Love scheming morally gray beldaruit not in a ‘disabled people are evil’ way but in an ‘examining the fascinating phenomena of minorities in positions of power who do nothing to change the way they/their identity are discriminated against even though it’s fully within their abilities to do so, in an attempt to keep their power & maintain the goodwill of their oppressors’ kind of way with a solid helping of ‘well intentioned c+ parenting’ and ‘gentle and silly personality with decidedly not gentle and silly morals’ for spice
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WHA spoilers through Silver Eve, up to current.....
I'm sorta fascinated by Eoleo and Deanreldy and the parallels between them and how it's obvious the father's views and goals have been imparted to the son. Both are presented as deeply charismatic and approachable but have a ruthlessness underneath in their quest to attain what they want.
And what they want just happens to be in the possession of a certain master and apprentice currently in their care.
It's another really faceted adult/child relationship the manga likes to explore with masters and apprentices and parents and children and I like that we've gotten some non-witch characters with these dynamics.
The king and prince are so interesting to me because they both genuinely seem to care about helping and serving their people as monarchs and I never read that care as artifice. But, at the same time, they want every tool available to them and view magic as a tool they are specifically denied.
There is an elitism you can read into their words. They want this tool the witches have but speak of it as something they should hold to help the nation, seeing themselves as worthy of that power where the common person may not be.
And this makes me so worried for Beldaruit and Riliphin being around them for any continued amount of time because it's very obvious the father and son are directly targeting them both to obtain their magic.
They both heavily use charm as a weapon. Beldaruit sees through it pretty easily during their conversation and calls Deanreldy out, firmly rebuffing his interest. He seems very aware of what the king wants out of him and how he's using his position as healer as leverage to get something out of a person in a vulnerable spot.
Deanreldy instantly throws that right back in his face as he holds the view that witches do the exact same: offer help disguised as control.
The whole scene is uncomfortable in the way the king shifts tactics through the conversation, trying to win Bel with charm, logic, then by being vaguely threatening when the first two don't work.
There's a menacing, creepy intimacy to the way this is presented, with Bel on the bed gripping the sheets and the king looming over him in a position of power.
Bel is constantly presented through the panels looking up at the king, being framed as smaller or having to lean himself up to engage. And when it's clear Bedaruit isn't going to give him what he wants Deanreldy jokingly dismisses him and ends the conversation.
Someone online pointed out that it also seems the king has not offered Beldaruit the use of a mundane wheelchair, essentially trapping him in bed which leads to the bedsores and his need for treatment, lending an even more sinister edge to the situation.
Later, after Silver Eve, Deanreldy is incensed when the counterclock heals the wounds of the people he'd spent all night doctoring. Here I can honestly sort of understand his upset. He's likely been laboring for hours, fighting to keep wounded people alive and lost who knows how many, when the witches just come in and appear to 'instantly' fix everything.
But in retaliation he uses his position as king to forcefully tip the balance by kneeling to Beldaruit and Lagrah in front of his subjects when they're unable to stop him. He succeeds by backing the witches into a corner and literally forcing them to retreat.
Deanreldy truly seems to want the ability to wield magic as a tool and he will use whatever means necessary to get it.
Eoleo, on the other hand, seems more interested in rekindling the old partnership between king and witch.
He first forms a connection with Tetia when they met during Silver Eve and he's hiding from his bodyguards. From her he learns that the old bond between king and witch might be possible to achieve when she's so open to a friendship with him. He even says "In speaking with you, lady witch, I see a flicker of hope for a dream I'd thought impossible."
Tetia, much like Beldaruit, clocks him pretty quickly, seeming to realize she misstepped by so easily offering him friendship and later expressing discomfort with his proposal. Tetia is a very emotionally intelligent character so it's possible she read the undertones in Eoleo's seemingly innocent request.
Eoleo later meets Riliphin, reaching out to him with empathy while he was overwhelmed in the forest after the leech attack and separated from his master.
His interest in helping Riliphin when he was having a panic attack is presented as genuine. He sees his scars and offers him a way to ask for help if he's being abused. He sits with him, doesn't mock when he expresses fear of crowds, and offers advice that helps him calm down.
When Eoleo realizes that other people might be suffering in a similar way he wants to help and instantly hops to magic as a solution, asking Riliphin if he knows Tetia and seeking his aid to find her.
And Eoleo does succeed in getting Riliphin, Tetia, and the other apprentices to help the evacuated citizens. He does so by reaching out with empathy and friendship to the young witches who are more open to reciprocating this sort of relationship than their elders, which likely only reinforces Eoleo's belief that king and witch as partners can work.
After Silver Eve is over Tetia goes home and isn't in Eoleo's immediate sphere any more. It seems he shifts targets to Riliphin who is stuck in the castle while Beldaruit recovers from his broken arm. Like Tetia he's young and kind but unlike her, at least as far as we know, he has a history of being abused by people in authority.
Eoleo and Danreldy have different tactics when it comes to trying to get what they want but their views and some of their approaches parallel each other quite closely.
They both make a point to highlight the divide between witch and non-witch, Deanreldy to point out how old-fashioned it is and Eoleo to use it to put Riliphin at ease. Both takes seek to break down that barrier with their respective target.
They both use a tactic of being overly friendly and familiar with their witches. Eoleo employs a lot of physical touch, which he can likely better get away with given his age and how well he plays innocent.
Deanreldy leans on verbal familiarity, speaking to Beldaruit in a way that's not really proper between two leaders and also sweeping him up in his bold acts, forcing Bel to participate even if it's not overly wise to do so.
Both of them speak of 'their' witch and their powers as a tool they wish to acquire or something they wish to have. In Eoleo's case he first seems to be talking about Tetia specifically but after Silver Eve he may just be open to any witch.
I found that interesting because I wasn't sure if the story was trying to set up a relationship between Tetia and Eoleo in the vein of Richeh/Eunini. But Eoleo does the same disarming, eager-for-friendship play with Riliphin, so I get the feeling he's not quite so picky.
And now we're at a point where master and apprentice are stuck in the castle with these two for the time being, as Beldaruit requires more treatment.
The discomforting isolation is back when we see a few panels of Bel in bed, surrounded exclusively by the king's staff. It's an opulent space, not a prison cell, but for all intents Deanreldy essentially has Bel at his mercy, again weaponizing his position as ruler and healer to control 'his' witch. (Bel does not look happy about this.)
With Beldaruit in this position it's unsure how much supervision or protection he can provide his apprentice, leaving Riliphin to Eoleo's attentions.
The prince has already started up with the charm and working to build a close friendship with Riliphin much in the same way he did with Tetia.
With her he appealed to her outgoing and upbeat personality, with Riliphin he seems to focus more on his desire not to upset anyone in a way that feels like a guilt-trip. Which is uncomfortable in the light of Riliphin's past abuse.
Eoleo is breaking down the barrier in a slow, personal, 'soft' way in contrast to his father who took a direct, public route that instantly put Beldaruit and Lagrah on the defensive.
There's also a costuming thing going on. Eoleo asks to try on Tetia's hat and apprentice garb when they first meet, blurring the lines between them. There are some visual elements that tie Eoleo and Riliphin together too, such as the flared cut of their sleeves and a noticeable triangle shape to their collars.
Later, Eoleo has his guards clad Riliphin in the same feathered black cape he wore when they first met, tying their visual language even closer together, in a way that feels to me like Eoleo is claiming him.
I'm both anxious and interested to see where the plot goes with these four because I don't at all think it's anywhere near done yet.
These two are just so layered and intriguing to me as characters, with their complex motivations and differing ways of using their skills and abilities to acquire what they want.
I really want to like them both but they're dangerous too and pose real threats to Beldaruit and Riliphin on a personal scale and witchdom in general.
i love you characters who would rather die than tell the truth i love you characters who would do anything to not have to lie i love you characters who lie to make themselves look better i love you characters who lie to make themselves look worse i love you unreliable narrators i love you hypocrites i love you characters who lie badly i love you characters who lie too well i love you characters who lie to protect people i love you characters who lie to ruin people i love you characters that lie to themselves i love you characters that lie to everyone but themselves i love you characters whose lies slip off the tongue easy as anything i love you characters who lie through gritted teeth i love you characters who lie for all the right reasons and i love you characters who lie for all the wrong ones. there is no possible way to go wrong they are all so tasty
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“Since the Tower of Tomes. The first time around. You did make it there that night, you just don’t remember. I suppose you can gather why, at this point.”
“But — but that’s years! It’s been years, and this is still the best plan I’ve come up with? Seriously?!”
“Well,” Qifrey says dismally, “you tend to only have minutes to work with each time you actually know the problem exists, so… give yourself a break in that regard, at least.”
Olruggio runs an agitated hand through his hair, rubs harshly at his neck. “How am I spending my days tinkering with contraptions for spoiled, scheming nobles, when you’re…” Some new thought seems to strike him. He stands very still. “...Qifrey. Don’t lie to me about this. Are you dying?”
“Most of the time? Only a little more so than you are. Right now? …a bit more. I must admit.”
there really is something so deliciously sick and twisted about the fact that qifrey has one of the best witches of their generation unflinchingly, completely in his corner, just down horrendous in every way, and yet that guy is hampered by the fact that he can only know what the problem actually is for about five minutes at a time and he spends most of those five minutes processing the fact that the most important person in his life is terminally ill
Obsessed with Qifrey because what we see of him is 50% him being the best most kindest teacher and 40% a suspicious and desperate wildcard. But very rarely, just 10% of the time, we get to see him when he’s not being a teacher or being around his friends and family and not being a witch at the scene of a disaster, and he’s like, the most bitchy and hateful creature. Guy who is sick of being in a space. Acting in a way that makes you go “ah, that small withdrawn child grew up into a withdrawn adult who is just barely better at hiding it”. Obssessed. Guy of all time.
i love richeh because at first glance she's quiet, withdrawn, and you think she's the shy kid of the group. but no. she'll kill you. that girl is ready to murder at any time of the day. just the stubbornest, most obstinate, most self-confident child on the planet. you try to tell her she can't do something, and she'll not only ignore you, she'll do the thing while conjuring sparkles and somehow utilizing crystals. respects maybe three whole people in the world and doesn't even try to hide it. said ACAB, out loud, to the cop's face after physically attacking the cop. best little girl representation of all time.
In general olruggio having a Courtly and Elevated Register he can slide right into at the drop of a hat when he wants to is so important to me, it's why the sheer over the topness of 'and every flame is my servant' gets me giggling and kicking my little feet every time I think about it. what an utterly wild way to enter a situation olly no notes. code switch king. honestly aside from the necessity of it considering he spends a lot of time around high society, I get the feeling he kind of likes that element of being a witch — the poetry and ritual of it. qifrey obviously likes to wax poetic any time you give him the slightest chance, he never saw an opening for a good dramatic pose with accompanying monologue he didn't love passionately on sight. but he doesn't seem to care much about that specific part of it; the courtesy elements, the right gestures and words of formality. notably it seems to be olruggio who brings out the clasp of covenant, who makes an oath of it between them. several times he's the one to lend a moment extra weight like that, like a narrative invocation of magic in addition to the literal in-universe manifestation of it.
also qifrey is ah. like he is at all times, unrelenting in his grace and extraness (affectionate), while olruggio switches between casual and high drama with the same ease that makes me love mourn watch rook so much in dragon age: the veilguard. (lest you should happen to have been here for my peak dragon age insanity and think I've forgotten about my boy rye ingellvar: no. always in my heart sharing 'my favourite son' position with hawke. my weird vengeful little death freak guy of all time.) qifrey is very capable of deception, of course (understatement of the century in fact), but he does stick to the set character he presents much more than olruggio, who might be a quietly more flexible and inconspicuous performer of the art. there are many layers of the qifrey, but not one of them would strike you even on first glance as a chilll and normal everyday guy lol. olruggio can make you think that, and then he does something utterly nuts and you have to recalibrate in a hurry. they are two witch dads each alike in extraness, but different accents of it.
y'know I'm starting to think the reason agott looks so soft and dreamy in coco vision is well. the baby yuri of it all of course but also the fact that that IS actually and no exaggeration how agott looks at coco specifically haha. the first representation of agott in coco's internal image of 'the people I love and who love me' (left) is pretty much agott as she looked in chapter 62 when coming to help her (right). I didn't realize how directly the pose corresponds before, but it does seem deliberate when you see them side by side like this. damn it shirahama you can't keep getting away with this
this moment just crushes me every time... like what is literally happening on this page is that the platforms wobble and fall because the leech has decided to turn up to get this arc kicked off for real. what is symbolically happening here is that after dancing through a night with coco feeling like this (chapter 62 still one of the most romantic things that have ever happened not just in this manga but like in history probably btw)
agott sees her mother and her whole world falls down around her, every solid and beautiful thing in it disappearing and collapsing. one glance from adina, and agott -- who has flown and danced and soared until now -- is small, seen from above, pushed to the edge and losing her footing, and everything comes down around her catastrophically. coco is looking another way and doesn't see it, can't help her. all the magic and wonder is stripped away, she's just falling. again it's such a good way to capture the way a moment like that feels, the deep emotional storytelling going on even as the plot is doing its thing.
thankfully:
master olly to the rescue haha. can u imagine how profoundly his heart must have skipped a beat there at seeing them fall tho
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the fandom trope of the Gays having a 500k mutual pining slow burn while their fellow Lesbians have it all figured out and laugh at them is so incorrect. once the girl i had a crush on gave me a teddy bear holding a heart on valentine’s day and it took another year and a half before i found out she wanted to date me.
In Beldy's flashback of finding Qifrey, there are a lot of questions that arise. And many many more as we tease out what Qifrey has said about his past. What happened/why are they in the forest of thristas? Why does the blood Bel finds (presumably from a brimhat) lead them to Qifrey? If they abandoned this boy to die, why did they wipe his memory? If the white hair is a remnant of tree transformation, when was he happy enough to tree out?
We don't know a ton about the forest. It mostly is just this info panel...
Which I can't help but think looks quite a bit like this panel
Thats... Interesting. But the piece that keeps me up at night? Beldaruit knows. He knows about the Silverwood curse. He knows why they were in the forest that night.
The first time we get the Silverwood lore, it's Beldaruit. Beldaruit says the tree takes root in places it knows it will find true comfort. And you know what he thinks about? Qifrey. How Qifrey may have finally found a place that brings comfort in his atilier.
My personal speculation:
Beldaruit knowing something but not letting on or doing anything makes so much sense narratively. The older generation follows the rules, even when people get hurt. Olly and Alairas generation seem to have no problem bending rules and failing to report forbidden magic. And all the kids are so down to bend every rule they can find until it snaps. Tartah and Tetia have both expressed interest in learning medicine. I'm intentionally avoiding using Coco and Qifrey as examples because they have protagonist circumstances. Normal everyday witches raised in this society are getting too comfortable breaking the rules... What does this mean for upcoming Vinanna and Easthies chapters?
I understand why they prioritized keeping up the tension in the scene instead for a more cinematic experience, but I also really wish the anime had preserved this particular pose from the manga
to show us just how deeply unserious qifrey is about this whole thing hfsjkdhfa. the 'mm-hmm honey' of it all. his utter lack of worry that olruggio is going to actually put his foot down is so fucking funny the more you understand about their relationship
Just reread this entire interaction, it's fascinating.
First question. Is he wet on purpose? Qifrey is wearing his cloak. The cloak we EARLIER THIS DAY saw repel water when it rained. The chapter bonus about clothes specifies that he has seals on it to keep him dry. We've seen him fall in the goddamn ocean and this cloak gives him a bubble. Did this man think getting wet in the rain when Olly tried to take Coco would garner him pity points?
Second question. Why doesn't Olly dry them off? We see Tetia and Riche fiddling with a towel. We get a bigger payoff narratively when Coco learns about the drying magic after barging into his room. But why doesn't he dry them here? Is he being petty and refusing to because he knows Qifrey didn't even need to get wet?
Idk what they are consuming (soup? Probably?) but Qifrey busies himself handing it out while Olly tries to ask him wtf he was thinking. Qifrey doesn't answer that, he just says she has a name, and while we're doing intros, Coco, this is Olruggio; he lives here and keeps us safe and we love him ✨
Qifrey hands out the soup in this order: Olruggio, then Coco, then himself.
Olruggio starts to muse on his duty as the watchful eye to report all this to the knights (panel above) and Qifrey says yes the knights! Coco, would you like me to teach you about them? (Olly see what a good teacher I am?) Anyway, the knights are the super inflexible cops of our world who erase people's minds no nuance, no questions asked. (He pauses for dramatic effect and looks pointedly at Olruggio) But Coco you are a good, dutiful child. I'm sorry I got you into this mess. If anyone is getting their memory wiped, it should be me *stares at Olruggio until he gets flustered and leaves*
i'm a big sucker for a diegetic piece of art/literature serving as a mirror to the story's characters, so naturally the illustration of the poem about a silverleaf tree falling in love with a star from chapter 47 of WHA *had* to be redrawn as Qifrey and Oru ✨🍃
tip jar!
aaand a rotated version under the cut for easier Oru appreciation!
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When artists do illustrations of their work with a certain theme, I tend to like to read into them. I especially like to examine art where characters are holding hearts, because it tends to show a little bit of how that character experiences, presents, or otherwise feels about love (not solely the romantic kind!). With these, I got the sense that they're specifically about how these characters express love. So, without further ado, I would like to read into the Valentine's art from 2019 (which would have been drawn during or shortly after the Second Test).
All images are official art by Kamome Shirahama, posted to her Twitter here. I've obtained them from the Independent Wiki.
Coco: Coco has the most hearts by far, and that's because Coco has a whole lot of love to give! She wants to help people, and she's quick to consider those she's met only recently as her friends. What's interesting about this illustration is that all the hearts are tucked into her hat: Coco strongly believes that magic is what allows her to find kind, comforting, and ingenious solutions to all manner of people's problems, and the way she primarily shows her love is through her own creativity; her ability to circumvent issues and find a path through. She's also holding that cap close to her chest: Coco's first love has, and always will be, magic, but the love she feels for her friends is something she is constantly cherishing and learning from. There is no extracting Coco's love for her friends from her love for magic, because both fuel each other in a cycle. But also, Coco has some difficulties with the limitations of what she can and can't do, either due to her lack of experience or from societal restrictions. She often laments that she can't do more, because her concept of love (helping others and taking accountability) and magic (used for helping others and taking accountability) are one and the same for her.
Tartah: I do think I have the least to say about Tartah, unfortunately. His gaze is averted, he looks shy. Tartah likes to feel like he is capable of helping himself and others, but he's not exactly used to feeling this way, so notably in the prologue to Silver Eve, he tends to get flustered when, say, Coco or Custas show their appreciation for his help. I do notice that him and Coco seem to be mirror images of each other in a way: Coco with her hearts tucked in her hat, and Tartah, who has foregone his hat in favour of holding only his heart - very indicative of the kinds of decisions he will make later on.
Qifrey: Oh Qifrey... this is from 2019, by the way. From all the foreshadowing in early manga to the extra illustrations like this, she had this all planned out from the beginning, I just know it. It's fascinating, because the connotation changes depending on how much you know or don't know about him. When you don't know, the placement of the heart looks as though it is hiding Qifrey's dark side - the gentle persona he wears to mask his desperation and his secrets. But when you do know, the context completely changes here. There is only so much he can offer. His love isn't a front, it's being shackled. Qifrey can't ever fully express nor accept love in the way he wants to. He lives his life as a balancing act, carefully split between the side he can let others see, and the side that he can't. In this way, both the mask interpretation and the shackle interpretation are valid - Qifrey's love and kindness is a convenient mask, and it is also entirely genuine. It's also always wrapped up in the guilt of his "selfish" motives for offering love - how love is always entangled in guilt for him, always filtered through the lens of something that was stolen a long time ago, rendering him unable to see a clear path forward. He's the only one of the group without a flush on his cheeks as well - missing that depth of emotion he must restrain.
Tetia: Look at her with her big smile and big heart! Tetia is facing directly forward and doesn't bother hiding her affection - she loves to be thanked and thank people in turn, and she has no qualms about saying so. I think the massive heart (which is the largest of any of the characters here) looks a bit like a big pillow or something. Tetia offers comfort primarily. She's not the one with the pragmatic solutions, but what she offers is no less important. She offers support and a smile when spirits are failing, she offers a nice comfy bed for comfort and security, she offers her compassion when she notices people are not being treated as people with the respect they deserve. Not only does she do this openly, but it makes her happy to do so. Having said that, her big open heart has me more than a bit worried for her in the upcoming arcs. A big heart like that is easy to guilt...
Olruggio: The attempted nonchalance here kills me, just like it does whenever he tries this: you are fooling no one. Interestingly, even though he's turned to the side, his eye looks directly out at the center, and the heart is not hidden at all. Both direct in intention and avoidant in execution simultaneously; very him. The heart tapping his forehead is good too - he largely expresses himself through magic and contraptions, which are a product of his inventive mind. His love is primarily shown through little things to make life easier based on his observations, or experiential advice he can give. However, if you've seen my other post about this illustration, you'll know that I am also deeply side-eying the heart being tapped directly against his forehead - exactly where one would need to apply a memory-erasing spell, for instance? It was, after all, originally his idea, and undoubtedly also an extreme expression of love. In this way, we can also read into the positioning of his heart as indicative of Olruggio's tendency to sacrifice (his memories, his constant overworking, etc.).
Richeh: What Richeh says is only a fraction of what she's actually feeling and thinking. There is a lot going on in Richeh's head - she's very introspective, and notably, even though on the surface, her desire to remain true to herself at all costs meant that others like Agott interpreted her as selfish, she actually cares a great deal for those who she considers her friends and family. Even her stubborn refusal to change wasn't something solely done for her own sake or out of fear; it was for Riliphin too. The heart over her mouth indicates to me that while she doesn't hide her feelings necessarily, there is a whole lot she doesn't quite say. She's very confident in herself, but perhaps less so in expressing her love to others, especially when at the beginning, she still has issues with trust. Nevertheless, Richeh's heart is positioned over her mouth, and when she decides to express her feelings, she tends to make direct declarations: of support, of protection, of promises, of appreciation. She holds that heart close to her, because that is the way Richeh loves - she wants to keep her people close (the rings!).
Euini: Shy little wolf boy. I love that Euini's heart is the second largest after Tetia. Euini smiles this sort of wobbly smile; he's a little nervous, as always, but it's not a closed off expression, even though his eyes are hidden. His heart is somewhat obscured but it's held tight to his chest and it doesn't exactly look like he's fully trying to hide it per se. Euini just feels more comfortable when he is at least partially hidden, that's all. He holds his heart tightly, because it is big and a bit fragile from having been beaten up too many times before, but it's still big. The very first thing he does all himself is stop Richeh from falling off the path at Romonon. Euini cares a lot, he just has no faith in himself, and even though he's probably still a bit scared of getting hurt, it doesn't actually stop him from trying to be supportive. The little wolf tail in the background standing up straight is cute too - he is excited and paying attention (we all know he's looking at Richeh <3)
Agott: Agott you are hurting me. Look at how small she's made her heart. Look how tightly she clings to it and how much of it she hides. If Euini's heart stayed large, Agott has compressed hers until she can concentrate without being distracted by the pain its been put through. She has to hide it, because just loving magic was never seen as enough. She's avoidant, her heart is clutched tightly to her chest. She has a true love of magic, and a true love for the people of the atelier, but it is so hard for her to show it. The centrality of her heart also reminds me of the "selfish" nature of her love, and how that actually turns out to be a good thing. Agott loves cute things, she loves animals, she loves the triumph of her own successes, and it takes her a long time to break down her walls enough for her to feel comfortable sharing any of that. But once she does, it is through her own self-oriented love that she is able to remind Coco, particularly, of how important it is to do things for yourself. "Agaffection" isn't something she shares readily, but it's all the more meaningful when she does.
