01x04 - The Nation of Witches

[bunniefuu]

Hold him down!

Hurry!

Body temperature, heart rate,
and blood pressure are rising.

At this rate, his heart will...

I knew a human wouldn't be able
to withstand heterophase transfer.

You mustn't give up, everyone.

Madam Ophelia.

I'll return him to his senses
by stimulating his brain.

Ch-Chloe...

Duplication Magic: Death Cancel.

Death Cancel

Duplication?

What's going on? I...

I am Anna.

I infiltrated this nation with Doroka.

It's all been part of the plan

to resurrect Chloe the witch.

We're getting you out of here.

Who are you?

Questions later.

Send him, Madam Ophelia.

What the...

I'm sorry, Doroka.

Thank you... for fighting for us.

Who are you?

I see. This is...

Yes. This is the nation of witches.

Look.

They're ripening.

Wow.

Oh? You're already well enough
to be up and about?

Yeah.

I'm glad.

I'm sure Chloe would be sad
if anything happened to you.

You've met Chloe before?

Of course.

She was kind to us when we were little.

We loved her.

I see.

Let me down. I can walk.

Human influence can't
touch this secluded land.

The path you've taken to get here
is far beyond what you can imagine.

Your body was placed under a lot of stress.

Madam Ophelia.

This season's harvest
has been bountiful as well.

Witch of Revelation
Ophelia Clementine

What did you do to me?

What the...

I simply invited you here,

Adonis, apprentice of Chloe.

You knew Chloe, too?

Of course.

There isn't a witch
in this nation who doesn't.

She was stronger, smarter, more cheerful,
and kinder than anyone else.

Though she used ice,
she radiated warmth like the sun.

But she was cast out of the witches' nation.

You mean you cast her out...

for teaching magic to a human child.

So Chloe told you about that.

No, but I figured it out.

I spent a lot of time with her, after all

To witches, magic is
irreplaceable. It's like our soul.

It represents the friendship and devotion
God granted us in order to lead humankind.

It's not something a human
should ever be taught.

Chloe took on a human apprentice.

We didn't understand her intentions,

but at the time, every witch begged
her to abandon her apprentice and return.

But she had only one thing to say to us.

Sorry.

That's certainly like her, isn't it?

Have you finished reminiscing?

Yes.

You can have this back.

My quill!

You're in the way. Move.

Give it back!

A magic-imbued phoenix feather with adornments
resembling waves and a red dragon's eye.

Truly a masterpiece.

Chloe made this for you, didn't she?

Who else?

You said your name is Ophelia?

Can you bring Chloe back from the dead?

Witches do not lie.

I see.

I see.

What is that?

This secluded land is
beyond the reach of humans.

It's a quiet celestial object.

We arrived here ten years ago,

and it became a place for witches
to live peacefully once more.

The new witches' nation, Lunamilia.

Lunamilia

Science revealed humankind's true nature.

Perhaps God created a spherical world

to keep them from seeing
too far into the distance

because he feared for their future.

I won't abide it.

These are gravestones
for the witches that d*ed.

Humans are often constrained by expressions.

"It's always darkest before the dawn."

"The opposite of love is indifference."

But in reality,

the sky brightens as dawn approaches,
and the opposite of love is obviously hate.

"Witches will corrupt humankind."

That is the expression
the king of humans believed.

This is a mito, a tree
that produces witches.

Mito

You're a witch's apprentice.
Have you seen one before?

No, this is my first time
seeing one in person.

Chloe didn't like to talk about her origins.

Witches are unisex.

Unlike humans, we do not have mating pairs.

We receive life from these trees,

as fruits containing the power of God.

Mystical, isn't it?

Whatever.

This is the last surviving tree brought
here from the planet's surface.

Humans b*rned all the other mito.

Currently, this is the only tree
that can birth and regenerate witches.

Regenerate?

Could it be?

Is that...?

Chloe.

Is that Chloe?

No, that is still merely
a witch waiting to be born.

She needs your strength to become Chloe.

What do you mean?

Magic is the act of giving
an individual's thoughts

a physical form in the material world.

The Written-Style Summoning Magic you use...

Depending on your proficiency, it can
be used to give form to any and all thoughts.

In other words, it is versatile.

Any and all thoughts...

Take memory, for example.

Memory is life itself.

If you could seal your memories
of Chloe within that fruit, then perhaps...

I doubt I need to say more.

Either way, you are the key
to Chloe's resurrection.

Please let me know when you're ready.

We'll begin the ceremony then.

Seriously?

My magic will resurrect Chloe.

You're the witch who cast
that duplication spell.

Don't you have something to say?

What? You want me to thank you?

You can't be serious.

Doroka d*ed for you.

Not my problem.

You planned all of this.

Don't take your anger out on me.

What? Hey!

We're not done talking.

Wait.

Humans are so selfish.

I bet you think you're lucky that
you can resurrect your beloved master

as many times as you want
with your magic and this tree.

Why did we risk our lives
for someone like you?

Why?

Isn't it so you could use Chloe?

Isn't this the reason you saved me?

What are you talking about?

Don't play dumb.

Adonis, listen to me.

The witches are planning to use Chloe.

You and Chloe need to flee
the witches' nation.

The witches' nation...

You can live in extreme environments
without protective gear.

You did not need to build
such a grandiose facility.

This place is a cage
for you to keep humans in.

You'll kidnap human slaves
and kids using your heterophase transfer,

teach them Written-Style Summoning
Magic, and make them fight.

Witches are on the verge of extinction.

You need an alternative
source of soldiers to win.

Chloe made this for you, didn't she?

Only Chloe can make quills.

That's why you want to
resurrect her, isn't it?

"Magic is the witches' soul."

Yeah, right, you vixens.

W-Wait.

Wh-What are you going to do
with that knowledge?

Help us.

I won't let Doroka's death be in vain.

I'll still resurrect Chloe.
That hasn't changed.

What?

I simply follow her will. That's all.

But if Chloe rejects you...

then the witches are my enemies, too.

That's all there is to it.

Let us begin.

You were brought here by our will.

But now, your will shall
bring Chloe back to life.

Yeah.

Written-Style Summoning Magic:

Nostalgic Memories.

Nostalgic Memories

Chloe...

And that's Falulu, the witch's constellation.

Look.

When you connect that start and that star...

See?

Yeah, I know.

It makes the beautiful face of the great
Falulu, who kind of looks like you.

I've heard this a million times.
You don't look anything like her.

You didn't need to say that.

And that's the Sea Dragon Constellation.

That's the Last Phoenix,
and that's Claris, the giant of knowledge.

Wow, you memorized all of them?

That's crazy. Are you a divine prodigy?

Since I taught you, does that make me a god?

And that's the Adonis Constellation, right?

The one you came up with.

Chloe, you jerk!

I-I remember.

You connect those rainbow-colored
stars like this, right?

That's totally wrong. It's over there.

You really didn't put any thought into it.

That's not true.

I wouldn't trade the time
I spent with you for anything.

Thinking about it now feels like a dream.

Chloe. Chloe.

You always leave your clothes lying around.

I thought witches were
supposed to be a noble species.

Sorry, Adonis. You can leave those there.

It's fine. I'll put them away.

Adonis, you shouldn't spy on bathing ladies.

You're such a precocious boy.

What? No, I'm not.

I-I was just worried you
might've stayed in too long.

I-I'm gonna go stand watch.

I know we haven't bathed in a while, but our
pursuers might show up, so don't take too long.

Thank you.

For staying with me.

If you hadn't been here, I...

I can't live in this world alone.

Me neither, Chloe.

I love you, so...

Thank you.