The Speedrun Manual of Miss Witch
Chapter 161 - Ciel Lays Traps, Ansu Attacked (1/3)

In the night, a coal-filled steam train sped along the tracks towards Ansu.

As it passed a small town near Berren City, a white shadow suddenly appeared at the tail of the train. Then the white shadow flickered, and Tara’s figure appeared at the tail of the train.

She held onto the railing. A white shadow sped along behind the train. Just before passing over a stone bridge, it leaped onto the tail of the train. The white shadow tore, and a figure was thrown out from the center of the shadow. Tara quickly stepped forward and supported the figure.

At this moment, Ciel looked at the constantly receding scenery behind the tracks, feeling a slight sense of emotion.

She was familiar with this railway. It was the very track where the train explosion occurred during the first misfortune.

The railway directly connecting Berren City to Ansu was not yet completed. The closest railway to Berren City that led to the area around Ansu was this one.

Looking at the sky in the distance, which flickered like a red aurora in the darkness, Ciel still felt a lingering fear.

Ciel didn’t dare gamble whether her 【Charm】 skill would have any effect on that spiritual being. To preserve her spirit, she could only temporarily avoid confrontation.

Besides this intention, she also wanted to see if that spiritual being would actually pursue her.

If it truly dared to pursue her, it would be a good opportunity to see if Ansu had the ability to counter it...

This was the influencing factor brought to Ciel by the “Instigator” path. This made Ciel more inclined to make things bigger.

If it were Ciel under the influence of the “Gambler” potion, she might have just stood there and waited. The moment the spiritual being emerged from the Other Side, she would use the stopwatch to overload the skill 【Charm】 and attempt to influence that powerful spiritual being.

Either have everything, or have nothing at all.

Ciel leaned against the railing, exhaling deeply.

Berren City might be finished.

Because she could feel that her potion digestion progress was rapidly advancing at a pace she could physically perceive.

That terrifying spiritual being was summoned by the Keyman, instigated by Ciel. Ciel only provided some blood and slightly completed some ritual incantations and arrays as assistance. In reality, it was still considered the result of the Keyman’s summoning.

However, the Keyman died immediately after completing the summoning ritual. That spiritual being lost control and was very likely to pursue Ciel, the “secondary responsible party.”

Consider it scouting ahead.

The longer she lived in Berren City, the more Ciel felt that life in Berren City was truly in dire straits. It was constantly facing the threat of being destroyed, which made Ciel’s life very uneasy.

She was now thinking that perhaps moving to Ansu, the capital, where transcendent power was most concentrated and most prosperous, might be safer.

Because there, several legitimate churches were based, and there was also the Queen’s “Queen’s Sword” maintaining order. If what happened in Berren City before had happened in Ansu, it would have likely been resolved long ago, and she wouldn’t have to risk her life every day.

This journey to Ansu was just for reconnaissance.

Ciel leaned against the railing, looking at the train cars before her. Every vibration of the train would kick up a cloud of coal dust, emitting a suffocating odor. However, Ciel had been walking on the black cobblestone streets of Clock Tower Alley almost every day before, so she was already used to this smell.

Tara seemed still a bit uncomfortable, covering her nose with a handkerchief, slightly frowning.

Suddenly, Tara, who had been watching the tracks behind, seemed to think of something. She lowered her handkerchief slightly, looked up at Ciel, and asked:

“Lord Ciel, may I ask a question?”

“Mm.” Ciel nodded.

“Why are we avoiding Lord ‘Grim Worm’? Weren’t we trying to summon it?”

Tara’s expression was a little confused.

After all, this was a Holy Spirit summoned by sacrificing the lives of her close associates, and the Mother Goddess herself had also revealed information about “Uniqueness.” Tara had thought the Mother Goddess was going to announce the news of the Holy Advent to the public, but the Mother Goddess chose to abandon the “Grim Worm” and head to Ansu.

Tara wasn’t asking because she resented her close associates and students being sacrificed, but simply out of curiosity.

Because in her heart, dedicating her life to the Mother Goddess, Holy Spirits, and divine servants was the highest honor. Only, more than dedicating herself to Holy Spirits and divine servants, Tara hoped to dedicate herself to Lord Mother Goddess Ciel.

Ciel heard Tara’s question, thought for a moment, then just shook her head and said, “Berren City is too small.”

Berren City is too small...

Is summoning a Holy Spirit and divine servants not enough?

Is the Mother Goddess trying to summon an angel?!

If that were the case, Berren City’s population and power would indeed be a bit stretched. Ansu City was indeed a good choice.

Thinking of this, Tara seemed to gradually understand the Mother Goddess’s intention. Her entire being began to become somewhat excited.

Suddenly, Tara, who had been watching the tracks behind, seemed to notice something. She said somewhat uncertainly, “Lord Mother Goddess?”

“Mm?” Ciel leaned against the railing, looking down at Tara. Tara seemed to have an unusually large number of questions tonight.

“Look, that...” Tara pointed towards the distance, hesitated, and said, “Lord ‘Grim Worm’... isn’t it following us?”

Ciel turned half her body, looking back in the direction Tara was pointing.

The red brilliance on the horizon, instead of shrinking as the steam train moved away, maintained the same size, and even grew slightly larger.

No, it wasn’t getting larger—it was getting closer.

Hiss—!

Whoosh—!

The massive venting sound of the train’s engine sounded, accompanied by the train’s loud whistle, like a giant steel worm spewing thick smoke and howling to the heavens.

Is the train slowing down?

Ciel leaned forward, looking towards the engine. Ahead, there seemed to be a platform, unknown if for loading or unloading. The train was starting to slow down as it approached the platform, unknown if it was preparing to stop for rest, or to load or unload.

Looking again at the red aurora on the horizon, which seemed to have gotten a bit closer, Ciel looked towards Tara and said, “Tell the conductor not to slow down.”

“Yes, Lord Ciel.”

Tara nodded without hesitation. Her figure twisted into a white shadow and disappeared from before Ciel.

At this moment, the train conductor at the engine, while pulling the whistle rope, was slowly “releasing” the vacuum in the brake pipe with the brake valve lever, introducing air.

The train’s deceleration wasn’t instantaneous. A skilled conductor could slow down gradually, reducing the sliding of cargo on the train.

At the next station, a passenger ticket for Ansu had to be obtained. The conductor slowed the train down slightly to avoid missing the ticket and causing unnecessary trouble.

After feeling the train’s speed gradually decrease, the conductor leaned almost half his body out of the cab, looking towards the platform not far ahead.

The platform was pitch black, but there was a lit, swaying torch, indicating the location of the passenger ticket to the conductor.

The conductor extended his right hand. It was just over a thousand meters until he would reach the ticket. He had to concentrate completely.

“Don’t slow down. Keep going.”

A flat voice sounded from behind the conductor.

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