Miss Witch Doesn’t Want to Become a Songstress

“Dantalion, it’s time to clock out~”

In the jungle-like room, Botis gently shook the maid, who was sound asleep, to wake her.

“Ah, I’m sorry,” Hestia suddenly jolted awake, hurriedly checking the time.

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it,” Botis reassured her with a wave of her hand.

“You did a great job completing your work today.”

She walked over to check the refrigerated cabinet where the venom was stored and then turned back to Hestia.

“Do you know what these extracted venoms are used for, Dantalion?”

“Um… I think it’s for pharmaceuticals?” Hestia vaguely recalled Botis mentioning it briefly before.

“Partly, but not entirely,” Botis said, gesturing for Hestia to sit beside her.

“Some of the venom is further refined to create special elixirs, such as potions needed for certain sequence advancements.”

When practicing transcendent sequences, especially at Sequence 4 or 5, specific resources were required. These could include particular fruits, metals, or potions, among other things.

“Other venoms, while not suitable for medicine, have different uses—such as in rituals, engraving, perfumes, poisons, and so on.”

“They really make poisons, huh?” Although Botis had mentioned it before, it had never been this detailed.

“Yes, poisons are strictly regulated, but they’re indeed needed for certain situations. For example, they can be used to deal with particularly troublesome creatures. You’ll come to understand this over time.”

“Well, let’s not dwell on this today. Are you free the evening after tomorrow? There’s an extra job I’d like you to help with.”

“What kind of job?” Hestia asked curiously.

“One of my juniors—or you could call her my protégé—is hosting a small concert that night and needs some help. Things like ticket checking, selling merchandise, and maintaining order.”

“Oh, by the way, she’s quite young—around 17 or 18 years old. She’s still in high school, and her band members are all classmates.”

“High schoolers?” Hestia was a little surprised. It was rare to see students playing in bands, let alone hosting their own concerts.

“The time is from 8 to 10 p.m. Would you be able to make it, Dantalion?”

“It’s not impossible,” Hestia thought for a moment. Although she wasn’t entirely comfortable with large crowds, if it was just work…

“Alright, no problem.” She nodded earnestly.

“Thank you, I appreciate it.”

Botis smiled warmly, but Hestia couldn’t shake a faint sense of unease, as if she had overlooked something.

Still, she had already agreed and didn’t want to back out. Besides, Botis didn’t seem like the type to trick her, right?

…

After clocking out, Hestia headed to the supermarket to buy groceries, as the next day was her day off. She planned to try cooking at home, with Grandma He offering guidance and tips.

Carefully carrying her bags as she walked through the corridor, Hestia looked at the familiar tunnel, the pedestrians, and the children playing by the roadside, her mind wandering.

Though only half a month had passed, her life felt entirely transformed.

Returning to Grandma He’s house, Hestia took off her shoes, changed into slippers, and placed the groceries into the fridge.

“Cough, cough…” She heard a faint cough coming from upstairs.

Hestia walked up to Grandma He’s bedroom and lightly knocked on the door before entering.

The elderly woman was leaning against her bed, with the bedside lamp casting her silhouette. Most of her body was hidden in shadow.

“You’re back, Hestia.”

“Yes, I’m back. How are you feeling today, Grandma?” Hestia asked, knowing that Grandma He’s chronic illness had flared up again recently. It was said to worsen every May and June.

“A bit better.” Her voice carried a hint of weariness.

Seeing the concern still evident in Hestia’s eyes, Grandma He beckoned her closer.

“Come, sit with me for a while.”

“Okay.” Hestia nodded.

“Did you just get off work?”

“Yes.”

“How’s work going? I haven’t been able to ask much lately because of my health.”

“Work is good, everyone treats me well,” Hestia said with a nod.

Grandma He held Hestia’s hand, and the young girl could feel the frailty of the elder’s wrist and the sharp outline of her bones beneath the thin skin.

“That’s good…” Grandma He nodded slowly.

“For your first job, don’t aim to make a lot of money. As long as it covers your basic needs, that’s enough. The main goal is to adapt to the working environment.”

“When I was younger, I did all sorts of jobs—working in restaurants, doing sales, even babysitting for others.”

“Back then, I often felt anxious, wondering why I was earning so little, why my peers seemed to have it so much easier, and when such a life would finally end…” She sighed deeply.

“For most ordinary people, life is rarely easy. Even when you manage to save a little, it often gets spent due to unexpected events.”

“Sometimes it’s for yourself, other times for your family, or even relatives and friends. They often find themselves in sudden crises and need money. When you happen to have some, refusing to help can make you seem cold-hearted, and people will talk behind your back.”

“But lending it out hurts, too. You know you’re unlikely to get it back, and you also understand how much effort and hardship it took to save that money.”

“That’s just how life is. Ordinary people face too many difficulties and can’t live as peacefully and effortlessly as those in the upper echelons of society.”

“When I used to teach, I would tell the children to be kind and caring. But as time went on, I stopped saying that. I feared that their kindness would cause them to suffer and be hurt…”

“Kindness isn’t just about doing good deeds, it requires wisdom and strength to support it. In a way, it’s a luxury. Later, I came to think that as long as one doesn’t do bad things and adheres to basic morality and laws, they’re already a decent person.”

“You’ve just entered society, and it’s inevitable that you’ll face shocks and challenges. Many things will shake your previous beliefs, and you’ll encounter various temptations. Cough, cough—” She covered her mouth as her body trembled.

“For girls, especially those who are beautiful, youth often brings many privileges. These privileges can create an illusion—that the world is inherently good, that the people around you are all ‘nice,’ and that it’s natural for others to treat you kindly.”

“But time inevitably takes its toll. When beauty fades, those privileges gradually disappear. You’ll find yourself becoming like the women you once looked down upon. If you still demand the love and privileges you enjoyed in your youth, you’ll only invite disdain and scorn.”

“The disparity can be tormenting, breeding resentment, dissatisfaction, or self-pity.”

“I’ve taught many children and seen countless similar stories. Sometimes, I sigh, wondering how a once-lovely girl could end up like that.”

“Hestia, you’re a smart girl. You’ve probably already realized some of this, but you must always remember: when facing temptations and decisions, remain calm. Don’t be easily swayed by sweet words or let yourself believe in lucky exceptions like ‘just this once.’”

“Humans are inherently weak-willed. Once you’ve tasted something sweet, it’s hard to forget it. Even if you know it’s poisonous, you’ll unconsciously seek it out again. It’s easy, convenient, and requires no effort or hardship. But then, you’ll lose the ability to focus on mundane, steady work and only think about taking another chance, winning just one more time.”

Grandma He leaned back against the pillow, her eyes gazing into the distance, as if lost in a mix of regret and longing.

“Perhaps you’re curious about what happened to He Cheng and his sister’s parents. He Cheng’s father, my second son, fell into gambling back then. Step by step, he was manipulated by others, squandering all the family’s money and borrowing heavily, making his siblings’ lives unbearable.”

“Eventually, his older brother and younger sister—my other two children—had to move to other cities. They endured countless hardships, delaying their marriages. And as for me, when I was younger, I wanted to save his life. I didn’t want him to be harmed or spend his life in prison, so I used the family’s savings to fill many of his debts. This left his younger sister, my third daughter, Xiao Li, without money to attend university.”

“Because of this, Xiao Li grew distant from me. She hasn’t visited me in 20 years.”

Grandma He shook her head.

“In the end, he still died—at an underground death race. His body was blown to pieces, leaving nothing behind, not even ashes.”

“This house was once sold, too. It was my eldest son who later returned and bought it back for me, giving me a place to live. But he also said it was the last time he’d help. Since then, he rarely visits—about once a year now.”

“After that, I raised He Cheng and his sister on my own. Thankfully, they didn’t inherit their father’s traits. That brings me some comfort.”

“Over time, my teaching skills improved, and I earned some respect in the community. As the years passed, people gradually forgot about the events of 20 years ago.”

“But I can never forget,” Grandma He said, opening the drawer of her bedside table and pulling out an old, faded photograph.

In this era of widespread electronic devices, photographs have become something of a rarity.

This particular photo, though very old and partially faded, was preserved meticulously. It depicted a young Grandma He, around 30 years old, crouching under a surf slide at an amusement park. In front of her were three children of different ages. The eldest looked about 7 or 8 years old, the youngest had just learned to walk, and the one in the middle was joyfully holding up a toy, laughing heartily.

“Look, wasn’t he adorable when he was little…” Grandma He stroked the child in the photo, her cloudy eyes filled with longing and sorrow.

“If only I had taught him properly back then,” she sighed.

Hestia gazed at the photo, and it was as if she could hear the distant echoes of laughter from that time—the bustling noise of the amusement park, the children’s playful shouts, and the voice of the boy holding the toy, exclaiming, “Fly, fly! I’ll be a Federation pilot, a superstar and a hero someday~”

The silhouette of time faded away in an instant. When Hestia blinked, the photo returned to its simple, unassuming state, with nothing unusual about it.

“I understand, Grandma,” Hestia said with a slow nod.

“Good, just keep it in mind. Honestly, I worry that talking about these things might upset you—it’s not exactly cheerful—but I can’t hold it in,” Grandma He admitted with a sigh.

“Alright, let’s have something to eat now. Tomorrow’s your day off, isn’t it? Take the rare opportunity to go out and enjoy yourself. Don’t stay cooped up at home.”

“I will,” Hestia promised. She tucked Grandma He’s blanket snugly around her, poured some water, and left the room.

…

Returning downstairs to the kitchen, Hestia began preparing dinner, her thoughts drifting to memories of her own family.

Due to the significant age gap between her and her sister, she hadn’t played much with her as a child. It was mostly her mother who kept her company. However, her mother’s health had always seemed fragile, and she was often ill. Perhaps that’s why her parents hadn’t had her and her sister closer together in age.

Thinking back on daily life, Hestia realized how simple-minded her mother’s personality had been. It was as though she rarely engaged with society, like a sheltered young lady from a wealthy family. She almost never argued with others, didn’t haggle over prices, and didn’t seem to have a strong sense of money’s value.

It’s a pity that Father is missing now, or else I could’ve asked him how he managed to win over Mom. Compared to my beautiful and elegant mother, Dad was so… ordinary.

…

After finishing the meal, Hestia set aside a portion to bring upstairs, ate part of it herself, and stored the rest in the refrigerator. Uncle He Cheng would likely return around 9 or 10 p.m. to eat—he was probably still out hauling cargo.

Once the kitchen was tidied up, Hestia took a bath to relax before heading back to her room.

Noticing her personal terminal flashing with notifications, she walked over and turned it on.

[Hestia, you’re off tomorrow, want to hang out? —Lina]

Lina had invited her out a few times recently, but Hestia had been busy with work and declined.

Should I go? she wondered. Grandma He had just suggested going out to unwind. Staying home all the time did feel a bit gloomy. Besides, if she went out alone, she wouldn’t know where to go. It might be better to join her classmates…

Although she thought so, Hestia wasn’t too keen on spending time with her former classmates. It always led to teasing, and she struggled to keep up with the conversations. Still, going out alone would feel lonely…

What a dilemma. Shaking her head, Hestia began typing a reply.

[Sure, I’m off tomorrow. Where are you planning to go?]

The response came quickly.

[There’s a new immersive movie out. Let’s watch it together, then stroll around the pedestrian street, and finish the day with karaoke.]

A movie? That didn’t sound too bad. As for karaoke, she decided to ignore it for now. When the time came, she’d find an excuse to leave early—there was no way she could sing in front of everyone. It was far too embarrassing, and she’d never learned to sing. Her sister was the one good at those things.

[Alright, what time are we meeting?]

[1:30 p.m. at Crystal Street. We’ll watch the movie first, then stroll around and eat, and go singing in the evening.]

[Got it.]

After setting the time, Hestia put down her terminal and lay on her bed to rest. Suddenly, she sat up and picked up the terminal again, navigating to the academy’s admissions website.

Erin Academy, list of students for the second review… Still not posted. Hestia felt a little disappointed. It should’ve been released around this time.

She tried Edess Academy’s website next. The elegant blue and black rose emblem spun on the screen as the lavish interface unfolded. However, her access level was insufficient to browse most sections. All she could see were a few public announcements and promotional materials, which only outlined this year’s admissions rules, with no mention of the final results.

Still no results…

Keep pushing forward, Hestia, the girl silently encouraged herself.

Though her talents had awakened, the road ahead was still long.

She recorded the day’s events and her thoughts in her journal before slowly closing it.

—Stay strong!