The Speedrun Manual of Miss Witch-Chapter 108 - Then Let the Misfortune Come Fiercer (2/3)

Now wasn’t the time to think about these things. She had to leave Avena’s side quickly before the next calamity arrived—constantly contacting Avena and Nia also counted as contacting the transcendent.

She looked towards the clean clothes placed aside and began dressing.

Meanwhile, outside the bathroom, Avena was walking towards the dressing table.

Her glasses were left in the bathroom, but she no longer wanted to go back for them.

Nia, who had been guarding nearby, also approached after seeing Avena come out and said, “Sorry, Milady, I didn’t know you were...”

“It’s fine.” Avena put on a new pair of glasses, walked to the window, slightly pulled back the curtain, and looked towards the fountain and garden outside.

In Avena’s vision, faint blood-red mist shrouded the entire estate. Even the water jets from the fountain were tinged with some blood color.

Avena looked up. She saw a blurry dark red shadow circling above the estate, like some ominous sign.

Had Ciel been enduring contamination several, even tens of times stronger than this all the way here... How on earth did she manage to persevere?

“Nia, have the investigation department intervene in the case of the police officer’s death at the junction of the Gem District industrial area and Clock Tower Alley. Don’t let any other organization interfere.” Avena spoke, instructing Nia.

The death of a few police detectives wasn’t a major issue, especially the corrupt ones in the Clock Tower Alley area. Firing a shot randomly wouldn’t even kill an innocent person. freeweɓnovel.cøm

“Yes, I’ll notify someone immediately.” Nia nodded and quickly left the room.

She had to quickly relay the information and return to Milady’s side. Nia instinctively felt that Ciel had too many secrets recently, making her too dangerous. She feared arriving a few steps too late might result in Milady encountering misfortune.

Or simply being abducted.

Avena watched the raindrops gradually falling outside. Her previously chaotic mood had now settled, and simultaneously, a trace of shame arose in her heart.

Having calmed down, Avena felt her actions just now were somewhat childish.

Ciel chose to face things alone ultimately because she didn’t want to involve her. Avena, who couldn’t offer much help anyway, had no reason to be angry.

Why, though? This conflicted feeling...

Like Ciel, Avena was also adept at hiding everything in her heart. But now, she had a premonition that if she didn’t speak openly, she and Ciel would only drift apart, walking further and further away from each other.

Not long after Nia left, Ciel pushed open the bathroom door and walked out. Ciel was now dressed in the black and white dress Avena had prepared for her.

This time, the dress wasn’t slightly larger like before; it fit perfectly. It was unknown whether it was Avena’s old clothes or specially tailored for Ciel.

“Ciel,” Avena turned to look at Ciel, pointed towards the window, and said, “That shadow in the sky, has it been following you all the way here?”

Ciel, who was just preparing to say something she wasn’t sure about, now walked to Avena’s side after hearing her question. Through the rain-streaked glass, she looked towards the sky outside.

A dark red shadow shaped like a monstrous bird circled in the sky. Even without a specific shape, Ciel could still recognize it at a glance.

“Yes.” Ciel nodded, then said, “Sorry, Avena, I must leave quickly, before the next calamity arrives...”

“Ciel.” Avena spoke, interrupting Ciel’s words, asking directly, “Can you tell me in detail about the true form of the shadow you saw?”

“Avena...”

“I hope there aren’t too many reservations between us, Ciel.” Avena looked into Ciel’s eyes and said, “I want to help you.”

Ciel remained silent for a moment, then nodded gently.

When Avena mentioned the shadow in the sky, Ciel already knew Avena’s spirit had also been contaminated by the power of the Other Side.

The impact had already been made. She could only be thankful this was a simulation; Avena in reality wouldn’t be affected in any way.

At the same time, Avena’s words also brought a trace of warmth to Ciel’s heart at this moment.

Even knowing what Ciel was facing, Avena still felt no fear or other negative emotions... Words might deceive, but negative emotions couldn’t fool a “Judicator.”

Although Ciel very much didn’t want to involve Avena and the others in this matter, constantly seeking ways to resolve it alone, she fell into a cognitive bias in the process.

Ciel didn’t need to bear too much moral or psychological burden.

She could completely use the simulation, employing any trickery or violence to obtain results, then deduce a solo solution process from the results, instead of constantly increasing the difficulty for herself like before.

After all, Ciel was just one person. There would inevitably be times when she acted emotionally, unable to maintain absolute rationality and accuracy.

If Ciel were to act like a completely cold-blooded demon in the simulation, then upon entering the simulation, Ciel should have abandoned her sister Lichie, who was a “waste of time,” and returned directly to Berren City.

In that case, perhaps she would hear news the next morning about her sister being stabbed to death in the small town inn.

This was absolutely unacceptable to Ciel, even in a simulation.

It was precisely these interwoven bonds that supported Ciel, allowing her to remain clear-headed and not lose herself after killing so many people.

Perhaps, she should also trust and rely more on these friends of hers.

“Okay.” Ciel looked at Avena, nodded gently, then turned and walked to the dressing table, picked up a pen and a piece of paper, and began drawing rapidly.

Although Ciel’s drawing skills were poor, she still managed to draw the approximate shape of the monstrous raven through precise control of her fingers, then filled its body with messy lines.

Avena, who had been watching Ciel draw nearby, looked at the bizarre image drawn with the dip pen, her brow furrowing slightly.

Wings...

At this moment, Ciel, having finished the drawing, pushed the paper towards Avena, looked at her expression, and asked, “Can you tell what it is?”

Complementing the drawing, Ciel slowly recounted her true feelings when she saw the monstrous raven, along with more specific features and imagery, including its wings that lacked feathers and were covered in long, hair-like messy threads.

As someone who spent almost all day immersed in the library, Avena indeed knew more about the transcendent than ordinary transcendents.

“I can roughly imagine its appearance. Based on the features you described, we can basically rule out it being a transcendent or a monster mutated from a mad transcendent.” Avena raised her hand, pushed her thin gold-rimmed glasses. The delicate chain at the edge of the frame swayed gently.

She lowered her hand, gently tapped the monster’s wing with her index finger, and said, “You should also know, apart from transcendents of the ‘Ascetic’ and ‘Avenger’ paths mutating to show wing features, transcendents of other paths do not exhibit wing features upon mutation.”

I don’t know. Ciel still nodded, letting Avena continue.

“From your explanation earlier, being enveloped by it causes misfortune... But this is actually unlikely,” Avena continued. “Transcendent abilities and sealed artifacts also have range limitations. If this were a transcendent ability, it couldn’t possibly take effect after you left the city.”

“Even a ‘Misfortune Bringer’ or ‘Favored’ cannot achieve such long-range locking... unless it’s a Grade 4 or higher sealed artifact.”

Speaking here, Avena shook her head and said, “But this is impossible. Currently known super-tier sealed artifacts don’t have such capabilities, unless secretly held by some hidden organization...”

“But these organizations have no need to use a super-tier sealed artifact with immense side effects just to deal with a few third-tiers and you...”

Speaking here, Avena paused slightly, looked at Ciel, and said, “You, or the organization behind you, haven’t actually provoked an Ascended, have you?”

With anyone else, Avena might not believe it, but with Ciel, Avena felt anything was possible.