Miss Witch Doesn’t Want to Become a Songstress

Inside the vertical elevator, floor after floor passed by as Hestia gazed through the blue-tinted glass, overlooking the city’s nightscape below. The higher she ascended, the smaller the pedestrians on the streets became.

Though the people themselves didn’t change, there was an inexplicable feeling of superiority—or perhaps joy—that came with viewing such a scene from above.

Hestia wondered if this was why many executives liked to place their offices in high-rise buildings.

[ Arrived at 37th Floor]

With a soft chime, the elevator doors slid open. Hestia stepped out, greeted by a floor decorated in a luxurious blue-glass aesthetic.

The entire floor was open-concept, without walls, spanning roughly a thousand square meters. The floor shimmered like a deep blue starry sky, polished to perfection, while the ceiling resembled a vivid azure sky with realistic clouds that shifted subtly with the angle of one’s gaze, blurring the line between reality and simulation. The structural supports took the form of mushroom-shaped columns, and around these columns were circular bars. Each bar was staffed by one or two maids serving as waitresses.

Perhaps due to a sound-dampening enchantment, the only sound Hestia could hear was the soft click of her own footsteps. It was only when she approached one of the bars that she began to catch snippets of conversation between the maids and customers.

“Excuse me, is this the ‘Sweetheart Crush Café’?” Hestia asked nervously at a bar in the center. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she might have walked into the wrong place—this didn’t look like any ordinary café.

Behind the bar, a maid with bunny ears was crouched, rummaging through something. At the sound of Hestia’s voice, her ears perked up instantly.

“Yes, yes! And you are?” The maid stood up, holding a toy water gun in her hand.

Hestia could now see her clearly. The girl looked about 17 or 18 years old, with short light chestnut hair, a slightly round face dotted with a few freckles, and an energetic demeanor.

“Hello, I’m here for the job interview.” Hestia projected the job posting from her personal terminal.

“Oh, that! I knew it—who would still call it such an old-fashioned name?” The bunny-like girl bounced out from behind the bar, full of energy.

“Follow me; the manager is over there.” She led Hestia toward a corner of the room.

“Actually, we don’t usually call this place ‘Sweetheart Crush Café.’ Most of the customers just call it ‘Crystal Dream,’ which fits the style here better.”

Crystal Dream, Hestia repeated silently. It did suit the décor—the sky, the glass-like aesthetics.

“The name ‘café’ is just what we registered with years ago when applying for the business license. Since then, we’ve changed everything—style, owners, themes—but the license never changed. Nowadays, the place offers quite a variety of services.” The maid chatted as they walked, her enthusiasm leaving Hestia a bit overwhelmed.

“Alright, the manager is just over there.” She pointed to a woman seated under blue curtains, sipping tea in the distance.

Hestia recognized the woman from their earlier video call and walked over.

“Hello, I’m Hestia. I contacted you earlier regarding the job application.” The girl bowed politely before raising her head.

“Hmm, very nice, you seem well-mannered,” the manager commented, seated on a lounge sofa, sipping tea. She nodded slightly, appearing satisfied with Hestia’s conduct.

“Take a seat, no need to be nervous.” She gestured for Hestia to sit.

“Okay.” Hestia sat down, still somewhat apprehensive. After all, this was her first time stepping into society for a job interview. It was impossible not to feel nervous.

“You just graduated this year, right?”

“Yes,” Hestia replied with a nod.

“That’s nice. I remember when I graduated from middle school and joined this shop. I’ve been here ever since…” The manager’s slightly plump face showed a nostalgic expression, as if reminiscing about running through golden fields in her youth.

Although imagining this felt impolite, Hestia couldn’t stop such a strange thought from crossing her mind.

Ahem, the manager cleared her throat, setting down her teacup.

“This afternoon, you can familiarize yourself with the environment. Start officially tomorrow. Be here by 9 a.m. every day.”

“Understood,” Hestia replied, blinking in surprise. Was the interview already over?

“Don’t worry. Everyone feels awkward at the beginning; you’ll get used to it.” With that, the manager stood up. At the same moment, the bunny-eared girl who had guided Hestia earlier approached, holding a tray of cold drinks.

“Are you leaving already, Manager?” the bunny-eared girl tilted her head, surprised at how quickly the meeting ended.

“Yes, I’ll be back tonight. For now, I’m going home for a nap.” The manager picked up a floral hat hanging beside the lounge and placed it on her head before leaving gracefully, like a pig returning home after a stroll at sunset.

“Oh, Belphegor, you’ll show Hestia the ropes today,” the manager called back with a wave as she disappeared from view.

“Huh?” the bunny-eared girl exclaimed, startled, but couldn’t stop the manager from vanishing into the distance.

As Hestia stood there, unsure of what to do, the bunny-eared girl set the cold drinks on the table and plopped down in the manager’s seat, even crossing one leg over the other.

“Phew, the manager is getting lazier by the day,” she sighed.

“I haven’t introduced myself yet. My codename here is Belphegor. You can call me ‘Bel-sis!’” Though the girl wasn’t taller than Hestia, she seemed intent on being addressed as an older sister.

“Alright, Bel-sis.”

“Good, good. Call me that more often! From now on, I’ll look out for you.” The petite girl patted her chest confidently, as if to reassure Hestia.

Seeing her cheerful demeanor, Hestia felt her initial tension ease without realizing it.

“Here, have a drink! I just got this Three-Leaf Crystal Milk Tea from the bar.”

“Don’t worry, it’s free. Once you work here, you’ll have plenty of chances to enjoy the drinks on the house.” She leaned in and whispered conspiratorially.

Hestia accepted the chilled milk tea and asked hesitantly, “Does the manager know about this?”

“Of course, she knows. She does it herself all the time. It’s just one of those little ‘necessary losses.’ Honestly, what’s the point of running a milk tea shop if the employees can’t enjoy the drinks?”

On her very first day, Hestia learned how to “borrow” drinks from the shop. But it seemed this was only the beginning.

“Alright, let’s hear more about you. How old are you, Hestia? Are you at least 16? If you’re too young, the shop won’t take you.”

Hestia introduced herself again, explaining her situation.

…

“Got it. Hmm, makes sense.” The bunny-eared girl nodded while sipping from a straw.

“First, let’s give you a codename.”

“A codename?”

“Yep! You can’t use your real name here. What if a customer starts harassing you and disrupts your private life?”

“Let me check which names from the 72 Demons are still available…” She flipped through her personal terminal.

“All our maids here use codenames based on the 72 Demons of Solomon. It’s tradition!”

“Hmm, there are only two names left. Alright, from now on, your codename will be Dantalion, the 71st Demon of Solomon.”

Dantalion: The 71st Demon of Solomon, capable of appearing in various male and female forms but always holding a book. He teaches all arts and sciences, knows everyone’s secrets, reads thoughts, changes minds, and mirrors any appearance.