowed to!” Avena directly reached out, grabbing Ciel by the collar.

Avena, furious.

“Alright, I’ve completely forgotten everything.”

“You can’t!”

Ciel: “?”

Do you want me to forget or not forget?

Avena, still gripping Ciel’s collar, seemed to notice the conflict in her own words. For a moment, she was choked up. She held Ciel by the collar, lowered her head, and after a long while, said in a small voice:

“The engagement… you can remember that…”

Looking at Avena, who was lowering her head before her, Ciel slowly raised her hand, placed it on Avena’s head, and gently stroked it.

“Mm.”

The storm caused by the collective memory shift continued to spread, affecting the entire Ansu City.

But inside Ciel’s small house, it was exceptionally peaceful, as if isolated from the world, completely cut off from the raging storm outside.

Not until half an hour before the end of the simulation, a “gift” was delivered to Ciel’s room.

It was the reconstitution rituals and potion formulas for “Poison Master,” “Listener,” “Instigator,” and “Blood Painter” from Tier 1 to Tier 4—a generous gift from Imogen.

She also sent a letter, informing Ciel that the esteemed individual would soon visit her again with her.

However, Ciel would not be able to wait for this “soon.”

…

Silver light engulfed Ciel. In a space of silver-white, Ciel looked at the scene before her.

Standing before her were countless red-haired young ladies, so numerous that the term “sea of people” could describe them.

These were Ciel from every different moment in the previous simulation.

Ciel could choose any two moments from them to save as archives.

There was no need to dwell on it. Ciel directly chose her “Blood Painter” moment and her “Melody Master” moment to save.

「No. 12: “Blood Painter” Ciel」

「No. 13: “Melody Master” Ciel」

Ciel looked at these two new save files and took a deep breath.

The arrival of Old Days.

Only 3 save files left—

A silver halo engulfed everything before Ciel’s eyes, until she once again felt the warmth of the outside world.

…

「Reality」

「Holy Year 741, July 25th, 8:15 AM」

「Evaluation: This is true music TvT」

「Perhaps you have also sensed it. Even if you don’t want to admit it, your influence is growing ever larger… This will make some matters simpler for you to handle, but it will also bring you trouble.」

「Those who carry a dazzling light, no matter how they conceal themselves, will attract prying eyes… I must warn you, in the eyes of certain entities, you are already as dazzling as the sun ^^」

「Those who are jealous and those who fear—They are screaming! They are roaring!」

「Receive it. This is well-deserved based on your performance.」

「Reward: Fate Points * 55, 【Mist of Transfiguring Ascension】」

「Fate Points: 437」

Ciel slowly opened her eyes, looking at the system panel before her. She remained silent for a long time.

She slowly sat upright. The warm blanket draped over her shoulders slid down, seemingly placed there by Tara.

“Lord Ciel, you’re awake.” Tara, standing beside Ciel, slightly lowered her head and said respectfully, “There’s nothing unusual around. Please rest assured.”

“Mm.” Ciel casually pulled off the blanket draped over her and handed it to Tara. “Thank you.”

Tara quickly reached out and took the blanket. Its warmth and soft scent almost made Tara unable to maintain her composure for a moment.

‘Those who are jealous and those who fear—They are screaming! They are roaring!’…

Ciel recalled the system’s words just now and fell into thought.

Those jealous ones, those who fear?

Who are They?

Is it “that esteemed individual” from North Ansu, as Imogen called her?

No, that’s at most a Tier 4. Even if she possesses “Uniqueness,” she’s still similar to Forte. It wouldn’t warrant such a warning from the system.

Moreover, the personal pronoun the system used was They (祂).

Ciel didn’t believe that a transcendent deserved this title… This was a title no human could bear.

So it’s above Tier 4, the so-called Ascenders, or “Ascended Ones”?

Ciel had never seen Their figures in reality. The only life forms she had seen that clearly surpassed humans and Tier 4 were Grim Worms, Divine Servants, and the white armor.

From the Other Side?

Why would They fear her? Why would They be jealous of her?

Because of “Uniqueness”?

But Forte previously, and “that esteemed individual” in North Ansu now, also have it. And there must be many more “Uniquenesses,” like those sealed within transcendent items such as the “Touch of Fate’s Betrayal,” or scattered throughout the world.

The more one explores the transcendent world, the more one feels like they’re touching rock bottom… This uncertainty made Ciel uneasy.

Ciel would not ignore the system’s warning.

Before potential danger arrived, Ciel had to be prepared.

“Call Percy. There’s something that needs to be done.”

Ciel looked at Tara, who was still staring intently at the blanket in her hands, and said.

“Oh, oh… Alright, I’ll go call her right away.” Tara snapped out of her daze. After quickly folding the blanket in her hands, she hurried out of Ciel’s room.

While waiting for Tara to call Percy, Ciel opened the system interface.

Just now, besides the Fate Points gained from completing two reconstitution rituals, she seemed to have obtained something else.

Ciel wanted to see what it was.

「Mist of Transfiguring Ascension: Use this item to randomly upgrade one system-granted Sealed Artifact by one quality level.」

A simple and straightforward description.

Directly upgrading a system-granted Sealed Artifact by one quality level?