The Classroom of a Black Cat and a Witch Episode 1: Black Cat & Spica

The episode opens by painting a portrait of Claude Sirius, a magician so gifted he was said to move stars, a prodigy who became a professor at merely seventeen. His rise was meteoric, his talent undeniable, positioning him as one of the world's elite ten first-class magicians. Yet, as quickly as he ascended, he vanished, his brilliant career abruptly ended, his reputation left in ruins. This introduction establishes a legendary figure whose shadow looms large, a testament to both extraordinary power and sudden, mysterious downfall.

Spica Virgo stands on a mountain peak, staff in hand, her purple eyes alight with hope as she attempts to fly, only to tumble uncontrollably to the ground. Her friend, Aria, laughs at her persistent failures, pointing out that Spica's resilience is more physical than magical. Undeterred, Spica declares her unwavering dream of becoming a great magician, fueled by her idolization of Claude Sirius, whom she refuses to believe abandoned his students. Aria reminds her of the public's perception of Claude, stirring a painful memory in Spica, but her conviction remains unbroken.

Aria continues to challenge Spica, noting the impracticality of her dream without proper training or funds. To underscore her point, Aria effortlessly conjures a giant, heart-shaped pillar of water from a nearby well with a simple 'Aquarius Magic' spell. She winks, offering to teach Spica for a price, leaving Spica frustrated and fuming at the blatant teasing. This scene highlights the vast chasm between Spica's aspirations and her current, unmastered abilities.

Determined to prove Aria wrong, Spica returns to her family's orange grove, once again balancing on a rooftop with her staff. She mutters about the teasing, her resolve hardened by her friend's skepticism. Taking a deep breath, she focuses all her energy on a jump, hoping for flight, but once more she simply plummets to the dirt below. This repeated failure, though comedic, emphasizes her profound struggle and unyielding spirit.

As Spica lies in the dirt after another humiliating fall, a grumpy voice from the bushes tells her to take her noisy failures elsewhere. Startled, she looks up to find a small black cat with piercing yellow eyes and a gold earring observing her with boredom and disdain. Confused, Spica wonders if her crash has caused her to hallucinate talking animals. The cat then insults her intelligence and magical coordination, confirming that he is indeed the one speaking, causing Spica's eyes to widen in shock.

Spica is thrilled, believing she has magically unlocked the ability to speak with animals, but the cat quickly corrects her, revealing his true identity: a human magician trapped in feline form by a curse. To prove his words, the cat performs a high-level 'Sagitarius Magic' jump, launching himself with a trail of blue mana. He lands gracefully, looking down at Spica with an arrogant smirk that feels eerily familiar. Spica realizes this haughty attitude and magical flair can only belong to her idol, Claude Sirius, and she immediately kneels, begging him to take her as his apprentice.

Spica and the now feline Claude arrive at the bustling Aradia Station, where Spica expects their training to begin. Instead, Claude leads her to an outdoor bar and demands she conjure him a drink. Spica is bewildered, protesting that she knows no such spells for creating beer, prompting Claude's dramatic sigh and a pronouncement that her first lesson is to provide for her master. Under his instruction, Spica shouts 'Beer, please!' at the top of her lungs, feeling foolish, only for a waitress to promptly deliver a tray. Claude dives into a mug, purring with delight, then proceeds to flirt with other customers, using his 'cute cat' persona for free drinks while Spica watches in utter disbelief.

Finally sated, Claude turns his attention back to Spica, revealing the true purpose of their journey: the Royal Library. He explains that he will teach her magic, but only if she helps him retrieve a specific artifact hidden within the library's vast collection—the 'Book of Providence,' a legendary grimoire said to hold the power to break any curse. Her anger vanishing, Spica's renewed sense of purpose ignites as she realizes this is her chance. They enter the massive, circular Royal Library, filled floor to ceiling with countless books, where Claude explains that as an animal, he cannot touch the books without triggering magical security. He points to the purple 'Mother Book' at the center, a formidable guardian, leaving Spica overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the task ahead.