The Speedrun Manual of Miss Witch-Chapter 143 - Avena Seeking Comfort for Grievances (2/2)

“Phew...” Avena pretended to sigh in relief, then looked expressionlessly towards Isabella and Amy, saying, “You guys continue, I’ll rest here for a bit.”

“These nobles are really overly enthusiastic, Lady Avena.” Isabella smiled, seeming very understanding, “Like a cold, can’t even chase them away.”

Avena certainly wouldn’t dare say these words. Isabella spoke up to help Avena curse them out, perhaps hoping to leave a good impression on Avena.

After all, Avena currently looked annoyed by the conversation with those nobles.

“Yes.” Avena nodded. She deeply sympathized with this point.

“We were just chatting about hair color, I said Miss Ciel’s hair color might come from the upper nobility of Old Ansu.” Isabella, not wanting the topic to go cold, quickly continued the previous conversation to avoid awkward silence.

Simultaneously, through Avena’s seating position, she confirmed her judgment was correct.

That red-haired young girl was indeed Lady Avena’s good friend. Her move to approach Ciel just now was the right gamble; otherwise, she wouldn’t be sitting at the same table as Lady Avena now.

However, at this moment, a somewhat disharmonious voice sounded behind Avena.

A fat-headed, big-eared fat noble, almost bursting out of his formal attire, holding a champagne glass, sat directly in the seat one position away from Avena. After wiping the sweat from his face, he showed a slightly apologetic expression and said:

“Sorry for disturbing the ladies’ chat... Respected Lady Avena Roswell, please, you must consider my proposal just now... Let Lord William Winston lift the grain export ban.”

“This isn’t just my thought, but also the thought of other grain merchants. These huge losses are undeserved disasters for us...”

At this time, the fat man’s words were interrupted by Isabella. She said, “Mr. Balfour Huntington, if you have this request, why didn’t you speak directly with Lord William just now?”

“Now Lord William has already boarded the train and left. Even if Lady Avena sends a letter out, Lord William probably won’t receive it until half a month later.”

Her every word was helping Avena dissuade the fat noble. Actually, when chatting with Ciel just now, she also noticed that fat noble had been pestering Avena.

Having his words interrupted made the fat noble somewhat annoyed. He looked towards Isabella, his expression showing slight contempt.

A painting seller’s daughter dares to interrupt my words?

After just glancing contemptuously at Isabella, Balfour continued looking towards Avena.

Perhaps because he was interrupted midway, Balfour, who had already spoken a lot along the way, felt slightly irritated. His tone became less polite.

“Lady Avena, please, you must persuade Lord William to change his mind... How can grain exports be restricted?”

“Letting us lose money to save the lives of those lazy poor people? And banning Orlando’s grain exports? This is interfering with sacred free trade!”

The fat man’s finger tapped heavily on the table. He said, “Please be sure to help convey to Lord William, if the government continues to restrict exports, we will give up putting grain into the market.”

“Imported grain has also been docked at Orlando port for three days. If this export restriction isn’t lifted, we will refuse to receive this batch of grain, refuse unloading.”

“Even if all the grain in the granaries and on the ships rots, we absolutely will not put it into the market. Lift the ban! This is our bottom line!”

After speaking, the fat noble directly stood up, turned around, moved his body, called his attendant, preparing to leave.

“If you have any problems, you can go to Ansu anytime, express your views in the House of Commons, let them vote for you,” Avena said calmly, “Instead of venting your resentment on me here, it serves no purpose.”

“If you came to talk business, I welcome you very much. If you’re just looking for me to be a mouthpiece, sorry, please leave here.”

Avena remained expressionless. She seemed accustomed to facing such nobles and wealthy merchants. These people couldn’t reach the upper echelons of the Roswell family, and found it difficult to reach William, seemingly treating Avena as a mouthpiece, venting all their resentment on her.

Of course, their attitude was already quite good. If they were really allowed to speak in the House of Lords, they could directly curse at those great noble lords.

After all, this concerned their interests, and interests were their lives.

Just then, she felt a somewhat warm small hand touch her lower back, gently stroking it.

“Are you okay, Avena.” Ciel looked at the expressionless Avena, slightly worried.

Although Avena remained expressionless, Ciel could clearly see slight fatigue in Avena’s eyes. It seemed William’s arrival had invisibly steered this banquet in a direction Avena couldn’t quite control.

“I’m fine.” Avena shook her head, then directly stood up, nodded slightly at the others, saying, “Sorry for disturbing your chat.”

Avena seemed to notice her arrival disrupted the originally relaxed atmosphere here, stood up, and left this table.

Looking at Avena’s departing figure, Ciel had no particularly good way to comfort her for a moment.

After all, in these political and commercial domains, Ciel could be said to be completely ignorant, unable to help at all.

However, from the fat noble’s words just now, Ciel also understood some things roughly.

The development over in North Ansu... seemed somewhat beyond Ciel’s expectations.

She had a bad premonition in her heart.

Logically speaking, Berren City where she was located was still a long distance from North Ansu Orlando. No matter how much chaos occurred there, it shouldn’t affect her side.

Moreover, she had simulated over forty days later before. Although she didn’t interact much with Avena then, judging from the descriptions in the notes by her simulated self, the great famine incident had almost no impact on Berren City.

The biggest event in Berren City still focused on the factories in Berren City itself. Perhaps the worker demonstrations here were what Ciel needed to care about more.

Ciel’s power was limited; impossible to go around saving people everywhere—she could barely protect herself and those around her, where would she think about being some hero?

Seeking fortune and avoiding disaster was still Ciel’s core thought at this time.

Although destined not to live a peaceful life, Ciel could try her best not to cause trouble, leading herself and those around her to live peacefully for a lifetime.

Peace, tranquility is most important.

Find some time tonight... simulate the follow-up.

Ciel opened the simulation interface, looked at the simulation time that had already timed out and refreshed.

【Future Days: 30 Days (Holy Year 741, July 31st, 23:59) (Cost: 100 Fate Points)】

【Past Days: 1 Day (Holy Year 741, July 1st, 23:59) (Cost: 10 Fate Points)】

【Old Days: ***, *** Days (???) (Cost: 10000 Fate Points)】

The time happened to be stuck at 30 days, requiring 100 Fate Points... If simulated after midnight, it would become 29 days, within 30 days, only requiring 10 Fate Points.

And this Past Days simulation...

Is it asking me to return to this morning and do it again with Avena?

Ciel felt the system setting this time was definitely intentional, because it surely knew Ciel wouldn’t choose Past Days simulation and refresh the needed Future Days simulation away.

Ciel withdrew her gaze, looking at Amy and Isabella before her.

Amy made faces towards the direction the noble left, while Isabella, who was ignored earlier, seemed to show no major emotional fluctuations, seemingly unaffected by that noble at all.

Such strong mental fortitude. freēnovelkiss.com

However, they seemed not to notice Ciel’s small action of stroking Avena’s lower back.

For the remaining time, Ciel consulted the knowledgeable Isabella on many questions. Isabella seemed happy to answer, while Amy, who only half-understood many things, occasionally chimed in.

The atmosphere disrupted by the fat noble just now finally slowly recovered.

However, Ciel’s gaze almost constantly searched for Avena’s direction. She was still somewhat worried about Avena’s current situation.

But this time, the banquet’s dinner wasn’t held in Avena’s manor, but chosen to be held in another wealthy merchant’s manor located at No. 5, Sir’s Bridge District, providing a place for other nobles who hadn’t chatted enough to continue talking freely.

Situations like one banquet following another were very common in noble circles—or rather, the time they didn’t attend banquets in a year was countable.

Because Amy’s father was also invited over, Amy could only follow her father. Isabella chose to go home.

Avena naturally didn’t go to the next event either, but returned to her room. Ciel also had no need to go; she didn’t know anyone, nor wanted to be talked to by anyone.

The sky had already slightly darkened, only a round red sun and dusk remained in the distance. Maids and other servants had already begun cleaning the manor.

Ciel, after asking Avena’s location, also walked towards Avena’s room.

Just entering the room, Ciel saw Avena, already washed up and wearing pajamas, lying face down on the bed. Even the sound of Ciel opening and closing the door couldn’t make her lift her head.

“Are you alright? Avena?”

Ciel walked beside Avena, asked, but Avena still didn’t lift her head, just muffled her face in the pillow, emitting a muffled sound: “Bathe.”

“What?”

Ciel didn’t quite hear clearly, asking puzzledly.

“Bathe, sleep.”

Avena’s voice came again. This time Ciel heard clearly.

Is she telling me to go bathe and sleep?

Ciel walked into the bathroom, saw the new light pink nightgown prepared for her hanging on the rack. After washing up, she changed into the silk nightgown and walked to the bedside.

Just lying down beside Avena, Avena, who had been keeping her face muffled in the pillow, directly turned half her body, leaned against Ciel, directly hugged Ciel’s slender waist, burying her face in Ciel’s chest.

“Avena?”

Ciel asked, but was held tightly, unable to move. Could only gently place her hand on Avena’s not-yet-dry hair, gently rubbing it.

Slowly, Ciel felt her chest seemed to be getting wet.

Avena... cried?

The situation from the early morning seemed reversed tonight. This time it was Avena burying herself in Ciel’s chest, freely venting the grievances in her heart.

It seemed only before Ciel would Avena show such a weak posture.

Ciel didn’t speak, just gently rubbed Avena’s head, slightly lowered her head, and lightly kissed the top of her head.