Miss Witch Doesn’t Want to Become a Songstress

The afternoon arrived swiftly. After helping prepare tea and some snacks for Seree, Hestia found herself with some free time and returned to the forest-themed room where Botis resided.

Today, Botis was crouched by the pond, using a glass tube to tease a bright blue poison dart frog while observing it carefully.

“I feel like something’s still missing… Could it be the pigment? But the book’s description doesn’t mention anything like that,” she mused, her emerald-green, wavy hair tilting slightly as she pondered.

Hestia entered the room, walking cautiously to avoid stepping on any clumsy creatures or letting anything coil around her ankles. After a brief effort, she made her way to the pond.

“Senior Botis~”

“Oh, it’s you, Dantalion. You’re here.” Botis set the dart frog down and pulled Hestia to sit beside her.

“How did you sleep last night? Something major happened in Arpeggio City.”

“Something major?” Hestia blinked, feigning surprise.

“An incident occurred underground—beneath the underground, to be precise. The recent outbursts were also caused by someone. Fortunately, the culprit has been apprehended.”

“That’s good to hear,” Hestia nodded.

“However, the city is now under lockdown. It seems we won’t be able to enter or exit for a while.” Botis spoke with a hint of disappointment.

Since the previous night, all routes in and out of Arpeggio City—whether via aerial ships through the sky wells, surface roads, or underground tunnels and railways—had been completely sealed. It was said a thorough investigation was underway, and the city would only reopen once everything was confirmed safe, a process that might take up to a month.

“I was planning to introduce you to a teacher, but it looks like she won’t be able to come for now.”

“She’s an expert in vocal performance and would suit your temperament well. My own style used to be more fiery and rock-oriented, which suited Prin, but may not be the best fit for you.” Botis admitted with a self-aware chuckle.

After thanking Botis for her kind intentions, Hestia cleared a clean spot beside her and sat down.

“Were you training that poison dart frog just now, Botis?”

“Oh, not exactly. I was considering how to help it evolve into a Sequence 4 Golden Poison Dart Frog. That species is extremely rare and produces special materials used to create Golden Venom.”

“What’s ‘Golden Venom’?” Hestia asked curiously.

“Golden Venom is harmless to animals, but if injected into plants—such as flowers—it can permanently preserve them in their most vibrant and blooming state. Some luxurious garments use these ‘everlasting golden flowers’ as decorations, making them highly valuable.”

“Some ancient elven families within the Federation know the secret techniques to create Golden Venom, but they’ve never disclosed them. So we can only profit by selling the raw materials.”

“Is evolving it very difficult?”

“Well, yes and no. On average, one out of every 2,000 Sequence 3 poison dart frogs can evolve into a Golden Poison Dart Frog, but there’s no way to predict which one.” Botis inserted a card into a nearby display device, and soon, holographic images and text materialized in the air.

Looking at the projection of the evolved, golden-yellow dart frog, Hestia became lost in thought.

Gold…

After helping feed the poisonous creatures in the forest, Hestia reclined on a nearby lounge chair and quickly fell asleep.

The events of the previous day had taken a toll on her, and the side effects of using her innate abilities only added to her exhaustion. Within seconds of lying down, she drifted into a deep slumber.

Botis, who had initially planned to discuss some singing-related topics with Hestia, decided not to disturb her upon seeing how peacefully she slept.

What an endearing child.

Botis gently touched Hestia’s cheek, feeling its soft warmth, before sitting opposite her and reminiscing.

It had been years since she left the world of singers and performances. She thought she would never revisit that path, yet meeting Hestia had reignited a flurry of activity in her life. This time, she had even reached out to one of her most accomplished singer friends for help.

Was this simply a sudden burst of kindness? Or was it a response to lingering regrets and unfulfilled desires?

Looking up at the faux sky above the green canopy, its vivid blue expanse scattered with a few soft clouds, she reflected.

Prin’s passionate and fiery style mirrored her own youth—bold, rebellious, and scornful of convention. But now, she saw the immaturity in those extremes.

While brief fervor can be captivating, sustaining progress requires both resilience and a touch of gentleness. Otherwise, after the blaze fades, all that’s left is ashes—empty and barren.

Hestia, or Dantalion, as Botis affectionately called her, possessed a far better balance: calm yet resolute, delicate yet strong. Still, her overly demure nature occasionally evoked a sense of protectiveness.

The best children often bore scars from hardship, while those spoiled by love tended to be more flamboyant.

What a truly lovable girl, no wonder everyone cherished her.

Pondering these thoughts, Botis began envisioning plans for Hestia’s growth. The first step would be fostering her confidence—although her shy demeanor was undeniably charming.

…

After work, Hestia walked home with a light spring in her step. A busy yet fulfilling day left her feeling a subtle sense of satisfaction and joy. Now, even a night of gaming felt well-earned.

But not today—she needed proper rest for her upcoming retest at Swallow Garden Academy in three days.

Wait… the retest required leaving Arpeggio City for Northern 1st District, but the city was still under lockdown…

Her pace slowed as worry crept in. Could she really be this unlucky?

Hurrying home, she logged into the local student forum to see how others were discussing the situation.

Sure enough, the forums were abuzz with chatter about the lockdown:

“My travel plans are ruined. I was going to South District!”

“Graduation trips only happen once in a lifetime!”

“What about the retests? They can’t possibly fail all Arpeggio City students because of this, right?”

“What even happened to warrant sealing the city? The government must know how much trouble this causes!”

“My family tried asking around, but no one knows anything. The secrecy is insane.”

The speculation ran wild, with rumors ranging from the apprehension of a dangerous fugitive to industrial accidents, subterranean mutations, and even outbreaks of a mysterious virus. Some users shared supposed leaked photos and footage to back their claims.

The chaos continued until around 9 PM when an official announcement silenced the frenzy:

[Forum activity suspended. Resumption time TBD.]

[Students requiring retests may report to the police station with official notification. Verified individuals will be permitted to exit Arpeggio City through special channels.]

Finally, the turmoil subsided, albeit temporarily.