Miss Witch Doesn’t Want to Become a Songstress

It’s raining again.

Hestia walked along the corridor in the residential district on her way to work. The sound of water flowing through the pipes echoed around her. Whenever it rained, the underground city’s drainage system would hum with the sound of rushing water.

Even though she couldn’t see the surface, she always knew when it rained.

During the rainy season of April and May, the corrosive and toxic rain made it unsafe to venture outside. Most residents of the Northern Hemisphere would remain within safe zones. Meanwhile, the Southern Hemisphere enjoyed sunny skies during this time, leading some people to travel far away for vacations. In Hestia’s class group chat, many were already discussing this.

Class Group Chat:

“A rare graduation break—staying home would be such a waste.”

“I barely traveled during my three years of middle school. This time, I’ll definitely ask my mom for travel money.”

“Anyone up for forming a group trip?”

“Sounds good to me.”

“I heard the Grand Bay Beach in Southern 3rd District is amazing. The water is crystal clear, the sand is comfortable, and the sunlight isn’t too harsh…”

“You’re overselling it! It’s hard not to think this is an ad.”

“Trust me, it’s really worth it~”

“Alright, if anyone’s interested, sign up, and I’ll arrange everything.”

“Got it, Jones.”

…

Hestia closed the group chat and walked out of the elevator, personal terminal in hand, her mind already on today’s work.

While a trip sounded nice, she wanted to save some money first. Besides, there was plenty of time left in the break—the new semester wouldn’t start until August or September, giving her over four months.

…

“Good morning, Dantalion!” one of the maids greeted her as soon as she stepped into the shop. Over the past few days, her coworkers had gradually gotten to know their new colleague.

“Good morning, Senior!” Hestia replied. Most of the maids were older than her, and she was one of the youngest, though not the absolute youngest—Decarabia, the petite golden-haired angel, held that title, being even smaller than Hestia in every way.

In the dressing room, Hestia changed into her maid uniform and sat in front of the mirror to tidy her hair.

She could now freely switch between black and gray hair, but she preferred to keep it gray in public. It was less trouble that way. With black hair, she resembled her sister almost exactly. Considering how popular her sister had been back in school, Hestia knew that such a look would attract far too much attention.

Unlike most girls, who would seize any chance to enhance their beauty—whether to showcase themselves or to captivate others—Hestia valued tranquility over admiration. For many, the gaze of adoration was as sweet as honey, but she found it distracting.

Even so, her temperament set her apart from her sister. Themisia exuded an alluring, almost otherworldly beauty, while Hestia’s charm was gentler, like an orchid blooming in a secluded valley. Even those accustomed to her appearance could still be struck by its quiet elegance in an unexpected moment.

“Here, try this.”

As Hestia pondered whether to accessorize from the drawer, a familiar voice sounded. A hairband was placed on her head.

“Foras,” she softly called the name of her colleague.

“Hmm, this hairband suits you well,” Foras replied, adjusting it before nodding approvingly.

The hairband was slightly more elaborate than the store’s standard ones, featuring silver edges and intricate floral designs. Foras then pinned a silver cupflower to the band for an added touch.

“Let’s see, still missing something,” Foras murmured as she studied Hestia’s reflection. She picked up a silver choker, tied it gently around Hestia’s neck, and fashioned it into a neat bow.

“That’s better.”

Now, Hestia and Foras looked like sisters, both wearing maid uniforms adorned with silver floral accents.

“Are you helping me out today?”

Foras asked.

“Well…” Hestia hesitated. She didn’t mind the idea, but she had been working with Haures recently. Suddenly skipping out on them felt a bit awkward.

“I already spoke to ‘Haures’—I’ve borrowed you for the day,” Foras addressed the hesitation in Hestia’s heart.

“Alright then,” Hestia replied.

The two then descended the stairs together to begin their morning work.

Similar to how Haures focused on crafting beverages, Foras primarily worked on meal sets. Their counters were close to each other, and since customers often ordered drinks and meals together, the two had frequent interactions and had become quite familiar with one another.

The dining section of Crystal Dream was divided into various specialties, including cakes, snacks, full meals, and some exotic delicacies. Not all meal sets had magical effects; some T6-T5 sets were prepared by chefs on the 38th floor and sent to Crystal Dream on the 37th floor via robots.

During the mornings, there wasn’t much demand for full meals, so the focus was on preparing and processing ingredients to streamline lunch and afternoon service. While working at the counter, the two chatted idly.

“Does Dantalion usually live alone?” Foras asked.

“Yes, I typically live by myself. But recently, a kind elderly neighbor invited me to move into her house. It’s made meals and daily life much more convenient,” Hestia said as she peeled the outer layers of a fresh snake bamboo shoot, exposing its tender core and placing it into a bowl of water. Though toxic in its raw state, once detoxified, the bamboo shoot had a delightful flavor, making it a favorite among some patrons.

“That sounds nice. I also moved away from my original home to live in this city alone.”

“Where was your home before, Foras?”

“In the Southern Hemisphere.”

“I’ve heard the climate is much better down south, and there are plenty of tourist attractions, like forests, grasslands, and flower fields,” Hestia said with a hint of envy. She had always wanted to visit but had never had the chance.

“Dantalion seems quite eager to go,” Foras remarked with a smile.

“I’ve been to those places, but maybe because I grew up with them, they don’t seem all that special to me.”

“If you ever want to visit, let me know. I can give you some recommendations to help you avoid potential pitfalls.”

“Thank you, Foras,” Hestia replied gratefully. Since starting work here, “thank you” had become one of her most frequently spoken phrases.

As they worked, Foras not only shared stories about the south but also taught Hestia various techniques for handling ingredients: detoxification, preservation, enhancing flavors, and neutralizing unpleasant odors.

“For instance,” Foras explained, “the fishy smell in some meats comes from certain proteins, peptides, or amines that break down and oxidize after the animal’s death.”

“The most common way to handle this is by adding a bit of alcohol. Ethanol is an excellent solvent and extractant that can dissolve these odor-causing substances.”

“Additionally, different de-odorizing agents can add unique flavors to the food. Common choices include wine, cointreau, white sprites, or beer, as well as sugar, milk, tea, or lemon. It depends on your preference.”

Hestia listened attentively, committing each tip to memory, feeling as though she had taken another small step forward in her culinary skills.

As the bustling lunch hour passed, the day grew quieter, and by 2 p.m., the café was in a tranquil lull.

“Well, it’s not busy now. Would you like to take a break, Dantalion?” Foras asked the young girl beside her.

“Is that okay?”

“Of course! Head over to Botis’ area. Her secluded jungle is one of the least-visited places in the shop. Even the manager doesn’t dare venture there,” Foras said with a laugh.

“Just help Botis with some simple tasks. It’s very quiet there, and you can sit and relax—or even nap.”

“Alright, I’ll head over,” Hestia said as she excused herself and left.

…

Walking through the deep blue Glass Hall, Hestia passed several counters and arrived at a corner with glass partition walls. Beyond them lay a verdant world filled with dense trees, where snakes and venomous insects could be spotted moving about.

To outsiders, the area might seem terrifying, but during her internship, Hestia had spent a lot of time here and had gradually grown accustomed to it.

“I’m coming in, Botis,” Hestia called out as she stepped inside, lifting the hem of her maid dress—a modest long skirt, unlike Belphegor’s youthful and lively short skirt.

The ground, covered in fallen leaves and loose soil, was often traversed by various venomous creatures. However, Hestia walked slowly and cautiously, avoiding stepping on anything.

After passing through a short stretch of dense vegetation, she reached a quiet pond. Unfortunately, no one was there.

“Is Botis not around?” she wondered, pulling out her monochrome, ink-brush-style personal terminal to send her a message. At that moment, a small white-scaled snake slithered up her leg.

“Ah, no, don’t!” Hestia exclaimed, quickly putting down her terminal and bending over to lift her skirt. Carefully, she grasped the little snake by its neck, untangling it from her leg before placing it gently onto a nearby stone slab.

Sitting on a clean stone, Hestia covered her calves and feet with her skirt, then lightly tapped the head of the white-scaled snake across from her with her knuckles.

“No more crawling under my skirt, got it?”

Looking at the snake flicking its tongue in apparent confusion, Hestia repeated her admonition several times, each time tapping its head.

“I wonder if this little guy even understands.”

She sighed, lowering her hand and examining the snake more closely.

____________

Species: Tree Viper Subspecies

Status: Healthy (No abnormalities)

Pathway: Primordial Sequence 2 – White-Scaled Tree Viper (Rating: Exceptional Copper Grade)

Talents:

[Primal Foundation] (Exceptional): Slightly enhances all abilities and offers more options for advancement upon promotion.

[Tree Viper Venom] (Superior): The venom is relatively mild, not immediately lethal, but causes numbness and makes wounds difficult to clot.

Abilities:

[Stealth] (Standard): Reduces its presence and energy fluctuations, making it harder to detect.

[Feign Death] (Exceptional): Puts itself into a deep state of dormancy, ceasing activity and reducing consumption, mimicking death.

Skills:

[Venom Fang Lv.1→2]

[Sneak Lv.2]

[Hibernate Lv.1→3]
(Skill level changes are affected by talents and abilities.)

Related Information: A low-tier but rare magical tree viper, it has multiple evolutionary branches in Sequences 3–4, not limited to its Primordial Sequence. Common evolutions include Nature Sequence 4 – Fire-Spike Scaled Tree Viper, Tide Sequence 3 – Rain-Hidden Tree Viper, Dragon Sequence 4 – Illusion-Scaled Tree Viper, and rarer ones like Light-Feather Sequence 3 – Crystal Tree Viper or Decay Sequence 3 – Shadow Tree Viper. Known for its adaptability and versatility.

___________

After perceiving the rhythm and information of the creature before her, Hestia cross-referenced the data using her personal terminal and compiled the above details. This was a recently discovered use of her innate talent: sensing the rhythm of all things in the “Strings of Time.” After perceiving it, she could combine it with the vast library on the star network to retrieve reliable and detailed information.

This method worked well most of the time, except in cases where the subject’s abilities or talents were extremely rare and undocumented.

“This little snake seems to have decent potential,” Hestia thought. In the world of transcendent pathways, there were even roles dedicated to raising pets or beasts.

Compared to ordinary animals, magical beasts were more intelligent, had longer lifespans, and were beloved by many, especially in an increasing number of single-person households where such creatures provided companionship.

Pressing a finger to her chin, Hestia considered for a moment and decided against the idea of raising an animal for now. After all, she was still financially strained, and caring for such creatures could be quite costly.

She sat back down, retrieved a bell from her storage compartment, and gently shook it. Before long, various poisonous creatures of all sizes gathered around the pond.

Now, what was today’s task again? Hestia opened the schedule that Botis had sent her and reviewed the assignments.

Today was venom extraction day.

With that, she began. Taking out cups and containers from the storage compartment, Hestia set to work.

She started with the larger creatures, raising a cup with both hands as a black snake, as thick as her arm, descended from a branch above. It pressed its fangs against the rim of the cup, slowly releasing its venom.

After about 20 seconds, the snake finished, and Hestia placed the cup down, then offered it a prepared energy block. The snake took the block, lifted its head, and slithered back into the dense foliage.

Next came the ghost-faced spider. Hestia sealed the snake venom, retrieved a glass dish, and placed it on the stone table. She then lifted the large spider from her feet and set it onto the dish.

“This big guy has gotten heavier recently,” Hestia mused, eyeing the spider’s multiple glossy black eyes.

After extracting its venom, Hestia fed the spider, patted its head, and prepared to set it down. However, the creature suddenly climbed up her arm and perched itself on her head.

“Ugh.” Hestia touched the large spider on her head, attempting to remove it, but its spiny legs were hooked onto her hair and headband. Forcing it off would surely result in a tangled mess.

“Fine.” After a few attempts, she gave up and let the spider remain there. It emitted a faint rustling sound, seemingly pleased with itself.

Ignoring the smug spider, Hestia continued extracting venom from the remaining creatures.

The smaller insects and dart frogs were quicker. Hestia skillfully placed each in glass containers and waited as they secreted venom.

When the work was finally complete—nearly an hour faster than usual—Hestia sighed in relief. Picking up the bell, she gently rang it. The remaining creatures wobbled away, and even the spider on her head calmed at the sound. She seized the opportunity to grab it and set it aside.

The bell kept ringing as Hestia picked up a small wooden stick and began tapping the spider’s head, much like striking a wooden fish.

“No more climbing onto my head.”

“No more climbing onto my head.”

She knew the creature understood her—it was a Sequence 4 magical beast with intelligence.

After a while, Hestia stopped ringing the bell and released the spider. While unsure of the long-term effect, she was confident the spider now knew climbing onto her head meant being knocked on it.

With her tasks complete, Hestia finally had some time to rest. She leaned on a nearby stone table and dozed off, certain no one would disturb her at this hour.

Time passed unnoticed until Botis entered the glass-encased jungle room. She found the young maid sleeping soundly, head resting on her arm, her body rising and falling gently with each breath. The silverbell flower atop her head shimmered beautifully under the simulated sunlight.

“Perhaps I could have Dantalion take over my work someday?” Botis entertained the idea lazily before dismissing it.

“Better to nudge her towards becoming a songstress. Guiding this adorable junior step by step onto the path of a songstress feels far more interesting.”

An unremarkable Cinderella, donning crystal shoes one day, stepping onto a magical pumpkin carriage, and performing at a grand concert—just imagining it was delightful.