Miss Witch Doesn’t Want to Become a Songstress

As the end of the workday approached, Hestia and Decarabia sat around a small table in the library.

“Rabi, do you know where to buy clothes in Arpeggio City?” In the store, Hestia felt the most at ease with Decarabia, and the first thing she thought of was asking this cute little angel.

“You can go to Redwood Street. It’s a bit expensive, but the quality is great,” Decarabia replied.

“What style is Dantalion looking for? Actually, there aren’t many options in Arpeggio City. If you have time, you could go to Molybdenum Crystal City, there are many more stores there.”

“I probably need to buy two sets, one for daily wear and one that’s slightly more formal,” the girl mused.

“Got it.” Decarabia tilted her head and thought for a moment.

“I can go shopping with you, but not too late since I need to be home before 7.”

“Rabi’s family is strict, huh?”

“Yeah.”

It was their first time going out together after work. After changing into casual clothes, the two headed straight for Redwood Street. This was the old street in Arpeggio City, where many shops were decorated in an old-fashioned way, with fewer flashy neon lights.

“Follow me.” Upon arriving at Redwood Street, the small Decarabia led Hestia forward.

Since she couldn’t stay too long, she took Hestia directly to the few stores she considered the best.

Naturally, the prices weren’t cheap.

Piercing Red Eyes was a shop with large, transparent red-tinted glass panels decorating the exterior. The entire front wall of the shop was incredibly transparent, with hundreds of red dresses on display, ranging from deep crimson, pomegranate red, and vermilion to lighter shades like begonia red, silver-red, and fuchsia, and even near-pink tones like peach white and pale pink.

This store seemed to specialize in this one color, perfecting every shade of red, which looked like overlapping petals, presenting a stunning beauty.

“Red-themed, huh…” Hestia recalled that most of her clothes were black or blue, with only a few white pieces.

Although the store was beautifully decorated and the clothes nearly luxurious, there weren’t many customers. Perhaps it was because such red tones required the wearer to have exceptionally good skin and physique to pull off.

Upon entering, Decarabia seemed very familiar with the store and led Hestia directly to the second floor, where she found a staff member she knew.

“I want to buy clothes for my friend. Is the manager around?”

Hestia stood by, watching the little angel speak so directly and boldly, blinking in surprise.

“Ah, she’s here.” Upon seeing Decarabia, the female staff member quickly understood and grabbed the phone to notify someone.

Not long after, a manager wearing a white women’s suit descended the stairs.

Upon seeing her, Decarabia spoke first, “Help me pick out clothes for my friend. I trust your expertise.”

The manager looked a bit surprised, but after glancing at Hestia, she seemed to realize something and nodded.

“Please follow me, miss.”

Hestia went to the nearby changing room, where her body outline was first scanned with a laser. The manager thought for a moment before instructing a staff member.

“Please bring down the clothes from upstairs A-23, B-192, and B-207.”

She then added, “Also, from the RJ-4 storage room, find two pairs of shoes in her size: one pair of sandals and one pair of light-colored, casual shoes.”

“Okay.”

Soon, two staff members returned with three sets of dresses and four pairs of shoes. Though the manager had only instructed for two pairs, they brought an extra two for Hestia to choose from.

One dress was perfect for the current season, a summer dress with a blend of rose red and white. It featured off-shoulder sleeves, a wave-like pleated hem, and a form-fitting waist to accentuate the curves, finished with a wavy skirt.

The second set was more of a lady-like forest style, with a white base and light floral patterns, a cinched wide belt at the waist, and a simple yet beautiful design with a straight, light pink pleated skirt.

The third set was the most extravagant, using a fiery, vivid red, with intricate lace and a four-leaf skirt resembling a royal princess dress from ancient courts. It required the highest body standards—anyone with a bit more weight or disproportionate proportions would look awkward in it.

When the cover of the dress was removed, Hestia was stunned for a moment, feeling like the manager or Decarabia had misunderstood her. She just wanted a simple, well-fitting outfit, not something this extravagant.

“Dantalion, try it on,” Decarabia said excitedly, her eyes sparkling as she looked at the dresses, clearly eager to see Hestia in them.

“Uh, okay.”

Since they were already here, she couldn’t back out now.

Hestia entered the changing room and first tried on the summer dress, the one that suited her best.

In a moment, a beautiful girl with light grey hair and fair skin, glowing against the rose-red and pale pink dress, emerged. Her aura was completely different from her usual self. If she paired the dress with sandals and a simple handbag, she could pass for a typical young lady.

This wasn’t too fake either. Hestia had been taught etiquette since she was young—how to sit, walk, eat, and greet people. But as she grew older and became more introverted, her movements became smaller, gradually fading into the person she was now.

“See, I wasn’t wrong. Dantalion really has this potential,” Decarabia seemed especially excited about her keen eye.

“This…” Hestia moved her legs slightly, looking at herself in the brightly colored dress. She felt a bit out of place, like a mushroom that had been sitting in the corner suddenly placed under the sun.

“Then Dantalion, try this one as well.” Saying this, Decarabia brought the most extravagant third dress.

Although Hestia felt this gown would be too expensive for her to afford, seeing the excitement in Decarabia’s eyes, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse and had no choice but to go back and try it on.

A moment later, a noble and elegant-looking girl with her hands clasped in front of her slowly emerged from the changing room. If her grey hair were replaced with golden or silver-white, one could easily believe she was a princess from the elven race.

“Yes, this is the one,” Decarabia said, circling Hestia with excitement, as if she had discovered a whole new world.

“Truly incredible,” she murmured, while the manager and staff nearby were also surprised. When Hestia first entered, her appearance wasn’t bad, but she gave off a somewhat ordinary vibe that made her easily overlooked. But now, it was as if the cover had been removed, revealing a stunning charm beneath.

“These are the three dresses, Dantalion,” Decarabia suggested.

“Uh, I haven’t asked the price yet.” The girl thought to herself that the money she had brought probably wouldn’t be enough to buy these clothes.

“Don’t worry, I have a membership card, so I can get a discount,” Decarabia said, raising a stamped card, then secretly gesturing to the manager in a way Hestia couldn’t see.

“Really?” Hestia gently bit her lip and asked the manager for the exact price.

“These three dresses?” The manager answered, but her expression shifted uncomfortably, as if she were troubled.

“Wait a moment, I’ll check.” She walked over to the counter and began entering information into the system, glancing at Hestia’s delicate figure before coming to a decision.

“The total price is 12,562 Federation credits, but with the discount, it’ll be 10,000 Federation credits,” she finally said. Judging by the expressions of the two staff members behind Hestia, it was clear that this price was unusual.

“It’s a bit expensive, but the quality is certainly there.” Hestia hadn’t planned to spend this much on shopping, but she trusted the manager. After all, she had seen her sister buy clothes much more expensive than this when she was younger.

“Alright,” Hestia hesitated for a few seconds before nodding. Though she felt a little pained about the money, she decided to go ahead with the purchase.

Upon hearing this, Decarabia secretly made a victory gesture, though her face and actions remained composed.

“Alright, I’ll get everything packed for you.” The manager gave a subtle look to the two staff members, who immediately took action, not only wrapping up the three dresses but also packing the four pairs of shoes.

After receiving the clothes, it was already getting late. Decarabia saw Hestia off at the exit of Redwood Street before heading back herself.

As Hestia’s figure disappeared down the street, Decarabia turned around and made her way back to Piercing Red Eyes, where she had just come from.

“Miss, you’re back.” Seeing the blonde girl return alone, the manager quickly greeted her.

“Mm, remember to keep today’s events a secret. From now on, when that girl comes in, just tell them I’m a VIP regular here and that’s how I got such a good discount.”

“Understood.” The manager nodded, thinking that the performance earlier had passed without a hitch.

“You have a good eye,” Decarabia said, sitting on a high stool inside the store and gently turning. Her white dress and golden hair flowed with the movement.

“Of course, she’s a friend of the second miss. Naturally, I had to choose the best dresses, ones that match her temperament and figure,” the manager said, a hint of pride on her face.

“Alright, no more compliments. How much exactly were the prices for those three dresses? I’ll cover the difference, or my sister will complain when she checks the accounts later.”

“How could she?” Though the manager said this, she quickly provided the amount.

“The total price is 123,000 Federation credits. The first two dresses use T5 grade premium fabric, and were designed by a designer from the Feather Star Region, so the price per dress is about 10,000 Federation credits. As for the third one, it’s made from the famous ‘Moonlit Flower Silk’ of the elven race, which cost nearly 30,000 Federation credits just for the fabric. After being designed and tailored by a master, the price is at least doubled.”

“‘Moonlit Flower Silk,’ no wonder it feels so delicate and soft,” Decarabia nodded slightly.

“Regardless of the selling price, what about the production cost?”

“Just for production and labor, it’s about 60,000 Federation credits. This price isn’t too high, but unfortunately in Arpeggio City, this is the best we can do. In our flagship store in Northern 1st District, the price might double, and these three dresses could sell for 200,000-300,000 Federation credits.”

This is how it is with luxury brands—the more luxurious, the higher the markup. A 500% markup is considered affordable.

“Alright, I understand. Once my holiday in Arpeggio City is over, I’ll tell my sister to transfer you to Northern 1st District.”

“Thank you, Miss Bettina,” the manager said, her excitement barely contained. Years of hard work were finally paying off.

Though she had done her best at this store, there weren’t many rich people in Arpeggio City, and even fewer women who liked the red color. As the saying goes, a clever woman can’t make a meal without rice, no matter how hard she tried, her performance had limits.

Now, with the second miss’s recommendation, she finally had the chance for a bigger stage.

“After this holiday, I’ll also be going to study in Northern 1st District. We’ll have a lot more time together. Keep up the good work, my insightful big sister.” Bettina, also known as Decarabia from Crystal Dream, painted a bright future for her staff.

Having gotten used to speaking like this in the White Feather Church of Crystal Dream, she now said it with much more natural ease.