The Speedrun Manual of Miss Witch - Chapter 51

「Reality」

「Saint Year 741, June 18, 6:30 PM」

「Evaluation: I should really give you an achievement award—’Citywide Massacre’! Do you even realize how many rituals you just completed in one go?」

「You really missed out on seeing the faces of those nuns and priests—shock, despair, utter devastation! Next time, I’ll try to capture a snapshot for you ^^D.」

「Take this, it’s what you’ve earned based on your performance.」

「Reward: Fate Points *15, 【Charm Lv.1】, 【Deadly Blood Laurel】」

「Fate Points: 26」

Fifteen Fate Points… plus a new skill and an item.

This simulation had yielded far greater rewards than Ciel had expected. The relatively low number of points was likely because she had yet to escape the inevitable death scenario.

Time was short. She quickly skimmed through the details of her new skill and item.

「【Charm Lv.1】: Your charm has increased slightly, making it easier to attract transcendent beings and entities from the Other Side, as well as gain their favor.」

「【Deadly Blood Laurel】: A special sealed artifact. Wounds inflicted by its blade or bullets will bloom with blood laurels, causing continuous bleeding.」

「Side Effect: While holding it, you will suffer from a permanent, irremovable ‘Anemia’ condition.」

A sealed artifact?

Ciel opened the inventory.

At this moment, there were already four items inside.

The Eye of Order Contract, the Radiance Bishop’s Letter, the Other Side Page, and the Deadly Blood Laurel.

Looking at the vague, shifting icon representing the artifact, Ciel hesitated for a moment before deciding to retrieve it.

This was her first sealed artifact—perhaps it would prove useful in the future.

A flash of silver light flickered in her hand, and an old-fashioned flintlock pistol appeared.

The dark brown wooden grip fit snugly in her palm. Below the 35-centimeter-long black barrel was a 40-centimeter silver bayonet. Blood-red laurel patterns snaked along the blade and continued onto the silver flintlock mechanism, as if a cluster of crimson flowers had bound them together.

The moment she grasped it, a wave of dizziness hit her. A deep fatigue settled in, making her feel as though she might collapse after just a few steps.

Unbeknownst to her, the color drained from her face, leaving her looking pale and fragile.

At the same time, knowledge of how to use the weapon surged into her mind.

She could extract her own blood to fire it, allowing for ranged attacks.

Alternatively, she could wield it like a short sword for close combat.

Regardless of whether it was the blood-infused bullets or the slashes of the blade, any wounds inflicted would sprout crimson blood laurels, continuously draining the enemy’s blood.

If the enemy attempted to remove the flowers, they would tear out even more flesh and internal organs with the hooked barbs.

What gunfighting technique?

This was a weapon that dealt a thousand damage to the enemy while causing eight hundred to the user…

Using it while anemic and still needing to draw her own blood—Ciel wasn’t even sure how many shots she could fire. At best, it could serve as a finishing move.

Still, if she suddenly pulled it out at an unexpected moment, it might turn the tide of a battle.

Ciel placed Deadly Blood Laurel back into her inventory.

As the gun-blade dissolved into a crimson mist, warmth returned to her body. Her previous weakness and dizziness from anemia gradually faded away.

Dong—

Outside, the bell of the Clock Tower Church rang out at 6:30, signaling the workers that it was time to rest.

Ciel quickly sat down, forcing herself to endure the mental fatigue from multiple simulations. She reopened the simulation interface.

She needed to simulate the future and go as far forward as possible.

She had to see if the information she had brought back about the traitor had altered the course of events.

The system’s simulation menu unfolded before her, and her gaze locked onto the future simulation option.

「Future: 1h (Saint Year 741, June 18, 7:30 PM) (Cost: 10 Fate Points)」

One hour later?

Ciel frowned.

This was the worst-case scenario. It was highly likely she wouldn’t see how events played out within the simulation.

After a few seconds of thought, she opened her notebook and began writing.

【Find Avena immediately and relay the new intelligence to her. Convince her to get her family’s strongest members involved to assassinate Sherlon ahead of time.】

【Keep the notebook updated with detailed notes—I need to know everything.】

Avena was a safer option to work with. Thanks to their contract, she wouldn’t betray Ciel.

But if even Avena couldn’t change the outcome, then Ciel would have no choice but to use the insignia and letter to report everything directly to the Holy See.

At that point, worrying about being forcibly taken in as a saintess would be secondary to simply staying alive.

Ciel gripped her notebook and whispered in her mind:

“Future, No.2.”

A flash of blinding silver light engulfed her vision.

…

「Future」

「Saint Year 741, June 18, 7:30 PM」

「Countdown – 23:59:59」

Ciel opened her eyes and immediately realized that her surroundings had changed.

She was now in the center of a vast study, seated on a sofa, a pencil in her hand, and her notebook resting on her lap.

My notebook.

Flipping to the latest entry, she saw her own handwritten characters.

【Saint Year 741, June 18, 6:31 PM】

【The simulation interface text became unreadable—looks like I’ve officially entered the simulation.】

【Saint Year 741, June 18, 6:45 PM】

【I rushed to the police station, but Avena was no longer there. I had to hire a carriage and get to No. 15, Sir’s Bridge District, as quickly as possible.】

【Saint Year 741, June 18, 7:29 PM】

【I arrived at No. 15, Sir’s Bridge District, by 7:02… Avena was in the reception room, meeting with Sherlon.】

【He came to poison her.】

【I barged into the reception room and firmly asked Avena to step outside for a moment.】

【It was an incredibly rude interruption, but—thank the Goddess—the contract worked. Avena wasn’t offended by my abruptness. Instead, she agreed and led me upstairs to the study, leaving Sherlon alone in the reception room.】

【Sherlon remained polite, but I could see the wariness in his eyes. If he’s left waiting for too long, he might just decide to leave.】

【Upstairs in the study, I told Avena the ‘intelligence network’s’ latest findings—that Sherlon had come to assassinate her and that he was the traitor.】

【Avena was skeptical at first, but when I handed her the church’s letter, she finally believed me. She decided to have her family’s guardian test Sherlon. Since she had been investigating the epidemic, she had already sent her estate’s ordinary servants on extended leave earlier today. Right now, only she and her third-tier guardian remained.】

【Avena has been gone for a while now. I decided to wait here for the outcome.】

【Third-tier versus second-tier—we have the advantage.】

The notes ended there. Ciel took a deep breath, realizing the situation was far from simple.

Avena was being poisoned today? When exactly was she supposed to succumb?

Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t seen Avena after June 20 in any of her simulations. When they signed the contract, it had been the night of June 18. Back then, Avena had been alive and well, even making time to investigate in the Clock Tower District.

Had Ciel’s warning caused Sherlon to act against Avena sooner?

BOOM!

A loud crash resounded from downstairs, shaking the entire building.

They were fighting!