Coco and Qifrey arrive at his atelier, a place where Coco will study magic. Qifrey tells Coco that there will be “sometime,” before she can return home and see her mother. Coco cries, realizing that she ended up abandoning her mother despite promising not to. Qifrey tries to comfort her, telling her that she should let her tears out. Coco’s love for magic has decreased after what happened with her mother, so when Qifrey gathers water into a bubble she’s not as excited as she would have been before. She meets Tetia. Another young girl, she tells Coco that the spell is called Vapor Bubble, it collects moisture from the air and transforms it into water. They can use it like a watering can.
Coco meets another apprentice, Richeh. Coco notices that Richeh is holding a pen and ink used for casting magic. When Coco tells them she’s not an apprentice like them since she use magic for the first time yesterday, Tetia mentions that there are rumors circulating that she’s the apprentice that “drew forbidden spells.” Qifrey interrupts and explains the history of magic. It was once used as an “ordinary part of life,” requiring only knowledge to use. Unfortunately, war was a constant presence due to this free access to magic.
For When man has the power to do anything, then anything he will do
Qifrey
The forbidden spells
Dark spells were created, forcing a group of magic users to join together erase the memories of magic from the public and gatekeep magic knowledge. The group created the belief that “magic was innate,” so the public would assume they couldn’t do magic naturally. The magic system is important in series like Witch Hat Atelier. Determining who can use magic, how, and what are the consequences are just a few of the important aspects writers must conclude. Witch Hat Atelier has an interesting spin on who can use magic. The reality is anyone can but for obviously reasons they have manipulated the populace into believing only a select few can.
Coco seems very interested in the “forbidden spells,” begging Qifrey to show them to her. Is this signally that Coco will learn the forbidden spells? I think so, but it’s way too early in the series for that. Qifrey tells Coco that forbidden spells are harmful designed to target the “human body and mind.” Spells that transform, age or de-age, teleport are all banded, except the spell to make people forget. Magic is largely used to create magic tools. Creating a window, Qifrey shows Coco the “tower of tomes,” it’s a vault of knowledge that “instantly replicates any book on magic.”
Is Qifrey using Coco?
Coco is eager to find the picture book she was given but Qifrey tells her that she must go through the “librarians trail,” first. The tower is protect by four witches and only those who overcome he trail can enter. He tells Coco instead of focusing on spells that harm focus on the ones that bring kindness. Coco agrees and Qifrey shows her to her room. He leaves her to take a call on a magically device. Whoever, he’s speaking with was the one that approved Coco’s apprenticeship. It’s all very cryptic but Qifrey does state that some point Coco must face the “forbidden spells.”
Back in her new room, Coco finally meets Agott. She’s rude, dismissive, and mean. Agott tells Coco that it’s a shame that her mother will never be “flesh and blood again.” It appears that she’s jealous that Coco can become an apprentice after making a mistake but she had to work hard for her placement. Witch Hat Atelier continues to flesh out it’s world, explains the laws of the land, it’s magic system, introducing new characters, while revealing a plot. Coco is entering and new world filled with mystery and I suspect it won’t always be exciting.
If you want to learn more about Witch Hat Atelier check out the Wiki.