01x11 - The Test in Serpentback Cave

[bunniefuu]

It's mating season for the scalewolves.

They shed their plaitscale fur
through sharp impacts

to prevent harm to
their coming offspring.

Even though they could stay as strong as
they are if they chose not to mate...

I thought that I had
nothing to learn from her.

That Outsiders don't belong here.

That they have nothing
to offer the world of magic.

But...

If she correctly learns
how everything works...

How is she any different from us?

Yes! I did it!

Excellent work!

The] Test in Serpentback Cave

You've learned how to draw
your spells very reliably, Coco.

I'm so happy!

But...

There aren't many spells
I'm fully confident in.

I'll probably end up falling
back on the same seals.

If you ask me...

spells you can complete consistently
and draw without much effort

are what I'd call your specialty.

My... specialty?

See?

The spells you use most often are
the ones that use more straight lines.

Your straight lines are much
more confident than your curves.

The first time we met, you were
drawing straight lines, remember?

Realizing which spells are your specialty

will give you confidence when
you need to believe in yourself.

When you're feeling nervous,
say it out loud,

so your own ears can hear it.

My specialty is... drawing straight lines.

My specialty is straight lines, right?!

Now that I know, I should
draw more straight lines!

I'll charge straight into success!

Wait, wait, wait, wait!

You'll master your specialty
spells without even trying.

Better to practice spells
you haven't perfected yet,

that you need active work to pin down.

It could even lead you to new specialties.

Right?

R-Right...

Casting Seals seem even more
impressive to me now than before.

Now that I know how they work,

I appreciate how hard they
must have been to design.

Amazing. This is amazing!

The magic of amazing people is amazing!

She needs to improve her
compliment vocabulary.

I feel amazingly intimidated
by the amazingness...

Want to look with me, Richeh?

No.

I like drawing. I don't like looking.

Really? You don't want to look at this?

You'll learn so much!

Seriously, no. And stop wiggling around.

Studying magic isn't all about
training your hands, Richeh.

Looking at the advanced spells
of others will train your eyes to—

I don't want to!

Richeh! You okay?

Were you hurt?

You really shouldn't
cast while you're upset.

That's really dangerous.

Wait, Richeh!

When you close your eyes
to the guideposts of learning...

and shut your ears to
the words of your teacher...

you'll go nowhere fast.

Richeh!

Um... I'm sorry about what I said.

I...

Huh? Richeh?

She's not here?

Maybe she's in her bedroom?

Brushbuddy, do you know where she is?

Where are you going, Brushbuddy?!

Brushbuddy?

What is this place?

I didn't say you could come in.

S-Sorry. I was following
Brushbuddy, and...

What a beautiful spell!

It's like ribbons made out of crystal...

It doesn't have a name yet.

I made it myself.

You made a spell?!

Wow! That's amazing!

It's so beautiful!
It makes my eyes happy!

What an avant-garde
show of appreciation...

I really love this spell.

You can have one if you want.

I've got plenty.

What?! Really?!

I love it! Thank you!

Hey... can I ask something?

Why don't you want to look at the books?

I know so little about magic,

so I love looking at
other people's spells.

Who could have made them,
what did they use them for...

I love imagining that stuff
as I look through their spells.

I only want to think about my own spells.

If I start looking at books,

they'll start telling me
to draw what's in there.

I'll have to draw things
I don't want to draw.

Stuff that isn't my style of spell.

I'm sick of that.

Richeh...

It has nothing to do with you.

I don't need other people's spells.

I don't want them to contaminate mine.

Richeh was apprenticed to another
witch before she came here.

She uses her stubbornness
as a shield to protect herself.

Like a scalewolf making
armor out of its thick fur...

I'm never sure how much to interfere.

Unfortunately, people
aren't as simple as spells.

Here.

What's this?

Stones?

My latest creation: Snugstones.

It's meant as a sleep aid.

Put one under the covers and
it'll warm you from tip to toe.

Might just be a placebo, but
give them out to your apprentices.

Thank you.

There's so much kindness in your spells.

You express it better
with magic than words.

Th-This is just part of
my work, you get that?!

I intend to sell them,
so I'm looking for feedback!

Sure, let's not argue.

Hey, Olly.

You gave me too many.

There are five here.

Four are for your apprentices.

The last one is for you.

Set an example for the girls
and get a good night's sleep.

You're a teacher, remember?

I'll try.

A letter?

From whom?

I'm back.

Agott.

You arrived at the perfect time.

I just received word from the Great Hall.

We have a date for your second test.

When is it?!

Morning, three days from now...

at Serpentback Cave in Cape Romonon.

You're trying to make crystal ribbons?

That's a very charming spell, Richehlette.

Look, Rili.

It's sparkly and roly-poly. Is it pretty?

Rili?

Richeh, your big brother...

loves it when you make spells
that express who you are.

Never stop being yourself, okay?

Rili?

Where are you going?

You don't wanna look
at my spells anymore?

Don't go...

Rili!

A dream?

Ugh, I fell fast asleep!

I meant to use every minute I had
to practice before the test!

This stupid Snugstone!

Stupid toasty warmth!

You'll be all right, Agott.

Everyone always feels like
they haven't prepared enough.

Just approach it as
the person you are now.

That will serve the person
you'll be the next time.

There won't be a next time.

I'll pass the test on the first try.

I'm from House Arklaum, after all.

Such heartening words!

Like night and day with
my little failure here.

Euini, my apprentice,

has tried and failed the
second test twice already,

even though you can
only take it once a year!

If only I could trade him for
a daughter of House Arklaum!

Master Kukrow.

Apprentices aren't things.
We can't simply trade them around...

Ah, but don't you wish we could?

We can't repair them, either!

How dare you—

I-It's fine.

It's all true, anyway.

My incompetence as an apprentice has
given Master Kukrow no end of trouble.

Um...

And I'm sorry that my incompetence

has splashed back into criticism
against you again, Master.

I'm also sorry I'll probably never
become a worthy witch...

Um... Euini?

Hey, sorry I'm late.

The closest Windowway has become unusable,

so I had to walk all the way here.

That enormous brushbuddy is talking!

Look closer.

She's a proper witch.

What?

But transformation is
forbidden magic, isn't it?

A Mirror Cloak of Borrowshade.

A magical contraption that,

while worn, projects an illusionary
guise of a nearby beast.

It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Alaira.

I'll be overseeing your participation
in the second test.

So you're the test proctor?

Purely a coincidence!

And you brought all your apprentices,

even though they're
not all taking the test?

The second test,
the Sincerity of the Shield—

as the name suggests, you become
like a knight with a shield,

keeping your target safe as you
escort them from the entrance

to the exit of the Serpentback Cave.

You mustn't lose sight of
your charge during that time.

If either reaches the cave
exit alone, you're out.

Of course, you fail if you're
witnessed casting spells, as well.

What happens if we're witnessed?

There's no risk of the secrets
of magic getting out,

but you will fail the test...

because you'll be exposed as human.

Put those cloaks on and have a look.

Are those gryphons?

No, they're myrphons.

A different species
that lives by the water.

The Serpentback Cave,
where the test takes place,

is a magical ruin from
a more tumultuous age.

A labyrinth spell pervades its caverns,

making it dangerous
to stray from the path.

So the second test is about using
magic to protect them from magic?

That's right!

Humans rarely enter the ruins,

but it's been a route between
the animals' breeding grounds

and winter nests for ages now.

We witches must take responsibility
for altering their environment.

That's why, every year,

we guide and protect the young ones
making the trip for the first time

to keep them from going astray.

With those cloaks on, the myrphons
will see you as one of their own.

If you take the cloaks off
or disrupt their seal,

the myrphons will run away,
so be careful!

I see.

In a way, this is harder than drawing
spells without humans seeing us.

You'll each be in charge of one myrphon.

This one is yours.

This one is yours.

And the last one...

Here you go.

Richeh gets one?

You've made a mistake.

I'm not taking the test.

What? You aren't?

You submitted an application.

There's no mistake.

You'll be taking the test too, Richeh.

You liar.

Richeh...

Master Qifrey,

you said I could do what I wanted.

That's why I came to you
in the first place.

I guess you don't care
about what I want, either.

Adults all just force you
to do what they want.

I absolutely do care what you want.

That's precisely the reason
I want you to take the test.

I think that what you learn here will
empower you in the life you want to live.

So...

Won't you please trust me this one time?

I'm going to do what I want on the test.

Okay.

Okay. That's fine.

If I try it and hate it,
I'm not doing it again.

And if it makes me stop being me,
I'll never trust what you say again!

Sounds like you have
quite a handful yourself.

There really is no correcting
fools like that.

They just complain and make
excuses. "Oh, but Master!"

It really is a chore.

Why must children be so—

Excuse me.

Were you saying something?

Well, would you look at the time?
I really must return to the Great Hall.

You're not going to stick around
for your apprentice's test?

You two can handle it, can't you?

So get to it!

Unbelievable! He really did leave!

Euini...

I-I'll do my best!

R-Right. Please do...

It's just about time.

May they all reach the end
without getting lost in the dark.

That's what magic is for.

For just that...

The migration has begun.

All right, let's move out!

There they go.

Well, let's have ourselves
a late breakfast.

I'll tell you some history, too.

History?

Yes, you don't know much about magical
ruins like the Serpentback Cave, do you?

Forbidden spells drawn
before the Day of the Pact...

still linger across the world like scars.

W-We have to take this road?

Didn't you say it?

It's a test about using magic
to protect against magic.

Now, my little magic
shield-wielding knights...

How will you traverse this road?

Episode 12:

The Shadow of Romonon