Miss Witch Doesn’t Want to Become a Songstress

“Is Professor Pranley leaving?”

Standing in the courtyard, Hestia and Annelie watched the head maid, who was about to set off.

“That’s right. Miss Hestia has undergone sufficient training. The results of the etiquette lessons are now integrated into your habits, so my work here is complete.”

“Half a year from now, I’ll return briefly, and then again in a year to check if Miss Hestia has neglected anything,” she said, adjusting her glasses with one hand while carrying a metal suitcase with the other.

“Next time, I will also teach you some new courses. However, for now, it’s best to focus on mastering what you’ve already learned rather than overloading yourself.”

After giving Annelie some additional instructions, she formally bid them farewell and departed.

Soon, a small aircraft took off from Edess Academy, heading into the distant sky. Its destination was a spaceport orbiting the Verdant Veil, where a ship awaited to travel to other star systems.

After Pranley left, Hestia’s life at Edessa Academy gradually stabilized, and it was time for her to rotate to Swallow Garden Academy.

“The faculty at Swallow Garden and Edess have collaborated to plan your curriculum moving forward,” Annelie said, handing her a new schedule.

Hestia scanned the timetable, nodded slightly, and then continued reading. The two academies had laid out tasks and rewards for her, almost like a game progression system.

Edess Academy Tasks:

Establish a Club: Form your own club and recruit at least ten members. Reward: 10 credits.

Advance in Sequence: Achieve Sequence 4 by the end of this term. Reward: 6 credits.

Excel in Exams: Place in the top three in any examination this term. First place: 6 credits, second: 4 credits, third: 2 credits.

Forge Alliances: Become familiar and friendly with the students listed (most from influential families). Special students: 6 credits each; others: 2 credits each.

Achieve Top Rank: Earn the ‘Top Student of the Year’ title in next year’s evaluation. Reward: 30 credits.

The credits mentioned in the tasks were not actual academic credits but special tokens provided by the academy’s board. These could be exchanged for academy resources. For instance, the T2-grade AI system she had previously requested cost 50 credits, leaving her account in the negatives.

There’s no such thing as a free lunch. While Edess Academy had invested a lot in her upfront, it naturally came with expectations. Allowing her to idly enjoy three carefree years would mean all that effort went to waste—something that Fernandi had also explained to her.

Hestia understood this well. If she were providing a T2-grade AI system worth billions to someone, she’d also impose conditions. Moreover, the tasks weren’t overly demanding. In fact, they were incredibly favorable. For any student to earn a return of billions through outstanding school performance was an opportunity many would treasure for a lifetime.

Reality wasn’t a school, after all; it didn’t reward you for good grades. The real world operated on supply and demand.

Swallow Garden Academy Tasks:

Raise a Hatchling: Hatch the egg provided by the academy and successfully rear it. Reward: 4 feathers.

Create a Handmade Book: Craft a book of at least 30 pages, filling it with meaningful content. Reward: 4 feathers.

Try Fishing: Catch 20 different types of fish from Leaf Fragrance Lake. Reward: 3 feathers.

Ride the Wild: Ride a magical creature around the academy for an hour. Reward: 4 feathers.

Combat Apprentice: Train four magical creatures to pass the combat assessment and earn a beginner combat badge. Reward: 20 feathers.

Pet Training: Raise a pet that garners a silver rating or higher in the Federation Pet Market evaluation. Reward: 20 feathers.

Although Swallow Garden’s tasks seemed unrelated to her role as a Songstress, leveraging her abilities would make them much more manageable.

After organizing the requirements from both academies, Hestia noticed changes in her schedule. Swallow Garden’s classes were mostly on Mondays and Tuesdays, while Edess’ were on Fridays and Saturdays. Wednesdays and Sundays were her free days to rest or manage her time as she pleased.

Despite attending two academies, the workload wasn’t excessive. Many theoretical classes overlapped, allowing her to attend only one. As a result, her schedule was only about 30% heavier than that of a regular Edess student. Furthermore, if she learned quickly, she could reduce the time spent in some theoretical courses.

Once these arrangements were sorted, Annelie directed the maids to help Hestia pack her belongings. By that evening, Hestia would be heading to Swallow Garden Academy.

Annelie wouldn’t accompany her, as she had her own courses to complete at Edess and family business matters to handle. Although her responsibilities were minor, they required her attention to ensure smooth succession after graduation.

“High school life is truly busy,” Annelie often thought, though she didn’t mind. Watching herself steadily progress toward her goals brought her joy.

That night, after finishing her preparations, Hestia boarded the aircraft. Settling by the window, she took a brief nap as the accompanying maid draped a thin blanket over her.

When she awoke, they had already arrived at Swallow Garden Academy’s small landing pad. The bloated aircraft, resembling a goldcrest, took off again and vanished into the night sky.

[Verdant Veil, Northern 1st District, Saturday, 8:31 PM]

Checking her personal terminal, Hestia noted the time.

Under the night sky, the orange glow of streetlamps illuminated the paths of Swallow Garden Academy, creating a warm ambiance. Students strolled along stone-paved roads, chatting with companions and accompanied by small creatures. The occasional sound of wings flapping could be heard overhead.

This place felt like a secluded paradise, far removed from the bustling competition of the Southern District.

Walking alone beneath the trees and lamps, Hestia stretched out her arms and hopped lightly, skipping over large paving stones as she made her way toward a distant hill.

In the darkness, the academy’s three towers shone in red, yellow, and green lights, their windows glowing with the occasional chatter and laughter of students.