OKAY, but I actually find it hilarious the way all of Qifrey's close ones (Olruggio, Alaira and Beldaruit) act around Qifrey being a teacher.
They are just waiting for another shoe to drop, for the bomb to explode, like something is not adding up. Why does their asocial, introverted Qifrey want to be a teacher all of the sudden???
Beldaruit talks to Coco privately. Alaira wants to talk to Richeh when Qifrey is not around (she gest disturbed by Sasaran). Olly has a panic attack when he discovers Coco.
And the thing is THEY ARE KINDA RIGHT. Qifrey specifically chose to be a teacher because he assumed that would be an awful experience for him.
But he actually loves it and it leaves all of his close ones deeply confused.
I just love kidfrey so much. no emotional awareness, no social awareness, no idea how society or indeed anything at all works, no idea what experiences he has are normal for kids and what are The Situations, rawdogging his undiagnosed disability, glaring at everyone who tries to talk to him, he is 2 apples tall and has the grim confidence and determination of a lone knight marching to save the world.
One day I really want to write a long analysis of WHA clothing and how Shirahama just gets it on so many different levels. But now I just wanted to share one thought.
How an outfit of an apprentice represents their teacher.
1. The girls' outfits look like they are meant for children who like to play in a garden, get dirty and are very active. It really shows how Qifrey views a proper childhood. They are shorter, made out of less fancy looking but probably more durable material.
Euini's outfit doesn't look very comfy, nor like it's meant for a child. It looks like he is supposed to be still, focus on study and represent Kukrow well among other witches in the Great Hall.
2. Qifrey's apprentices are not just little copies of him. Yes, he made sure that this familiar teacher-apprentice bond, that is so important to witches, is visible in their clothing. What's more, the blue capes not only reference Qifrey, but also other members of his "witch family" - Olruggio and Beldaruit. Still, they are not just small copies, his students are his own people.
On the other hand, Kukrow made out of Euini his little and less fancy copy.
I want more Beldaruit+Qifrey stuff that doesn't shy away from the tension between them.
Like. Beldaruit loves Qifrey. There's no question of this. Just as there's no question that Qifrey's life is undoubtedly better because Beldaruit took him in, and he obviously respects him a great deal. But Qifrey has never been able to fully trust Beldaruit, and for good reason.
Beldaruit believes that the benefits of the Pact and the Principles outweigh the harm they do. He believes that exceptions can be made, but as we see from his reaction to Custas, only up to a certain point. He did not become close friends with Vinnana, the Wise in Principles, by accident. As much as he's willing to bend the rules, there is a hard line he is not willing to cross, a limit that he tried to instill in both Qifrey and Coco for what they should seek out. He thought it was a good thing when Qifrey stopped looking for answers about himself. When he starts having doubts about Qifrey's intentions, he goes behind his back to try and lure Coco away from him, and even tells her all about Qifrey's nightmare backstory to convince her he isn't safe.
There's a reason why, when Qifrey thinks about who gave him the strength to keep going as a child, he thinks only of Olly. Notably, Olly also has doubts about Qifrey, but he handles them by talking to Qifrey directly and trying to have a conversation about it. He understood as a child that Qifrey giving up on his search was something to be worried about, not relieved. And Qifrey knows that Olly is someone who would accept him with all his secrets and baggage - he does not have that reassurance with Beldaruit. Rather, he knows that one of the reasons he was allowed to stay as an apprentice was because there was no sign of forbidden magic found on his body - if the Silverwood had been discovered back then, would Beldaruit still have taken him in?
Imagine having to keep such a huge secret about yourself from your parent. One that other people have been ostracized and lost their homes and livelihoods for after having it exposed. Your parent sympathizes with those people, sure, but they always affirm that such consequences are unavoidable. Necessary, even, for society to continue to function. And you have to keep going about every day knowing that you are also carrying that same secret, and that every ounce of care and affection they show you hinges on them not finding out. Sure, the possibility exists that you would be an exception. That they would love you enough to not care. And then they make another comment about how tragic it is that someone else was exposed for the very thing you're hiding, but the law is the law for a reason after all, and you just grit your teeth, stay silent, and let the gap widen between you a little further.
One thing that keeps me awake at night is that chapter 38 strongly insinuates that Beldaruit knows about Treefrey situation. Chapter 59 suggests that Beldaruit knows more about Qifrey's secrets that he lets on.
And I think we all agree that all of Beldaruit's cards are not on the table yet.
I do wonder if he wanted Qifrey to become his apprentice because he figured out the tree-situation early. Or maybe he figured out what happened to Qifrey after Qifrey was already living in the Great Hall. In any case he never talked about this with Qifrey.
As you said, Qifrey was allowed to become a witch because there was no sign of forbidden magic on his body. Beldaruit admitting, even to Qifrey only, that he knows the truth would only show more hypocrisy and problems Witch Society has.
And yet when Coco is hurt, Qifrey goes straight to Beldaruit. He asks Beldaruit to have an eye on her. After Easthies' accident during Siver Eve arc, Beldaruit wonders where Qifrey is because Beldaruit knows he can rely on him.
Like. They care for each other. They respect each other. They seem to understand each other perfectly and at the same time they seem to not understand each other at all. I need more Qifrey-Beldaruit moments chdkfbjdbdkddnjddh
Ah yes, the 'Bel already knows about the tree' theory... I can't deny that the hints are there, but I always hope it isn't true. If he knows that Qifrey's life is on the line and is still framing his search for answers as a dangerous thing that should be discouraged, I'd be really upset with him lmao. Although considering that he's so staunchly against mixing magic and healing that he won't even let Riliphin learn how to make a poultice for his bedsores, it would be in character for him to want Qifrey to give up on finding a cure for himself in favor of just continuing to manage his condition quietly. :') Wonder if he'd still feel that way if he knew the exact lengths Qifrey has to go to in order to stay alive...
That said, I do think it's pretty unlikely for him to have known from the start. Qifrey is, as far as we know, the first attempt at this specific kind of forbidden magic - he slipped under everyone's radar because no one knew it was possible, and so didn't know what kind of signs to look for. Bel was also fairly young when he took Qifrey in and wasn't a Wise yet, so it seems like a stretch that he would have just guessed 'Silverwood parasite' off the bat. Seems more likely to be something he pieced together over their many years of living together, particularly after it fully sprouted at the Tower of Tomes and Qifrey had to start worrying about it being an on-going problem.
Also I feel like it's exactly because Bel and Qifrey largely understand each other that they can't fully trust each other lmao. They both know that where the other's priorities and exceptions lie, and they know where they agree and disagree on those things, so when they clash they choose to act around one another rather than try to talk and compromise.
I want more Beldaruit+Qifrey stuff that doesn't shy away from the tension between them.
Like. Beldaruit loves Qifrey. There's no question of this. Just as there's no question that Qifrey's life is undoubtedly better because Beldaruit took him in, and he obviously respects him a great deal. But Qifrey has never been able to fully trust Beldaruit, and for good reason.
Beldaruit believes that the benefits of the Pact and the Principles outweigh the harm they do. He believes that exceptions can be made, but as we see from his reaction to Custas, only up to a certain point. He did not become close friends with Vinnana, the Wise in Principles, by accident. As much as he's willing to bend the rules, there is a hard line he is not willing to cross, a limit that he tried to instill in both Qifrey and Coco for what they should seek out. He thought it was a good thing when Qifrey stopped looking for answers about himself. When he starts having doubts about Qifrey's intentions, he goes behind his back to try and lure Coco away from him, and even tells her all about Qifrey's nightmare backstory to convince her he isn't safe.
There's a reason why, when Qifrey thinks about who gave him the strength to keep going as a child, he thinks only of Olly. Notably, Olly also has doubts about Qifrey, but he handles them by talking to Qifrey directly and trying to have a conversation about it. He understood as a child that Qifrey giving up on his search was something to be worried about, not relieved. And Qifrey knows that Olly is someone who would accept him with all his secrets and baggage - he does not have that reassurance with Beldaruit. Rather, he knows that one of the reasons he was allowed to stay as an apprentice was because there was no sign of forbidden magic found on his body - if the Silverwood had been discovered back then, would Beldaruit still have taken him in?
Imagine having to keep such a huge secret about yourself from your parent. One that other people have been ostracized and lost their homes and livelihoods for after having it exposed. Your parent sympathizes with those people, sure, but they always affirm that such consequences are unavoidable. Necessary, even, for society to continue to function. And you have to keep going about every day knowing that you are also carrying that same secret, and that every ounce of care and affection they show you hinges on them not finding out. Sure, the possibility exists that you would be an exception. That they would love you enough to not care. And then they make another comment about how tragic it is that someone else was exposed for the very thing you're hiding, but the law is the law for a reason after all, and you just grit your teeth, stay silent, and let the gap widen between you a little further.
One thing that keeps me awake at night is that chapter 38 strongly insinuates that Beldaruit knows about Treefrey situation. Chapter 59 suggests that Beldaruit knows more about Qifrey's secrets that he lets on.
And I think we all agree that all of Beldaruit's cards are not on the table yet.
I do wonder if he wanted Qifrey to become his apprentice because he figured out the tree-situation early. Or maybe he figured out what happened to Qifrey after Qifrey was already living in the Great Hall. In any case he never talked about this with Qifrey.
As you said, Qifrey was allowed to become a witch because there was no sign of forbidden magic on his body. Beldaruit admitting, even to Qifrey only, that he knows the truth would only show more hypocrisy and problems Witch Society has.
And yet when Coco is hurt, Qifrey goes straight to Beldaruit. He asks Beldaruit to have an eye on her. After Easthies' accident during Siver Eve arc, Beldaruit wonders where Qifrey is because Beldaruit knows he can rely on him.
Like. They care for each other. They respect each other. They seem to understand each other perfectly and at the same time they seem to not understand each other at all. I need more Qifrey-Beldaruit moments chdkfbjdbdkddnjddh
One day the girls will graduate and Qifrey will be "I raised capable and intelligent young adults. They know where to find me, if they need any help" type of parent.
Olruggio will be sending them letters twice a day just to make sure they are fine.
oh yeah so. i'm taking note that qifrey is in possession of one of the most powerful memory erasure spells, and the fact that's it's not the same spell composition as the spell the knights moralis use or the one olruggio used at the tower (which, those two are composed the same, interestingly. i am curious about the ink used for the km spell; if it's a targeted spell that targets knowledge of magic, or if they're able to use it more broadly?) (note: i'm unsure if it resembles the spell easthies used when he went on his rampage because my connection is bad and i can't look at the manga rn lol, will report back later)
but im noting that down because literally how did qifrey get that spell. how does one acquire one of the highest power memory erasure spells. i can think of a million reasons he might have it, but like...did somebody give it to him? did he take it from somewhere?
yeah okay so!! as far as i was able to find, qifrey's acquisition of this spell isn't explained; not in chapter 36 when beldaruit's discussing his backstory with coco, and not in chapter 92/93 when we get more info on what happened at the tomes
[this is the spell qifrey gives to coco to erase coustas's memory]
(the spell olruggio uses on himself is the same spell that the knights moralis try and use on coco at the river she accidentally turned into sand; the basic/targeted spell.)
additionally: my mistake, it looks like the spell on easthies' pennant is also the "basic"/"targeted" spell, not the super powerful one—however the knights obviously have knowledge of it, as shown with luluci's recognition of it.
additionally, i found this:
the left is the basic/targeted spell that we've seen used the most. the middle one, from my recollection we haven't seen but i'll report back on my reread (or tell me now if you know we've seen it before lol). the right one is the super powerful one, most likely; i noticed an inconsistency that could very well just be an accident but i wanna point it out anyways just in case
these two spells are not the same by like. a nothingburger margin (dot at bottom center on left, no dot on right). i'm currently going to believe they're meant to be the same but just in case. putting it here.
How he got this spell is a one thing. WHY he has this spell prepared is another.
That's not a spell he used on Olruggio or Nolnoa.
If he turns into a tree - he has a spell prepared on his cap.
SO WHY does he have this one?
Obviously, it's for him. But why?
Is he worried about running out of time? Olly's sacrifice is loosing its strength after so many years of constant forgiveness. And we know that 50 chapters ago there was no branch sticking out of Qifrey's eye.
Or maybe he is tired of Olly's self sacrifice and wants to end this cycle?
its awesome that neither mind reading nor god are real and all of the thoughts inside of your head are completely private and consequenceless forever #myprivacy
its actually pretty necessary for people who grew up being told "all of your thoughts are constantly monitored by an omniscient and omnipotent authority who may doom you to an eternity of torment if you think wrong" to occasionally be reminded that none of it is true at all.
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