Now, a question.
How are people able to do magic?
That Which Rejects
Episode
Well...
I know!
Because we have mana, and we've mastered its use through research and effort.
True, research has advanced and the magic-using population has grown,
but the number of people who can cast advanced spells drops year after year.
The ducal houses are synonymous with their supreme spells:
Firebird, Blizzard Wolf, Gale Dragon, and Lightning Lord Tiger,
but almost no one alive can cast them.
Their power is also decreasing.
We've had two centuries of research and reform since the War of the Dark Lord.
Do you mean to say they've been for nothing, sir?
No, not for nothing.
But they have, in effect, sacrificed quality for quantity.
I believe that we mortals are able to do magic
due to the aid of elementals we cannot see.
E-Elementals?
But I thought experiments disproved that theory.
Fire spells are no stronger on volcanoes, where fire elementals should hold sway.
In some cases, water spells actually gained strength instead.
I see you're well-read.
But how can you trust the experiments when you can't verify the elementals' power?
Th-That's not a fair question.
Forgive me.
You're such a good student, I couldn't help myself.
I knew you had a mean streak, sir.
Now, here's what I think.
Perhaps elements have little significance to the elementals.
However, most spell formulae now in use are designed to invoke a single element.
If you were an elemental,
would you be happy to help people who force you to fill one order over and over?
I don't think I would.
N-Neither do I.
That's why I've been trying to improve my formulae by adding "blank space."
I'd like you both to try it as well.
Ellie, you can already cast fire and wind spells, so try another kind of magic.
A-All right! I'll t-try my best.
I-I'm so sorry!
I-It's my fault! I'm just hopeless.
That's not true at all.
Relax and try again.
Y-Yessir!
I... I did it!
O-Only a little, though.
Well done.
Now you try, Tina.
Yes, sir!
It's all right.
Why don't you give it another try?
All right.
Amazing.
Most of these books could be national treasures.
Tina definitely has mana.
But something is stopping her spells from activating.
I only hope that something here will shed some light on what.
Remember, you can't stay long. It's getting late.
I know.
Let me see...
The Compendium of Magical Science...
Here it is!
You certainly take after the mistress, my lady.
She loved to study and always had her nose in a book.
Except Mother could do magic, and I can't.
Tell me about your new tutor. What is he like?
He has a mean streak.
But...
You must be cold wearing that.
Here.
He's very kind.
Come, my lady. Please go without me.
I'll rejoin you after I've locked up.
All right.
I know you're there, sir.
You caught me.
I am the head maid of this household.
Shelley Walker is my name.
If you will pardon the impertinence, sir, I must make a request of you.
I'm Allen.
What can I do for you?
It concerns Lady Tina.
She is a brilliant young lady and a hard worker,
yet all of her previous instructors have dismissed her efforts and left her,
simply because she lacks magical ability.
Each departure wounded her.
She shed tears in secret.
But she has never given up on the Royal Academy.
And now you have come, sir.
I cannot tell you how the news delighted her.
Listen to this, Shelley!
The Allen, the Brain of the Lady of the Sword, is coming here!
Mr. Allen,
my lady idolizes you and Lady Lydia.
Please help her.
Rest assured that I will, Mrs. Walker.
That's why I'm here, after all.
Thank you, sir.
And...
I have a request for you as well.
I will not stand for this!
I demand an explanation!
Um... What would you like explained?
The stroll the two of you went on this morning!
Oh, no. You see...
I was only helping Ellie harvest vegetables.
Lady Tina, you're scaring me.
Ellie, what do you think of Mr. Allen?
Huh?
H-How could you go out alone in the early morning with a man you don't even like?
But I do like Mr. Allen.
Huh?
You d-d-do?
Yes.
I like him next best to Grandpa, Grandma, and you, my lady!
O-Oh, I...
Wh-What did we do, sir?
You get along so well, you could be sisters.
Wh-Which of us looks like the older sister to you?
Well...
Tina, I suppose.
W-Well, you're wrong!
I'm a year older than she is.
Not that I can recall you ever acting older.
Lady Tina!
H-Hmph!
If that's what you think,
then I won't let you sleep with me next time it thunders.
What?! That's playing dirty, Ellie!
I know you get scared, too!
It's not a laughing matter!
Forgive me.
Let's continue this after our lesson.
Well? Do you feel it?
I didn't think it would be so warm.
And I can feel the mana coursing through it.
Well done.
Now, you've just experienced Anko's dark mana firsthand.
Ellie, you first.
Y-Yessir!
It's all right.
You wouldn't need me if you could do it on your first try.
You next, Tina. Give it a try.
Yes, sir.
I will.
Don't let it get to you.
We have plenty more to try.
Yes, sir.
Now, allow me to demonstrate.
POOF
May I please hold it, Allen, sir?!
No fair, Ellie! What about me?!
Please don't fight.
Look, I made another.
Here,
one for each of you.
Wow. They're just like real kittens.
They only came out so well because I have Anko here for reference.
They're so fluffy.
How adorable!
Mr. Allen. A letter for you, sir.
From Lydia? That was fast.
Dear fugitive,
I got your letter.
Why in the world did you go to the Howards?!
If you needed work, you should have come here!
I've met Tina a few times, and I know about her situation.
This will be a tough nut to crack, even for you.
Of course, it might work out if you did you-know-what...
But that's out of the question.
Don't even think about trying it with anyone but me.
And I know there's something you're not telling me about your court sorcerer exam.
Since when have you been in any position to keep secrets from your mistress?
Well, never mind.
I'll see you at the Royal Academy entrance exam.
If you run, I'll track you to the ends of the earth,
slice you up, and burn what's left—and don't you forget it.
Your pursuer and mistress, Lydia.
PS:
I won't insist on daily letters, but write at least once a week.
Is that clear?!
What did Lady Lydia want, sir?
Nothing. She's just upset that I don't write often enough.
She must really care for you, sir!
I'm sure she can't bear to be apart from you.
No, I don't think her reasons are quite so endearing.
The new spell formulae are getting results,
although mostly for Ellie.
Are those...
Slivers of ice?
I'm certain of it.
Her spells are getting just one step shy of activating.
If modern magical theory can't explain why, I'll look in older records.
What's this?
Allen, sir.
Good evening.
Y-You see...
Thank you for waiting.
No, thank you, Miss Walker.
However—
Wait, sir!
Why did you call me "Miss Walker"?
You always call me "Ellie."
Don't tell me that was only for the lesson?!
Well, I wouldn't say...
Liar! You're lying! How could you?!
Is that all I mean to you, Allen, sir?!
Very well. "Ellie" it is.
Thank you, sir! Please never call me anything else.
Be that as it may, you shouldn't invite men into your room this late at night.
Please save that for someone you've set your heart on.
Then what's the problem?
I'm sorry. Did you say something?
N-No, nothing. I understand.
Now tell me, what can I do for you?
Y-Yessir!
Allen, sir, um...
thank you very much.
You see, Grandma and Grandpa called me to see them earlier, and...
Ellie, we love you more than anyone else in the world.
And not only because you remind us of our late daughter and son-in-law.
We love you as family.
And then they hugged me ever so tight.
It was all so sudden that I wanted to know why,
and they said they'd had a talk about me with you.
I'm happy for you.
And I only offered a bit of advice.
And... I have a request for you as well.
What can I do for you, sir?
It's about Miss Walker.
Has she done something to offend you, sir?!
No, nothing of the sort.
She has plenty of talent, but she has trouble making the most of it.
To help her face forward with confidence,
I'd like you to tell her how much she means to you.
A loving family can be a great comfort.
My own family has helped me through a great deal.
Both my parents passed away when I was little.
I came to live here because the Howards took me in.
I had no idea.
I still remember the day I arrived at this house.
I remember the cold, white snow
and a little girl who did her best to follow me everywhere.
Lady Tina had only just lost her own mother.
She must have felt anxious.
We're birds of a feather, my lady and I.
I was frightened.
I'm the heir to the Walker name, but nothing I do goes right.
Before I knew it, Lady Tina had left me in the dust academically.
I worried that there might not be any place left for me.
So I gathered my courage and asked the master
to let me go to the Royal Academy, too.
I'm impressed.
You chose to forge your own path.
You seem like a brave girl.
N-Not really.
You have all the talent you need, Ellie, and you're not alone.
Have faith in yourself.
Yes, sir!
Here goes nothing!
Splendid work.
Th-Thank you very much!
What about the other elements?
Well, lightning and light scare me a little.
Anko is helping me with darkness,
so I think I'll get the hang of it soon.
Ellie's making good progress.
She may be ready to start magical sparring soon.
I'd appreciate your help again, Anko.
But first...
Come on, Tina. It's your turn.
Yes, sir.
Why? Why won't it work?
My lady...
We still have time.
Let's try a different spell formula.
Yes, sir.
Continuing to test hypotheses is the only way through this.
But when I see her struggling, my resolve wavers.
If all else fails...
So, what do you think?
Her Highness's mana reserves are immense.
But I can't promise that she'll be ready for the entrance exam.
Then you'll talk her out of attempting it?
No. I believe that she should be allowed to enroll if she wishes to.
Even if she can't do magic,
the academy will make an exception in light of her academic brilliance.
I know that.
But aristocratic society never makes things easy.
You must have experienced that yourself.
A Howard girl without magic will become a target for every fool in the Academy.
I don't want Tina to suffer any more than she already has.
If her condition doesn't change, do as I've asked.
But—
Please. I beg of you.
As you wish.
One more try.
Practicing? Allow me to join you.
Sir.
You wouldn't mind?
Of course not. Please continue.
I can't make heads or tails of it.
Her formulae have started vanishing too fast for me to check them.
I could almost believe that something is rejecting them.
I can't find any flaws in her formulae,
so why won't they activate?
There must be some way to help her.
Morning already?!
I guess the late nights have been taking a toll.
This won't do. I'll be no use to the girls like this.
Good morning.
She must've stayed up late practicing.
Sir?
Did I wake you? Please forgive me.
No.
Are you reading that book for me?
No. I merely take an interest in—
You're lying!
I know you've been staying up late reading!
You didn't even come to breakfast this morning.
Well...
How many hundreds of books have you read this past month?
You think up new spell formulae for me every single day,
and you even help me practice at night.
Please, think nothing of it.
I like reading, and I enjoy tweaking formulae as well.
I merely happened to oversleep this morning.
Embarrassing, really.
You should be angry!
You ought to blame me!
I can't cast a single spell because I...
I have no talent for it!
Forgive me.
If I've driven you to say such things, I've failed as your tutor.
However—
I... I can't take any more.
I respect you, sir, and I like you a lot.
And I love Ellie, too.
What in the...?
But every time you praise her...
Every time I see her improving...
foul feelings well up inside me!
So I...!
Tina!
Allen, sir?!
Stay back, Ellie!
Tina!