Miss Witch Doesn’t Want to Become a Songstress

“Thousand Towers City, where the layered buildings rise like a thousand sails crossing the sea.”

Hestia closed the information file in her hands, her mind still lingering on the images of the broken and desolate city.

Currently, Northern 2nd District is sparsely populated, spanning nearly a million square kilometers but with only 8 million inhabitants, most of whom are concentrated in three half-abandoned cities, including Thousand Towers City.

“The liveliest time in Thousand Towers City is the annual ‘Flowing Fire Festival,’ held in mid-July. During this time, more tourists visit, and the city becomes busier and safer,” a forum post explained. It included photos and videos showing layers of red banners fluttering, incense smoke wafting, and devout crowds climbing winding mountain paths to pray.

In this age of interstellar travel, are there still people who believe in gods?

While similar questions often appear online, as long as people feel uncertain or vulnerable, the need for spiritual solace will arise.

Someone to witness your suffering, to hear your confessions, bringing some form of release and comfort to your heart—that’s the essence of faith. The Federation’s official stance is neither to promote nor suppress it, as long as such practices remain within defined boundaries.

After gathering information online, Hestia felt the need to visit Northern 2nd District’s Thousand Towers City herself. Although she wasn’t sure if she could find any clues, her curiosity was piqued. Why did the elder mentioned by Hark immediately determine that her mother came from Thousand Towers City?

Coincidentally, the timing aligned perfectly with the Flowing Fire Festival this month. However, Hestia hesitated, wondering if taking extended leave would be appropriate.

“So Dantalion wants to take a vacation, too?” Belphegor, her colleague, stroked her chin after hearing Hestia’s thoughts.

“Taking leave isn’t impossible. For example, Botis often disappears for days before returning to work, and Naberius frequently takes time off for fabric and floral selections. However, if you take leave, you might lose some of the regular clients you’ve just stabilized,” she warned.

“Yes, but I’ll put up a notice explaining my absence and hope they’ll wait for me,” Hestia replied after some thought.

“Only a week? I thought you’d be gone for at least half a month!” Belphegor shook her bunny ears in mock surprise.

“No, not that long,” Hestia explained, mentioning her plans to travel to Northern 2nd District.

“That place, huh? July really is the best time to visit there.”

“But Thousand Towers City, or rather all of North 2nd District, isn’t exactly safe,” the bunny-eared maid reminded her.

Unlike the highly monitored streets of Arpeggio City, Northern 2nd District lacks extensive surveillance or riot-control units. Even local governance operates on a semi-autonomous basis, often controlled by the residents.

Belphegor detailed precautions for traveling to Northern 2nd District, making Hestia more cautious. She began to consider whether it might be better to wait a few years until she felt stronger to make the journey.

The next day, when Botis learned of her concerns, she made a seemingly helpful suggestion.

“Why not bring it with you? Although this guy’s a bit mischievous, it’s actually quite strong in terms of stealth and attack.” She pointed to a large spider in Hestia’s lap.

“It?” Hestia tilted her head, imagining the awkwardness of carrying a giant spider around.

Seeing her confusion, Botis tapped the spider on the head.

“Get to work! Dantalion doesn’t believe you can protect her!” she teased.

The spider immediately became agitated, leaping from Hestia’s hands onto the table. Its body shimmered briefly before vanishing into her shadow.

Hestia stood abruptly, lifting her skirt to inspect around her, but the spider was nowhere to be seen. It wasn’t until a faint blue glow appeared in her eyes that she noticed the creature lurking in her shadow.

___________________

Species: Burrowing Tarantula

Status: Healthy

Pathway: Decay Sequence 4 – Ghostface Spider

Abilities:

Tarantula Venom: Highly toxic; causes respiratory distress and irregular heartbeat, leading to rapid fatality.

Azure Velvet Bristles: Sensitive to sound and vibration, emitting an intimidating hiss.

Shadow Cloak: Conceals itself within shadows, rendering it ghost-like and difficult to detect.

Swift Flash: Enhances reflexes for high-speed, frame-skipping movements.

Ghostly Blue Venom: Extraordinary toxin that ordinary antidotes cannot neutralize, inducing paralysis and a dissociative state.

Chitinous Shell: Reinforced body segments offer resistance to small firearms.

__________________

While the spider had not advanced to the next sequence, Hestia’s care had enhanced its overall capabilities.

“From my shadow, huh?” Hestia knelt and used her blue-tinged magic to coax the spider into visibility.

“This little guy’s stealth makes it easy to bypass older detection systems,” Botis said approvingly.

“But is it really okay to take it with me?” Hestia hesitated, concerned about the potential consequences of an accidental bite.

Botis reassured her by providing three doses of specialized antidote and emphasizing the deterrent power of displaying such an intimidating creature.

That afternoon, guided by Belphegor, Hestia approached her manager to request leave.

“Traveling and visiting family? How lively and full of energy young people are,” her manager mused while sipping tea.

“Go ahead, but once you’ve taken this leave, you can’t take another extended one for two months.”

“Thank you!”

With her leave approved, Hestia prepared to embark on a journey to uncover her mother’s origins in Thousand Towers City. She didn’t know if anyone who remembered her mother still lived there or if this trip would end in disappointment, but she was determined to try.