Miss Witch Doesn’t Want to Become a Songstress

It’s raining.

Hestia glanced at the simulated sky on the dome of the Crystal Dream. Dark clouds drifted across it, accompanied by the pattering sound of rain. In some corners of the grand hall, droplets trickled into containers below, sending up tiny splashes.

To avoid the monotony of eternal sunshine, the Crystal Dream simulated sky mirrored the weather on the surface. In Arpeggio City, the dome also reflected the night sky’s starlight, providing a sense of space and freedom for its underground residents.

After finishing her day’s work, Hestia headed to Amdusias’s vine-covered garden. The elf maid was amusing herself with a golden tabby cat.

She gently scratched the cat’s chin, and the golden-furred feline lounged contentedly in Amdusias’s arms, occasionally stretching its legs.

“Is Dantalion done for the day?” Amdusias looked up and greeted her.

“Yes, Amdusias-sis,” Hestia replied, kneeling slightly to observe the lazy kitten.

“This one’s called Ranyan. It’s about four months old—a gift from a friend of mine,” Amdusias explained as she stroked the kitten.

“It’s so cute and fluffy,” Hestia murmured, carefully petting it. From her sleeve, a small snake slithered out, rising into the air and curiously observing the kitten.

The snake, which had been a Sequence 2 creature a month ago, had advanced to Sequence 3. Though it hadn’t become significantly stronger, it had gained the extraordinary ability to float.

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Species: Arboreal Viper

Status: Healthy

Pathway: Dragon Sequence 3 · Floating Cold Snake

Traits:

Path of the Dragon: Gains slight enhancements when pursuing dragon-related professions.

Tree Viper’s Venom: Mildly toxic, causing numbness and difficulty clotting wounds.

Abilities:

Stealth: Suppresses its aura, making it harder to detect.

Feign Death: Enters a deep dormant state to conserve energy, appearing dead.

Float: Gains limited levitation abilities, freeing itself from gravity.

Cold Resistance: Remains active even in -80°C environments.

Skills:

Venomous Bite Lv.3, Stealth Lv.3, Hibernation Lv.5, Sprint Lv.2, Cold Poison Lv.2

___________________

Having been upgraded to Dragon Sequence 3, it had gained additional abilities. While its combat prowess hadn’t improved much, it now possessed cold resistance—a curious development that made Hestia shake her head in disbelief.

“You’re really focused on survival, huh?” she muttered, bemused. The snake had already gained the abilities to feign death and hibernate in Sequence 2, and now with cold resistance, it had eliminated its species’ usual vulnerability to low temperatures.

In contrast, she remembered a vibrant indigo serpent she had encountered at Swallow Garden Academy. It was full of vitality and highly aggressive, capable of firing high-temperature beams that could cut through steel plates with ease.

Despite its growing popularity among the maids, Hestia would still hide the snake when guests were around to avoid scaring anyone.

Amdusias, watching the snake curiously bob its head, took out some cat food from a drawer and offered it a piece. The snake wasn’t picky—it ate anything remotely meaty.

“Speaking of which, how’s that big spider in Botis’s jungle?” Amdusias asked while calming the wary kitten.

“It’s doing better. I’ve been nursing it back to health, but it’s gotten naughtier. Every time I visit, it jumps on my head from nowhere,” Hestia said, exasperated.

“It sounds like it likes you,” Amdusias said with a laugh.

“Honestly, Dantalion, you have such a talent for nurturing creatures. Even without formal training at the academy, you’re already doing amazing things,” she praised.

“Amdusias, do you know much about the ‘garden’?” Hestia asked.

“A little. In the Twin Trees Star System where I was born, there were many gardens, some even breeding rare creatures like fairy dragons,” Amdusias replied thoughtfully.

She described the various magical creatures and their uses in medicine and alchemy, noting how nurturing them required skilled hands and long-term care.

The conversation gave Hestia new insights. She now understood why Lady Isabelle had suggested Swallow Garden Academy—it would allow her to hone her innate abilities as a Songstress while learning the art of nurturing creatures.

After playing with the kitten a while longer, Hestia left work and headed home.

…

About half an hour later, with a paper bag in hand, she paused in front of her door. Two familiar figures stood there.

“You two?” she asked, surprised. Given that the underground of Arpeggio City had been cleared and its inhabitants detained, their presence was unexpected.

“It’s us,” Bulu stepped forward, while Hark explained.

“Back then, the boss couldn’t free himself, so he entrusted us to help the young lady look for clues about your father’s whereabouts,” he explained the events of that day and Qiao Long’s instructions.

“Ah, so that’s why you never came to reclaim that elixir,” Hestia remarked thoughtfully.

“Since you’ve come to see me, does that mean you have some leads?”

“Regarding your father’s whereabouts, we haven’t found much. Perhaps the areas we can access are too limited. The young lady might need to come up with other approaches in the future,” Hark replied.

“However, we’ve uncovered some clues about your parents’ origins and past. I wonder if the young lady would be interested.”

“Yes, please tell me.” Hestia walked over, unlocked her door, and invited the two into the living room to sit for a while.

“Alright,” Hark replied, quickening his pace and giving Bulu a nudge to follow.

After the two sat down, Hestia poured them tea before settling down across from them to listen attentively.

“It’s like this…” Hark began recounting recent events—how he escaped from underground, mingled with some of the night roamer groups in Arpeggio City, and eventually gained their trust.

Night roamers typically referred to those who roamed the streets at night. They were often thrill-seekers, driven by a sense of emptiness, indulging in nightclubs, street dancing, rock music, fights, racing, and social gatherings. Their distinctive clothing and bold behavior frequently made them a headache for local authorities. While not outright criminals, they often skirted the edges of legality.

“After gaining their trust, I tracked down someone who was familiar with the area where the young lady used to live. Through them, I managed to locate an old retiree who had once worked in the residential district where your parents lived…” As Hark spoke, Hestia couldn’t help but admire the social adeptness and persistence of individuals like him.

“Gradually, I befriended the old man and, over drinks, gleaned fragments of information about events from back then.”

“Alright,” Hestia nodded slightly.

“Have you ever heard your parents mention the ‘Thousand Towers City’ in Northern 2nd District?”

“The Thousand Towers City?” Hestia shook her head in confusion. She had never heard of such a name.

“It’s not commonly known because the place has poor connectivity. In short, it’s very traditional and conservative, with little information flowing out,” Hark explained, referencing his own recent research on the city.

“The Thousand Towers City gets its name from the phrase ‘Thousand towers rising like sails.’ It’s said that centuries ago, before Northern 2nd District fell into decline, the area was filled with towering buildings. Their architectural style leaned toward ancient Eastern designs, with layered, flying eaves resembling sails on a vast sea.”

Modern civilization, shared by all species—elves, humans, beastfolks, even the rare merfolk—originated on Earth. As humanity spread to the stars, distinct cultures formed due to geographical separation, particularly between Eastern and Western traditions.

However, during the prolonged wars of the Fifth Epoch, nations aligned with the Eastern faction suffered severe damage, leading to their fragmentation across the universe. Within the Rose Federation, Eastern descendants accounted for only about 5–7% of the population.

Listening to Hark’s description of the ruined yet ancient city, Hestia’s memories drifted back to her childhood. She realized her mother did possess some unique traits compared to others. For instance, her mother made snacks that were hard to find even on the StarNet, cooked Eastern-style dishes, and occasionally read ancient books filled with elegant calligraphy.

Eastern-style elements weren’t uncommon in the Federation—Hestia’s personal terminal, for instance, was a product of the Ink Charm Workshop, renowned for its Eastern aesthetic. However, someone like her mother, who could fluently write Eastern characters, play traditional instruments, and cook authentic dishes, was exceedingly rare.

Hestia and her sister had been taught some of these skills in their youth, but their mother had never insisted on passing down these traditions. If they showed interest, she would teach them, otherwise, she let it be. Even their names leaned toward the Federation’s mainstream, with no resemblance to their mother’s.

Reflecting on these details, Hestia quietly repeated the name Thousand Towers City in her mind.

“As for your mother, this is the extent of the information we’ve uncovered. Further investigation will likely require a visit to the city itself,” Hark concluded.

“I understand,” Hestia nodded slightly.

“Still, life isn’t easy for you two right now. There’s no rush to continue this investigation.” After all, nearly twenty years had passed—what was another year or two?

“Thank you, young lady, for your understanding,” Hark said gratefully, nodding repeatedly. He found this young lady surprisingly easy to get along with.

After seeing the two off, Hestia returned to her room and began searching through her parents’ belongings. Unfortunately, she didn’t find much—after living in the same home for over a decade, it was unlikely there were any hidden items she hadn’t already discovered.

“I’ll have to look up more about the Thousand Towers City online.” Closing a drawer filled with miscellaneous items, she turned to her personal terminal and began searching for information.

A flurry of images and text soon appeared on the projected screen.

“The Vanished Thousand Towers City—Do You Know the Legendary Splendor from Four Centuries Ago?”

“‘Faces Painted Red and Blue, Armed with Cold Steel, Marching and Dancing with Banners’—Guardians of the Ancient City.”

“Foolishness or Tradition? The People Trapped in the Ruins of a Bygone Age…”

The images depicted towering, dilapidated buildings shrouded in mist. The city was cold and desolate, yet traces of its former glory lingered faintly in its ruins.