Long ago, the cave here was home to the prosperous Cavern Nation of Romonon,
which specialized in delicate magic craftsmanship.
The Romonons clad themselves in magical gold works of art
and wore their arrogance on their sleeves.
They thought of themselves as a better breed than the nations outside,
and looked down on those who visited them.
As rumor spread of the Romonons' prosperity,
more travelers from the surface came to visit.
So, to welcome those they deemed a benefit to their society,
they created the Serpentback Road,
a path that only the worthy could travel.
And so that the unworthy who could not traverse the road
could never reach Romonon,
they engraved the cave with a maze spell.
The city of Romonon grew ever more beautiful and prosperous,
and its people ever more haughty and exclusive,
until one day...
when the Romonons began to turn their judgment on each other.
Those deemed to be without merit were forced to exchange their flesh and blood,
and, through magic, be turned into gold statues to decorate their city.
Soon after, just as stagnant water becomes foul,
the closed-off Romonon society became plagued by malaise.
Internal feuding made its people tired and weak.
In the end, it is said, it collapsed under the weight of its own gold.
Now all that remains is the labyrinthine cave and the Serpentback Road within.
Humans are terrifying creatures.
Equally terrifying is how few of us realize what we're capable of.
But Master...
You said magic exists to make people happy, right?
It's a power used to help people and bring color to the world, right?!
If you witches of the future believe that, then...
Yes, I'm sure it will be.
But...
This magic might create an unhappy result for our meal today.
Oh, no! It's burning!
Ow, hot!
It's edible once you scrape off the burned parts!
So good!
Magic is a power to bring color to the world...
So good!
Hey, Brushbuddy, have some!
I hope that's true.
What a big bone!
I truly do.
Well, how will you proceed?
As test proctor, I can't give any more advice past this point.
The Shadow of Romonon
It's twisty, but it's still a single road ahead.
It's easy.
Just fly through and—
Look out!
They're standing sideways?
Is that your spell?
No, it's the magic of the road.
Orientation is all topsy-turvy in this cave.
You can only stand straight when you're on the serpent's back.
If you step off the road, you'll fall into the labyrinth of the grander cave,
and eventually end up back at the entrance.
Hang on...
These serpent-scale paving stones...
Are they all casting seals?
But they're cracked and worn in places...
I didn't realize that my first time through and fell off.
Th-The right answer here is a spell from the Basics of Casting Primer...
I know the one.
Water flows, directed by gravity.
It stops when it reaches level ground.
If the only places that are level are places where the seals are intact,
the pooled water will indicate where it's safe to step.
You got it totally right!
You really live up to the Arklaum name.
E-Even on my second time through, I didn't realize...
The "right" answer...
The "right" spell...
The "right" path...
Always sticking to what's "right" is what I don't want to do.
Hey now, Richehlette.
Look at you, drawing more of these worthless spells.
You'll never become a proper witch like this.
Why can't you just do what your master tells you?
These ridiculous scribbles...
Throw them out!
I don't want to.
They're not scribbles.
These are my spells!
I don't want to throw out who I am.
Which means...
This way. Come along.
I know the way through, but the myrphon won't follow.
Come on. I don't want you falling off.
Just follow me already.
Don't try to win me over with your cute little mannerisms!
B-But...
The mannerisms are important.
Myrphons vocalize to communicate with each other.
So the right answer to get them to follow
is to use an echoing spell that mimics their cries...
There's no "right answer" with magic.
There's no rule saying it has to be some way.
The myrphons...
You may have taken this test before,
but I wish you'd stop blathering on about "right answers"
and telling us what to do before we even try.
I want to be myself.
I don't want to become a witch who isn't me.
So I'll reach the end of this road using only my own spells.
Richeh...
But... you can't.
That's just not how the world works.
And this is a test, so it has "right answers."
We're apprentices, and inexperienced, and children,
so we have to do it by the book...
If I don't, I'll fail again.
That's just how a test—
That's exactly the kind of talk that I hate!
But if you use a spell that hasn't been tested, it could fail...
If I do it so it'll work, it'll work!
That's too reckless!
Learn from your failures, and it becomes knowledge.
Knowledge that fuels future success.
I happen to know someone who learns that way.
Do things your way, Richeh.
It doesn't matter to me.
I don't need your permission to do that, Agott.
What's that sound? The water?
M-My master tells me every day...
"You can't do it."
"It's beyond you."
I agree with him.
So... I've studied how other people do things instead.
But I guess I really can't do it.
Because this is Romonon...
It's a road created to prevent the unworthy from entering.
Coco? What's wrong?
Master Qifrey, are there other witches here today?
Kukrow left, so I don't think so.
Why do you ask?
I thought I saw a robed figure over there just now.
Coco?
But of course there's no one here, right?
Coco!
Right! On my way!
The water drops off and winds in the strangest ways...
The casting seals that maintain orientation
have no effect over the gap in the road.
We have to find our own way across.
Richeh?
The casting seals only work when we're standing on the stones.
So we just have to extend the stones to the other side.
Like this.
Sh-She's riding a ribbon made of stone?!
There.
If there's something you can't do, change the method to something you can.
She has a point.
Th-That's not safe!
You can't...
A combination of repetition and replication spells...
It makes for a narrow path, but it really worked!
Agott!
I'm okay!
It's hard to draw clean lines under my cloak, so the spell faded quickly.
I still have a long way to go.
I have to work even harder!
You did well.
It was easy.
Looks like it's your turn.
I...
I just can't do it!
I'm not cut out for this!
I don't have any talent, courage, confidence, aptitude, skill... nothing!
And with the road broken, I don't even have luck!
I'm going to fail again!
Oh, come on.
You've already demonstrated incredible analysis and knowledge!
If you've done this twice before, put that experience to good use!
Just draw a spell already! Anything!
The myrphon cry spell?
A rain spell to make puddles...
Why are you using spells for problems we've solved already?!
You need something new to cross over!
I-I can't draw.
What?
M-My...
M-My hands won't stop shaking.
I-I've never been able to draw right when someone else is watching.
The thought of their eyes on me makes me start to sweat and tremble...
Then I mess up the lines, and the spells turn out awful.
I want to do something about it...
but I feel so helpless.
A-And the more people see me panicking, the worse it becomes.
This time, I thought, I'd be able to make it.
I prepared, I studied...
I drew all the "right answer" spells in advance.
If I'm alone, I can concentrate and draw right.
We're not forbidden from bringing our palm quires in with us.
So I only need to close the circles to cast the spells.
It would look like I was doing it right.
But I didn't expect a gap in the road.
I've been punished for not doing it right.
Why am I always like this?
You said you want to be yourself...
but I wish I could stop being me.
I wish I could be literally anyone else!
This test is about whether you can cast spells in front of Outsiders
without being caught.
Unfortunately, at this rate, he'll never be able to pass.
You can do it.
You can do it just as you are.
You said the answer yourself just now.
Didn't you realize?
If you can concentrate and draw when you're alone, then be alone right now!
Um...
But how?
However you can!
Magic can make stones grow or make rain fall.
You should be able to make all kinds of spaces to be alone!
I-I can't draw a spell like that.
Then don't use a spell!
I-I can't figure that out on the spot...
I... I...
Come on!
Don't interfere.
I hate this, I hate this! It's the worst!
I must look so pathetic.
This is the only thing I could come up with on the fly...
It's so pathetic, I could cry!
I'm sure they're disgusted by me...
They might be laughing.
I p-probably look ridiculous...
I-I really must look so stupid...
The proctor's probably disappointed in me, too.
They're not laughing.
No one's disgusted, or laughing, or making fun of me.
No one but me.
Make it something you can do, and you can do it.
I get it. The only one casting a curse to sabotage me...
was just myself in the mirror.
Mirror...
Right here... No, here?
The casting seal in the Mirror Cloak of Borrowshade...
It's not a mirror so much as
an application of signs of concealment and reflection.
It conceals the wearer and makes them into a "shadow,"
then projects an image of a beast reflected in its scales.
That's amazing. The spell is so layered...
Oh, but then I... maybe...
What is it?
Euini!
Stay there!
I'll erect a wind barrier!
A Romonon trap? Or an ancient, unknown spell?!
I-It's okay!
This is my spell!
Euini?
You...
What happened to your cloak?
When I ducked inside, I could see the casting seal inside it...
I erased just the "mirror" part
and made it just a "cloak of borrowshade."
Now I can hide in the dark and draw what I need to.
The myrphon can't see me now, so it might be harder to bring it along,
but I still have the sound spell to mimic its cries.
All that matters is that it can't tell I'm human, right?
Well, technically.
Being hidden means being alone.
Now I can concentrate and not worry about people looking at me.
I think I can draw like this!
I-It's a little embarrassing to do it this way,
but I think...
this might be who I am.
You don't want to not be yourself anymore?
Yeah. A little less, anyway.
Next time, don't just say you can't do it right away.
You're not worthless at all.
I-I might still say it...
B-But I'll work hard to keep that from being the last word.
U-Um...
Thank you, Richeh.
I thought you didn't have any interest in other people.
He saved me first. Now we're even.
Besides...
The feeling of not being able to do what you want to...
I understand it, too.
It's natural to be frustrated when you can't do something.
That's what lets us improve.
I'm going to become a better version of myself.
I could never love an inferior one.
The purpose of tests is to learn about yourself.
There's only one path forward, but the spells we draw along it are all different.
We all search for our own way, and use it to walk the path ahead.
Over and over again.
See? Tests aren't that bad, are they?
But...
Until Master Qifrey apologizes for lying and making me take it,
I'm still gonna be mad.
He's earned an Angricheh point.
An Angricheh point?
Oh, right. Speaking of Qifrey...
Lately, has he mentioned—
Master Alaira!
Miss Alaira!
The Brimmed Caps?!
Listen, everyone!
Don't listen to anything the Brimmed Caps say!
Don't be led astray!
Run away as fast as you—
Forbidden magic is—
Miss Alaira?
Episode 13:
Forbidden Magic