Failing Witch:Volume3 Prologue
Prologue: The Grader and the Graded[edit]
Summer is really getting started now.
Your prep school should be giving you a general exam soon, but that means you will stumble and come to a halt if you neglect the fundamentals. It’s a tutor’s job to give you some help where you’re lacking, so this quiz will help teach you the importance of the fundamentals.
Let’s start with the Aspect of Admiration.
ATU (0782), Midas and the Donkey Ears. Or would you know it better as the King Has Donkey Ears? This story has more than one magical lesson: “words can bring disaster” and one other. What is that other lesson?
(The donkey is seen as a foolish animal, so the king’s secret getting out would damage his authority)
Your actions can have unexpected results. Do not anger god.
- How to cast a gag curse. …There isn’t just one other lesson here.
Next, the Aspect of Antiquity.
Witchcraft divides the year into 8 periods. What is the most common reason for this?
The year is viewed as a large (wheel) and the 8 periods indicate the changing of the (seasons) and the days of the (festivals).
- Those are usually the days of big tests at prep schools
Finally, the Aspect of Amorality.
The Formula Broom is the most well known magic tool, but there are plenty more. Such as the staff. It is mostly a long stick just like a broom, but what is the difference between a staff and a broom at the Witch’s Sabbath?
The staff is a symbol of (male) authority.
A witch only carries one when attempting a theatrical ceremony and playing the role of the (horned) male god.
- I see how it is. You’re trying to get me to talk about penises, aren’t you, you pervy tutor?
They were in Temple School City. Specifically, in a park gazebo.
Even that city of witches had cicadas. Their cries weren’t any different from those in the other world of Earth. The gazebo did have a small roof, but that wasn’t enough to forget about the heat.
It was summer.
Midsummer.
But the elite student didn’t seem to care. Despite the heat, she wore a black hat, black jacket, and black miniskirt, giving her a chocolate parfait look. Melehe Superlative sharply tapped her quiz with a finger and glared icily at Tutor Myousou Yagoro.
“I get that these quizzes are meant to teach us how the practice exams work. Those always cruelly phrase the questions in misleading ways. But I don’t see such clear intention or planning in this, pervy tutor. You can’t give a question that has multiple answers like that.”
“Um, uh.”
“Listen. Students like us are supposed to use tests to reassess our skills, identify the next hurdle we need to clear, and repeat the process to climb ever higher. We have the Lughnasadh practice exam coming up. We can’t afford to be wasting even a second on these badly-formed questions that lead us to false assumptions!”
“…”
The silver-haired, brown-skinned sky pirate girl had her hands on her hips and her cheeks puffed out in maximum fury mode, so a clearly troubled Yagoro sought assistance.
“Ugh. Can’t we wait until evening to study…”
This came from the girl in a large witch hat and a dress with pumpkin tart colors. The bold slit in her long skirt did not suit her at all.
Halloween Witch Viocia Modestlucky had succumbed to the heat, her upper body collapsing onto the table like cheese melted on toast. Hard to believe her grandmother was the legendary Queen of the Night, Darkness, and Love who was said to have truly mastered witchcraft.
“Eep. Sorry, but I don’t want to die…”
Bandage Zombie Girl Dorothea Rockpool was still sitting upright, but she averted her eyes. The idiot was one thing, but a rejection from the diligent glasses girl proved just how hopeless his situation was.
Help was not forthcoming
“Um… It seems to me I don’t really need your approval when you aren’t even my stu-”
“Don’t run from the task at hand.”
She shot down his protest.
And she had a point, so he couldn’t even argue.
“Since you don’t seem to understand, I’ll explain it for you, perv. I’m not upset with you and your pervy failings. I’m actually trying to help you, so you should really thank me. You see, perv, being aware of your failings is a wonderful thing. Because once you overcome them, you can upgrade yourself!”
“…”
“A tutor is supposed to convey knowledge to his student and reach a greater understanding of that student to find the best way of teaching them. This is a positive cycle – a perfect win-win situation. Heh heh! But you are doing such a poor job I can’t stand to sit by and watch. So I, Melehe Superlative – the next leader of Private Striga, the greatest coven in the northern icy region – have no choice but to help you upgrade yourself!!!”
“…………………………………………………………”
“Umm.” That hesitant interruption did not come from Myousou Yagoro.
Dorothea raised her hand a little.
“Hm? What do you want, Dorothea? Did you have a question about what you’re studying?”
“No, um, eep. It’s about the tutor…”
The elite student frowned at Dorothea’s apologetic tone. This was odd. No one should be looking that way at the beautiful bearer of an A rank in the official practice exam.
Only after looking straight ahead again did she realize the truth.
The pervy tutor had become a log.
No, that bastard had left a log in his place while he ran away!!
“!? D-damn, that pervy tutor. Has that tree absorbed saltwater? He used the combination of purifying water and plant matter to make an impromptu talisman to divert the probability of negative events away from him!? Why must he use such high-level skills on such pointless things!?”
Melehe pounded her hands against the gazebo table.
“Ugh,” sleepily groaned Viocia, who was still collapsed on said table. Her consciousness level had gone completely dark.
| Back to Illustrations | Return to Main Page | Forward to Episode 1 |
