The Witch and the Beast Episode 1: The Witch and the City of Blazing Red

The story opens with the grand, sweeping introduction of Claude Sirius, a magician so powerful he could, we are told, move stars. He was a prodigy, a professor at seventeen, then he vanished, leaving only his hat and a whisper of mystery. Two years later, Aria dismisses him as a 'fallen' star, a coward who abandoned students during an attack on Diana Academy. But Spica Virgo will not hear it; her idol remains untarnished by common gossip.

Spica is a determined, yet utterly inept, magician. We first see her tumbling off a cliff during a failed flight spell, much to Aria's amusement. Aria effortlessly conjures a dazzling water heart, highlighting Spica’s lack of natural talent with stark contrast. Alone later, Spica stares at the sky from a garden hedge, her internal monologue revealing the crushing weight of her inexperience and lack of funds for a tutor, yet she vows not to give up.

In her moment of despair, a mysterious black cat speaks, mocking Spica’s magical ineptitude. Spica is understandably terrified, believing she's hallucinating or has suddenly gained a bizarre animal communication ability. The cat then displays remarkable 'Sagittarius Magic,' launching Spica into the air before gently lowering her. This feat forces Spica to acknowledge the talking animal possesses true magical power, and the cat reveals he was once a human magician, now cursed.

Spica, in her desperation, kneels and begs the cat to be her teacher, offering anything in return. The cat, seeing an opportunity for personal gain, accepts, a devious glint in his eye. Their first 'training' session involves Spica using her meager savings to buy him a beer, confirming his selfish nature as she rails against being a mere servant. The cat, now revealed to be Claude Sirius, clarifies his true motive: he needs her to help break his curse by finding the legendary Book of Providence.

Spica and Claude arrive at the immense, ancient National Library, a place where magic and knowledge reside. Claude explains he cannot touch the books himself; the library's security systems detect non-human magical signatures, triggering alarms. Spica is left to embark on the colossal task of sifting through countless tomes alone. A montage follows, showing her grueling month of diligent research, studying ancient scripts and deciphering catalogs, her commitment unwavering as Claude watches, secretly impressed.

As the month ends, Claude is ready to terminate their contract, seeing no progress. Spica, desperate, confesses her true motivation: she believes in him because he saved her two years ago. A vivid flashback shows a young Spica, caught in a terrifying monster attack at Diana Academy, about to die. Suddenly, Claude Sirius descends, summoning golden swords with his 'Sagittarius Grand Magic,' incinerating the monsters and becoming her hero, assuring her safety with a gentle smile.

Inspired by her recent studies, Spica notices ancient characters on a previously overlooked, chained book in the library. She deciphers the runes, which translate to 'Those who invite.' As she recites them, the chains fall away, and the book glows, transforming into a massive magical gateway. Spica and Claude realize they have found the forbidden path, stepping through the portal into a breathtaking sub-space library, an awe-inspiring realm of floating bookshelves and swirling nebulae.

At the sub-space's center stands the 'Providence,' a stone tablet with a giant eye, which reveals Claude's curse is 'Rinne,' a forbidden magic that leaves only his soul. The tablet declares the only cure requires a direct injection of mana from a compatible person, ideally through a 'kiss.' Spica is flustered and horrified at the thought of kissing a cat, and Claude is equally disgusted. The tablet then clarifies the kiss must be applied to the cat's 'anus' for maximum efficiency, driving both Spica and Claude to screams of utter revulsion.

Their comedic outrage is violently cut short by the arrival of a massive, multi-headed wolf monster, a Behemoth, a servant of the cult that attacked Diana Academy. Spica and Claude are forced into a desperate retreat as the monster destroys the magical environment. Cornered and facing imminent death by fire breath, Claude implores Spica to break the curse, no matter how humiliating. With tears of embarrassment and resolute determination, Spica kisses the cat, the camera carefully avoiding the specific location as a brilliant burst of light envelops them.

From the blinding light, Claude Sirius emerges in his human form, confident and arrogant, swiftly dispatching the Behemoth with an 'Icing Arrow' that shatters the beast. Spica watches, awestruck by her hero's raw power, but her ideal image of him shatters as he playfully mocks her and teases her about the 'kiss.' Their bickering quickly turns to shock when Claude tries to walk away, only to revert back into his cat form, the curse stubbornly returning.

The Providence tablet explains that Spica's magical power was insufficient to fully break the Rinne curse, only suppressing it temporarily. To truly restore Claude, Spica must achieve the power of a first-class magician herself. Claude, now trapped in his cat form again, grudgingly accepts this new reality, declaring he will mentor Spica and enroll her in Diana Magic Academy. Spica is overjoyed, her dream finally within reach, though Claude warns her his training will be a 'nightmare,' foreshadowing the arduous journey ahead.