01x01 - Black Cat and Spica

[bunniefuu]

Claude Sirius.

Bearer of the title of
first-class magician,

of whom there are only
ten in the world.

His magic is said to be powerful
enough to move the stars.

At 17, he was the youngest professor
ever assigned to the royal magic academy.

This charismatic young man,
also known for

his contributions to magic education,

vanished mysteriously one day.

Hey, are you serious about flying?

You'll be in serious trouble
if you fall from that height.

Just watch me.

Air, grant me strength.

Grant me freedom.

With the wind racing through the
skies, free me from the ground.

My staff,

fly!

See? I told you!

I never get bored of watching you, Spica.

Shut up, Aria.

Though you do get credit for surviving
that fall with just a bloody nose.

Why not become a martial artist?

Don't be stupid.

I'm going to become a magician!

I won't lose heart over this!

Way to stay positive!

I have to get into the Royal Diana
Academy where Master Claude teaches.

I'll study there and become a first-class
magician, just like Master Claude.

That's my dream!

How? You can't even use a single spell.

I'm still practicing!

I do flight training every day.

You sure do have weird
taste, though, Spica.

Huh?

Most people think Claude
is past his prime.

You know, like when the cultists
attacked Diana two years ago,

and he ran off like a coward instead
of protecting the students.

Shut up.

No one tells you who
you should look up to.

I hate you!

Sorry.

Are you angry?

Go away if you're only here to mock me.

I'm just worried about you.

I mean, you're going to fail
at this rate, aren't you?

- DISQUALIFIED

- You can only learn magic
from magicians, after all.

- Maybe you should hire a tutor.

I don't have money.
I have too many siblings.

I have to teach myself.

Oh, fine.

Since we're fellow Diana hopefuls,

I, Aria the genius, will
teach you Aquarius magic!

Just leave it to me.

You can pay me with your body.

You're messing with me again.

Screw Aria!

I can do this on my own.

Of course I can.

I can. I can. I can!

Mommy, I just heard a loud noise.

Spica must have fallen again.

Why?!

You're going to fail at this rate.

I know that.

There's less than a year until the exam.

I know I have to do something.

But I don't even know anyone
who knows any magicians.

What am I supposed to do?

Could you keep it down?

I was enjoying my nap.

Go elsewhere if you want
to keep falling, dumb girl.

No way...

Is that cat talking?!

Did I gain magic that
lets me talk to animals?!

You can understand me?!

- Wait, are you a monster cat?!

- EEK

Sagittarius Magic.

Never call me a monster cat again.

I'll have you know that I was
formerly a human magician.

A magician?! A cat?!

I've been cursed to take this form,
but I can still use some magic.

M-M-Master! Please let me call you Master!

Wha?

I don't care if you're stuck in cat form.

Please teach me magic!

I know I'm insulting myself here, but...

Are you sane?!

I want to get into Diana Academy.

Do you know what you're saying?

It's the highest-level
magic academy there is.

Of course I do!

That's why I'm begging you!

No way.

Nothing in it for me.

Wait! I don't have much money,
but I'll do anything I can!

Please!

Anything?

- I-If you want me to pay with my body,
I'll endure some embarrassment.

- WEARING A SWIMSUIT OR WHATEVER...

- No!

She can talk to me,
and she'll do anything.

I have to make use of this opportunity.

Okay.

I can't stand by and
watch someone struggle.

Thank you!

I'm Spica Virgo.

Nice to meet you!

Well, wanna head to the capital to train?

Yes!

Here we are at the capital.
We're training here?

Let's see...

Raise your arm and chant the spell!

Gimia Kholdbier!

Right!

Gimia Kholdbier!

Sure thing.



I haven't had beer in forever! Whoo!

Hey there, ladies, wanna join us?

It's a kitty! So cute!

What about magic?!

Are you serious about teaching me?

Yes, I am.

Also, I don't have money to pay
for the beer, so that's on you!

Yes, ma'am! I'll show off some tricks.

When Master talked to that lady,
she called him a "kitty."

Am I really the only one
who can hear his voice?

Man, she's pretty scary.

I've had enough fun with her.

Maybe I'll give her an impossible
task and make her give up.

Okay, last request.

Chant this before our training,
and I'll teach you magic.

The Royal Library.

They have everything from picture books
to magic tomes from across the nation.

Including a legendary grimoire that
you won't find easily elsewhere...

One that grants wisdom
to those who touch it.

The Book of Providence.

Pro Video Man?

Yeah, Providence.

The ability to see everything.

You know, omniscience.

I want you to use it to learn how
to release me from this curse.

That's my request.

Where is it?

I'm asking you because I don't know.

Eh, go through all the grimoires,
and you'll get to it eventually.

Do you even know how many
thousands of books are in here?!

Let's see...

I'll give you a month.

You aren't even listening!

Are you not going to help me?

I'd love to look for it myself,

but the moment any non-human
tries to grab a book,

the Mother Book overseeing the library
detects it and sounds the alarms,

and a guard shows up.

You're back again?! You filthy cat!

There you have it.

Good luck.

There's no way I can find it on my own!

Forget about being my apprentice, then.

Fine, I'll do it!

Bring it on!

Get back here, you damn cat!

There's no way she'll find it in a month.

Having an apprentice
is a pain. Screw that.

It's nothing personal.

I read a book about transformation
magic and got turned into a cat, too!

Pfft!

Watch out. Some grimoires have magic
that activates when you open them.

You could have told me!

Let's learn anatomy together!

G-Grimoires are so scary...

That's enough for today.

I doubt she'll last more than three days.

However...

Betraying expectations, Spica
continued going to the library.

What are you up to?

Studying ancient runes.

Ancient runes?

What happened to looking for the book?

You said the Book of Providence
is a legendary grimoire, right?

I thought it might be written
in an ancient language.

So I'm studying up.

Oh?

Good insight.

I never expected you to be so studious.

Me neither.

I didn't even like reading.

But the more I read,
the more interested I got.

And now I want to learn more.

Ancient runes apparently get
activated when they're carved.

It looks like I underestimated you.

But unfortunately...

That's the closing bell.

You're out of time.

I gave you a month, and that was it.

No way!

Couldn't you give me a little more time?

It won't make a difference.

Please!

I really want to get into Diana Academy!

Why are you so fixated on Diana?

What is your objective?

I want to become a first-class
magician like Master Claude.

Claude...

Even though people say he's a coward?

I don't believe that rumor.

I mean, I know how
strong Master Claude is.

Remember that incident two years ago
when the cultists attacked Diana Academy?

I happened to be at the site
of the terror attack that day.

I got caught up in it.

People around me fell one after another.

The screaming and wailing
got quieter and quieter.

I thought I was going to die.

I wanted to see my family again.

But just when I'd given up hope...

Are you all right?

You did well staying alive.

You're strong.

Master Claude protected me!

He's so strong and gentle!

He's such a prince!

There's no way he'd run away.

I want to become someone like him.

A strong magician who can put my
life on the line to protect others.

What would you get out
of protecting strangers?

You really are an idiot.

What?!

My master's definitely
a trash person.

Maybe he should stay a cat.
At least he's cute that way.

I get what you're saying,
but let's stop here.

This is a waste of time.

Both of our time.

Don't say that!

Is it just me, or is there
text hidden on this cover?

Text?

Yes.

Ancient runes.

Let's see, I think it's...

Laguz, ansuz, thurisaz, uruz.

And it means...

"The inviter."

What is this?!

It's a hidden passageway!

Nice find!

The Book of Providence must be in here!

Can we go inside?

It's so pretty!

Someone must have used magic to
make this extradimensional space.

They must be storing forbidden books
and national-treasure-grade grimoires.

The Book of Providence is in here?

There's a good chance.

That is me.

I am the Book of Providence.

A runestone?!

This is it?

And it's talking!

Um, er...

You need not say, Spica Virgo.

How do you know my name?

I am all-knowing. Obviously.

Yeesh.

Then do you know how to
undo this kitty's curse?

Yes.

He's under a karmic curse.

Karmic?

Unlike an ordinary transformation curse,
it transfers the flesh to another being.

A forbidden magic.

Their body vanishes,
and only their soul remains.

Oh, no!

How do we get him back?

There's just one way.

Use the Rebirth Magic that you possess.

Huh? Me?

Have you never noticed that your
wounds heal rather quickly?

Though you do get credit for surviving
that fall with just a bloody nose.

You've merely failed to realize
that you command special magic.

Did you hear that, Master?!

There's no way it's that easy!

- I'm a proper magician now!

- She did hear my voice, though.

- I'm gonna be a first-class
magician like Master Claude!

- It's too much to be mere coincidence.

- This is an opportunity.

I can finally be free of my curse!

Hey, so how do I undo the curse, exactly?

You must inject your magic into him.

Inject it?

Kiss him.

Wait, are you serious about this?

I mean, I'm a girl coming of age!

Don't be stupid!

Just pretend you're giving CPR!

- But it's my first kiss!

- I'm not even human right now!

- Sure, it's like a romantic
fairy tale, but...

- I'm a cat!

- It's Cat PR!

I can't kiss someone who
isn't my lover on the lips!

Who said anything about
kissing him on the lips?

You kiss him...

on the an*s.

What the heck?! Why?!

- Why?!

- Yeah, nah...

- I'll pass on that, too.

Right?!

By injecting your magic through his an*s,

you ensure that it is absorbed
quickly and circulates effectively

and immediately through his body.

What is this, a suppository?!

There's no way I'm letting my
first kiss be with a butthole!

Quit shouting "butthole" like that!

There has to be another way...

Who's there?

That smells like the guard.

I-I'm sorry for trespassing!

Run...

The library...

is under attack!

An Orthrus.

One of the mystical beasts
that the cultists use.

I heard the cultists were suppressed
by the military after that incident.

Must be a band of stragglers.

This is bad!

They must be after the forbidden books!

What should we do?

The army must be on their
way from the royal capital.

We'll just have to keep
running until they arrive.

Let go!

Hot!

I don't think we can lose it.

All right.

We'll have to bait it out.

You take care of things
here. I'll go ahead!

Doesn't that line usually
go the other way?!

But I'm just a weak
little kitty right now.

And I'm just a weak little girl!

There's only one other way.

Once I'm human, I'll have orders
of magnitude more magic power.

Undo my curse.

Anything but that!

We're about to die here!

But you're human inside, aren't you?

That spells death for my maidenly virtue!

Better than actual, physical death!

I'd rather die!

Okay, fine.

I guess that's the extent
of your determination.

My determination...

All that talk about doing
anything was just talk.

Consider our agreement over.

Master!

Wait—

I'm dead.

I shouldn't have said I'd rather die.

Sagittarius Magic: Whirlwind!

Master!

Hurry up and get out of here!

Damn it.

What a pain of an apprentice.

Master!

Why?

I should have known there was
no way I could protect people.

I'm being rescued again.

But I made up my mind...

that I'd become a strong magician!

I'm still inexperienced.

There's no way I can defeat that thing.

But I'll do everything I can right now.

Who do you think you're
barking at, you dumb mutt?

Ah, excellent.

I haven't had my body for two years.

M-Master Claude?!

Do you want a treat?

How about you do a trick for me first?

Sagittarius Grand Magic...

Cryo Bow: Icing Arrow!

Down, boy.

And stay down, pup.

I don't sense any magic anymore.

The cultists must have left.

Wow...

This is Master Claude's magic?

I can't believe you were Master Claude!

You never noticed?

Well...

I never would have thought
you'd be such an as*h*le!

Hey...

Was all that kindness two
years ago just an illusion?!

Wait!

I just...

Master Claude's b-butt...

- Please don't be disappointed
by an idealized version of me.

- Ow...

I am who I am.

I'mfh sohhfwhy.

You're not kind at all!

But...

the way he looked just now...

was the same as back then.

Guess I don't need you anymore,
now that I'm back in my own body.

- And that's it for our agreement, too.

- Hey, wait!

- Bye-bye.

- Teach me magic!

Wait, you're a cat again!

Why?!

Well, you did say you
didn't need me anymore.

- Bye-bye.

- W-Wait, please!

We're bound by fate now, aren't we?

Want me to pull that tongue
out of your mouth?!

Teehee!

Hey, Providence!
This isn't what you said would happen!

She simply isn't of high enough level.

Unless she and the accursed
are of equal level,

the curse cannot be fully undone.

Which means...

I need to train Spica into becoming
a first-class magician like me.

Make me a first-class magician?

It seems our interests align.

How? You can't even use a single spell.

Can I really become one?

You will. I'll make you into one.

That's the least you can do for me.

Call me Professor from now on.

Professor?

I was a professor at Diana, after all.

I'll talk to the headmistress
and get my job back.

I'll be your teacher.

You'd better be ready for
the next three years.

Master Claude's going to be my teacher?!

One-on-one training?!

Am I dreaming?!

But Claude wasn't ready
for what was to come.

He had no idea that he would be in charge
of a class full of problem students

known to Diana as "Pandora's Box."

I spent every day preparing for the
Royal Diana Academy entrance exam,

braving rain and wind, taking
care of my family's oranges!

But it all paid off, and the
oranges turned out delicious!

- Wait, what does this have
to do with the exam?

- EPISODE 2: MAGIC OF THE ZODIAC

- Next episode: "Magic of the Zodiac."