The Speedrun Manual of Miss Witch - Chapter 30

A silver card rested between Ciel’s fingers. As the card shattered, her body seemed to ignite, enveloped in deep crimson flames that consumed her figure.

Though the flames burned fiercely around her, the bed beneath her remained untouched.

The fiery sensation seared deep into her soul. In the dark red blaze, her shadow writhed and twisted, eventually becoming cloaked in black flames.

Ciel slowly raised her hand and brushed her face, but her mask hadn’t come along this time. She wore the outfit from Save Slot No. 2—the one she had on during the bank robbery simulation.

It was practical enough for her purposes.

Unfortunately, the bag of money from the simulation hadn’t come with her. Only the character’s clothing and accessories carried over.

Ciel climbed onto her bed, pulled back the curtains, and opened the window beside it.

Her shadow emerged, extending from beneath her feet, and lifted her into its arms. With a silent leap, it descended from the second floor, landing softly and without a sound.

Ciel kept her steps light as she walked toward the small alley ahead. Her shadow slithered across the ground like a snake, slipping into the darkness on the opposite side.

She entered the alley, where her target, the newsboy cap-wearing stalker Paul, stood with his back to her. Behind him loomed a bottomless shadow.

Though he had been startled awake, his body was paralyzed, every muscle tense, sweat dripping from his forehead. His throat felt as though it were being tightly constricted.

Paul could hear the footsteps approaching behind him, but he couldn’t turn his head to look.

He felt the cold metal of the pistol in his hand, but to his growing horror, his body refused to obey him. Instead, it began walking forward of its own accord.

And so, a bizarre scene unfolded in the dead of night.

A man, his body stiff like a puppet, staggered forward. Twenty meters behind him, a red-haired girl followed at a steady pace.

Maintaining a constant distance, the two silently made their way toward Hammer Tavern on West Street.

Before long, Paul’s vision filled with the sign of Hammer Tavern. He watched helplessly as his body walked to the glass door and pushed it open.

Ding-a-ling—

The bell above the door jingled as it swung open. Inside, Thomas, who had been about to drink the potion, looked toward the sound in surprise.

“Paul? What the hell are you doing here?!” Thomas shouted. His sharp eyes caught sight of the revolver in Paul’s hand. “What the hell are you—”

Before Thomas could finish his sentence, Paul abruptly raised his right hand, revolver aimed. His left hand worked the hammer, rapidly cocking and firing the weapon.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three bullets fired in under a second, all striking Thomas squarely in the chest.

Thomas staggered backward, blood bubbling from his mouth, before collapsing to the floor. He was rendered completely incapable of resistance.

At the bar, Solari sat in a daze. Only after the gunshots rang out did he slowly turn his head toward the door.

“Paul… Paul…” Solari murmured, his words slurred, his mind still muddled like a drunken man struggling to regain focus.

Paul dropped the empty revolver and pulled a knife from his belt, lunging at Solari.

As Paul charged, the groggy Solari finally noticed the red-haired girl standing behind Paul, her petite figure illuminated in the dim light.

“You’re…”

Slash, slash—

Two swift strikes—one to the heart, one to the throat. Both were clean and efficient, ending Solari’s life instantly.

After completing his task, Paul climbed over the bar and retrieved a kerosene canister meant for refilling the oil lamps. He poured it over both his and Solari’s bodies.

Then, stepping over the bar, he approached Thomas, rummaging through his belongings.

Thud—

A withered hand suddenly grabbed Paul’s wrist.

With the last remnants of his strength, Thomas clung to life, staring at Paul as he trembled and asked, “W-why…”

Why… He had been so close to success… All he needed was to manipulate Solari into killing the people around him, then kill that girl… Why…

Thomas’s gaze fell upon Paul’s face.

Cheap, yellowish kerosene trickled down Paul’s face, already contorted in terror and pain. The tears streaming from his wide, horrified eyes mingled with the kerosene, making it impossible to tell one from the other.

Following Paul’s line of sight, Thomas looked beyond him and saw the faint, blurred figure of the red-haired girl.

Red hair…

Why…

How could this happen…

Thomas stared helplessly as the notebooks and two bottles of potions seemingly floated through the air into the girl’s hands. Paul’s body slumped onto Thomas, and as the girl caught the items, the kerosene lamp on the wall fell with a violent shake.

Flames spread along the kerosene trail, igniting the tavern’s wooden floorboards. Thomas watched as the fire crept closer, the terror in his heart growing with every passing second.

Boom—

When the flames reached the kerosene-soaked bodies, a massive fireball erupted, consuming everything in its path. The inferno spread to the bar, setting Solari ablaze as well.

Ciel stretched lazily, tucking the two notebooks and two potions into her coat before turning to leave.

Boom—

The spreading fire reached other barrels of liquor and kerosene, triggering a violent explosion. The tavern’s windows shattered, and nearby streetlights began to flicker. A woman’s piercing scream rang out.

And yet, the one responsible for it all, Ciel, had already turned a corner into a small alleyway, not even bothering to look back.

…

Back in her room, Ciel climbed through the window, shut it, and pulled the curtains closed. Sitting on her bed, she let out a deep sigh.

The entire operation had taken less than ten minutes.

Eliminating three major threats in one fell swoop filled Ciel with a sense of relief. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she swung her legs gently and hummed a familiar tune from her previous life. The tension she had carried for so long finally began to ease.

Her shadow, like a dancer inspired by her song, moved in rhythm with her mood. Its dark, burning form stretched and swayed in the dim light.

Snap—

Ciel snapped her fingers, and a flash of silver light enveloped her. Her long, waist-length hair returned, and the exhilaration mixed with fury that had burned within her heart dissipated completely. Her once-elevated, chaotic emotions settled into tranquility.

“Finally, my peaceful life is back…”

Ciel whispered softly as she lay back on her bed.

「The host’s 【Fated Death】 has been broken. Simulation times will now reset randomly.」

「You can now explore further into the future.」

None of that matters.

Ciel closed her eyes, savoring the serenity of the moment.