Qifrey & Olruggio Skirting the Issue
Noticed a little something while I was skimming through volume 4 that I thought I’d share.
Qifrey and Olruggio are talking about Richeh here, which is straightforward enough in that first panel, but the bottom two are interesting. Qifrey is very carefully not looking at Olruggio as he says “It’s hard to know how closely to approach” while Olruggio remarks “People aren’t quite as straightforward as spells, are they?” I get the distinct impression neither of them are talking about Richeh anymore, but have instead decided to air their problems with each other under the guise of talking about Richeh instead.
The problems listed fit in pretty well with their continued issues later on in the series as well. Qifrey doesn’t know how close he can get to Olruggio and, in fact, keeps him at a distance. Whether it’s because Olruggio is always busy or because he’s trying to protect him (or just himself) is hard to say, but I do believe Qifrey doesn’t really “get” Olruggio. After all, he asks him later on “Why would you go so far to me” when I have a feeling this is supposed to be something obvious from Olruggio’s perspective.
Meanwhile, Olruggio is very correct in saying Qifrey isn’t straightforward. Qifrey is purposefully keeping all manner of secrets from him, after all, and isn’t letting him in. Not too long ago he brought in a new student (Coco) without even consulting him, which is something that bothers Olruggio up to the very latest chapter.
Interestingly, not too shortly after this, Olruggio gives Qifrey a gift for him and the girls and Qifrey comments his “spells are more eloquent than his words.” So, sort of a quiet way of not-quite-resolving the previous complaint.
There’s also the symbolism of scalewolves, which is brought up for the entirety of this arc. Several characters get tied to them loosely, such as Richeh, Coco, Agott, Qifrey, etc. That idea of protecting oneself with armor, letting that armor go to form a pair, basically letting your guard down in some way. This was very heavily applied to Richeh and her possible budding relationship with Euini, but it could also be applied to Agott and Qifrey as well, so that’s some food for thought. Agott of course is opening up more thanks to Coco and letting some of that armor go while Qifrey is going in the exact opposite direction and rejecting Olruggio’s help and turning ever more inwards.
The one other thing I have to say about this section is that there’s another scene later that makes me feel like something about it just… doesn’t quite add up? Qifrey is explaining Richeh’s situation to Olruggio as if he has no idea what her background is, but later on we see this:
Olruggio was there with Qifrey when he took her in! XD I mean, that makes more sense actually. Olruggio’s main issue with Qifrey taking Coco in was that he wasn’t consulted, so it would make sense that he was consulted about the other three. I guess Qifrey could be reminding Olruggio of something he already knows in a vaguely snarky way, but I have to wonder if maybe this is a little detail that changed in the series over time.
Anyway, some food for thought.
Yesss, I think about this scene a lot - not only because it illustrates where the rift between them lies, but also how they’re both aware of it and are struggling to directly acknowledge it.
I’ve got a slightly different read on Qifrey’s line - personally it seems like he’s either talking about himself or both of them, but definitely himself. And for more than just his relationship with Olruggio! A heart-wrenching bit of character Qifrey has is his recurring disbelief at the care people have for him. Examples below: Ch18 as above, Olruggio telling him to get some rest; Ch38, Coco explaining her choice to save him; Ch40, Olruggio prejudicing their friendship over his duties as a watchful eye and a witch.
(I think the note that the scales are “plaited” is interesting, given the design of his turtle neck ey? The only time in the series he’s conscious and not wearing it, Ch36, is definitely the scene where he’s most emotionally vulnerable and Olruggio makes the most progress with him. You could argue he’s more informationally open in Ch40, but it’s implied through early dialogue in Ch40 (’no match for you’) and the hat-handover in Ch38 that he had planned for Olruggio to walk away in ignorance, one way or another.)
But!! Important note about scalewolves that also leads me to think Qifrey is talking about himself: scalewolves have to shed their scales to avoid hurting others. Qifrey’s held his true secret from everyone in his life - his oldest friend, his mentor/father-figure, everyone - and whatever it is it’s clearly dangerous, and Qifrey thus keeps his distance. Keeping Olruggio away is the “solution” he’s chosen because he’s aware that his friend will try and intervene to save him - no doubt something that will interfere with Qifrey’s plans and get the man hurt in the progress.
(As an aside - Qifrey says it’s because Olruggio is kind, but from both Ch39 and Ch51.5 it might also be Olruggio’s Damage that he’s got a bit of a saviour complex - certainly we see him contemplating their cardinal laws over a child he doesn’t know the name of, and it’s possibly only the cynicism of seeing the scale of the problem that keeps him from blatantly breaking the law - but that’s just headcanon lmao.)
It’s difficult to pick apart the intricacies that go into Olruggio and Qifrey’s relationship behind this exchange in full because, well [gestures at every interaction they have] it’s sort of all of it. They’ve known each other for so long that explicit communication isn’t always needed, they’re quite aware of the other’s needs and styles of communication (Olruggio seems to be a man of few words, or at least few direct words when it comes to how he personally feels, and his use of gifts as an excuse to express that Qifrey should look after himself is part of that; Qifrey is quite adept with verbal complements and validating the feelings of his students but incredibly cagey about his own wellbeing and feelings - they fit nicely, I think). It’s why confrontations like the one in Ch36 look so painful for both of them - there’s a rift that can’t be crossed with their usual communication anymore, it’s a sign of them drifting apart (something that one of them is actively facilitating, and the other is only just noticing the scale of).
It might even be that… this isn’t a new way of expressing themselves in adulthood, and most of the time it’s actually quite functional - but external, complex factors like the Brimhats just don’t fit into their way of implicit communication and they’reeee not really adapting for it lol
