The Speedrun Manual of Miss Witch

Chapter 289.2: A Race Against Time to Unlock the Old Days

"This is a manifestation of Lady Ciel regaining power—didn't you feel it? Such powerful divine power. This is not something an ordinary 'Ascetic' can possess. This is the most direct proof that Lady Ciel is regaining Her power."Tara was not lying.

After Ciel consumed the "Ascetic" potion, she indeed felt an echo unique to the Other Side… However, what she didn't know was that this was not the "divine power" she spoke of, but a symptom that appeared after the potion was eroded by Ciel's internal Unique Trait.

Yes, the potion, when it was about to affect Ciel, was eroded by the pocket watch within Ciel—which was why the insect wings on her back had those shimmering silver patterns, as if they had been overlimited.

Fortunately, although symptoms of bodily erosion did appear, the potion was also successfully digested… it's just that this save file was practically useless. The whispers were even more alarming than the "Judicator" save file.

Ciel borrowed Avena's room to alleviate the subsequent side effects of 【Temporal Disorder】.

Fortunately, the pocket watch had been upgraded. Now, the side effects would only last for 30 minutes. After resting for 30 minutes, Ciel returned to the study. This time, she was prepared to drink the "Listener" potion.

The digestion of the "Listener" potion was much better than that of the "Ascetic."

The "Listener" reconstitution ritual itself required listening to inner thoughts, stories, or secret information. Avena, back then, had relied on continuously receiving secret information from Ciel to quickly digest the potion, and even the whispers in her mind had diminished considerably.

And the secret information Ciel knew and had heard was far more explosive than what Avena knew.

Whether it was interrogating Forte or brainwashing Mond, it had, in an invisible way, laid the foundation for Ciel to complete the "Listener" reconstitution ritual.

It was also possibly due to Ciel's quite mature digestion of the "Instigator" path, adjacent to "Listener." The "Listener" potion almost dissolved upon consumption. Ciel's body barely felt anything, and the methods for using the "Listener" ability had already begun to emerge in her mind.

Unfortunately, drinking the "Listener" potion did not show any signs of Ciel's eyes regaining their sight.

After drinking the "Listener" potion, Ciel sensed the faint whispers in her mind, like soft moans, and gently shook her head.

For some reason, after drinking the "Listener" potion, Ciel became more composed about everything around her… This was almost completely opposite to the emotional changes after drinking the "Instigator" potion.

This was probably a derived effect of "perfect reconstitution."

However, the current Ciel could now effectively control the emotional influence of low-tier potions on herself using "Calm Mind," though Tier 2 and above were still not very easy to control.

"No problem…"

Avena, standing before Ciel, carefully examined Ciel's mind. Adele, meanwhile, observed Ciel's body. Both reached the same conclusion: "No problem."

"Don't you need to change back this time?" Avena looked at Ciel, who seemed much calmer, and asked.

"No need, let's keep it this way for a while." Ciel looked at Avena and replied with a smile.

Ciel could now adapt well to "Precognitive Sight." She no longer had to shift her vision prematurely before others moved. Instead, she could subtly anticipate movements in reverse, allowing her eyes' focal point to always follow the target.

Ansu remained calm today. The news of Cora Blood-Chip's death had not yet spread, and Lucy had helped conceal everything. For at least the next few days, Cora's disappearance would not provoke any reaction from the Deton Group.

If it were to drag on for a few more days, someone would definitely start looking for Cora, and her intention to visit Ciel was almost semi-public knowledge, so someone would soon trace it back to Ciel.

However, none of this would have anything to do with Ciel, because in a few hours, she would return to reality.

Ciel did not intend to perform any more dangerous operations in the remaining time. Instead, she tried her best to record all the information, big and small, that had occurred during this period.

This simulation cost 100 Fate Points, and since she didn't do anything major, it was clearly impossible to "break even." Ciel wanted to use the remaining time to collect as much information as possible.

From all the news, to the details of Avena's advancement, to all of Adele's research during this period, Ciel recorded everything with meticulous detail.

During this time, she even attempted to help Amy advance to "Queen Bee" and Adele advance to "Reborn."

Amy did successfully advance. Unfortunately, the advancement process for "Reborn" was quite complex, and Ciel couldn't pre-test it for Adele in the simulation.

Thus, after reading a vast amount of information and meticulously imprinting everything that happened in the future into her mind, Ciel welcomed the moment of simulation return.

In the silver-white space, Ciel stored the save files.

「No. 14: "Ascetic" Ciel」

「No. 15: "Listener" Ciel」

——

…

「Reality」

「Holy Year 741, July 25th, 1:15 PM」

「Evaluation: 15/16… On the verge…」

「I think you are ready to take the step.」

「Perhaps you have realized that everything seems to be intricately linked to you—won't you verify it?」

「Verify in Old Days」

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

「Reward: Fate Points * 48」

「Fate Points: 384」

Ciel slowly opened her eyes. She looked at the silver-white system panel before her, her heart sinking slightly.

15/16.

Yes.

She had already collected fifteen paths. Only one more, and she could unlock the Old Days.

Ciel still held the "Knight" potion formula and reconstitution ritual in her hand. It could be said that the final key to unlocking the Old Days was already firmly in Ciel's grasp.

And when to unlock it was merely a whim of Ciel.

If she wished, she could immediately enter the next simulation, complete the "Knight" reconstitution ritual within it, drink the potion, and she could unlock the Old Days.

But the closer she got to this crucial moment, on the very verge, Ciel instead grew calmer.

She couldn't rush.

Even if she were to unlock the Old Days, she would have to restore her mind and physical strength to their most perfect state before proceeding.

She didn't know what the Old Days were, nor in what form they would appear.

Whether it was directly going there like a simulation, or if the Old Days would descend upon the world directly… Ciel knew nothing.

She only clearly remembered what the system had said at the very beginning.

Future Days and Past Days could not affect reality.

But Old Days could.

This alone was enough to make Ciel focus with utmost concentration, ensuring she faced the Old Days simulation in her most perfect state.

However, before that, Ciel had to first ensure that Sadhana and that transcendent in North Ansu would not affect her.

The current Cora had very likely already received a warning from Sadhana and now considered Ciel an enemy in their transaction.

This time, the simulation did not allow Ciel to solve any real-world problems. Instead, it forced Ciel to simultaneously face two menacing individuals in reality.

One was Cora Blood-Chip, assisted by the Ascender Sadhana.

The other was Imogen Soma, backed by a Half-Ascender.

The situation began to become intricate and complex, but Ciel instead grew calmer.

Compared to the smooth sailing her simulated self experienced in the previous simulation.

She was more suited to deal with this current complex, crisis-ridden situation.

One wrong step was a bottomless abyss.

Ever since acquiring the pocket watch, Ciel had lived such a life.

This was a race against time.

To break the deadlock, Ciel had to recover her mental strength before they could affect her.

Then…

Unlock the Old Days.