Miss Witch Doesn't Want to be a Diva

Chapter 85: Chapter 45: The Development of Elves

A new day, Hexia was still dressed in her black and white maid outfit, bustling about the teahouse. Now, compared to her initial greenness and confusion, she could competently complete some tasks.

After the midday rush ended, the bar where she worked quieted down, and it was also time for her rest period.

"I'm going to take a break now, Sister 'Seere'," the girl said to the maid still earnestly mixing tea beverages behind the counter.

'Seere': Ranked 70th among King Solomon's 72 Demon Gods, with the title of Distinguished Prince, he commands 26 legions and is under the dominion of the King of The East. His true form is that of a handsome man riding a winged steed.

She knew that if 'Seere,' the senior before her, was immersed in blending tea drinks, she might have to wait half an hour before she got a reaction unless she spoke up first.

"Oh, 'Dantalion' is back, huh? Sorry, I didn't notice earlier. Yeah, you go take a rest. I can handle things from here."

The maid appeared to be in her twenties, with thick black hair that fell just past her shoulders and leaf-shaped hairpins by her ears. Her black and white maid uniform was accented with green trim, adding a soft touch to her style.

The bar specialized in tea drinks and snacks, and 'Seere' herself was skilled at blending many kinds of Eastern teas. From common green tea, black tea, and floral tea to dark tea and even herbal tea; to pair with these, she also made cookies and other snacks, mainly for female customers to enjoy during gatherings.

Hexia had been following her around these past few days, mainly assisting with preparing ingredients and making cookies and other snacks.

"By the way, 'Dantalion'," the other called out to Hexia just as she was about to leave.

"Take this with you. You probably won't get to have a proper lunch again, so have some cookies." She handed over a dainty paper box filled with freshly made homemade cookies.

T4 level 'Red Berry Cookies' (Excellent), made with special King strawberries, cranberry jam, and Dawn flour. They were satisfying and could replenish some nutrients. Their greatest advantage was their mildness and non-irritation, relieving anxiety, with trace amounts of Tranquil Transcendent Core, suitable for all sorts of people in various situations. (Favored by those who didn't want to gain weight, had aversions to food, or picky eaters)

"This..."

Hexia hesitated slightly. Although they occasionally used the food and drink from the teahouse, those were generally T5 grade ingredients. T4 level items were not treated so casually, just like the meals 'Vurowus' had previously offered her, the cost of the raw materials was deducted from her own bonus.

"It's fine. This is considered necessary wastage, usually handled by us," 'Seere' reassured her with a smile, pressing the box into Hexia's hands upon seeing her hesitation.

"Every day I make about 30 servings of sweets and cookies, and nearly 1-2 servings of them won't be served to customers due to not being outstanding enough; they are usually dealt with in-house."

"Can't they be sold at a discount?" The girl was curious. Although 'Seere' said the quality was not exceptional, that was only compared to her usual standards. Outside, a box of these cookies could easily sell for several hundred Federation Coins.

"No, they can't be. Whether you eat them or not, they can't be sold at a discount. They are either given to other maids as a benefit or thrown in the trash," 'Seere' recollected the manager's instructions.

"The manager said that selling them at a discount would lower the prestige of the teahouse, giving off an impression of being poor and stingy. The reason we can maintain such high markups is by creating a good atmosphere and reputation, something that selling at a discount wouldn't compensate for."

"I see…" Hexia accepted the small box of cookies, bowed her head in thanks, then waved and bid 'Seere' farewell.

As she watched the young girl walk away, 'Seere' mused to herself.

"Dantalion has been in the shop for almost a month now, so it should be time for her to start her own bar."

In the vine-clad flower room of the afternoon, Hexia continued the violin practice from before, but today was still about getting familiar with playing the violin, and she had to learn many of the details and nuances on the music sheet from Andusia.

As time slowly passed by, 'Andusia' occasionally took over the violin to demonstrate for Hexia. Unlike her usual calm and mature image, once holding the violin, 'Andusia' resembled an upwards gazing swan, radiating a sudden, luminous beauty, as if standing in an opera house under the gaze of thousands, performing as a renowned musician.

Watching 'Andusia' immersed in the music, Hexia forgot to learn the techniques and rhythms she was supposed to, and it wasn't until 'Andusia' finished playing that she snapped back to reality.

Seeing the girl's dazed expression, Andusia found it a bit cute and amusing, so she had to demonstrate slowly once more. However, this time it wasn't as fluent as before; she made sure the girl could clearly see each step before moving on to the next one.

"I haven't played the violin like this in a long time; I couldn't help myself today." At the end of the lunch break, Hexia put away the violin and chatted with 'Andusia'.

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"Was 'Andusia' once a professional violinist?"

"I did perform professionally for a while, but I spent more time playing the cello; that was about 20 years ago." Andusia reminisced.

"Wait, 20 years ago?" The girl's eyes widened.

"Yes, didn't Belfeng tell you? I am an elf." She slightly lifted her golden hair near her ear, revealing her slender ears.

"Elves have a different lifespan from humans, about three times that of humans. Right now, I'm equivalent to a 27-year-old human."

"You really are an elder sister…" Hexia mused about Andusia's age, but as if the other party sensed it, Andusia glanced at her and then tapped the girl's head.

"Don't apply human standards to me; I am still quite young."

"Okay, 'Andusia' elder sister." The girl apologized for her earlier impolite thoughts and then curiously asked 'Andusia' about many things concerning elves.

"There are very few elves in Jade Skirt now; where did most of them go?"

"Most moved to the Central Star Domain, and some who prefer tranquility went to pioneer remote star domains." The elf with golden hair reminisced.

"My great-great-grandfather was one of the first to come to Jade Skirt for terraforming. Back then, they used purple-red microorganisms to absorb and purify the sulfides that pervaded the planet. After that, they started to spread and cultivate various algae, until the oceans slowly turned aquamarine."

"The abundant oxygen oxidized many reactive substances on the planet, and over time, an ozone layer formed. After that, it was time for the seeding of plants, which didn't go smoothly at first, since the surface was mostly rocky. Later, the rocks were gradually corroded by vegetation, creating the first soil."

"By the time my great-great-grandfather finished this project, his life was more than half over, having spent about 180 years. But in the end, he was happy, for he witnessed the birth of a green planet with his own eyes. Lastly, he and his colleagues named the planet 'Jade Skirt,' as its slanted continental forests and meadows were beautifully skirt-like and staggered in layers."

Perhaps only elves would have the patience and perseverance to transform a barren planet, as the short lifespan of humans makes it difficult for them to settle down and persist with certain things.

Even in today's Federation, the terraforming of some remote planets is still led by elves, which is no wonder their numbers are few but their influence within the Federation has always been significant.